This week, YouTube reported that it paid the music industry over $8 billion over the past year. YouTube’s Global Head of Music, LyorCohen, credits the platform’s “twin-engine” approach of ads and subscriptions.
Meanwhile, MBW reported that Spotify holds a patent for technology that could generate personalized song mashups by combining vocals and instrumentals from different tracks.
Elsewhere, generative AI music startup Suno is reportedly in negotiations to raise over $100 million in a funding round that would value the company at more than $2 billion.
Also this week, LisaYang joined Warner Music Group as EVP, Global Head of Strategy after 16 years at Goldman Sachs, while US Latin music revenues neared $500 million in H1 2025, growing six times faster than the overall US market.
Here are some of the biggest headlines from the past few days…
YouTube reports that it paid more than $8 billion to the music industry during the 12 months from July 2024 to June 2025.
The figure was shared by Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music, at the Billboard Latin Music Week conference in Miami on Wednesday (October 22).
Cohen attributed the payout to what YouTube calls its “twin-engine model,” which generates revenue through ads shown alongside free content and paid subscriptions that remove ads. In a comment shared with MBW, Cohen said: “$8 billion payout is a testament to the fact that the twin engine of ads and subscriptions is firing on all cylinders…”(MBW)
Spotify holds a patent for technology that could generate personalized song mashups.
The filing, unearthed by MBW, describes a system that can analyze songs to determine which tracks are musically compatible, then automatically combine them into new mashup versions for individual users.
According to the document, the technology would work by first separating tracks into their component parts – vocals and instrumentals – then “adding the vocal component” of “at least one music track to at least a select segment of the base music track.”
In other words, Spotify’s algorithm could automatically layer the singing from one song over the backing track of a completely different song, though users would still control the creative choices…(MBW)
Generative AI music startup Suno is in negotiations to raise over $100 million in a funding round that would value the company at more than $2 billion, a fourfold increase from the previous valuation.
That’s according to Bloomberg, which reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that the company is currently generating more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue.
Suno’s service lets users generate complete musical tracks from text prompts, often including vocals and lyrics. The company is currently the subject of a lawsuit filed by record labels owned by Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, who sued the company for mass infringement of copyright, alleging the AI startup used copyrighted recordings without permission to train its AI…(MBW)
Last month, we reported that Lisa Yang was leaving Goldman Sachs after 16 years – for a job at Warner Music Group, according to our sources.
Now, it’s official. The respected exec has indeed joined WMG, as Executive Vice President, Global Head of Strategy. Yang announced the news via LinkedIn on Monday (October 20)…(MBW)
Amid a slowdown in the growth of US recorded music revenues, Latin music remains a bright spot.
According to the latest mid-year report from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Latin music wholesale revenues hit $490.3 million in the first half of 2025, up 5.9% YoY.
That growth rate is more than six times as fast as overall wholesale revenues in the US, which grew 0.9% YoYto $5.59 billion in H1 2025, according to an earlier report from the RIAA.
In all, 98% of Latin music revenues came from streaming, with paid streaming accounting for $271.1 million, up 11.2% YoY...(MBW)
Partner message: MBW’s Weekly Round-up is supported by BMI, the global leader in performing rights management, dedicated to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the value of music. Find out more about BMIhere. Music Business Worldwide
United States President Donald Trump’s campaign against “narcoterrorists” has transformed the Caribbean into a new battlefield.
Since August, Washington has deployed thousands of troops, warships and aircraft across the region, and reopened military bases in Puerto Rico and conducted drills, in what analysts describe as the largest US presence in Latin America in decades.
In September, the US began a series of strikes on Venezuelan boats it claims were trafficking drugs to the US, with the latest attack on Friday killing six people on board. Last week, Trump announced that he had authorised covert CIA operations in Venezuela and that he was even mulling a land attack.
However, on Thursday, Trump denied that all this amounts to a declaration of war on Venezuela.
“Well, I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war,” he said.
“I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. OK? We’re going to kill them,” Trump said.
How many Venezuelan boats has the US attacked?
