U.N. experts point finger at North Korea for $281 million cyber theft, KuCoin likely victim

By Michelle Nichols and Raphael Satter   

© Reuters/DADO RUVIC 

Representations of cryptocurrency is seen in front of a Kucoin logo in this illustration

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A preliminary United Nations inquiry into the theft of $281 million worth of assets from a cryptocurrency exchange last September "strongly suggests" links to North Korea - with industry analysts pointing to Seychelles-based KuCoin as the victim of one of the largest reported digital currency heists.

A confidential report by independent sanctions monitors to U.N. Security Council members said blockchain transactions related to the hack also appeared to be tied to a second hack last October when $23 million was stolen.

"Preliminary analysis, based on the attack vectors and subsequent efforts to launder the illicit proceeds, strongly suggests links to the DPRK," the monitors wrote, using North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. They accuse Pyongyang of using stolen funds to support its nuclear and ballistic missile programs to circumvent sanctions.

While the report did not name the victim of the attack, digital currency exchange KuCoin reported the theft of $281 million in bitcoin and various other tokens on Sept. 25.

"This must be the KuCoin hack," said Frank van Weert, an analyst with Whale Alert – an Amsterdam-based group which tracks large cryptocurrency movements across the internet. "There were no other significant hacks during that period."

Attempts to reach KuCoin and its chief executive, Johnny Lyu, were not immediately successful.




Industry experts said the hackers were trying to funnel the money through decentralized exchanges - which work by arranging individual-to-individual currency swaps - in a bid to bypass centrally-managed trading platforms, many of which had quickly flagged the stolen money as illicit.

"According to sources familiar with both hacks, the attackers exploited 'defi' protocols — i.e., smart contracts that facilitate automated transactions," the U.N. report said.

North Korea's U.N. mission in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

KuCoin has previously said that it managed to recover more than 80 percent of the digital currency stolen in September thanks in part to the work of other exchanges who froze the funds as they transited through their respective systems.

CEO Lyu has also said that KuCoin had discovered who the hackers were but said that, at the request of law enforcement, it would only be making their identity public "once the case is closed." In an update posted to Twitter last week, Lyu said that the hunt for the suspects was still in progress.

North Korea has generated an estimated $2 billion using "widespread and increasingly sophisticated" cyberattacks to steal from banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, the monitors reported in 2019.

In their latest report, seen by Reuters on Monday, they said North Korea-linked hackers continued to target financial institutions and virtual currency houses in 2020. "According to one member state, the DPRK total theft of virtual assets, from 2019 to November 2020" was approximately $316.4 million, the report said.

North Korea has been subjected to U.N. sanctions since 2006. They have been strengthened by the 15-member Security Council over the years.

The latest report by the U.N. sanctions monitors also noted "a clear trend in 2020 was that the DPRK cyber actors have been conducting attacks against defense industries around the globe."

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Raphael Satter; Editing by Mary Milliken and Grant McCool)

NASA technology can help save whale sharks says Australian marine biologist and ECOCEAN founder, 

Brad Norman


Thousands of people around the world are lending a hand to help save the world's biggest fish. By taking photos of whale sharks, these "citizen scientists" are providing researchers with critical information about the giant sharks' population hotspots and migration routes.

© Provided by CNN Whale shark

Whale sharks are endangered, with estimates suggesting populations worldwide have plummeted by more than 50% over the past 75 years. Although they are protected in many countries, whale sharks are still killed by the fishing industry -- caught deliberately for their fins (shark fin soup is a delicacy in parts of Asia) and as accidental bycatch, especially in tuna fishing areas where whale sharks and tuna swim close together. Whale sharks are also threatened by oil and gas drilling, vessel strikes and climate change 

.

© Jess Leask The world's biggest fish, whale sharks are endangered by human activity, including fishing, oil and gas drilling and climate change.

To help protect the species, Australian marine biologist Brad Norman co-founded The Wildbook for Whale Sharks, a photo identification database that went online in 2003.

Members of the public, scientists and whale shark tour operators around the world contribute photos of whale sharks to the system, which uses NASA technology to map their locations and track their movements. Today, the database holds over 70,000 submissions from more than 50 countries -- making it one of the biggest crowd-sourced conservation projects in the world.

Adventures with giant fish

Despite their imposing size -- whale sharks can grow up to 20 meters (65 feet) long -- these gentle giants don't pose a danger to swimmers. Feeding on plankton and tiny marine organisms, they cruise at a leisurely maximum of three miles per hour, allowing snorkelers and divers to get up close.

