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The Thai government is set to hold talks with Sri Lanka on October 28 to bring back two elephants that were gifted by Thailand, following reports of poor living conditions and alleged mistreatment.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Suchart Chomklin, wrote on his Facebook page yesterday, October 23, that he plans to fly urgently to Sri Lanka amid growing concerns about the welfare of the two Thai elephants, Plai Pratu Pha and Plai Srinarong.

Concerns were first raised last year by the Reclaim Thai Elephant group. The group’s coordinator, Yuwanuch Kiattiwong, together with 50 members, visited the MONRE to submit an official letter urging the government to take action over the elephants’ poor living conditions.

According to the group, the elephants, which were originally gifted by Thailand, have been forced to work excessively and deprived of proper welfare standards. The animals were reportedly kept in chains at all times and beaten. The group called for their immediate return to Thailand to ensure a better quality of life.

In his Facebook post, Suchart explained that he, PM Anutin Charnvirakul, and other Thai government agencies are closely monitoring the situation and have not ignored the issue.

Suchart stated that he had discussed the matter with PM Anutin, who approved diplomatic efforts to coordinate with all relevant agencies to bring the elephants home. However, he noted that the process may take some time.

In the meantime, Suchart, along with relevant officials and veterinarians, will travel to Sri Lanka to assess the elephants’ health and living conditions. The team will also advise local caretakers to provide proper care while diplomatic discussions continue.

The Director of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Attaphon Charoenchansa, confirmed that he will accompany Suchart on the trip.

Attaphon stated that if negotiations are successful, officials plan to follow the same model used for the return of Plai Sak Surin, another elephant previously gifted to Sri Lanka and successfully brought back to Thailand in 2023.

According to a report by The Standard, Plai Pratu Pha was the first elephant sent to Sri Lanka in 1979 when he was 12 years old. He currently resides at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth in Kandy.

Plai Srinarong was sent in 2001 together with Plai Sak Surin. While Plai Sak Surin has already been rescued and returned to Thailand, Plai Srinarong remains at an elephant shelter near the Kirivehera Temple in Kataragama.

(Source: Thaiger)

Israeli troops began pulling back from some parts of Gaza on Friday under a ceasefire deal with Hamas, and some residents returned to shattered neighbourhoods, unsure over their safety after two years of warfare.

"Thank God my house is still standing," said Ismail Zayda, 40, in the Sheikh Radwan area in Gaza City. "But the place is destroyed, my neighbours' houses are destroyed, entire districts have gone." "Is it over? They said it is. Why does no one come out and tell us whether there is a ceasefire and we can stop being afraid?"

Israel's government ratified the ceasefire with Hamas in the early hours of Friday, clearing the way to pull back troops and fully suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours. Israeli hostages held there are to be be freed within 72 hours after that, in return for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

The first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from some of Gaza's major urban areas, though they will still control roughly half of the enclave's territory.

Once the agreement is operating, trucks carrying food and medical aid will surge into Gaza to help civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom have been sheltering in tents after Israeli forces destroyed their homes and razed entire cities to dust.

ISRAELI FORCES PULL OUT OF POSITIONS IN CENTRE, SOUTH

"The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages – the living and the deceased," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's English-language X account said.

In Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, some Israeli troops pulled back from the eastern area near the border, but tank shelling was heard, according to residents in contact with Reuters.

In Nusseirat camp in the centre of the enclave, some Israeli soldiers dismantled their position and headed east towards the Israeli border, but other troops remained in the area after gunfire was heard in the early hours of Friday.

Israeli forces pulled out from the road along the Mediterranean coast into Gaza City, where hundreds of people had gathered hoping to return to the enclave's main urban centre which has been under Israeli assault for the past month. Gunfire nearby made many reluctant to move, and only a few were attempting to cross on foot, residents said. Rescue workers in Gaza City began missions in areas they had been unable to reach before. Medics said at least 10 bodies were recovered from previous strikes.

