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Showing posts from April, 2023

"Zero Leads" On Texas Man Accused Of Killing 5 Neighbours Still On: Cops

Over 200 law enforcement officers in Texas searched on Sunday for a man accused of shooting to death five neighbors after being asked to stop firing a semiautomatic rifle in Cleveland, Texas. Francisco Oropesa, 38, is accused of opening fire on neighbors after being asked to stop shooting an AR-15-style rifle late Friday because it was keeping a baby awake. The victims include an 8-year-old boy. "Right now, we have zero leads," FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge James Smith told reporters on Sunday. San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said over 200 law enforcement personnel were going door-to-door looking for the suspect or any tips on how to find him. Officials are offering an $80,000 reward for information that will lead to the suspect's apprehension. Oropesa's name had been spelled "Oropeza" in early communications from law enforcement but was changed "to better reflect his identity in law enforcement systems," the FBI said on Sunday. It

"Zero Leads" On Texas Man Accused Of Killing 5 Neighbours Still On: Cops

Over 200 law enforcement officers in Texas searched on Sunday for a man accused of shooting to death five neighbors after being asked to stop firing a semiautomatic rifle in Cleveland, Texas. Francisco Oropesa, 38, is accused of opening fire on neighbors after being asked to stop shooting an AR-15-style rifle late Friday because it was keeping a baby awake. The victims include an 8-year-old boy. "Right now, we have zero leads," FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge James Smith told reporters on Sunday. San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said over 200 law enforcement personnel were going door-to-door looking for the suspect or any tips on how to find him. Officials are offering an $80,000 reward for information that will lead to the suspect's apprehension. Oropesa's name had been spelled "Oropeza" in early communications from law enforcement but was changed "to better reflect his identity in law enforcement systems," the FBI said on Sunday. It

UK People Urged To Swear Allegiance To King Charles During Coronation

All Britons will be called on to swear allegiance to King Charles III at his coronation, an oath hitherto reserved for British nobility, in a move that has upset anti-royalists. The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who will lead the coronation ceremony on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, announced on Saturday that the traditional "Homage of Peers" -- during which representatives of the nobility kneel before the king and pledge allegiance to him -- would be scrapped. Instead, the ceremony will include a "Homage of the People", with the archbishop calling on all people in the United Kingdom and other places where King Charles is the head of state to swear allegiance.  The archbishop will call on "all persons of goodwill in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of the other realms and the territories to make their homage, in heart and voice, to their undoubted king, defender of all". The order of service will read:

UK People Urged To Swear Allegiance To King Charles During Coronation

All Britons will be called on to swear allegiance to King Charles III at his coronation, an oath hitherto reserved for British nobility, in a move that has upset anti-royalists. The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who will lead the coronation ceremony on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, announced on Saturday that the traditional "Homage of Peers" -- during which representatives of the nobility kneel before the king and pledge allegiance to him -- would be scrapped. Instead, the ceremony will include a "Homage of the People", with the archbishop calling on all people in the United Kingdom and other places where King Charles is the head of state to swear allegiance.  The archbishop will call on "all persons of goodwill in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of the other realms and the territories to make their homage, in heart and voice, to their undoubted king, defender of all". The order of service will read:

Had "Acute And Strong" Pneumonia But Will Keep Travelling: Pope Francis

Pope Francis described on Sunday an "acute and strong" pneumonia that led to his hospitalisation last month, but the 86-year-old pontiff said he was determined to keep travelling. "I felt a strong pain at the end of the (March 29) audience," the pope told reporters aboard his papal plane on his return to Rome from Budapest, where the pontiff made a three-day visit. "I did not lose consciousness but I had a high fever" and the doctor "right away took me to the hospital," he said. Francis called it an "acute and strong pneumonia, in the lower part of the lung". The pope spent three nights in the Rome hospital in March before being released on April 1 after being treated with antibiotics. He regularly takes questions from Vatican reporters on the flight home following papal trips. The Argentine pope, who had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man, has suffered increasing health issues in recent years, and it was his second s

