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Good morning from the newsroom of the Financial Times.

Today is Monday, January 28th, and this is your FT news briefing.

Today, the US lifts sanctions on the businesses once controlled by Russian oligarch de Pasca, Beijing's envoy to the EU

accuses the countries of discrimination against Huawei, and Venezuelan opposition leader

Juan Guaidot urges Theresa May not to send money to President

Nicholas Maduro.

Plus the F.T.'s Laura Patel on how Turkey is essentially allowing people to buy citizenship in an attempt to write the economy.

I'm Eric Krupky and here's the news you need to start your day.

The US has lifted sanctions on Rousal and N-plus, two companies vital to the world aluminum market.

There are also two companies once controlled by Russian oligarch Oleg Derapasca.

Now the companies are free from trading restrictions. The two

companies were sanctioned last April because of Darapaska's alleged ties to

Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. The Trump administration wanted to lift the sanctions

despite opposition from Democratic lawmakers. The agreement means Mr.

Darapasca will see his direct ownership of shares in both companies fall below 50

percent. He'll still hold voting rights over 35 percent of the company's shares.

Mr. Darapasca also remains under sanctions himself.

He won't be able to access dividend payments related to the businesses.

Supporters of the deal argue that it meets the initial aim of the sanctions, while also

avoiding disruption to the global supply chains of aluminum markets.

...