Thursday, October 23, 2025
Joe Biden image by Gage Skidmore

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Joe Biden Forgot What Century It Is.

Joe Biden appeared to forget that it is the 21st century during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Following an inquiry from a journalist about the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a 19th-century law that bans abortion from the moment of conception, Biden responded by saying: “Elect me. I’m in the 20, 20th century.”

Biden’s repeated gaffes and memory lapses have led many to believe the octogenarian president is suffering from significant cognitive decline. A recent poll revealed that only 38 percent of probable voters for the 2024 presidential election believe he will see through another term.

Biden recently appeared to indicate that he wanted people to remember his presidential legacy as having something to do with ending the Vietnam War. He also seemed to forget his own name during an address in Washington, D.C on Tuesday. In a report released earlier this year explaining his decision not to pursue charges against Biden for his mishandling classified information, special counsel Robert Hur described the 81-year-old as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,”

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It Happened Again: Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver on Drugs Kills Three.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A 21-year-old illegal immigrant truck driver was arrested for driving under the influence and charged in connection with a fatal multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 in California, which killed three people and injured several others.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jashanpreet Singh, an Indian national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, and multiple victims, including Clarence Nelson and his wife, Lisa.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The crash occurred on October 22, 2025, on the 10 Freeway in Ontario, California.

🎯IMPACT: The crash has reignited concerns about immigration policies and federal safety standards for commercial truck drivers.

IN FULL

Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old truck driver and Indian national who entered the United States illegally in 2022, has been charged following a fatal multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 in California. The crash, which occurred on October 22, claimed the lives of three individuals and left several others injured.

According to authorities, Singh was driving a semi-truck that failed to brake before slamming into slowed traffic, triggering an eight-vehicle pileup involving four commercial trucks. Dashboard camera footage shows the truck striking a car and continuing into other vehicles, with one passenger car catching fire. Three fatalities were reported, including former Pomona High School assistant basketball coach Clarence Nelson and his wife, Lisa.

Singh was arrested at the scene by California Highway Patrol officers. He is being held without bail and faces charges of driving under the influence of drugs, causing bodily injury, and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since lodged an immigration detainer against Singh, who was previously released under “alternatives to detention” after entering the U.S. illegally in March 2022.

The crash has drawn attention to California’s truck driver safety standards. Earlier this year, the Trump administration withheld over $40 million in highway safety funds from the state, citing its failure to meet federal English language proficiency requirements for truck drivers. Additionally, the U.S. government temporarily paused the issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers to review vetting procedures.

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By Popular Demand.
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Democrats Confuse White House East Wing With Buckingham Palace in Ragebait Post.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Democrats confused the East Wing of the White House with the East Wing of Buckingham Palace in a “ragebait” social post, mischaracterizing President Donald J. Trump’s construction of a privately-funded White House ballroom as “The People’s House [being] destroyed by Trump.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump and the Democratic Party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The mistake was highlighted by the Republican Party on October 23, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The DNC is so mad that President Trump is building a new ballroom at the White House, they posted a sad Instagram video last night. Too bad their intern put in a photo of the East Wing in Buckingham Palace, not the White House.” – Official GOP account on X.

🎯IMPACT: The East Wing, an outbuilding separate from the iconic White House Executive Residence that dates from the 1940s, is to be replaced by a grand ballroom, allowing presidents to host large-scale events and state dinners.

IN FULL

The Democrats have been caught confusing the East Wing of the White House, currently being replaced by a new ballroom funded by President Donald J. Trump and private donors, with the East Wing of Buckingham Palace, the primary residence of the British Royal Family in London. In a “ragebait” style post uploaded to the party’s official Instagram account, the Democrats claim and show a slideshow of the outbuilding “in a different time”—including images of the British royal residence.

“The DNC is so mad that President Trump is building a new ballroom at the White House, they posted a sad Instagram video last night. Too bad their intern put in a photo of the East Wing in Buckingham Palace, not the White House,” the GOP noted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, adding, “Cry more libs.”

Notably, the current East Wing is not part of the iconic White House Executive residence, which was begun in the 18th century. Instead, it is a 1940s outbuilding, largely obscured by shrubbery at street level, erected to conceal the parallel construction of an emergency bunker for then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Trump ballroom will be significantly larger and enable presidents to host large-scale events and state dinners that are currently difficult to accommodate at the White House complex.