Had "Acute And Strong" Pneumonia But Will Keep Travelling: Pope Francis

Pope Francis described on Sunday an "acute and strong" pneumonia that led to his hospitalisation last month, but the 86-year-old pontiff said he was determined to keep travelling. "I felt a strong pain at the end of the (March 29) audience," the pope told reporters aboard his papal plane on his return to Rome from Budapest, where the pontiff made a three-day visit. "I did not lose consciousness but I had a high fever" and the doctor "right away took me to the hospital," he said. Francis called it an "acute and strong pneumonia, in the lower part of the lung". The pope spent three nights in the Rome hospital in March before being released on April 1 after being treated with antibiotics. He regularly takes questions from Vatican reporters on the flight home following papal trips. The Argentine pope, who had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man, has suffered increasing health issues in recent years, and it was his second s

"Being Taken Captive By Russia Would Be A Disgrace": Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky carries a pistol and would have fought to the death with his inner circle had the Russians attacked his Kyiv headquarters at the start of the war, he said in an interview shown on Saturday. "I know how to shoot. Could you imagine (a headline like) 'The President of Ukraine is taken captive by Russians?' This is a disgrace. I believe this would be a disgrace," he told the 1 1 television channel. In the first days after the February 24, 2022 invasion, Ukrainian officials said Russian intelligence units tried to break into Kyiv but were defeated and failed to reach Bankova Street in the centre, home to the presidential offices. Other Russian units launched an attack on the outskirts of Kyiv, but were unable to advance. Officials also reported several unsuccessful sabotage attempts inside the city. "I think if they had gone inside, into the administration, we would not be here," Zelensky said. It was not clear which Ru

US Asks China To Stop "Provocative And Unsafe" Acts In South China Sea

The United States called on China Saturday to stop "provocative and unsafe conduct" in the disputed South China Sea after a recent near-collision with a Philippines coast guard boat there, ramping up rhetoric ahead of a visit by the Filipino president to the White House. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, in a statement two days before President Joe Biden is to host his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said the incident was a reminder of China's "harassment and intimidation" of Philippine vessels in the contested waterway. "We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct," he said, adding that any attack on Philippine armed forces would trigger a US response. Joe Biden has been working to bolster relations with Asian allies as the US-Chinese relationship remains in a historically deep chill, and the Philippines' proximity to key sea lanes and Taiwan gives it particular strategic importance. The near-mi

US Asks China To Stop "Provocative And Unsafe" Acts In South China Sea

The United States called on China Saturday to stop "provocative and unsafe conduct" in the disputed South China Sea after a recent near-collision with a Philippines coast guard boat there, ramping up rhetoric ahead of a visit by the Filipino president to the White House. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, in a statement two days before President Joe Biden is to host his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said the incident was a reminder of China's "harassment and intimidation" of Philippine vessels in the contested waterway. "We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct," he said, adding that any attack on Philippine armed forces would trigger a US response. Joe Biden has been working to bolster relations with Asian allies as the US-Chinese relationship remains in a historically deep chill, and the Philippines' proximity to key sea lanes and Taiwan gives it particular strategic importance. The near-mi

3 Men On Bikes Rob Luxury Jewellery Store In Paris In Broad Daylight

Armed robbers raided the Bulgari luxury jewellery store on the swanky Place Vendome in central Paris in broad daylight Saturday, fleeing with a haul of unknown value, police and prosecutors said. Three people on two motorbikes entered the store in the popular tourist district at around 1:45pm local time (1145 GMT), a police source said, citing preliminary information. The scale of the damage and the loot they got away with is still being assessed, the source added. The same Bulgari store was also targeted in an armed robbery in September 2021, the damage of which was estimated at 10 million euros. Video footage posted on social networks on Saturday appeared to show two large black motorbikes parked on the pavement in front of the jewellery shop. A man in a helmet with a gun and wearing black clothes is seen apparently standing guard. Later, three men can be seen fleeing the scene on two motorbikes. An investigation into armed robbery has been opened, the Paris prosecutor's o

