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Having dispatched their speaker then rejected two popular GOP figures as replacements, the House Republicans on Tuesday will be voting instead on a hodge-podge of lesser-known congressmen for speaker, a powerful position second in line to the presidency. No one is expected to emerge from first-round voting and Republicans are planning to stay behind closed doors until they can agree on a nominee. Launched over right-flank complaints about McCarthy's leadership in budget battles, it's no longer clear what the House Republicans are fighting for and if they will end up with a more acceptable speaker. Trump has intervened from the sidelines backing hard-charging Rep. Jim Jordan over Majority Leader Steve Scalise. “You’re gonna have to use persuasion.”Trump, brushing back suggestions that he take the gavel himself, suggested Monday that no one is capable of uniting the House Republicans.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, “ We’re, ”, Dusty Johnson, There's, Kevin Hern of, Tom Emmer, Donald Trump, Byron Donalds of, Trump, — it’s, McCarthy, Joe Biden, —, Matt Gaetz, Mike Johnson, Jack Bergman of, Austin Scott of Georgia, Jordan, Pete Sessions, Gary Palmer of, Dan Meuser, Biden, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nick LaLota, “, Emmer, Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise, can’t, Johnson, “ You’re, ” Trump, Jesus Christ, Patrick McHenry, Republicans —, McHenry, Jill Colvin, Holly Ramer Organizations: WASHINGTON, House Republicans, Republicans, Federal, Biden, Pete Sessions of Texas, New York Republican, Republican, Capitol Hill, Ohio, Financial Services, Associated Press Locations: Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Minnesota, Byron Donalds of Florida, Israel, Ukraine, U.S, Mexico, Florida, Donalds, Louisiana, Jack Bergman of Michigan, Gary Palmer of Alabama, New Hampshire, South Dakota, R, Concord , New Hampshire

He was a violinist who became a soldier with Ukraine’s special forces. “We did it so that people in Ukraine and in occupied Crimea don’t lose spirit and keep faith in Crimea returning to Ukraine,” Muzykant said. Russian forces illegally annexed Crimea in 2014. Vasco Cotovio/CNNMuzykant said the dangerous operation took months of planning to prepare the Ukrainian soldiers for the many risks they would face. Stringer/ReutersMuzykant knows there’s still some time and plenty of hard work before Ukrainian forces are able to launch a bigger offensive on Crimea but more – and more daring – raids are on the horizon.

Persons: ”, Muzykant, ” Muzykant, Vladimir Putin, Vasco Cotovio, CNN Muzykant, “, Batallion, It’s, Dmytro Korchynskyi, ” Korchynskyi, Korchynskyi, Atesh, ” Atesh, Stringer, Reuters Muzykant, there’s Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, “, Raptors, Fleet, Storm Shadow, Black, Russia, Planet Labs, Reuters CNN, Federal Security Service, Partisans, Reuters Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Crimea, Ukrainian, Russia’s, Moscow, Russian, CNN Moscow, ”, Crimean, Sevastopol, Kerch, Russia, Kherson, Melitopol

☆ South Africa to probe Meta, Google competition with news publishers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta is seen in front of displayed Google logo in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Oct 17 (Reuters) - South Africa's Competition Commission will investigate whether digital platforms like Meta (META.O) and Google (GOOGL.O) were unfairly competing with news publishers by using their content to generate ad revenue, it said on Tuesday. The Commission will be investigating among other things market features that may distort competition for advertising revenue between news media organisations and digital platforms, and whether these are affected by imbalances in bargaining power. The inquiry will include general search engines such as Alphabet's Google and Bing, social media platforms such as Meta and X, news aggregation platforms, video sharing platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, and ad networks such as Google Ads. It will also examine generative artificial intelligence such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and how it uses original news content in its output, the Commission added.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Doris Tshepe, James Hodge, Nqobile Dludla, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Africa's, Google, YouTube, Thomson Locations: Rights JOHANNESBURG

