sanctions

US Imposes Sanctions on Nigerian Individuals Linked to Terrorism and Cybercrime The United States has taken a decisive step to combat terrorism and cybercrime by imposing sanctions on eight Nigerian individuals allegedly connected to Boko Haram and ISIL. This announcement was made on February 10 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). As part of these sanctions, the individuals have been added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. This…

China has agreed to lift sanctions on five British lawmakers and two members of the House of Lords, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said during a visit to the country, marking a thaw in a three-year dispute that began over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Starmer said he raised the issue directly with Chinese leaders and was told the restrictions “no longer apply,” adding that President Xi said “all parliamentarians are welcome.” The seven U.K. parliamentarians were sanctioned in 2021, barred from entering China and from…

U.S. eases some Venezuela oil sanctions, opening trade for American firms WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has lifted some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry to make it easier for U.S. companies to move and process the country’s crude, even as broader restrictions on production remain in place, according to the Treasury Department. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a general license authorizing U.S. entities to buy, sell, transport, store and refine Venezuelan-origin oil. The measure is intended…

EU sanctions on Russia should remain in place as long as Moscow occupies Ukrainian territory, Ireland’s Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne said, as European leaders weigh a contentious “Reparations Loan” and a new international body launches in The Hague to process war-damage claims against Russia. “The entire basis of our support for Ukraine and our position against Russia and our actions against Russia is that has breached international law,” Byrne told reporters in Brussels ahead of a ministerial meeting.…

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko freed 123 prisoners — including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and prominent opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava — after two days of talks with an envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a U.S. statement. In return, Washington agreed to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash, a critical fertilizer ingredient that the former Soviet state produces in large volumes for global markets. The release is the largest announced by Lukashenko since Trump’s administration…

U.S. hints at fresh sanctions as Russia steps up strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure WASHINGTON / KYIV — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday his administration "might" impose additional sanctions on Russia, as Kyiv reported a fresh wave of Russian attacks this week targeting energy and rail networks that Ukrainian leaders say are intended to sow "chaos." "I might," Mr. Trump replied to a reporter at the White House when asked whether more measures were coming. Standing alongside Finland’s president, he added that…

U.S. bill to lift Zimbabwe sanctions opens a fraught debate over land, justice and global finance In Washington, a seemingly technical change to U.S. law has the potential to reopen some of the oldest wounds in southern Africa. A new bill in the House of Representatives would repeal a cornerstone of American policy toward Zimbabwe — the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA) of 2001 — removing a U.S. veto over loans, debt relief and funding from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. But the repeal…

The Dark Veins of Prosperity: The U.S. Sanctions on Conflict Minerals from the DR Congo In a world increasingly aware of the ethical complexities surrounding global supply chains, the U.S. Department of Treasury has drawn a line in the sand. Recent sanctions targeting four entities linked to the murky world of conflict minerals have reignited discussions about the intersection of commerce, human rights, and conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC is a nation rich in natural resources—specifically…

Ay up, ever read a headline and thought, "Well, what’s the craic here?" Let me fill you in on the insider juice. Over in Mogadishu, it's not just the Somali tea brewing hot; their parliament's just given the green light to a law that’s set to shake up the election scene. They're gearing up for a voting system that'll finally hand over the ballot keys to every dude and dudette in the country. Now that’s what we call democracy getting its groove back! Gather 'round for espresso shots of democracy—173 lawmakers, snug in their…

KHARTOUM - The United States Treasury Department recently slapped sanctions on a Sudanese paramilitary leader for allegedly perpetrating egregious human rights violations in West Darfur. Abdel Rahman Juma Barkalla, commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is pointed out in a Treasury statement for spearheading activities rooted in ethnic violence, reportedly involving civilian targeting and conflict-related sexual assault. Just days prior, the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on Barkalla amid the…