Feb 26
10 Years After Trayvon, Black Lives Matter Is Still More Of A Question Than Fact
Posted in: Today's ChiliBlack people are exhausted and battling trauma as they continue to demand that their full humanity be respected.
Feb 26
Experts say the sanctions on oligarchs may do little to dim the jet-setting lifestyles of Russia’s ultra-rich — much less force a withdrawal of troops.
Feb 26
US sanctions against Russia will limit its access to technology from overseas
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe US government has imposed harsh export restrictions against Russia designed to drastically limit its access to both low- and high-tech goods from overseas. As first reported by Reuters, the Commerce Department has posted a list of expanded licensing policies and requirements implemented in response to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine.
Under the expanded sanctions, US suppliers that want to ship to Russia will have to obtain licenses for goods that didn’t require one in the past. Those goods include microelectronics, telecommunications items, sensors, navigation equipment, avionics, marine equipment and aircraft components.
In addition, the US is adding companies designated as “military end users” due to their alleged ties to the Russian military to the entity list. Any company seeking to ship products made abroad to those military end users will have to obtain licenses from the United States if they’re using US-made tools, technology and software for their products. The government says these sanctions should “significantly impact Russia’s ability to acquire items it cannot produce itself.”
The new rules state that license requests will be reviewed “under a policy of denial,” which means the Commerce Department will deny almost all of them. The administration will only approve licenses in rare exceptions, such as applications related to aviation and maritime safety, as well as humanitarian needs. Smartphone exports to Russia are also allowed, so long as they’re not shipped to Russian government employees and state-owned enterprises.
Former Commerce Department official Kevin Wolf told Reuters that the rules are so complex, many companies might simply stop dealing with Russia completely to avoid mistakes despite the carveouts. However, Cordell Hull, another former official, predicted that the rules would be difficult to enforce.
During a speech announcing the new measures, President Joe Biden said partner countries are adopting or have expressed intent to adopt similar sanctions. The list of partner countries includes 27 members of the European Union, such as Italy, France and Germany, along with Canada, Australia, Japan and the UK, to name a few. “Between our actions and those of our allies and partners, we estimate that we will cut off more than half of Russia’s high-tech imports,” he said.
Feb 26
U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan will ask a juror why he said he’d never been a victim of sexual abuse or a crime victim even though he revealed after the trial that he had.
Feb 26
Promises made, promises kept.
Feb 26
This week’s auction grossed more than any federal offshore oil and gas lease sale in U.S. history, according to the Interior Department.
Feb 26
Actor From Cringey ‘Dear Putin’ Video Says She ‘Easily’ Could Have Become A Dictator Herself
Posted in: Today's Chili“I know how I could easily have moved in the direction of becoming a dictator myself,” AnnaLynne McCord said. “I could have been a darkly powerful person.”
Feb 26
Engadget Podcast: Diving into Horizon Forbidden West, the PS VR2 and Uncharted
Posted in: Today's ChiliIt’s a gaming heavy week! Devindra chats with Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt about one of our most anticipated games of the year, Horizon Forbidden West. Plus, they dive into the lackluster Street Fighter 6 reveal, the PlayStation VR 2 and what’s up with Elden Ring. Finally, we explore what went wrong with the Uncharted movie.
Listen above, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you’ve got suggestions or topics you’d like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
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Topics
Horizon Forbidden West is here – 2:24
PlayStation VR2 details are finally out – 17:47
Street Fighter 6 was announced – 22:24
Intel and AMD announce powerful new chips for ultraportables – 28:08
A new tool on Steam will check your library for Steam Deck compatibility – 30:17
Working on – 33:00
Pop Culture Picks – 34:29
Video livestream
Credits
Hosts: Jessica Conditt and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos and Luke Brooks
Graphic artists: Luke Brooks, Kyle Maack
Feb 26
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Posts Video Saying He’s Still In Kyiv Amid Russian Attack
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe Ukrainian leader warned that the coming hours would be “very difficult,” with “vile, cruel and inhuman” attacks.
Feb 26
Ukraine asks Apple to stop product sales and block App Store access in Russia
Posted in: Today's ChiliUkraine’s Vice Prime Minister has called on Apple to stop selling its products and to shut down its App Store in Russia. Mykhailo Fedorov, who also serves as the country’s Minister of Digital Transformation, has asked Tim Cook for the tech giant’s support in a letter. “The whole world is repelling the aggressor through the imposition of sanctions — the enemy must suffer significant losses… [I]n 2022, modern technology is perhaps the best answer to tanks, multiple rocket launchers and missiles,” he wrote in a bid to convince Apple’s chief executive.
I’ve contacted @tim_cook, Apple’s CEO, to block the Apple Store for citizens of the Russian Federation, and to support the package of US government sanctions! If you agree to have the president-killer, then you will have to be satisfied with the only available site Russia 24. pic.twitter.com/b5dm78g2vS
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 25, 2022
Russia launched a full-scale military assault on Ukraine in early Thursday, entering the country from three sides and attacking by land, air and sea. It bombed the country’s major cities, including the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, which was bombarded with missiles on Friday morning. As a response to the invasion, the US government and its allies have unveiled new sanctions against Russia to block its access to exports in hopes of constraining its military and technological capabilities. In addition, the sanctions are targeting Russian oligarchs by limiting their ability to do business in dollars, euros, pounds and yen.
As Bloomberg notes, Apple has an online store in Russia and offers a local version of its App Store in the country. Last year, it complied with a Russian legal requirement to highlight apps made by local developers. According to the news organization, it also registered a business office and posted job listings for positions in Moscow in the past few months, most likely to comply with local regulations. Russia started enforcing a law last year that requires tech companies like Apple, Google and Meta to have a physical presence within its borders.
Fedorov ended his letter to Cook, which he posted on Twitter, with what Ukraine hopes would happen if Apple pulls out of Russia: “We are sure that such actions will motivate youth and active population of Russia to proactively stop the disgraceful military aggression.” Cook previously said that Apple is doing all it can for its teams in Ukraine and “will be supporting local humanitarian efforts,” but the company has yet to publicly respond to Fedorov’s plea.
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