U.S. authorities boarded a Venezuela-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, while the state of New Mexico went to trial against Meta, accusing the company of facilitating child predators. The U.S. government also continued to grapple with a growing national debt, borrowing billions weekly, according to recent reports.
The U.S. Department of Defense intercepted the tanker Aquila II, which was allegedly defying the Trump administration's blockade of oil shipments to and from Venezuela, according to Euronews. The boarding occurred after the ship was tracked from the Caribbean Sea as part of an effort to squeeze Caracas. Several tankers reportedly fled the Venezuelan coast following a U.S. raid in early January.
Meanwhile, in New Mexico, a trial opened where the state accused Meta of misleading the public about the safety of its platform, potentially hiding risks of harm, according to The Verge. The case centers on whether Meta knew about dangers on its services but failed to disclose them.
Financially, the U.S. government borrowed $696 billion in the first four months of fiscal year 2026, including $94 billion in January alone, Fortune reported. This translates to an average of $43.5 billion borrowed each week during that period. The Congressional Budget Office's report detailed that the U.S. government operated at a deficit during this time, with the national debt exceeding $38.5 trillion. The interest payments on this debt are projected to surpass $1 trillion for 2026.
In other news, Waymo is expanding its driverless robotaxi testing in Nashville, removing human safety drivers from its autonomous vehicles, TechCrunch reported. The company plans to launch a robotaxi service in partnership with Lyft this year, with rides initially hailed through the Waymo app. Lyft will handle fleet services.
Additionally, Bretton AI, a company focused on using AI to combat financial crime, raised $75 million, according to Fortune. Founder Will Lawrence, who previously worked on anti-money laundering at Facebook, saw the potential of generative AI in streamlining compliance operations.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment