DOJ is disbanding the National Security Division’s Corporate Enforcement Unit, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a Feb. 5 memo to agency employees. The elimination of the unit and others is part of an effort to “free resources to address more pressing priorities,” said the five-page memo, which also describes other changes to policies around charging, plea negotiations and sentencing. “Personnel assigned to the Unit shall return to their previous posts.”
U.S. fashion brand owner PVH Group is working with Chinese authorities to find a “positive resolution” after being added to China’s so-called unreliable entity list this week (see 2502040011), a company spokesperson said in an email.
The State Department approved two possible military sales to Egypt, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said. One sale includes $304 million worth of "AN/TPS-78 Long Range Radar" and related elements of logistics and program support, and the principal contractor will be Northrop Grumman. Another includes $625 million worth of equipment and services for "fast missile craft," and the principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin and L3Harris.
The State Department approved a possible $900 million military sale to Japan, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Jan. 31. The sale includes "Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) Block I Missiles" and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be RTX Corp.
Australian excise duties on alcoholic drinks were set to increase Feb. 1, leading to higher prices for imported U.S. distilled spirit products at retail stores and bars, USDA said in a report last week. The agency said Australia makes changes to its alcohol excise duty rates twice a year based on the “upward trajectory” of the Consumer Price Index. USDA said the Australian distilling industry is calling for an “immediate two-year freeze” on any hikes and a “broader review of spirits excise settings to create the conditions for greater investment in the industry.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security last week modified its temporary denial order against Russian airline Azur Air to update the airline’s address. The order now lists Azur Air as located in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. It was previously listed with a Moscow address. BIS last renewed the order for one year in September, barring the airline from participating in transactions with items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (see 2409200059).
USDA is reminding traders that they have until Feb. 17 to complete questionnaires under China’s ongoing imported beef safeguard investigation, which launched in December (see 2412300027 and 2501020023). The USDA notice includes a translation of the Chinese investigation announcement, links to the three questionnaires and an unofficial translation of the questionnaire for beef exporters. “All U.S. beef exporters are encouraged to undertake their own review of the notice and deadlines,” the agency said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke this week with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy to discuss the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) arrangement, China’s “malign influence,” Russia’s war against Ukraine and a “range of pressing global issues,” a State Department spokesperson said Jan. 27. The spokesperson said they both “heralded joint initiatives, including the AUKUS partnership, which promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable.” AUKUS, a deal stood up by the Biden administration, allows the three countries to benefit from reduced export licensing restrictions for certain defense and dual-use exports (see 2412040044, 2408160019 and 2410010030).
The U.S. in FY 2024 saw record numbers for both its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program and authorizations of direct commercial sales (DCS), the State Department said in a fact sheet last week. The agency said it recorded the highest ever annual amount of FMS sales at $117.9 billion, a 45.7% increase from FY 2023, and $200.8 billion in DCS authorizations, a 27.5% increase from the previous fiscal year.
Although the Supreme Court last week granted the U.S. government’s motion to lift a nationwide injunction on the Corporate Transparency Act's new beneficial ownership information reporting requirements, the Treasury Department said it’s still blocked from enforcing the new rules because they remain blocked by a separate court.