Canada recently imposed export controls on five technologies related to quantum technology, advanced semiconductors and semiconductor equipment, the country said in a June 19 notice. The controls took effect June 20.
The Treasury Department last week issued a set of proposed regulations that could introduce new prohibitions and notification requirements on U.S. investments in China, Hong Kong and Macau as the Biden administration works toward finalizing the new rules before year-end (see 2405080039). The proposed rule, which builds on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking Treasury issued in August (see 2308090066), outlines how the agency would implement new bans on certain types of outbound American investments in China’s semiconductor, quantum and artificial intelligence industries, as well as notification requirements for other, broader investments in China’s chip and AI sectors.
Adam Safwat, a former deputy chief of DOJ's fraud section, has joined Foley Hoag as a partner in the white collar crime and government investigations practice, the firm announced. Safwat will be based in Washington, D.C., and will focus on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations, sanctions, political corruption and financial fraud, the firm said. Safwat most recently was a partner at Nelson Mullins.
The U.K. issued a general license under its Russia sanctions regime allowing sanctioned parties to make all required payments to the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority. The license doesn't apply to any fees for an application for permission to conduct activities that fall "within any function of the FCA," or payments to the FCA "of a levy imposed by the scheme manager of the Financial Compensation Scheme." Sanctioned parties also can't make payments to the FCA that are collected by the FAC on behalf of the Financial Reporting Council. The license also requires sanctioned parties to "keep accurate, complete, and readable records" of any activity permitted under the license for six years. The license took effect June 20.
The EU General Court on June 19 rejected Russian businessperson Igor Rotenberg's bid to be removed from the EU's Russian sanctions list. Rotenberg was sanctioned for holding leadership positions in Russian companies SGM, Gazprom Drilling and Mostotrest and for his association with his father, oligarch Arkady Rotenberg, and with President Vladimir Putin.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., announced June 20 that they are introducing a bill to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
A bipartisan group of 41 House members urged the Biden administration this week to “expeditiously implement” and “fully utilize” newly enacted authorities for sanctioning Iranian oil.
The House Select Committee on China is creating a working group to address China’s role as the world’s leading supplier of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, committee Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said in a statement June 20. Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., and Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., will lead the new group. A report the committee released in April said that Congress should approve tougher sanctions and import restrictions to stem the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. (see 2404160039). Many of the new measures recommended in the report would be aimed at China.
The Treasury Department this week sanctioned eight people with ties to the Mexico-based La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel and issued a new advisory to help banks stop transactions linked to sales of fentanyl and other illegal drugs.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control urged a federal court late last month to dismiss the sole remaining claim in a lawsuit challenging the agency’s sanctioning of two former Afghan government officials for corruption.