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  • ‘Star Wars’ & ‘Life Of Brian’ Actor Was 87

    ‘Star Wars’ & ‘Life Of Brian’ Actor Was 87

    Kenneth Colley, the British actor who played Admiral Piett in the original Star Wars series and Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian, died June 30 at his home in Kent, England, after contracting Covid and developing pneumonia. He was 87. 

    His death was announced by his agent Julian Owen in a statement first reported on by the BBC. 

    “Ken Colley was one of our finest character actors with a career spanning 60 years,” Owens said in the statement. 

    “Ken continually worked on stage, film, and television playing a vast array of characters, from Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian to evil and eccentric characters in Ken Russell films, and the Duke of Vienna in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure for the BBC.”

    The BBC reported that Colley had originally been admitted to hospital with an injured arm after a fall, but quickly contracted Covid, which developed into pneumonia.

    Colley reprised the role of Admiral Piett in the 2012 animated film Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out. His other credits include Clint Eastwood’s Firefox, Aki Kaurismäki’s I Hired a Contract Killer, and Ken Russell’s The Rainbow.

    The statement from Colley’s agent added: “Ken’s favourite part was playing Estragon in the stage production of Beckett’s classic Waiting for Godot at the Cockpit Theatre in London in 2014.”

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  • UiPath Names Romanian Olympic Swimming Champion David Popovici as Global Ambassador :: UiPath, Inc. (PATH)

    UiPath Names Romanian Olympic Swimming Champion David Popovici as Global Ambassador :: UiPath, Inc. (PATH)





    Four-year partnership deal will support the athlete’s Olympic journey and quest for swimming excellence

    NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
    UiPath (NYSE: PATH), a global leader in agentic automation, today announced that it has named Romanian Olympic swimming champion David Popovici a Global Ambassador. In this capacity, Popovici will be attending and speaking at several UiPath events globally. The partnership, spanning four years, will support the young athlete throughout his preparation for the biggest European and world swimming competitions, culminating with the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

    A freestyle swimming specialist, the 20-year-old Bucharest-born David Popovici broke into the elite swimming scene with a standout performance at the 2022 World Championships. Then aged 17, Popovici became the first male swimmer in 49 years to win the 100m and 200m freestyle at the same World Championships. He also became the second-youngest swimmer ever to win the men’s 200m world title.

    Popovici went on to win gold in the 200m and the 100m freestyle at the 2022 European Championships, becoming the second-youngest male swimmer ever to break the 100m freestyle world record, while also setting a new world junior record in the 200m race.

    In 2024, Popovici went on to improve on a fourth-place ranking in the 200m freestyle race at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics by winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the same race. He also won a bronze medal in the men’s 100m freestyle final.

    Currently, Popovici is training towards his third consecutive Olympic Games and will next compete in the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships.

    “What makes David a champion isn’t just raw talent – it’s his ability to bring together every element that drives excellence: discipline, mindset, training, recovery, and the will to do it all over again. That kind of integration is what unlocks true performance. I see a similar principle in how we think about the future of technology: real breakthroughs happen when you combine the right parts – people, technology, and intelligence – into something greater than the sum of its parts. At UiPath, while we’re shaping what technology can do, we’re just as focused on the humans behind it. Our vision of agentic orchestration is about uniting people, AI agents, models, and robots into a cohesive system – just like David brings together every part of his craft. He’s the perfect embodiment of the harmony between precision, perseverance, and purpose,” said UiPath Co-Founder and CEO Daniel Dines.

    “I am delighted to share my journey with a partner who genuinely understands what it takes to excel in one’s field. As a sportsman, I know firsthand that achieving global success requires hard work, discipline, unwavering motivation and the belief that you can win every time. UiPath is a place where innovative ideas are supported, where everyone is encouraged to express their creativity and contribute to developing the best technology in the world. It feels natural to partner with UiPath, a strong brand with a global impact that has remained true to its roots. We share much of the same journey, and this partnership goes beyond support – it’s built on trust and shared values, representing a big source of inspiration to me,” said Olympic champion David Popovici.