The US military has carried out at least ten deadly strikes on vessels off Venezuela’s coast, and in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean since September 2, marking the most intense American military activity in Latin America since the US invasion of Panama in 1989.
The operations, conducted under the authority of the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), have killed at least 43 people, according to statements by Trump and senior defence officials.
The map below shows the approximate locations of at least six of these attacks, according to data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED). Most of these attacks occurred close to the Venezuelan coast and in international waters – raising questions about the legality of the US’s use of force, especially when no imminent threat was present.
What is SOUTHCOM?
US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), headquartered in Doral, Florida, is one of 11 unified combatant commands of the US Department of War (renamed by Trump from the Department of Defense). It oversees operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including the defence of the Panama Canal.
The other 10 commands cover different regions or functions such as North America (NORTHCOM), Europe (EUCOM), Africa (AFRICOM), the Middle East (CENTCOM), and the Indo-Pacific (INDOPACOM), while others have global responsibilities like cyber operations (CYBERCOM), space (SPACECOM), nuclear deterrence (STRATCOM), strategic logistics (TRANSCOM) and Special Operations forces worldwide (SOCOM).
While SOUTHCOM’s current stated mission is to counter narcotics flows into the US, its growing presence near Venezuela has been interpreted as a sign of Trump’s strategic interest in the region.
What military assets have been deployed?
The military buildup is considerable and includes ready-to-deploy expeditionary forces, US naval and air assets, and special operations units.
Al Jazeera’s Defence Editor, Alex Gatopoulos, said, “It’s already the biggest build-up of US military assets in the region for decades. The present force is oriented for land attack and not for counter-narcotics operations.
Expeditionary forces
The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) forms the expeditionary core of the US presence in the Caribbean. This group of Navy ships carrying marines, vehicles and helicopters, named after the famous World War II battle of Iwo Jima, is designed to land on a shore quickly, often in emergencies or combat situations.
Along with the USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28), the expeditionary force houses 4,500 sailors and marines, including 2,200 marines trained for amphibious assault and rapid reaction missions.
The group has also conducted live-fire drills on board the Iwo Jima and amphibious landing rehearsals off St Croix, the largest of the US Virgin Islands and a key training site for US forces.
Naval assets
The fleet is also reinforced with several naval assets. Late on Friday, the US announced it will send an aircraft carrier strike group to Latin America, in a major escalation of its military presence.
A spokesperson for the US military said that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the USS Gerald Ford and five destroyers in its accompanying strike group to deploy to the region.
As of September 25, SOUTHCOM’s task force includes 10 major warships and several support vessels, exceeding the number normally assigned to the region. Among them are four surface combatants and one submarine capable of carrying Tomahawk long-range missiles.
The destroyers, USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), USS Stockdale (DDG-106) and USS Gravely (DDG-107), are multi-role warships armed with Tomahawk land-attack missiles as well as advanced anti-air and anti-submarine systems. All three were reportedly deployed to the Red Sea in 2024 to counter Houthi attacks in the region.
The US Navy warship USS Sampson (DDG 102) docks at the Amador International Cruise Terminal in Panama City on September 2, 2025. [Martin Bernetti/AFP]
Alongside them, the USS Newport News (SSN-750), a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, provides capabilities for strikes, antiship and antisubmarine operations, as well as intelligence, reconnaissance and special operations.
There are also several noncombatant support ships, as well as the US Coast Guard.
Air assets
The air component deployed under SOUTHCOM includes some of the most advanced aircraft in the US Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.
Gatopoulos states that, added to the various deployments “have been the intimidation tactics of flying strategic bombers close to Venezuelan airspace… The B-52 is designed to destroy land-based targets, from some distance away, usually using long-range cruise missiles.”
These heavy bombers can fly at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet (15,000 metres) and carry cruise missiles or nuclear-capable weapons. They also support naval operations by monitoring the ocean, targeting ships and laying mines.
“The B-1 strategic bomber is designed to penetrate enemy airspace to deliver 37 tonnes of ordnance onto its target. Neither jet is in any way useful for stopping drug-smuggling. This plus President Trump’s public announcement to the CIA to start operations within Venezuela tells me they have something very different in mind, namely to destabilise the Maduro government,” says Gatopoulos.
