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☆ As cocoa prices soar this Easter, chocolatiers consider alternatives
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Cocoa prices are surging so high, the Easter Bunny might want to hoard its chocolate. Poor climate and crop diseases in West Africa – home to 70% of global cocoa production – have tightened supply and caused prices to skyrocket. As prices rise, some chocolatiers are exploring cost-cutting alternatives, like diversifying their products to depend less on cocoa. Yet mining often destroys farms and the possibility of a livelihood in cocoa production, Issaka said. “Given the persistently high cocoa prices, it may be necessary for us to make responsible adjustments to pricing in the future,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.

Persons: Hershey’s, Shaquille O’Neal, Michele Buck, Billy Roberts, Roberts, ” Roberts, Issaka, Will Kletter, Kletter, “, Peng Xu, Christopher Taylor, Li, Taylor, ”, “ We’re, “ It’s, ” Taylor Organizations: CNN, Cadbury, NCA, “ Brands, Industries, International Cocoa Organization, Rabobank, US, ”, Euromonitor Locations: West Africa, North Region, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Silicon, Washington ,, Manhattan

☆ LockBit: FBI and allies seize dark-web site of world’s most prolific ransomware gang
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The FBI and its international allies have seized a dark-web site that the world’s most prolific ransomware gang has used to extort its victims, according to a message on the website viewed by CNN. The hackers claimed credit for a November ransomware attack that forced New Jersey-based Capital Health to cancel some patient appointments. LockBit also claimed responsibility for ransomware attacks on the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Fulton County, Georgia, in recent months. The US Justice Department also announced the indictment of two Russian men for deploying LockBit ransomware against victim organizations throughout the US, including against unnamed manufacturing firms. While there have been notable arrests and law enforcement seizures of millions of dollars’ worth of ransom payments, the ransomware economy continues to thrive.

Persons: LockBit, ”, cybercriminals, LockBit’s ransomware, Don Smith, Cybercriminals, ” Allan Liska, ” Liska, “ LockBit Organizations: CNN, FBI, Health, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, National Crime Agency, LockBit, US Justice Department, Justice Department, Government Locations: New Jersey, Fulton County , Georgia, Australia, Germany, Eastern Europe, Russia, China, Secureworks

☆ With a low cocoa supply, this Valentine’s Day chocolate prices are up
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Rising cocoa prices aren’t the only concern for customers this Valentine's Day. Last Thursday, Hershey Co. said it would cut 5% of its workforce after historic cocoa prices and inflation-weary consumers dampened fourth quarter earnings. “And it looks like it’s not necessarily going to subside anytime soon.”The Supreme Valentine’s Day SweetRoughly 92% of Americans say they plan to share chocolate and candy for Valentine’s Day this year, according to the National Confectioners Association. In 2023, Valentine’s Day chocolate and candy sales exceeded $4 billion, the NCA says. Issaka said that while high demand and low supply raise prices, cocoa farmers are getting squeezed.

Persons: ”, Michele Buck, Billy Roberts, ” Roberts, Lindsey Nicholson, Marnie Ives, Ives, ” Ives, “ It’s, Karl Schneider, Roberts’s, Issifu, Issaka, ” Issaka, “ I’m, Cote, Will Kletter, Sabi Ibarra Guerrero, Uwe Gneiting, Gneiting, Joke Aerts, Aerts, ” Aerts, Sia Kambou, Price, Tony’s, “, they’ve, CNN’s Eva Rothenberg Organizations: CNN, Hershey Co, National Confectioners Association, NCA, Cocoa, Oxfam America, Getty, Fairtrade, Cote d’Ivoire, “ Locations: West Africa, North America, Manhattan, Queens , New York, Neck, NY, Bloomfield , NJ, Ghana, North Region, Cote d’Ivoire, Silicon, Africa, Accra, Cote, Hermankono, AFP

