The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation published a new license last week that authorizes certain transactions related to news media services. The license allows the provision of "goods or services" that "are necessary for the provision of News Media Services," along with activities that are "reasonably necessary to effect the receipt or provision of News Media Services, including making or receiving Permitted Payments." The license also authorizes U.K. financial institutions to process those payments.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls last week released its notifications to Congress of recently proposed export licenses. The notifications, which cover licenses submitted from April through June, include exports to Germany, Ukraine, Italy, the Netherlands, the U.K., Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Australia and elsewhere.
Eight Senate Democrats led by Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., urged the Trump administration Sept. 19 to sanction individuals and entities that have made China the first country to buy liquefied natural gas from the U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project in Russia.
A bipartisan group of nine senators introduced a bill Sept. 18 that would expand U.S. sanctions authorities against the “shadow fleet” of tankers Russia has deployed to circumvent the international price cap on its oil and generate funds for its military.
Three congressional Democrats asked the Treasury Department Sept. 18 to provide more information about its recent decision to delay and possibly revise a new anti-money-laundering rule for investment advisers (see 2507240021).
The U.K. last week sanctioned two people based in Georgia, along with companies in Russia and England, for supporting Russia or doing business with the country.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week issued a new form that it said will simplify how companies report property that has been unblocked or transferred, "easing the burden on filers and improving OFAC's processing efficiency." It said the form is optional but "strongly encouraged."
Shipping industry officials last week called for a uniform, global set of rules and sanctions to address a rise in shadow fleet vessels, saying those tankers are presenting increasing safety and security risks for the maritime industry.
The European Commission's next sanctions package against Russia will ban imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, designate more shadow fleet vessels, target more Russian banks, introduce new export controls and more, President Ursula von der Leyen announced last week.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he and President Donald Trump discussed how to "decisively increase the pressure" on Russian President Vladimir Putin "to get him to agree to a peace deal."