“The latest development, the ordering of the Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Caribbean further cements this idea. The Carrier group is immensely powerful, bringing with it 75+ fighter jets, helicopters and early warning aircraft. The USS Ford will be accompanied by three missile destroyers, each capable of attacking targets deep within Venezuela – a huge amount of firepower.”
Two US Air Force B-52H strategic bombers flying with South Korean Air Force F-35A (L) and US Air Force F-16 fighter jets during a joint air drill on April 14, 2023, at an undisclosed location in South Korea [South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images]
There are also at least 10 F-35 stealth fighters – highly versatile jets which can strike, fight and gather intelligence while remaining hard to detect by radar.
An Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber flies with Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft in the US Southern Command area of responsibility on October 15, 2025 [US Air Force via AP]
MQ-9 Reaper drones are remotely piloted aircraft used for surveillance and precision strikes, with a range of 1,851km (1,150 miles) and speeds up to 370km/h (230mph). They can carry up to 16 Hellfire missiles, allowing them to strike multiple targets in a single mission.
CH-53E Super Stallions are heavy-lift helicopters that move troops and equipment from ship to shore. They can carry 16 tonnes of cargo 80km (50 miles) before returning to base.
Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion’s (LCAC) unload equipment onto the beach as US Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys and CH-53 Super Stallions fly overhead during the America’s Marines 250 event at Camp Pendleton’s Red Beach on October 18, 2025, in Oceanside, California [Mario Tama/Getty Images via AFP]
Other air assets include P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft, MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, AC-130J gunships, and various support and reconnaissance aircraft.
Special forces and troops
SOUTHCOM’s special operations component consists of MH-60 Black Hawks and AH-MH-6 Little Bird helicopters for troop insertion and reconnaissance. The MC Ocean Trader, which is part of the deployment, acts as a mobile forward base for these units.
Black Hawk helicopters fly in formation during a counter-landing live-fire exercise at a beach as part of US-Philippines joint military exercises on May 3, 2025 in Aparri, Cagayan province, the Philippines [Ezra Acayan/Getty Images]
About 10,000 troops have also been sent to the US territory of Puerto Rico, while the White House has authorised the CIA to carry out covert operations inside Venezuela.
How has Venezuela responded?
On September 4, two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew over the USS Jason Dunham in what was seen as a highly provocative act, according to Washington. In response, the US deployed 10 F-35B fighters and two MQ-9 Reapers to Puerto Rico.
On September 17, Venezuela launched large-scale naval and air exercises, while President Nicolas Maduro ordered the mobilisation of the Bolivarian militia, a reserve force which is part of Venezuela’s armed forces, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), and called for millions of volunteers to defend the country’s sovereignty.
President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela greets his supporters during a rally to commemorate Indigenous Resistance Day on October 12, 2025 in Caracas, Venezuela [Jesus Vargas/Getty Images]
While President Trump insists that US operations in the Caribbean Sea are lawful counter-narcotics missions, Venezuelan officials regard them as an escalation in tensions and attacks on vessels as a violation of international law. It says there has been no evidence that targeted vessels have posed any imminent threat.
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The USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest warship, can carry up to 90 aircraft
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has accused the US of “fabricating a war”, after it sent the world’s largest warship towards the Caribbean in a major escalation of its military build-up in the region.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier, which can carry up to 90 aircraft, to move from the Mediterranean on Friday.
“They are fabricating a new eternal war,” Maduro told state media. “They promised they would never again get involved in a war, and they are fabricating a war.”
The US has been increasing its military presence in the Caribbean, sending warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft in what it says is a campaign to target drug traffickers.
It has also carried out ten airstrikes on boats it says belong to traffickers, including one on Friday when Hegseth said “six male narco-terrorists” had been killed.
That operation took place in the Caribbean Sea, against a ship Hegseth said belonged to the Tren de Aragua criminal organisation.
The strikes have drawn condemnation in the region and experts have questioned their legality.