☆ Madagascan President's Ex-Aide Offered Influence for Bribes, London Jury Told
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Sam TobinLONDON (Reuters) - Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina's ex-chief of staff offered to use her influence to obtain bribes from precious stone miner Gemfields in exchange for help with lucrative mining rights, prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday. Romy Andrianarisoa, 47, is accused of seeking substantial payments from Gemfields between 2021 and 2023 to help the company expand its business into Madagascar. Prosecutor Alex Leach told jurors at Southwark Crown Court that Andrianarisoa was, at the time of the alleged offending, a "trusted adviser" to Rajoelina. At the meeting, Andrianarisoa "made it clear she had direct influence on the president", Leach added. He said Gemfields later approached Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) after it became clear Andrianarisoa and her associate Philippe Tabuteau were seeking a bribe.

Persons: Sam Tobin LONDON, Andry Rajoelina's, Romy Andrianarisoa, Andrianarisoa, Alex Leach, Leach, Sean Gilbertson, Gemfields, Britain's, Philippe Tabuteau, Tabuteau, Sam Tobin, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Southwark Crown, Crime Agency, NCA, Gemfields Locations: London, Gemfields, Madagascar, Southwark, Tabuteau

☆ Investigators cracked a $130 million money-laundering scheme by tracing the ringleader's air miles
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewTracing a ringleader's frequent-flyer miles helped investigators crack an international money-laundering scheme, The Wall Street Journal reported. More than £104 million, or about $131 million, in cash was smuggled from London to Dubai in 83 trips, the UK's National Crime Agency said. AdvertisementThe NCA said Mehdi Amrollahbibiyouki checked in 12 suitcases containing £4.3 million over three trips to Dubai in February and March 2020. And Ali Al-Nawab took nine suitcases containing £3.2 million across two trips. AdvertisementAuthorities said the Emirates Skywards miles helped them trace the operation, the Journal reported.

Persons: —, Mehdi Amrollahbibiyouki, Ali Al, Abdullah Alfalasi, Ian Truby, NCA's, Al Organizations: Service, Street Journal, Business, Crime Agency, NCA, Emirates, Authorities Locations: London, Dubai, Amrollahbibiyouki, Al

☆ What’s in Those Huge Suitcases? $125 Million in Cash
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Margot Patrick | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An image from CCTV footage released by the U.K.’s National Crime Agency shows one of the smugglers at London’s Heathrow Airport. Photo: NCAThey looked like ordinary tourists with very big bags. But like a network of ants, they carried off tens of millions of dollars in cash from London to Dubai. British crime fighters cracked a money-laundering network that they say moved more than £100 million, equivalent to $125 million. A London court found two men guilty of illegal smuggling on Thursday, taking convictions in the network of cash couriers to 16, according to the National Crime Agency.

Organizations: U.K, Crime Agency, National Crime Agency Locations: London, Dubai, British

The logo of Sumitomo Metal Mining Co is pictured at the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, September 13, 2018. REUTERS/Ritsuko Shimizu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining (5713.T) is considering producing cathode battery materials in the United States among other options as it looks to expand output to meet demand from electric vehicles, an executive said on Thursday. Sumitomo Metal plans to bolster its annual output capacity to 120,000 tons by March 2028 and 180,000 tons by March 2031. The consortium consists of Sumitomo Metal, Mitsubishi (8058.T) and Mitsui (8031.T). Sumitomo Metal is targeting to boost annual nickel output capacity to 150,000 tons in a long-term from 82,000 tons now.

Persons: Ritsuko Shimizu, Katsuya Tanaka, ARL.AX, Masaru Takebayashi, Yuka Obayashi, David Evans Organizations: Sumitomo Metal Mining, REUTERS, Rights, Sumitomo Metal, Panasonic, U.S, Kalgoorlie Nickel, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, United States, Niihama, Pomalaa, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

☆ Russian gold miner Uzhuralzoloto announces IPO despite UK sanctions on owner
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Anastasia Lyrchikova | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Alfa Bank analysts valued UGC's share capital at 140.5-170.8 billion roubles ($1.53-1.86 billion). Britain imposed sanctions on 29 individuals and entities in Russia's gold and oil sectors on Wednesday, including Strukov and two of Russia's largest gold producers, Nord Gold and Highland Gold Mining, but not UGC itself. Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) also issued an alert to financial institutions, warning them about Russian attempts to use gold to evade sanctions. Strukov said the IPO would allow UGC to reach more investors, diversify the shareholder structure and lower its debt burden. A string of small offerings has breathed some life into Russia's equity capital markets in recent months.

