BitGou: Russia accused of arranging 'propaganda show' in Kherson

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

by Sharon Kimathi

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A U.S. jury acquits a Russian researcher on charges he lied to FBI over 'Steele dossier', EU Commission President calls Russia's missile and drone attacks on infrastructure war crimes, and soaring food prices push UK inflation back to 40-year high

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Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office Andriy Yermak attends a news briefing about prisoners of war (POWs) swap, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 22, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

A senior Ukrainian official accused Russia of organizing a "propaganda show" in occupied Kherson after Russian-installed officials said they were preparing to defend the city from imminent Ukrainian attack and urged civilians to flee.

Russia's missile and drone attacks on power stations and other infrastructure in Ukraine are "acts of pure terror" that amount to war crimes, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

Nestled by the mouth of the Southern Buh river within earshot of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces for the southern city of Kherson, the village of Lymany counts itself one of Ukraine's more fortunate places.

Madagascar's president has fired his foreign affairs minister for voting at the United Nations to condemn Russian-organized referendums to annex four partially-occupied regions in Ukraine, two sources at the president's office said.

Here's what you need to know about the conflict right now

An FBI logo is pictured on an agent's shirt during the U.S. law enforcements raid on Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska's property in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. October 19, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

U.S.

A Russian researcher who contributed explosive details to a document dubbed the "Steele dossier" that alleged ties between former U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign and Russia was acquitted by a jury on charges that he lied to the FBI about the sources of his information.

A group that works with union pension funds is pressing Hyundai Motors to respond to reports of child labor at U.S. parts suppliers, warning of potential reputational damage to the Korean automaker.

American WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner, whose appeal against a Russian jail term is due to be heard next week, sent her supporters a message of thanks on her 32nd birthday.

If U.S. Senate candidate Evan McMullin succeeds in unseating Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, he could occupy a uniquely powerful role as an independent ready to work with either party in the narrowly divided chamber.

A former classmate of Kristin Smart, the California college freshman whose 1996 disappearance had long been one of the state's most sensational unsolved crimes, was found guilty of first-degree murder for her death.

WORLD

South Korean and American troops practiced building floating bridges to ferry tanks and other armored vehicles across rivers, part of a larger joint military exercise that has angered North Korea.

Residents in flood-hit Australian towns ramped up efforts to build levees and sandbag homes ahead of more rain, although authorities said the expected storms could be milder than last week's, bringing relief as recovery operations begin.

Illegal gold-mining is destroying tracts of pristine rainforest in Congo's Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site meant to be a haven for the endangered mammal nicknamed Africa's unicorn, environmental organizations warned.

Brazil's unexpectedly close presidential race has taken an ugly turn in the final weeks ahead of an Oct. 30 runoff vote, even by the bruising standards of the past year, with insinuations of cannibalism, pedophilia and devil worship.

India's opposition Congress party declared veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge its new chief, the first person from outside the influential Nehru-Gandhi family to hold the beleaguered party's presidency in 24 years.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

Europe’s energy crisis has cooled efforts to lower the carbon intensity of liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, as buyers worried about a winter supply crunch prioritize securing shipments of any kind over burnishing their green credentials.

The biggest jump in food prices since 1980 pushed British inflation back into double digits last month, matching a 40-year high hit in July in a new blow for households grappling with a cost-of-living crisis.

The Netherlands will follow Spain in pulling out of the Energy Charter Treaty protecting investments in the sector, its energy ministry said.

Amazon said it was launching a home insurance portal in the UK, where companies such as Ageas UK, Co-op, and LV= General Insurance will provide third-party services.

Companies worth half of total global market capitalization are now disclosing environmental data after a 42% year-on-year rise in the number of firms reporting, new data shows.

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