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[1/2] Leon Black is pictured here in Beverly Hills, California, U.S. May 1, 2018. Pierson's lawsuit in a New York state court in Manhattan seeks unspecified damages from Black for sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and from Epstein's estate for negligence. Her law firm Wigdor LLP also represents Guzel Ganieva, a former Russian model who in June 2021 sued Black for defamation, saying he falsely claimed she tried to extort him after accusing him of rape. In a Nov. 19 letter to the Wigdor firm, Estrich said: "Mr. Black never sexually assaulted anyone anywhere at any time." His former associate Ghislaine Maxwell is appealing her conviction and 20-year prison sentence for enabling Epstein's abuse of underage girls.

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine latest news: NATO pledges more military, energy aid for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S.-Russian relations have plunged to their most confrontational point in 60 years since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. [1/4] A view shows the city without electricity after critical civil infrastructure was hit by Russian missile attacks, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine November 23, 2022. REUTERS/Vladyslav Sodel/ 1 2 3 4POWER SUPPLY* The United States announced $53 million to support the purchase of power grid equipment for Ukraine. * Ukraine is still struggling to restore full power nearly a week after a wave of Russian missile strikes that damaged energy facilities across the country. Heavy rain and falling temperatures are making conditions even grimmer along the front lines as the war grinds into winter.

☆ How Russian ally Kazakhstan is taking a stand against the Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Russian ally Kazakhstan has been subtle but firm in its opposition to the Ukraine war. Kazakhstan's official position on the war is to call for a ceasefire and a diplomatic solution, Magzhan Ilyassov, Kazakhstan's new ambassador to the UK, said in a press briefing attended by Insider. Following the invasion of Ukraine, fears have also been stoked that Russia could turn its sights to Kazakhstan next. Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesAlthough it has not outright criticized Russia for invading Ukraine, Kazakhstan has made its position clear. Ilyassov said that Russian troops were there among others from all member states and left after nearly two weeks without being involved in any action.

☆ 'Goncharov' isn't a real Martin Scorsese movie, but Tumblr convinced the internet it's a classic
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Morgan Sung | Morgan Sung Is A Trends Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Martin Scorsese presents GONCHAROV. In 2020, another Tumblr user reblogged the post with a screenshot of a comment that read, "this idiot hasn't seen goncharov." The New York Times reports that "Goncharov" was the top trending topic on Tumblr by Monday evening, followed by "Martin Scorsese." "The goncharov bit on tumblr right now is one of the insane things I eve ever seen," Twitter user @gwenstacying said. Martin Scorsese is in on the joke.

☆ Putin's supporters call for the liquidation of Ukraine as 'genocidal rhetoric' swells
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Alexander Nemenov | Afp | Getty ImagesProminent supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin are using increasingly "genocidal rhetoric" when discussing and demonizing Ukrainians, analysts note, with some pro-war commentators cheering the concept of the "liquidation" of the modern state of Ukraine. "To be a 'Ukrainian' one does not even have to speak the Ukrainian language (which is also still being formed). "All this can be stopped only through the liquidation of Ukrainian statehood in its current form," Medvedev said. Another popular motif being used by pro-war, pro-Putin bloggers is characterizing Ukraine and Ukrainians as "evil" or "sadists" or "Satanists." "As ISW has previously reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin has similarly employed such genocidal language in a way that is fundamentally incompatible with calls for negotiations."

Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon" by the Russian media for his reputed ruthlessness, on Nov. 9 recommended Moscow's forces quit Kherson and the west bank of the River Dnipro where they were dangerously exposed. Simonyan urged Surovikin, a hulking shaven-headed figure who has been shown on TV speaking in clipped Russian military language, to ignore "nonsense" from critics, a reference to influential military bloggers unhappy about his retreat. Nor is taking new ground in the east against a highly motivated and Western-equipped Ukrainian military an easy task, especially in the winter. The appointment of Surovikin on Oct. 8 was the first time Russia had publicly named an overall commander for its forces in Ukraine. With the exception of the city of Lysychansk, in eastern Ukraine, he said all the territory Russia held looked defensible.

☆ Former astronaut Scott Kelly says Russians have been 'brainwashed' over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Former astronaut Scott Kelly said Russians defending the war in Ukraine have been "brainwashed." The former astronaut became an online "troll" of Russia's former space chief earlier this year. Kelly has used his 5.3 million followers on Twitter to blast Russia's attack on Ukraine, and played a part in the departure of Russia's top space official. Trolling to oblivionKelly spent 340 days on the International Space Station with NASA as part of a program run in collaboration with Russia's space agency Roscosmos. But he also directed his anger at Russians more generally who endorse a message that Russia is defending itself from Ukrainian "Nazis".