☆ In the Market-Inside a startup’s struggle in a higher-for-longer world
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Paritosh Bansal | Thomson Reuters | Paritosh Oversees The Work Of More Than Journalists Across The Globe Who Write About Finance | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Marvel, a unit of Walt Disney (DIS.N), initially planned to use Tractiv's software in a post-production process, documents show. They provide rare, sometimes blow-by-blow insight into the hardship facing startups, key drivers of American innovation. In February 2021, Tractiv got a major break when it gave a demonstration of the software to venture capital firms. The next few months Tractiv had a series of conversations with major financial services companies, including banks such as JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N). Several showed interest in Tractiv's software but did not buy it.

Persons: Beresford Hodge, Walt Disney, Drew Orsinger, Tractiv's, they're, Mark Almeida, Tractiv, Orsinger, Hans Morris, Morris, JPMorgan Chase, Jan, Nyca, Nyca's Morris, Paritosh Bansal, Anna Driver Organizations: Walt Disney Studios, REUTERS, Tractiv, Marvel Studios, Marvel, Walt, Disney, Hollywood, Venture, Reuters, SpaceX, CME Group, Honeywell, Nyca Partners, JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Tractiv, headwinds

☆ In the Market: Inside a startup’s struggle in a higher-for-longer world
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Paritosh Bansal | Thomson Reuters | Paritosh Oversees The Work Of More Than Journalists Across The Globe Who Write About Finance | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

☆ OECD publishes treaty that would replace national digital taxes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ian Langsdon/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published a multilateral treaty on Wednesday that would replace a hodge-podge of national digital services taxes if ratified by enough countries. If ratified, the treaty requires that countries that have, or are planning, national digital services taxes drop them. Washington is particularly sensitive to that issue as many of such taxes were put in place to target big U.S. digital companies such as Google, Amazon and Apple. To enter into force, the 30 countries home to at least 60% of the affected multinational companies have to ratify the treaty, which means that the U.S. has to be on board. OECD head of tax Manal Corwin said failure to ratify the text could lead to "grave consequences" and not only because it could trigger a proliferation in the use of digital services taxes and trade retaliation.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Mathias Cormann, Ian Langsdon, Corwin, Leigh Thomas, Mark Potter Organizations: Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, Rights, Economic Cooperation, Apple, OECD, Thomson Locations: OECD's, Paris, France, United States, U.S, Washington

☆ Analysis: Putin banks on wavering support for Ukraine, amid a race against time
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Last week, President Joe Biden signed into law a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown, but funding for Ukraine was a casualty of the brinksmanship on Capitol Hill. The Biden administration emphasizes that that the American public’s support for Ukraine remains strong. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky walks down the White House colonnade to the Oval Office with President Joe Biden during a visit to the White House in Washington, DC, on September 21. In his remarks at Valdai, he clearly implied that Russia intends to outlast the West over Ukraine. Paraphrasing Putin, Mylovanov said that the Kremlin believes that “Ukraine will have one week left to LIVE once Western supplies are over.

Persons: Donald Trump, he’d, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, “, Joe Biden, Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Volodymyr Zelensky, Kevin Lamarque, —, Robert Fico, Fico, Ukraine —, Wolfgang Schwan, Rob Bauer, brazenly, Tymofiy Mylovanov, Putin’s Valdai, Mylovanov, Wagner Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Ukraine, Capitol, White, Pentagon, of, Republican, Trump, European Union, NATO, Russia, Anadolu Agency, Warsaw Security, Royal Netherlands Navy, Committee, Kyiv School of Economics Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Washington, Washington ,, United States, Europe, Slovakia, EU, Russian, Bakhmut, Russia, Siberia, Eastern Siberia, Valdai, West, Brussels, Hroza, Kharkiv, Ukraine’s

Hroza CNN —Two women slowly approach a makeshift memorial in the village of Hroza. “It was a powerful strike, very powerful, I came out and everything was burning,” she recalled, the horror of Thursday afternoon’s strike still very present. Residents say little more than 110 had remained in the village, nearly half of those killed by the strike. Vasco Cotovio/CNNThe grocery store and cafe hit by a Russian missile in Hroza were meters away from a children's playground. Vasco Cotovio/CNNValentina Kozienko, 73, says the Russian strike also damaged her house.

Persons: ”, Valentina Kozienko, “, Vasco Cotovio, Andrii, Denis, Hroza, ” Anatoliy Androsovych, Mykola, “ It’s, Andrii Kozyr Organizations: CNN, CNN Emergency Locations: Hroza, Russian, Russia, ”, Kupiansk, Kharkiv, Ukrainian, Dnipro

☆ Kyiv: Touting American-made guns, frontline Ukrainian soldiers fear potential loss of US military support
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Vasco Cotovio Frederik Pleitgen Daniel Hodge Kostyantin Gak | Vasco Cotovio | Frederik Pleitgen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Donetsk region, Ukraine CNN —A Ukrainian solider rushes through the front-line in Klishchiivka, eastern Ukraine, as gun and artillery fire erupt around him. A Ukrainian soldier practices with an American-donated machine gun at a training ground in eastern Ukraine. Vasco Cotovio/CNNUnfazed by the artillery duels just a few miles away, over the battered city of Bakhmut, Vasyl, 44, practices with a US-made M2 Browning machine gun. “This is a large-caliber machine gun that works without failures,” said Vasyl, who asked that his last name not be used due to safety concerns. Back at the Ukrainian military training ground, smoke billows on the horizon but a momentary silence suggests an end to the artillery duel in the distance.

Persons: Panting, United States —, Joe Biden, Vasco Cotovio, ”, Vasyl, “, Oleksiy Danilov, Vladimir, Putin, ” Danilov, it’s Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Russian, United, Ukraine, CNN, Ukraine’s National, US Locations: Donetsk, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Klishchiivka, American, Belgian, United States, Kyiv, Washington, Bakhmut, Soviet

Zaporizhzhia, southern Ukraine CNN —A group of Ukrainian soldiers moves swiftly through a front-line training ground, overcoming obstacles and firing at distant targets. They are fine-tuning their battle skills here as Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces rages just few miles to the south. “When we had contact (with the Russian forces), I had to move away from the trail,” Danilo said. Vlad, a combat medic, says many of those injured by mines in recent months have been sappers working to clear territory so Ukrainian forces can advance. ‘Victory or death’Following his recuperation in Mexico, Danilo is back in the battle, supporting Ukrainian forces as they advance in the south.

Persons: Ukraine CNN —, Danilo, “ I’m, ” Danilo, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vasco Cotovio, “, ”, Vlad, won’t Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, Vasco, Geneva Convention, Russian Ministry of Defense, ” Kyiv, ‘, Ukraine’s Locations: Ukraine, Russia’s, Florida, Zaporizhzhia, Russian, Mexico, Ukrainian, Geneva

☆ The message behind Putin’s Wagner meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In a televised meeting Friday, Putin met with Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and former Wagner commander Andrey Troshev, according to a partial transcript published by the Kremlin. But unpack the language, and Putin’s Friday meeting appeared to put a reassuring gloss on the Russian government’s attempt to bring the mercenary group to heel. “I would like to talk to you about issues of a social nature,” Putin told Troshev, without naming Wagner. Wagner has supported the Libyan National Army for several years, reportedly backing Haftar’s 2019-2020 military campaign against the Tripoli-based government. If Friday’s meeting is any guide, Yevkurov appears to be a point man for future Wagner activity while Troshev takes on a different brief: overseeing Wagner 2.0 for the war in Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, –, Wagner, group’s, Putin, Yunus, Bek Yevkurov, Andrey Troshev, Troshev –, ‘, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s, Prigozhin, “, ” Putin, Troshev, ”, Fatherland ’, ” –, Dmitry Peskov –, Yevkurov, Khalifa Haftar Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Fatherland, Prigozhin’s, “, RIA Novosti, Wagner, Central African, Libyan National Army, Rapid Support Forces Locations: Moscow, Russian, Russia’s Tver, Ukraine, Belarus, Africa, Mali, Central African Republic, Libya, Libyan, Benghazi, Tripoli

