Core Viewpoint - FinCEN has sanctioned three Mexican financial institutions for their involvement in money laundering related to the trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, marking the first use of powers under the FEND Off Fentanyl Act [1] Group 1: Specific Sanctioned Entities - CIBanco has been accused of long-term money laundering for drug cartels and facilitating the purchase of precursor chemicals for fentanyl production, with a case involving the laundering of $10 million in drug proceeds [2] - Intercam has colluded with drug cartels, using foreign exchange services to transfer drug money, including a case where a Chinese company received over $1.5 million through Intercam for purchasing precursor chemicals [2] - Vector has provided cross-border money transfer services for drug cartels, assisting in the transfer of $2 million in drug proceeds and payments exceeding $1 million to a Chinese company for precursor chemicals [4] Group 2: Background and Legal Framework - In January 2025, an executive order by President Trump designated major Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) or Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT), paving the legal groundwork for these sanctions [3] - Financial institutions in the U.S. are required to cease all direct or indirect transactions with the sanctioned entities after a 21-day public notice period in the Federal Register [3]

Group 1 - The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Iran's defense industry, targeting a specific individual and eight entities, and has identified a vessel, SHUN KAI XING, as property subject to freezing [1] - The vessel SHUN KAI XING, flagged in Panama, was transporting sensitive goods to Iran, with RRA and Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe listed as consignees on the bill of lading [1] - Chinese Futech Co Limited has previously exported sensitive proliferation materials directly to Iran-based Rayan Fan Kav Andish [1] Group 2 - Dongguan Zanyin Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. in China has shipped items intended for RRA [2] - Unico Shipping Co Ltd, based in Hong Kong, has been the legal owner of SHUN KAI XING since April 2024, while V-Shipping PTE LTD from Singapore is the charterer attempting to coordinate shipments to Iran [2] - Shenzhen Xinxin Shipping Co., Ltd. is involved in coordinating shipments to OFAC-designated entities and is aware of the potential sanctions risks associated with their actions [2] Group 3 - Zhang Yanbang, a Chinese citizen, is the captain of SHUN KAI XING, and he is aware that the goods are being sent to Iran [3] - An agent representing Zhang submitted a false bill of lading, omitting RRA and Iran-based Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe as consignees [3]

Core Viewpoint - Malaysia is not restricting the use of Nvidia chips or AI chips in servers under the Strategic Trade Act of 2010, but will cooperate with other countries on export control of sensitive goods [1][2] Group 1: Malaysia's Position on AI Chips - Malaysia's Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry states that the use of Nvidia chips in data centers is not classified as controlled goods under local law [1] - The country allows data centers to make independent business decisions while being supervised by relevant ministries [1] - Malaysia opposes any evasion of export controls or illegal trade activities and emphasizes compliance with international trade regulations [1] Group 2: U.S. Export Controls - Since 2022, the U.S. has intensified restrictions on AI chip exports to China, including a ban on Nvidia and AMD from selling advanced chips to the Chinese market [2] - The Trump administration initially imposed a ban on Nvidia's AI chip sales to China, which was later relaxed [2] - China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed that Chinese companies should operate within the law and opposes coercive restrictions on cooperation with China [2]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the articles highlights the contrasting approaches of the U.S. and the EU regarding sanctions on Russia, with the U.S. President Trump opposing further sanctions while the EU pushes for stricter measures [1][2] - Trump emphasized that sanctions impose significant financial burdens on the U.S., indicating that they are not a straightforward solution and involve substantial costs, potentially amounting to billions of dollars [1] - The EU is advocating for a reduction of the oil price cap on Russian oil from $60 per barrel to $45 per barrel, aiming to further limit funding for the Russian government amid the ongoing conflict [2] Group 2 - The EU's call for increased sanctions is framed as essential for pressuring Russia to return to the negotiation table and achieve a ceasefire, underscoring the importance of sanctions in this context [2] - Trump's comments suggest a preference for diplomatic solutions over additional punitive measures, indicating a potential divergence in strategy between the U.S. and its European allies [1]

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced the Advanced AI Security Readiness Act to protect American artificial intelligence from foreign threats, emphasizing the strategic importance of AI for national security and economic stability [1][2]. Group 1 - The bill aims to authorize the National Security Agency (NSA) to detect and eliminate threats against advanced AI technologies [2]. - It seeks to establish cybersecurity standards, risk assessments, and secure development practices to protect AI systems [2]. - The legislation intends to strengthen U.S. leadership in AI by preventing and mitigating espionage and intellectual property theft [2].

