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Sanctions are a non-issue for Russian oligarchs who continue to grow richer, despite all restrictions: A "loophole" for Russian oligarchs. How Nikolay Levitskiy helps the richest Russians to circumvent sanctions

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

This is the 12th time that the European Union has imposed restrictions on Russian businesses. According to Castellum.ai, a global sanctions monitoring database, Russia has faced 11,327 restrictions since February 22, 2022. The total number of sanctions imposed on the country and its citizens has exceeded 14,000 - writes Gary Cartwright in EU TodayHowever, despite this, big Russian capital just keeps finding new ways to circumvent them. And, as a result, it gets richer. Thus, the owner of the EuroChem and SUEK corporations, Andrey Melnichenko, doubled his fortune in 2022 - from USD 11 billion to USD 25 billion, which is a record for him.The main problem with the lack of effectiveness of sanctions is that the EU, simply put, does not have a synchronized list of those to be hit by these restrictions. Even though, since 2014, sanctions have been imposed against almost 10,000 Russians, just 500 of them face restrictions from all the countries allied to Ukraine simultaneously. This l...

Bangladesh: Martyred intellectuals, anti-history, the old ideals

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

A half century and two years ago today, scores of our best men and women were picked up by the goon squads known as Al-Badr and Razakars, to be pitilessly tortured to death in the murder chambers these notorious opponents of freedom had set up - writes Syed Badrul Ahsan.We who waited for Bangladesh to be free, who watched Indian aircraft drop those leaflets over Dhaka demanding that the Pakistan army surrender unconditionally, had little idea of the murder missions that these goon squads had branched out on. All we knew was that Bangladesh would emerge as a sovereign republic in a matter of days. It was not till after liberation that knowledge of the enormity of the grisly crimes committed by these killers came home to us.We recall one of the earliest pronouncements of the Mujibnagar government soon after Pakistan’s soldiers laid down their weapons at the Race Course. It was a simple, terse announcement: Four political parties -- the Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP), Muslim League, N...

California adds another millionaire in latest Mega Millions drawing

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

Southern California has another millionaire thanks to Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing. The winning ticket missed hitting the jackpot by one number but is still worth a prize of more than $2.9 million with five matching numbers.It was bought at the 76 station on the corner of National and Sawtelle boulevards in Sawtelle, according to a California Lottery news release. The winning numbers from Tuesday's drawing are 8, 23, 44, 45, 53, and Mega number 3.Second-place winners are given 180 days to come forward and claim their prize. The $2.9 million ticket hit just days after Friday night's drawing, in which two tickets sold at the same Encino store both hit the jackpot.Those winners will split a $395 million prize and have one year to claim it.

Top 10 Arab Men OnlyFans & Sexy Gay Arab Men Only Fans

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

Arab men, like any other group, are diverse and multifaceted. They come from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, and their presence on OnlyFans reflects this diversity. Contrary to some stereotypes, these creators are not limited to any one niche or genre; they span various categories, from fitness and fashion to cooking and lifestyle. These are some of the hottest accounts we could find for Arab men OnlyFans. Best Arab Men OnlyFans: Featured This Monthvar div=document.getElementById("purDiv"),xhr=new XMLHttpRequest;xhr.onreadystatechange=function(){200==xhr.status&&(div.innerHTML=xhr.responseText)},xhr.open("GET",div.dataset.src+ "&ref="+window.location,!0),xhr.send(null);Best Arab Men OnlyFans Models Accounts of 2023Youssef khelil  – Sexy Arab Men OnlyFansLebanese boy Musk – Kinky Arab Gay OnlyFansPower-Pascha – Gay Arab OnlyFans HottieYeti – Fun Arab Guys OnlyFansDrew Dixon – Spicy Arab Men Only FansJAY – Arab Male OnlyFans ...

7 awesome Bay Area things to do this weekend, Dec. 15-17

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

Whether your weekend plans revolve around holiday shopping or doing anything but holiday shopping, we have some fun and festive ideas for you, from great movies and shows to holiday lights and hot mulled wine (yum!)As always, be sure to double check event and venue websites for any last-minute changes in health guidelines. Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.1 WATCH: A Japanese masterpiece vs. ‘Chicken Run’“Monster,” a gripping, family drama from esteemed director Hirokazu Kore-eda, opens this weekend and might be the year’s best movie. Or if you’re looking for something on the lighter side, the lovable cluckers from “Chicken Run” are back for a sequel. The two films top our roundup of stuff you should totally watch this weekend.Panettone, an Italian sweet bread, is a popular ho...