The Trump administration says it is conducting a war on drug trafficking, but it has also been accused by both experts and members of Congress of launching an intimidation campaign in an effort to destabilise Maduro’s government.
Maduro is a longtime foe of Trump, and the US president has accused him of being the leader of a drug-trafficking organisation which he denies.
“This is about regime change. They’re probably not going to invade, the hope is this is about signalling,” Dr Christopher Sabatini, a senior fellow for Latin America at the Chatham House think tank, told the BBC.
He argued the military build-up is intended to “strike fear” in the hearts of the Venezuelan military and Maduro’s inner circle so that they move against him.
In its Friday announcement, the Pentagon said the USS Gerald R Ford carrier would deploy to the US Southern Command area of responsibility, which includes Central America and South America as well as the Caribbean.
The additional forces “will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs”, or transnational criminal organisations, spokesman Sean Parnell said.
Watch: The US is “fabricating an eternal war”, says Nicolás Maduro
The carrier’s deployment would provide the resources to start conducting strikes against targets on the ground. Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of what he called “land action” in Venezuela.
“We are certainly looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” he said earlier this week.
The aircraft carrier last publicly transmitted its location three days ago off the coast of Croatia, in the Adriatic Sea.
Its deployment marks a significant escalation in the US military buildup in the region. It is also likely to increase tensions with Venezuela, whose government Washington has long accused of harbouring drug traffickers.
The carrier’s large aircraft load can include jets and planes for transport and reconnaissance. Its first long-term deployment was in 2023.
It is unclear which vessels will accompany it when it moves to the region, but it can operate as part of a strike group that includes destroyers carrying missiles and other equipment.
The US has carried out a series of strikes on boats in recent weeks, in what President Donald Trump has described as an effort to curtail drug trafficking.
Pete Hegseth on X
The US said it had destroyed a drug trafficking boat earlier on Friday
The strike announced on Friday was the tenth the Trump administration has carried out against alleged drug traffickers since early September. Most have taken place off of South America, in the Caribbean, but on 21 and 22 October it carried out strikes in the Pacific Ocean.
Members of US Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, have raised concerns about the legality of the strikes and the president’s authority to order them.
On 10 September, 25 Democratic US senators wrote to the White House and alleged the administration had struck a vessel days earlier “without evidence that the individuals on the vessel and the vessel’s cargo posed a threat to the United States”.
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a Republican, has argued that such strikes require congressional approval.
Trump said he has the legal authority to order the strikes, and has designated Tren de Aragua a terrorist organisation.
“We’re allowed to do that, and if we do [it] by land, we may go back to Congress,” Trump told White House reporters on Wednesday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that “if people want to stop seeing drug boats blow up, stop sending drugs to the United States”.
The six deaths in the operation Hegseth announced on Friday brings the total people killed in the US strikes to at least 43.
Brian Finucane, a former US State Department lawyer, told the BBC the situation amounted to a constitutional crisis that the US Congress, controlled by Republicans, has not appeared willing to challenge Trump on.
“The US is experiencing an Article 1 crisis,” said Mr Finucane, who now works at the International Crisis Group. “It is the US Congress that has principal control over the use of military force. That control has been usurped in this instance by the White House, and so it’s up to Congress to push back.”
Here are the key events from day 1,339 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Published On 25 Oct 202525 Oct 2025
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Here is how things stand on Saturday, October 25, 2025:
Fighting
Ukrainian National Police reported that a man detonated a grenade on a train station platform in Ovruch city in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr region, killing three people, as well as himself, and injuring 12 others. The three people killed were all women. Police did not say if the attack, which occurred near Ukraine’s border with Belarus, was connected to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Russian shelling killed two people and damaged 23 apartment buildings in the Shumenskyi neighbourhood of Ukraine’s Kherson region, the Ukrinform news site reported.
Ukrainian shelling killed two people in Oleshky, in a Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Kherson region, Russia’s TASS news agency reported, citing the area’s Moscow-installed governor, Volodymyr Saldo.
Russian forces seized the village of Dronivka in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, TASS reported, citing the Russian defence ministry.