    Between September 29 – October 1, 2025, UiPath will hold the first edition of UiPath FUSION, a high-touch, high-tech, white-glove event for the most passionate and innovative members of the UiPath ecosystem. David Popovici will join UiPath Co-Founder and CEO Daniel Dines on stage during the event.

    Register here to join UiPath FUSION at the Wynn Las Vegas.

    About UiPath

    UiPath (NYSE: PATH) is a global leader in agentic automation, empowering enterprises to harness the full potential of AI agents to autonomously execute and optimize complex business processes. The UiPath Platform™ uniquely combines controlled agency, developer flexibility, and seamless integration to help organizations scale agentic automation safely and confidently. Committed to security, governance, and interoperability, UiPath supports enterprises as they transition into a future where automation delivers on the full potential of AI to transform industries. For more information, visit www.uipath.com.

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    Source: UiPath

    Released July 3, 2025

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  • Secret biology of corals unveiled by groundbreaking microscope

    Secret biology of corals unveiled by groundbreaking microscope

    Corals are reef-building animals that can’t photosynthesise on their own. Instead, they rely on micro-algae living inside their tissues to do it for them. These symbiotic algae use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce oxygen and energy-rich sugars that support coral grwoth and reef formation.

    At around 10 micro-metres across – about one-tenth the width of a human hair – these algae are far too small to be seen with the naked eye. When corals are stressed by warming waters or poor environmental conditions, they lose these micro-algae, leading to a pale appearance. 

    This is the process known as coral bleaching. It leads – eventually – to the starvation of the coral. Although this process is known, scientists don’t fully understand why, and it hasn’t been possible to study the process at appropriate scales in the field – until now.

    “The microscope facilitates previously unavailable, underwater observations of coral health, a breakthrough made possible thanks to the National Science Foundation and its critical investment in technology development,” said Jules Jaffe, a research oceanographer at Scripps and co-author of the study. 

    “Without continued federal funding, scientific research is jeopardised. In this case, NSF funding allowed us to fabricate a device so we can solve the physiological mystery of why corals bleach, and ultimately, use these insights to inform remediation efforts.”

    Through an array of high-magnification lenses and focused LED lights, the microscope captures vivid colour and fluorescence images and videos. It also now has the ability to measure photosynthesis and map it in higher resolution via focal scans. Scientists can use this to create high-resolution 3D scans of corals.

    Working in collaboration with the Smith Lab at Scripps Oceanography, Ben-Zvi – a marine biologist – has tested and calibrated the instrument at several coral reef hotspots around the globe, including in Hawaii, the Red Sea, and Palmyra Atoll.

    Throughout her many observations, Ben-Zvis has been most surprised by how active the corals have been, noting that they changed their volume and shape constantly. She even observed instances in which a coral polyp appeared to be trying to capture or remove a particle that was passing by, by rapidly contracting its tentacles.

    “The more time we spend with this microscope, the more we hope to learn about corals and why they do what they do under certain conditions,” said Ben-Zvi. “We are visualising photosynthesis, something that was previously unseen at the scales we are examining, and that feels like magic.”

    The non-invasive technique allows researchers to assess the health of corals without the need to interrupt nature – it’s similar, Ben-Zvi has said “to checking on the coral’s pulse without giving them a shot or doing an intrusive procedure on them.”

    The researchers have also said that data collected with the new microscope can reveal early warning signs that appear before corals experience irreversible damage from global climate change events, such as marine heat waves. These insights could help guide mitigation strategies to better protect them.

    Beyond corals, and the tool has other widespread potential for studying other small-scale marine organisms that photosynthesise, such as baby kelp. In fact, several researchers at Scripps Oceanography are already using the BUMP imaging system to study the early life stages of the exclusive giant kelp off California.

    “Since photosynthesis in the ocean is important for life on earth, a host of other applications are imaginable with this tool, including right here off the coast of San Diego,” said Jaffe.

    Click here for more from the Oceanographic Newsroom.