The night-time assault is part of a coordinated Ukrainian offensive push near the beleaguered eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, to which CNN obtained exclusive access. “Sometimes there are a lot of them,” Groove says, searching the area with his drone, trying to scope out Russian forces. They chase a few Russian vehicles, dropping bombs on them as they go. Ukrainian drone pilots are able to see their targets through their controllers, even at night, with the help of night vision. German-made Leopard 2 tanks, American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles among others were sent to the area to support Ukrainian forces as they stormed Russian positions.

Persons: They’ve, ”, “, ” Ukraine’s, Mykhailo Fedorov, ‘ Flint ’, Wagner Organizations: Eastern, Eastern Ukraine CNN —, CNN, Ministry for Digital Transformation, Digital Transformation, Russia, “, US, American Bradley, Southern Locations: Eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Kyiv, Russian, Ukraine, zeroing, East Kyiv, Melitopol, Berdiansk, American, Crimea, South, “, Russia

CNN —The general leading Ukraine’s counteroffensive along the southern front line says his forces have broken through in Verbove – and predicts an even bigger breakthrough to come. However, open-source analysis of available video suggests that some Ukrainian units have crossed through an important line of Russian defenses near the village of Verbove. Stringer/ReutersAt the beginning of September Ukrainian forces said they had taken the village of Robotyne and were pushing east toward the village of Novoprokopivka. CNN reported earlier this week that the Ukrainian forces were still some 20 kilometers from Tokmak, struggling to break through the multiple layers of Russian defenses. “But the actions of our fighters force them to slowly pull back when they face our assault squads.”The general conceded that for the counteroffensive to be a success, Ukrainian forces need to at least reach the city of Tokmak.

Persons: Verbove –, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, Frederik Pleitgen, ”, Stringer, Soldiers, Tarnavsky, ” Tarnavsky, “, Rather, Sergey Surovikin, Ukraine – Tarnavsky, Tokmak, Pleitgen, It’s, Ukraine’s, CNN Wagner, ‘, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin, redeploying, that’s, it’s Wagner, it’s Organizations: CNN, International, Kyiv, Reuters, Assault Brigade Locations: Verbove, Russia, Ukrainian, Zaporizhzia, Zaporizhzhia, Crimea, Robotyne, Novoprokopivka, Ukraine, Tokmak, West, Russian, Belarus, Kherson, –, Sevastopol, Crimean

☆ Putin and Kim meet in Russia, but what are the main takeaways?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Video Ad Feedback See moment Putin greets Kim at Russian space port 00:46 - Source: CNNAnd there’s potential of something in return for Pyongyang. Kim’s regime is heavily isolated: Multiple rounds of sanctions have targeted North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Even Russia has signed on to North Korean sanctions in the past. So we are still dealing with a major unknown when it comes to a potential technology exchange between North Korea and Russia. The US believes Pyongyang has already been a player in the Ukraine war, providing the Russian mercenary group Wagner with arms.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, Putin, Kim, ” –, Sergei Shoigu, Russia –, It’s, “, ” Putin, Mort Sahl, Wernher von Braun, Reuters Von, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin Organizations: CNN, North, Vostochny, North Korean, Ukraine, Russian, NATO, North Korea “, Nazi, Reuters Locations: Amur, Russia, Russia’s Far, Pyongyang, Ukraine, Korea, North Korea, England, ”, Russian, Europe

☆ After Wagner's Prigozhin, who will stick their head above the parapet in Putin's Russia?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Kremlin has vehemently denied speculation that the Russian state might have been involved in the crash. It’s worth remembering that Prigozhin never had particularly high name recognition in Russia, at least certainly not before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. That changed in late June after Wagner’s march on Moscow raised the unsettling possibility of civil war in Russia. Alexey Navalny, who succeeded Nemtsov as Russia’s most galvanizing opposition leader, is currently in a Russian prison colony, along with many others who have peacefully opposed Putin’s war on Ukraine. Killed the leaders.”No evidence has surfaced that points to the involvement of the Kremlin or Russian security services in the crash.