3 Men On Bikes Rob Luxury Jewellery Store In Paris In Broad Daylight

Armed robbers raided the Bulgari luxury jewellery store on the swanky Place Vendome in central Paris in broad daylight Saturday, fleeing with a haul of unknown value, police and prosecutors said. Three people on two motorbikes entered the store in the popular tourist district at around 1:45pm local time (1145 GMT), a police source said, citing preliminary information. The scale of the damage and the loot they got away with is still being assessed, the source added. The same Bulgari store was also targeted in an armed robbery in September 2021, the damage of which was estimated at 10 million euros. Video footage posted on social networks on Saturday appeared to show two large black motorbikes parked on the pavement in front of the jewellery shop. A man in a helmet with a gun and wearing black clothes is seen apparently standing guard. Later, three men can be seen fleeing the scene on two motorbikes. An investigation into armed robbery has been opened, the Paris prosecutor's o

"12 Years": Prince William, Kate Middleton Share Unseen Pic

The Prince and Princess of Wales, today took to social media to share an unseen picture of them during a bike ride with their arms around each other. Prince William and Kate Middleton rang in their 12th wedding anniversary on Saturday. "12 years," reads the Instagram caption for the picture which was clicked by photographer Matt Porteous, an environmental photographer who has long been behind the camera in front of the royals for portraits, according to Metro. In the picture, the couple can be seen posing on bicycles with their arms around each other, smiling at the camera. The royals can be seen dressed in casual outfits. While Prince William opted for a blue collared shirt, jeans and sunglasses, Kate Middleton wore a patterned white shirt, jeans and white sneakers. See the post here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales) The picture was taken last year at

Russian Strikes Kill 26 Including 5 Children In Central Ukraine

Russian strikes battered cities across Ukraine on Friday, killing 26 people including five children, as Kyiv said preparations for a counter-offensive against Moscow's forces were nearly complete. The deadly new attacks included a strike on a residential block in the historic city of Uman in central Ukraine, where AFP journalists saw rescue workers extracting victims' remains from a destroyed residential building. The barrage of almost two dozen missiles overnight ended a weeks-long pause following the repeated Russian strikes that had aimed to paralyse Ukraine's energy grid during the winter months. On Friday evening, workers in Uman, the site of an annual Hasidic pilgrimage, pulled the body of another child from under the rubble. Authorities said Russian cruise missiles killed 23 people -- including four children -- in Uman. "I want to see my children, they are under the rubble," Dmitry, a 33-year-old local from Lugansk, an eastern city under Russian control

Russian Strikes Kill 26 Including 5 Children In Central Ukraine

Russian strikes battered cities across Ukraine on Friday, killing 26 people including five children, as Kyiv said preparations for a counter-offensive against Moscow's forces were nearly complete. The deadly new attacks included a strike on a residential block in the historic city of Uman in central Ukraine, where AFP journalists saw rescue workers extracting victims' remains from a destroyed residential building. The barrage of almost two dozen missiles overnight ended a weeks-long pause following the repeated Russian strikes that had aimed to paralyse Ukraine's energy grid during the winter months. On Friday evening, workers in Uman, the site of an annual Hasidic pilgrimage, pulled the body of another child from under the rubble. Authorities said Russian cruise missiles killed 23 people -- including four children -- in Uman. "I want to see my children, they are under the rubble," Dmitry, a 33-year-old local from Lugansk, an eastern city under Russian control

US Confiscates Iran Oil Cargo On Tanker Amid Tensions: Report

The U.S. confiscated Iranian oil on a tanker at sea in recent days in a sanctions enforcement operation, three sources said, and days later Iran seized another oil-laden tanker in retaliation, according to a maritime security firm. As oil markets remain jittery, the cargo seizure is the latest escalation between Washington and Tehran after years of sanctions pressure by the U.S. over Iran's nuclear program. Iran does not recognise the sanctions, and its oil exports have been rising. Tehran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes while Washington suspects Iran wants to develop a nuclear bomb. Maritime security company Ambrey said the U.S. confiscation took place at least five days before Iran's action on Thursday. "Ambrey has assessed the seizure by the Iranian Navy to be in response to the U.S. action," it said in an advisory to clients. "Both tankers were Suezmax-sized. Iran has previously responded tit-for-tat following seizures of Iranian oil car

