Sanctions

The US sanctions target people operating in broad sections of Cuban economy, including energy, defence and miningCuba’s government has said new sanctions imposed on the island by Donald Trump amounted to “collective punishment”, as an enormous 1 May procession outside the American embassy in Havana vowed to “defend the homeland”.In an executive order on Friday, the US president said he would impose sanctions on people involved in broad sections of the Cuban economy, as he seeks to put more pressure on Havana after ousting Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, earlier this year. Continue reading...

• President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order imposing targeted sanctions on several Cuban regime officials and entities the administration alleges have supported repression and human‑rights abuses. • The White House says the action sends a message of solidarity with Cuban dissidents and complements broader efforts to pressure authoritarian regimes in Latin America. • Critics in Congress, including some Democrats and even a few Republicans, argue the move could backfire by tightening U.S. leverage ahead of upcoming negotiations on migration and regional security.

• The United States announced Friday a temporary suspension of certain oil-sector sanctions against Venezuela pending the outcome of renewed diplomatic negotiations scheduled to begin Monday in Mexico City, marking the first high-level talks in 18 months. • State Department officials stated the measure aimed to create "negotiating space" for discussions on political prisoners, election transparency, and humanitarian access, with hopes of establishing a pathway toward normalized relations. • Venezuela's government welcomed the development but demanded complete lifting of financial sanctions, which have contributed to severe shortages of food and medicine affecting 28 million citizens, according to UN estimates.

MPs call for investigation into Essar Energy, owner of Stanlow refinery, which shifted loans from ‘Putin’s piggy bank’ VTB to MauritiusDays after the first wave of Russian tanks surged over the border into Ukraine in March 2022, dockers at a port in northern England took a stand.Appalled by Vladimir Putin’s brutality, workers at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire vowed never to unload any Russian oil destined for the nearby Stanlow refinery, a major hub for UK fuel supplies. Continue reading...

Leaders will discuss how to respond to surging energy prices amid the war in the Middle EastEurope live – latest updatesEU leaders have welcomed the end of diplomatic deadlock over a long-awaited €90bn (£78bn) loan for Ukraine, after the bloc finalised the agreement along with a 20th package of sanctions against Russia.After weeks of delay, the EU signed off on the loan on Thursday, in time for summit talks in Cyprus that are scheduled to begin in the evening and will include talks over a dinner with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Continue reading...

British foreign secretary told to impose new measures, with ruble-pegged cryptocurrency A7A5 being supported in countryMore than 20 MPs and peers have called on the foreign secretary to take action against institutions and individuals in Kyrgyzstan allegedly facilitating large-scale Russian sanctions evasion.They urged the UK to levy personal sanctions against three top Kyrgyz officials for their alleged role in facilitating Russian sanctions evasion more broadly, and more specifically for allowing Kyrgyzstan to host infrastructure supporting the cryptocurrency A7A5. Continue reading...

Move comes after Hungary and Slovakia dropped opposition following reopening of the Druzhba oil pipelineEU leaders are set to meet in Cyprus this evening to discuss the latest on the Middle East and the next EU budget, starting in 2028.But it looks like they will have a bit of a detour – and a reason to celebrate, too – as the long-awaited €90bn loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia are on course to be unblocked after four months of delays caused by Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. Continue reading...