The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking public comments on several information collections related to its Chips Act incentive program. They include collections on an “Ask CHIPS web form,” program application, program pre-application, environmental questionnaire and “statement of interest.” Comments are due June 12.

Egypt, one of the closest U.S. allies in the Middle East, “secretly” planned to supply up to 40,000 rockets to Russia for its war in Ukraine, The Washington Post reported April 11. The report cites U.S. military and intelligence documents recently leaked online, one of which summarizes conversations between Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and senior Egyptian military officials about plans for the country to supply rockets, artillery rounds and gunpowder to Moscow. In one document, the report said, Sissi orders the officials to keep the plan secret “to avoid problems with the West.”

The Treasury Department recently released its list of countries that require or may require participation in, or cooperation with, an international boycott. Listed are Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen. The list is unchanged from the previous version (see 2212270026).

U.S. companies that sell defense products or services to foreign countries or entities must report all offsets agreements greater than $5 million to BIS by June 15, the agency said in a notice. Companies also must report information on offsets transactions completed “in performance of existing offsets commitments for which offsets credit” of $250,000 or more “has been claimed from the foreign representative,” the notice said. Commerce is asking for reports of offsets transactions that took place during calendar year 2022.

Chinese officials recently have slowed merger reviews of a “number” of proposed acquisitions by U.S. companies, asking the firms to first make available in China products that may be subject to U.S. export controls, The Wall Street Journal reported. China has so far slow-walked merger reviews of Intel’s $5.2 billion purchase of Israel-based Tower Semiconductor and chipmaker MaxLinear’s $3.8 billion purchase of Taiwan-based Silicon Motion Technology, the report said.

The State Department April 4 authorized another drawdown of $500 million worth of U.S. arms and defense equipment to Ukraine. The package includes ammunition, air defense interceptors, artillery rounds, anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, air defense capabilities, mortar systems, rockets and more, the agency said.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on an information collection involving records retention requirements for export transactions and boycott actions. BIS requires people and entities to keep those records for five years “to preserve potential evidence for investigations.” Comments on the information collection are due June 5.

The Federal Maritime Commission released a list of Ocean Transportation Intermediary license applications recently filed with the FMC. The applications, from 11 companies, include "license reissuance" applications, name change requests and more.

MVM Logistics and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. (USA) Inc. submitted a Stipulation of Dismissal of a complaint, agreeing to continue settlement negotiations without the Federal Maritime Commission, the agency announced March 31. MVM in an October complaint accused MSC of charging $800,000 in unfair fees and failing to "establish, observe, and enforce just and reasonable regulations and practices relating to or connected with receiving, handling, storing, or delivering property" (see 2210260029). MSC denied those allegations, saying the allegations were "so vague and ambiguous as to make it impractical" (see 2211220017). The FMC said it will discontinue the proceedings without prejudice.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 3 migrated its website to a new domain and launched a redesign of the site, featuring a new “streamlined” landing page, an “enhanced” frequently asked questions search tool, a filter for its sanctions program search and more. The agency said it plans to make “continued improvements to its site in the months and years ahead” and encouraged users to submit feedback by emailing O_F_A_C@treasury.gov.