"As soon as we heard the news of the truce and ceasefire, we were very happy and got ready to go back to Gaza City, to our homes. Of course there are no homes - they've been destroyed," said Mahdi Saqla, 40.

"But we are happy just to return to where our homes were, even over the rubble. That too is a great joy. For two years we've been suffering, displaced from place to place."

HAMAS GAZA LEADER SAYS HE HAS RECEIVED GUARANTEES WAR IS OVER

The war has deepened Israel's international isolation and upended the Middle East, spreading into a regional conflict that drew in Iran, Yemen and Lebanon. It also tested the U.S.-Israeli relationship, with Trump seeming to lose patience with Netanyahu and pressuring him to reach a deal.

Israelis and Palestinians alike rejoiced after the deal was announced, the biggest step yet to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, and return the last hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attacks that provoked it.

The exiled Gaza chief of Hamas, Khalil Al-Hayya, said he had received guarantees from the United States and other mediators that the war was over.

Twenty Israeli hostages are still believed to be alive in Gaza, while 26 are presumed dead and the fate of two is unknown. Hamas has indicated that recovering the bodies of the dead may take longer than releasing those who are alive.

HURDLES REMAIN

The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt the war.

Much could still go wrong. The sides have yet to publish the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for Israeli hostages. Hamas is seeking freedom for some of the most prominent Palestinian convicts held in Israeli jails, as well as hundreds of people detained during Israel's assault.

Further steps in Trump's 20-point plan have yet to be agreed. Those include how the demolished Gaza Strip is to be ruled when the fighting ends, and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has so far rejected Israel's demands it disarm.

Netanyahu also faces scepticism from within his governing coalition, as many have long opposed any deal with Hamas.

Trump said he would head to the region on Sunday, possibly to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana invited him to address the Israeli parliament.

The deal received support from Arab and Western countries and was widely portrayed as a major diplomatic achievement for Trump.

The United States will deploy 200 troops as part of a joint task force for Gaza stability, with no Americans on the ground in the Palestinian enclave, two senior U.S. officials said on Thursday.

The officials, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the 200 would be a core part of a task force that would include Egyptians, Qataris, Turks and probably Emiratis.

More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led militants stormed through Israeli towns and a music festival on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages.

(Source - reuters)

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia for the first time in his second term, targeting oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft as his frustration grows with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it was prepared to take further action as it called on Moscow to agree immediately to a ceasefire in Russia's war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

"Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. "We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions."

The sanctions are a major policy shift for Trump, who had not put sanctions on Russia over the war and instead relied on trade measures. Trump imposed additional 25% tariffs on goods from India in retaliation for it purchasing discounted Russian oil.

The U.S. has not imposed the tariffs on China, another major buyer of Russian oil. A $60 price cap on Russian oil imposed by Western countries after Russia's invasion has shifted Russia's oil customers in recent years from Europe to Asia.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday he had canceled a planned summit in Hungary with Putin because it didn't feel like it was the right time. Trump also said he hopes the sanctions on Russian oil companies will not need to be in place for a long time. Trump said last year that he likes to remove sanctions quickly because of the risks to the dominance of the dollar in global oil transactions that the measures can bring. Russia has often asked for payments in other currencies.

'CAN'T BE ONE AND DONE'

Trump's measure on Wednesday followed Britain's sanctioning of Rosneft and Lukoil last week.

Analysts said the measures were a big step but long overdue.

"This can't just be one and done," said Edward Fishman, a former U.S. official who is now a senior research scholar at Columbia University. He said the question will be whether the U.S. now threatens sanctions on anyone doing business with Rosneft and Lukoil.

Jeremy Paner, a former sanctions investigator at the Treasury Department and now a partner at law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed, said the absence of banks and Indian or Chinese oil purchasers in Wednesday's sanctions "will not get Putin’s attention."

