Saturday, November 30
Convex, a Russian telecommunications company, found a solution to obtain American equipment despite trade limits imposed on Russia. They easily obtained Cisco gear through a Russian e-commerce site called Nag, which bypassed restrictions by purchasing the equipment from suppliers in China. Convex engineers installed the gear at Russia's Federal Security Service offices. Russian authorities and companies have exploited cracks in the global response by using intermediaries in China, shell companies, and ports in Morocco and Turkiye for transshipment.
Former Proud Boys leader Charles Donohoe was sentenced to over three years in prison for his involvement in the plot to attack the US Capitol. Donohoe pleaded guilty to conspiring with other Proud Boys members to obstruct the certification of President Biden's electoral victory. His sentence could set a precedent for other co-conspirators who are cooperating with prosecutors. Donohoe, who was the president of a local Proud Boys chapter in North Carolina, apologized for his actions and expressed remorse. This comes as more than 1,200 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol riot, with over 700 already sentenced.
A team from Israel Builders Association visited India last week to recruit workers for the construction industry. Another delegation will leave for India next week to continue the recruitment process. The selection process will begin in Delhi and Chennai on December 27. The goal is to bring in 10,000 workers initially, with the potential to scale up to 30,000. The construction industry in Israel is facing a shortage of workers, and the government is looking to bring in workers from abroad to meet the demand.
Survivors in remote mountains mourned the dead and endured frigid cold after an earthquake. Houses collapsed, killing 131 people and injuring over 900. Most casualties were in Gansu province. In makeshift shelters, survivors retrieved belongings from the ruins of their houses. Nearly 15,000 homes collapsed and over 87,000 people have been resettled. The death toll rose to 18 and the number of injured approached 1,000. Experts attributed the high toll to shallow depth and poor construction.
Kim’s statement suggests he is confident in his growing missile arsenal and will likely continue weapons testing activities ahead of next year's presidential election in the United States. But many observers say North Korea still needs to perform more significant tests to prove it has functioning missiles targeting the US mainland. After watching Monday’s launch of the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, Kim said the test showed how North Korea could respond if the United States were to make 'a wrong decision against it'.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Tuesday that the military has seized the initiative on the battlefield in Ukraine after repelling Kyiv's counteroffensive and is well positioned to achieve Moscow's goals. Putin's speech at a meeting with top military brass came a day after he presented documents to Russia’s Central Election Commission to seek reelection in the March presidential vote that he's all but certain to win. The Russian leader hailed the troops for repelling Ukrainian attacks during the summer counteroffensive.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former prime minister of Pakistan and a prominent member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has declared not to run for the general elections scheduled for February next year. During an interview, he avoided questions about leaving the PML-N or starting a new political party. Abbasi mentioned that the PTI came to power in a fair playing field environment defined by the constitution and the law. He also mentioned facing cases in NAB courts for four years over attending a meeting.
French Parliament members have reached an agreement on a divisive immigration bill aimed at strengthening France's ability to deport undesirable foreigners. The bill, championed by interior minister Gerald Darmanin, will protect the French while also allowing 7,000 to 10,000 undocumented migrant workers per year to obtain residency permits and fill job vacancies in challenging sectors. The compromise text includes provisions to reduce the number of migrants entering France and restrict their access to social benefits. The bill requires approval from both houses of parliament and has faced criticism from advocacy organizations for its potential threat to migrants' rights.
