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☆ U.S. announces $457.5 mln civilian aid for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe Ukrainian national flag is seen behind the U.S. national flag during a rally of foreign community members in support of Ukraine amid growing tensions with Russia, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 6, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn OgirenkoWASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The United States will provide $457.5 million in new civilian security aid for Ukraine, a portion of which will be used to support the government's investigation of atrocities, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday. The aid is designed to help Ukrainian law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, Blinken said in a statement. The latest tranche of aid brings U.S. assistance for Ukrainian law enforcement and its partners to more than $645 million since mid-December, Blinken said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Some virtual workers are moving abroad without telling their boss or coworkers — and are taking elaborate measures to not get caught
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Some virtual workers are moving to another country without telling their bosses or coworkers. One virtual worker who's secretly moving to Mexico told Insider it's worth the risk of being fired. He then created an intricate VPN and router system to conceal his computer's location, according to the outlet. During meetings, she uses a fake Zoom background and takes phone calls in a sound-proof booth to conceal any noise that could give away her location, according to the report. Stefanie Keenan/GettyA recent survey of 1,481 workers found that 40% of HR executives discovered employees working from outside their home state or country in the past year.

☆ Meet a government worker who regrets refinancing her student debt because she didn't know it would block her from federal loan forgiveness: 'I never would have done that'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Tanya Burnett, a federal government worker, refinanced her student debt into private loans in 2016. She wasn't aware at the time that doing so would block her from Biden's recent federal loan forgiveness. In 2016, Burnett started paperwork to qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which forgives student debt for government and nonprofit workers after ten years of qualifying payments. It also meant taking her federal loans to a private lender. She's certainly not the only one who refinanced, and now, cannot take advantage of Biden's one-time blanket debt relief.

☆ The Women Who Helped to Build the CIA
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Nathalia Holt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Elizabeth Sudmeier loitered outside a cafe in Baghdad one day in early 1954, taking care not to draw attention to herself. Sudmeier, one of the female intelligence officers who helped start the CIA, had just stolen Soviet secrets. In her hands were the blueprints for the MiG-19 jet fighter, just gifted by Moscow to the Iraqis to gain favor in the region. After the war, the mission of Donovan’s Office of Strategic Services was broadened and handed to the new Central Intelligence Agency, which was created 75 years ago this month. Many operatives, including women first hired by Donovan, continued in their roles.

☆ Russian troops raped and tortured children in Ukraine, U.N. panel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Russian troops have raped and tortured children in Ukraine, carried out a “large number” of executions and committed other war crimes, according to a United Nations investigation by legal experts. “Based on the evidence gathered by the commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine,” Erik Mose, the chairman of the three-member commission, told the U.N. Human Rights Council. Mose, a Norwegian judge, said the commission has documented cases in which children have been "raped, tortured and unlawfully confined." Children also have been killed and wounded in “indiscriminate attacks” by Russian forces using explosive weapons, he said. Russia has denied committing war crimes and defended its conduct of the war since it launched the invasion Feb. 24.

☆ UN-mandated inquiry concludes war crimes were committed in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Erik Mose, Chairperson of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, attends the Human Rights Council special session on the human rights situation in Ukraine, at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseGENEVA, Sept 23 (Reuters) - The chair of an independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said on Friday that it had concluded that war crimes had been committed in Ukraine following investigations conducted in four regions of the country. "Based on the evidence gathered by the Commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine," Erik Møse told the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. He did not say explicitly who had committed the crimes but the commission's work was focused on areas of Ukraine previously occupied by Russian forces such as Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy. Investigators from the commission, which was created by the U.N. Human Rights Council in March, visited 27 places and interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses.