The Trump administration is further trolling the Democrats by adding a “major events timeline” to the White House website, including not only historical milestones such as the addition of the north portico in 1829-1830 and the Oval Office in 1909, but high-profile scandals involving Democrat presidents.

Among the controversies listed is the discovery of cocaine in the West Wing during the Biden government in 2023. The timeline notes, “Speculation has pointed to Hunter Biden, an admitted drug user,” and references his laptop, which contains materials related to alleged drug use and foreign business dealings involving his father, Joe Biden, during his vice presidency. Another slide highlights the Monica Lewinsky scandal during Bill Clinton’s presidency in 1998, and Barack Obama’s 2012 hosting of a Muslim Brotherhood delegation, a group linked to Islamist extremism.

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Newsom Says He’ll Sue If Trump Deploys National Guard to San Francisco.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) threatened legal action against President Donald J. Trump if National Guard troops are deployed to San Francisco.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Gavin Newsom, President Trump, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

📍WHEN & WHERE: October 2025, San Francisco, California.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re going to be fierce in terms of our response… this is the lawsuit that I will file within a nanosecond of any efforts to send the military to one of America’s great cities, San Francisco.” – Gavin Newsom

🎯IMPACT: The confrontation could lead to a landmark legal battle over the limits of presidential power under the Insurrection Act.

IN FULL

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) says he will take legal action to prevent President Donald J. Trump from deploying National Guard units to San Francisco, even though the President has not yet issued such an order. Already, over 100 federal immigration agents are being deployed to the Bay Area as the Trump White House continues to ramp up enforcement actions.

“We’re going to be fierce in terms of our response,” Newsom stated during a press briefing. “We are going to be focused, and quite literally this is the lawsuit that I will file within a nanosecond of any efforts to send the military to one of America’s great cities, San Francisco.”

He characterized San Francisco as one of the safest large cities in the country and accused Trump of politicizing public safety. “Send troops to San Francisco and we will sue you, [Donald Trump],” Newsome wrote, reiterating his legal threat, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed preparations at its Alameda base to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. A spokesman remarked that this effort is part of a “whole-of-government approach” to address illegal border crossings.

While President Trump has not yet issued an order to deploy National Guard units to San Francisco, the America First leader has indicated he is inclined to do so, stating: “We’re going to San Francisco and we’ll make it great. It’ll be great again.”

The Trump White House has legally defended National Guard deployments in other cities under the President’s direct constitutional authority to deploy the National Guard domestically, and additional powers granted under the Insurrection Act—though the latter has yet to be invoked.

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Grooming Gang Victims Demand Govt Minister Resign.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A group of survivors of Muslim grooming gangs has left an official government inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation, citing trust issues.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Survivors Ellie-Ann Reynolds, Fiona Goddard, Elizabeth Harper, and “Jessica,” alongside former police officer Jim Gamble, Baroness Louise Casey, and Jess Phillips, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Recent developments were discussed in Parliament and detailed in correspondence shared by survivors.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Being publicly contradicted and dismissed by a government minister when you are a survivor telling the truth takes you right back to that feeling of not being believed all over again.” – Survivors’ letter.

🎯IMPACT: The survivors have outlined conditions for their return to the inquiry, while the Labour Party government faces challenges in appointing someone to lead the inquiry.

IN FULL

Four survivors of Muslim grooming gang abuse in the United Kingdom, including Ellie-Ann Reynolds and Fiona Goddard, have criticized the British government’s inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation, saying it has been watered down to obscure the racial and religious factors behind their abuse. The women, who recently resigned from the inquiry’s advisory panel, said the investigation’s scope had been widened in a way that risks losing focus on the particular issues with Muslim, predominantly Pakistani-background grooming gangs targeting mostly underage white girls at scale.

In a letter to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood—roughly equivalent to the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary—the survivors set out several conditions for their return, including the resignation of the Jess Phillips, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, and the appointment of a judge to lead the inquiry, with survivor input, and guarantees that victims can speak freely without fear of reprisal.

The letter, shared publicly by Goddard, said: “Being publicly contradicted and dismissed by a government minister when you are a survivor telling the truth takes you right back to that feeling of not being believed all over again. It is a betrayal that has destroyed what little trust remained.”

