AKA THE JUSTICE THOMAS BILL
It's Official: Same-Sex and Interracial Marriage Are Now Protected Under 

U$ Federal Law

Story by Melanie Whyte • 

On Tuesday, Dec. 13, President Joe Biden signed the Respect For Marriage Act into law as part of an effort to protect same-sex marriage, one of the rights potentially at risk in light of the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The law mandates federal recognition for same-sex marriages by prohibiting states from "denying the validity of out-of-state marriages based on sex, race, or ethnicity," according to the New York Times.


It's Official: Same-Sex and Interracial Marriage Are Now Protected Under Federal Law© Getty / LumiNola

"My fellow Americans, the road to this moment has been long," President Biden said during the signing ceremony, "but those who believe in equality and justice, you never gave up."

The new law is particularly significant in light of the Supreme Court's ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, which ended the constitutional right to abortion in June. Fear of a ripple effect has loomed over the country ever since. With Roe overturned, many people have worried that other cases decided based on Roe's precedent would be at risk of reversal, too. In fact, in his concurring opinion, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas named Griswold v. Connecticut, Lawrence v. Texas, and Obergefell v. Hodges (which ruled in favor of birth-control access, same-sex sexual activity, and same-sex marriage, respectively) as cases that could potentially be revisited.

In an effort to maintain the legalization of same-sex marriage, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Respect For Marriage Act into Congress. On July 19, the bill passed in the House of Representatives, then on Nov. 29, it was passed in the Senate. From there, it was sent back to the House for final approval, which it received on Dec. 8, with lawmakers from both parties voting in its favor. The final step was for President Biden to officially sign it into law, which he did on Dec. 13.

When the landmark legislation was introduced months ago, it was widely considered unlikely to become law. But the act received bipartisan support, helping secure its passage. "Today, we will vote for equality and against discrimination by finally overturning the homophobic Defense of Marriage Act and guaranteeing crucial protections for same-sex and interracial marriages," Rep. David Cicilline, Democrat of Rhode Island, said moments before it passed the House on Dec. 8, per The New York Times.

What exactly does the Respect For Marriage Act protect? The bill was crafted to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ and interracial couples. For example, if the Supreme Court overturns Obergefell v. Hodges, the decision that originally legalized same-sex marriage in 2015, a state would be able to ban same-sex marriage. But under the Respect For Marriage Act, individual states are required to acknowledge another state's legal marriage. POPSUGAR spoke with Ashley M. Silberfeld, a partner in the matrimonial and family law practice at Blank Rome LLP, about what this means for LGBTQ+ couples.

What Is the Respect For Marriage Act?

The Respect For Marriage Act provides protection for same-sex and interracial marriages, according to the official Congress website. Specifically, the law "repeals and replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage that is valid under state law." Basically, the law expands the definition of marriage so it's no longer tied to sex or gender and also protects the right to marry regardless of race, ethnicity, or national origin.

The Respect For Marriage Act was put forth as a reaction to the Court's ruling on Dobbs (which overturned Roe) because the justification SCOTUS used to rule against the right to abortion in this case could also be used to reverse the precedents set by Griswold, Lawrence, Obergefell, and Loving v. Virginia (a 1967 case that ruled state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional). So even though the Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges, the court's decision in the Dobbs case means SCOTUS could use that rule to overturn Obergefell in the future. The goal of this act is to protect the right to marriage for same-sex and interracial couples in the event that Obergefell or Loving is overturned next.

What Would the Protection Mean For LGBTQ+ Couples?

The passage of the Respect For Marriage Act means that marriages of LGBTQ+ couples are legal and constitutionally protected regardless of which state they live in. Previously, same-sex marriage was legal nationwide because of the Obergefell v. Hodges case. In that ruling, the Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage, making it legal in all 50 states and requiring states to honor out-of-state same-sex marriage licenses.

However, many states have anti-LGTBQ+ marriage laws that have been lurking under the surface of the current federal court ruling. If Obergefell is overturned, state governments with those laws can refuse to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples and exclude future couples from marriage - that is, until the Respect For Marriage Act was passed.

"The Respect For Marriage Act is groundbreaking in that it's affirmatively breaking away from the more 'traditional' construct of marriage," Silberfeld says. "It also creates rights for the Department of Justice to bring charges against violations of the law, as well as private rights to sue for such violations. Having such rights included, in my opinion, shows the legislators' intentions - that they are really serious about protecting the rights of marriage for all individuals, period."

How Does Codifying a Bill Protect Same-Sex Marriage?

The passage of the Respect For Marriage Act codifies same-sex marriage. Codifying a bill means it becomes a federal law that must be implemented and followed and for which people can be prosecuted if they violate it.