☆ More than 1 million Ukrainians may have been deported, U.S. envoy says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterGENEVA, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A U.S. envoy said that Russia has forcibly deported between 900,000-1.6 million Ukrainians, citing unnamed sources, and urged a U.N.-mandated commission of inquiry to investigate. "We urge the commissioners to continue to examine the growing evidence of Russia's filtration operations, forced deportations and disappearances," U.S. Ambassador Michele Taylor told the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, referring to a commission of inquiry into Ukraine. "Numerous sources indicate that Russian authorities have interrogated, detained and forcible deported between 900,000 and 1.6 million Ukrainian citizens," she said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Emma Farge, editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ XR protester who stuck himself to a bank is spared jail – as long as he doesn't take glue outside his house
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Vic Brice won't be allowed to take glue outside his home while he serves 12 months of probation. Judge William Jackson said Brice's actions came from "sincere concern" for the planet. He was given a conditional discharge with 12 months of probation by Provincial Court Judge William Jackson. The conditions of Brice's parole included keeping the peace, 40 hours of community service and not attending the bank branch in Nanaimo. I do not believe that a conditional discharge in this particular set of facts with this particular accused would undermine public confidence in the administration of law."

☆ Man convicted of shooting 2 Indiana judges in street dispute outside White Castle
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

INDIANAPOLIS — A man who shot and wounded two southern Indiana judges outside an Indianapolis fast food restaurant in 2019 was convicted Wednesday on seven of eight felonies and one misdemeanor after a three-day trial. A jury convicted Brandon Kaiser of aggravated battery, multiple battery-related charges and carrying a handgun without a license. Clark County Circuit judges Brad Jacobs and Andrew Adams were shot during the early morning hours of May 1, 2019 in the parking lot of a downtown White Castle restaurant. The Indiana Commission of Judicial Qualifications filed disciplinary charges against the three judges involved. Jacobs and Bell were reinstated to the bench in December of that year after serving 30-day suspensions.

☆ As Russia raises nuclear specter in Ukraine, China looks the other way
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It was “the most prudent, or most low-key statement in years” issued by Xi on their strategic relationship, Shi said. Under Xi, China has forged ever closer ties with Russia. Six days later, in a desperate escalation of the devastating war, Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens in a televised speech, and even raised the specter of using nuclear weapons. Both leaders share a deep suspicion and hostility toward the United States, which they believe is bent on holding China and Russia down. The main factor driving the strategic alignment between Russia and China is the perception of threats from the United States, said Hart with CSIS.

☆ Yogurt company Siggi's will pay one person $50,000 to move to Iceland and follow a 4-day work week as its 'Chief Simplicity Officer'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Dream job alert: Yogurt company Siggi's is hiring for a "Chief Simplicity Offi-skyr." The person will be paid $50,000 to move to Iceland and follow a four-day work week there. The lucky person will be paid $50,000 to move to Iceland and take up a four-day work week. Applicants must have a valid passport, strong writing and photography skills, and "a desire to live a simple life." Outside of Iceland, a four-day work week pilot currently underway in the UK is also showing positive signs.

☆ Larry Page’s electric air taxi startup is winding down
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Kittyhawk, the electric air taxi startup backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, announced Wednesday that it plans to “wind down” operations. Kittyhawk had the lofty mission of “building autonomous, affordable, ubiquitous and eco-conscious air taxis,” according to its website. The company launched other electric aircraft prototypes and announced a partnership with Boeing in 2019. In a tweet, Wisk said that it remains “in a strong financial position,” with both Boeing and Kittyhawk as investors. Like Kittyhawk, Wisk is developing an “all-electric, self-flying air taxi” that it says “rises like a helicopter and flies like a plane,” according to its website.

Ben & Jerry’s is using its popular ice cream to encourage voter turnout in Black communities. The ice cream company announced Tuesday the rebranding of its signature Change Is Brewing ice cream flavor, debuting a new look and focus. Like the initial launch for Change Is Brewing, Ben & Jerry’s collaborated with Black entrepreneurs for the rebranding. It hired multidisciplinary artist Laci Jordan, who designed the ice cream container, and tapped BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages for the ice cream’s coffee ingredients. What their desires are.”The “We Won’t Black Down” tour is headed to North Carolina and Texas next.

