Archives for March 2021

Report: Russian hackers exploit Lithuanian infrastructure

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Hacker groups linked to Russian intelligence conducted cyber-attacks against top Lithuanian officials and decision-makers last year and used the Baltic nation’s technology infrastructure as a base to hit targets elsewhere, a report by Lithuania’s intelligence service said Thursday.

The annual national security threat assessment report claimed that, among others, the Russian cyber-espionage group APT29 with alleged links to Russia’s intelligence services “exploited” Lithuania’s information technology infrastructure “to carry out attacks by APT29 against foreign entities developing a COVID-19 vaccine.”

The report produced by Lithuania’s State Security Department said the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in Lithuania, a NATO member that is Russia’s neighbor and a former Soviet republic, decreased Russian intelligence operations against the country in 2020 and shifted the Kremlin’s efforts to cyber-espionage.

“Nevertheless, Russian intelligence operations pose a major threat to Lithuania’s national security,” State Security Department head Darius Jauniskis told Lithuanian lawmakers as he presented the report at Seimas, the Parliament, on Thursday.

Jauniskis added that Moscow was using military and economic means and influencing by information “for the implementation of its political aims” in the Baltic nation of 2.8 million.

The report estimated that the overall threat of cyber and information attacks has increased in Lithuania as the number of cyber-attacks was continuing to grow annually.

Jauniskis accused Russia of trying to use the pandemic as a way to create havoc in Lithuania, which he said had witnessed “dozens” of such “failed attempts” recently.

“Those activities were well-coordinated and fueled by anti-Western propaganda coming out from the Kremlin,” Jauniskis said.

Similarly to its neighbors Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania’s relations to Russia have remained icy since the nation regained its independence amid the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Estonia’s foreign intelligence agency published its annual report last month saying that Russia is counting on the COVID-19 pandemic to weaken unity in the West, which would help Moscow gain a more prominent role in international affairs and allegedly lead to declining Western influence on the global stage.

Today in History | Federal News Network

Today in History

Today is Thursday, March 4, the 63rd day of 2021. There are 302 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On March 4, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt took office as America’s 32nd president.

On this date:

In 1789, the Constitution of the United States went into effect as the first Federal Congress met in New York. (The lawmakers then adjourned for lack of a quorum.)

In 1797, John Adams was inaugurated the second president of the United States.

In 1863, the Idaho Territory was created.

In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated for a second term of office; with the end of the Civil War in sight, Lincoln declared: “With malice toward none, with charity for all.”

In 1964, Teamsters president James Hoffa and three co-defendants were found guilty by a federal court in Chattanooga, Tennessee, of jury tampering.

In 1974, the first issue of People magazine, then called People Weekly, was published by Time-Life Inc.; on the cover was actor Mia Farrow.

In 1981, a jury in Salt Lake City convicted Joseph Paul Franklin, an avowed racist and serial killer, of violating the civil rights of two Black men, Ted Fields and David Martin, who’d been shot to death. (Franklin received two life sentences for this crime; he was executed in 2013 for the 1977 murder of a Jewish man, Gerald Gordon.)

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan addressed the nation on the Iran-Contra affair, acknowledging that his overtures to Iran had “deteriorated” into an arms-for-hostages deal.

In 1994, in New York, four extremists were convicted of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that killed six people and injured more than a thousand. Actor-comedian John Candy died in Durango, Mexico, at age 43.

In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sexual harassment at work can be illegal even when the offender and victim are of the same gender.

In 2015, the Justice Department cleared Darren Wilson, a white former Ferguson, Missouri, police officer, in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, a Black 18-year-old, but also issued a scathing report calling for sweeping changes in city law enforcement practices.

In 2018, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found unconscious on a bench in the southwestern English city of Salisbury; both survived what British authorities said was a murder attempt using a nerve agent.

Ten years ago: Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s regime struck back at its opponents with a powerful attack on Zawiya (ZOW’-ee-yuh), the closest opposition-held city to Tripoli, and a barrage of tear gas and live ammunition to smother new protests in the capital. NASA launched its Glory satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on what was supposed to have been a three-year mission to analyze how airborne particles affect Earth’s climate; however, the rocket carrying Glory plummeted into the southern Pacific several minutes after liftoff.

Five years ago: The U.S. Supreme Court blocked enforcement of a Louisiana clinic regulation law placing new restrictions on abortion. Bud Collins, the tennis historian and American voice of the sport in print and on TV for decades, died in Brookline, Massachusetts, at age 86. Pat Conroy, author of “The Great Santini” and “The Prince of Tides,” died in Beaufort, South Carolina, at age 70.