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  • The ITA reports that weightlifter Dilnoza Fayzullaeva has accepted a 2-year period of ineligibility

    The ITA reports that weightlifter Dilnoza Fayzullaeva has accepted a 2-year period of ineligibility

    The ITA confirms that weightlifter Dilnoza Fayzullaeva has agreed¹ to the consequences imposed for her anti-doping rule violation (ADRV).

    Dilnoza Fayzullaeva provided a sample collected under the testing authority of the IWF during an unannounced in-competition doping control performed on 25 May 2024 during the IWF World Youth Championships, Lima, Peru, which yielded an adverse analytical finding² (AAF) for furosemide.

    Furosemide is prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List as S5 Diuretics and Masking Agents. It is prohibited at all times (in- and out-of-competition) and is classified as a specified substance. Furosemide can be used by athletes to excrete water for rapid weight loss.

    The athlete did not challenge the ADRV and agreed with the consequences proposed by the ITA. Accordingly, the case was resolved via an acceptance of consequences.

    The athlete’s period of ineligibility is from 8 August 2024 until 7 August 2026. In addition, all the athlete’s individual competitive results as from 25 May 2024 until the start of the period of ineligibility are disqualified.

    The decision may be challenged before the appeals division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport by the parties with a right of appeal in accordance with article 13.2.3 of the IWF anti-doping rules.

    The ITA will not comment further on these cases.

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  • ‘An exceedingly rare event’ — See a pair of nova explosions shining in the southern sky this week.

    ‘An exceedingly rare event’ — See a pair of nova explosions shining in the southern sky this week.

    Not one, but two exploding stars are currently visible to the naked eye in the southern night sky, a cosmic coincidence that’s “exceedingly rare” and may soon vanish from view entirely.

    On June 12, the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN), led by the Ohio State University, detected a dramatic surge in the brightness of an otherwise unremarkable star embedded in the constellation Lupus. Subsequent observations revealed a powerful nova explosion — now designated V462 Lupi — to be the cause of the radiation outburst. The star quickly brightened from its previously dim magnitude of +22 to a peak brightness of around +5.5, rendering it visible to the naked eye.

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  • Roundup: Australia pilots new green taxonomy with big banks – Green Central Banking

    1. Roundup: Australia pilots new green taxonomy with big banks  Green Central Banking
    2. Australia’s first Sustainable Finance Taxonomy released  CommBank
    3. Australia launches world’s first sustainable finance rulebook that includes mining  Eco-Business
    4. Australia’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy: Solving problems or creating new ones?  Australian Energy Council

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  • LIV Golf players start hot at International Series Morocco

    LIV Golf players start hot at International Series Morocco

    RangeGoats GC star Peter Uihlein started fast in Round 1 of The International Series Morocco, shooting a 5-under 68 to pace the field early on Thursday at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.

    LIV Golf reserve player John Catlin matched Uihlein’s 68.

    Uihlein has become a force on The International Series, having won twice last season in England and Qatar.

    LIV Golf players also in the field include RangeGoats GC’s Ben Campbell, Stinger GC’s Charl Schwartzel, HyFlyers GC’s Andy Ogletree, Torque GC’s Mito Pereira and Legion XIII’s Caleb Surratt.

    Check back for further updates as Round 1 continues.

    BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN

    On the DP World Tour, five LIV Golf players are competing at the BMW International Open in Munich, Germany. They are Fireballs GC Captain Sergio Garcia, 4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed,Cleeks Golf Club Captain Martin Kaymer and Fireballs GC’s David Puig and Josele Ballester

    Check back for further updates as Round 1 continues.

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  • University gets funding to fight ‘grim’ child cancer

    University gets funding to fight ‘grim’ child cancer

    The University of Surrey has been awarded £250,000 to combat an aggressive form of childhood cancer.

    The grant will fund research into paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), which the institution said has “tragically low survival rates”.

    Researchers will be looking into therapeutic interventions for children diagnosed with the disease as the current treatments “still lead to unacceptable long-term side effects and early mortality,” said Dr Lisie Meira.

    The lecturer in DNA damage and ageing at the University of Surrey added: “We need to find safer, more effective alternatives.”