While the law is definitely a step in the right direction to protect all marriages, Silberfeld says, there's still a possibility that it could be overturned by the Supreme Court in the future. "Our system is one of checks and balances," she explains, "so while the legislators can make a law, the Supreme Court has the ultimate power to review whether that law withstands constitutional muster." Theoretically, SCOTUS could overturn any codified law that legislators pass if they deem it "unconstitutional."

How Can LGBTQ+ Couples Protect Their Marital Status?

"I would encourage these couples and all of us to get involved in supporting this kind of legislation in the days, months, and years ahead," Silberfeld says. That means, for example, voting and letting your representatives know which issues are important to you as a constituent. If Dobbs has taught us anything, it's that even long-established rights are subject to upheaval. With the Respect For Marriage Act officially a law, it's more important than ever to continue showing active support for same-sex and interracial marriage protections.

- Additional reporting by Maggie Ryan

Series of large avalanches in Banff area a growing concern for Parks Canada
Story by Craig Momney • 

The potential for a series of large avalanches in the Banff area is a growing concern for Parks Canada.

According to Aaron Beardmore, a visitor safety specialist with Parks Canada, right now the mountains have a snow base made up of 20 centimetres of weak, sugary facets with about 60 centimetres of newer snow on top in the form of a slab.

He says due to “benign” weather conditions with very little wind, little snow and seasonal temperatures, there haven’t been many natural avalanches.

“There have been a few slightly smaller-in-size, human-triggered avalanches and when a human interacts with that, they're triggering that slab sitting over top of that weak snow.”

Video: Avalanche control remains top priority at southern Alberta ski resort

Beardmore's major concern right now is if there was a significant snowfall in the Banff area which he believes could potentially trigger a widespread avalanche cycle.

“We're still somewhat early in the season — it's not even Christmas yet. (We) got another three months of winter so it is gonna snow eventually, and when it does, we'll be on high alert,” he said.

Parks Canada has partnered with Avalanche Canada to introduce a new public bulletin system on avalanche.ca that can inform people of the changing conditions and potentials for an avalanche.

Related video: Sierra storms bring avalanche dangers (CBS Sacramento)
Duration 2:26
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Avalanche Canada issues immediate warning for backcountry users in B.C., Alberta

According to Parks Canada, this will allow them to communicate avalanche conditions more effectively.

“The new software makes the forecasting piece for parks Canada forecasters much more efficient, up to date, contemporary — it's great. Our forecasters are seeing improved efficiencies there,” said Beardmore.

Tyson Rettie, an avalanche forecaster with Avalanche Canada said this latest system will allow forecasters to tailor the forecast and data to the public on specific areas of a region rather than list the entire region itself with the same classification.

Video: Winter hiking safety in the Canadian Rockies

“It allows us to just redraw the map on a daily basis to best present the messaging of any avalanche hazard to the public,” said Rettie.

As of Tuesday evening, Banff and other southern parts of the Rocky Mountains were classified as considerable conditions due to the weak snow base on the mountain.

Rettie said this classification can be a challenging description of the current conditions because an avalanche may not be triggered in one area but could in another.

“It's not as black and white as high or extreme or low. Actually, most avalanche fatalities in western Canada occur during the time of the considerable rating,” he added

Both Parks Canada and Avalanche Canada urge people to plan ahead and be prepared for anything before heading out to the mountains.

Haiti receives first shipments of cholera vaccines: WHO

Story by By REUTERS • 

Haiti has received more than 1 million doses of oral cholera vaccines as it battles a worsening cholera outbreak that has been particularly deadly for children, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.

DR. YUVAL LEVY, part of an Israeli military medical team that treated earthquake victims in Haiti, holds hands with a 6-year-old Haitian boy expected to undergo heart surgery in Israel, upon their arrival from Haiti at Ben-Gurion Airport on January 28, 2010.© (photo credit: GIL COHEN MAGEN/REUTERS)

Cholera reemerged in the Caribbean island nation in early October after around three years without reported cases, and so far 280 people have died. A significant number of them have been children.

The health crisis has come amid shortages of food and clean drinking water triggered by a gang blockade of its main fuel port.




Fort Pierce nonprofit delivers aide to Haiti amid cholera outbreak

The WHO said the vaccination campaign was set to start in the next few days and would initially target children from one-year old in the worst-hit areas of the Ouest and Centre Departments.


A logo is pictured outside a building of the World Health Organization (WHO) during an executive board meeting on update on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Geneva, Switzerland, April 6, 2021. (credit: REUTERS/DENIS BALIBOUSE/FILE PHOTO)

"We hope this first shipment will be followed by others so that the vaccine is available to all populations at risk in Haiti," said Lauré Adrien, Director General of Haiti's Ministry of Public Health and Population in the same statement.