A senior Ukrainian official, however, said the step was “great news” and that the two Russian energy companies were among U.S. sanctions targets proposed by Kyiv in the past.

The Russian embassy in Washington and the Russian mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the sanctions.

(Source - reuters)

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is intensifying its efforts against Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical exports by sanctioning over 50 individuals, entities, and vessels that facilitate Iranian oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sales and shipments from Iran. These actors have collectively enabled the export of billions of dollars’ worth of petroleum and petroleum products, providing critical revenue to the Iranian regime and its support for terrorist groups that threaten the United States.

This action targets a network moving hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian LPG, along with nearly two dozen shadow fleet vessels, a China-based crude oil terminal, and an independent “teapot” refinery, which are key to Iran’s ability to export petroleum and petroleum products to generate significant revenue.

“The Treasury Department is degrading Iran’s cash flow by dismantling key elements of Iran’s energy export machine,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Under President Trump, this administration is disrupting the regime’s ability to fund terrorist groups that threaten the United States.”

This is the fourth round of sanctions where the Trump Administration has targeted China-based refineries that continue to purchase Iranian oil. This action builds on recent sanctions in July and August targeting key enablers of Iran’s oil exports. Today’s action is being taken primarily pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13902, which targets Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sector, as well as pursuant to E.O. 13846. It continues sanctions targeting Iranian oil sales in support of the President’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 (NSPM-2), instituting a campaign of maximum economic pressure on Iran.

LPG SANCTIONS EVASION NETWORK

United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Markan White Trading Crude Oil Abroad Co. L.L.C (Markan White) and Slogal Energy DMCC (Slogal) play a key role in enabling the sale and shipment of Iranian LPG to Sri Lanka. Since at least 2023, UAE-based Amita Petrochemical Trading L.L.C (Amita Petrochemical) has purchased Iranian petrochemicals from Iran-based petrochemical broker Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industry Commercial Co (PGPICC). In 2024, Amita Petrochemicalformed Markan White to act on its behalf in future transactions with PGPICC. Markan White facilitated the sale of tens of millions of dollars’ worth of LPG on behalf of PGPICC in late 2024.

In early 2025, Markan White used Hong Kong-based shell companies Ravenala Trading Co., Limited and Crimson Blue Trading Co., Limited to facilitate $25 million in payments from LPG sales to PGPICC. In early 2025, Hong Kong-based AIX Company Limited was used by PGPICC and Markan White to facilitate the transfer of more than $100 million in payments for the sale of Iranian LPG.

In late 2024, PGPICC and Markan White used Slogal to help facilitate the sale, shipment, and export of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian LPG to Sri Lanka. In 2024 and 2025, Slogal purchased Iranian LPG that was delivered to Sri Lanka, with multiple shipments of Iranian LPG reaching end users in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In 2024, Palau-flagged MAX STAR (IMO9134165) delivered Iranian LPG that was purchased by Slogal. Similarly in 2025, Slogal purchased Iranian LPG that was delivered by Panama-flagged GAS DIOR (IMO 9379404) to Sri Lanka. In early 2025, GAS DIOR delivered over 17,000 metric tons of Iranian LPG to Bangladesh, making an additional LPG delivery for now-sanctioned supplier Octane Energy FZCO.

Panama-based Aerilyn Shipping Inc. is the registered owner, operator, and manager of the Panama-flagged GAS DIOR. Marshall Islands-based Ocean Inc. is the registered owner, operator, and manager of the MAX STAR. In mid-2024, U.S.-designated Houthi financier Sa’id al-Jamal arranged to charter MAX STAR for deliveries of Iranian LPG to the UAE.