Norman has been studying these charismatic creatures for over 25 years. He first swam with a whale shark in the turquoise waters of Ningaloo reef on Western Australia's northern coast. "It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had," he recalls. "I'll never forget it."

Marine biologist Brad Norman photographing a whale shark.

That whale shark -- nicknamed Stumpy because of his deformed tail -- was the first entry in a photo-identification library that Norman created in 1995. The library, later operated by Norman's conservation organization ECOCEAN, became the foundation of The Wildbook for Whale Sharks.

Read: She filmed sharks for 'Jaws' - then she dedicated her life to protecting them

Video: NASA technology helps save the world's largest shark (CNN)

A slow swimmer, Stumpy is relatively easy to keep up with, says Norman. "I see him nearly every year and ... I think 'G'day mate, how you goin'?"

Since that first encounter, Norman has swum with whale sharks on thousands of occasions -- and says he still gets a buzz out of it every time.

Why NASA tech works for whale sharks

Images submitted to The Wildbook for Whale Sharks are analysed by an algorithm that scans the spots and stripes on the animal's skin, which are as unique as a human fingerprint, says Norman. The algorithm identifies the shark by searching the database for a matching pattern.

Whale sharks are identified by the markings on their skin.

Adapted from technology first developed for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope program, the algorithm works for whale sharks because their skin markings form patterns similar to stars in the night sky.

Norman says that collectively, the data on whale shark locations and migration routes informs decisions on management strategies for habitat protection. "I can only be in one place one at one time," he says. "It's so important to have members of the public assisting with our project."

Is swimming with whale sharks good for them?

Norman says he would "encourage anybody that gets the opportunity to swim with a whale shark."

But more boats, snorkelers and divers in whale shark areas could be problematic. Norman cautions that impact on the sharks must be minimized.

In Western Australia, whale shark tour operators are strictly regulated with limits on the numbers of people and licensed vessels in the water near the animals at any one time -- and a percentage of sales going towards whale shark industry management.

However, regulation and enforcement are weaker in other places.

In the Maldives, whale sharks are a popular attraction but government guidelines designed to protect the sharks from harassment are frequently breached. This can cause stress for the animals, while boat collision injuries can impact their development and ability to travel long distances.

Whale sharks in the Philippines are routinely provided with food to attract them to places where visitors can easily see them. This can change the sharks' diving patterns and metabolism, while a high level of scarring indicates increased boat strikes. The crowding from tourist activity and feeding can also lead to coral reef degradation.

But where whale shark tourism is practiced responsibly, it can help save the species. Norman hopes to see more data collection around the world, plugging information gaps and strengthening conservation efforts. He's seeking what he calls "the Holy Grail" -- finding out where the whale sharks go to mate. Protecting their breeding grounds is the "one big thing" needed to save the species in the long run, he says. The help of thousands of citizen scientists gives him a better chance of making that possible.

#METOOUNITEDWAY

United Way Worldwide CEO Gallagher resigns amid turmoil

Brian A. Gallagher, who has led United Way Worldwide, the world’s largest privately funded non-profit since 2009, abruptly announced his resignation Tuesday amid claims that the charity mishandled internal allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Gallagher’s resignation, announced in a farewell note, takes effect March 1. The group’s board of directors plans to announce an interim CEO before he leaves.

In November, after complaints filed by three former female employees with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and published reports in HuffPost, United Way Worldwide hired a law firm to investigate the claims and the way the non-profit’s leadership handled them. Last week, the firm, Proskauer Rose, concluded that management’s handling of the complaints was appropriate and that the dismissals were “based on legitimate, non-discriminatory, and non-retaliatory reasons.”

Gallagher said in his farewell note that the report’s release made him decide to move up his planned exit.

“We were actively working toward a transition for me sometime later in 2021 at the conclusion of a CEO search process,” Gallagher wrote to his colleagues. “But, I and the board think it’s best for United Way if I step down as CEO sooner. It was important to me that I stay through this period so my colleagues and I could be cleared of any wrongdoing. That’s done; and now it feels like the right time.”

Lisa Bowman, who was executive vice-president and chief marketing officer at United Way Worldwide until she said she was fired by Gallagher as retaliation for reporting sexual harassment by another executive, said the investigation was “not fair, balanced or thorough” because the investigators did not talk with any of the women involved.

