The Full Belmonte, 2/24/2023
West Starts Issuing Fresh Sanctions Against Russia
U.S., alongside G-7 partners, to sanction more than 200 additional individuals and entities
Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hold a news conference at an army camp in southern England.PHOTO: WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES
“The West started rolling out its latest package of coordinated sanctions against Russia, marking the first anniversary of the invasion and setting up for a long-haul effort to squeeze Russia’s economy.
The U.S. early Friday said, alongside partners in the Group of Seven club of rich nations, it would sanction more than 200 additional individuals and entities, both Russian and those in third countries across Europe, Asia and the Middle East that Washington says is supporting Moscow’s war effort.
New targets include a dozen Russian financial institutions and entities tied to Russia’s defense and technology industries, the U.S. said. The Departments of Commerce and Treasury will also target nearly 90 Russian and third-country companies, including some in China, that officials say have engaged in sanctions evasion and so-called backfilling activities in support of Russia’s defense sector.
The U.S. said it would issue new restrictions to prevent components found in Iranian drones from making their way onto the battlefield in Ukraine. President Biden will also raise tariffs Friday on Russian imports to the U.S., including Russian metals, minerals and chemical products, while calibrating the measures ‘to impose costs on Russia while minimizing costs to U.S. consumers,’ according to a press release early Friday….” Read more at Wall Street Journal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hands a flag to a serviceman during a ceremony dedicated to the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine
“Today marks one year since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that despite all the hardships resulting from the war, 2023 will be a major turning point in the conflict. ‘It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith, and unity. And this year, we remained invincible. We know that 2023 will be the year of our victory,’ Zelensky said in a statement. Many residents have left the capital of Kyiv today, fearing a new wave of potential Russian attacks. Meanwhile, Ukraine has called on its allies to ‘redouble’ their support at this ‘crucial stage of the war,’ Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said today. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has vowed the US will do everything it could to get Ukraine the key equipment it needs, although he said F-16 fighter jets -- which Kyiv has requested -- were not ‘the key capability’ needed for now.” [CNN]
Ukraine, Year 2: Putin plans long war
Data: Institute for the Study of War and AEI's Critical Threats Project. Map: Axios Visuals
“After failing in his initial goal of quickly taking Kyiv, Vladimir Putin appears to be placing his new bet on winning a war of attrition.
Why it matters: The war — one year old today — could drag on much longer. That would add greatly to the tens of thousands killed, millions displaced and billions spent, Axios' Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath writes.
The war is at a stalemate, says Dale Buckner, a retired Army colonel, and current CEO of the international security firm Global Guardian.
‘Since last fall, when the Ukrainians' counterattacked and took large swaths of terrain back,’ neither side has ‘had a large or real tactical victory,’ Buckner tells Axios. ‘Everybody's bunkered down in relatively defensive positions.’
Behind the scenes: Inside Russia, Putin has for months been preparing Russians for what he admits will be ‘a long process.’
In his speech Tuesday, he attempted to normalize the wartime economic situation many Russians find themselves in as the conflict drags on.” [Axios]
“The war in Ukraine, with no end in sight, by AP's Jamey Keaten:
Russia has launched 5,000 missile strikes, 3,500 airstrikes and 1,000 drone strikes.
Ukrainian land controlled by Russian forces: 18%. That's down from 27% in March — but up from the 7% held by Russia and Russia-aligned separatists when the war started.
Potential Russian war crimes — killings, kidnappings, indiscriminate bombings and sexual assaults — under investigation by Ukraine’s prosecutor-general: 71,905.
Casualties:
Civilians killed: 8,006.
Civilians injured: 13,287.
Western estimate of Russian troops killed and wounded: 200,000. Britain estimates 40,000-60,000 Russian troops have died.
Ukraine troops confirmed killed: 9,000.
Estimate of Ukrainian troops killed or wounded: 100,000.
The Eiffel Tower is lit with the blue and gold of Ukraine's flag last night. Photo: Pierre Suu/Getty Images
Refugees and displaced people:
Refugees who fled Ukraine: 8.1 million.