Former police officer Jim Gamble also stepped down from consideration to lead the inquiry, saying some survivors lacked confidence in his role due to his past in policing. He called claims that he would align with a political agenda to protect institutions “nonsense,” but given police leaders’ central role in downplaying and covering up grooming gang abuses for decades, victims do not believe a current or former police officer should lead the inquiry.

Prime Minister Starmer has announced that Baroness Louise Casey will assist the inquiry. Casey previously led a national audit that found many police forces and other public agencies avoided addressing ethnicity or cultural issues in grooming gang crimes because they feared being labelled racist.

The controversy follows years of public anger over how police, social services, and municipal governments have handled cases of organized sexual exploitation across towns such as Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford. Multiple investigations revealed that predominantly Pakistani-heritage men targeted vulnerable white girls, while officials refused or failed to intervene for fear of damaging so-called community relations or being branded racist by the predators.

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By Popular Demand.
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NBA Rocked By Mafia-Linked Gambling Scandal, FBI Arrests 34.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers head coach, Chauncey Billups, and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier—along with others—were arrested Thursday morning in connection with federal investigations into gambling.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Billups was arrested in Portland, Oregon, and Rozier in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday morning. Damon Jones was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is an operation that showcases to you that under President Trump’s administration, there is no room for any type of criminal behavior, be it on the world’s largest stage or in the back rooms of tiny parlors where card games were being played.” — FBI Director Kash Patel

🎯IMPACT: The arrests are renewing calls for Congress to step in and develop more uniform regulation for sports betting.

IN FULL

The NBA‘s Portland Trail Blazers head coach, Chauncey Billups, and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier were arrested Thursday morning in connection with federal investigations into gambling, according to a law enforcement official. Former NBA player Damon Jones was also arrested in Las Vegas as part of the investigation, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announcing a total of 34 suspects were taken into custody across multiple states—with some having ties to the Bonano, Genovese, and Columbo organized crime families.

Billups, a former NBA player and five-time All-Star, was arrested in Portland, Oregon. He played 17 years in the league and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. He has been charged with partaking in an alleged illegal poker ring tied to the mafia, with rigged poker games being held in Manhattan, the Hamptons, and Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, Rozier, a 10-year NBA veteran, was taken into custody in Orlando, Florida, following months of scrutiny over suspicious sports betting activity related to his play. Notably, Rozier was taken into custody just hours after the Heat lost to the Orlando Magic in a game he did not play in due to a coach’s decision.

Damon Jones, another former NBA player, was apprehended in Las Vegas. The arrests are part of a broader federal investigation into gambling activities involving high-profile people in professional sports.

“This is an operation that showcases to you that under President Trump‘s administration, there is no room for any type of criminal behavior, be it on the world’s largest stage or in the back rooms of tiny parlors where card games were being played,” FBI Director Kash Patel said during a press conference on Thursday.

Currently, 39 states allow some form of sports betting, but there has not been much federal regulation since the Supreme Court struck down the Congressional ban on state-sponsored sports betting. NBA commissioner Adam Silver called for Congress to step in and create uniform regulation earlier this week.

“I think, probably, there should be more regulation, frankly,” Silver said, adding: “I wish there was federal legislation rather than state by state. I think you’ve got to monitor the amount of promotion, the amount of advertising around it.”

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Illegal Immigrant-Owned Trucking Firm Profited from Taxpayer Before Deadly Crash.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: An illegal immigrant in Indiana, Borko Stankovic, was arrested after allegedly causing a fatal semi-truck crash that killed Jeffrey Eberly, 54.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Borko Stankovic, a 41-year-old illegal immigrant from the Balkans, and Jeffrey Eberly, his victim.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The crash occurred on U.S. Highway 20 in Portage, Indiana, on Wednesday, October 15.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This criminal illegal alien didn’t even have a valid commercial [driver’s] license (CDL). DHS is working with our state and local partners to get illegal alien truck drivers who often don’t know basic traffic laws off our highways.” – Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin,

🎯IMPACT: Stankovic faces felony charges, and his illegal immigration status has raised concerns over access to taxpayer-funded PPP loans.

IN FULL

Borko Stankovic, an illegal immigrant living in Indiana, was arrested following a fatal semi-truck crash on U.S. Highway 20 in Portage on October 15. The crash resulted in the death of Jeffrey Eberly, 54, after Stankovic’s semi-truck failed to slow down, jackknifed, and struck multiple vehicles, according to law enforcement.

