Honduras Election Turmoil Intensifies as Nasralla Blames Trump for Shift in Results 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
Trump Administration Halts Immigration, Green Card, and Citizenship Processing for 19 Countries 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
Trump Claims He Will Void Biden Documents Signed with Autopen 
Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
Russia has been hit with dozens of sanctions that have targeted Kremlin officials, the oligarchs and their families, and its economy. In another effort to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has approved a new set of penalties, targeting Russia’s other sectors.
Reuters reports that the bloc has approved Tuesday imposed a new round of sanctions on Russia for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions include barring investments in Russia’s energy sector, exports of luxury goods to Moscow, and steel product imports from Russia.
The new set of sanctions will also freeze the assets of business leaders who have shown support to the Kremlin. This includes Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and Konstantin Ernst of the Russian state TV Channel One. They are among the dozens of Russian oligarchs who have been sanctioned.
This new slate of penalties also follows three rounds of measures that included freezing the assets of the Russian central bank, exclusion from the SWIFT banking system of some banks in Russia and Belarus, and freezing the assets of Russian oligarchs, their families, and top politicians including Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
There will also be a ban on transactions with Russian-state-owned companies that are connected to the Kremlin’s military-industrial complex.
While the assets of Abramovich and other oligarchs would be frozen, it will be up to the European Union member countries to apply this penalty. An EU official said the sanctions are meant to impact Russia’s elites.
The United Kingdom has also added 350 more individuals to its sanctions list on Russia as well as increased tariffs on imports ranging from vodka to steel and banned exports of luxury goods. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the asset freeze and the travel ban would now apply to 51 Russian oligarchs, their family members, as well as Putin’s “political allies and propagandists.”
“Working closely with our allies, we will keep increasing the pressure on Putin and cut off funding for the Russian war machine,” said Truss.
Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven, who are already part of the EU sanctions list, will also be included in the UK’s list. Both stepped down from the Letter One investment they founded.
