President Donald Trump this week ordered his administration to evaluate existing financial restrictions against Cuba to help “channel funds toward the Cuban people and away” from the Cuban government.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Russia-headquartered Aeza Group, a hosting services provider that enables cybercriminal activity, along with several affiliated companies and people. OFAC said Aeza Group is a "bulletproof" hosting services provider that sell access to specialized servers and other infrastructure to help ransomware actors, personal information stealers, and drug vendors evade law enforcement.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on June 30 officially removed sanctions from 518 people and entities with ties to Syria after President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing the easing of both sanctions and certain export restrictions against the country (see 2506300055).
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Companies could see a significant uptick in compliance responsibilities if the Bureau of Industry and Security follows through with a possible 50% rule for parties on the Entity List, although it’s unclear when exactly such a rule could take effect, former BIS officials said this week.
Scott Wise, former assistant general counsel for global trade at Microsoft, has joined Crowell & Moring as a partner in the international trade group, the firm announced. At Microsoft, Wise was the lead attorney on economic sanctions and outbound investment issues regarding emerging technologies, such as AI and quantum computing, the firm said.
Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Anna Luna, R-Fla., introduced a bill June 27 that would end U.S. sanctions on Syria to help the country rebuild following the collapse of the Bashar Assad regime.
The Council of the European Union on June 30 renewed sanctions on Russia for an additional six months, pushing them to Jan. 31, 2026. The measures, first imposed in 2014 due to Russian attacks against Ukrainian sovereignty, currently consist of broad sectoral measures and efforts to combat sanctions circumvention. The measures also include a "ban on the import or transfer of seaborne crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia to the EU."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a final rule that adds to its regulations implementing President Donald Trump's February executive order authorizing sanctions against the International Criminal Court (see 2502070022). The rule, effective July 1, incorporates several previously issued general licenses into the regulations. The agency said it plans to issue a "more comprehensive set of regulations" in the future, "which may include additional interpretive guidance and definitions, GLs, and other regulatory provisions."
House Select Committee on China Chairman Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., urged the Trump administration June 27 to impose several export-related restrictions as it implements new AI deals with the United Arab Emirates and other countries.