The Department of Justice has charged a Russian civilian with conspiracy to destroy Ukrainian government computer systems as part of a widespread hacking effort by Russia ahead of its illegal invasion of Ukraine. U.S. prosecutors in Maryland said Wednesday that Amin Stigal, 22, is wanted for helping to set up servers used by Russian government hackers that were used to launch destructive cyberattacks attacks on Ukraine government ministries in January 2022, a month before the Kremlin ordered tanks and troops to cross Ukraine’s borders. The cyberattack campaign, known as “WhisperGate,” relied on so-called wiper malware that masqueraded as ransomware but…
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By a 6-3 vote, the justices threw out lower-court rulings that favored Louisiana, Missouri and other parties in their claims that officials in the Democratic administration leaned on the social media platforms to unconstitutionally squelch conservative points of view. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote for the court that the states and other parties did not have the legal right, or standing, to sue. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas dissented. The decision should not affect typical social media users or their posts. The case is among several before the court this term that affect social media companies in…
EDITOR’S ANALYSISIsraeli defence minister’s visit comes a month before Netanyahu’s, and highlights his position as an alternative to the PM.Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has been on a mission in the past few days to shore up bipartisan support in the United States for Israel, in advance of what could potentially be all-out war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Gallant set the stage before he left for the US on Saturday, emphasising that ties between the two countries were “perhaps more important than ever”. After meetings with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin and other top officials, Gallant’s message was consistent: the…
With the Summer Olympics fast approaching, Paris is about to get very packed. But any good Francophile knows that the “Hexagone,” as France is called because of its shape, is so much more than its capital.Mediterranean beaches, Pyrenees hiking trails, Alpine skiing and rugged Atlantic coast … there’s pretty much no box that a trip to France can’t tick.It’s no wonder France is one of the most popular destinations in the world. With 96 departments (similar to states) on the mainland and five overseas, there’s plenty to discover.Still, travelers tend to stick to predictable places, including Paris, Provence and Cote…
For nearly fifteen months, Evan Gershkovich has been locked away in a Moscow jail.Today the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter went on trial a thousand miles from the Russian capital in Yekaterinburg: the city where he was arrested on espionage charges while on a reporting trip for the Wall Street Journal.We were among the group of media allowed into a courtroom to see him before the start of proceedings at the Sverdlovsk Regional Courthouse.Head shaven, and wearing a check shirt and jeans, Mr Gershkovich stood in the metal and glass cage known in Russian courtrooms as “the aquarium”. He smiled…
Italy’s billionaire Agnelli family raised its holding in Royal Philips NV, giving it a stake worth $4.19 billion, in a signal of increased confidence in the Dutch medical device manufacturer. The Agnellis’ Exor NV now owns 17.51% of Philips, according to a US regulatory filing late Tuesday. It held 16.1% as of May 16 and was already the company’s largest shareholder. Exor is the holding company for the Agnelli family, which founded Italian automaker Fiat. It amassed a 15% stake in Philips in 2023 as it began diversifying into healthcare, technology, financial services and luxury goods. The deal gave Exor the ability…
A new robotaxi service is coming to Croatia, courtesy of the country’s leading supercar company, Rimac. The service will be called Verne, named for French novelist and poet Jules Verne, and will launch in Zagreb in 2026, the company said. It’s an interesting pivot for a company that has been on a rocket-ship trajectory over the last few years. Founded by Mate Rimac in a garage as a one-man operation, Rimac has since become a highly desirable brand, with many legacy automakers calling upon the startup to help them build their own electric supercars. In addition to making the record-breaking…
KLP sold $69m stake over fears bulldozers contributing to ‘human rights abuses’ against Palestinians.Norwegian pension fund KLP has divested its stake of close to $70 in US industrial group Caterpillar due to the risk that its equipment is being used to violate human rights in occupied Palestine. Norway’s largest private pension manager said in a statement released on Wednesday that the manufacturer of bulldozers and other heavy machinery could be “contributing to human rights abuses and violation of international law in the West Bank and Gaza”. Israel’s military has for decades converted Caterpillar D9 bulldozers, fitted with armour and weapons,…
Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler belied impatience upon fielding questions from reporters about crypto, including his agency’s handling of applications to launch Ethereum ETFs. In speaking with journalist Annmarie Hordern at the Bloomberg Invest event in New York on Tuesday, Gensler accused his interviewer of going after “clicks” after she asked him several questions related to crypto policy. The issue of cryptocurrency ETFs has been a contentious one during Gensler’s SEC tenure, most notably when a federal appeals court last year rejected the agency’s decision to refuse applications for a Bitcoin ETF. The court ruling led the SEC…
German car making giant Volkswagen (VW) says it will invest up to $5bn (£3.94bn) in Tesla rival Rivian.The deal creates a joint venture that will allow VW and the US-based electric vehicle (EV) maker to share technology.Rivian shares jumped by almost 50% after the announcement.The tie-up comes as competition intensifies between EV makers and Western countries move to impose tariffs on Chinese imports.Under the agreement, VW said it will initially invest $1bn in the electric truck and SUV maker, with another $4bn to be put into the company by 2026.Founded in 2009, Rivian has not yet posted a quarterly profit.…
Mark your calendars for another big tech showcase in a couple of weeks.Samsung confirmed to press on Tuesday that its next Galaxy Unpacked livestream event will happen on July 10 at 9 a.m. ET. It’ll stream on Samsung’s website as well as its YouTube channel, as always. One fun twist is that the event is in Paris this time, but if you’re watching from home, that’s mostly just window dressing. SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 specs leaked by Amazon Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2024: What to expectOf course, the big thing on everyone’s minds is what exactly Samsung will…
Russia promises to retaliate after several people in Crimea killed in missile attack.Russia has said the United States bears responsibility for a deadly Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-occupied Crimea. At least four people were killed in the attack and more than 100 others injured, according to Russian authorities.Russia has hit many civilian targets in Ukraine during the war, where both sides are using new weapons. So is there a greater danger of direct conflict between Russia and NATO? Presenter: Sami Zeidan Guests: Hanna Shelest – Director of the Security Studies Program at Ukrainian Prism Patrick Bury – Defence and security…