President Donald Trump told reporters that unless China stops fentanyl shipments, resumes buying U.S. soybeans and stops playing "the rare earth game with us," he won't lower tariffs.
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation will move to a single list for all sanctions designations starting Jan. 28, the agency announced this week.
The U.N. Security Council on Sept. 28 reimposed all nuclear-related U.N. sanctions and restrictions against Iran that had been paused after the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. The imposition of those so-called "snapback" sanctions came after France, Germany and the U.K., known as the E3, in August began the process to reimpose U.N. sanctions against Iran after accusing the country of failing to meet safeguards around its nuclear program (see 2508280033).
The EU is planning new sanctions against Russia, Israel and human-smuggling networks, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her state of the union speech this week.
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., urged the Trump administration Aug. 8 to consider imposing sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against those responsible for transnational financial repression of Barlyk Mendygaziyev, a Kazakhstani businessperson based in the U.S.
The Trump administration has failed to use sanctions and export controls to help end Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Democratic staffs of the Senate Banking and Foreign Relations committees said in a report released this week.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., introduced a companion bill Aug. 1 to House legislation that would require the Treasury Department to designate foreign entities that run large-scale scams on Americans as Foreign Financial Threat Organizations (see 2506020044). The Strengthening Targeting of Organized Predatory Scammers Act, or the Stop Scammers Act, would authorize Treasury to freeze the assets of such organizations. Scott’s bill was referred to the Senate Banking Committee.
Organizations complying with Australian anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing rules may soon be required to carry out certain sanctions screening procedures to make sure they’re not violating the country’s sanctions laws.
The U.K. issued a threat assessment June 18 for art market participants and high-value dealers to address Russian sanctions violation risks in the art industry. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said it's "highly likely that high value goods" owned by sanctioned parties in the U.K. haven't been reported to OFSI, and it's "likely" that Russian sanctioned parties and their enablers have dealt with high-value goods in the U.K. in "breach of asset freeze prohibitions."
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced a bill June 10 that would require the State Department to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization.