Jun 04 U.S. sanctions Cuban President Díaz-Canel in latest move pressuring island's leadership By Fatima Hussein, Matthew Lee, Associated Press The sanctions come after Trump signed an executive order expanding sanctions against the island and has been threatening military action ever since ousting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January and then ordering an energy blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba. Continue reading
May 28 U.S. imposes sanctions on Iranian agency trying to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz By Farnoush Amiri, Associated Press The sanctions were announced late Wednesday after U.S. forces carried out strikes on an Iran military facility after downing Iranian attack drones, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Continue reading
Jan 09 Trump has 'greenlit' sanctions bill punishing Russia for war in Ukraine, Sen. Graham says By Seung Min Kim, Associated Press The bill, co-written by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, allows tariffs and secondary sanctions on countries buying Russia's oil, gas, and other exports. Continue reading
Jan 07 U.S. seizes 2 sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean By Konstantin Toropin, Jill Lawless, Associated Press The U.S. has seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in back-to-back actions in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, officials said Wednesday. Continue reading
Dec 21 Watch 5:39 U.S. Coast Guard ramps up oil tanker interceptions off Venezuelan coast By John Yang, Andrew Corkery Trump’s pressure on Venezuelan President Maduro mounted Sunday as the Coast Guard went after another oil tanker that U.S. officials accused of helping Venezuela circumvent sanctions. Last week, Trump announced a “total and complete blockade of all sanctioned tankers heading… Continue watching
Dec 21 Coast Guard pursuing another tanker helping Venezuela skirt oil sanctions, U.S. official says By Aamer Madhani, Associated Press The U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday was pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea as the Trump administration appeared to be intensifying its targeting of such vessels connected to Venezuelan government. Continue reading
Dec 19 Syria welcomes permanent repeal of sweeping U.S. sanctions imposed during Assad regime By Associated Press President Donald Trump, who had previously lifted the penalties temporarily by executive order, signed off on the final repeal late Thursday after Congress passed it as part of the country’s annual defense spending bill. Continue reading
Dec 15 Iran's currency plummets to new low, sparking fears of higher food prices By Amir Vahdat, Associated Press The depreciation is worsening inflation, driving up prices for essentials and straining household budgets. Continue reading
Dec 13 Belarus frees prominent political prisoners as U.S. lifts sanctions on country's potash exports By Yuras Karmanau, Associated Press Belarusian authorities on Saturday freed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, key opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova and other prominent political prisoners, a human rights group confirmed. Continue reading
Dec 11 U.S. sanctions 3 of Maduro's nephews as pressure campaign on Venezuela ramps up By Fatima Hussein, Associated Press The U.S. imposed sanctions on three nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, among others, on Thursday as President Donald Trump looks to inflict further pressure on the South American nation. Continue reading