“I was pleased to hear that United Way has decided to do the right thing and make a change in leadership,” Bowman told the Associated Press. “This was a necessary step -- but only the first step -- toward creating a safe, equitable workplace where women are treated with respect and allowed to reach their full potential.”

Bowman’s complaint with the EEOC is still pending.

“I hope that United Way will take this opportunity to listen and learn, so that it can continue and improve upon its important work to support communities around the world,” she said.

United Way Worldwide oversees charity work in 1,800 communities in more than 40 countries.

Gallagher, who began his career at United Way in 1981, worked at five local United Ways before becoming president and CEO of United Way of America in 2002. He took over the helm of United Way Worldwide in 2009.

“We are grateful for Brian’s four decades of leadership and service in the name of the United Way mission,” Dr. Juliette Tuakli, chairwoman of United Way Worldwide’s board of trustees, wrote in a statement. “Brian has always said that a great United Way leader is one who puts community interests first, their organization next, and their own interests last. Brian embodied that standard.”

United Way Worldwide officials had declined in recent weeks to comment on rumblings of local United Ways withholding their dues payments because of the allegations of misconduct. But Gallagher acknowledged that his exit comes at a tough time for United Way Worldwide, which recently instituted some layoffs at its Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters and temporary salary reductions for senior staff.

“It’s been a very difficult year,” Gallagher wrote to his colleagues. “The global pandemic, the resulting economic fallout, and stark inequities in our communities have led to great suffering for so many. The response of United Ways all over the world, and at United Way Worldwide, has been inspirational. We got back to our roots by helping those in most need through any means necessary, and we did it together; a lesson we should pull forward.”
___

The Associated Press receives support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Glenn Gamboa, The Associated Press

French far-right leader Le Pen on trial over IS tweets

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen goes on trial Wednesday on charges she broke hate speech laws by tweeting pictures of Islamic State atrocities, a case she has slammed as a violation of free speech.

© Lionel BONAVENTURE

 Marine Le Pen was stripped of her parliamentary immunity over the pictures

The trial comes as opinion polls show Le Pen will likely face off again against Emmanuel Macron in next year's presidential contest, after her National Rally made its strongest showing ever in the 2017 vote.

Le Pen shared the gruesome images in December 2015, a few weeks after Islamic State group jihadists killed 130 people in attacks in Paris, in response to a journalist who drew a comparison between IS and her party.

© THOMAS SAMSON 

Le Pen shared the gruesome images a few weeks after Islamic State group jihadists killed 130 people in attacks in Paris in 2015

One of the pictures showed the body of James Foley, an American journalist beheaded by the Islamist militants.

Another showed a man in an orange jumpsuit being run over by a tank, and the third a Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage.

"Daesh is this!" Le Pen wrote in a caption, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Le Pen later deleted the picture of Foley after a request from his family, saying she had been unaware of his identity.

In 2018 a judge charged her as well as Gilbert Collard, a National Rally colleague who also tweeted the pictures, with circulating "violent messages that incite terrorism or pornography or seriously harm human dignity" and that can be viewed by a minor.

A trial was ordered last year but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The crime is punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros ($90,000).

- 'Deforming the spirit of the law' -

Le Pen, a lawyer by training, has said she is the victim of a political witch-hunt -- she refused an order to undergo psychiatric tests as part of the inquiry.

She was also stripped of her parliamentary immunity over the pictures.

"Marine Le Pen had no intention, nor even any awareness, of endangering any minor. She was responding to an attack, a provocation, by a journalist," her lawyer David Dassa-Le Deist told AFP.

He accused prosecutors of "discrimination" by "deforming the spirit and the letter of the law... to limit Mrs Le Pen's freedom of speech."

Since taking over France's main far-right party from her father, Le Pen has run twice for the French presidency, and recent polling shows her closer than ever to her ultimate prize.

That has rekindled speculation about whether the anti-EU, anti-immigration populist could finally enter the Elysee Palace.

On Thursday, she is set to have a prime-time TV debate with Macron's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, which will be closely watched after critics panned her debate performance against Macron before the 2017 vote.

Le Pen has another legal challenge looming, over claims that she and other party officials improperly spent millions of euros in public funds to pay their assistants while serving in the EU Parliament.

Investigators say almost seven million euros ($7.7 million) was diverted from the European Parliament between 2009 and 2017. An eventual trial date has not yet been set.

bur-js/sjw/txw

Who's left of the Kadhafi clan 10 years after revolt?

Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in the 2011 uprising, but several of his family members survived.

© JOSEPH EID Several members of Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi's family survived the 2011 uprising

A decade on, what has happened to them?

Three of Kadhafi's seven sons died in the uprising, including Mutassim, who was killed by rebels in the dictator's home town of Sirte on October 20, 2011, the same day as his father.

Another son, Seif al-Arab, perished in a NATO air raid in April 2011, and his brother Khamis died in combat four months later, at the height of the revolt.

But other members of the Kadhafi clan survived, including his wife Safiya, his eldest son Mohammed -- from his first marriage -- and his daughter Aisha, who are known to be living in exile.

© - From left to right, Kadhafi's wife Safiya, his sons Hannibal and Mohammed and his daughter Aisha

Mystery, however, surrounds the whereabouts of the dictator's erstwhile heir apparent, Seif al-Islam Kadhafi, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

- The family -

After the fall of Tripoli to rebels in August 2011, Safiya, Mohammed and Aisha escaped to neighbouring Algeria.

They were later granted refuge in the Gulf sultanate of Oman on condition they do not carry out political activities, the country's then foreign minister Mohammed Abdelaziz told AFP in 2013.

Aisha, a lawyer by profession and a former UN goodwill ambassador, had been part of an international defence team for Saddam Hussein after the Iraqi leader was ousted in the 2003 US-led invasion. 

© MAHMUD TURKIA Seif al-Islam (L) has not been seen or heard from since June 2014, when he appeared via video from Zintan during his trial by a Tripoli court

High-rolling son Hannibal also sought refuge in Algeria after the uprising, before trying to sneak into Lebanon to join his wife, Lebanese model Aline Skaf.

But Lebanese authorities arrested and charged him in 2015 with withholding information about prominent Muslim Shiite cleric Mussa Sadr, who went missing in 1978 during a visit to Libya.

Hannibal and his wife had sparked a diplomatic incident with Switzerland in 2008, when they were arrested in a luxury Geneva hotel for assaulting two former domestic employees.

Playboy son Saadi Kadhafi -- once a professional footballer in Italy -- fled to Niger after the uprising but was later extradited to Libya, where he was wanted for murder and repression during the revolt.

© MAHMUD TURKIA Saadi Kadhafi, once a professional footballer, is currently held in a Tripoli prison

He is currently held in a Tripoli prison, accused of crimes committed against protesters in 2011 and of the 2005 killing of Libyan football player Bashir al-Rayani.

- Heir apparent -

Seif al-Islam, whose name means "sword of Islam", was captured by a Libyan militia in November 2011, days after his father was killed.

Four years later, a Tripoli court sentenced him in absentia to death for crimes committed during the revolt.

The armed group which captured him announced in 2017 that Seif al-Islam had been released.

The claim was never confirmed independently, and in 2019, the ICC prosecutor said there was "reliable" information that he was in Zintan, western Libya.

But Seif al-Islam has not been seen or heard from since June 2014, when he appeared via video from Zintan during his trial by the Tripoli court.

- Clan and tribe -

During his glory days, Kadhafi considered himself the "Leader of the Revolution" and declared Libya a "Jamahiriya", or "state of the masses" run by local committees.

Thousands of his supporters, including from his own Kadhadfa tribe, fled Libya during and after the regime's fall, with many settling in Egypt and Tunisia.

"Contrary to what is thought, the Kadhadfa tribe suffered under the regime of Kadhafi, and several members who had opposed him landed in jail," said Libyan law professor Amani al-Hejrissi.

The clan also included members of Kadhafi's revolutionary guard -- a paramilitary force tasked with protecting the regime against its detractors -- who were not necessarily blood relatives.

Some pined for home, and a group in Cairo later revived the Al-Jamahiriya television network, Kadhafi's propaganda arm.

But could Kadhafi's exiled supporters play a political role in the now divided country?

"I don't think so," said Hejrissi.

"Most Libyans see the fallen regime as the root of the corruption and destruction of the political system."

bur-hme-rb/nd/vl/gk/hkb/lg/pjm/fz/kjm

THEY ARE CLUELESS

U.S. warns against moves that damage institutions in Haiti amid political gridlock

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday it was "deeply concerned" about Haiti's fragile institutions, although it stopped short of chastising President Jovenel Moise after his government retired three Supreme Court judges who posed a threat to his leadership.