    Dr Meira said researchers are working to understand how inhibiting the SET gene can stop the growth of leukemic cells and test new, non-immunosuppressive drugs.

    “We’ve already made promising discoveries,” added Dr Maria Teresa Esposito, senior lecturer in biochemistry, who is spearheading the project along with Dr Meira.

    Some forms of AML present an “especially grim prognosis”, with only 20 to 50% of infants and children surviving five years after diagnosis, according to the University of Surrey.

    Though initial responses to chemo can be positive, relapse rates are “alarmingly high” at 47 to 100%, it added.

    The grant is a joint initiative by the CCLG: The Children and Young People’s Cancer Association and the Little Princess Trust.

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  • Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya named to Zambian Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Roster 

    Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya named to Zambian Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Roster 

    ORLANDO, Fla. (July 3, 2025) — Orlando Pride (8-4-1, 25 points) forwards Barbra Banda and Prisca Chilufya, and midfielder Grace Chanda have been named to the Zambia Women’s National Team roster for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

    Banda has scored eight goals so far this season, which is tied for second-most in the NWSL. Her season has been highlighted by a historic performance against the Utah Royals on May 23, where she became the first player in Club history to score a hat trick and the first player in NWSL history to score a hat trick on the road. It was also just the third time in NWSL history that a player scored all three goals of their hat trick in the first half of a match. Additionally, Banda’s hat trick marked the first time an African international has scored three goals in an NWSL match. The 25-year-old has earned three consecutive Best XI of the Month honors so far this season, coming in March, April and May.

    Chilufya has appeared in 11 matches in her debut season with the Pride and scored her first NWSL goal on May 10 at the North Carolina Courage. Her headed goal came in second-half stoppage time off a corner kick and helped Orlando rescue a point on the road. The forward also earned her first NWSL start against Angel City on April 25.

    Chanda made her Club and NWSL debut on March 19 against the Washington Spirit, coming into the match as a second-half substitute. She has gone on to appear in three matches this season after missing all of last year due to injury.

    Zambia was drawn into WAFCON’s Group A and will start its group stage matches on Saturday, July 5 at 4 p.m. ET against Morocco. They will follow that up with matches on Wednesday, July 9, at 12 p.m. ET against Senegal and on Saturday, July 12, at 12 p.m. ET against DR Congo.


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  • Treasury Targets Diverse Networks Facilitating Iranian Oil Trade

    Treasury Targets Diverse Networks Facilitating Iranian Oil Trade

    WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking action against networks that have collectively transported and purchased billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil, some of which has benefited Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. Among the entities sanctioned today is a network of companies run by Iraqi businessman Salim Ahmed Said (Said) that has profited from smuggling Iranian oil disguised as, or blended with, Iraqi oil. Treasury is also sanctioning several vessels engaged in the covert delivery of Iranian oil, intensifying pressure on Iran’s “shadow fleet.”

    “As President Trump has made clear, Iran’s behavior has left it decimated.  While it has had every opportunity to choose peace, its leaders have chosen extremism,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.  “Treasury will continue to target Tehran’s revenue sources and intensify economic pressure to disrupt the regime’s access to the financial resources that fuel its destabilizing activities.”

    Today’s action is being taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13902, which targets those operating in certain sectors of the Iranian economy, including Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors, as well as the counterterrorism authority E.O. 13224, as amended.  It marks the eighth round of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil trade since the President issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, directing a campaign of maximum pressure on Iran. 

    Concurrently, the Department of State is designating six entities and identifying four vessels pursuant to E.O. 13846 for having knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.

    IRAN-IRAQ OIL SMUGGLING NETWORK

    Iraqi-British national Salim Ahmed Said (Said) runs a network of companies that have been selling Iranian oil falsely declared as Iraqi oil since at least 2020.  Said’s companies use ship-to-ship transfers and other obfuscation techniques to hide their activities.  Said’s companies and vessels blend Iranian oil with Iraqi oil, which is then sold to Western buyers via Iraq or the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as purely Iraqi oil using forged documentation to avoid sanctions.  This allows the oil to be sold on the legitimate market and helps Iran evade international sanctions on its oil exports. 