One year ago: The House easily passed an $8.3 billion measure aimed at speeding the development of coronavirus vaccines, paying for containment operations and beefing up preparedness. Federal health officials investigated a suburban Seattle nursing home at the center of a coronavirus outbreak. Italy closed all schools and universities and barred fans from sporting events. The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared more than 1,100 points as governments and central banks around the globe took more aggressive measures to deal with the virus and its effects on the economy. After spending more than $500 million of his own fortune in a bid for the presidency, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out of the Democratic race, but pledged to keep spending in an effort to defeat President Donald Trump. Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, the United Nations secretary-general who brokered a historic cease-fire between Iran and Iraq in 1988, died at the age of 100.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Paula Prentiss is 83. Movie director Adrian Lyne is 80. Singer Shakin’ Stevens is 73. Author James Ellroy is 73. Former Energy Secretary Rick Perry is 71. Singer Chris Rea is 70. Actor/rock singer-musician Ronn Moss is 69. Actor Kay Lenz is 68. Musician Emilio Estefan is 68. Movie director Scott Hicks is 68. Actor Catherine O’Hara is 67. Actor Mykelti (MY’-kul-tee) Williamson is 64. Actor Patricia Heaton is 63. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., is 63. Actor Steven Weber is 60. Rock musician Jason Newsted is 58. Actor Stacy Edwards is 56. Rapper Grand Puba is 55. Rock singer Evan Dando (Lemonheads) is 54. Actor Patsy Kensit is 53. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., is 53. Gay rights activist Chaz Bono is 52. Actor Andrea Bendewald is 51. Actor Nick Stabile (stah-BEEL’) is 51. Country singer Jason Sellers is 50. Jazz musician Jason Marsalis is 44. Actor Jessica Heap is 38. Actor Scott Michael Foster is 36. TV personality Whitney Port is 36. Actor Audrey Esparza is 35. Actor Margo Harshman is 35. Actor Josh Bowman is 33. Actor Andrea Bowen is 31. Actor Jenna Boyd is 28.

Marvell Technology, Okta fall; Burlington, Colfax rise

Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Thursday:

Marvell Technology Group Ltd., down $5.47 to $40.10.

The chipmaker said it expects to deal with supply problems through 2022.

Okta Inc. down $15 to $226.22.

The cloud identity management company gave investors a surprisingly weak fiscal first-quarter earnings forecast.

Splunk Inc., down $3.72 to $139.47.

A slide by the broader technology sector dragged down the software company, despite its solid fourth-quarter financial report.

American Eagle Outfitters Inc., up $2.26 to $27.69.

The teen clothing retailer beat analysts’ fourth-quarter profit and revenue forecasts.

Colfax Corp., up $2.60 to $47.79.

The manufacturing and engineering company plans to split into two separate companies.

United Natural Foods Inc., up $1.50 to $29.90.

The food wholesaler extended its primary grocery distribution deal with Amazon’s Whole Foods Market.

Burlington Stores Inc., up $28.38 to $281.99.

The discount retailer reported surprisingly strong fourth-quarter profit and revenue.

Purple Innovation Inc., down $11.78 to $24.37.

The maker of mattresses and bed pillows reported a surprise fourth-quarter loss and weak revenue.

Buenos Aires reopens as virus surge forces Sao Paulo to shut

SAO PAULO (AP) — Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires were a tale of two cities this week, with Brazil’s megalopolis partially shutting down and bracing for possibly the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, while residents of Argentina’s capital were stepping out to movie theaters and restaurants.

The two biggest cities in the South American neighbors are headed in opposite directions, a trend that experts say demonstrates how places that loosen restrictions against the advice of scientists see a spike in the pandemic while those that keep social distancing measures in place can reopen their economies sooner.

Sao Paulo, home to almost 12 million people, is facing the worst two weeks yet in the pandemic and the growing risk that its once-resilient health care system will collapse, Gov. João Doria told reporters Wednesday. More than 75% of the city’s intensive-care beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients and some wards — like those of the private Albert Einstein hospital — are full for the first time.

Doria said the entire state, where 46 million people reside, on Saturday will face the highest level of restrictions to limit the virus’ spread. That means closure of all bars, restaurants, shopping malls and any other establishment deemed nonessential until at least March 19.

Meanwhile, the nearly 3 million residents of Buenos Aires are enjoying an easing of restrictions, with authorization to attend movie theaters taking effect this week. On Wednesday, official figures showed just 26% of intensive-care beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients. The low hospitalization rate also enabled local authorities in mid-February to reopen bars and restaurants until 2 a.m. — something long sought in a city famous for its all-hours culture.

That means Buenos Aires’ famed steakhouses are reigniting their fires, while counterparts in Sao Paulo extinguish theirs.