☆ Netherlands protests 'despicable' Russian response to MH17 verdict
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMSTERDAM, Nov 18 (Reuters) - The Dutch government said on Friday it had summoned the Russian ambassador in the Netherlands over what it called Moscow's "utterly despicable" response to the verdict in the trial over the 2014 downing of Flight MH17. Russia said on Thursday the Dutch court's decision to convict two former Russian intelligence agents and a Ukrainian separatist leader for shooting down the Malaysian airliner "neglected impartiality". Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said these remarks by Russia, which invaded Ukraine nine months ago, were "utterly despicable" and totally removed from reality. We can't let this pass ... and have to show that we do respect the rule of law and do have an independent judiciary," Hoekstra told Dutch newspaper AD. Reporting by Bart Meijer and Stephanie van den Berg Editing by Mark Potter and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ GOP operative convicted of funneling Russian donation to Trump's 2016 campaign
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Christina Wilkie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In this Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, file photo, Jesse Benton arrives for his sentencing hearing at the federal courthouse in Des Moines, Iowa. WASHINGTON — A Republican political operative and former campaign aide was convicted in federal court this week of funneling $25,000 from a Russian businessman to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. The money for the donation originally came from Roman Vasilenko, a former Russian naval officer turned multilevel marketer and CEO of the "Life is Good International Business Academy." When Benton paid the Trump Victory committee for the ticket, he used his own credit card, pocketing the remaining $75,000 from Vasilenko. Thursday's conviction marks the second time that Benton has been found guilty of a campaign finance crime.

☆ Judges to rule in murder trial for 2014 downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MH17 was a passenger flight shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers and crew. At the time, the area was the scene of fighting between pro-Russian separatist and Ukrainian forces, the precursor of this year's conflict. Moscow denies any involvement or responsibility for MH17's downing and in 2014 it also denied any presence in Ukraine. They were charged with shooting down an airplane and with murder in a trial held under Dutch law. Judges will begin reading the verdict at 1:30 p.m. local time (1230 GMT) at the high-security court next to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

☆ Russia's Medvedev says Polish missile incident shows West moving closer to world war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 16 (Reuters) - Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that an alleged missile strike on Polish territory showed that the West was moving closer to another World War. "The incident with the Ukrainian-alleged 'missile strike' on a Polish farm proves just one thing: waging a hybrid war against Russia, the West moves closer to world war," Medvedev wrote on Twitter. NATO member Poland's president said earlier that the country had no concrete evidence showing who fired the missile, which struck a Polish grain facility some 6 km (4 miles) from the Ukrainian border and killed two people. Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy FaulconbridgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Sledgehammer execution of Russian mercenary who defected to Ukraine shown on video
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - A video purportedly showing the sledgehammer execution of a former Russian mercenary who switched sides to back Ukraine was circulated on Russian social media on Sunday, with pro-Russian bloggers saying it was revenge for his alleged treachery. In an unverified video distributed on Telegram channels which Russian media said were linked to the Wagner mercenary group, the man identified himself as Yevgenny Nuzhin, 55, and said he had changed sides to "fight against the Russians". Wagner group, originally staffed by veterans of the Russian armed forces, has fought in Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali and Ukraine, among other countries. Wagner has been recruiting convicts in Russian jails in recent months, according to a video which showed Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner mercenary group, speaking to convicts in a Russian jail. Asked to comment on the execution video, Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner mercenary group, said in remarks released by his spokeswoman that the video should be called "A dog receives a dog's death."

☆ Medvedev says Russia is fighting a sacred battle against Satan
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday cast Russia's war in Ukraine as a sacred conflict with Satan, warning that Moscow could send all its enemies to the eternal fires of Gehenna. Ukraine and the West have repeatedly dismissed President Vladimir Putin's assertions that Ukraine is run by fascists who have persecuted Russian speakers. In a message marking Russia's Day of National Unity, Medvedev said the task of the fatherland was to "stop the supreme ruler of Hell, whatever name he uses - Satan, Lucifer or Iblis". Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said Russia had different weapons, including the ability to "send all our enemies to fiery Gehenna", using a Hebrew term often translated as Hell. Satan's weapons, Medvedev said, were "intricate lies.

☆ Amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, iconic arms-maker Kalashnikov is churning out a record number of guns
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Kalashnikov, maker of the legendary AK-47, is reporting a huge increase in small arms sales. Many of the new rifles these reluctant conscripts will inevitably need will come from Kalashnikov, which manufactures most Russian small arms. SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images"The Kalashnikov Concern increased the production of small arms by 40 percent," the company said. Already in September, actual exports of civilian weapons were equal to the total figure for 2021." Kalashnikov, which comprises a group of manufacturing firms, provides 95% of Russian small arms.

Is Russian President Vladimir Putin stepping back from the nuclear ledge? Concerns over Russia’s possible use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine had lessened recently, the sources said. Putin himself has given mixed signals over the question of Russia’s threshold for nuclear use. Russian President Vladimir Putin. “While Putin is unlikely to use nuclear weapons, that is because he is deterred by the fear of escalation, including nuclear escalation.

☆ Putin's rumored god-daughter, who fled Russia, said she could be 'in big trouble' and was cut off from friends and family
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A prominent Russian media star who fled the country posted saying she is in "big trouble." In her Telegram post on Saturday, Sobchak wrote: "My thoughts are with my family, who I have been separated from." Possibly, in big trouble." In her most recent post referring to her situation, Sobchak decried a backlash she had received in Russian media, as Russian newspaper Kommersant reported. Possibly, in big trouble.