The 1.17 million doses of the vaccine Evichol were provided by the International Coordinating Group on vaccine provision which manages an emergency stockpile. Another 500,000 doses are expected in the next few weeks.

More than 160 mysterious Nazca geoglyphs are discovered in Peru

Story by Jonathan Chadwick For Mailonline • 10h ago


Researchers have discovered another 168 geoglyphs made in the soil of Peru's Nazca Desert, known as the Nazca lines.

The newly-discovered drawings – identified by a team at Yamagata University in Japan – depict humans, camelids, birds, killer whales, felines and snakes.

One of the human drawings looks like Homer Simpson, with big cartoon eyes and a patch of what looks like stubble around the mouth.

These 168 newly-found geoglyphs are thought to date between 100 BC and AD 300, according to experts, but other Nazca lines may go back even further to 400 BC.


More than 160 mysterious Nazca geoglyphs are discovered in Peru - including a Homer Simpson-style person (pictured)© Provided by Daily Mail


These newly-found 168 geoglyphs are thought to date between 100 BC and AD 300, according to the Yamagata University experts© Provided by Daily Mail

The Nazca lines

The Nazca lines are a group of geoglyphs made in the soil of the Nazca Desert in southern Peru.

They extend over an area of nearly 190 square miles (500 square km).

Most of the Nazca Lines were constructed more than 2,000 years ago by the people of the Nazca culture (c. 200 BCE-600 CE), though some clearly predate the Nazca and are considered to be the work of the earlier Paracas culture.

Subjects of the Nazca-made lines are generally plants and animals such as a monkey, a killer whale, a bird resembling a condor, a hummingbird, a pelican, a spider and various flowers, trees, and other plants - as well as geometric shapes, including triangles, trapezoids and spirals.
Source: Encyclopædia Britannica

Photos released by Yamagata University show some of the new discoveries, with lines manually added on the images to emphasize the original lines, which ahve faded due to erosion.

Yamagata University is working in collaboration with the IBM Thomas J Watson Research Center in New York to scan aerial images of the Peruvian site with artificial intelligence (AI).

It's thought AI can identify markings in the landscape that the human eye would otherwise miss.

'By using the newly discovered geoglyphs for AI analysis, Yamagata University aims to clarify the distribution patterns of the geoglyphs,' the university said in a statement.

'The results of this research will also be used for geoglyph conservation activities.'

The Nazca lines of Peru have fascinated archaeologists for centuries.

They are a group of geoglyphs – large motifs made in the ground – located in the Nazca Desert of southern Peru.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches over an area of nearly 190 square miles between the towns of Nazca and Palpa, about 249 miles (400 km) south of Lima.


Archaeological surveys have previously found wooden stakes in the ground at the end of some lines, supporting a theory that ancient people used simple tools and surveying equipment to construct the lines.

Some geoglyphs depict animals, objects or compact shapes, while others are only simplistic geometric lines.

Other motifs already identified at the location include a dog, hummingbird, condor, monkey, spider and a mythical beast sticking out its tongue.



The newly-discovered drawings are thought to depict humans, camelids, birds, killer whales, felines and snakes (pictured) © Provided by Daily Mail


The newly-found 168 geoglyphs are thought to date between 100 BC and AD 300. Pictured, one of the new discoveries, a bird geoglyph© Provided by Daily Mail

What are geoglyphs?


Geoglyphs are works of art created by moving objects in the landscape, such as stones, trees and gravel.

A positive geoglyph is formed by materials being laid on the ground while a negative geoglyph is formed by removing material.

Though some geoglyphs clearly represent animals and other natural imagery, many have strange square, circular or hexagonal shapes.

The most famous geoglyphs are the Nazca lines in Peru, rediscovered in 1939. The cultural significance of these features remains unclear.

The Nazca lines were originally created by removing black or reddish-brown pebbles from the surface of the earth to expose a white sandy surface below.

The Yamagata team discovered them through field surveys conducted between June 2019 and February 2020 that used aerial photos and drones.

Adding the 168 new geoglyphs to those that are already known gives a new total of 358 Nazca Lines, they say, although they are thought to be hundreds more yet to be discovered.

Luis Jaime Castillo, a Peruvian archaeologist, previously told the Guardian that only five per cent of all the Nazca lines out there had been found.

Often, a geoglyph is too big to be appreciated at ground level, so only when one is high enough in the air can they discern the shapes of some of the designs.

For this reason, the intricacies of many of the designs were not fully realised until airplanes were invented and the artwork was seen from the sky.

The Nazca lines were apparently first spotted in 1939 when a pilot flew over the Nazca planes of the Peruvian coastal highlands – although its likely they were seen by locals on hill tops much earlier.

Contrary to the popular belief that the figures can only be seen from the air, many are actually visible from the surrounding foothills too.



