Fourth and final day of the Carnivale holidays, and a public holiday here.
COMPLIANCE ETC: THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED – FEBRUARY 21
Day: February 21, 2023
US SUPREME COURT ALLOWS AN ARKANSAS LAW PENALISING BOYCOTTS OF ISRAEL: A MODEL FOR A PROLIFERATION OF SIMILAR LEGISLATION TO PROTECT OIL COMPANIES, GUN MAKERS AND OTHER CONTENTIOUS INDUSTRIES FROM POLITICAL PROTEST MOVEMENTS
On 21 February, the Guardian reported that the Court declined to hear an appeal from the editor of the Arkansas Times after a federal court upheld a law requiring him to sign a commitment not to boycott Israel in order to receive advertising contracts from the state.
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2023/feb/21/us-supreme-court-arkansas-anti-boycott-israel-law
US SANCTIONS: GUIDANCE ON AUTHORISED TRANSACTIONS RELATED TO EARTHQUAKE RELIEF EFFORTS IN SYRIA
On 21 February, OFAC published a Compliance Communique said that OFAC had authorised activity supporting emergency earthquake relief efforts in Syria that would otherwise be prohibited by US sanctions in Syria. A new General License authorises for 180 days certain transactions related to earthquake relief efforts that would otherwise be prohibited by the Syrian Sanctions Regulations. This supplements broad humanitarian authorisations already in effect under the Syrian Sanctions Regulations for NGO, international organisations, and the US Government that authorise the provision of disaster relief to Syria.
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/126/syria_earthquake_relief_compliance_guidance.pdf
BELARUS FERTILISERS SANCTION-BUSTING SCHEMES REVEALED
On 21 February, EurActiv reported claims that a chain of companies has been enabling the sale of fertilisers in Europe, filling the pockets of Belarusian officials and weakening the EU’s ability to put pressure on the regime of Alexander Lukashenko. Grodno Azot is the only Belarusian facility to produce carbamide fertiliser and has been under EU sanctions since December 2021. An investigation identified 2 shell companies that help Grodno Azot to circumvent EU sanctions. One of them transports fertilisers on trucks; the other one uses rail.
raytodd.blog 