OFAC designated Sa’id al-Jamal pursuant to counterterrorism authority E.O. 13224, as amended, on June 10, 2021, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

UAE-based S E A Ship Management LLC manages and operates the Palau-flagged GAS MARTA (IMO 9307748) and SEA HERMES (IMO 9031519), in addition to the Gambia-flagged GAS LEADER (IMO 9114581) and GAS VISION (IMO 9115303), all of which have transported Iranian petroleum products. S E A Ship Management LLC is the registered owner of the Comoros-flagged ADA (IMO 9008108), which has also transported Iranian petroleum products. In early 2025, PGPICC and Markan White coordinated the sale of $26 million worth of Iranian LPG to be shipped to China aboard GAS VISION. In late 2024, a supplier sent Iranian LPG to several customers in Bangladesh using the ADA, which previously operated with the name CAPTAIN NIKOLAS.

Hong Kong-based companies Yu Hong De Company Limited and Juliet Trading Limited are the registered owners and operators of the Cameroon-flagged SEA OPERA (IMO 9000883) and TULIP (IMO 8912558), respectively, both of which have transported Iranian oil. SEA OPERA has transported more than a million barrels of Iranian petroleum products to China since mid-2022. In late 2024, Markan White coordinated with PGPICC and Slogal to facilitate the sale of millions of dollars’ worth of LPG to be delivered to end users in Sri Lanka and Yemen via SEA OPERA. Between late 2024 and early 2025, PGPICC and Markan White used TULIP to transport over 30,000 metric tons of propane and over 11,000 metric tons of butane to China.

Amita Petrochemical Trading L.L.C, Markan White Trading Crude Oil Abroad Co. L.L.C, Slogal Energy DMCC, Aerilyn Shipping Inc.,S E A Ship Management LLC, Yu Hong De Company Limited, and Juliet Trading Limited are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.

Ravenala Trading Co., Limited is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Markan White Trading Crude Oil Abroad Co. L.L.C.

GAS DIOR is being identified as property in which Aerilyn Shipping Inc. has an interest.

SEA HERMES, GAS LEADER, GAS VISION, GAS MARTA, and ADA are being identified as property in which S E A Ship Management LLC has an interest.

SEA OPERA is being identified as property in which Yu Hong De Company Limited has an interest. TULIP is being identified as property in which Juliet Trading Limited has an interest.

Ocean Inc. is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petrochemical sector of the Iranian economy. MAX STAR is being identified as property in which Ocean Inc. has an interest.

Crimson Blue Trading Co., Limited and AIX Company Limited are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13846 for, on or after November 5, 2018, having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, PGPICC.

CHINESE OIL TERMINAL AND REFINERY

China-based Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group Co., Ltd. (Jincheng Petrochemical) is an independent teapot refinery in Shandong Province that has purchased millions of barrels of Iranian oil since 2023. Shandong Jincheng has received more than a dozen shipments of Iranian crude oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars delivered by shadow fleet vessels, some of which have been sanctioned for their role transporting Iranian petroleum, including the LUNA PRIME and CARINA. Shandong Jincheng has also been a key buyer of Iranian oil through Iran’s sanctioned Naftiran Intertrade Company, the marketing arm of Iran’s sanctioned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

China-based Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal Co., Ltd. operates the Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal at Lanshan Port, which has accepted more than a dozen shadow fleet vessels, including the now-sanctioned tankers KONGM, BIG MAG, and VOY(IMO 9222443). Collectively, these vessels transported several millions of barrels of Iranian oil to Rizhao.

Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group Co., Ltd. and Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal Co., Ltd. are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.

SUSUTAINING PRESSURE ON IRAN'S SHADOW FLEET

Iran’s shadow fleet employs obfuscation tactics to mask shipments of Iran-origin petroleum and relies on services from companies in China and elsewhere to deliver their goods. Iranian exporters often transfer cargoes between shadow fleet vessels—at times with the aid of tugboats—in the Persian Gulf and in waters off the coast of Singapore and Malaysia in order to disguise the origin of their cargoes.