Persons: Uzhuralzoloto, Konstantin Strukov, Strukov, Anastasia Lyrchikova, Felix Light, Alexander Marrow, Mark Potter Organizations: UGC, Alfa Bank, Reuters, Nord, Highland Gold Mining, Crime Agency, Astra, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Moscow, Britain, Ukraine, Nord Gold

☆ National Coffee Day: Free coffee at Dunkin plus lots more deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —This Friday is arguably the best day of the year: It’s National Coffee Day. Sixty-seven percent of Americans drink coffee every day — more than any other beverage, including water — according to National Coffee Association (NCA). A recently released NCA report also said that coffee consumption continues to “bounce back” from the Covid-19 pandemic, notably with at-work consumption growing as companies compel their workers return to the office. In fact, enjoying an in-office coffee has “rebounded to pre-pandemic levels” with 36% of Americans participating. People drinking coffee at home are still above their pre-pandemic levels at 82%.

Persons: Peet’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Coffee Association Locations: New York

☆ Sumitomo Metal to invest in Canada's Nano One to collaborate on battery material
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining (5713.T) said on Monday it will invest 16.9 million Canadian dollars ($12.5 million) in Canada's battery material company Nano One Materials (NANO.TO) to collaborate on manufacturing technology for the material. The move comes after Japan and Canada agreed to work more closely together to establishing sustainable and reliable global battery supply chains. Sumitomo Metal supplies the nickel-cobalt-aluminium (NCA) cathode materials for the Panasonic (6752.T) lithium-ion batteries used in Tesla (TSLA.O) electric vehicles (EVs). The two companies will work together to develop manufacturing technology for battery cathode materials for EVs at a lower cost and environmental impact, it added. Sumitomo Metal has been expanding its production capacity of the cathode materials and plans further expansions.

Persons: Yuka Obayashi, Louise Heavens Organizations: Sumitomo Metal Mining, Sumitomo Metal, Panasonic, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Canada

☆ British businessman jailed for fake bomb plot in London's legal district
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Metropolitan Police/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - A British businessman at the centre of a money-laundering investigation was jailed on Friday for more than eight years for targeting two lawyers with fake bombs in the heart of London's legal district. Prosecutors said Nuttall orchestrated the plot with his driver Michael Sode, 59, and former soldier Michael Broddle, 47, who planted devices which were designed to look like genuine explosives. Broddle had previously conducted a six-month surveillance operation against Sutcliffe, Jeavons and their families, she said. Nuttall and Sode were both convicted of two counts of conspiracy to plant the devices and conspiracy to transfer criminal property, relating to payments made to Broddle. Broddle had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to plant the devices and two counts of possession of an explosive substance.

Persons: Jonathan Nuttall, Prosecutors, Nuttall, Michael Sode, Michael Broddle, Andrew Sutcliffe, Anne Jeavons, Broddle, Sutcliffe, Jeavons, –, Catherine Farrelly, Sode, Bailey, Simon Mayo, Farrelly, Sam Tobin, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Metropolitan Police, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Britain's, Crime Agency, NCA, Court, London's, Thomson Locations: Gray's, British, London, Bailey

☆ Nebraska volleyball sets world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event, at above 92,000, school says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Jacob Lev | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Memorial Stadium was the place to be on Wednesday night when the University of Nebraska women’s volleyball team hosted in-state opponent Omaha. The official attendance of 92,003 in Lincoln – at what normally is the university’s football stadium – set the world record for the largest announced crowd at a women’s sporting event, according to the school. “Nebraska has the best fan base in the world, the best volleyball fans in the world,” Albert said before introducing head coach John Cook. “And I was thinking this morning, there’s only three things that shut down the University of Nebraska: 1) snowstorms, 2) Covid, 3) Nebraska volleyball in the stadium. During what the school called “Volleyball Day,” the record-setting crowd gave a roaring ovation to the fourth-ranked Nebraska volleyball team as players walked onto the court.

