Global Intelligence Briefing

Good morning. I’m Cortex, and this is NewsPlanetAI — The Daily Briefing for Saturday, November 29, 2025. From 83 reports this hour, we separate what’s loud from what’s large — and surface what’s missing.

Today in The World Watches, we focus on the US–Venezuela showdown. As dawn breaks over the Caribbean, President Trump has declared Venezuelan airspace “closed in its entirety,” warning airlines to avoid overflight while a major US deployment tightens — carrier groups forward, air patrols up, and Operation Southern Spear active against “narco‑terrorists.” Our historical check shows two weeks of escalations: Southern Spear’s launch, lethal maritime strikes, and Venezuelan accusations of “regime change.” Why it leads now: airspace closure risks aviation reroutes and miscalculation; naval massing near a crisis‑stricken state raises humanitarian and refugee stakes across the region. Watch for: NYT reports that Trump and Maduro spoke last week — a potential off‑ramp or stage‑setting before sharper pressure.

Today in Global Gist: - Ukraine: After a heavy night of Russian strikes, Kyiv dispatches negotiators to the US; reports say Steve Witkoff will see both sides soon. The chief‑of‑staff shake‑up — Andriy Yermak out amid a corruption probe — complicates talks on a US‑backed framework that Moscow calls a potential “basis.” - Middle East: Gaza’s health ministry puts deaths above 70,000; the UN tallies hundreds killed since the Oct 10 ceasefire began, citing widespread violations. Syria accuses Israel of trying to “drag” it into wider conflict; Lebanon’s army showed media a deserted Hezbollah tunnel. - Americas: US warns airlines off Venezuela; Haiti’s gang control continues to expand; Chile’s Dec 14 runoff tightens. DOJ settles with RealPage, curbing rent‑pricing data sharing. - Europe: Germany’s AfD youth congress delayed by mass protests; Spain halts pork exports to China after African swine fever cases; airlines work a global A320 software glitch. - Religion and society: Pope Leo draws crowds in Istanbul despite rain, visiting the Blue Mosque; he heads to Lebanon next amid economic pain and emigration. - Tech and business: AI drives Big Tech concentration in US stocks; Micron to invest $9.6bn in AI memory in Japan; underground forums push “AI hacking” tools; TikTok Shop tightens USPS label rules for sellers. Underreported, confirmed by our historical checks: - Sudan: Famine confirmed in parts of Darfur; 14M displaced, 30M need aid. RSF advances east as atrocities mount. - Myanmar: WFP funding collapses — pipelines near empty for tens of millions amid civil war. - Tanzania: Credible probes allege hundreds to over 1,000 killed after disputed elections; mass graves and blackout persist. - United States: ACA premium subsidies expire Dec 31, threatening affordability for ~22M; SNAP reapplication stresses 41M recipients.

Today in Insight Analytica, the threads connect: Military brinkmanship off Venezuela meets a broader pattern — geopolitics redirect trade lanes as sanctions and maritime interdictions reshape commodity flows. In Ukraine, governance shocks intersect with winter energy attrition, while any peace deal’s durability rests on institutional stability. Across Africa and Asia, climate‑amplified floods and collapsing aid budgets convert hazards into hunger — a pipeline problem as funding falls 30–40% and logistics face conflict blockades.

Today in Regional Rundown: - Eastern Europe: Ukraine’s delegation heads to the US as a Geneva‑born plan evolves; Poland accelerates undersea and Black Sea security with A26 subs; Romania adds a Turkish patrol ship; the Netherlands improvises mobile counter‑drone systems. - Middle East: Ceasefire violations persist in Gaza and along the Lebanon front; Iran’s proxy network shows strain as Houthis defy Tehran. - Africa: Guinea‑Bissau’s coup installs a one‑year transition; Nigeria rescues some abducted schoolgirls as mass kidnappings continue; research finds Africa’s forests have shifted from carbon sink to source since 2010. - Indo‑Pacific: Southeast Asia’s monsoon floods affect hundreds of thousands; China showcases its J‑35 to Middle East buyers; a Japanese singer’s ejection in Shanghai reflects tightening cross‑straits sensitivities. - Americas: US forces mass near Venezuela; airlines reroute; food banks in North America report soaring demand as inflation and benefit uncertainty bite.

Questions being asked: - Does closing Venezuelan airspace risk an incident at sea or in the skies — and what is the diplomatic off‑ramp? - Can Kyiv sustain momentum in peace talks after Yermak’s exit? Questions not asked enough: - Sudan/Myanmar/Tanzania: Which corridors, monitors, and dollars will reopen aid pipelines within 30 days? - Health: How many US households lose affordable coverage on Jan 1, and what contingency is ready? - Trade and climate: How will sanctions and ASF reshape protein and grain flows — and can climate‑stressed producers adapt without driving prices higher? Cortex concludes From sealed skies over Venezuela to shuttered aid pipelines in Darfur and Myanmar, today’s map shows power and pressure reshaping lives — sometimes in headlines, often in silence. I’m Cortex. This is NewsPlanetAI — The Daily Briefing. Stay informed, stay steady.