Amini’s death in the capital has ignited a wave of protests across the country, exposing a raw anger among Iranian women about their treatment by the regime and an unprecedented willingness to defy the government. She invites Iranian women to post their protest videos on social media under her #WhiteWednesdays hashtag campaign. At least four people have been killed so far by police in this week’s protests, according to Iranian-focused human rights organizations. Every prison sentence and arrest meted out by the regime has only radicalized Iranian women and served as a catalyst for more protests, Alinejad and other activists said. To me, I don’t see Iranian women like victims.

☆ Human Rights Campaign, largest U.S. LGBTQ advocacy group, names new president
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The Human Rights Campaign announced Tuesday that Kelley Robinson will serve as its ninth president — the first Black queer woman to lead the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization. Robinson will step into the role a year after HRC fired its previous president, Alphonso David, who was the organization's first Black president. David allegedly consulted with the governor's office in December 2020, while president of HRC, the report said. David maintained that he wasn’t aware of allegations of sexual harassment against the governor during his time as chief counsel. In February, David sued the organization in federal court, alleging that he was underpaid and then terminated “because he is Black."

☆ SEC Advisory Panel Recommends Oversight of U.S. Accounting Rule Maker
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

The SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee, a group of investors, academics and financial advisers, recommended setting up another advisory committee to ensure the Financial Accounting Standards Board remains politically independent. PREVIEWRoughly 260 accounting and tax experts in November 2021 asked federal lawmakers to not tie the then-proposed tax to income metrics reported to investors. The new advisory group would consider ways to strengthen financial reporting in areas such as intangible assets, for example internally developed software, the Investor Advisory Committee said. SEC staff attend the FASB’s advisory committee meetings as formal observers and provide insight to help with rule making but lack the voting power of full board members. The FASB should then factor those costs into the cost-benefit analysis it conducts when drawing up new accounting rules, the SEC Investor Advisory Committee said.

Workers talk outside an office building at the Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) Christmas Creek iron ore mine located south of Port Hedland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, November 17, 2015. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe world's fourth-largest iron ore producer anticipates cumulative operational savings of $3 billion by 2030 with payback on investment by 2034, and expects to save $818 million in costs per year from 2030 onwards. Fortescue and its green-energy unit Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) are trying to rapidly develop infrastructure and technology to produce green hydrogen, as the miner transitions from a pure-play iron ore producer to a green energy firm. (https://bit.ly/3f3jt2R)The miner expects "attractive economic returns" on operating cost savings after eliminating diesel, natural gas, and carbon offset purchases from its supply chain, it added. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Sameer Manekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ India starts debt-restructuring talks with Sri Lanka, vows support
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Uditha Jayasinghe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A man travels in a train as the Colombo harbour is seen, amid the country's economic crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 20, 2022. "The discussions held in a cordial atmosphere symbolise India's support to early conclusion and approval of a suitable IMF programme for Sri Lanka," the High Commission said. Reuters reported last week, citing sources, that India did not plan to provide fresh financial support to Sri Lanka, as the island's battered economy had begun to stabilise. read moreThe High Commission said India had ongoing development projects worth about $3.5 billion in Sri Lanka, whose president earlier this month asked his officials to resolve obstacles to projects backed by India. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said Sri Lanka will turn a free trade agreement with India into a comprehensive economic and technological partnership.

☆ Deadly childhood diseases rise in Ethiopia's Tigray as war hampers vaccinations
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The percentage of children in Tigray receiving routine vaccines has fallen below 10% this year, data from the Tigray Health Bureau shows, undoing years of government efforts to boost immunisation rates. read moreMEASLES OUTBREAKSHealth Minister Lia Tadesse said vaccines had been provided to Tigray this year and that more were ready to be delivered once conditions allowed. The rate across Ethiopia was 65% in 2021, according to data from the U.N. children's agency UNICEF. Ethiopia's health minister Lia said 860,000 doses of measles vaccines were delivered to Tigray last December and additional doses were delivered on April 2. WFP spokesperson Claire Nevill, however, said the agency was waiting on clearances from Ethiopia's government.

