The World in Brief from The Economist

Larry Ellison, Oracle’s chairman and one of the world’s richest people, pledged a personal guarantee of roughly $40bn to backstop Paramount’s takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery.

Larry Ellison, Oracle’s chairman and one of the world’s richest people, pledged a personal guarantee of roughly $40bn to backstop Paramount’s takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery.

America’s coastguard said it was in “active pursuit” of an oil tanker which it claimed was part of Venezuela’s “illegal sanctions evasion”. Also, gold’s price has risen by around 66% this year, putting it on track for its biggest annual increase since 1979.

America’s coastguard reportedly boarded a second oil tanker this weekend off the coast of Venezuela, although details remain sketchy.

America stops vessels off Venezuelan coast; Australia mourns victims of Bondi attack, and more

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, said America has proposed trilateral talks with Ukraine and Russia in Florida.

Russia stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast, targeting the port of Pivdennyi and infrastructure in the Odessa region

Russia stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast, targeting the port of Pivdennyi and infrastructure in the Odessa region