Group 1 - The EU has proposed sanctions against two Chinese regional banks for allegedly assisting Russia in evading existing trade restrictions [1] - The proposed measures would prohibit financial institutions within the EU from conducting any transactions with these banks [1] - The sanctions are part of the 18th round of measures since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 [1] Group 2 - The EU plans to lower the G7-set oil price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel, pending support from G7 leaders [2] - The EU Commission proposed banning imports of oil products processed from Russian crude oil in third countries unless sourced from partner nations [2] - The sanctions aim to increase pressure on Moscow to agree to an immediate ceasefire and engage in peace talks with Ukraine [2]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the extensive shadow banking network in Iran, which is utilized by sanctioned individuals and entities to evade international sanctions and facilitate the funding of military and terrorist activities through the international financial system [1][2]. Group 1: Shadow Banking Network - The shadow banking system in Iran consists of numerous financial institutions that allow sanctioned individuals and military organizations to use the international financial system, facilitating Iran's international exports that fund military and terrorism [2]. - This system operates as a parallel banking system, with settlements conducted through exchange institutions in Iran, using front companies primarily located in Hong Kong and the UAE to represent sanctioned Iranian entities [2]. - Shadow banking brokers may generate false invoices or transaction details to legitimize payments for sanctioned goods, and these front companies are established in jurisdictions with low regulatory oversight to avoid scrutiny [2]. Group 2: Zarringhalam Brothers - The Zarringhalam brothers operate a network of front companies in the UAE and Hong Kong, assisting sanctioned regime officials and related merchants in purchasing oil and other goods from foreign buyers [3]. - Their network is utilized by major Iranian oil and petrochemical exporters and the Iranian military to evade sanctions and facilitate the transfer and receipt of funds related to oil and petrochemical sales [3]. Group 3: Front Companies in Hong Kong - The Zarringhalam brothers manage a network of front companies in Hong Kong and the UAE that conduct international transactions on behalf of Iranian entities [4]. - Companies such as Hero Companion Limited, Plzcome Limited, and Kinlere Trading Limited have facilitated millions of dollars in oil product sales for the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), with specific transactions including approximately $20 million in February 2025 and over $9 million in April 2024 [4]. - These front companies are used to obscure the fact that Iranian oil products are being delivered to end-users in China [4]. Group 4: Front Companies in UAE - The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated several UAE-based companies that are either owned by the Zarringhalam network or support its operations, such as Wide Vision General Trading L.L.C and J.S Serenity FZE, which coordinate shadow banking transactions [7].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the sanctions imposed by OFAC on Funnull Technology Inc. and its administrator Liu Lizhi for their involvement in virtual currency investment scams, which have caused significant financial losses to American victims, amounting to over $200 million [1][2]. Group 1: Company Overview - Funnull Technology Inc. provides computer infrastructure support for numerous websites involved in virtual currency investment scams, contributing to annual losses of billions of dollars for American victims [1]. - The company has become a key player in facilitating these scams by purchasing IP addresses from major cloud service providers and selling them to cybercriminals for building fraudulent platforms [2]. Group 2: Scam Mechanism - Funnull employs domain generation algorithms (DGA) to create website domains in bulk for the purchased IP addresses, aiding criminals in mimicking well-known brands and quickly changing domains when legitimate platforms attempt to shut them down [2]. - The scams are orchestrated primarily by Southeast Asian criminal organizations, which use deceptive tactics to establish trust with victims before luring them into high-return investment schemes [1]. Group 3: Financial Impact - According to FBI statistics, victims associated with Funnull's scam websites have suffered losses exceeding $200 million, with an average loss of over $150,000 per victim, indicating that actual losses may be much higher due to unreported cases [2]. - The article highlights that the financial crime revenue from such scams is expected to reach a historical high in 2024, reflecting the growing scale of these fraudulent activities [1].

美国国务院计划全面修订对中国大陆及香港申请人的签证审核标准，包括： 扩大对敏感专业申请人的背景调查； 要求提交社交媒体信息以供审查。 今日，美国国务院将与美国国土安全部合作，积极吊销中国学生的签证，包括那些在关键领 域学习的学生。加强对来自中国和香港的所有未来签证申请的审查。 1. 特朗普政府于5月27日暂停全球范围内新的学生签证（F-1/J-1/M-1）面谈预约，以准 备实施更严格的社交媒体审查政策。已预约的面谈不受影响，但新预约暂时无法提交。 2. 加强签证审查标准 ...

5月23日，OFAC发布了 通用许可证GL25 根据总统关于终止对叙利亚所有制裁的公告，为叙 利亚提供立即的制裁豁免。GL 25 取消了对叙利亚的制裁。GL 25 将使新的投资和私营部门活 动与总统的"美国优先"战略保持一致。美国国务院同时发布一项豁免，根据《杰苏尔叙利亚平 民保护法》（Caesar Act），这将使我们的外国合作伙伴、盟友和该地区进一步释放叙利亚 的潜力。这是美国政府为消除巴沙尔·阿萨德政权滥用行为而对叙利亚实施的制裁完整架构的 组成部分之一。 "正如特朗普总统所承诺的，财政部和国务院正在实施授权，以鼓励对叙利亚的新投资。叙利 亚还必须继续努力成为一个和平的稳定国家，而今天的行动将有望使该国走上光明、繁荣和 稳定的未来之路，" 财政部长斯科特·贝森特 说道。 重新开始的机会 阿萨德政权对其人民的暴行以及在该地区支持恐怖主义的时代已经结束，叙利亚人民翻开新 的篇章。美国政府致力于支持一个稳定、统一、与自身及邻国和平相处的叙利亚。美国已延 长对新叙利亚政府的制裁豁免，前提是该国不会为恐怖组织提供庇护，并确保其宗教和民族 少数群体的安全。美国将继续监测叙利亚的进展和地面局势的发展。 GL 25 是 ...