Qingdao Hexin United International Shipping Agency Co., Ltd. (Qingdao Hexin), also known as Qingdao Union Credit International Shipping Agency Co., Ltd. is a shipping agent that operates in Qingdao, China. As recently as 2024, Qingdao Hexin assisted the PROGRESS V and SCORPIUS in offloading nearly two million barrels each of Iranian oil at Haiye Terminal in Qingdao Port on behalf of NIOC.

Marshall Islands-based Bertha Shipping Inc. is the owner, operator, and ship manager of the Comoros-flagged PAMIR (IMO 9208239). Since July 2024, PAMIR has transported nearly four million barrels of Iranian LPG to China. Bertha Shipping Inc. is owned by Indian national Varun Pula. Marshall Islands-based Evie Lines Inc. is the owner, operator, and ship manager of the Panama-flagged SAPPHIRE GAS (IMO 9320738). Since April 2025, the SAPPHIRE GAS has transported over a million barrels of Iranian LPG to China. Evie Lines Inc. is owned by Indian national Iyappan Raja.

Indian national Soniya Shrestha owns India-based Vega Star Ship Management Private Limited, the owner, operator, and ship manager of the Comoros-flagged NEPTA (IMO 9013701). Since January 2025, NEPTA has transported Iranian origin LPG to Pakistan. Liberia-based Titan Seaways Ltd is the owner, operator, and ship manager of the Gambia-flagged GAS ZEINA (IMO 8818843), which has transported Iranian origin LPG to Bangladesh since 2024.

China-based and Marshall Islands-registered Neowave Management Co., Ltd is the owner, operator, and ship manager of the Panama-flagged MADESTAR (IMO 9289726). Between September 2024 and August 2025, MADESTAR carried multiple cargoes of Iranian crude oil to China. These shipments were loaded in Iran by sanctioned vessels before being transferred to MADESTAR. In January 2025, Iran used MADESTAR to transport two million barrels of the approximately two billion dollars’ worth of oil that Iran had in storage at Chinese ports.

Marshall Islands-based Sullana Inc is the owner of the Comoros-flagged SULLANA (IMO 9180152). Since April 2025, SULLANA has received millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil transferred from sanctioned vessels for delivery to China. SULLANA has also transferred Iranian cargoes to other sanctioned vessels. On at least five occasions in 2025, the Hong Kong-flagged PURDUE STELLAR (IMO 9275658) has transported Iranian origin fuel oil to the UAE. Hong Kong-based Great Times Shipping Limited is the owner, operator, and ship manager of PURDUE STELLAR.

Hong Kong-based Blue Ocean Marine Company Limited owns the Hong Kong-flagged SIREN II (IMO 9337195), which loaded millions of barrels of Iranian origin crude oil on multiple occasions in 2025 before delivering the cargoes to ports in China. Panama-based Skiathos Maritime and Trading SA is the owner of the Gambian-flagged SONA (IMO 9005053). SONA loaded hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian origin LPG that it offloaded via ship-to-ship transfer to other vessels for delivery to China.

Hong Kong-based Hozdra Group Limited owns and operates the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged VOY (IMO 9222443). Since Hozdra Group Limited assumed ownership of the vessel in 2025, VOY has delivered approximately six million barrels of Iranian crude oil received from sanctioned vessels to China. Hong Kong-based Abgo Trading Limited is the owner, manager, and operator of the Gambia-flagged GALE (IMO 9294240), which transported over two million barrels of Iranian petroleum in September 2025. The Panama-flagged VITA I (IMO 9241114) has received approximately six million barrels of Iranian oil from three different sanctioned vessels since March 2025 for ultimate delivery to China. UAE-based Sinoper Shipping Co is the owner, manager, and operator of VITA I.

Singapore-based Anglo Premier Shipping PTE. LTD. is the owner, manager, and operator of the Singapore-flagged tug APS 9 (IMO 9360001). As of early 2025, the APS 9 supported at least seven Iran-affiliated tankers in the Singapore Eastern Outer Port Limit (EOPL), enabling ship-to-ship transfer operations. Singapore-based Logos Marine PTE. LTD. is the owner, manager, and operator of the Mongolian-flagged tug PIONEER 92 (IMO 9340934). The PIONEER 92 supported at least seven Iran-affiliated tankers in the Singapore EOPL, enabling ship-to-ship transfer operations.