Russian forces shot down 111 Ukrainian drones overnight and into the early hours of Friday, TASS reported, citing Russia’s Ministry of Defence.
The British Ministry of Defence reports that North Korean “uncrewed aerial system [UAS] operators” are said to be assisting Russian forces to target Ukrainian positions in Ukraine’s Sumy region with rockets, according to an “intelligence update” shared on social media, citing Ukraine’s General Staff.
Military aid
France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will provide “additional Aster missiles, new training programmes, and new Mirage aircraft” to Ukraine in the coming days, France’s Le Monde newspaper reports.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told the Politico news outlet that Russia presents a “permanent threat” to European security, and United States President Donald Trump should supply Ukraine with weapons, including long-range Tomahawk missiles.
Politics and Diplomacy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on allies to sanction all Russian oil companies, after the US imposed new sanctions against Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft.
“Sanctions that hit Russian oil – Russian oil infrastructure, Russian oil companies – are a big step, and I thank President Trump and all our partners who are implementing this,” Zelenskyy said at a news conference in London, together with other “coalition of the willing” members.
Dick Schoof, prime minister of the Netherlands, agreed with Zelenskyy, saying: “It will be good if the European Union [EU] were to copy the US-UK sanction against Lukoil and Rosneft.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the sanctions were “not such a big issue” for Russia, since they will likely also increase oil prices, meaning that “Russia will be just selling less oil at a higher price”.
In an interview with CNN, Dmitriev also said that a meeting between Trump and President Putin “will happen”, but “probably at a later date”.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there was “absolute clarity” during Friday’s “coalition of the willing” meeting that progress on using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine must be realised “within a short timetable”.
Regional Security
NATO member Lithuania closed its two biggest airports and shut crossings on its border with Belarus after helium weather balloons drifted into its territory.
Croatian lawmakers voted to reintroduce mandatory military service in response to global conflicts, including Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Federal authorities have charged multiple people in a wide-ranging sports betting and poker scheme. This allegedly involved insider information about NBA players, including LeBron James.
Rozier and Billups Among Those Arrested
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested early Thursday as part of a federal investigation into illegal gambling. Officials linked suspicious betting activity to a March 2023 game when Rozier, then with Charlotte, left early due to a reported foot injury. Prosecutors said bets placed on his “under” stats generated over $200,000 in winnings for those involved.
Separately, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups faces charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering tied to a 2019 rigged poker game. According to indictments, Billups and former NBA guard Damon Jones used their fame to attract players to fixed games run by organized crime groups.
Insider Info on LeBron James
Jones, a former teammate of LeBron James, allegedly shared private details about the Lakers star’s health in 2023. Prosecutors said Jones knew James was injured and might miss a game soon after breaking the NBA’s all-time scoring record. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said several defendants turned basketball into a “criminal betting operation,” using locker room and medical info to cheat legitimate sportsbooks.
FBI Calls It “NBA’s Insider Trading”
FBI Director Kash Patel compared the scandal to an insider trading case. “Let’s not mince words, this is the insider trading saga for the NBA.” Authorities indicted 31 people across 11 states, including figures connected to the Lucchese, Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese Mafia families.
NBA’s Response
The NBA placed Rozier and Billups on immediate leave. Commissioner Adam Silver said the league is reviewing prop bet policies, particularly those involving reserve players. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness,” the NBA said in a statement. “The integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
Federal officials confirmed the probe is ongoing and that the FBI will continue pursuing all insider betting schemes tied to professional sports.
The U.S. military is sending an aircraft carrier to the waters off South America, the Pentagon announced Friday, in the latest escalation of military firepower in a region where the Trump administration has unleashed more rapid strikes in recent days against boats it accuses of carrying drugs.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to deploy to the U.S. Southern Command region to “bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on social media.
The USS Ford, which has five destroyers in its strike group, is now deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. One of its destroyers is in the Arabian Sea and another is in the Red Sea, a person familiar with the operation told The Associated Press. As of Friday, the aircraft carrier was in port in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, would not say how long it would take for the strike group to arrive in the waters off South America or if all five destroyers would make the journey.
