Economic sanctions

European leaders agreed to extend economic sanctions against Russia by 6 months. European Council President Donald Tusk revealed that at the summit on Thursday, EU countries have agreed to resume economic sanctions against Russia again, the France press reported.

 European Union foreign ministers approved economic sanctions including an arms embargo on Venezuela on Monday, blaming regional elections last month for deepening the South American country's crisis, Reuters reported.

New research by the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) suggests the EU's economic sanctions against Russia introduced three years ago have cost European countries billions of euro.

A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to “sink” Japan and reduce the United States to “ashes and darkness” for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea, banning textile exports and restricting shipments of oil products to punish Pyongyang for its sixth and largest nuclear test.

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea on Monday --- a move that comes just one week after the rogue nation carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test, reported CNN.

China says it will stop importing North Korean coal, iron ore, fish and other goods in September as it implements UN sanctions.

The UN Security Council, including China, backed a new resolution last weekend imposing fresh sanctions on the rogue state in retaliation for its controversial nuclear programme.

Turkey does not approve sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU over its annexation of Crimea, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said, urging both sides to resolve their issues through dialogue and political means. 

The Trump administration slapped financial sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday after a weekend election that gave the South American country's ruling party virtually unlimited powers, reported USA TODAY. 

U.S. President Donald Trump's top advisers are huddling behind the scenes in a bid to craft a set of economic measures meant to punish China, two administration officials told Politico. 

Trump's aides met over the weekend and will continue the discussions on Monday, with a final decision expected as soon as this week, the officials said.