Buenos Aires’ casinos also reopened at the end of 2020, and authorities are discussing whether the soccer-crazy city will be able to return to the stadiums soon. In Brazil, despite President Jair Bolsonaro’s push to allow fans back, no local authorities are seriously considering opening stadiums. The 48,000-seat NeoQuimica arena on the east side of Sao Paulo is being used as a vaccination post.

Some good news from the Sao Paulo region came on Tuesday, when soccer great Pelé received his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The 80-year-old posted the news on his social media channels.

“The pandemic is not over yet. We must keep discipline to preserve lives until many people have taken the vaccine,” the three-time World Cup winner said. “When you go out, please don’t forget your mask and maintain social distance.”

His plea is important as Bolsonaro continues to cast doubt on the effectiveness of masks.

The distance between the two nations has seemingly widened during the pandemic, with Bolsonaro and Argentina’s Alberto Fernández adopting opposite tacks in their handling of the crisis. The former downplayed the disease’s risks and has insisted on keeping the economy churning, while the latter has taken a more cautious approach.

Fernández imposed one of the longest quarantines in the world between March and October, despite risks of damaging an economy already in a recession.

Over the past week, Brazil has recorded 35 COVID-19 deaths per million residents, almost triple that of Argentina.

Troubles in Sao Paulo worsened after furtive Carnival celebrations in mid-February. Though street celebrations and parades were canceled, many paulistas, as residents are known, traveled or joined unmasked gatherings. The city declined to allow days off work, traditionally permitted during the Carnival period, in a bid to keep people from partying.

Izidoro Silveira, 34, got a job waiting tables at a pizzeria in downtown Sao Paulo two months ago after almost a full year unemployed. He’s upset about his restaurant’s imminent shutdown.

“Those doing deliveries won’t be hurt, but I and many others will,” a distressed Silveira said as he watched a televised news broadcast about the shutdown. “I don’t know what to tell my wife and my daughter. I’m afraid I’ll lose my job again, even though I work at a place that takes all precautions.”

Not far away, movie theaters on the city’s main drag, Paulista Avenue, are empty, just as they have been since the pandemic began.

Argentina’s ease doesn’t mean the virus is completely under control. Wednesday’s official figures showed 262 deaths and more than 8,700 new infections in the country. Vaccine rollout is slow. But the overwhelming gloom seen in Sao Paulo seems to be far from Buenos Aires.

With a bag of popcorn in one hand and a soft drink in the other, 8-year-old Bautista Sundblat was eager to enter a movie theater in Buenos Aires’ tony Palermo neighborhood to watch “Bad Boys Forever”.

“He’s very excited,” said his mother, Martina. “We’d been waiting for a long time. He’s a movie fanatic. There’s still a long way to go, but little by little we’re getting where we wanted.”

___ Rey reported from Buenos Aires.

Canada lawyer says Trump comments shouldn’t halt extradition

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump do not meet the standard to halt an extradition hearing of a senior executive for Chinese communications giant Huawei Technologies, a Canadian justice department lawyer argued in a court Thursday.

Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei’s founder and the company’s chief financial officer, at Vancouver’s airport in late 2018. The U.S. wants her extradited to face fraud charges. Her arrest infuriated Beijing, which sees her case as a political move designed to prevent China’s rise.

The U.S. accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company called Skycom to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It says Meng, 49, committed fraud by misleading the HSBC bank about the company’s business dealings in Iran.

In a 2018 interview, Trump said he would “intervene (in the case) if I thought it was necessary” to help secure a trade deal with China or aid U.S. security interest.

Meng’s defense team say the comments are a threat that turned her into “a bargaining chip” and amount to an abuse of process.

Canadian justice department lawyer Robert Frater said there was no evidence to suggest the former president’s words had any impact on the fairness of the proceedings against Meng.

Frater dismissed allegations Meng is being used as a political pawn in a power struggle between the U.S. and China.

“We urge you to focus on the facts and the law and leave the politics to the politicians,” he said.

Meng, who attended the hearing dressed in a short black dress that exposed the electronic tracking bracelet on her ankle, listened to the proceedings through an interpreter.

Over the next several weeks Meng’s defense team will present several justifications for halting the extradition proceedings.

Later this month, they will claim an abuse of process, saying Canada Border Services Agency officers detained and questioned Meng without a lawyer, seized her electronic devices and compelled her to give up their passcodes before her official arrest.

Her lawyers also contend the U.S. is exceeding the limits of its jurisdiction by prosecuting a foreign citizen for actions that took place in Hong Kong and said Canada was misled by the U.S. about the strength of its case.

Meng’s arrest has soured relations between Canada and China. In apparent retaliation, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor. China has also placed restrictions on various Canadian exports to China, including canola oil seed. China also handed death sentences to four Canadians convicted of drug smuggling.

Meng remains free on bail in Vancouver.

Archives for March 2021

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