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☆ German Authorities Seize $2 Billion Worth of Bitcoin
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Christopher F. Schuetze | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A German programmer who is accused of running an illegal movie streaming site more than a decade ago transferred $2.17 billion worth of Bitcoin to the authorities to repay at least some of the money he had made illegally, the police said on Tuesday. The transfer required the man to use his unique Bitcoin credentials to hand over the funds. The money will remain in the authorities’ Bitcoin account until a court can figure out what to do with it, Mr. Anders added. The man, identified only as a 40-year-old German citizen, and his business partner are under investigation on allegations that they ran what was once the country’s most successful illegal video-sharing site. After the authorities shut it down in 2013, several sites with similar names opened to fill the void.

Persons: ”, Kay Anders, Anders Locations: Federal Republic of Germany, Saxony, Germany

☆ Opinion | The U.S. Lacks What Every Democracy Needs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Richard L. Hasen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The history of voting in the United States shows the high cost of living with an old Constitution, unevenly enforced by a reluctant Supreme Court. Unlike the constitutions of many other advanced democracies, the U.S. Constitution contains no affirmative right to vote. Our problems are only going to get worse until we get constitutional change. The framers were skeptical of universal voting. The original U.S. Constitution provided for voting only for the House of Representatives, not for the Senate or the presidency, leaving voter qualifications for House elections to the states.

Organizations: U.S . Constitution, Canadian Charter of Rights, Freedoms, Bundestag, Constitution, Senate Locations: United States, U.S ., Canada, Federal Republic of Germany, U.S

☆ UN Security Council Due to Vote on Lifting Arms Embargo on Somalia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Michelle Nichols and Giulia ParaviciniUNITED NATIONS/NAIROBI (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Friday to remove the final restrictions on weapons deliveries to Somalia's government and its security forces, diplomats said, more than 30 years after an arms embargo was first imposed on the country. The 15-member body is due to adopt two British-drafted resolutions on Friday, diplomats said - one to remove the full arms embargo on Somalia and another to reimpose an arms embargo on Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab militants. One of the draft resolutions spells out that "for the avoidance of doubt, that there is no arms embargo on the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia." Somalia's government had long asked for the arms embargo to be removed so it could beef up its forces to take on the militants. The Security Council began to partially start lifting measures Somalia's security forces in 2013.

Persons: Michelle Nichols, Giulia Paravicini, Mohamed Siad Barre, Al Shabaab, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, al, Grant McCool Organizations: Giulia Paravicini UNITED, United Nations Security, Government of, Security, Union Locations: Giulia Paravicini UNITED NATIONS, NAIROBI, Somalia, of Africa, Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, Federal Republic of Somalia, Al, Somali, al Shabaab

☆ Chechen leader's 16-year-old son named to post in rifle battalion
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ramzan Kadyrov, head of Russia's Chechnya, waits before an annual state of the nation address attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 1, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 29 (Reuters) - Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's teenage son, who was shown beating a prisoner in custody this year, has been named as an observer in a new battalion that is part of Russia's defence ministry forces, a senior Chechen official said late on Tuesday. On Tuesday, Adam Delimkhanov, who heads the Chechen division of the Russian national guard and is also a member of Russia's parliament, said the young Kadyrov was named a curator, or observer, of a rifle battalion. The Chechen rifle battalion was created earlier this month, according to Russia's state media. Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ramzan Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin, Maxim, Ramzan Kadyrov's, Adam Kadyrov, Adam, Adam Delimkhanov, Kadyrov, Delimkhanov, Lidia Kelly, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Kremlin, REUTERS, Chechen, Russian, Thomson Locations: Chechnya, Russian, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Melbourne

☆ Chechen leader says he is ready to send another 3,000 fighters to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov addresses service members while making a statement, dedicated to a military conflict in Ukraine, in Grozny, Russia February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Chingis Kondarov/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 28 (Reuters) - Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Monday that another 3,000 of his fighters were ready to go to fight in Ukraine as part of new units of the Russian defence ministry and the Russian National Guard forces. "They (the fighters) have the best equipment and modern weapons," Kadyrov said on the Telegram messaging app. Kadyrov's claims could not be independently verified and estimates of the Chechen fighters deployed to Ukraine vary. There have been also been several Chechen armed formations fighting on the side of Ukraine in the war that began with Russia's full-scale aggression in Ukraine 21 months ago.