People driven from their homes, but stayed in Ukraine: 5.4 million.
Ukrainians who have returned to their homes, either from within Ukraine or abroad: 5.6 million.
People in Ukraine needing humanitarian aid: 17.6 million.
U.S. support:
Emergency funding approved by Congress last year: $113 billion.White House fact sheets: Past action ... Future action.” [Axios]
Matt Freed/AP
“A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board offers the most detailed explanation yet of why a train in East Palestine, Ohio, carrying toxic chemicals derailed. Train operators tried to stop the vehicle after a wheel bearing overheated, but by the time the alarm rang, it was too late.” [NPR]
Alex Murdaugh takes the stand after admitting to lying, stealing but denies double murder
“Disbarred South Carolina attorney Richard ‘Alex’ Murdaugh denied killing his wife and son but admitted to lying to investigators and committing past financial crimes that included stealing money from clients Thursday as he testified in his own defense in his double murder trial. Murdaugh, 54, is charged in connection with the shootings of 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh. He has pleaded not guilty. Murdaugh vehemently denied shooting Maggie and Paul on June 7, 2021, at the family's property. ‘I would never intentionally do anything to hurt either one of them. Ever. Ever,’ he said. Cross-examination is expected to continue Friday. Read more at USA Today
•Who is the real Alex Murdaugh? More on the man who wrecked a South Carolina legal dynasty.
•Netflix's Alex Murdaugh docuseries "Murdaugh Murders": Here's what you should know.
Alex Murdaugh takes the stand during his trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023.
Pool photo by Joshua Boucher
Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly sentenced to more prison time
“Convicted sex offenders Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly were each sentenced to more time in prison Thursday for further crimes. A Los Angeles judge sentenced former movie mogul Weinstein to 16 years in prison after a jury convicted him of the 2013 rape and sexual assault of an Italian actor and model, adding on to the 23 years he is already serving as he continues to face repercussions from sexual assault allegations that kickstarted the #MeToo movement. The prison term, along with the 23 years he was handed in 2020 for a similar conviction in New York, amounts to a likely life sentence for the 70-year-old.” Read more at USA Today
A federal judge in Chicago rejected a call from prosecutors to keep R. Kelly behind bars until he is 100. The judge sentenced the Grammy Award-winning R&B singer to 20 years in prison on another set of sex crimes, including several child pornography charges. But 19 of those years will be served concurrently with his existing prison time, meaning only one year gets added to the end of the first 30-year sentence, imposed on him last year in New York for federal racketeering and sex trafficking convictions. The new sentence means Kelly could make it out of prison alive, when he is about 80. Kelly's defense lawyer celebrated the ruling as a victory, and some of the singer's fans could be heard cheering outside the courtroom. Read more at USA Today
“There were an estimated 287,000 maternal deaths globally in 2020. That's equivalent to a woman dying every two minutes — or nearly 800 deaths a day. Progress hasn't been made to reduce these numbers in years, and health officials worldwide are calling the numbers ‘unacceptable.’” [NPR]
“The Fairness Project has won campaigns to raise the minimum wage and expand Medicaid in nine states dominated by Republicans, and they're tackling abortion next. Ballot initiatives are the secret to their success, but there's growing pushback from state lawmakers.” [NPR]
”A federal judge in Texas could rule as soon as today on whether to cut off access to a key medication abortion protocol. The current two-drug protocol involves taking mifepristone, then misoprostol. While misoprostol alone is approved as an ulcer medication and not a standalone abortion drug, it could soon become a last option for patients.” [NPR]
The latest charges against Sam Bankman-Fried
Gotham/GC Images
“Federal prosecutors unveiled additional charges Thursday against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried over the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange.” [Vox / Andrew Prokop]
“Bankman-Fried, 30, now faces 12 charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transfer business.” [Vox] [ABC News / Aaron Katersky]