Qingdao Hexin United International Shipping Agency Co., Ltd. is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.

The following shipping firms are also being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the Iranian petroleum sector. Their respective vessels are being identified as blocked property pursuant to E.O. 13902:

• Marshall Islands-based Bertha Shipping Inc.: Comoros-flagged PAMIR (IMO 9208239);
• Marshall Islands-based Evie Lines Inc.: Panama-flagged SAPPHIRE GAS (IMO 9320738);
• India-based Vega Star Ship Management Private Limited: Comoros-flagged NEPTA (IMO 9013701);
• Liberia-based Titan Seaways Ltd: Gambia-flagged GAS ZEINA (IMO 8818843);
• Marshall Islands-based Neowave Management Co., Ltd: Panama-flagged MADESTAR (IMO 9289726);
• Hong Kong-based Abgo Trading Limited: Gambia-flagged GALE (IMO 9294240);
• Marshall Islands-based Sullana Inc: Comoros-flagged SULLANA (IMO 9180152);
• Hong Kong-based Great Times Shipping Limited: Hong Kong-flagged PURDUE STELLAR (IMO 9275658);
• Hong Kong-based Blue Ocean Marine Company Limited: Hong Kong-flagged SIREN II (IMO 9337195);
• Panama-based Skiathos Maritime and Trading SA: Gambia-flagged SONA (IMO 9005053);
• Hong Kong-based Hozdra Group Limited: Sao Tome and Principe-flagged VOY (IMO 9222443);
• UAE-based Sinoper Shipping Co: Panama-flagged VITA I (IMO 9241114);
• Singapore-based Anglo Premier Shipping PTE. LTD.: Singapore-flagged APS 9 (IMO 9360001);
• Singapore-based Logos Marine PTE. LTD.: Mongolia-flagged PIONEER 92 (IMO 9340934).

Varun Pula is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Bertha Shipping Inc. Soniya Shrestha is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Vega Star Ship Management Private Limited. Iyappan Raja is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Evie Lines Inc.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons.

Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, or to submit a request, please refer to OFAC’s guidance on Filing a Petition for Removal from an OFAC List

Click here for more information on the persons designated and any property identified as blocked property today.  

(Source - U.S. Department of the Treasury)

Services of Snapchat, Canva, Signal, Perplexity, Duolingo, and Open AI —website and apps used by millions every day across the world— were down on Monday. The disruption appears to be linked to an outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS).

In a brief notification, AWS said it was seeing “increased error rates” and delays with “multiple AWS services”, according to The Independent.

The update said that AWS is experiencing problems at its facilities in north Virginia and issues are affecting Amazon DynamoDB and Amazon Elastic Computer Cloud — services that allow other companies to rent storage and computers to run their platforms.

“We’re aware many users are currently unable to access Coinbase due to an AWS outage,” said Coinbase.

(firstpost)

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have signed the first phase of a historic peace agreement, marking a significant breakthrough in efforts to end the long-standing conflict.

According to President Trump, the agreement includes the immediate release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, while Israel has agreed to begin a phased withdrawal of its troops under specific conditions.

The conflict between the two sides escalated in 2023, when Hamas militants killed around 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages, triggering a massive Israeli military response.

Since the start of Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza in October 2023, more than 67,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, according to international reports.

Meanwhile, President Trump is expected to embark on a Middle East tour in the coming days, aimed at strengthening support for the newly signed peace framework.

A fire on Tuesday at a garment factory in Bangladesh and an adjacent chemical warehouse killed at least 16 people and injured others, and the death toll could rise, an official said.

The cause of the blaze wasn't immediately known, fire service director Tajul Islam Chowdhury said.