☆ Ex-Russian diplomat warns Putin willing to sacrifice 20 million soldiers to win the war with Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An ex-Russian diplomat has warned that Putin will sacrifice 20 million soldiers to win the war in Ukraine. Putin is using the nuclear button to "compel other countries to whatever he wants," he said. He may sacrifice 10 or 20 million Russians just to win this war just to slaughter all Ukrainians because it's a matter of principle. A destroyed Russian Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) is seen near the village of Nova Husarivka, Ukraine, on September 15, 2022. "While Putin and his regime are in power in Russia, this threat of war — the threat of nuclear war — will not go anywhere," he said.

☆ Renault says price hikes help sales grow in Q3, confirms outlook
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Gilles Guillaume | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Overall group revenues grew by 20.5% when adjusted for the disposal of its former Russian unit Avtovaz, Renault said, adding that it had recorded its best-ever price effect as quarterly vehicle sales decreased by 2.4% from last year. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterRenault's third-quarter sales figure of 9.8 billion euros was in line with an analyst consensus provided by the company. Renault is Nissan's largest shareholder with 43% while the Japanese automaker owns 15% in its partner. The two companies said last week they were in talks about a new phase in their partnership that could include Nissan investing in Renault's new electric vehicle venture. Talks so far have included consideration of Renault selling some of its Nissan stake, sources have said.

☆ Lettuce 1, Liz Truss 0
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Henry Austin | Henry Austin Is A London-Based Editor For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON — Liz Truss lost to a head of lettuce. The leafy vegetable's decay was more gradual than Truss' crumbling tenure as British prime minister, which ended with her resignation Thursday. Her decision provided an unlikely victory for the lettuce, which had been pitted against her by a tabloid newspaper last Friday. Amer Ghazzal / Shutterstock“The lettuce outlasted Liz Truss,” the caption declared as a remix of “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang kicked in, lights flashed in the background and bottles of alcohol were added to the scene. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev tweeted “congrats to lettuce” shortly after Truss’ speech.

☆ Russia says outgoing PM Truss was a 'catastrophically illiterate' disgrace
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova speaks during a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Maxim ShemetovOct 20 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry on Thursday welcomed the departure of British Prime Minister Liz Truss, saying she was a disgrace of a leader who would be remembered for her "catastrophic illiteracy". "Britain has never known such a disgrace of a prime minister," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a social media post. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Zakharova's reference to illiteracy appears to refer to that trip, when Truss was British foreign minister. In a meeting with Russia's veteran foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, she appeared to confuse two regions of Russia with Ukraine, drawing mockery in Russian media.

☆ Putin aide says Russia is not prioritizing the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A close aide to Vladimir Putin said that Brittney Griner's release is not Russia's "main issue." The aide also said that he didn't believe US President Joe Biden is prioritizing her release. Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia on drug smuggling charges for the last eight months. Biden has spoken about Griner's release in public on multiple occasions and met with her family in September, after writing the basketball star a letter in July. "But, for example, if he came to me at the G20 and said, 'I want to talk about the release of Griner,' I would meet with him."

☆ Video: Ex-Russian lieutenant turned state journalist speaks up about Russian war lies
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

CNN's Nic Robertson spoke to Gleb Irisov, a former Russian Air Force lieutenant turned journalist at Russian state news agency TASS, about Putin's regime and the war in Ukraine.

☆ Former J. Crew chief Jenna Lyons to join 'Real Housewives of New York City' cast
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Jenna Lyons, the New York City fashion designer who was famously outed by the New York Post over a decade ago, will join the cast of “The Real Housewives of New York City” next year for the show’s 14th season. Lyons will be the first queer housewife to join the franchise’s New York City series as one of its seven new cast members. Their romantic relationship was revealed by the New York Post after someone spotted Lyons and Crangi at a New York restaurant amid Lyons’ divorce. The New York Post was asking if she would like to confirm or deny that she was “seeing a woman,” they said. GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, praised the decision to cast Lyons.

Oct 17 (Reuters) - Former Russian state TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, accused of spreading "fake news" about the war in Ukraine, has fled the country after escaping from house arrest, her lawyer said on Monday. Ovsyannikova is currently "under the protection of a European state", lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov said, declining to elaborate as "it may turn out to be a problem" for her. Zakhvatov said that Ovsyannikova's daughter left the country with her, while her son remained in Russia. Russia passed new laws against discrediting or distributing "deliberately false information" about the armed forces on March 4, eight days after invading Ukraine. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Filipp Lebedev and Caleb Davis; Editing by Mark TrevelyanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Putin's Russia 'has become a fascist state' and must be stopped in Ukraine, says ex-diplomat who defected after the invasion
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia "has become a fascist state," argues an ex-diplomat who resigned over the war in Ukraine. "The invasion of Ukraine made it impossible to deny just how brutal and repressive Russia had become," Bondarev wrote. "The war," he continued, "shows that Russia is no longer just dictatorial and aggressive; it has become a fascist state." "The sanctions suddenly cut off our access to these products and left our military weaker than the West understood," Bondarev wrote. "There's only one thing that can really stop Putin," Bondarev wrote, "and that is a comprehensive rout."

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