Persons: Yevgeny, Wagner, Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, “, ” Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Joe Biden, I’d, Biden, Prigozhins —, Prigozhin, Prigozhin —, —, Igor Girkin, ultranationalist, Matthew Chance, bouquets —, Boris Nemtsov, Alexander Ermochenko, Alexey Navalny, Nemtsov, Navalny, ’ ” Organizations: CNN, Embraer, Kremlin, Reuters Locations: Moscow, Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, St . Petersburg, Russia’s

☆ Market reactions to Powell speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

"It is the Fed's job to bring inflation down to our 2% goal, and we will do so," Powell said. "August has been a difficult month for the market, so it is hungry for news that will help reverse the trend. Investors are hanging on to every word, but the main takeaway is that Powell signaled that the Fed would raise rates if needed. Rather than last year's short but brutal speech, Powell opted for a longer and calmer speech. KARL SCHAMOTTA, CHIEF MARKET STRATEGIST, CORPAY, TORONTO"On balance, this is a modestly less hawkish speech than markets had feared.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, CHRISTOPHER HODGE, MICHAEL GREEN, ANDRE BAKHOS, CARSTEN BRZESKI, Ann Saphir, Christine, Lagarde, ” JOSEPH LAVORGNA, “, ” STUART COLE, ” QUINCY KROSBY, there's, DAVID WAGNER, Jackson, BRIAN JACOBSEN, patting, KARL SCHAMOTTA, Bernanke, Draghi Organizations: U.S . Federal, Federal, NFP, Fed, ING, Kansas City, REUTERS, CHIEF, CPI, Global Finance, Markets, Thomson Locations: U.S, JERSEY, FRANKFURT, Kansas, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, NIKKO, LONDON, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, CINCINNATI , OHIO, WISCONSIN, TORONTO

☆ Apparent death of Wagner boss Prigozhin might pay dividends for the Kremlin
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Ukrainians and their allies, Solovyov insinuated, were “spreading a fake message about the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin” based on a report from Rossiya-24, a Russian state television channel. After all, Russian investigative outlets have reported that the Wagner head apparently employed at least one body double. Awaiting an impartial report from the Investigative Committee is like expecting a Russian state TV host to stop taking talking points from the Kremlin. The crash of Prigozhin’s plane happened just about two months after Prigozhin and Wagner staged their insurrection, the biggest challenge to Putin’s rule in over two decades. Russian investigative journalist Artem Borovik died in 2000 shortly after his plane to Kyiv crashed after take-off from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin’s, Wagner, Prigozhin, Vladimir Solovyov, Solovyov, Yevgeny Prigozhin ”, Prigozhin –, Batya, –, Vladimir Putin’s, Alexey Navalny, Putin, “, Russia, That’s, Alexander Lukashenko, defenestration, Artem Borovik, Alexander Lebed –, cui bono –, Vanda Felbab, Brown, liquidating Wagner, ”, Vladimir Putin Organizations: CNN, Embraer, Kremlin, Russian Federation, Brookings Institution Locations: Kuzhenkinskoe, Russia’s Tver, Russian, Rossiya, Moscow, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Africa, St . Petersburg, Niger, Kyiv, Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, East