Persons: Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov, Chingis, Ramzan Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin's, Kadyrov's, Russia's, Wagner, Lidia Kelly, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Russian National Guard, Chechen, Thomson Locations: Chechen Republic, Ukraine, Grozny, Russia, Chechnya, Melbourne

☆ Chechen Leader Says He Is Ready to Send Another 3,000 Fighters to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Monday that another 3,000 of his fighters were ready to go to fight in Ukraine as part of new units of the Russian defence ministry and the Russian National Guard forces. "They (the fighters) have the best equipment and modern weapons," Kadyrov said on the Telegram messaging app. "In addition, the guys are highly combative and very motivated to achieve results." Kadyrov's claims could not be independently verified and estimates of the Chechen fighters deployed to Ukraine vary. There have been also been several Chechen armed formations fighting on the side of Ukraine in the war that began with Russia's full-scale aggression in Ukraine 21 months ago.

Persons: Ramzan Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin's, Kadyrov's, Russia's, Wagner, Lidia Kelly, Sandra Maler Organizations: Reuters, Russian National Guard, Chechen Locations: Ukraine, Chechnya, Russia, Melbourne

☆ Nepal riot police rout protesters seeking restoration of monarchy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The "Citizens' Campaign" protesters say governments in place since the monarchy was scrapped, as part of a deal ending a Maoist insurgency, have failed to live up to commitments to develop one of the world’s poorest countries. Protesters tried to dismantle a police barricade on the outskirts of Kathmandu and march into the centre of the capital, prompting riot police to intervene and repel the crowd, witnesses said. Some police officers were injured by stones thrown by protesters, said Basnet. Durga Prasai, coordinator of the Citizens’ Campaign, said about 10 protesters were injured in the melee, two of them critically. Gyanendra, the last king of the Himalayan mountain country wedged between India and China, lives as a commoner with his family in Kathmandu.

Persons: Jitendra Basnet, Durga Prasai, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Gopal Sharma, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Pro, Police, Protesters, Citizens ’, East, Nepali Congress, Thomson Locations: Kathmandu, Nepal, KATHMANDU, Malaysia, South Korea, India, China

☆ A second war could easily erupt in Europe — while everyone's distracted by Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Violence erupted in northern Kosovo in September, and Belgrade responded with a military build-up on its border with its neighbor. Given the current political and security context, analysts say an outbreak of violence in northern Kosovo "should raise alarm bells." Open hostilityLong-simmering animosity between Serbia and Kosovo has broken into open hostility in northern Kosovo in recent months. Northern Kosovo, which borders Serbia, has an ethnic Serb majority whereas the country as a whole is around 93% ethnic Albanian. Mojsilovic stated that number of troops on the Kosovo border had been reduced to 4,500 from 8,350.

Persons: Milan Radoicic, Majda Ruge, Stringer, Milos Vucevic, Staff Milan Mojsilovic, Mojsilovic, Aleksandar Vučić, Vučić, Ian Bremmer, Bremmer, Ruge, Aleksandar Vucic, Krusha, Armend Nimani, Slobodan Milošević, Serbian, Albin Kurti, Andrius, Tursa, Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic Organizations: Kosovo Police, Kosovo Serb, Milan, Anadolu Agency, Getty, European Council, Foreign Relations, Albanian, Kosovo, Afp, NATO, Serbian, Staff, Financial Times, EU, Eurasia Group, Yugoslavia, Yugoslav, Yugoslav Ministry of Defense, Federal, Nato, Kosovo Albanians Locations: Banjska, Jarinje, Serbia, Zvecan, Kosovo, Ukraine, Europe, Belgrade, destabilising Kosovo, Northern Kosovo, Serbian, Serbs, Yugoslavia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno, Karabakh, Russia, Mitrovica, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Balkans, Kosovo Albanian, Krusha, Madhe, Albanian, Yugoslav, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Central, Eastern Europe, Stagovo

☆ Russia's fake tanks in Ukraine aren't always convincing, a struggle another army faced trying to trick NATO jets decades ago
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Yugoslav forces in the Kosovo War faced similar struggles trying different tricks to fool NATO jets. The drone's operator seemed to notice the tanks were not real, zooming in on the puffy tanks in the video. AdvertisementAdvertisementNATO air forces prioritized an aerial bombing campaign called "Operation Allied Force" against Yugoslav troops, which lasted over two months. Outgunned by superior NATO airpower, Yugoslav forces took extra steps to try to make their fakes convincing. Even trays of water, also heated by sunlight, were placed inside the fake tanks to give the impression the tank was crewed, running, and operational.

