u.s. treasury department

Report: Hundreds of Wagner Mercenaries Arrive in Central African Republic

A Russian paramilitary group called COSI said in a Sunday post on the messaging platform Telegram that hundreds of “experienced” Wagner Group mercenaries are pouring into the Central African Republic (CAR) to “ensure security” ahead of a July 30 referendum that could give President Faustin-Archange Touadera a third term in office.

wagner

China’s Belt and Road Reaches Central America

China’s state-run Global Times on Wednesday celebrated the inauguration of leftist dictator Daniel Ortega – beginning his fourth term as president of Nicaragua after a rigged election denounced by worldwide democracy activists and the Organization of American States – as a big victory for China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

A woman and children walk by a mural depicting Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega in Mana

U.S. Sanctions Iran’s Lucrative Metal Industries and Chinese Partner

The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday announced new sanctions against Iran targeting its billion-dollar metals industry, including the largest manufacturers of steel, aluminum, copper, and iron in the country. The new sanctions also named several senior regime officials involved with Tuesday’s missile attack on Iraqi bases.

In this May 31, 2012 file photo, an Iranian worker cuts a steel roll at the Mobarakeh Stee

U.S. Treasury Cracks Down on Chinese Fentanyl Traffickers

The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday announced a crackdown on the “Chinese drug kingpins fueling America’s deadly opioid crisis.” The individuals and organizations designated for Treasury action deal in powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil, which are often mixed into other street drugs without the knowledge of customers, resulting in countless deaths by overdose.

The US opioid epidemic is accelerating, with hospital emergency room visits for overdoses

U.S. Sanctions Venezuelan Companies and Government Officials

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday announced sanctions against four current and former Venezuelan government officials, plus several other individuals and entities connected with Rafael Alfredo Sarria Diaz, a businessman accused of operating as the front man for Socialist Party official Diosdado Cabello.

Diosdado Cabello, a prominent politician close to the Venezuelan government, in the genera

Flashback: When Obama Officials Lied to Congress About Iran’s Access to U.S. Banks

A bombshell report released Wednesday by the majority staff of the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations revealed that the Obama administration secretly plotted to give Iran access to the U.S. financial system as a sweetener for the 2015 nuclear deal. This effectively helped Iran evade sanctions that were not lifted as part of the JCPOA, as it is formally known. The report also details how Obama officials blatantly lied to Congress and the American people about this special arrangement.

migrants

Trump Administration Sanctions Russians for Interfering in 2016 Election

The Trump administration announced sanctions on Thursday against Russian individuals and organizations accused of interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The sanctions designate five entities and 19 individuals under legislation and executive orders aimed at punishing those who engage in malicious cyber-activities.

Illustration of cybercrime (Photo credit should read "HELMUT FOHRINGER/APA-PictureDesk via

Death Toll in Iran Protests Rises to 25, over 400 Still Under Arrest

According to the Iranian judiciary, around 456 people remain in jail after the crackdown against the recent popular uprising, following the release of 440 “arrested rioters” over the past few days. The judiciary counted 25 deaths during the uprising, blaming them entirely on demonstrators while laughably claiming that government security forces fired no shots because they were “ordered not to use their weapons.”

Iranian officials denied that the death of a young man in Tehran's infamous Evin pris