International

US calls for ‘global effort’ to combat cybercrime

AFP

A top US Treasury official on Tuesday called for a “global effort” to combat cyberattacks and to prevent criminals from holding computer systems for ransom.

“It’s going to be critical that we not only do this in the United States, but that we have a global effort because many of these cyber criminals are domiciled outside of our country,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.

Governments, companies and individuals must focus on cybersecurity “to prevent criminal actors from being able to get into their system, and potentially use them to ransom.”

He testified before the Senate Banking Committee to present a Treasury report showing that growing use of cryptocurrencies outside of traditional payments systems undermines the effectiveness of US economic sanctions.

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“Our goal ultimately, is to make sure that payments do not flow into the hands of criminal actors and … don’t flow into the hands of those people who have been sanctioned by the United States,” Adeyemo said.

Treasury sanctions work by blocking targets — individuals, government officials or companies — from using the US financial system, which in effect cuts them off from banking or profiting from trade in most of the world.

But the Treasury review said digital currencies and alternative payment platforms provide a way to skirt sanctions by moving funds and hiding profits outside the traditional dollar-based financial system.

The official said “it is true” that China is “trying to find means around our financial system to avoid sanctions.”

But “by taking actions in unison with other countries” governments are better able to “hold our adversaries accountable for actions that they take that are in violation of international laws and norms,” he said.

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Asked about Afghanistan, Adeyemo said it is “essential” to maintain economic sanctions against the Taliban but also to “find ways for legitimate humanitarian assistance to get to the Afghan people.”

“I see under no situation in which we would allow the Taliban to have access to the reserves that belong to the Afghan people,” he said, referring to Washington’s decision to withhold about $9 billion of the nation’s reserves held overseas.

The Treasury report showed use of sanctions increased tenfold over the past two decades since the attacks of September 11, 2001, with 9,421 designations this year compared to just 912 in 2000.

International

White House says Cuba policy unchanged despite sanctioned fuel shipment

The White House said Monday that it has not changed its policy toward Cuba, despite allowing a sanctioned Russian oil tanker to deliver fuel to the island on humanitarian grounds.

U.S. officials emphasized that the decision was made as an exception and does not signal a broader shift in policy.

The administration added that similar decisions would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on humanitarian considerations.

The clarification comes amid ongoing restrictions related to U.S. sanctions policy, which continue to limit trade and financial flows involving Cuba.

International

Spain to grant citizenship to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López

The Spanish government is expected to grant citizenship this Tuesday to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lópezthrough an extraordinary procedure known as “carta de naturaleza.”

The decision will be approved by royal decree, an exceptional legal mechanism used in special cases that require expedited resolution due to specific circumstances.

López has been living in Madrid since 2020, after leaving Venezuela following a prolonged political and legal conflict with the government of Nicolás Maduro.

According to government sources, López currently does not have a valid Venezuelan passport and faces difficulties in having his nationality fully recognized in his home country.

As a result, he applied for Spanish citizenship via a fast-track process at the end of 2025, after previously attempting to obtain it through regular procedures.

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The Spanish government justified the move based on López’s international relevance and foreign policy considerations.

López is the leader of the Voluntad Popular party and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, an initiative launched in 2022 alongside figures such as Garry Kasparov and Masih Alinejad.

International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

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The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.