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The Morning Risk Report: U.S. Ramps Up Sanctions on Hezbollah to Pressure Iran |
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“Hezbollah is a terrorist proxy for the Iranian regime that seeks to undermine Iraqi sovereignty and destabilize the Middle East,” said Sigal Mandelker, U.S. Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, shown above in August. PHOTO: ANDREW HARRER/BLOOMBERG NEWS
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The Trump administration has targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah with fresh terrorism-related sanctions, as the U.S. moves to keep up pressure on Tehran, seeking to force the Iranian government into a new security deal after pulling out from the 2015 nuclear accord in May, Risk & Compliance Journal’s Samuel Rubenfeld reports.
The U.S. is targeting Hezbollah as a surrogate for Iran’s military and political operations abroad—including against U.S. ally Israel and U.S.-backed forces battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime—as the Trump administration levies an economy-crippling sanctions program against Tehran.
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The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on four men it says lead Hezbollah’s operations in Iraq. In a separate but coordinated action, the State Department added Jawad Nasrallah, the son of the group’s leader, and the al-Mujahidin Brigades, a militia with alleged links to Hezbollah, to its list of individuals and groups designated as terrorists.
The announcement came as a U.S. law signed last month broadened sanction authority against anyone aiding Hezbollah. Foreign banks are at risk of fines and even expulsion from the U.S. financial system if caught handling transactions for the group.
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Snap’s Disclosures Ahead of IPO Draw Regulator Scrutiny |
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Steve Wynn Seeks Court Order to Stop Release of
Investigation |
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Former casino mogul Steve Wynn filed a motion in Nevada state court seeking a temporary order to stop Massachusetts gambling regulators from releasing a report on their investigation into sexual-misconduct allegations against him.
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United Nations Lifts Sanctions on Eritrea, ‘Africa’s North
Korea’ |
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The United Nations lifted sanctions on Eritrea, ending a decadelong arms embargo on the strategically located East African nation and bolstering the precarious peace in one of the world’s most volatile and strategic corners.
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Foreign Companies in U.S. See Automotive Tariffs as Biggest Threat |
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U.S. Panel Warns China Tech Prowess Threatens U.S.
Security |
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A commission of security and economic experts convened by Congress warned that China’s technology-manufacturing strength threatens U.S. national security and advised U.S. government agencies to be mindful of Chinese attempts to compromise government systems.
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PG&E Stock Tanks on Wildfire Liability Concerns |
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PG&E ’s stock plunged after the utility warned it could face massive liabilities related to California’s devastating Camp Fire, which has killed at least 48 people and burned through 135,000 acres, destroying at least 8,817 homes.
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Big Tobacco Warns It May Fight FDA Over a Menthol Ban |
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The possibility of a nationwide ban on menthol cigarettes puts the tobacco industry into an all-too-familiar spot: having to defend the minty smokes, which are popular among younger smokers and African-Americans.
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Instagram Co-Founder: Social Media Must Face Downside of
Scale |
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Facebook employees inside the company’s Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters. Recent worker surveys showed fewer of them believing Facebook is making the world better. PHOTO: MICHAEL SHORT/BLOOMBERG NEWS
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Facebook Morale Takes a Tumble Along With Stock Price |
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Facebook Inc.’s difficult year is taking a toll on employee morale, with several key measures of internal sentiment taking a sharp turn for the worse over the past year, according to people familiar with the matter and messages reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
Amid a plunge in the stock price, ongoing leadership turmoil and critical media coverage, just over half of employees said they were optimistic about Facebook’s future, down 32 percentage points from the year earlier, according to the survey, which was taken by nearly 29,000 employees. Fifty-three percent said Facebook was making the world better, down 19 percentage points from a year ago.
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Dell Sweetens Key Deal Terms in Path Back to Public Markets |
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Dell Technologies Inc. plans to sweeten a $22 billion deal to buy out an affiliate and return to the public markets—five months after the PC and data-storage giant’s initial proposal sparked intense shareholder opposition.
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JPMorgan Wants Card Customers to Pay With a Tap |
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Americans just got used to paying with chip cards. Now, JPMorgan Chase & Co. wants them to tap at checkout instead.
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Victoria’s Secret Chief Is Out Amid Declining Sales |
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Jan Singer, CEO of Victoria’s Secret lingerie division, owned by L Brands Inc., is departing the company amid declining sales, according to people familiar with the matter.
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Activist Investor Gets Important Backing in Campbell Soup
Fight |
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Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. is recommending that Campbell Soup Co.’s shareholders vote for all five of activist hedge fund Third Point LLC’s director nominees.
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Subscribe to The Morning Risk Report here.
Follow us on Twitter at @WSJRisk.
Send comments to the Risk & Compliance editor, Jack Hagel, at jack.hagel@wsj.com.
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