Persons: —, Mitch Fuqua, Wesley K, Clark, they'd, It's Organizations: NATO, Service, Ukraine's 116th Mechanized Brigade, Ukrainian, Portuguese Air Force Detachment, Aviano Air Base, USAF, Federal, Kosovo Liberation Army, Serbian, Yugoslav, Allied Force, The New York Times, Defense Department, Times, RAND, US Air Force, Usaf, Getty, Government Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Yugoslav, Kosovo, Ukraine's, Russian, Italy, Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

☆ The US is warning of a big build-up of Serbian troops on the Kosovo border. Here’s why tensions are high
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The long fractious ties between Kosovo and Serbia are once again on edge after one of the worst outbreaks of violence in years. Ognen Teofilovski/ReutersMore than 20 years on, fragile peace has been preserved in Kosovo, while Serbia continues not to recognize Kosovo’s independence. During the subsequent shootout in the village of Banjska in northern Kosovo, police said they killed three armed attackers and arrested another. Visar Kryeziu/APIn another development, a top Kosovo Serb politician, Milan Radoicic said he took part in the gun battle, Reuters reported. The White House has warned that the incident represents a threat to the safety of not only Kosovo personnel, but international personnel including NATO troops.

Persons: Ognen Teofilovski, What’s, Albin Kurti, ”, Vjosa Osmani, Aleksandar Vucic, Vucic, “, Visar, Milan Radoicic, Radoicic, John Kirby, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, Kosovar, Federal, NATO, Sunday, Facebook, Kosovo, Reuters, Kosovo police, AP, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Police, National Security Locations: Kosovo, Serbia, Yugoslavia, Serbian, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Banjska, Belgrade, Pristina, Serbs, Zvecan

CNN —Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani condemned the brawl that erupted Thursday in Kosovo’s parliament between opposition and ruling party MPs, CNN’s affiliate N1 reported. In a live video broadcast of the Kosovan parliament, Prime Minister Albin Kurti was interrupted by opposition MPs and had water thrown at him following some shoving and brawling between ruling Vetevendosje party and opposition MPs. Glass was also heard breaking and the President of the Kosovo Assembly, Gljauk Konjufca, was also heard calling the police in the video. Fight breaks out between the opposition and ruling parliament members while Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti was giving a speech. Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama also condemned the brawl.

Persons: Vjosa Osmani, Albin Kurti, Kurti, Glass, Gljauk Konjufca, Erkin, Osmani, ”, Edi Rama Organizations: CNN, Kosovo, Kosovan, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Albania’s, Edi, Federal Locations: Kosovo’s, Kosovo, Albanian, Kosovo Assembly, Serbia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Serbs

☆ Fact Check-Screenshot of fabricated tweet falsely attributed to Nigeria state governor Bello
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A fabricated tweet that is falsely attributed to Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has been shared by people online. I am in charge of my State and will not allow anyone intrude in my affairs” (here ). However, Reuters did not find any record of such a Tweet on Bello’s Twitter account (twitter.com/OfficialGYBKogi ). The state governor also published a denial on Twitter of ever writing such a post. Bello published a denial on his Twitter profile.

Persons: Yahaya Bello, Bello, Tinubu, Tweet, Nigeria ”, Read Organizations: Reuters, Twitter, Google Locations: Federal Republic, Nigeria

☆ Fact Check-German sex education book is not recommended as a textbook for use in schools
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A German book featuring sexual positions is not recommended by education ministries or authorities producing frameworks for sex education in the country, contrary to online posts claiming it is a textbook used in schools. Publishers say it is an educational book for parents who want to teach their children about sex. An EMF Verlag spokesperson said: “It is not a textbook specifically for children in Germany used in schools or education settings. Federal German states regularly exchange information on sex education content and concepts, but they decide independently whether to implement the KMK’s recommendations, Heil added. The sex education book “Von wegen Bienchen und Blümchen!” is not recommended in school curricula in Germany or considered a textbook.