US Confiscates Iran Oil Cargo On Tanker Amid Tensions: Report

The U.S. confiscated Iranian oil on a tanker at sea in recent days in a sanctions enforcement operation, three sources said, and days later Iran seized another oil-laden tanker in retaliation, according to a maritime security firm. As oil markets remain jittery, the cargo seizure is the latest escalation between Washington and Tehran after years of sanctions pressure by the U.S. over Iran's nuclear program. Iran does not recognise the sanctions, and its oil exports have been rising. Tehran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes while Washington suspects Iran wants to develop a nuclear bomb. Maritime security company Ambrey said the U.S. confiscation took place at least five days before Iran's action on Thursday. "Ambrey has assessed the seizure by the Iranian Navy to be in response to the U.S. action," it said in an advisory to clients. "Both tankers were Suezmax-sized. Iran has previously responded tit-for-tat following seizures of Iranian oil car

Here's What Microsoft Can Do in $69 Billion Activision Deal After UK Ban

Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Wednesday blocked Microsoft's $69 billion (nearly Rs. 5,64,100 crore) acquisition of Call of Duty  maker Activision Blizzard over concerns it would hinder cloud gaming . The ruling was a shock after the regulator had already resolved its concerns about the consoles market, a sector dominated by Sony 's PlayStation and Microsoft 's Xbox , which dwarfs cloud gaming. Is the deal dead? Not necessarily. Microsoft said it remained fully committed and would appeal. The regulator's decision reflected a flawed understanding of the market, it said. How does the appeal process work? Microsoft can appeal to Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), an independent judicial body, which will only examine the CMA's decision-making process, not the merits of the merger. Microsoft will not be able to offer new remedies at this stage, such as offering to keep Activision content off its Xbox Game Pass , a subscrip

MediaTek Shifts Focus to Cars, AI Amid Supply Glut in Smartphone Market

Taiwan's top chip design company MediaTek is focusing more resources on chips for cars and AI computing as its smartphone clients face a supply glut and inflation and macroeconomic uncertainty dent demand for consumer electronics. "We are definitely moving our resources very, very rapidly towards the automotive and computing areas, because those areas will provide our growth in the next three to five years," MediaTek Chief Executive Rick Tsai told an earnings call. "In this very demanding environment, we are not reducing people. We're not increasing either. The critical thing is to allocate those precious resources," he said. Tsai said everyone, including MediaTek, was rushing to claim that they were able to support generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT . "We're confident that we will be able to provide the capability to our customers," Tsai said. MediaTek is investing heavily in AI because the new areas the company is foc

Woman Uses Dead Helicopter Pilot's Identity To Avoid Traffic Fee, Charged

An Australian woman has been charged with fraud after she used the identity of a dead pilot in order to avoid a traffic fine, the Independent reported. 33-year-old Stephanie Louise Bennett pleaded guilty to using Sea World pilot Ash Jenkinson's identity after she was caught using her mobile phone behind the wheel last year in December. In order to avoid the mandatory $1,078 fine, Ms. Bennett went online to claim she was not at fault. She then used information from the pilot's death notice to nominate Mr. Jenkinson as the driver of her vehicle. She allegedly found Mr. Jenkinson's full name and date of birth in an obituary notice following his death. As per ABC , Mr Jenkinson died on the Gold Coast Broadwater on January 2 when the helicopter he was flying collided with another helicopter in mid-air. He was killed, along with three passengers on board - Sydney woman Vanessa Tadros, and British couple Ron and Diane Hughes.  When Mr. Jenkinson's widow received the fine n

Tech Company Dropbox Slashes 16% Of Workforce Amid "Slowing Cloud Growth"

Cloud storage provider Dropbox Inc said on Thursday it would reduce its global workforce by 16% to cut costs amid slowing cloud growth, and instead hire new talent to build its AI offerings. San Francisco, California-based Dropbox is the latest tech company to tap AI as Big Tech players from Microsoft Corp to Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc battle for a slice of the fast-growing market with new products and offerings. Dropbox's chief executive officer, Drew Houston, said the company's core cloud business growth was slowing as challenges from the economic downturn put pressure on customers, making some of its profitable investments no longer sustainable. At the end of 2022, the company had 3,118 full-time employees, of which 2,583 were located in the United States. The company said it had shifted some employees from one team to another to focus on its AI projects, but would need more talent with a different mix of skill sets, particularly in AI and early-stage product dev

iPhones, AirPods Replaced With Replicas by E-Commerce Delivery Executive in Gurugram