“The new indictment also alleges Bankman-Fried used FTX customer funds to make hundreds of illegal campaign contributions to Democrats and Republicans through secret donors.” [Vox] [NBC News / Alex Seitz-Wald]
“Prosecutors say Bankman-Fried used two FTX executives to give to right-wing and left-wing causes to evade the Federal Election Commission and avoid appearing too partisan.” [Vox] [Washington Post / Julian Mark and Isaac Stanley-Becker]
“Bankman-Fried is free on a $250 million bond. He faces an additional 40 years in prison if convicted on the new charges.” [Vox] [CNBC / Dan Mangan and Brian Schwartz]
Voting rights
“Minnesota's Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is poised to sign a bill that would speed up the right to vote for ex-felons. Walz is expected to sign the legislation, referred to as Restore the Vote by its supporters, into law as early as next week, his office said. The bill will restore the voting rights of thousands of convicted felons this summer once they leave prison, instead of after they complete parole. Once signed by Walz, the measure means Minnesota will join 21 other states that automatically restore the right to vote for some or all ex-felons upon their release from prison. But the bill hasn't been without legal challenges and contentious political debate. Removing obstacles to voting for former felons has been the subject of partisan bickering in some states because of the perception that this group of voters is more likely to support Democratic candidates.” [CNN]
Colleges brace for end of affirmative action
Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
“Colleges are preparing to make major changes in the classic admissions process as they try to figure out how to attract a diverse student body in a post-affirmative-action world, Axios' Erin Doherty reports.
Why it matters: The Supreme Court is expected to rule this summer that schools can't explicitly consider applicants' race.
Standardized tests may be on the chopping block if schools can't take students' race into account, Julie J. Park, an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Maryland, told Axios.
The pandemic fast-tracked some universities' scrapping of test requirements, which are seen as a barrier to lower-income students.
Schools may look more at an applicant's socioeconomic background, said Vern Granger, UConn's director of undergraduate admissions.
What's happening: The Supreme Court is expected to rule on challenges to the use of race in the admissions processes at Harvard and UNC.
Oral arguments are an imperfect guide to how the court will rule. But those arguments, and other tea leaves, indicate the conservative Supreme Court is ready to rule against both schools — and either end race-conscious admissions altogether, or roll them back significantly.” [Axios]
NATO’s Biggest European Members Float Defense Pact With Ukraine
French and German leaders told Ukrainian President Zelensky that he needs to consider peace talks
“BERLIN—Germany, France and Britain see stronger ties between NATO and Ukraine as a way to encourage Kyiv to start peace talks with Russia even if Moscow continues to occupy Ukrainian territory, officials from the three governments said.
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week laid out a blueprint for an agreement to give Ukraine much broader access to advanced military equipment, weapons and ammunition to defend itself once the war ends. He said the plan should be on the agenda for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s annual meeting in July.
A year into the war, Paris and Berlin also support the initiative and all three governments see it as a way to boost Ukrainian confidence and give the government there an incentive to start talks with Russia, the French, German and British officials said.
The officials were careful to say that any decision on when and under what conditions any peace talks start is entirely up to Ukraine. Mr. Sunak on Friday said the West should give Ukraine arms that would give it a ‘decisive advantage’ on the battlefield, including warplanes.
But the public rhetoric masks deepening private doubts among politicians in the U.K., France and Germany that Ukraine will be able to expel the Russians from eastern Ukraine and Crimea, which Russia has controlled since 2014, and a belief that the West can only help sustain the war effort for so long, especially if the conflict settles into a stalemate, officials from the three countries say….” Read more at Wall Street Journal
Taiwanese military personnel trained at a base in Taoyuan, Taiwan, this week.