Persons: Von wegen Bienchen, ” Torsten Heil, Heil, Read Organizations: Publishers, EMF, Reuters, Education, Cultural Affairs, Federal Locations: Germany, Federal Republic of Germany, Bremen, Niedersachsen

There, under his calming gaze and soft-spoken reassurances, Sudanese refugees and returning South Sudanese wait as aid workers and local women ladle through steel pots filled with lentils and porridge. Kueaa Darhok fled Khartoum with his family when fighting broke out and is now a community leader at the Renk transit camp near the South Sudan border. CNNSet up a week into the fighting in Sudan, when desperate families arrived seeking shelter, the Renk transit camp near the border of South Sudan and Sudan was not supposed to hold more than 3,000 people. Now at least 800,000 South Sudanese have been driven back by the fighting in Sudan. CNNUN appeal for aidTo respond to the Sudan crisis, the UN needs $253 million, with the South Sudan response alone in need of $96 million.

Persons: Kueaa Darhok, Chinua Achebe, instil, ” Darhok, Darhok, Charlotte Hallqvist, Hallqvist, it’s Organizations: South Sudan CNN, South Sudanese, CNN, Sudanese, CNN Fighting, UN, Sudan’s Armed Forces, Rapid Support Forces, United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, CNN UN, Sudan, United Nations, African Union, European Union Locations: South Sudan, Sudan, Darhok, Khartoum, Republic of Sudan, Renk, Arab Republic of Egypt, Federal Republic of Germany, State, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

☆ Kosovo tensions: Why did ethnic Serbs attack NATO peacekeepers?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Dozens of NATO peacekeepers were injured after they were attacked by ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo, during protests over the installation of ethnically Albanian mayors. More than a decade on, these municipalities have not been created, leaving disputes over the degree of autonomy for Kosovo’s Serbs to fester. Valdrin Xhemaj/ReutersFearing potential violence, Kosovo’s central election commission changed plans to put voting booths in local schools, instead setting up mobile huts patrolled by NATO peacekeepers. Of these, more than 16,000 are ethnic Serbs – with only around 500 ethnic Albanians. The peacekeeping mission said that it had increased its presence in northern Kosovo after the newly elected ethnically Albanian mayors took office in majority Kosovo Serb areas.

☆ ‘A problem in the political culture": Serbians call for more than disarmament to end violence after mass shootings
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Despite having one of the world’s highest rates of gun ownership in the world, mass shootings like this are extremely rare in Serbia. Most people simply inherited weapons from their parents and grandparents – remnants of the sort of violence that no longer plagues the region. While the two “gratuitous” acts of violence that shocked the country this month were without precedent, O’Donnell said, other types of violence are more banal. ‘Serbia against violence’Since the shootings, tens of thousands of Serbians have taken to the streets in opposition-led “Serbia against violence” marches, demanding the resignation of several government ministers. Against this public demand for a mellowing of the political culture, Vučić has seemed unsure how to respond.

☆ Nigeria's Tinubu defends win in disputed presidential poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Tinubu garnered 8.79 million votes in the weekend election, ahead of main opposition challenger Atiku Abubakar's 6.98 million votes. Peter Obi, an outsider popular with younger and more educated urban voters, garnered 6.1 million votes. "I am very happy I have been elected the president of the federal republic of Nigeria," Tinubu said to cheers in Abuja. Nigeria's election was meant to be its fairest and most open contest to date. As Lagos governor, Tinubu won praise for partially fixing some of the cities problems, including reducing violent crime, waste collection and traffic.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a Telegram post that the move was confirmation of Germany's involvement in "a war planned in advance" against Russia. "This extremely dangerous decision takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation," Ambassador Sergei Nechayev said. 'HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY'Germany's decision on tanks followed weeks of agonising by the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, prompted by concerns about escalating the war and provoking Russia. Russia has repeatedly said foreign tanks will "burn" in Ukraine. It says they will only extend the war and prolong Ukrainian suffering, and that the West is "deluded" to think otherwise.

