Asia Pacific / Crime & Legal	Jan 16, 2020
U.S. lawmakers propose sanctions over Chinese exit bans on Americans
A bipartisan group of senators has proposed legislation that would impose sanctions on Chinese officials involved in enforcing exit bans on U.S. officials in China. Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Ed Markey introduced the legislation after writing President Donald Trump to urge him to press ...
U.S. slaps sanctions over firms exploiting North Korean overseas workers
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on two companies for exploiting North Korean overseas labor after a U.N. deadline to return workers who bring vital revenue to the regime. The sanctions — which block any US assets of the companies and criminalize any financial ...
Asia Pacific / Social Issues	Jan 9, 2020
U.S. lawmakers urge action on China's 'crimes against humanity' targeting Uighurs
U.S. lawmakers called Wednesday for President Donald Trump's administration to impose sanctions over rights abuses in China as they released a report describing "crimes against humanity" against the Uighur minority. In a wide-ranging annual report, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which tracks human rights in ...
Trump says Iran appears to be 'standing down' after strike on bases
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran appears to be "standing down" and said no Americans or Iraqis were harmed in Iran's Tuesday ballistic missile strike on two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. Speaking from the foyer of the White House, Trump announced that the ...
Business / Economy	Jan 7, 2020
In Iraq, Trump's sanctions threat brings bitter economic flashbacks
U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to sanction Iraqis "like they've never seen before" if Baghdad kicks out American troops has brought back haunting memories of a decade under international embargo. "If the U.S. imposes sanctions on Iraq, the dinar will plummet and we'll be sent ...
Trump ally and Blackwater founder Erik Prince may have broken Venezuela sanctions
Erik Prince, a major Republican donor and founder of controversial security firm Blackwater, has been referred to the U.S. Treasury Department for possible sanctions violations tied to his recent trip to Venezuela for a meeting with a top aide of President Nicolas Maduro, two ...
Attack on U.S. Embassy shows stark choices for Trump amid Iran threat and strained Iraq ties
by Robert Burns and Ellen Knickmeyer
The attack on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad by Iran-supported militiamen Tuesday is a stark demonstration that Iran can still strike at American interests despite President Donald Trump's economic pressure campaign. Trump said Iran would be held "fully responsible" for the attack, but ...
Business	Dec 27, 2019
Turkey's Halkbank fails to halt U.S. prosecution for allegedly aiding Iran
A federal judge in Manhattan on Thursday rejected a request by Turkey's state-owned Halkbank to put on hold a federal prosecution accusing it of helping Iran evade U.S. economic sanctions. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman said Halkbank would not face irreparable harm if the case ...
Asia Pacific	Dec 26, 2019
Iran to hold four-day navy drill with Russia and China in north Indian Ocean
Iran's armed forces will hold a joint four-day naval exercise with Russia and China in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, a spokesman said Wednesday. The drill, which is to start on Saturday, will be the first such trilateral exercise as Tehran seeks to ...
North Korea mass-producing mobile missile launchers, sources say
Around February last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the mass production of vehicles used for transporting and launching missiles including intercontinental ballistic missiles, Kyodo News has learned. To cover the expense of acquiring parts for around 70 so-called transporter-erector-launchers, or TELs, from ...
U.S. sanctions cannot stop gas pipeline to Europe, Russia foreign minister says
Russia's foreign minister insisted on Sunday that a flagship project to pipe natural gas to Europe would be finished, despite the United States slapping sanctions on the companies involved. Sergyi Lavrov said the U.S. measures over Nord Stream 2 had "humiliated" European countries but reiterated ...
National / Politics	Dec 22, 2019
Rouhani welcomes Japan's decision to sidestep U.S.-led naval mission in Persian Gulf
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday welcomed Japan's decision not to join the U.S.-led naval mission in the Persian Gulf and said he had discussions on ways of "breaking" U.S. sanctions during his visit to Tokyo. Friction between Tehran and Washington has increased since last ...