The State Department recently approved three possible military sales to Saudi Arabia and one to the United Arab Emirates, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced last week.

TD Bank has agreed to pay about $3.1 billion in penalties to resolve allegations that its lax adherence to anti-money laundering laws allowed perpetrators of drug and human trafficking and terrorist financing to access the U.S. financial system, the bank, along with DOJ and the Treasury Department, announced Oct. 10.

A notice published by USDA this week certifies that the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries and the Washington State Department of Agriculture are “meeting the criteria” to carry out official grain export inspection services at ports within their states. The certification, made under the U.S. Grain Standards Act, lasts through 2027. USDA also announced the designation or renewal of other official agencies that are authorized to provide “official services at locations other than export port locations.”

The Federal Maritime Commission is bringing on two temporary administrative law judges to help it handle a “significant increase” in complaints and disputes filed before the commission, the FMC said Oct. 8. Most complaints involve COVID-19 pandemic-era supply chain issues. “Adding two additional judges will permit the OALJ to ensure timely adjudication of the record number of pending proceedings,” the commission said.

The Federal Maritime Commission urged carriers and terminal operators not to retaliate against shippers for questioning an invoice or filing a complaint with the FMC, warning the cargo shipping industry this week that it will pursue serious penalties against those that violate the anti-retaliation provisions of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act.

The State Department approved possible military sales to India, Romania and Italy, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Oct. 7. The sale to India includes $175 million worth of “MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedoes and related equipment,” and a majority of the torpedo’s hardware will be bought from U.S. Navy stock. The sale to Romania includes $110 million worth of “Sentinel Radar Systems” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be RTX Corp. The sale to Italy includes a $680 million “Electronic Attack Mission System” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be BAE Systems.

The Bureau of Industry and Security this week published the second quarterly update of its new boycott requester list, a list of entities that have asked other companies to boycott goods from certain countries in violation of the Export Administration Regulations.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on an information collection involving export licensees transferring an active export license to another party. In those scenarios, BIS said “there must be assurances that the other party, the transferee, will also be accountable for the proper use of the license.” The agency collects information from both parties to make sure shipments exported under the license won’t be diverted or “used for purposes contrary to the authorized use of the approved license.” Comments on the information collection are due Dec. 2.

The National Grain and Feed Association and nearly 200 other organizations and companies urged President Joe Biden in a letter last week to work with Mexico to address that country’s rail capacity problems, which they say are hindering U.S. agricultural exports.

The State Department approved a $405 million military sale to Australia, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Sept. 27. The sale includes “Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles-Extended Range” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Northrop Grumman Systems.