☆ A BRICS no-show speaks volumes about Putin's shrinking horizons
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But Putin will be notably absent from a key global forum this week, the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. His no-show speaks volumes about Russia’s isolation – and Putin’s shrinking horizons. Bolstering such support against the background of the war on Ukraine was a key aim of Putin’s recent Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin, of course, bristles at any implication that Putin is ducking out of the BRICS summit because of an ICC warrant. Russia, after all, is waging a war on Ukraine that Putin has justified in starkly imperial terms.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, he’ll, Alexander Lukashenko, Cyril Ramaphosa, Xi Jinping, Luiz Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi –, Sergey Lavrov, Omar al, Bashir –, Darfur –, Dmitry Peskov, ”, Lavrov, “ Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Putin, South, Indian, International Criminal, ICC, Hague, Russian, UN Security Council Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Beijing, Central Asia, Iran, Minsk, Belarusian, Russia, Johannesburg, Russian, Africa, St . Petersburg, Latin America, Asia, South Africa, Darfur, BRICS, United States

☆ Yevgeny Prigozhin: Where in the world is the Wagner warlord?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It was a stark contrast to the fate of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner. Back in June, Prigozhin led the abortive mutiny that presented the biggest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin in over two decades of rule. Speaking after Wagner fighters relocated to Belarus, Prigozhin suggested he remained focused on this core African market. In a recent Telegram message, Prigozhin hinted that Wagner might be ready to offer its services there. “And this is the (the reason for the) love for PMC Wagner, this is the high efficiency of PMC Wagner.

Persons: Alexey Navalny, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Prigozhin hasn’t, –, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Andrei Kelin, Kelin, “, ” Kelin, Vladimir, Kara, Murza, … Prigozhin, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Candace Rondeaux, Rondeaux, it’s, ” Rondeaux, Mateusz Morawiecki, Morawiecki, ” Prigozhin, Sudan –, PMC Wagner, Mohamed Bazoum, Tatiana Stanovaya Organizations: CNN, Central African Republic, Kremlin, Amanpour, Putin’s, NATO, Polish, Wagner Group, PMC Wagner, PMC, Russian Foreign Ministry, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Putin Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Africa, St . Petersburg, Orchestra_W, United Kingdom, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, America, Prigozhin, Putin’s Russia, Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Sudan, Libya, Niger, Putin Russia

☆ Officials found suspected Chinese malware hidden in various US military systems. Its intended use is disruption rather than surveillance, a 'disturbing' change in intent, experts say.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Sebastian Cahill | Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Suspected Chinese malware has been identified in several US military systems. US officials told the Times that investigations into Chinese malware had been underway for several months and that the malicious code had infiltrated US military systems across the country and abroad. Previous cyberattacks typically aimed to surveil US operations, experts told the Times. "China is steadfast and determined to penetrate our governments, our companies, our critical infrastructure," the deputy director of the National Security Agency, George Barnes, said at the Intelligence and National Security Summit earlier this month. Now, experts say this new wave of malicious code has the ability to disrupt US military and civilian operations.

Persons: George Barnes, Rob Joyce, cybersecurity, Antony Blinken, Adam Hodge, Biden Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Microsoft, Andersen Air Force Base, Times, National Security Agency, Intelligence and National Security, NSA, CNN, State Department, House, National Security Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, The, Guam, United States

CNN —Igor Girkin, a prominent Russian military blogger and former official in the separatist so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in Ukraine, has been arrested in Moscow, according to a message attributed to his wife and posted on his Telegram account and in Russian news reports. Girkin, also known by the nom de guerre Igor Strelkov, was reportedly taken from his apartment by Russian security officials Friday morning. Russian state news agency TASS said Reginskaya informed them about the extremism charge, and that law-enforcement agencies confirmed Girkin’s detention. Girkin is a former colonel in Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and served as defense minister in the DPR in eastern Ukraine. According to the court, Girkin participated in the conflicts in Chechnya, Transnistria and Bosnia.