The Nazca lines are a group of geoglyphs - large motifs made in the ground - located in the Nazca Desert of southern Peru© Provided by Daily Mail


A spider geoglyph at Nazca. The figure is said to be 150 feet long and made out of one continuous line © Provided by Daily Mail

However, the actual purpose of the mysterious Nazca Lines in Peru has long puzzled archaeologists.

Some believe they were intended to act as a kind of observatory, to point to the places where the sun and other celestial bodies rose or set in the solstices.

Other theories suggest that they were created to be seen by the gods in the sky, while it's also possible that they were artistic expressions much like the ones we see today.

By uncovering more of these mysterious formations, archaeologists hope to piece together clues about their existence, IBM says.

Mongolia to take mining firm public after protests over graft


ULAANBAATAR (Reuters) - Mongolia will push ahead with plans to list a state mining firm embroiled in a corruption scandal that has sparked protests in the capital Ulaanbaatar, with new ownership likely to help drive out graft, the country's justice minister told Reuters.


People take part in a demonstration against government corruption at Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar© Thomson Reuters


People take part in a demonstration against government corruption at Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar© Thomson Reuters

The state-owned Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC (ETT) owns a large chunk of a sprawling 6-billion tonne coking coal deposit near the Chinese border that has been at the heart of Mongolia's plans to grow its small and mining-dependent economy for more than a decade.


Interview of Mongolia's Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, Nyambaatar Khishgee in Ulaanbaatar© Thomson Reuters

But development at Tavan Tolgoi has been held back by poor transport links and disputes about how Mongolia's strategic assets should be funded and owned. Fluctuations in global coal prices and cooling investor sentiment have also stymied previous efforts to list ETT's shares overseas.

"The prime minister is putting forward an initiative to change (ETT's) governance and make it public quickly," said Nyambaatar Khishgee, Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, after thousands gathered in recent days to protest government corruption.

"It is expected that this will end the problems of transparency in the mining sector and public officials' corruption," he added.

A spokesperson for ETT was not immediately available for comment.

Protesters clashed with police in the capital Ulaanbaatar last week, as recent allegations of so-called "coal theft" at Tavan Tolgoi brought many to the streets demanding action against those responsible.

Hundreds of protesters were still at the city's central square on Tuesday, with some erecting traditional tents known as gers to stay overnight as temperatures plunged to minus 30 Celsius.

Related video: Thousands protest in Mongolia over alleged coal industry corruption (AFP)
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3:52


Mongolia earns about 50% of its export revenues from coal, mostly mined by ETT. However, around 400,000 tonnes of coal produced by the company in recent years is unaccounted for, the government said in October. Earlier allegations suggest almost 1 million tonnes of coal were exported but not registered between 2011 and 2017.



Interview of Mongolia's Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, Nyambaatar Khishgee in Ulaanbaatar© Thomson Reuters

Nyambaatar said all contracts signed by ETT have now been made public. Details of the owners of 25,000 trucks involved in transporting ETT coal have also been disclosed.

The authorities are also investigating 7,373 trucks that repeatedly carried coal to the Chinese border between 2013 and 2017 but appeared to have arrived empty.

Mongolia also plans to appoint a top international auditor to look into ETT's finances, Nyambaatar said.

The government is working hard to ensure exports from the project are not disrupted by the probe, Nyambaatar said, and it will also steer clear of an inspection of Chinese coal buyers, who account for about 85% of sales.

"We are trying to reduce risk as much as possible," said the minister, adding he had met China's ambassador to Mongolia this week to reassure him that trade would not be impacted.

Mongolia has long been plagued by poor governance of its state-owned mining companies, which are saddled with billions of dollars of debt. But its economy has been further hit by strict COVID lockdowns from 2020 to 2021 that drove up unemployment, as well as high energy costs due to the war in Ukraine.

"How can we leave our children in this ugly debt-ridden society?" said Gantulga Tumentogtokh, 42, who stayed overnight at the central square for a fifth day, wrapped in a goat fur coat to stay warm.

"We should indeed issue shares (in state owned companies) and develop Mongolia. If we had already done that, our lives would be different. I want to see accountability," he added.

However some questioned whether the government's efforts will go far enough.

"Galloping price increases and widening poverty is the reason for public anger," said Otgochuluu Chuluuntseren, an economist and former government official.

"In the short term, we need reform in the governance of the SOE (state-owned enterprises). In the long term, the business must thrive on creating more sustainable and decent jobs," he added.