Deploying an aircraft carrier will surge major additional resources to a region that has already seen an unusually large U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off Venezuela. The latest deployment and the quickening pace of the U.S. strikes, including one Friday, raised new speculation about how far the Trump administration may go in operations it says are targeted at drug trafficking, including whether it could try to topple Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.
Moving thousands more troops into the region
There are already more than 6,000 sailors and Marines on eight warships in the region. If the entire USS Ford strike group arrives, that could bring nearly 4,500 more sailors as well as the nine squadrons of aircraft assigned to the carrier.
Hours before Parnell announced the news, Hegseth said the military had conducted the 10th strike on a suspected drug-running boat, leaving six people dead and bringing the death count for the attacks that began in early September to at least 43 people.
Hegseth said on social media that the vessel struck overnight was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang. It was the second time the Trump administration has tied one of its operations to the gang that originated in a Venezuelan prison.
“If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda,” Hegseth said in his post. “Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.”
The strikes have ramped up from one every few weeks when they first began last month to three this week, killing a total of at least 43 people. Two of the most recent strikes were carried out in the eastern Pacific Ocean, expanding the area where the military has launched attacks and shifting to where much of the cocaine is smuggled from the world’s largest producers, including Colombia.
Escalating tensions with Colombia, the Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his family and a member of his government over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade.
US focus on Venezuela and Tren de Aragua
Friday’s strike drew parallels to the first announced by the U.S. last month by focusing on Tren de Aragua, which the Trump administration has designated a foreign terrorist organization and blamed for being at the root of the violence and drug dealing that plague some cities.
While not mentioning the origin of the latest boat, the Republican administration says at least four of the boats it has hit have come from Venezuela. On Thursday, the U.S. military flew a pair of supersonic heavy bombers up to the coast of Venezuela.
Maduro argues that the U.S. operations are the latest effort to force him out of office.
Maduro on Thursday praised security forces and a civilian militia for defense exercises along some 2,000 kilometers (about 1,200 miles) of coastline to prepare for the possibility of a U.S. attack.
In the span of six hours, “100% of all the country’s coastline was covered in real time, with all the equipment and heavy weapons to defend all of Venezuela’s coasts if necessary,” Maduro said during a government event shown on state television.
The U.S. military’s presence is less about drugs than sending a message to countries in the region to align with U.S. interests, according to Elizabeth Dickinson, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for the Andes region.
“An expression that I’m hearing a lot is ‘Drugs are the excuse.’ And everyone knows that,” Dickinson said. “And I think that message is very clear in regional capitals. So the messaging here is that the U.S. is intent on pursuing specific objectives. And it will use military force against leaders and countries that don’t fall in line.”
Comparing the drug crackdown to the war on terror
Hegseth’s remarks around the strikes have recently begun to draw a direct comparison between the war on terrorism that the U.S. declared after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the Trump administration’s crackdown on drug traffickers.
President Donald Trump this month declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and said the U.S. was in an “armed conflict” with them, relying on the same legal authority used by the Bush administration after 9/11.
When reporters asked Trump on Thursday whether he would request that Congress issue a declaration of war against the cartels, he said that wasn’t the plan.
“I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We’re going to kill them, you know? They’re going to be like, dead,” Trump said during a roundtable at the White House.
Lawmakers from both major political parties have expressed concerns about Trump ordering the military actions without receiving authorization from Congress or providing many details.
“I’ve never seen anything quite like this before,” said Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., who previously worked in the Pentagon and the State Department, including as an adviser in Afghanistan.
“We have no idea how far this is going, how this could potentially bring in, you know, is it going to be boots on the ground? Is it going to be escalatory in a way where we could see us get bogged down for a long time?” he said.
Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, who has long been involved in foreign affairs in the hemisphere, said of Trump’s approach: “It’s about time.”
While Trump “obviously hates war,” he also is not afraid to use the U.S. military in targeted operations, Diaz-Balart said. “I would not want to be in the shoes of any of these narco-cartels.”
The Thermal Master P3 has quietly emerged as one of the most promising compact heat-seeking cameras of 2025, managing to pack professional-level performance into a thumb-sized device. And there’s a reason for the praise.
