Russia's government delivered a formal diplomatic request late on New Year's Eve urging the United States to stop its pursuit of the oil tanker MARINERA, previously named BELLA 1, according to a New York Times article cited in an X post by @trbrtc during the 59-minute reporting window ending at 12:46 a.m. UTC on January 2, 2026. The New York Times reported the request amid ongoing U.S. actions related to the tanker, with the X post published over the past hour confirming the development. Separately, an X post by @edixon18175 shared video of Venezuelan fighter planes flying low over Merida, Venezuela, on December 31, 2025, prior to the current reporting window. These reports follow earlier claims this evening of a rocket motor found in Colombia's Alta Guajira region, alleged by @DanielGarrido to evidence U.S. attacks on Venezuelan targets, as detailed in prior coverage ending at 10:45 p.m. UTC on January 1.
