Trump's Greenland tariffs prompt calls for EU counter-measures
The European Union faced calls to implement a never-before-used range of economic countermeasures known as the 'Anti-Coercion Instrument' as part of ...
The Trump administration has unveiled sweeping new sanctions targeting Iran’s defence supply chain and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement, intensifying efforts to block the flow of sensitive military technology and illicit oil revenues fueling regional instability.
The Trump administration on Friday announced a new round of sanctions targeting entities and individuals allegedly supporting Iran’s defence sector and Yemen’s Houthi movement. The measures are part of broader efforts to disrupt Tehran’s access to sensitive military technology and the Houthis' illicit financial networks.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury designated eight entities, one vessel, and one individual believed to be involved in supplying advanced machinery and components used in Iran’s ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs.
"The United States remains resolved to disrupt any effort by Iran to procure the sensitive, dual-use technology, components, and machinery that underpin the regime’s ballistic missile, unmanned aerial vehicle, and asymmetric weapons programs," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Among the blacklisted entities are Unico Shipping Co Ltd and Athena Shipping Co Ltd, both based in Hong Kong, allegedly involved in facilitating shipments of sensitive materials to Iran.
"Treasury will continue to degrade Iran’s ability to produce and proliferate these deadly weapons, which threaten regional stability and global security," Bessent added.
In a separate action, the Treasury also issued counterterrorism-related sanctions against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. The move targets four individuals, twelve entities, and two vessels, allegedly involved in smuggling oil and goods to finance the Houthi operations.
According to U.S. officials, the sanctioned network has been instrumental in importing illicit oil and other goods, providing critical financial and logistical support to the Houthis, who remain engaged in a prolonged conflict in Yemen.
These measures mark the latest in Washington’s strategy to exert economic pressure on Tehran and its regional proxies amid ongoing tensions across the Middle East.
The Turkish Defence Ministry has voiced its support for recent military operations by Syrian government forces against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which enjoy the support of the United States.
Tens of thousands of users were left unable to access Elon Musk’s social media platform X on Friday, with outages reported across multiple countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday (17 January) that concerns over security in Greenland should be addressed within the framework of NATO, describing a ground military intervention as highly unlikely.
Ashley St. Clair, mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, has filed a lawsuit against Musk’s company xAI, alleging that its AI tool Grok generated explicit images of her, including one portraying her as underage.
The Kremlin has welcomed recent signals from several major European capitals suggesting a renewed openness to dialogue with Moscow, calling the shift a “positive evolution” in Europe’s stance towards Russia.
The European Union faced calls to implement a never-before-used range of economic countermeasures known as the 'Anti-Coercion Instrument' as part of the bloc's response U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on European countries in connection with Greenland.
Six people have been killed after a massive fire tore through a shopping centre in Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, authorities said, as firefighters battled through the night to contain the blaze.
The world is entering a more unstable and fragmented phase as global cooperation declines and rivalry between major powers intensifies, the World Economic Forum has warned.
The Trump administration has denied a report that countries would be required to pay $1bn to join a proposed U.S.-backed peace initiative, after Bloomberg News said a draft charter set out a membership fee.
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