Switzerland announced this week that it has frozen assets held within the country by Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan leader captured by the U.S. earlier this month, along with the assets of "other persons associated with him." The country's Federal Council said the move is aimed at preventing "an outflow of assets."
President Donald Trump said Venezuela will soon turn over to the U.S. 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil, which will be sold at market price. The money from those sales "will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!" he said Jan. 6 in a Truth Social post.
China is tightening export controls over dual-use items destined for Japan, the country's Ministry of Commerce said this week, according to an unofficial translation. The measures, which China said are aimed at protecting national security and improving nonproliferation, prohibit exports of "all dual-use items to Japanese military users, for military purposes, and for any other end-user purposes that could enhance Japan’s military capabilities," the ministry said. Any person or any company "from any country or region" that violates the new controls, which took effect Jan. 6, "will be held legally liable."
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a final rule for interagency review that would make export control changes related to Cambodia. The rule, titled Conforming Change to the Export Administration Regulations for Cambodia, was sent for review Jan. 6.
The U.S.-China trade relationship will experience a relatively stable year in 2026 as both sides determine their next steps amid an export control stalemate, Eurasia Group analysts predicted this week.
Christopher Rigali left DOJ last week after working as a trial lawyer in the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section since 2022, he announced on LinkedIn. Rigali, who first joined DOJ in 2018, investigated and prosecuted cases involving export controls, sanctions, espionage and more.
Longtime DOJ official Scott Damelin, who recently served as executive director of the National Security Division, has retired from the agency, he announced on LinkedIn this week. Damelin first joined DOJ in December 2003. The Washington Post reported in March that Damelin was removed from his position by the Trump administration as part of a purge of certain career officials.
David Horn has left his position as acting chief counsel at the Office of Foreign Assets Control after taking over the role in August, he announced on LinkedIn last week. Horn had worked at OFAC since 2023, including as assistant chief counsel and an attorney-adviser.
Charles Wall, who most recently held senior roles at the Bureau of Industry and Security in Washington, announced that he's beginning a new role as a BIS export control officer in Beijing. Wall will carry out end-use checks in China and work within the U.S. embassy "to provide information and support on all export control issues that arise in the embassy community, as well as with local industry, the host government, and other governments working in Beijing," according to his LinkedIn profile. Wall was most recently the acting director of the BIS Office of Nonproliferation and Foreign Policy Controls and a senior policy adviser, and he also worked as a regional export control officer from the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong and Macau, 2011-16.
The New York-based entity formerly known as Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has accused South Korean ocean carrier HMM Co. of “systematically failing" to meet its service commitments under 2020 and 2021 contracts and unfairly charging millions of dollars in demurrage and detention fees during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a complaint filed Dec. 30 with the Federal Maritime Commission.