☆ Russia fumes at West's decision to send tanks to Ukraine, says red lines have been crossed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Germany announced earlier Wednesday that it was ready to send 14 Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, and to allow other countries to send their own German-made tanks to Kyiv. The U.S. is also expected to announce its own intention to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine imminently. "The United States has unequivocally stated its desire to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. Following Germany's decision on tanks, all eyes are on the U.S. to see whether it will announce it's ready to send a number of its own Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Three senior U.S. officials told NBC News Tuesday that the Biden administration is preparing to send a couple dozen Abrams tanks to Ukraine although they stressed the decision was not final.

☆ A bizarre far-right coup plot uncovered in Germany hints at a much more sinister trend
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Alexander Clarkson | World Politics Review | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

In early December, German police uncovered a plot by far-right conspirators to mount a coup. It is widely acknowledged that the electoral appeal of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, to about 10% of German voters is a matter of great concern. This image of political stability, though not unjustified, caused many observers to downplay the revelation in early December that German police had uncovered an organized plot by a network of far-right conspirators to mount a coup. German police and intelligence services had to take the threat this network represented seriously. This complacency gave the East German Stasi and other Soviet-bloc intelligence services opportunities to reach out to emerging radical networks willing to destabilize the Federal Republic at the time.

MAINZ, Germany — Authorities in Germany arrested 25 people on Wednesday who are suspected of planning to violently overthrow the government in a far-right extremist plot. It is centered on the so-called Reichsbürger, or Reich Citizens, movement which is motivated by conspiracy theories about the role and legitimacy of the modern German state. The homes of a further 27 people suspected of being members or supporters of the group have been searched. The German armed forces have been beset by a series of scandals involving personnel belonging to far-right groups. German prosecutors note, however, that there is no evidence Russian officials reacted positively to the request.

CNN —German officials arrested 22 suspected members and three suspected supporters of a far-right terrorist organization across the country on Wednesday on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. Christian Mang/ReutersPolice secure an area in Berlin, Germany on Wednesday after arresting supporters of a far-right terrorist organization. Christian Mang/ReutersThe statement said the suspected members of the organization were German nationals. Two of the suspected supporters were German and one was Russian, it added. “The Federal Public Prosecutor is investigating a suspected terrorist network from the Reich citizen milieu,” Buschmann said on Twitter.

Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields has said a motive for the attack — which initially plunged 45,000 people into darkness — is still undetermined as local authorities and the FBI investigate. A cryptic post“The power is out in Moore County and I know why,” Emily Rainey wrote on her Facebook page less than an hour after the electricity failed. Taylor Shook / USA Today NetworkClymer saw Rainey’s posts and began speaking with other people in Moore County, she said. Kevin Dietzel, executive director of Sunrise Theater, said the venue was also targeted on social media and with phone calls. After that, she made the decision to cancel the rest of the show to “ensure everyone’s safety” during the outage.

☆ We just learned the limits of marijuana legalization in the US
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Jeremy Berke | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Marijuana legalization was on the ballot in five states and only passed in Maryland and Missouri. Legalization failed in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Arkansas. Deep-red Arkansas, as well as both North Dakota and South Dakota, defeated legalization measures. A recent poll show that most Americans, both Republican and Democrat, support legalization. For its part, South Dakota passed legalization in 2020, but the law was struck down in court after Republican Gov.

Fabio Panetta, director of international and European relations at the European Central Bank, attends the award ceremony for the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, January 31, 2020. REUTERS/Annegret HilseROME, Sept 20 (Reuters) - ECB board member Fabio Panetta is resisting calls from Giorgia Meloni, the front-runner to be Italy's next prime minister, to take the job of economy minister should the rightist bloc win election on Sunday, two political sources told Reuters. Meloni, the leader of the Brothers of Italy party, wants Panetta to replace Daniele Franco at the helm of the Italian Treasury, but Panetta has made it clear he is not interested in the role, the sources said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterPanetta, 63, is a veteran of more than three decades at Italy's central bank and has sat on the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB) since the start of 2020. A third, separate source close to the matter confirmed Panetta was the leading candidate to replace Visco.

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