On January 2, 2015, in response to North Korea's "ongoing provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies, particularly its destructive and coercive cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment," President Obama signed a new Executive Order imposing additional sanctions against the Government of North Korea and the Workers' Party of Korea, North Korea's ruling party. The Executive Order authorizes the Treasury Department, in consultation with the State Department, to designate individuals or entities with ties to the North Korean government or the Workers' Party of Korea for

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") announced it will hold a workshop regarding available transfer capability standards for wholesale electric transmission services. The workshop will focus on actions FERC could take to ensure that transmission providers continue to calculate and post available transfer capability in a manner that ensures nondiscriminatory access to wholesale electric transmission services. The workshop is scheduled to be held on March 5, 2015. See: Advanced Registration; Workshop Notice; Event Details.

The CFTC issued a clarification and notice regarding the reopened comment periods for two Position Limit rulemakings. In order to provide commenters with sufficient time to respond to questions raised and points made at the December 9, 2014 Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting, the CFTC reopened the comment periods for an additional 45 days, from December 9, 2014 to January 22, 2015. The notice provides interested parties an opportunity to comment on issues addressed at the meeting or in associated materials posted to the Commission's website, as they pertain to agricultural commodities

The SEC-proposed amendments to revise rules regarding thresholds for issuer registration, termination of registration, and suspension of reporting under Exchange Act Section 12(g) ("Registration of securities by issuer; exemptions") were published in the Federal Register. The proposal would implement the JOBS Act by: amending Exchange Act Rules 12g-1 through 12g-4 and 12h-3 which govern the procedures relating to issuer registration, termination of registration under Section 12(g) and suspension of reporting obligations under Exchange Act Section 15(d) ("Registration and regulation of brokers

The NFA issued a Notice to Members on behalf of NFA Chairman Christopher Hehmeyer and the Executive Committee to address accusations of improprieties in regard to the January 2014 Executive Committee meeting and the Board's subsequent February 2014 election of public representatives. The NFA explained that in January of each year, the NFA's Executive Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the election of public representatives at the February Board meeting. According to NFA Board Member, James Koutoulas, the NFA engaged in improprieties during the 2014 nomination