"Sixteen bodies have been recovered from the second and third floors of the garment factory," he said, adding that the number of deaths could rise as recovery operations were continuing.

The fire broke out at around midday on the third floor of the four-storey factory in the Mirpur area of the capital Dhaka, before spreading to a chemical warehouse storing bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, Talha Bin Jashim, a fire department official said, citing witnesses.

Firefighters brought the factory blaze under control after nearly three hours, though the fire at the warehouse continued.

Grief-stricken relatives gathered to search for their loved ones, some clutching photographs.

In front of the blackened ruins, a father searched desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter. “My daughter worked there. When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven’t found her....I just want my daughter back.”

Chowdhury said the owners of the factory had not yet been identified. “The police and the army are trying to locate them,” he said. He added that neither the garment factory nor the chemical warehouse had approval or any fire safety plan.

Based on the initial findings, he said the garment factory had a tin roof with a grilled door that was kept locked. “The workers couldn’t reach the upper level,” he said

“The chemical explosion caused a flashover that released toxic gas, leaving many unconscious and trapping them inside. They couldn’t escape either upward or downward.”

He said the victims were so badly burned, DNA testing may be the only way to identify them.

Poor fire and building safety standards lead to dozens of such disasters in Bangladesh each year, and past accidents have tarnished the country's garments sector, which employs 4 million people and makes up more than 10% of the country's gross domestic product.

In 2012, a fire at Tazreen Fashions that supplied global brands, killed 112 workers.

A year later, the eight-storey Rana Plaza building collapsed, killing 1,135 garment workers and triggering a wave of public outrage around the world about the human cost of cheap clothes.

In a condolence message, Bangladesh’s interim government head Muhammad Yunus expressed deep sorrow and urged authorities to investigate and support victims and families.

(Source -reuters )

An explosion has struck a speeding passenger train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, injuring at least seven people, according to international media reports.

The train, which was en route to Quetta, came under attack near the Sultankot area, close to the Sindh–Balochistan border.

This marks the latest in a series of attacks targeting trains in Pakistan this year, heightening concerns over rail security in the region.

Initial investigations suggest that the blast was triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) planted along the railway track.

The explosion caused six carriages of the train to derail, leaving several passengers injured and causing significant damage to the railway line.

Reports indicate that Pakistani military personnel were among those travelling on the train, and it is suspected that the attackers may have deliberately targeted the convoy due to their presence.

Barron Trump is being pitched for a top job at TikTok.

The 19-year-old first son — who was credited for helping his dad, President Trump, reach younger voters — would be perfect to help lead the social media giant once it’s transferred to American investors, according to the president’s former social media manager, Jake Advent.

“I’m hopeful President Trump will consider appointing his son Barron and maybe other young Americans to TikTok’s board to help ensure it remains an app young people want to keep using,” Advent, whom the president playfully nicknamed “TikTok Jack,” told the Daily Mail.

Barron, who has just moved back into the White House while he attends classes at New York University’s DC campus in the nation’s capital, has yet to comment on the proposition.

Trump credited his son for guiding him on reaching a younger audience and helping him win his latest election.

Barron’s mother, first lady Melania Trump, previously said her son was instrumental because he “knows his generation.”

Trump signed an executive order last month approving the transfer of the video platform’s US operations to a consortium of American-based investors after speaking with Chinese President Xi Jinping. TikTok is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance.

The president made his own triumphant return to TikTok on Monday after a nearly year away.

“To all of those young people of TikTok, I saved TikTok, so you owe me big,” Trump said in a video post.

“Now, you’re looking at me in the Oval Office, and someday one of you are gonna be sitting right at this desk, and you’re gonna be doing a great job also.”

Former President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation in April 2024 that gave ByteDance the option of reducing its stake in TikTok to 20% or facing a blanket ban inside the United States.

Both Biden and Trump delayed implementation of the ban — with Trump arguing it would increase the power of US social media giants to censor political content.

