Iranian nationals Alireza Shavaroghi Farahani, Mahmoud Khazein, Kiya Sadeghi and Omid Noori were indicted July 13 in New York federal court for attempting to commit kidnapping, sanctions violations, bank and wire fraud, and money laundering, the Department of Justice said. The four allegedly conspired to kidnap a Brooklyn, New York, journalist for “mobilizing public opinion in Iran and around the world to bring changes to the regime's laws and practices,” DOJ said. Farahani, an Iranian intelligence officer, along with the other three, all Iranian intelligence assets, allegedly plotted to lure the journalist to a third country and kidnap the victim. Niloufar Bahadorifar, an Iranian living in California, allegedly provided financial and other services to support the plot, and faces additional charges. All are charged with a conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Electronics purchases are a main driver of back-to-school and back-to-college spending this season, led by laptops, with customer purchase intent “the highest we’ve ever seen,” said Katherine Cullen, National Retail Federation senior director-industry and consumer insights, on a Wednesday webcast. Findings were based on an early July survey on BTS spending trends.
A Commerce Department technical advisory committee is considering proposing an exception for U.S. deemed export regulations to allow U.S. businesses to better compete with foreign companies. The potential exception, which hasn’t been finalized but was discussed during a July 27 meeting of the Sensors and Instrumentation Technical Advisory Committee, would authorize certain deemed exports to company employees, contractors or interns if the items are for “internal company use.” Committee members said the exception wouldn’t be eligible for deemed exports to foreign nationals from Country Groups E:1 and E:2, which includes Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria.
Aug. 11 nationwide tests of the emergency alert system and wireless emergency alerts are expected to proceed similarly to the last ones but more smoothly, said broadcasters and EAS officials in interviews. Volume problems and transmission issues that caused a drop-off in reception in the 2019 EAS exercise (see 2005120064) have been addressed. The 2021 WEA test requires users to have opted in to get the test message, unlike the 2018 version. The 2020 test was canceled due to COVID-19. “If something fails, we try to go back and see where it’s not working,” said Wyoming Association of Broadcasters President Laura Grott.
Broadband-focused lawmakers and industry supporters are wary about the trajectory of a bipartisan infrastructure package, amid widespread perceptions that talks are falling apart. A framework that President Joe Biden backed in June allocates $65 billion for broadband (see 2106240070). The House Rules Committee was, meanwhile, considering broadband-focused amendments to an FY 2022 appropriations “minibus” (HR-4502) Monday, before a likely floor vote later this week. The committee was eyeing a proposal to zero out CPB. The underlying HR-4502 includes $388 million for the FCC, almost $390 million for the FTC (see 2106300028), more than $907 million for Department of Agriculture rural broadband programs and $565 million for CPB in FY 2024.
Arash Yousefi Jam, an Iranian national residing in Ontario, pleaded guilty to exporting U.S. goods to Iran (see 2101130010), the Department of Justice said July 22. Jam worked with others to obtain goods from at least three U.S. companies and ship them to Iran in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. The goods included nine electrical discharge boards, one CPU board, two servomotors and two railroad crankshafts, DOJ said. The goods were shipped through the United Arab Emirates and payment was made from banks outside Iran. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14.
Arash Yousefi Jam, an Iranian national residing in Ontario, pleaded guilty to exporting U.S. goods to Iran (see 2101130010), the Department of Justice said July 22. Jam worked with others to obtain goods from at least three U.S. companies and ship them to Iran in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. The goods included nine electrical discharge boards, one CPU board, two servomotors and two railroad crankshafts, DOJ said. The goods were shipped through the United Arab Emirates and payment was made from banks outside Iran. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14.
The U.S. should expand certain foreign investment reporting requirements and establish a list of trusted partner countries that are exempt from investment screening disclosures, the House Armed Services Committee said last week. The committee presented the comments in a July 22 report from its bipartisan Defense Critical Supply Chain Task Force, which said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. can be used more efficiently to help make critical defense supply chains more secure.
The U.S. extended for one year national emergencies authorizing sanctions against Lebanon and Mali, the White House said July 20. The White House said ongoing Iranian arms transfers to Hezbollah are continuing to undermine Lebanese sovereignty, and that Mali's stability is threatened by growing areas of terror activity and intensification of attacks against civilians, the Malian defense and security forces -- all of which continue to threaten U.S. national security. The extensions are to Aug. 1, 2022, and July 26 2022, respectively.
State telecom commissioners seek smart broadband spending in a federal infrastructure package, they said in virtual and in-person interviews during NARUC’s Denver conference this week. COVID-19 highlighted broadband gaps and will forever change how policymakers look at internet issues, they said. “One of the only good things to come out of the pandemic is the realization that we need broadband,” said Alexandra Fernandez-Navarro, Puerto Rico Public Service Regulatory Board associate member.