Persons: Trev Alberts, ” Albert, John Cook, Cook, there’s, ” Cook, wasn’t, Bob Devaney Organizations: CNN —, University of Nebraska women’s, Omaha, Lincoln –, –, UEFA Champions League, Barcelona, Wolfsburg, Camp, University of Nebraska, Nebraska, Rose Bowl, Huskers, Bob Devaney Sports Center, NCAA, Nationwide Arena Locations: Lincoln, Barcelona, Spain, Camp Nou, Nebraska, “ Nebraska, United States, China, Pasadena , California, Wisconsin, Columbus , Ohio

CNN —Nigeria’s former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has been charged with bribery offenses following an investigation by the UK’s National Crime Agency, which alleges she accepted bribes in exchange for multimillion-pound oil and gas contracts while in government. The agency said that Alison-Madueke, who currently resides in London, will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on October 2. “Bribery is a pervasive form of corruption, which enables serious criminality and can have devastating consequences for developing countries. Alison-Madueke also served as the first female president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and biggest oil producer, is one of 13 countries in OPEC.

Persons: CNN —, Diezani Alison, Madueke, “, Cartier, ” Alison, Goodluck Jonathan, Alison, ”, Andy Kelly Organizations: CNN, Crime Agency, National Crime Agency, Louis Vuitton, Organization of, Petroleum Locations: London, Westminster, Nigeria, Africa’s

Nigeria's Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke (C) attends the flag-off for Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan's campaign for a second term in office, in Lagos January 8, 2015. REUTERS/Akintunde Akinleye/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Ex-minister was arrested in London in 2015Police allege lavish lifestyle came from corruptionAssets frozen in UK, seized in U.S., NigeriaLONDON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - British police said on Tuesday they had charged former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke with bribery offences, saying they suspected she had accepted bribes in return for awarding multi-million pound oil and gas contracts. Alison-Madueke, 63, served as petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015, under former President Goodluck Jonathan. A London lawyer who was acting for her in 2015 did not immediately respond to a request for comment. News of the British charges comes a month after a London court ordered the confiscation of $130 million from a former Nigerian oil state governor, James Ibori, in an unrelated but equally high-profile case involving political corruption in Nigeria.

Persons: Diezani Alison, Goodluck Jonathan's, Akintunde, Alison, Madueke, Goodluck Jonathan, Andy Kelly, St John’s Wood, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, James Ibori, Michael Holden, Estelle Shirbon, Giles Elgood Organizations: Nigeria's Petroleum, Nigeria's, REUTERS, Police, Nigeria LONDON, British, Organization of, Petroleum, NCA, Westminster Magistrates, Louis, U.S . Department of Justice, Thomson Locations: Lagos, London, U.S, Nigeria, Africa's, Britain, United States, St John’s, Westminster

☆ A sanctioned Russian billionaire says the UK searched his multimillion-dollar London home illegally using allegations from a 15-year-old report
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman said a UK police warrant to search his home was unlawfully obtained, per Reuters. He wants to overturn the warrant which he said was obtained based on allegations from a 2007 report. Back in December, the UK National Crime Agency, or NCA, searched Fridman's multi-million dollar home over several allegations — including conspiracy to evade UK sanctions and money laundering — per Reuters. Cathryn McGahey, the NCA's lawyer, said in court filings the UK government agency admitted its raid on Fridman's house was "unlawful," per Reuters. An NCA spokesperson told Insider that it accepted that the search warrant contained technical errors.

