Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.
On today's podcast:
1) An attack on a container vessel sailing through the Strait of Hormuz has prompted some shipowners to review exit plans, but traffic continued to flow in both directions through the vital thoroughfare on Friday. Two fully laden tankers are heading out of the Persian Gulf, while four empty, inbound, very large crude carriers are among the vessels sailing along the Omani coast, ship-tracking data show. This southern route is managed by Oman and coordinated by the US.
2) The death toll from twin earthquakes that rocked Venezuela rose to 235 with thousands more injured, as rescue teams desperately cleared away rubble to reach trapped victims. The powerful 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening, toppling buildings and severely damaging the country’s main international airport. People across the country were frantically searching for missing relatives, with social media filling with photographs and appeals for information.
3) Technology stocks once again pulled global indexes lower as renewed selling in semiconductor manufacturers and a possible delay to OpenAI’s public debut hit sentiment. Oil resumed its slide.
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