Designed to plug directly into a smartphone or PC, the P3’s aluminum alloy body is sleek and sturdy, with the design definitely reflecting Thermal Master’s aim for both portability and quality. Measuring around 2.3 × 1.1 × 0.7 inches (59 × 27 × 17 mm) and weighing just over 0.9 ounces (about 26 g), it’s light enough to carry around in your pocket – though it comes in a snug zip-up case to keep it a little more protected without adding too much bulk.
Temperature readings are precise and clear
While this camera is designed as a tool for macro work on printed circuit boards (PCB), which I have to admit is not my area of expertise – it does what it promises, able to home in on and focus on individual chips or traces on a board. It can also handle longer distances for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) and building applications, though the best focus is achieved by doing close-up inspections.
The 8-mm manual focusing lens has a resolution of 256 × 192 pixels, which can be enhanced to simulate 512 × 384 pixels. However, this upscaling might come with a bit of a trade-off, depending on the device you’ve attached it to – potentially delivering some lag and lower frame rates (my iPhone 11 was not the best, but the P3 still coped well with my seemingly ancient Apple brick).
In terms of thermal perception, the P3 can measure temperatures of around -4 °F up to 1,112 °F (-20 °C to 600 °C) with a good margin of error of just a degree or two. This sensitivity makes it comparable to more expensive handheld imagers, but it has a lot more flexibility with app features – different color palettes, rotation, manual focus ring that’s easy to adjust while using – that makes it an impressive tool in such a small package.
The camera is sturdy, but a snug lightweight case keeps it from getting knocked around
New Atlas
The accompanying app takes a little bit of experimenting with to get used to, but has a range of functions that bely the size of the hardware and ease with which it connects to a smartphone. While it works as a point-and-shoot camera, it can also measure certain points, take averages of a circle, track temperature in a line of your choosing and switch up the colors if needed (though the classic default palette is probably the best for general use).
One handy feature is its versatility. It’s compatible with PCs, iPads and pretty much all iOS/Android devices, though you’ll need to make sure – especially with the USB-C connection – that you don’t have a bulky case that restricts any access to the connection port. I was using the lightning add-on (because of my aforementioned ancient Apple brick), which meant there was no obstruction to the port.
Sadly I had no pets on hand to get a shot of at the time of writing
Perhaps a negative here would be that you’re largely restricted to hand-held inspections. So if you want to work while using the camera, you’ll need some sort of phone mount to free up your hands. Zooming in will also mean the image might not be as steady as you’d like.
At the end of the day, though, there isn’t a lot to criticize about the P3. Its portability, precise manual focus and solid thermal performance make it ideal for technicians, engineers and DIY users who want a capable inspection tool without carrying a bulky handheld – and more expensive – imaging gadget. Also, it’s powered by the phone or device’s battery, so be aware that it does drain extra power from your device.
You can swap out the default color palette for black and white or other combinations
New Atlas
Overall, the Thermal Master P3 bridges a gap between consumer convenience and professional-grade functionality. While it won’t replace high-end industrial imaging tools, it’s around a third of the size and cost, and is capable of delivering much of the same intel. Whether you want to use it to track heat leaks, work on electronics or just have fun with it to visualize the otherwise invisible, this tiny tech wonder is a practical and impressively capable thermal camera for its price.
The Thermal Master P3 is available now for US$279 (30% off its usual $399 price tag), and the company offers free shipping, a two-year warranty and lifetime tech support. It’s worth noting that the app is free and requires very little device setup (no accounts, and will connect when the P3 is plugged into the port).
New Atlas may receive a commission from purchases made via links; this does not influence our review. Our reviews are impartial and our opinions are our own.
Bill Gates appeared on Thursday night’s episode to talk about maternal and child health with Smriti Irani
A crossover no-one saw coming.
That’s how many in India are describing Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates’ appearance in an iconic Hindi TV drama with actress and former federal minister Smriti Irani.
Mr Gates appeared on Thursday night’s episode of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (Because the Mother-in-Law Was Also Once Daughter-in-Law) to talk about maternal and child health with Irani.
