Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 367
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 367th day, we take a look at the main developments.
G20 finance chiefs disagree on Russia-Ukraine war, debt
Finance leaders of the world’s top economies sought on Friday to bridge differences over how to deal with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine a year ago, as the West stepped up sanctions against Moscow.
Task Force KleptoCapture Unseals Two Cases Charging Evasion of Russian Economic Countermeasures
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York has filed a civil forfeiture complaint against six real properties located in New York, New York; Southampton, New York; and Fisher Island, Florida, worth approximately $75 million. The complaint alleges that the properties beneficially owned by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg are the proceeds of sanctions violations and were involved in international money laundering transactions. The case arises in the wake of the indictment of Vekselberg’s alleged strawman, Vladimir Voronchenko, a fugitive previously charged in the Southern District of New York. In the Eastern District of New York, a five-count indictment was unsealed today charging Ilya Balakaev, 47, of Moscow, with various offenses related to a years-long scheme to illegally smuggle sensitive devices used in counterintelligence operations from the United States to Russia for the benefit of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB), the principal intelligence and security agency of the Russian government.
Balakaev is further charged with illegally exporting a gas detector and related software from the United States to Russia for the benefit of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea). Concurrent with today’s action in the Eastern District of New York, the Department of Commerce separately issued a Temporary Denial Order denying the export privileges of Balakaev and his company, Radiotester OOO (aka Radiotester LLC), for 180 days with the possibility of renewal.
Task Force KleptoCapture Unseals Two Cases Charing Evasion of Russian Economic Countermeasures
From the outset of Russia’s unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, one year ago today, the Department of Justice has prioritized enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed alongside our global partners. Today, the Department continues that work by actions in two separate federal cases to disrupt sanctions evasion and smuggling networks supporting the Russian regime. “Over the past year, the Ukrainian people have shown the world what courage looks like,” said Attorney…
Blackstone Group company employed children employed children to clean slaughterhouses in U.S. (Packers Sanitation Services / PSSI)
Packers Sanitation Services Inc. (PSSI), based in Kieler, Wisconsin, has paid 1.5 million U.S. dollars in civil money penalties after a DOL investigation found that the company “employed at least 102 children — from 13 to 17 years of age — in hazardous occupations and had them working overnight shifts at 13 meat processing facilities in eight states,” a statement read.
Children were working with hazardous chemicals and cleaning meat processing equipment including back saws, brisket saws, and head splitters, according to the investigation, which began in August 2022.
EPA orders Norfolk Southern to clean up toxic derailment in Ohio
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered Norfolk Southern on Tuesday to pay for the cleanup of the East Palestine, Ohio train wreck and chemical release as federal regulators took charge of long-term recovery efforts and promised worried residents they wouldn’t be forgotten.
China replies to US rumor that it is planning to help Russia: “Stop deflecting the blame and spreading disinformation;” Zelenskyy escalates with talk of world war
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to CBS television on Sunday of information that China was “considering providing lethal support” to Russia. When asked what he meant by that, Blinken replied, “Weapons, primarily weapons.”
Belarus, Russian Ally, to form volunteer military force
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday he had ordered the formation of a new volunteer territorial defense so everyone knows how to “handle weapons” and be ready to respond to an act of aggression and keep public order in peacetime.
Drought in Horn of Africa worse than in 2011 famine
Below-normal rainfall is expected over the next three months in parts of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz declines to testify in Bernie Sanders hearing
“If Mr. Schultz believes that a multibillion-dollar corporation like Starbucks can break federal labor law with impunity, he is mistaken,” Sanders said.
Judge Bans Starbucks From Firing Union Supporters
A nationwide injunction restrains the company from dismissing labor organizers and could help reinstate ousted workers more quickly. A federal judge in Michigan issued an injunction on Friday banning Starbucks from firing U.S. workers because they seek to form a union or engage in other collective activities. The move is the first nationwide judicial mandate related to the labor campaign that has led to the unionization of more than 275 company-owned Starbucks stores in little more than a year. Starbucks…
KPMG settles £1.3bn lawsuit from Carillion creditors over alleged negligence
KPMG has settled a £1.3bn lawsuit brought by Carillion’s liquidators, who claimed the auditor was negligent and missed serious red flags in the outsourcing firm’s accounts ahead of its disastrous collapse in 2018. The lawsuit – which related to audits of Carillion accounts between 2014 and 2016 – had been launched by Britain’s official receiver, which is attempting to recoup losses on behalf of Carillion’s creditors which are owed money by the failed company. Those creditors include the UK tax…
Bayer: Supreme Court rules Bayer must return $252 mln in Roundup royalties
SAO PAULO, Feb 17 (Reuters) – Germany’s Bayer has been ordered by Brazil’s Supreme Court to return to Brazilian soybean farmers the royalties they were charged for a GMO soybean seed, the Mato Grosso farmer lobby Aprosoja-MT said in a statement on Friday. The Feb. 13 ruling by Supreme Court Justice Nunes Marques relates to a GMO technology commercially known as Intacta RR2 Pro, created by Monsanto, which was later acquired by Germany’s Bayer. Bayer said in a statement it…
Vivint Smart Home Inc: $189.7 million verdict for multiple illegal acts, misconduct
Home security provider Vivint Smart Home Inc owes rival CPI Security Systems Inc $189.7 million for tricking its customers into moving to Vivint’s service, a North Carolina jury decided Friday. The federal jury in Charlotte found Vivint sales representatives unlawfully deceived CPI customers into signing contracts with Vivint by falsely claiming that Vivint had bought the company. The jury said Provo, Utah-based Vivint violated federal trademark law, competed unfairly with CPI, interfered with CPI contracts and committed other misconduct. A…
Former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds breaks silence on “political hit job” designed to bring down Morrison government
Former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has broken her two-year silence, saying she has “a very different story” to tell about the Brittany Higgins rape scandal. The former Liberal cabinet minister was Ms Higgins’ boss when the political staffer alleges she was raped in Parliament House in 2019. In a four-hour interview with The Weekend Australian, Senator Reynolds claimed to be the victim of a “political hit job” designed to bring down both her and the former Morrison government. Senator Reynolds…