(Reporting by Munkhchimeg Davaasharav in Ulaanbaatar. Additional reporting by David Stanway in Shanghai. Editing by Dominique Patton and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

OLDE FASHIONED CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

Disgraced FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried 'orchestrated yearslong fraud' on investors and customers, SEC and criminal charges say

Story by Tim Stelloh and Rob Wile and Marlene Lenthang and Adam Reiss 


Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of cryptocurrency giant FTX, defrauded investors by funneling money into his private hedge fund and conspired to commit wire fraud against customers and lenders, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Bankman-Fried, 30, the once-celebrated founder of FTX, was arrested in the Bahamas on Monday, following his indictment by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York on Friday, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams told reporters.

Bahamian Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt denied Bankman-Fried's request for bail, saying she wasn't satisfied with his legal team's arguments. A hearing on his extradition to the United States is scheduled for Feb. 8.

The Manhattan panel indicted Bankman-Fried on eight counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud on customers, wire fraud on customers, conspiracy to commit wire fraud on lenders, wire fraud on lenders, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the campaign finance laws.

"This investigation is very much ongoing, and it is moving very quickly," Williams said. "While this is our first public announcement, it will not be our last."

The federal prosecutor urged any business associates of Bankman-Fried to reach out to investigators sooner rather than later.

"I would strongly encourage you to come see us before we come see you," Williams said.

The indictment alleges Bankman-Fried knowingly devised the scheme to defraud customers of FTX by “misappropriating those customers’ deposits and using those deposits to pay expenses and debts of Alameda Research," his own privately held crypto hedge fund, to make investments.

$8 billion loss to customers

The wire fraud on lenders and customers started in or about 2019 and lasted through November, according to the filing.

Gretchen Lowe, acting director of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Division of Enforcement, pegged customer losses at more than $8 billion.

But that number might pale in comparison to potential damage to public trust in the system, according to Lowe.

"The rippling consequences of defendant’s fraud are vast and have done significant damage to the integrity of the evolving digital asset market," she said.

The indictment also alleges Bankman-Fried duped lenders to Alameda by obtaining money and property by providing “false and misleading information to those lenders regarding Alameda Research’s financial condition.”

The indictment also accuses Bankman-Fried of campaign finance violations for conspiring with others and making campaign contributions to candidates and political committees above the federal donation limit.

His contributions to candidates for federal office, joint fundraising committees and independent expenditure committees aggregated to $25,000 and more in a calendar year, according to the filing. He also allegedly made corporate contributions to candidates and committees in the Southern District of New York “that were reported in the name of another person.”

Seeking influence on both sides of aisle, feds say

The "tens of millions of dollars in illegal campaign contributions" were made to "candidates and committees associated with both Democrats and Republicans," according to Williams.

“These contributions were disguised to look like they were coming from wealthy co-conspirators when in fact the contributions were funded by Alameda Research with stolen customer money," the federal prosecutor said.

"All of this dirty money was used in service of Bankman-Fried's desire to buy bipartisan influence and impact the direction of public policy in Washington."

Separately, the SEC charged him in a filing Tuesday also in the Southern District of New York, with defrauding investors and enriching his hedge fund Alameda Research LLC.

The SEC said in a press release that Bankman-Fried raised more than $1.8 billion from equity investors since he founded FTX in May 2019, based in the Bahamas, and he allegedly “orchestrated a yearslong fraud to conceal” the undisclosed diversion of FTX customers’ funds to Alameda.

He also allowed the undisclosed special treatment to Alameda on the platform, including a “virtually unlimited line of credit" funded by the platform’s customers and exempted Alameda from certain key FTC risk mitigation measures, the SEC said.

He then allegedly used FTX customers’ funds at Alameda “to make undisclosed venture investments, lavish real estate purchases, and large political donations.”

The SEC further alleged that Bankman-Fried concealed from investors “undisclosed risk” from FTX’s exposure to Alameda’s “significant holdings of overvalued, illiquid assets such as FTX-affiliated tokens.”

“We allege that Sam Bankman-Fried built a house of cards on a foundation of deception while telling investors that it was one of the safest buildings in crypto,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said.

Officials said that investigations into other securities law violations in connection with the alleged misconduct are ongoing.

What's next for FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried following his arrest?
View on Watch    Duration 3:04


The SEC’s complaint charges Bankman-Fried with violating anti-fraud provisions of securities law and seeks injunctions against future securities law violations, meaning if convicted, he could be banned from future securities trading beyond as an individual.

The SEC said the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is also charging Bankman-Fried.

FTX CEO pledges continued probe cooperation

Also on Tuesday, a congressional hearing on FTX’s collapse and missteps was underway during which the company’s new CEO, John J. Ray III, testified. Bankman-Fried was scheduled to appear at the hearing prior to his arrest.

During the House Financial Services Committee hearing, lawmakers shared harsh criticism of Bankman-Fried with Ranking Member Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., calling his arrest “welcome news.”

Ray spoke on the issues that led to FTX’s downfall and said his team is cooperating with the Southern District of New York and SEC officials.