The Gates Foundation has been working on curbing infant and maternal mortality for years with governments in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar – the two northern Indian states with huge populations that are also among the most disadvantaged regions.
Government data shows a significant improvement in maternal and child health indicators over the years, including in the two states. But in a country steeped in patriarchy, challenges remain.
In such a scenario, experts say messaging becomes extremely important to keep the drumbeat going to change norms and to make people more aware of the need to take care of their girls and mothers.
And to do that, Mr Gates perhaps couldn’t have chosen a better platform than Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
First launched in July 2000, the series had a very successful long innings with several thousand episodes that were broadcast almost daily on Star Plus for eight- and-a-half years before it was discontinued, says Shailaja Bajpai, columnist and Readers’ Editor for Print new site.
In July, 25 years after it first hit the screens, Kyunki… returned for its second innings.
JioStar
Bill Gates’ unexpected cameo seems to have brought the show back into the limelight
Indian audiences found the show, based on the complex domestic relationship between Irani’s character Tulsi and her mother-in-law, riveting. The trials and tribulations of the dutiful new bride had families reorganise their daily routines to ensure they didn’t miss out a single episode.
Irani’s character was – and is – at the centre of this story of the fictitious Virani family. In the first season, she played a young woman who fell in love with and married the scion of a wealthy family.
A quarter of a century later, Tulsi is middle aged, her children are all grown up and she is about to become a ma-in-law herself.
But the battles she’s fighting now are still with jealous and misguided family members and the drama – and the melodrama – of the original season remain in abundance, Ms Bajpai says.
“If you take away the gadgets, the mobile phones and the laptops, essentially remove all the window dressing, it’s still the same story. It’s just been updated.”
But, she adds that one thing that’s different now is that the social messaging has increased. “I think that’s because it fits her profile more. She served as the minister for women and child development so the show now talks about divorce, child and maternal health and other socially-relevant issues.”
The four-minute-long segment with Mr Gates starts with the Microsoft founder greeting her in American-accented Hindi – “Namaste Tulsi-ji,” he says, asking her if he’d said it right?
“Yes, absolutely perfect,” she beams.
The call comes after Tulsi is seen in a viral video at a godh-bharai (baby shower) dishing out health advice to an expectant mother.
Tulsi’s son, who’s posted the video, tells her that he had tagged Mr Gates, wondering if he’d be willing to talk to Tulsi on a video call. “He’s accepted,” he squeals with delight.
Tulsi initially seems a bit nervous. “What will I say to him? I only do video calls with you all or your father about grocery shopping,” she says.
jiostar
First launched in July 2000, the series ran for eight- and-a-half years. In July, 25 years after it first hit the screens, it returned for its second innings
But once the laptop is fired up and Mr Gates comes in vision, Tulsi comes into her own, explaining the reason for the “traditional” ritual.
“We come together to bless a young expectant mother, we wish her lots of good health,” she says.
“We tell women how essential it is to look after their health, their nutrition and diet. We tell them to follow the doctors’ instructions and go to a hospital for their delivery.”
The two agree that “when mothers are healthy, children thrive and the world can make significant progress”.
In a statement to the BBC, makers of the show JioStar Entertainment said the show was using storytelling to spotlight critical issues around maternal and child health.
“We believe that storytelling can do more than entertain, it can inform, inspire and drive awareness on issues that matter,” JioStar’s Sumanta Bose said.
“By weaving topics of social significance into our narratives, we aim to create impact that reaches beyond the screen and brings about a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” he added.
The release says that Mr Gates will appear in three episodes of the show.
In its second innings, Ms Bajpai says, the show has had to compete with a multitude of other offerings on OTT platforms and hasn’t found the same resonance with the audience.
But Mr Gates’ unexpected cameo seems to have brought it back into the limelight – for now at least.
A promo of the episode received more than six million views on Instagram alone in less than a day, with thousands of comments echoing a sense of surprise and amusement.
“What is this multiverse,” said one comment which was liked by more than 17,000 people. Another said: “It’s so cringe but I also love it so much.”
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