Happy Monday! It’s May 11, and we’re tracking top stories to start the week: After 20 rounds of sanctions, the EU sees cracks in Russia's economy; Al Qaeda Is on the March in Africa; Food manufacturer Cento is committing tomato fraud; Speedboats, Guns, Cocaine: Spanish Court File Details Record Bust; and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

After 20 rounds of sanctions, the EU sees cracks in Russia's economy. In the past few months, growing signs of strain in the Russian economy have begun to tarnish the image of invincibility that the Kremlin projects in defiance of the West. Euronews

🔥 TOP STORIES

Al Qaeda Is on the March in Africa WSJ

Food manufacturer Cento is committing "tomato fraud” CBS News

Speedboats, Guns, Cocaine: Spanish Court File Details Record Bust OCCRP

U.S. sanctions companies and individuals in the Middle East and China for helping Iran CNBC

Dark secrets of Fresno biolab revealed as Chinese national convicted in nationwide scheme New York Post

The Fraud Division Announces Enforcement Actions from Across Country Representing $1 Billion in Fraud U.S. Department of Justice

The Geometry of Coercion: Tracking the PRC’s Maritime and Air Pressure on Taiwan CSIS

The New Face of Russia’s Sanctions Evasion Is Young, Online, and Chasing Easy Money United24

Pressure in European Parliament Mounts to Halt Irish Refinery's Exports to Russian Arms Makers OCCRP

American duo sentenced for hosting laptop farms for North Korean IT workers Cyberscoop

Former College Football Star Sentenced to 16 Years for $197M Scheme Targeting Seniors and Disabled Veterans People

Justice Department Moves to Denaturalize 12 Individuals for Concealing Terrorist Support, War Crimes, Espionage, and More U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Said to Suspect Nvidia Chips Smuggled to Alibaba Via Thailand Bloomberg

Eleven Men Charged in D.C. in Federal Indictment Targeting Transnational Meth Trafficking Organization U.S. Department of Justice

The Blind Sheikh and the Candidate WSJ

China’s resurgent Belt and Road is built to last Reuters

Unknown Serbian group bids $2.35 billion for stake in Russian-owned oil firm NIS Reuters

CDC researcher accused of stealing over $1 million in grant funding extradited to US ABC News

Thailand's SiamAI denies exporting US AI servers to China Reuters

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

China Asks Banks to Pause New Loans to US-Sanctioned Refiners Bloomberg

Geraniums in bloom: How a large Chinese firm supplies Russian drone production The Insider

How MI5 uncovered the Chinese spy ring at heart of civil service The Times

Feds urge greater protection of critical infrastructure from Chinese hacks Washington Times

BIC Investigation Reveals $1.2 Billion Belarusian Weapons Supply Network C4ADS

Iran Turns to China Rail Link to Try to Bypass US Blockade Bloomberg

Trenchant Exec Who Sold Zero Days to Russian Buyer Ordered to Pay $10 Million in Restitution to Former Employers Zero Day

Rosneft takes new legal action against Germany over Schwedt refinery Reuters

Chinese companies blacklisted for 'force labor' saw a boon in NYC pension investments under Brad Lander New York Post

🚀 SANCTIONS

Iran Says It Seized Oil Tanker Listed by U.S. as Sanctions Violator NYT

Sweden detains sanctioned oil tanker believed to be linked to Russia's shadow fleet The Washington Times

Rubio announces new Cuba sanctions Axios

Sanctioning Iran-Aligned Actors Undermining Iraq's Sovereignty and Exploiting Its Resources U.S. Department of State

Pentagon’s Botched Blacklist Highlights Frail Trump-Xi Truce Bloomberg

💥 TERROR

The New Leaders Calling the Shots in Iran Time

Four more UNRWA staff -- including teachers -- found to have kidnapped Israelis on Oct. 7, as feds weigh criminal charges New York Post

3 Australian women arrested on return from Syria on slavery and terrorism charges AP News

Bahrain says it has arrested 41 people 'linked to Iran's IRGC' Reuters

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Man charged in U.S. with stealing $450 million from Mexican billionaire in loan scheme The Washington Times

Four people in Florida convicted of conspiracy in 2021 assassination of Haiti's president AP News

Trump-ally Roger Stone condemned for providing lobbying services to Myanmar’s military junta The Guardian

Nepal Charges Ex-Finance Minister and Other Officials in Widening Airport Corruption Probe OCCRP

DOJ probes $2.6B in suspicious oil trades tied to Iran war announcements New York Post

Global crackdown on illicit pharmaceuticals sees USD 15.5 million in seizures INTERPOL

Marrying for love of the mafia: ‘Marriages are a governing mechanism’ El País

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

The Canvas Hack Is a New Kind of Ransomware Debacle Wired

Treasury Department Demands Binance Compliance After Iran Crypto Reports The Information

Hardware Wallet Thief Gets 78 Months in Prison Over $250M Crypto 'Heist' Decrypt

Olympic Sprinter Can't Outrun Charges in UK Crypto Fraud Investigation Decrypt

Trellix source code breach claimed by RansomHouse hackers BleepingComputer

DeFi Platform TrustedVolumes Hit by $6.7M Exploit Decrypt

🚚 TRAFFICKING

The US ramps up pressure on Mexico and Colombia in its new drug control strategy El País

US investigation of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya stems directly from Los Chapitos case El País

Two killed in latest US strike on alleged drug trafficking boat in Pacific Sky News

What Drove Down America’s Fentanyl Deaths? China Might Have—but Wouldn’t Want Washington to Know Foreign Affairs

Men Caught Trying To Smuggle Dozens of Firearms From US Into Canada Newsweek

Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Iron Pursuit U.S. Department of Justice

Three Venezuelans Arrested, 1,418 Pounds of Cocaine Seized in Marine Interdiction Southeast of Puerto Rico U.S. Department of Justice

“The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.” —Thomas Paine

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