Vice President JD Vance said that under the new deal, TikTok’s algorithm will be controlled by the American investors.

(Source - New York Post)

Former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi was elected the first female president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday, defeating Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff vote. She secured 185 votes to Koizumi’s 156, paving the way for her to become Japan’s first female prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary session.

In her victory speech, Takaichi vowed to “work and work and work” to rebuild the divided party and lead a minority coalition government, while Koizumi urged unity under her leadership.

Takaichi, a 64-year-old lawmaker from Nara and longtime protégé of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has over three decades in politics and a record of service in several key portfolios, including Internal Affairs and Economic Security. Known for her conservative stance, she has recently sought to project a more moderate image to broaden her appeal within the party.

Her immediate challenges include forming the LDP executive team, expanding the ruling coalition, and navigating foreign relations, particularly a potential meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump later this month.

If elected by parliament in mid-October, Takaichi will serve the remainder of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s term through September 2027, marking a historic milestone for Japanese politics.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for promoting democratic rights and fighting dictatorship, receiving the award despite U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated statements he deserved it.

Machado, a 58-year-old industrial engineer who lives in hiding, was blocked in 2024 by Venezuela's courts from running for president and thus challenging President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013.

"When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in its citation.

US HAS BEEN STRONG SUPPORTER OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION

The lead-up to this year's award was dominated by Trump's repeated public statements that he deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump is also a fierce critic of Maduro.

"I think the main takeaway is that the committee is again demonstrating its independence, that they wouldn't be swayed by popular opinions or political leaders to award the prize," said Halvard Leira, research director at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

"Trump will interpret this as he wants to, but this is a prize given to a cause which the United States has very much supported over the years.

"The democratic opposition of Venezuela is something that the U.S. has been eager to support. So, in that sense, it would be hard for anyone to constitute this as an insult to Trump."

GAZA DEAL TOO LATE FOR TRUMP, THIS YEAR

The committee took its final decision before a ceasefire and hostage deal under the first phase of Trump's initiative to end the war in Gaza was announced on Wednesday.

Ahead of the Nobel announcement, experts on the award had also said Trump was very unlikely to win as his policies were seen as dismantling the international world order the Nobel committee cherishes.

The Nobel Peace Prize, worth 11 million Swedish crowns, or about $1.2 million, is due to be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who founded the awards, opens new tab in his 1895 will.

(Source - reuters)

A Tunisian man has been sentenced to death on charges of insulting the president and assaulting state security through posts on social media, the head of the Tunisian League for Human Rights and his lawyer said on Friday.

The ruling is unprecedented in Tunisia, where restrictions on free speech have been tightened since President Kais Saied seized almost all powers in 2021.

The man sentenced, 56-year-old day labourer Saber Chouchane, is a regular citizen with limited education who was simply writing posts critical of the president before his arrest last year, his lawyer, Oussama Bouthalja, told Reuters.

"The judge in the Nabeul court sentenced the man to death over Facebook posts. It is a shocking and unprecedented ruling," Bouthalja said. The judgement has been appealed, he added. The justice ministry was not immediately available to comment.

Though courts have occasionally handed down death sentences in Tunisia, none have been carried out for more than three decades.

"We can't believe it," Jamal Chouchane, Saber's brother, told Reuters by phone. "We are a family suffering from poverty, and now oppression and injustice have been added to poverty."

The sentence immediately sparked a wave of criticism and ridicule on social media among activists and ordinary Tunisians.

Many described the ruling as a deliberate attempt to instil fear among Saied's critics, warning that such harsh measures could further stifle free expression and deepen political tensions.

Since Saied dissolved the elected parliament and started ruling by decree, Tunisia has faced growing criticism by rights groups over the erosion of judicial independence. The opposition called Saied's power grab a coup.

Most opposition leaders, whom the president has labelled as traitors, are imprisoned on various charges.

(Source -reuters)