“The FTX Group’s collapse appears to stem from absolute concentration of control in the hands of a small group of grossly inexperienced and unsophisticated individuals who failed to implement virtually any of the systems or controls that are necessary for a company entrusted with other people’s money or assets,” Ray told lawmakers.

Bankman-Fried was arrested after U.S. authorities filed criminal charges against him and he was taken into custody in the capital city, Nassau, shortly before 6 p.m. Monday.

In a statement Tuesday, a lawyer for Bankman-Fried said his client is "reviewing the charges with his legal team considering all of his legal options."

Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis said in a statement that the island nation is continuing a regulatory and criminal investigation into the company’s collapse.

FTX was once seen as the face of the industry, a company reported to be worth $32 billion that attracted celebrity endorsements and major sports sponsorships. Bankman-Fried was seen as a crypto wunderkind who graced the cover of Forbes and Fortune and had emerged as a major Democratic donor.

But last month, after a crypto-focused news site published the balance sheet of an investment firm also owned by Bankman-Fried, FTX experienced the equivalent of a bank run: Customers and observers questioned whether its loans and investments were worth more than its debts. They also questioned whether the company could pay people trying to withdraw funds.

In a matter of days, Bankman-Fried resigned and the company filed for bankruptcy protection. Speaking at The New York Times DealBook Summit on Nov. 30, Bankman-Fried said he didn’t “try to commit fraud on anyone.”

CORRECTION (Dec. 13, 2022, 7:55 a.m.): An earlier version of this article misstated how much Bankman-Fried raised from equity investors. It was $1.8 billion, not $1.8 million.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com

Sen. Warren presses Defense Secretary about ex-Google CEO Schmidt's potential conflicts when he advised Pentagon on AI

Story by Eamon Javers • CNBC

Sen. Elizabeth Warren pressed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about former Google CEO Eric Schmidt's involvement in influential panels that helped shape policy in an industry where he was investing.

Warren, in a letter shared first with CNBC, expressed concerns about reports alleging Schmidt leveraged his positions on two federal advisory committees "to further his own personal financial interests."

Warren asked Austin to detail the Pentagon's conflict-of-interest policy for advisory board members and answer multiple questions about Schmidt's service on the panels.


Eric Schmidt, Co-Founder, Schmidt Futures, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference on May 2, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California.© Provided by CNBC

Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday pressed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about his agency's enforcement of conflict-of-interest rules for federal advisory boards, zeroing in on former Google CEO Eric Schmidt after CNBC reported on his past involvement on influential panels in an industry where he was an investor.

"Federal advisory boards can provide valuable advice and insights to federal agencies, but without strong oversight and clear guardrails they can also provide their board members an unfair competitive advantage in winning government contracts and influencing agency policy," Warren wrote in a letter to the DOD head.

Warren said she was concerned about reports alleging Schmidt leveraged his positions on two federal advisory committees "to further his own personal financial interests." Those reports could suggest the Defense Department did not adequately apply federal conflict of interest rules "and therefore failed to protect the public interest" in Schmidt's case, wrote the Massachusetts Democrat.

Warren, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee and leads congressional subcommittees on economic policy and fiscal responsibility, asked Austin to detail the Pentagon's conflict-of-interest policy for advisory board members and answer multiple questions about Schmidt's service on the panels.

Schmidt made more than 50 direct personal or indirect corporate investments in AI companies while he was serving as the chairman of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, or NSCAI, she said, citing a CNBC article from October. The group, established in 2018, advised the Pentagon and White House on AI policy — even crafting legislative language that later passed word for word — and helped steer billions of dollars in spending toward the AI industry. The group wound down in 2021.

Walter Shaub, a senior ethics fellow at the Project on Government Oversight, told CNBC at the time that Schmidt's investments "absolutely" posed a conflict of interest. There was no indication that Schmidt broke any ethics rules or did anything unlawful while chairing the commission.

Warren's letter referenced Schmidt's work on the NSCAI and the Defense Innovation Board. Both advisory boards are subject to conflict-of-interest rules under the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

"These boards can exert significant influence in shaping government research and procurement priorities, making it essential that agencies prevent and mitigate conflicts of interest," the senator wrote. "I am concerned by press reports indicating the Department may not have adequately followed FACA conflict of interest rules and therefore failed to protect the public interest."

The NSCAI under Schmidt advocated for a major boost in government spending on AI. "But Mr. Schmidt has a clear conflict of interest in this issue: the NSCAI recommendations could direct funds to Mr. Schmidt and his business partners, who have invested more than $2 billion in companies focused on artificial intelligence," Warren wrote, citing reporting from Protocol.