    Said has bribed many members of key Iraqi government bodies, including parliament.  He has reportedly paid millions of dollars in kickbacks to these officials in exchange for forged vouchers allowing him to sell Iranian oil as if it originated from Iraq. 

    Said is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. 

    Said controls UAE-based company VS Tankers FZE (VS Tankers), despite avoiding formal association with the company.  Formerly known as Al-Iraqia Shipping Services & Oil Trading FZE (AISSOT), VS Tankers has smuggled oil for the benefit of the Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).  For example, in 2020, AISSOT reportedly brokered a deal to transport Iranian oil via Iraqi pipelines to be blended and sold as Iraqi oil. 

    VS Tankers-affiliated ships have assisted Iranian oil exporters in blending Iranian oil with Iraqi to obscure the oil’s origins by engaging in ship-to-ship transfers with vessels known to be affiliated with Iranian oil activities. VS Tankers currently claims several oil tankers as part of its fleet, one of which recorded four ship-to-ship transfers with the U.S. sanctioned, Barbados-flagged CASINOVA (IMO 9280366) in April 2024 while located in the Persian Gulf near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab river, which marks the border between Iraq and Iran. VS Tankers has served as the operator, manager, and beneficial owner of the Marshall Islands-flagged crude oil tanker DIJILAH (IMO 9829629) since 2019. 

    VS Tankers is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.  DIJILAH is being identified pursuant to E.O. 13902 as property in which VS Tankers has an interest. 

    In 2023, Said expanded his business holdings to include VS Oil Terminal FZE (VS Oil), which, though registered in the UAE, has its physical presence in Khor al-Zubayr, Iraq.  VS Oil manages six oil storage tanks where Iranian oil is dropped off to be mixed with Iraqi oil.  Vessels carrying Iranian oil also conduct ship-to-ship transfers with vessels carrying Iraqi oil in the vicinity of VS Oil’s terminal facilities, and the blended oil is ultimately authenticated by complicit Iraqi government officials.  Vessel tracking data shows that multiple oil tankers known to transport Iranian petroleum products on behalf of U.S.-sanctioned Iranian oil and petrochemical broker Triliance Petrochemical Co. Ltd. and Iranian military front company Sahara Thunder have visited VS Oil.  VS Oil employees smuggle hard currency into Iran via cars and trucks, some of which carry millions of dollars each, as payment for oil. 

    VS Oil is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. 

    Said also owns UAE-based VS Petroleum DMCC, formerly Ikon Petroleum DMCC, and Rhine Shipping DMCC (Rhine Shipping) which, in 2022, were implicated in blending Iranian oil to sell as Iraqi oil.  Rhine Shipping was also previously exposed as the manager of the U.S.-sanctioned oil tanker MOLECULE, formerly named BABEL, which loaded oil in the Persian Gulf from an Iranian tanker that had turned off its location transponder to obfuscate the transaction.  OFAC subsequently sanctioned the MOLECULE for its role in shipping Iranian oil as part of the network of Iran-backed Houthi financial official Sa’id al-Jamal. 

    Said also owns United Kingdom-based companies The Willett Hotel Limited and Robinbest Limited.

    VS Petroleum DMCC, Rhine Shipping, The Willett Hotel Limited, and Robinbest Limited are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, Said. 

    Shadow fleet actors

    Iran’s shadow fleet enables the regime to transport its petroleum to generate revenue.  Iran relies on non-sanctioned vessels to conduct ship-to-ship transfers and receive Iranian oil from sanctioned vessels before shipping the Iranian-origin cargo to buyers in Asia. 

    The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) uses Singapore-based Trans Arctic Global Marine Services PTE. LTD. (Trans Arctic Global) to arrange piloting services for NITC vessels transiting through the Strait of Malacca.  Trans Arctic Global has enabled NITC to transport tens of millions of barrels of Iranian oil through the Strait of Malacca for eventual ship-to-ship transfers to vessels waiting in the Singapore Eastern Outer Port Limits.

    Trans Arctic Global is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.

