A former U.S. Army intelligence analyst was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiring to "obtain and disclose national defense information," illegally exporting data related to defense articles to China, and conspiring to illegally export defense articles and bribery, DOJ announced. The analyst, Korbein Schultz, pleaded guilty last year to sending "sensitive, non-public U.S. military information, to an individual he believed was affiliated with the Chinese government," DOJ said.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. has cleared a planned merger between North Carolina-based Piedmont Lithium Inc. and Canada-based Sayona Mining Ltd., Piedmont announced April 23. The combination also has received approval under the Investment Canada Act, as well as the U.S. antitrust law, the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, Piedmont said. Upon completion of the transaction, which still requires shareholder approval, the merged business will be named Elevra Lithium Ltd.

The State Department praised Paraguay April 24 for designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization and expanding 2019 terrorist designations for the armed wings of Hamas and Hezbollah to cover the entirety of those organizations. “The important steps Paraguay has taken will help cut off the ability of the Iranian regime and its proxies to plot terrorist attacks and raise money for its malignant and destabilizing activity, including in the Tri-Border Area Paraguay shares with Argentina and Brazil,” the department said.

The U.K. extended the general sanctions license permitting insolvency-related payments and activities involving GTLK Europe and GTLK Capital until July 31, 2030. The license specifically permits any individual or corporation to "make, receive or process any payments, or take any other action, in connection with any Insolvency Proceedings, whether prior to or after the commencement of such proceedings." The license had been slated to expire July 31, 2025.

The U.K. dropped 12 entities from its Syria sanctions regime on April 24, including major government ministries and media outlets, according to a notice from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation. Those entities are the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, General Intelligence Directorate, Air Force Intelligence Agency, Political Security Directorate, Syrian National Security Bureau, Military Intelligence Directorate, Army Supply Bureau, General Organisation of Radio and TV, Al Watan, Cham Press TV and Sama TV.

China, which has imposed export controls on critical minerals in recent years to retaliate against foreign trade restrictions, is expected to continue doing so, a researcher told the congressionally mandated U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission April 24.

The Bureau of Industry and Security said April 24 that it added 18 entities to its Unverified List after it was unable to verify the “legitimacy and reliability” of the parties through end-use checks, including their ability to responsibly receive controlled U.S. exports. It also removed five companies from the list.

World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told former U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman that she had a meeting with USTR Jamieson Greer "yesterday that was a little bit comforting," but that the current 10% U.S. tariff on most countries, plus 25% tariffs on cars, steel and aluminum and some products from Canada and Mexico, and 145% tariffs on Chinese imports, if it lasts, will result in global merchandise trade falling by 0.2%. Before the actions, the WTO forecast a 2.7% growth in goods trade this year.

The U.K. on April 22 extended its countervailing duty on biodiesel from Argentina for five years following a review of the duties by the Trade Remedies Authority. The extension takes effect April 23 and ends Feb. 13, 2029. The U.K. also excluded sustainable aviation fuel from the scope of the duties as part of its decision. The duties themselves range from 25% to 33.4% and include a 33.4% rate for all non-individually examined companies.

Malaysia recently launched the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), which will consolidate point of entry inspection functions from several government agencies, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service said in an April 22 report. AKPS took over inspections at 22 entry points in February and is expected to control all 114 entry points by 2026.