President Donald Trump declared that any country or individual purchasing oil or petrochemicals from Iran will face U.S. secondary sanctions and be barred from doing business with the United States. ⁠
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In a post on Truth Social, he stated: “Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions. They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form.”⁠
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This announcement aligns with Trump’s ongoing “maximum pressure” campaign, which seeks to halt Iran’s oil exports entirely. ⁠
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His administration accuses Iran of using energy revenue to support militant groups in the Middle East and continues to negotiate over its nuclear ambitions—an effort Tehran denies is related to weapon development.⁠
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The news triggered a jump in oil markets, with U.S. crude rising nearly 2% to $59.32 per barrel and Brent crude climbing to $62.21. ⁠
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Khaby Lame, the most-followed TikTok creator, at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Friday. ⁠
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ICE stated that Lame, an Italian citizen originally from Senegal, had overstayed his visa. He was reportedly offered the option to leave voluntarily and chose to depart the country.⁠
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Lame, 25, rose to global prominence during the pandemic with silent reaction videos mocking overcomplicated internet “hacks.” He has served as an ambassador for Boss, Binance, and UNICEF. Despite living in Italy since childhood, he did not receive Italian citizenship until 2022.⁠
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The detention occurred amid President Donald Trump’s broader immigration enforcement campaign, which has included ICE operations at airports and workplaces. During his campaign, Trump pledged to pursue mass deportations across the United States.⁠
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The Trump administration has admitted 49 white South Africans to the U.S. as refugees, citing “government-sponsored racial discrimination,” according to a senior State Department official. ⁠
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Most of the group are Afrikaners from farming communities. President Donald Trump ordered their resettlement through an executive action titled “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa,” claiming they face violence and economic exclusion. ⁠
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The move comes amid an ongoing dispute over South Africa’s land reform efforts. In 2017, an audit found that white South Africans—who make up about 7% of the population—own roughly 75% of individually held farmland.⁠
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A 2025 law allows limited expropriation without compensation, which the Trump administration framed as targeting whites. South African officials say the policy is intended to address the legacy of apartheid, during which the Afrikaner-led government denied Black South Africans land rights, political representation, and basic freedoms under a formal system of racial segregation that lasted from 1948 to 1994.⁠
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South Africa’s government rejected Trump’s refugee designation, calling the persecution claims “completely false” and politically motivated. “There is no data at all that backs that there is persecution of white South Africans,” said Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola. ⁠
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Critics in the U.S., including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, questioned why this group was prioritized while refugee programs for people fleeing war and famine remain suspended. ⁠
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Hamas released American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander on Monday, calling it a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration. Alexander, taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, was handed over to the Red Cross and is now with Israeli forces. His release comes just before President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East.⁠
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The same day, an Israeli strike on a Gaza school shelter killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children. Aid groups and the U.N. warned of a growing famine, blaming Israel’s ongoing blockade of food and supplies into the region.⁠
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In Alexander’s hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey, crowds gathered in celebration. His family thanked Trump for securing the release. Some families of other hostages expressed frustration, saying U.S. citizenship appeared to be a deciding factor.⁠
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