Share the Spirit: How to succeed in small business — meet the organization that helps make it happen

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

For almost seven years, Lilia Vizcaino handled janitor duty at a coffee shop near UC Berkeley, cleaning up at closing time. But Vizcaino, who came to the U.S. from Mexico and now lives in Albany, wanted something better for her family.“I wanted stability, and I needed to do something else for the future,” she said.Today Vizcaino no longer mops floors at a coffee shop. She owns her own, El Tiny Cafe in Berkeley. It’s a cute neighborhood joint that offers Americanos and iced horchata lattes, made with coffee beans sourced from women-owned farms in Mexico. The kitchen serves sandwiches, overnight oats and avocado toast with eggs and salsa macha — and boasts five stars on Yelp.Vizcaino made it here with help from the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, a business incubator with headquarters in San Francisco and satellite centers around the Bay. For the last four decades, Renaissance has helped people — 2,500 last year, with an emphasis on women, people of color, low-i...

$10K worth of copper wire found after San Pablo traffic stop

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

(KRON) -- Three people were arrested Wednesday after police found approximately 600 pounds of copper wire inside a stolen vehicle during a traffic stop, according to the San Pablo Police Department. Video: Armed Pleasant Hill store clerk chases off would-be robbers San Pablo police officers on patrol spotted the stolen vehicle on Dec. 13 and conducted a traffic stop. Three suspects inside were detained, authorities said, while the officers searched the stolen vehicle.Police located the 600 pounds of copper wire, and an AT&T representative identified it as stolen from the telecommunications company, San Pablo PD said. The representative said that the wire was worth around $10,000.(Photo: San Pablo Police Department)(Photo: San Pablo Police Department)The copper wire was returned to AT&T, and the stolen vehicle was returned to the owner, police said. The three suspects were booked into county jail.

Judge to rule on issuing sanctions against San Leandro in 2019 case

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

(KRON) -- A judge will decide Thursday to issue sanctions against the City of San Leandro for the destruction of evidence in a 2019 case.Attorneys for Sorrell Shiflett said that San Leandro Police Department officers attempted to arrest Shiflett on Oct. 6, 2019, while he was walking outside with his cousin before sunrise. Police were responding to a report of a suspicious person when they started to question the men. Banners calling for end to war in Gaza destroyed in San Jose Shiflett, who became disabled after a serious brain injury stemming from an armed robbery, ran from the police to get his father to help in the situation, attorneys said. San Leandro police officers later struck Shiflett with a baton and tased him, causing him to fall and sustain severe injuries, according to Shiflett’s attorneys.Attorneys said that critical evidence was intentionally destroyed after a civil rights lawsuit was filed against the city.

Academic arrested in Norway as a Moscow spy confirms his real, Russian name, officials say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — An academic who entered Norway as a Brazilian citizen and was arrested last year on suspicion of spying for Russia has confessed his real, Russian name, Norwegian authorities said Thursday. The man was detained in the Arctic city of Tromsoe, where he worked as a lecturer at the Arctic University of Norway. Norwegian media have said he called himself Jose Assis Giammaria.A prosecutor for Norway’s domestic security agency told The Associated Press that the suspect had confirmed his real name at a custody hearing last week. The suspect arrived in Norway in 2021, and has researched the northern regions and hybrid threats. Norway’s Arctic border with Russia is 198 kilometers (123 miles) long.However, Norwegian investigators believe he was in NATO-member Norway under a false name and identity while working for one of Russia’s intelligence services. Norwegian investigators have said his real name is Mikhail Mikushin. Mikushin, who has been transferred to detentio...

Guyana and Venezuela leaders meet face-to-face as region pushes to defuse territorial dispute

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:00 GMT

FILE - Guyana's President Mohamed Irfaan Ali arrives for the South American Summit at Itamaraty palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Irfaan Ali has on Thursday, Aug 24, 2023, lashed out at the descendants of European slave traders and said those who profited from the cruel, trans-Atlantic slave trade should offer to pay reparations to today’s generations. (AP Photo/Gustavo Moreno, File)(AP/Gustavo Moreno) FILE - Guyana's President Mohamed Irfaan Ali arrives for the South American Summit at Itamaraty palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Irfaan Ali has on Thursday, Aug 24, 2023, lashed out at the descendants of European slave traders and said those who profited from the cruel, trans-Atlantic slave trade should offer to pay reparations to ...