Stankovic, who has been in the U.S. illegally since his visa expired in February 2011, was driving without a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL). Records show he used a suspended Illinois CDL belonging to a family member to unlawfully continue operating as a freight carrier. He has been charged with felony reckless homicide and felony criminal recklessness resulting in death.

“This criminal illegal alien didn’t even have a valid commercial [driver’s] license (CDL). DHS is working with our state and local partners to get illegal alien truck drivers who often don’t know basic traffic laws off our highways,” Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, said in a statement.

PPP loan records reveal that Stankovic owned two companies, Eclipse Trucking Inc. and ESD Team Inc., which collectively received over $36,000 in loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both loans were forgiven under the Biden government, despite the companies reportedly having only one employee each.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer on Stankovic at the Porter County Jail.

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Vance Slams Israeli Move Towards Annexing West Bank as ‘Very Stupid,’ an ‘Insult’ to U.S.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Vice President J.D. Vance criticized Israel’s preliminary Knesset (Israeli legislature) vote to extend Israeli law to the West Bank, branding it insulting to the U.S. and “very stupid.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: J.D. Vance, Israel’s government, and the Trump administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Thursday at Ben Gurion Airport following a two-day visit to Israel.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel. The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel.” – J.D. Vance

🎯IMPACT: The Trump administration reaffirmed its stance against annexation, emphasizing efforts to maintain peace in the region.

IN FULL

Vice President J.D. Vance warned Israel’s government against annexing the West Bank, criticizing a preliminary Knesset (Israeli legislature) vote on the matter during his two-day visit to the country. Speaking at Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday, Vance said he was told the vote was a “political stunt” and “purely symbolic,” but stressed that it was still “a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it.”

“The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel,” Vance emphasized. “The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That will continue to be our policy, and if people want to take symbolic votes they can do that, but we certainly weren’t happy about it.”

The Knesset had given preliminary approval to a bill on Wednesday that would extend Israeli law to the occupied West Bank, a move widely regarded as de facto annexation. This vote came shortly after President Donald J. Trump brokered a deal aimed at ending Israel’s two-year military offensive in Gaza.

Regarding the ceasefire in Gaza, Vance noted that both sides were adhering to it, with only minor exceptions. He remarked, “So far, the ceasefire is actually holding, the peace is actually holding and now we’re trying to figure out how to make it stick over the long term.”

Vance also highlighted the role of the new International Security Force in disarming Hamas and the ongoing coordination between the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and other partners. “Our message is do whatever you can do to work with us to make this peace stick,” he said.

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By Popular Demand.
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Christians Face Becoming a Minority in America by This Date as Atheism and Islam Rise.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Christianity in America is projected to lose its majority status by 2070, as Islam, other religions, and people with no religion increase.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Christians in America, Muslims, the irreligious, and Pew Research Center.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Families and churches today have relaxed standards for what constitutes Christianity, and parents aren’t raising their children in the church like they once were.” – Dr. George Barna, Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University

🎯IMPACT: The decline of Christianity and the rise of Islam could reshape America’s religious landscape within decades.

IN FULL

Christianity in the U.S. is facing steep declines, with the share of Americans identifying as Christian falling from about 90 percent in 1970 to 62 percent today, and projected to drop to 46 percent by 2070, according to the Pew Research Center. Meanwhile, Islam is growing, aided by a younger median age (35 versus 54 for Christians in the U.S.) and higher fertility rates. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of U.S. mosques rose 31 percent, while roughly 1,500 Christian churches closed during the same decade.

However, it is people of no religion, including atheists, agnostics, and the so-called unaffiliated, who are projected to first displace Christians as the largest group in America, comprising 52 percent of the population by 2070.

Christian leaders are warning that the faith’s slide is rooted in both cultural shifts and internal change within Christian communities. Pastor Brent Madaris of Hometown Hope Ministries, for instance, warned that seminaries “are certifying people to lead churches who have no business doing so.”

Dr. George Barna of the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University noted, “Families and churches today have relaxed standards for what constitutes Christianity, and parents aren’t raising their children in the church like they once were.”

At the same time, the religious landscape is shifting in other ways. President Donald J. Trump has spoken publicly about what he calls “anti‑Christian bias.” In February 2025, he announced an executive order creating a task force to eradicate anti-Christian bias. “I created the first‑ever Department of Justice task force to eradicate anti‑Christian bias. You hear about anti‑Semitic, but you don’t hear about anti‑Christian,” he stressed.

