X removes blue checkmark from Iran’s sanctioned Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei
X removed the blue checkmark from the account of Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, who seemingly paid for it despite U.S. sanctions against the nation. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of deceased leader Ali Khamenei, opened an English X account and had nearly 175,000 followers by Tuesday afternoon. Earlier that day, my account displayed a blue […]
Rodriguez assigns a sanctioned general to head Venezuela’s defense ministry
Venezuela’s Cabinet Changes Amid Political Context On Wednesday, Delcy Rodríguez, the acting President of Venezuela, made significant changes to her cabinet, particularly regarding military leadership, as she navigates relationships involving the Trump administration. General Gustavo González López, at 65 years old, has been appointed as the new defense minister, taking over from General Vladimir Padrino, […]
Increase in LA sales tax sanctioned — to be decided by voters in June
Los Angeles County Supervisors Approve Sales Tax Increase Los Angeles County supervisors have recently taken steps to introduce a new sales tax, which would increase the cost of various everyday items like groceries, dining, and shopping for residents. The move aims to generate funds amidst looming federal cuts to health services. However, this tax quickly […]
Trump Directs Complete Blockade of All Sanctioned Oil Tankers in Venezuela
Trump Orders Total Blockade on Venezuela’s Oil Tankers President Donald Trump has ramped up the pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s socialist regime by initiating a “total and complete” blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. Trump shared this announcement on Truth Social, asserting that the Venezuelan government has now been classified as a […]
Chinese Drone Specialists Collaborated with Sanctioned Russian Weapons Firm
Chinese Drone Experts Collaborate with Russian Manufacturer According to reports from Reuters, a group of Chinese drone specialists recently traveled to Russia to collaborate on military drones with Iemz Kupol, a weapons manufacturer under US sanctions imposed in 2023. IEMZ KUPOL, or the Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant Kupol, has connections to JSC aerospace defense concerns, specifically […]
Mexican President Supports Sanctioned MORENA Lawmaker Alleged to Help Sinaloa Cartel
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has come to the defense of federal lawmakers from her party who have been designated by the US Treasury for alleged connections to the Sinaloa Cartel. She dismissed these allegations, contending that the US has not provided concrete evidence to warrant any investigation from Mexico. During a recent press conference, Sheinbaum […]
Cruz aims to prevent sanctioned Iranian officials from entering the US before the UN assembly
Cruz Pushes to Ban Iranian Officials from U.S. Entry Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is advocating for a ban on Iranian officials entering the United States in light of upcoming discussions at the UN General Assembly. This move comes as he introduced the Enforcement and Restrictions for Enforcement and Restrictions (SEVE) Act on Thursday. The proposed […]
Microsoft Researchers Collaborate with Sanctioned Chinese Universities to Strengthen Surveillance Systems
Microsoft Research Asia, a significant facility located in Beijing and Shanghai, is still engaged in AI research, including areas involving facial recognition, even with ties to sanctioned Chinese military-related universities, which raises concerns about potential misuse. Microsoft, however, insists there are safeguards in place to manage such sensitive research at the lab. Founded in 1998, […]
Crypto CEO faces allegations of laundering $500 million tied to sanctioned Russian banks
Cryptocurrency Founder Charged with Money Laundering Brooklyn federal prosecutors have brought charges against the founder of a US-based cryptocurrency payments company, alleging involvement in a complex international money laundering operation that funneled over $5 billion for licensed Russian banks and other entities. Iurii Ggnin, a 38-year-old Russian national residing in Manhattan, was arrested and taken […]
China Acquired More than $1 Billion of Sanctioned Venezuelan Oil Marked as ‘Brazilian’
Over the past year, traders have disguised more than $1 billion in Venezuelan oil shipments to China as Brazilian crude to circumvent U.S. sanctions, according to reports. Two tanker tracking companies, along with documents from traders, revealed that independent Chinese refiners are sourcing oil from sanctioned nations like Venezuela. In 2019, President Trump enacted sanctions […]