☆ There are 'many moving parts' with student-loan forgiveness but the process to get relief will be 'better than people expect,' Biden's Education Secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Miguel Cardona said student-loan forgiveness will roll out "better than people expect." He said he is working hard to ensure the process to get relief is as smooth as possible. "So, early October, and we expect the process to be a smooth process, a simple process, a quick process." Still, Cardona said he is aware of those concerns, and the department is acting accordingly to ensure relief will get to borrowers as efficiently as possible. And we're making sure that when we roll this process out, it can be smooth.

☆ Ludacris' manager Chaka Zulu charged with murder in connection to Atlanta shooting that left 23-year-old recent college grad dead
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Taylor Ardrey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The arrest was connected to a June shooting in Atlanta that left a 23-year-old man dead, according to police. Police said when officers arrived at the scene on June 26, three men, including Obafemi, were found with gun wounds. "In an attempt to save his life, Mr. Zulu lawfully discharged his weapon in self-defense, a weapon that he is licensed to carry. Mr. Zulu fully cooperated with law enforcement officials and their investigation, and voluntarily turned himself in once he learned of the arrest warrants," he continued. "Mr. Zulu remains confident that his named will be cleared of all charges through the judicial process."

☆ The Queen Is Everywhere. What Will the Royal Makeover Cost?
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Isabella Simonetti | Rebecca Lieberman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Since her death this month, Queen Elizabeth’s face has been all over nonstop news coverage. There are around 115,500 mailboxes throughout Britain and 61.4 percent of those, which date to the reign of Queen Victoria, bear Queen Elizabeth’s royal cypher, according to the Royal Mail Group. All mailboxes and those already in production with Queen Elizabeth’s initials will remain intact, the service’s website says. Its designs include Queen Elizabeth, an orange and white corgi, Big Ben, and now, King Charles and Camilla, queen consort. So far this month, however, it has sold 60 Queen Elizabeth ornaments and eight of King Charles.

☆ China-Russia meeting as Ukraine war rages should remind the U.S. that Putin hasn't lost
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin might be losing on the battlefield, at least for the moment, but it’s a mistake to count out the master of the Kremlin. It’s not even enough to diminish the Russian leader’s influence in Europe. It’s not even enough to diminish the Russian leader’s influence in Europe, with Sweden and Italy on the precipice of forming new governments that could tilt toward him as well. From left; Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President in Tehran on July 19, 2022. Will they want their political futures hitched to Putin as the Ukraine war drags further on his image and capabilities?

☆ Patagonia's charitable change will inspire founders. We spoke to 8 VCs about how startups can create their own climate change legacy.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | Tasmin Lockwood | Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Patagonia's Yvon Chouinard said he was giving away his $3 billion company to fight climate change. Insider spoke to 8 VCs about how hard it is for founders to follow suit and what they can do instead. "Instead of 'going public', you could say we're 'going purpose'," Chouinard wrote. Insider spoke to eight investors to find out why venture capital-backed startups would struggle to replicate Patagonia's model and what they could do instead. This means founders need to be active at an early stage in deciding what to do with their business.

☆ China and Russia present united front at regional summit despite differences
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( Nectar Gan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In recent months, China has offered Russia tacit support and stepped up economic assistance to its neighbor, boosting bilateral trade to a record high. But Kewalramani said the SCO could provide a "space (for India) to engage with China and Russia." "Particularly, being on the table while China and Russia are together, because the closer that relationship gets, the trickier it gets for India," he said. Since 2019, Iran, Russia and China have held three joint naval drills amid deepening ties. But some experts say in its current state, the SCO is not really the ideal platform for China and Russia to push that anti-West world order.

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