The US is ramping up its efforts to squeeze Iran. The Treasury Department's big shot for sanctions, John Hurley, is jetting off to the Middle East and Europe to talk strategy. His itinerary includes stops in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Lebanon. This trip is all about Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran. The goal? To cut off Iran's access to...
Russia's Kremlin has made it clear that discussions about canceling the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U. S. President Donald Trump are premature. However, they also emphasized that proper preparation is essential for such a high-level meeting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that presidents don't meet just for the sake of it; th...
The United States has taken a bold step by imposing sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his family, and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti. This move is seen as a major escalation in the ongoing tension between Petro, a left-wing leader, and US President Donald Trump, who leans right. The US Treasury Department accused Petro of not doing enough to contr...
Venezuela is making a bold move with coal. The country is struggling due to U. S. sanctions, so it's focusing on coal to bring in money. They've teamed up with a Turkish company to reopen old mines. The goal is to export over 10 million tons this year. However, this rush is causing problems. Safety measures are being ignored, and the environment is suffering. The go...
Francesca Albanese, a U. N. official, has become a local hero in her hometown of Ariano Irpino, Italy. People there support her, even paying for her coffee. But her work has made her a target of the U. S. government. As the U. N. special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories, she has documented human rights abuses and criticized multinationals for their role in ...
In a significant political shift, Bosnia's Serb Republic has a new interim president. Ana Trisic Babic, a close ally of former President Milorad Dodik, is now in charge. This change comes after a state court barred Dodik from politics. Trisic Babic will hold the position temporarily until new elections on November 23. The parliament also took steps to undo several s...
A traveler from Australia found himself in a tricky spot when he arrived in Tehran. The issue wasn't the culture or the food. It was money. The local currency, the rial, is in a tough spot. It's lost a lot of value because of U. S. sanctions. These sanctions make it hard for Iran to use regular banking systems like SWIFT. This means no Visa or Mastercard either. So,...
Belarus has let go of 52 political prisoners, including activists, journalists, and union leaders. However, over 1, 000 more are still behind bars. This move comes after talks between Belarus's long-time leader, Alexander Lukashenko, and the US. In return, the US has agreed to ease some sanctions on Belarus's national airline, Belavia. This isn't the first time Bela...
Europe is looking to reduce its dependence on American tech. This move comes after a series of events that highlighted the risks of relying heavily on US technology. The spark came when the US government took action against Karim Khan, the head of the International Criminal Court. The ICC had issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. In response, Microsoft shut dow...
The United States has taken a bold step in its ongoing tension with the International Criminal Court. The State Department has announced sanctions on four ICC judges. This move is seen as a direct response to the court's investigations into U. S. military actions and the issuance of arrest warrants for high-ranking Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin...