The Office of Foreign Assets Control is removing sanctions regulations on Burundi, it said in a notice. It follows President Joe Biden's Nov. 18 executive order (see 2111180014) declaring an end to the state of national emergency in Burundi, citing the "significantly altered" situation over the past year, "including the transfer of power following elections in 2020, significantly decreased violence, and ... reforms across multiple sectors."
The White House this week released an updated list of critical and emerging technology categories that are important to national security, including a new subset of “novel, advanced technologies” for each category. The updated list, first issued in 2020 as part of a national strategy to better coordinate agency efforts amid technology competition with China (see 2010150038), will help guide “new and existing efforts to promote U.S. technological leadership,” the White House said. The list could intersect with work being done by the Bureau of Industry and Security, which is crafting export controls over various emerging and foundational technologies as part of the Export Control Reform Act (see 2201280045). Similarly, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. may be more inclined to scrutinize transactions involving sensitive and emerging technologies (see 2112140011).
President Joe Biden extended a national emergency that authorizes certain sanctions against people and entities in Myanmar, the White House said Feb. 7. The “situation” resulting from the military coup in 2021 continues to pose a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy, the White House said The emergency was extended for one year beyond Feb. 10.
The commercial space industry's attracting Wall Street attention comes with a potential risk of the investment world turning negative on space broadly, panelists said Tuesday at the SmalSat Symposium. The FCC and FAA are processing some smallsat applications at breakneck speeds, Hogan Lovells satellite lawyer George John said.
Noting Chinese complaints about close calls between its space station and SpaceX satellites (see 2112270053), the U.S. told the U.N. secretary-general that Space Command doesn't think there was a significant probability of collision. In a letter dated Jan. 28 and publicly posted this week, the U.S. said if there had been a significant collision probability, it would have given China a close-approach notification, but in this case such emergency notifications "weren't warranted." The U.S. said as far as it knows, China never tried to contact SpaceCommand, SpaceX or any other U.S. entity to share information or concerns before lodging the complaint with the U.N. The U.S. urged "efficient and timely sharing of information and coordination" to reduce the risk of collision between U.S. space objects and human spaceflight activities of other nations.
AARP warned members of the risk of AT&T’s pending shuttering of its 3G network, and the later shutdown of Verizon’s and T-Mobile’s, in a Thursday webinar. Carmen Group’s Bill Signer, lobbyist for the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), asked viewers to contact the White House and ask the administration to pressure AT&T to delay the sunset. The California Public Utilities Commission would pass the buck to DOJ on Dish Network’s dispute with T-Mobile over its March 31 3G shutdown, under a proposed decision released Wednesday in docket A.18-07-11.
AARP warned members of the risk of AT&T’s pending shuttering of its 3G network, and the later shutdown of Verizon’s and T-Mobile’s, in a Thursday webinar. Carmen Group’s Bill Signer, lobbyist for the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), asked viewers to contact the White House and ask the administration to pressure AT&T to delay the sunset. The California Public Utilities Commission would pass the buck to DOJ on Dish Network’s dispute with T-Mobile over its March 31 3G shutdown, under a proposed decision released Wednesday in docket A.18-07-11.
Nearly every legislator who spoke at Wednesday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing on the American Music Fairness Act (HR-4130) appeared sympathetic to compensating performers for radio play of their songs, though many also emphasized protections for broadcasters. Many gave credence to both sides. The most aggressive questions went to NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “The government has the responsibility to protect the property rights of its citizens,” Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., told LeGeyt, noting broadcasters require compensation when their own content is used by others.
The Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), concerned about AT&T’s Feb. 22 shutdown of its 3G network, is asking the White House for help, hoping for a delay or other concessions. Members of the group asked the National Economic Council and the Domestic Policy Council to get involved, officials said.
The House will consider multiple sanctions and export control amendments submitted as part of its China competition bill (see 2201310064), including one that could adjust the Commerce Department's export control authority, several that could require more scrutiny on Chinese foreign investments and at least two that could lead to new China sanctions.