"Mr. Schmidt's investment activities, and the lack of public disclosure, create the appearance that these boards are yet another tool for influence-peddling and profiteering at DoD, raising concerns about the ethics of their members and the utility of their recommendations," Warren wrote.

AFTER SCHMIDT ADVISED NKOREA

Facebook Accused of Discriminating Against African Users in Latest Lawsuit

Story by Queenie Wong 

Two Ethiopian researchers and a Kenyan rights group have sued Facebook's parent company, Meta, alleging the social media giant failed to pull down content that fueled violence and hate across Africa.


Nearly 3 billion people use an app owned by Facebook parent company Meta every day. 

Sarah Tew/CNET© Provided by CNET

Filed in Kenya's High Court on Tuesday, the constitutional petition accuses Facebook of profiting off of harmful posts because that type of content attracts the attention of users. The lawsuit also alleges that Meta engaged in discriminatory treatment of African Facebook users and violated human rights. It says the social media giant isn't investing enough resources in its content moderation facility in Kenya and failed to take steps like it's done in the US that would reduce the spread of dangerous posts in Africa.

"The result is that some communities are left to ruin while others are proactively protected," the petition said. "This amounts to discrimination."

One of the petitioners, Abrham Meareg, an Ethiopian citizen who resides in Minnesota, says Facebook played a role in the murder of his father, who was killed last year. Meareg reported Facebook posts that called for harm against his father, Bahir Dar University Professor Meareg Amare Abrha, but the platform failed to act quickly, the lawsuit said. Online hate was directed at his father because his family is Tigrayan, an ethnic group in Ethiopia that human rights organizations say has been targeted by a campaign of ethnic cleansing after a two-year civil war broke out in 2020. Some of the harmful Facebook posts are still online, the lawsuit said.



"I'm seeking justice for millions of my fellow Africans hurt by Facebook's profiteering -- and an apology for my father's murder," Meareg said in a statement.

Fisseha Tekle, a legal advisor at Amnesty International, and the legal group Katiba Institute are also suing Meta. Tekle has also dealt with hate speech and other harmful posts on Facebook and hasn't been able to return to visit his family in Ethiopia because he "lives in constant fear that harm may come to him even in Nairobi," the lawsuit said.

The case is the latest in ongoing scrutiny Meta has faced over how well it polices harmful content outside the US, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Meta was also sued last year for $150 billion over its alleged role in fueling a genocide in Myanmar.

Meta said that it doesn't allow hate speech on Facebook and its photo-service Instagram.

Hate speech and incitement to violence are against Meta's rules, "and we invest heavily in teams and technology to help us find and remove this content," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. "Feedback from local civil society organizations and international institutions guides our safety and integrity work in Ethiopia." The social network employs workers "with local knowledge and expertise" and continues to develop its "capabilities to catch violating content" in the most widely spoken languages in Ethiopia, the spokesperson said.

Meta said last year in a blog post that protecting users in Ethiopia has been one its highest priorities, but researchers say the company is doing a poor job of pulling down hate speech in that country. Leaked internal documents also showed that Facebook employees have raised concerns about how the social media platform is used in developing countries.

The petitioners say Meta violated the Kenya constitution and want the court to order the company to demote content that incites violence and not promote viral hateful posts. They're also asking the social network to hire more workers in its content moderation center in Nairobi, Kenya, who are equipped to review posts in more languages. Meta should create a $1.6 billion fund for victims of hate and violence incited on Facebook and contribute $400 million for harm caused by sponsored posts, the petitioners say.

SHE SOUNDS LIKE RISHI SUNAK
Italy's Meloni says EU must do more to halt migrant flows

ROME (Reuters) - The European Union must do more to protect its borders and to halt the departure of migrant boats from north Africa, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday.

Confidence vote for Italy's new government at the upper house of parliament© Thomson Reuters

Meloni was speaking to the Italian parliament ahead of an EU summit this week. Italy, which has vowed a tough line on immigration, took in more than 500 migrants on Sunday when two charity rescue ships were allowed to dock.

Later in the debate Meloni said the EU relocation policy for migrants was not working for Italy which was being left to shoulder too great a burden.

"I don't think it's a solution to say that Italy should be the only port of disembarkation in the EU and then for every 100,000 people who come in, other countries take 30."

"I do not think Italy should do alone what others are not willing to do."

But other EU states are also under pressure from migration via other routes.

In September alone, France received around 15,000 asylum applications, Germany almost 21,000, Austria around 15,700 and Spain more than 11,000 compared to 8,500 for Italy, data from EU statistics agency Eurostat shows.

Tensions flared with neighbour France last month after the French took in a rescue boat carrying around 230 migrants that had been turned away by Italy.

More than 98,000 migrants have arrived in Italy by sea in the year to date, up from around 63,000 in the same period of 2021, interior ministry data shows.

