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Sanctions

EU Sanctions Red. Media For Covering Crackdown On Palestine Protests

The EU Council’s latest sanctions, intended to deter Russia’s war with Ukraine, include red. media founder Hüseyin Doğru, and AFA Medya (which operates red.), citing their coverage of Germany’s pro-Palestine protests which the council claims “supports” Russia. Since the EU began rolling out one sanctions package after another in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the targeting of Doğru marks the first time the EU has used this weapon in the service of Germany’s crackdown on Palestine solidarity, a crackdown which has been condemned by UN officials and human rights groups.

Britain, France, and Canada Threaten Israel If Gaza War Is Not Halted

Britain, France and Canada issued a statement on Monday, demanding that the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu cease its military campaign against the people of Gaza and halt its months-long blockade of food and medical aid, which has left the Strip on the verge of widespread famine. The three threatened Tel Aviv with “concrete steps” should it fail to do as they insist. The three NATO powers went further than a 22-nation petition to Israel to halt its food and aid blockade issued on Monday, which they also signed. The other 19 countries apparently declined to go so far as to demand an end to the war, as well.

The Human Cost Of Syria Sanctions

On May 13, Trump announced he is ordering the removal of sanctions on Syria. Some of the U.S. sanctions can be quickly terminated because they were issued by Executive Order. Other sanctions, including the extremely damaging 2019 "Caesar" sanctions, were imposed by Congressional legislation and may require Congressional action to terminate. The Syrian people are joyous at the prospect of the end of their country's economic nightmare. In 2010, before the conflict began, Syria was a middle-income country with free education, free healthcare, and no national debt. It was largely self-sufficient in energy and food. After fourteen years of war, occupation, and strangulating Western sanctions, the U.N. reports that "nine out of ten Syrians live in poverty and face food insecurity".

The Hypocrisy Of US Imperialists And Syrian Reactionaries

The Trump regime’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria exposes the true purpose of sanctions: to deliberately impoverish ordinary citizens, force regime change and extend U.S.-led imperial control. For 15 years, the United States imposed draconian sanctions on the Assad government, isolating Syria from international banking, trade and essential sectors such as energy, health and education, with the explicit intent of undermining its self-sufficient socialist economy. These measures were designed to demoralize ordinary Syrians and force a change in leadership by targeting the elected coalition government of Syria under President Assad, who had defended the Palestinian cause and refused to normalize relations with the Zionist entity.

Iran, United States Begin Indirect Nuclear Talks In Oman

Indirect talks between Iran and the US have begun in Oman regarding Iran's nuclear program and economic sanctions imposed by Washington on Tehran as a result of it. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi leads the Iranian delegation, while Steve Witkoff, the US President's Special Representative for the Middle East, will represent the US side. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidy will mediate. Iran maintains that these talks are solely about nuclear issues and has rejected negotiations regarding any of its defense capabilities, such as its missile ballistic program. "What is clear now is that the negotiations are indirect and, in our view, only on the nuclear issue, and will be carried out with the necessary will to reach an agreement that is from an equal position and leads to securing Iran's national interests," Araghchi stated Saturday.

What Can And Cannot Be Done, Cannot Be Undone

The sediment of history accumulates through class struggle, imperial conquest, and the shifting modes of production. The wreckage promoted by U.S. exceptionalism does not erase this sediment—it lies atop it like a hideous flesh, giving the skeleton of history a monstrous form, shaping its contours while masking its deeper truths. This neoliberal flesh is not merely ideological but structural—built into the very institutions that manage global capital and coercion. What has been done in the name of democracy, security, or market liberalization reflects not just policy choices, but the material interests of a ruling class determined to privatize and reproduce its dominance.

Europe Insists On Continued Sanctions, Troop Deployment In Ukraine

European leaders gathered in Paris on March 27 for another summit on the war in Ukraine, continuing discussions launched alongside peace negotiations initiated by the Trump presidency. The stated goal of the meeting was shaping a roadmap towards a “robust peace.” Judging from the conclusions of the summit, European heads of state continue to believe such a peace will be achieved by prolonging sanctions on Russia, financing more weapons for Ukraine, and preparing a so-called “reassurance force” to be deployed after a future ceasefire.

Swarthmore Students Punished For Gaza Protests

Swarthmore College issued sanctions on March 6 against 15 students for participating in anti-genocide activism for Palestinians in Gaza. Their peaceful demonstrations of solidarity with Gaza occurred between October 2023 and March 2024. The college in Media, Pennsylvania, is located outside of Philadelphia. The most extreme sanctions are aimed against one graduating senior who was suspended, nine who received one-semester probation and one who received a two-semester probation. The second-semester senior set to graduate was suspended on the charge of “assault” for the use of a megaphone indoors.