    The Cameroon-flagged VIZURI (IMO 9197909), Comoros-flagged FOTIS (IMO 9306548), and Panama-flagged THEMIS (IMO 9264570) and BIANCA JOYSEL (IMO 9196632), have collectively shipped tens of millions of barrels of Iranian oil and other petroleum worth billions of dollars.

    Since mid-2023, the VIZURI has completed multiple shipments of Iranian oil and transported millions of barrels of Iranian oil.  Panama-flagged liquified petroleum gas carrier (LPG) FOTIS has transported millions of barrels of Iranian LPG and other petroleum to multiple locations.  Panama-flagged THEMIS, which was sanctioned by the United Kingdom on May 9, 2025 for transporting Russian oil, has also transported Iranian oil. 

    Seychelles-based Egir Shipping Ltd, and Marshall Islands-based Fotis Lines Incorporated and Themis Limited are the respective owners of the VIZURI, FOTIS, and THEMIS.  Egir Shipping Limited, Fotis Lines Incorporated, and Themis Limited are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. VIZURI, FOTIS, and THEMIS are being identified as blocked property in which Egir Shipping Ltd, Fotis Lines Incorporated, and Themis Limited, respectively, have an interest.

    Panama-flagged BIANCA JOYSEL has transported more than ten million barrels of Iranian oil since mid-2024, conducting ship-to-ship transfers with sanctioned vessels owned by the U.S.-designated NITC, including the AMOR and STARLA. 

    British Virgin Islands-based Betensh Global Investment Limited And Dong Dong Shipping Limited owns the BIANCA JOYSEL.  Betensh Global Investment Limited And Dong Dong Shipping Limited is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.  BIANCA JOYSEL is being identified as blocked property in which Betensh Global Investment Limited And Dong Dong Shipping Limited has an interest.

    IRGC-QF oil Sales

    The IRGC-QF has used the Al-Qatirji Company to facilitate oil sales to customers around the world, generating hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue for the IRGC-QF.  The Cameroon-flagged ELIZABET (IMO 9216717), which has impersonated a separate vessel, the S TINOS, loaded a cargo of Iranian oil off the coast of Malaysia in August 2024 via ship-to-ship transfer.  The cargo had originally been loaded at Kharg Island, Iran, by the ROMINA (IMO 9114608), a vessel previously identified for its role in transporting Iranian petroleum for the Al-Qatirji Company.  Seychelles-based White Sands Shipmanagement Corp. is the ship manager, operator, and technical manager of the ELIZABET.

    The AI-Qatirji Company transported approximately two million barrels of Iranian oil on the Cameroon-flagged ATILA (IMO 9262754) in support of the U.S.-sanctioned Sa’id al-Jamal network.  The ATILA received the oil in a ship-to-ship transfer with the sanctioned vessel ARMAN 114. The Iranian oil carried by the ATILA was disguised as Malaysian oil.  Seychelles-based Grat Shipping Co Ltd is the manager, operator, and owner of the ATILA.  OFAC designated Sa’id al-Jamal pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, on June 10, 2021, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF.

    The Al-Qatirji Company has also used the Palauan-flagged GAS MARYAM (IMO 9108099) to transport Iranian petroleum products in support of the IRGC-QF.  Liberia-based Dima Shipping & Trading Company is the manager, operator, and owner of the GAS MARYAM.

    White Sands Shipmanagement Corp, Grat Shipping Co Ltd, and Dima Shipping & Trading Company are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of the Al-Qatirji Company.  The ELIZABET is being identified as blocked property in which White Sands Shipmanagement Corp. has an interest, the ATILA as blocked property in which Grat Shipping Co Ltd has an interest, and the GAS MARYAM as blocked property in which Dima Shipping & Trading Company has an interest.

    SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

    As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.  In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons. 

    Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons.  OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis.  OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions.  In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons.  The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. 

    Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions.  OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority.

    The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law.  The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.  For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, or to submit a request, please refer to OFAC’s guidance on Filing a Petition for Removal from an OFAC List.

    Click here for more information on the persons designated and any property identified as blocked today.

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