In contrast, a European anti‑terror police recently raided a charity that supports Middle Eastern Christians, a case some say highlights how Christian communities face pressure globally as they lose majority status across the West.

There have been some signs of renewal, however, with young people in England increasingly embracing Catholicism, while the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk has also sparked a renewal in interest in the faith.

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Oxford Union President-Elect Ousted After Celebrating Charlie Kirk’s Assassination.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The president-elect of the Oxford Union has been voted out after celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: George Abaraonye, Oxford Union members, and Charlie Kirk.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Oxford, England, with the vote occurring in October.

💬KEY QUOTE: “[Y]our public reaction to a fatal shooting displayed a callousness inconsistent with the Union President’s duty to safeguard free and open debate, rendering it untenable for you to accede to the Office of President.”  – Letter from former leaders of the Oxford Union to Abaraonye.

🎯IMPACT: Abaraonye will not assume the presidency, and the incident has led to donor withdrawals and criticism of the union.

IN FULL

George Abaraonye, the president-elect of the Oxford Union debating society, attached to England’s Oxford University, has been removed from his position following a no-confidence vote by members of the prestigious institution. The decision follwed the leak of a WhatsApp message and an Instagram post in which Abaraonye reacted to the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk by writing, “Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f**king go.” The comment sparked immediate backlash, prompting an internal vote in which 1,228 members supported the motion to oust him, against 501 opposed.

Abaraonye, elected in June, had debated Kirk earlier this year at the Oxford Union on topics including “toxic masculinity” and male suicide. Abaraonye has denied that his comments reflected his true beliefs, stating, “In that moment of shock … I reacted impulsively … Those words did not reflect my values.” Despite submitting a motion of confidence in himself, the Union stated that he is “deemed to have resigned” following the result of the no-confidence vote.

An open letter signed by numerous Oxford Union alumni, including former presidents, condemned Abaraonye’s remarks on Kirk’s assassination and called for his resignation. The letter emphasized that while the signatories held diverse political views, they were unified in their opposition to his reaction to Kirk’s death.

“Your public reaction to a fatal shooting displayed a callousness inconsistent with the Union President’s duty to safeguard free and open debate, rendering it untenable for you to accede to the Office of President,” the letter stated.

Similar consequences have played out elsewhere following public reactions to Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Karen Attiah, a columnist for The Washington Post, was fired after social media posts criticizing what she called “excessive, false mourning” of Kirk. In Texas, over 100 teachers were suspended after celebrating or justifying the killing. A transgender writer also lost a comic book deal for making dismissive remarks about Kirk’s death, and MSNBC contributor Matthew Dowd was terminated following comments suggesting that so-called hate speech invited political violence.

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Trump Sanctions Russian Oil Firms, Citing ‘Lack of Serious Commitment’ to Peace.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed new sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector, specifically its two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Treasury Department, Rosneft Oil Company, Lukoil OAO, and their subsidiaries.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced today, impacting entities operating in Russia’s energy sector and U.S. financial systems.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

🎯IMPACT: These sanctions block property and restrict transactions involving the targeted entities, aiming to hinder Russia’s ability to fund its military operations.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced new sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector, citing “Russia’s lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine.” The sanctions specifically target Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft Oil Company and Lukoil OAO, along with their subsidiaries.

Rosneft and Lukoil are major players in the exploration, production, refining, and sale of oil and gas. The sanctions, enacted under Executive Order 14024, aim to block these companies’ access to U.S. financial systems and restrict their ability to raise revenue for Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.

“Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire,” stated Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. He added, “Treasury is prepared to take further action if necessary to support President Trump’s effort to end yet another war. We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions.”

The sanctions also extend to subsidiaries of Rosneft and Lukoil, including entities involved in oil and gas production, refining, and exploration. All property and interests in property of these companies under U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them unless specifically authorized.

OFAC emphasized that foreign financial institutions facilitating significant transactions with these entities risk secondary sanctions. The move is part of the broader effort to pressure Russia into negotiating a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, which has stalled since Trump staged a major in-person meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August.

Russia may be stalling because it believes it is close to a significant military breakthrough in a war that has been stalemated for months, with reports indicating that Ukraine may be on the verge of retreating from the lynchpin fortress city of Pokrovsk, in the hotly contested Donbass (Donbas) region.

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