(Writing by Keith Weir, Francesca Piscioneri editing by Gavin Jones, Alvise Armellini)

'Enough is enough': Rishi Sunak gets tough on migration as he unveils new laws

Rishi Sunak insisted "enough is enough" as he laid out tough new plans to stop migrants illegally entering the country.

By SAM LISTER
Tue, Dec 13, 2022 

Rishi Sunak announces plans to tackle illegal migration

The Prime Minister vowed to turn away Albanians more swiftly, clear the backlog of asylum claims by the end of next year and make the Rwanda deportation plan work. He also promised to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers at a cost to taxpayers of £5.5 million a day by switching to disused holiday parks, former student halls and unoccupied military sites.

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A new small boats operational command unit made up of the military, civilian staff and the National Crime Agency to stop the crossing.

Mr Sunak insisted the crackdown is about “fairness” and admitted the public is right to be angry about exploitation of the system.

He said: “It is unfair that people come here illegally. It is unfair on those with a genuine case for asylum when our capacity to help is taken up by people coming through, and from, countries that are perfectly safe.

It is unfair on those who come here legally when others come here by cheating the system.
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“And above all, it is unfair on the British people who play by the rules when others come here illegally and benefit from breaking those rules.

“So people are right to be angry because they see what I see, which is that this simply isn’t fair.

“It is not cruel or unkind to want to break the stranglehold of the criminal gangs who trade in human misery and who exploit our system and laws…

“Enough is enough.”

Rishi Sunak vowed to make the Rwanda deportation plan work (Image: PA)

A judicial review on the government’s plans to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda is expected before Christmas but no date has been confirmed.

The number of Albanians, mainly young men, heading to the UK illegally has surged over the last two years and now the nationality now accounts for 35 per cent of arrivals compared with three per cent in the whole of 2021.

Under the reforms, Border Force officers will be stationed in Tirana airport in the Albanian capital “helping to disrupt organised crime and stop people coming here illegally”.

Most Albanians have claimed they were victims of modern slavery but they will now have to have evidence to back up their claims.

Other European nations return almost all Albanians arriving illegally because their home nation is a “safe country”.

Mr Sunak told MPs 400 new specialists will work in a dedicated unit expediting asylum claims from people from the Balkan state, with plans for weekly removal flights to take people back to their home country.

The Prime Minister and Home Secretary Suella Braverman have been meeting up to three times a week for more than a month to find solutions to the growing problem.

Mr Sunak has made the small boats crisis his main priority alongside restoring the country’s economic fortunes.

New laws will make it “unambiguously clear” that “if you enter the UK illegally you should not be able to remain here”.

“One of the reasons we have struggled to remove people is because they unfairly exploit our modern slavery system, so we will significantly raise the threshold someone has to meet to be considered a modern slave,” Mr Sunak said.

Contractor fined $2.8 million for spills that killed hundreds of fish in Coquitlam, Surrey creeks

A construction contractor has been fined $2.8 million for releasing contaminated water into salmon-bearing creeks in Coquitlam and Surrey in 2017.

Michels Canada Co., a construction contractor based out of Nisku, Alberta, was ordered to pay the sum on Dec. 6, after pleading guilty to two charges under the Fisheries Act.

“These creeks are inhabited by salmonids year round, and the presence of juvenile salmonids in these creeks during the summertime low flow period and hot weather emphasizes the importance of this habitat,” stated Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) on Dec. 8.

The company was conducting horizontal direction boring operations in both cities, which drills tunnels underneath waterways, roads and rail when other methods are not possible.

Sediment-laden water, a byproduct of the boring process, was released through the storm sewer system in Coquitlam on Aug. 17, eventually flowing into Cape Horn Creek.

Less than two weeks later, the same spill occurred in Surrey’s sewer system, which flowed into Quibble Creek.

Twenty dead fish were later discovered in Coquitlam’s creek, while 533 dead fish were discovered in Surrey’s creek.

Federal environmental officers collected samples from the water, dead fish and other evidence related to the spills and found drilling fluids deposits in the water that were deemed harmful.

Both creeks are inhabited by coho salmon, rainbow trout, and cutthroat trout, the latter of which is considered a species at-risk.

Cape Horn Creek flows into the Coquitlam River, before entering the Fraser River; Quibble Creek flows into the Serpentine River, before entering the Georgia Straight.

The company will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry, which lists convictions of corporations who have committed offences under federal environmental law.

“Canadians value clean water and a sustainable environment,” ECCC stated. “Enforcement officers strive to ensure that businesses and individuals comply with the laws and regulations that protect Canada’s natural environment.”

The fines will be used to support projects with a positive impact on the environment, according to the ECCC.

Patrick Penner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tri-Cities Dispatch