A delivery executive of an e-commerce firm allegedly stole 10 iPhones by replacing them with dummy phones on the way to deliver them to the customer here, police said on Thursday. Station in-charge of Matrix Finance Solution, which delivers Amazon 's parcel, Ravi in his complaint alleged that on March 27 delivery executive Lalit was handed over a customer's parcel, which contained 10 iPhones and an AirPods , at his address, they said. However, instead of delivering the parcel, Lalit replaced the iPhones with replicas and sent his brother Manoj to deposit them back to the company claiming that the customer could not be contacted, Ravi said in his complaint. Suspecting some tampering with the packaging, the parcel was opened and the delivery company found the fake phones inside, police said. Meanwhile, upon not receiving his parcel, the customer also cancelled his order, they said. An FIR has been registered against Lalit under sections 420 (cheating), 408 (criminal breach

Tech Company Dropbox Slashes 16% Of Workforce Amid "Slowing Cloud Growth"

Cloud storage provider Dropbox Inc said on Thursday it would reduce its global workforce by 16% to cut costs amid slowing cloud growth, and instead hire new talent to build its AI offerings. San Francisco, California-based Dropbox is the latest tech company to tap AI as Big Tech players from Microsoft Corp to Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc battle for a slice of the fast-growing market with new products and offerings. Dropbox's chief executive officer, Drew Houston, said the company's core cloud business growth was slowing as challenges from the economic downturn put pressure on customers, making some of its profitable investments no longer sustainable. At the end of 2022, the company had 3,118 full-time employees, of which 2,583 were located in the United States. The company said it had shifted some employees from one team to another to focus on its AI projects, but would need more talent with a different mix of skill sets, particularly in AI and early-stage product dev

Microsoft Hits Back at UK Regulator's Decision to Block Activision Acquisition

Microsoft's president Brad Smith said the UK regulator's decision to prevent its acquisition of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard "had shaken confidence" in Britain as a destination for tech businesses. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which operates independently from government, blocked the deal on Wednesday, saying it could hit competition in the nascent cloud gaming market. Microsoft hit back on Thursday, saying it was "probably the darkest day in our four decades in Britain" and sent the wrong message to the global tech industry about the UK. "If the government of the United Kingdom wants to bring in investment, if it wants to create jobs (...) it needs to look hard at the role of the CMA, the regulatory structure in the United Kingdom, this transaction, and the message that the United Kingdom has just said to the world," he told BBC radio. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Smith's comments were

Jair Bolsonaro Denies Role In Brazil Capital Riots

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday denied all involvement in anti-government riots by his supporters in January as he appeared before federal police. The far-right leader is being investigated for his alleged role in masterminding and instigating the riots that sought the overthrow of his successor, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, who returned to Brazil in late March after spending three months in the US state of Florida, was questioned for more than two hours at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia, but left in a vehicle with tinted windows without speaking to reporters. Shortly afterward, Bolsonaro's spokesman Fabio Wajngarten told the press that the former president had "repudiated all the unfortunate events that happened in Brasilia" on the day of the riot. One reason the investigation was launched was because two days after the riot, Bolsonaro shared a video to social media of a prosecutor contesting the validity of Lula

Jair Bolsonaro Denies Role In Brazil Capital Riots

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday denied all involvement in anti-government riots by his supporters in January as he appeared before federal police. The far-right leader is being investigated for his alleged role in masterminding and instigating the riots that sought the overthrow of his successor, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro, who returned to Brazil in late March after spending three months in the US state of Florida, was questioned for more than two hours at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia, but left in a vehicle with tinted windows without speaking to reporters. Shortly afterward, Bolsonaro's spokesman Fabio Wajngarten told the press that the former president had "repudiated all the unfortunate events that happened in Brasilia" on the day of the riot. One reason the investigation was launched was because two days after the riot, Bolsonaro shared a video to social media of a prosecutor contesting the validity of Lula

"A Good Thing": US Cautiously Optimistic About China-Ukraine Phone Call

The White House on Wednesday welcomed a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelensky but said it was too soon to tell whether it would lead to a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. "That's a good thing," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said about the call. "Now, whether that's going to lead to some sort of meaningful peace movement, or plan, or proposal, I just don't think we know that right now." Xi spoke by telephone on Wednesday with Zelensky for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. The call came after months of pressure from Kyiv for such talks. Xi told Zelensky that China would send special representatives to Ukraine and hold talks with all parties seeking peace, Chinese state media reported. "We have long said we want this war to end," Kirby said. "It could end immediately if Putin would leave. That doesn't appear to be in the off