Unilateral Coercive Measures And The War On Women

In 1945, when the United Nations Charter was drafted, its authors and those who first adopted it carefully crafted language on how to deal with armed conflict in the world. Between the signing of the charter in June and its coming into force in October, the United States dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities: Hiroshima, on 6 August, and Nagasaki, on 9 August. It is hard to digest the fact that as the charter’s solemn preamble was being formalised, setting out to ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind’, the United States armed forces were preparing to destroy two civilian cities in a country already on the brink of surrender.

Venezuela Condemns Washington’s Criminalization Of Migrants

Venezuela has categorically condemned the United States government’s persecution of Venezuelans in the US, calling it an “infamous and unjust criminalization of Venezuelan migrants.” The Venezuelan government’s official statement in this regard, issued on Sunday, March 16, likens Washington’s position to “the darkest episodes in human history, from slavery to the horrors of Nazi concentration camps.” The statement condemned in strong terms the persecution of Venezuelan citizens in the US, including the expropriation of their personal property, assets, businesses, vehicles, and bank accounts.

Caribbean Leaders Oppose US Policy Targeting Cuban Medical Missions

Caribbean leaders are pushing back against a new U.S. policy that aims to crack down on Cuban medical missions, saying that the work of hundreds of Cuban medical staff across the region is essential. Hugh Todd, Guyana’s foreign minister, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that foreign ministers from a 15-member Caribbean trade bloc known as Caricom recently met with U.S. Special Envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone in Washington, D.C. after the U.S. threatened to restrict the visas of those involved with Cuban missions, which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called “forced labor.”

UK Lifts Sanctions On Syria’s De Facto Government; Massacres Continue

The British government has lifted sanctions on 24 entities in Syria, including the country’s central bank, coming during a severe economic crisis and an indiscriminate government crackdown on the uprising launched this week by elements of the former Syrian military. The UK is the first country to unfreeze all Syrian central bank assets. Sanctions on the state airliner and state-owned oil firms were also removed on 6 March. “This approach underscores our commitment to help the people of Syria rebuild their country and economy, including through support for a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process,” a UK government spokesman said.

Trump’s Maximum Pressure Scheme: US Sanctions Iranian ‘Shadow Fleet’

Washington imposed sanctions on 24 February, targeting what it refers to as a “shadowy” fleet made up of companies, individuals, and vessels involved in transporting Iranian oil to circumvent unilateral US sanctions. “Iran continues to rely on a shadowy network of vessels, shippers, and brokers to facilitate its oil sales and fund its destabilizing activities. The United States will use all our available tools to target all aspects of Iran’s oil supply chain, and anyone who deals in Iranian oil exposes themselves to significant sanctions risk,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement on Monday.

Three Years Into Ukraine War, Europe Introduces More Sanctions

Three years into the 2022 Ukraine war, European leaders have unveiled yet another round of sanctions against Russia, its allies, and companies that engage with them—but continue to reject options that might actually bring an end to the conflict. This latest package in the EU’s ongoing effort to stun Russia targets not just Russian individuals and enterprises, but also officials in the Korean People’s Army and Chinese companies. European officials insist these sanctions are working, weakening Russia’s military capabilities. “Today’s decision maintains pressure on the Russian military and defense by listing several industry companies manufacturing weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment and technologies,” the Council of the EU stated.

Brussels Parliament To Recognize Israel’s War On Gaza As Genocide

The March 30 Movement, which has long advocated for the Palestinian cause, stated that the historic step was adopted on February 3. This comes as the movement’s electoral initiative during the 2024 campaign, Viva Palestina, focused on one key demand: for the Brussels Parliament to officially recognize the genocide in Gaza and take concrete action. Throughout the campaign, Viva Palestina engaged extensively in debates with political parties, applied pressure to push them to take a stance, and mobilized public opinion. With the resolution adopted at the commission level, the March 30 Movement urged all Belgian parties to vote in its favor in the plenary session, ensuring that Brussels continues to lead by example in the fight for justice and human rights.

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Due to the attacks on our fiscal sponsor, we were unable to raise funds online for nearly two years.  As the bills pile up, your help is needed now to cover the monthly costs of operating Popular Resistance.

Urgent End Of Year Fundraising Campaign

Online donations are back! 

Keep independent media alive. 

Due to the attacks on our fiscal sponsor, we were unable to raise funds online for nearly two years.  As the bills pile up, your help is needed now to cover the monthly costs of operating Popular Resistance.

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