Archives for April 2021

A look at new Biden administration sanctions against Russia

The Biden administration on Thursday rolled out a sweeping set of sanctions on Russia over its election interference, hacking campaigns and other malign activity. A look at those sanctions:

ELECTION-RELATED SANCTIONS

The Treasury Department sanctioned 16 people and 16 entities related to Russia’s election interference efforts. They include SouthFront, NewsFront and the Strategic Culture Foundation, described by the department as disinformation sites with ties to Russian intelligence. Additionally, the department took new action to sanction Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a backer of the Internet Research Agency, which carried out Russia’s election interference campaign in 2016, and Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian intelligence agent who falsely claimed Ukraine was behind the 2016 interference effort.

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CYBER-RELATED SANCTIONS

President Joe Biden signed an executive order granting the Treasury Department new authorities to sanction Russian government hackers and the information technology companies supporting them. The department used the new powers to sanction a half-dozen Russian companies that conduct research and development and technical support to Russian intelligence relating to a number of hacks, including the massive SolarWinds breach. The best-known sanctioned company is Positive Technologies, a cybersecurity firm with a global clientele, including major banks and telecoms; Microsoft said Thursday it was removing it from a list of partners to which it provides early access to vulnerability data. Treasury officials said Russian intelligence services recruit hackers at conventions hosted by Positive, whose first major clients included Russia’s Defense Ministry in 2004.

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UKRAINE-RELATED SANCTIONS

Acting in partnership with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, the U.S. sanctioned Russian people and entities that have supported Russia’s claimed annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, which is not recognized by the international community. Russian companies that helped build a bridge linking Crimea to Russia and Russian officials serving in leadership positions in Crimea were sanctioned jointly by the U.S. and its allies.

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GENERAL SANCTIONS

The U.S. targeted Russia’s ability to borrow money by prohibiting U.S. financial institutions from buying Russian bonds directly from the Russian Central Bank, the Russian National Wealth Fund and the Ministry of Finance.

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OTHER ACTIONS

The U.S. expelled 10 Russian diplomats, including some the Biden administration said were representatives of Russian intelligence services. The White House also said Biden was using diplomatic, military and intelligence channels to respond to reports that Russia encouraged the Taliban to attack U.S. and allied troops in Afghanistan based on the “best assessments” of the intelligence community.

Creighton 3-point sharpshooter Ballock 5th starter to leave

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Mitch Ballock, one of the top 3-point shooters in Creighton history, will not return to the Bluejays in 2021-22.

The school confirmed Thursday night that Ballock had signed with an agent and will pursue pro opportunities.

Ballock, who is on track to graduate in May, ranks No. 3 on the school 3-point chart with 308, behind Kyle Korver and Ethan Wragge.

The native of Eudora, Kansas, shot 38.9% on 3s and averaged 9.9 points per game this past season for the Bluejays, who reached the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

Ballock is the fifth starter who will not take advantage of another season of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the pandemic. Marcus Zegarowski, Damien Jefferson and Denzel Mahoney have declared for the NBA draft and Christian Bishop plans to transfer.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

GM expected to announce Tennessee battery plant on Friday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — General Motors is expected to announce Friday that one of its joint ventures will build a second U.S. electric vehicle battery factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee.

The Detroit automaker has scheduled a news conference Friday morning in Nashville with CEO Mary Barra, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and senior leaders from LG Energy Solutions.

The companies are expected to announce that a joint venture between GM and LG Energy will build the plant at GM’s Spring Hill manufacturing complex. GM has designated Spring Hill as one of three U.S. factories that will build electric vehicles.

A joint venture between GM and LG Energy of Korea now is building a $2.3 billion, 2.5 million-square-foot battery factory in Lordstown, Ohio, near Cleveland, that will employ about 1,100 people. The site is fairly close to GM’s two other designated electric vehicle plants, one in Detroit and the other north of the city in Orion Township, Michigan.

GM already has announced that the Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV will be built at the Spring Hill complex. The SUV, due in showrooms during the first half of 2022, will go an estimated 300 miles per charge.

GM is likely to need far more battery capacity if it’s able to deliver on a goal of converting all of its new passenger vehicles from internal combustion engines to electricity by 2035.

LG now has a battery cell plant in Holland, Michigan, that supplies power to the Chevrolet Bolt hatchback and the new Bolt electric SUV.

Industry analysts have said automakers face a global shortage of batteries as the industry moves away from gasoline powered vehicles. Most of the world’s batteries are built in China and other countries.

GM’s venture is risky, at least based on U.S. electric vehicle sales. Last year, full battery electric vehicles accounted for only 2% of the U.S. market of 14.6 million in new vehicle sales. But automakers are set to roll out 22 new electric models this year and are banking on wider consumer acceptance.

The consulting firm LMC Automotive predicts that U.S. battery powered vehicle sales will hit more than 1 million per year starting in 2023, reaching more than 4 million by 2030.

Clashes break out at student protest in northern Greek city

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Small groups of demonstrators clashed with police Thursday in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki at the end of a march to protest a new law allowing the policing of university campuses.

About 7,000 people participated in the march, which had been peaceful initially. A group of around 100 protesters threw gasoline bombs and other objects at riot police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

One protester was arrested on suspicion of throwing a gasoline bomb, authorities said. He was taken to hospital after being injured during his arrest, apparently by a gasoline bomb landing nearby, which caught both the protester and the riot policeman detaining him.

About 2,000 students also marched peacefully in Athens, police said. A police statement said that after the end of the march some 200 protesters were prevented by police from forcing their way into two university complexes in the city center.

The center-right government’s decision to allow the policing of university campuses has sparked frequent protests in recent months, despite coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions. Several have turned violent.

Police access to universities had been restricted for decades and has been a politically contentious issue. The center-right government has argued that the ban had been exploited by some using campuses as safe havens to conduct criminal activity or launch violent protests. But political opponents have accused the government of using the pandemic lockdown to sanction greater powers for the police.

Some of the controversy over the presence of police on campuses is rooted in Greece’s 1967-74 military dictatorship, when universities were an important source of political dissent. A student-led revolt in 1973 centered from the polytechnic in Athens was brutally crushed, with a tank breaking down the polytechnic’s gate as the military stormed the complex.

Toyota recalls Venza SUVs to fix air bag wiring problem

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota is recalling about 373,000 Venza SUVs worldwide because a wiring problem can stop the side air bags from inflating in a crash.

The recall covers Venzas from the 2009 through 2015 model years, including nearly 280,000 in the U.S.

Documents posted Thursday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say wires to the air bag sensor in the driver’s side door can become damaged with regular use. That could stop the side and curtain air bags from deploying when needed.

Toyota said in documents that it received 31 field reports and 56 warranty claims in the U.S. due to the problem.

Toyota will inspect the wires and replace them if needed at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to start May 31.

Archives for April 2021

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