US Begins Talks with Cuba Amidst Rising Tensions, While Other Global Events Unfold
Washington is engaging in discussions with Cuban leaders even as the U.S. administration increases pressure on the communist-run island by cutting off key oil supplies, President Donald Trump told reporters Saturday night while en route to Florida, according to Euronews. Trump did not provide specifics regarding the level or timing of the outreach. "We're starting to talk to Cuba," he stated. The move comes after recent U.S. actions to cut off oil supplies from Venezuela and Mexico, which Trump suggested would force Cuba to the negotiating table.
Meanwhile, in other international news, a powerful explosion rocked the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas earlier Saturday. Euronews reported that the blast occurred in an eight-story building, causing severe damage to the lower floors and shattering windows throughout. Hormozgan's Crisis Management Organisation stated that investigations into the cause of the incident are ongoing, noting that 14 people were injured in a residential complex. Israel has denied any involvement in the explosion, according to Euronews.
In Europe, hundreds of Danish veterans, many of whom fought alongside U.S. troops, held a silent protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen on Saturday. Euronews reported that the demonstration was in response to comments from the Trump administration that downplayed their combat contributions and threats to take control of Greenland. Parallel protests also took place in Milan, Italy, opposing ICE's role at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
In the tech world, SpaceX has filed a request with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch a constellation of up to 1 million solar-powered satellites that it said will serve as data centers for artificial intelligence, TechCrunch reported. The company's filing outlines a vision of these satellites as the most efficient way to meet the accelerating demand for AI computing power and a step towards becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization. The Verge suggested that the FCC is unlikely to approve the 1 million satellite request outright and that it is likely a starting point for negotiations. The FCC recently granted SpaceX permission to launch additional satellites.
Also in tech news, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang dismissed a recent report of friction between his company and OpenAI as "nonsense," according to TechCrunch. The Wall Street Journal reported late Friday that Nvidia was considering scaling back its investment in OpenAI. In September, the two companies announced a plan in which Nvidia would invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI and build 10 gigawatts of computing infrastructure for the AI company. The WSJ reported that Huang had begun emphasizing that the deal was nonbinding and had privately criticized OpenAI's business strategy and expressed concerns about competitors like Anthropic and Google. The WSJ also stated that the two companies are rethinking their relationship, though not necessarily ending it entirely.
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