Persons: Mikhail Fridman, Fridman, Hugo Keith, Cathryn McGahey, Keith Organizations: Reuters, Service, London's, National Crime Agency, European Union, Alfa Group, WikiLeaks, Merriam, Webster, NCA, Agency Locations: Wall, Silicon, Russian, London, Russia, Ukraine, Russia's

☆ More than 700 firearms seized in UK in Anglo-Spanish operation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - More than 700 firearms have been seized in a five-year operation by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) and Spain's Guardia Civil to prevent replica guns that can easily be converted into lethal weapons from entering Britain, the NCA said on Sunday. The operation, which also involved international law enforcement and gun retailers, targeted forward-venting blank firearms (FVBF), which resemble guns such as Glocks. The weapons are traded lawfully in some parts of mainland Europe but are illegal to possess or import into Britain. Since 2019, the NCA and Guardia Civil - which has jurisdiction in Spain for the national control of firearms- have been jointly working on Project Vizardlike to combat the threat. The operation has so far resulted in the seizure of 703 firearms, 74 arrests and 50 convictions, the NCA said.

Persons: Paul Sandle, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Crime Agency, Britain, NCA, Guardia Civil, Thomson Locations: Guardia, Britain, Europe, Spain

The two pilots, however, would allow extensive information sharing between banks on large-scale financial crime, expand public-private data sharing initiatives and set up a similar platform to Britain's national fraud database for serious economic crime. The pilots could be formally launched by October when Britain's economic crime and corporate transparency bill, currently on its way through parliament, is expected to become law. This legislation aims to protect regulated firms from confidentiality rules if they share information to tackle economic crime, giving them the leeway to ramp up data sharing. One financial crime investigations lawyer, who declined to be named because of client sensitivities, said that information-sharing needed appropriate safeguards. The NCA told Reuters it was discussing the data sharing pilot with a number of banks to try and identify "actionable intelligence".

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Banks, Simon Fell, Iain Withers, Kirstin Ridley, Sinead Cruise, Jane Merriman Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Lloyds, NatWest, Reuters, HSBC, Barclays, Crime Agency, UK Finance, Home Office, NCA, Thomson Locations: Russia, Britain, Ukraine

☆ Coffee research group progresses on naturally decaffeinated varieties
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Roberto Samora | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, June 16 (Reuters) - A Brazilian coffee research institute has started a decisive stage in a two-decade project to develop arabica coffee varieties that are naturally decaffeinated, a development the researchers think could have significant commercial potential. The program is being developed at the Instituto Agronomico de Campinas (IAC), a leading coffee research center that has provided many of the high-yield coffee plants that have helped Brazil become a powerhouse in the global coffee market, supplying more than a third of the trade. Companies selling decaffeinated coffee as well could benefit with reduced costs, since they could skip the industrial processes to remove caffeine from regular coffee varieties. Coffee trees usually take two to three years to produce the first fruits, so there are still some years ahead until the researchers can harvest that coffee and test it. Consumption of decaffeinated coffee accounts for around 10% of the market in the United States, according to data from the National Coffee Association (NCA).

Persons: Julio Cesar Mistro, Roberto Samora, Marcelo Teixeira, Sandra Maler Organizations: SAO PAULO, Instituto Agronomico, IAC, National Coffee Association, Thomson Locations: Campinas, Brazil, Europe, United States, New York

☆ Can the World Make an Electric Car Battery Without China?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Agnes Chang | Keith Bradsher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

China controls 6% of the world’s nickel 78% of graphite 5% of manganese China controls 6% of the world’s nickel 78% of graphite 5% of manganese Source: CRU Group, U.S.G.S. China makes 73% of NMC cathodes 99% of LFP cathodes China makes 73% of NMC cathodes 99% of LFP cathodes Source: CRU Group Note: Data for “NMC cathodes” category includes NMC, NCA, NMCA; “LFP cathodes” includes LFP, LMFP. China makes 66% of the world’s battery cells 2.8” Cathode Each car has thousands of cells. China makes 54% of the world’s electric cars China makes 54% of the world’s electric cars Source: IEA Note: Data for 2021American investors remain wary about putting money into electric vehicles. Electric car buyers in China get tax rebates, cheaper vehicle registration, preferential parking and access to an extensive charging network.