PHOTO: RITCHIE B TONGO/SHUTTERSTOCK
The U.S. plans to deploy as many as 200 troops to Taiwan for training against China’s growing military power
“The increase—up from roughly 30 a year ago, according to U.S. officials—will be the largest U.S. military presence there in decades. The troops will train Taiwanese forces on weapons systems and tactics to protect against a potential Chinese offensive. Plus, the Michigan National Guard is teaching some of Taipei’s military in the Wolverine State, according to people familiar with the training.” [Wall Street Journal]
President Biden plans to nominate a former Mastercard CEO for World Bank president
“If chosen, Ajay Banga would succeed Trump appointee David Malpass, who’s stepping down on June 30. As the largest World Bank shareholder, the U.S. typically selects the president. The nomination doesn’t require Senate confirmation, though the bank’s board will need to officially appoint the selected candidate.” [Wall Street Journal]
“Death toll rises from Brazilian floods. The official death toll from floods in Brazil’s São Paulo state has risen to 48. São Paulo, the richest state in the country, was hit by more than 23.6 inches of rain in one day, which is one of the highest ever cumulative daily figures in Brazil. The state’s governor told reporters that at least 38 people are missing.
According to state authorities, 1,730 people have been displaced and 1,810 left homeless due to floods and landslides. Rescue operations are continuing, but some aid is not reaching its intended recipients, and criminals are reportedly looting trucks that are bringing donations to those who need them. Similar floods and landslides have occurred in recent years in Brazil, where matters are made worse by shoddy construction.” [Foreign Policy]
“China cracks down on ChatGPT. Chinese regulators are reportedly cutting access to ChatGPT, a discussion bot made by OpenAI, which is based in the United States. While it was not officially available in China, some developers made programs through which users could get access. But those programs “disappeared” from WeChat accounts, and there are reports that WeChat’s parent company was ordered to cut access. Domestic Chinese developers are moving ahead with their own artificial intelligence bots.” [Foreign Policy]
Fraud charges for Ozy CEO
Carlos Watson. Photo: Kimberly White/Getty Images
“Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson was arrested today, marking another wild turn in the saga of the embattled company, Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer reports.
Court documents detail how Watson, ex-chief operating officer Samir Rao and other Ozy executives ‘engaged in a scheme to defraud’ Ozy investors about their business.
Watson was arrested after Rao pled guilty to fraud charges in federal court.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Watson's arrest and Rao's guilty plea after a Journal reporter attended the secretive plea hearing, which was scheduled under a pseudonym.
Lanny Breuer, Watson’s lawyer, told The Journal: ‘We have been acting in good faith and believe we had a constructive dialogue with the government and are shocked by the actions this morning.’” [Axios]
The future of window washing
Photo: Skyline Robotics
“Commercial window washing is still handled mainly by humans on scarily high perches — a 100-year-old model. But a handful of startups hope to disrupt the industry with robots, Jennifer A. Kingson writes Axios What's Next.
Why it matters: It's safer and faster to use a robot to clean a skyscraper. Robots can clean about three times faster than humans and work at night.
Two competing Israeli companies, Skyline Robotics and Verobotics, are pitching their robot-based window-cleaning systems in New York and other big cities.
The robots scrub walls and windows with brushes, but don't use any chemicals.” [Axios]
TV goodbyes: Meredith Grey leaves 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Succession' to leave HBO
(From left) Onscreen siblings Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin in a scene from HBO's Emmy--winning drama "Succession."
Macall B. Polay/HBO
“The world of television brought one goodbye fans have seen coming and another they probably didn't Thursday. After more than 400 episodes, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) left Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, the fictional setting of ABC's medical drama ‘Grey's Anatomy,’ to move to Boston. The character will still be the series' voiceover and is expected to make return appearances. Over at HBO, ‘Succession’ fans should enjoy the upcoming Season 4, because it will be the beloved drama's last season, creator Jesse Armstrong said in an interview published Thursday. The final season will begin March 26.” Read more at USA Today
On ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," hospital staffers bid Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), center, goodbye at a surprise farewell party before she leaves for Boston.
ABC
"Grinch" gets a sequel
A page from the new book "How the Grinch Lost Christmas!" Photo: TM & © 2023 Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P., All rights reserved, via AP
“What happened after the Grinch stole Christmas? Fans of the 1957 Dr. Seuss classic are about to find out.
The sequel, "How the Grinch Lost Christmas!" is set for release ahead of the 2023 holiday season, AP reports.
The new book isn't a lost manuscript, but written by Alastair Heim and illustrated by Aristides Ruiz, both of whom previously worked on Dr. Seuss titles.” [Axios']