The U.K. updated its Russia-related export control and sanctions guidance this week to provide more information on license requirements for common high-priority list items destined for Russia.
Ray Hunt, an Alabama resident and business owner, was sentenced this week to five years in prison after pleading guilty in July to conspiring to illegally export U.S.-origin goods to Iran, DOJ announced. The agency said Hunt conspired to ship parts used in the oil and gas industry to Iran and submitted false export information to the U.S. government (see 2211300011). He worked around U.S. restrictions by using third-party transshipment companies in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, routing payments through UAE banks, and lying to shipping companies about how much the exports were worth to stop them from filing export information in the Automated Export System.
Although the Trump administration has temporarily delayed enforcing a law that calls for China’s ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban of the popular social media application in the U.S., ByteDance shouldn't expect the reprieve to become permanent, the leaders of the House Select Committee on China said at a Brookings Institution event Feb. 25.
Citing civilian casualties in the Gaza war, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced four joint resolutions of disapproval Feb. 20 to block the sale of more than $8 billion in U.S. military equipment to Israel, including bombs, missiles and artillery shells. The Trump administration notified Congress about the transactions earlier this month. The resolutions were referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Three other Sanders resolutions aimed at blocking arms sales to Israel failed in the Senate by wide margins in November (see 2411210022).
Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., reintroduced a bill Feb. 24 that would impose sanctions on foreign persons who engage in or facilitate forced organ harvesting in China. The Falun Gong Protection Act, named for Falun Gong spiritual movement followers who are among the main victims of involuntary organ harvesting, was referred to the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees. The House passed the bill by voice vote in June 2024 in the previous Congress (see 2406260044).
The U.N. Security Council last week removed Lionel Dumont from its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions list. Dumont, a French national, was originally sanctioned for his ties to terrorism. The U.N. didn’t release more information.
Canada issued a new round of Russia-related sanctions this week, designating 76 people and entities that are either supporting Russia's military industrial base, are members of the Russian government or have other ties to the country’s war against Ukraine. The sanctions, announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office and detailed by Global Affairs Canada, also target 109 vessels that have moved “hydrocarbons” and other goods to earn revenue for Russia’s military and 92 oil tankers transferring Russian oil to third countries.
Countries, especially within the EU, should try to minimize export control compliance and enforcement challenges posed by cloud computing services, researchers said in a report this month.
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The leaders of the House Select Committee on China said Feb. 25 that Congress should pass legislation restricting U.S. outbound investment in China despite a recent move by the Trump administration to address the issue.