☆ A pilot who tried to smuggle 4 people from Belgium to Britain in a private airplane was jailed for 7 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A pilot who tried to use a plane to smuggle four people from Belgium to Britain has been jailed. Styles was previously jailed for using a small plane to smuggle ecstasy and cannabis. A pilot once jailed for smuggling drugs in a light aircraft has been sentenced again – this time for trying to smuggling people. The plane used by Richard Styles to smuggle four people. Turchet was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, while Sivakumar was sentenced to four and a half years.

LONDON, April 5 (Reuters) - International law enforcement agencies have seized a sprawling dark web marketplace popular with cybercriminals, Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Wednesday, in a multinational crackdown dubbed 'Operation Cookie Monster'. A banner plastered across Genesis Market's site late on Tuesday said domains belonging to the organisation had been seized by the FBI. Logos of other European, Canadian, and Australian police organizations were also emblazoned across the site, along with that of cybersecurity firm Qintel. The NCA estimated that the service hosted about 80 million credentials and digital fingerprints stolen from more than two million people. The NCA said Genesis had operated by selling credentials from as little as $0.7 to hundreds of dollars depending on the stolen data available.

Trader Joe's is accused in a lawsuit of misleading and endangering shoppers by selling dark chocolate that contains harmful levels of lead and cadmium. Both suits follow a December study by Consumer Reports that tested popular dark chocolate bars for heavy metal content. Using California’s maximum allowable dose level (MADL) as a benchmark, the publication said just five popular dark chocolate bars contained acceptable levels of lead and/or cadmium, while nearly two dozen did not. Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao was found to contain high levels of lead, and its The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate 85% Cacao product was high in lead and cadmium, according to Consumer Reports' testing. The NCA also pointed to a 2018 settlement it reached with an advocacy group, As You Sow, that established concentration levels for both lead and cadmium that supersede the California maximum allowable dose levels.

☆ UK crime agency arrests 'wealthy Russian' over money laundering
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Britain's National Crime Agency said on Saturday it had arrested a "wealthy Russian businessman" on suspicion of money laundering and other offences as part of a crackdown on corrupt oligarchs. The unidentified 58-year-old was among three men arrested by officers from the Combatting Kleptocracy Cell (CKC) on Thursday at a "multi-million pound residence" in London, the NCA said. He was detained on suspicion of money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the Home Office (interior ministry) and conspiracy to commit perjury, the NCA said. These included a number of asset freezing orders on accounts held by people linked to sanctioned Russians. Britain has so far sanctioned more than 1,200 individuals and over 120 entities following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

☆ British crime agency recovers $65 mln of suspect money in Barclays accounts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) on Friday obtained a civil recovery order relating to nearly 54 million pounds ($65 million) of suspected criminal property held in accounts with Barclays (BARC.L). The NCA's lawyers told London's High Court that the money is likely "the proceeds of unlawful conduct", a view shared by Barclays which first approached the agency about the money. Judge Robin Knowles said he was prepared to make the civil recovery order "without hesitation". The NCA said that the case was "a great example of how the public and private sector can work together to recover proceeds of crime". "The proactive identification of these funds by Barclays was the reason we could take this action," said Adrian Searle, director of the National Economic Crime Centre within the NCA.

Today's EVs run on lithium ion batteries — mostly made with lithium, cobalt, manganese and high-grade nickel, whose prices have soared. The EVs of the future — those arriving after 2025 — could shift to sodium ion or lithium sulfur battery cells that could be up to two-thirds cheaper than today's lithium ion cells. China's CATL (300750.SZ) has said it plans to begin producing sodium ion cells in 2023. Michigan-based Amandarry and British startup AMTE Power (AMTE.L) are developing sodium ion batteries using sodium chloride — basically table salt — as the main cathode ingredient. Battery developers hope they can add sodium ion and lithium sulfur batteries to the range open to the auto industry.

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