Persons: Igor Girkin, Girkin, Igor Strelkov, ”, Miroslava, “, ” Reginskaya, Reginskaya Organizations: CNN, Donetsk People’s, Investigative, Federal Security Service, DPR, Malaysia Airlines Flight Locations: Russian, Donetsk, Donetsk People’s Republic, Ukraine, Moscow, Chechnya, Transnistria, Bosnia

☆ The White House warns Russia could attack civilian ships in the Black Sea now that a key deal is dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The White House warned Russia could attack civilian shipping in the Black Sea after a grain deal died. The Black Sea grain deal that expired Monday allowed food and fertilizer cargoes to exit from three key Ukrainian ports despite a Russian blockade. The UN had to convince Russia to agree to the Black Sea grain deal last year by dangling a quid pro quo deal to allow Russia to keep exporting food and fertilizer. As a result, the Black Sea grain deal was scrapped. Russian President Putin said Wednesday he would return to the grain deal if the country's demands are met, per TASS.

Persons: Adam Hodge, Hodge, Putin, reconnecting, Volodymyr Zelenskiy Organizations: UN, Service, White House National Security Council, Associated Press, TASS Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Odesa

☆ Kim Kardashian's Skims may be the hero the IPO market needs
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

This latest round was led by Wellington Management, a firm known for taking companies public. Jens Grede, Skim’s CEO, recently told Dealbook that stock investors have shown an increased interest in consumer-oriented businesses like Skims and that an IPO is something the company wants. “At some point in the future, Skims deserves to be a public company,” he said. If a Skims IPO were to succeed, “companies, CFOs and investors in general will see this as a very positive sign,” said Sokhi. Netflix posted nearly $8.19 billion in revenue for the quarter, compared to the $8.3 billion Wall Street had projected.

Persons: Kim Kardashian, Goldman Sachs, ”, David Solomon, Ro Sokhi, Cava, “ There’s, Skims, Andy Muir, Jens Grede, Megan Penick, Robinson, Kardashian, we’re, “, ” Adam Hodge, Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia “, Tesla, Chris Isidore, Refinitiv, Clare Duffy, Samantha Delouya Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Wellington Management, Nike, US National Security Council, Russian Defense Ministry, Wednesday, Netflix Locations: New York, Cava, Skims, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Odesa’s

☆ Russia and Ukraine just turned much of the Black Sea into a dangerous no man's land
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged threats this week to ships sailing through the Black Sea. The Kremlin then went much further, warning it may attack any vessels it believes are bound for Ukraine, effectively turning the Black Sea into a no man's land. They added that Moscow even published a video claiming to have detected and detonated an alleged Ukrainian sea mine. "Our information indicates that Russia laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports. Turkish-flagged bulker TQ Samsun, carrying grain under UN's Black Sea Grain Initiative, transits Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey July 18, 2023.

Persons: Biden, Adam Hodge, António Guterres, —, Matthew Miller, Lasalle, Mark Duncan, Washington didn't Organizations: Service, United Nations, AP, White, Security, REUTERS, Black Sea Initiative, UN, US State, US Naval Institute Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Wall, Silicon, Kremlin, Odesa, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Crimea, Azov, Samsun, Istanbul, Turkey, Iran, Persian, Iraq, Hormuz, Kuwait, Soviet, Iraqi, American

☆ White House: Russia may attack civilian shipping in Black Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, July 19 (Reuters) - The White House warned on Wednesday that Russia may expand its targeting of Ukrainian grain facilities to include attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea. Adam Hodge, White House National Security Council spokesperson, said U.S. officials have information indicating Russia laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports. "We believe that this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea and lay blame on Ukraine for these attacks," he said. Hodge said Russia had announced that all ships proceeding to Ukrainian ports in Black Sea waters would be considered potential carriers of military cargo and said U.S. information indicated Russia had laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports. Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of damaging grain export infrastructure in "hellish" overnight strikes focused on two of its Black Sea ports, vowing not to be intimidated from working to keep grain exports moving out of them.

Persons: Adam Hodge, Hodge, Steve Holland, Sandra Maler Organizations: White, National Security Council, Russia, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Odesa

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