Internet restrictions in Russia hurt small businesses
Small businesses across Russia are increasingly feeling the impact of tighter internet restrictions, including ...
The European Union on Tuesday imposed new sanctions targeting individuals and entities in Iran and Russia for human rights violations and hybrid threats, while also listing actors in Moldova and Haiti for destabilising activities.
Under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, eight individuals and one entity were designated for committing serious abuses on behalf of Iranian state bodies outside Iran. Among them are members of the Zindashti Network—labelled a criminal group with ties to Iran’s intelligence ministry—and Mohammed Ansari, a senior figure in the IRGC Quds Force Unit 840.
“These listings highlight the EU’s concern over transnational repression by Iranian agencies using organised crime networks to target dissidents, including within EU borders,” the Council said.
Sanctioned individuals face asset freezes, funding bans, and travel restrictions across the EU.
Separately, the EU added five Russian judges to its sanctions list for their role in jailing Russian opposition figure Alexei Gorinov, who was sentenced to a penal colony for criticising the war in Ukraine. The measures include asset freezes and travel bans.
The EU also sanctioned seven individuals and three entities in Moldova for attempting to destabilise the country ahead of its 2024 presidential election and EU accession referendum. Those listed are linked to pro-Russian politician Ilan Shor and accused of vote buying and illegal party financing.
Sanctioned entities include the Moscow-aligned company A7, the Victory/Pobeda Political Bloc, and the Cultural Educational Centre of Moldova.
In Haiti, three individuals were listed for criminal activities and gang violence, as the EU extended its sanctions framework on the country until July 2026.
In a separate action, the EU imposed sanctions on nine people and six entities over Russia’s global disinformation and interference operations. These include Russia’s state-owned broadcasting network RTRS, accused of replacing Ukrainian transmissions in occupied areas with Kremlin-approved programming.
Others sanctioned include a Russian military electronic warfare centre in Kaliningrad for GNSS signal jamming that disrupted Baltic civil aviation, as well as media fronts like Tigerweb and the Foundation to Battle Injustice.
Pro-Russian influencer Nathalie Yamb was also listed for promoting Kremlin narratives targeting France and the West.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
Small businesses across Russia are increasingly feeling the impact of tighter internet restrictions, including limits on the messaging app Telegram, stricter controls on virtual private networks, and repeated mobile internet outages.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has reaffirmed the island’s commitment to sovereignty and regional stability following the recent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say faced its largest aerial assault in more than a year.
China has launched the world’s first experiment to study how artificial human embryos develop in space, marking a major step in understanding whether humans could one day reproduce beyond Earth.
Every day, an elderly woman in China’s Shandong province looks forward to a video call from her son. He asks about her health, tells her he has been busy with work, and promises he will come home once he has saved enough money. She tells him she misses him. He tells her to take care of herself.
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