Microsoft, Alphabet, Other AI Companies Urged to Prioritize Security Measures for New Technologies

The chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday urged CEOs of several artificial intelligence (AI) companies to prioritize security measures, combat bias, and responsibly roll out new technologies. Democratic Senator Mark Warner raised concerns about potential risks posed by AI technology. "Beyond industry commitments, however, it is also clear that some level of regulation is necessary in this field," said Warner, who sent letters to the CEOs of OpenAI , Scale AI,  Meta Platforms ,  Alphabet 's Google , Apple , Stability AI, Midjourney, Anthropic, Percipient.ai, and Microsoft . "With the increasing use of AI across large swaths of our economy, and the possibility for large language models to be steadily integrated into a range of existing systems, from healthcare to finance sectors, I see an urgent need to underscore the importance of putting security at the forefront of your work," Warner said. Earlier this month, Senate Majority Leader Chuck S

"A Good Thing": US Cautiously Optimistic About China-Ukraine Phone Call

The White House on Wednesday welcomed a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelensky but said it was too soon to tell whether it would lead to a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. "That's a good thing," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said about the call. "Now, whether that's going to lead to some sort of meaningful peace movement, or plan, or proposal, I just don't think we know that right now." Xi spoke by telephone on Wednesday with Zelensky for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. The call came after months of pressure from Kyiv for such talks. Xi told Zelensky that China would send special representatives to Ukraine and hold talks with all parties seeking peace, Chinese state media reported. "We have long said we want this war to end," Kirby said. "It could end immediately if Putin would leave. That doesn't appear to be in the off

Aadhaar e-KYC Transactions Rise to Over 311.8 Million in March 2023

Aadhaar holders have carried out nearly 2.31 billion authentication transactions in March 2023, underlining the growing usage of Aadhaar and growth of digital economy in the country, according to an official release. The numbers in March were higher than in February when 2.26 billion authentication transactions were carried out. "While a majority of the authentications transaction numbers were carried out by using biometric fingerprint, it is followed by demographic and OTP authentications," the release said. Aadhaar e-KYC service continues to play a "stellar role" for banking and non-banking financial services by providing transparent and improved customer experience, and facilitating ease of doing business. More than 311.8 million e-KYC transactions were carried out during March 2023, a rise of over 16.3 percent against February levels. Adoption of e-KYC has significantly reduced customer acquisition cost of entities like financial institutions, telecom serv

British American Tobacco Fined For Violating North Korea Sanctions

British American Tobacco has agreed to pay more than $600 million to settle charges it sold cigarette materials to North Korea for years in violation of US sanctions, the US Justice Department announced Tuesday. In the most severe action ever taken by US authorities against a company for breaking North Korea sanctions, BAT's Singapore subsidiary also agreed to plead guilty to felony charges of bank fraud and sanctions-breaking. The Justice Department said that over 2007-2017, BAT operated a web of front and shell companies to supply North Korea cigarette makers. The company knew it was violating sanctions placed on Pyongyang over its development of nuclear weapons, US officials said. In 2007, BAT's Standing Committee, including top company executives in London, approved the scheme "due to concerns over its public association with North Korea and difficulty remitting profits out of the country," the US Treasury said in a statement. - Selling to NKorea's embass

Brazil's Lula Says Russian Invasion Of Ukraine "Unacceptable"

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticized the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday, but said no one is talking about peace in what he called an "insane war." Speaking during a visit to Spain, Lula said he is committed to finding a peace formula to end the conflict. "I understand the European view of this war. It is unacceptable that one country invades another, but it is a war in which I do not see anyone talking about peace," he said in speech at a business conference. Lula angered many in the West this month when he called for the U.S. and European allies to stop supplying arms to Ukraine saying they were prolonging the war, prompting a White House spokesperson to accuse him of "parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda." After the backlash, the Brazilian leader toned down his comments and on a visit to Portugal and Spain he has condemned Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity. In Spain, Lula again called for m