© Reuters/VALERIE BAERISWYL Motorcyclists ride near a street barricade after protests against Haiti's President Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince

© Reuters/VALERIE BAERISWYL People walk near a street market in Port-au-Prince

Fresh political turmoil engulfed the volatile Caribbean nation this weekend after Moise alleged there was an attempt to overthrow the government and 23 people were arrested, including a Supreme Court judge and a senior police official.

© Reuters/VALERIE BAERISWYL Police sit on the back of a pick-up truck while patrolling the area, in Port-au-Prince

The detained judge was one of three Supreme Court justices who the opposition approached as possible candidates to be interim leaders of a transitional government to take over from Moise until elections are held.

On Monday, the government issued an executive decree ordering the three judges to be retired from the court.

The U.S. Embassy in Port-Au-Prince said in a statement that it had seen the executive order about the judges.

"We are deeply concerned about any actions that risk damaging Haiti's democratic institutions. The Executive Order is now being scrutinized to determine whether it conforms to Haiti's constitutions and laws," the embassy said.

Haiti's opposition claims Moise should step down as his five-year term in office expired on Feb. 7 following 2015 elections, which were disputed and the result cancelled by the electoral counsel.

Moise rejects those claims, pointing out he took power in February 2017 after winning fresh elections in 2016 and has pledged to step down next year.

Washington last week appeared to back Moise's timeline, with a State Department spokesperson saying a new leader should replace Moise in February 2022.

The U.S. Embassy said "all political actors should focus on restoring to the Haiti people the right to choose their lawmakers by organizing overdue legislative elections as soon as technically feasible and presidential elections soon after".

The opposition accused Moise of violating the constitution as his government failed to hold legislative elections in 2019, leaving the parliament without lawmakers and allowing the president to rule by decree since January 2020.

(Reporting by Andre Paultre; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Mysterious metal monolith appears at ancient temple site in Turkey

Similar structures have appeared around the world since late 2020.

 

Turkish police guard a metal monolith found in southeastern Turkey. 

Screenshot from a video uploaded Feb. 6, 2021. Photo by YOUTUBE/TRT.
Al-Monitor Staff

Feb 8, 2021

A metal monolith has appeared in southeastern Turkey. Similar mysterious structures grabbed headlines across the world late last year.

The pillar stands at 3 meters (9.8 feet) tall and 1 meter (3.2 feet) wide. It is located at the Gobeklitepe archaeological site in the southeastern Anatolia region near the Syrian border. The authorities are currently investigating where it came from and have yet to find out its origin, the state-run Anadolu News Agency reported on Sunday.

Gobeklitepe is an an ancient temple recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site.




The structure’s appearance follows similar instances around the world. In November, a large, metallic, column-like structure appeared in the desert in the southwestern American state of Utah and then disappeared. Days later, a similar structure appeared in California. A metallic monolith also showed up in Romania in eastern Europe days after the Utah one and then vanished.

Other structures reportedly popped up later in Iran, Morocco and numerous other countries.

The origin of the first Utah monolith are still unknown. A group of local men later came forward and said they removed the structure. Details surrounding the Romanian monolith are also still unclear. Other monoliths have been made by artists inspired by the original, and some have been removed by the authorities. The phenomenon has led to unfounded theories that aliens placed the monoliths on earth.

The Turkish monolith is engraved with a phrase that translates to, “Look at the sky if you want to see the moon.” It is written in Old Turkic script, according to Anadolu. This alphabet predates the Latin-based alphabet utilized by modern Turkish.

Update: Feb. 9, 2020. Anadolu reported on Tuesday that the structure has disappeared from its location in Gobeklitepe. Photos showed the monolith was under police guard before it was removed. It joins other monoliths that have appeared and then vanished.

Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2021/02/metal-monolith-structure-gobeklitepe-turkey-utah-column.html#ixzz6m2l3DFdx

Mystery of Turkey’s monolith is solved

By Tamar Lapin

February 9, 2021 

A monolith that mysteriously appeared in Turkey before vanishing on Tuesday turned out to be a publicity stunt tied to the country’s newly-announced space program.

The 10-foot metal slab inscribed with the phrase “Look at the sky, you will see the moon” in ancient Turkish script was discovered Friday by a farmer in the Sanliurfa province.

By Tuesday morning, the shimmering structure had disappeared, puzzling locals.

“We don’t know if it was placed on my field for marketing purposes or as an advertisement,” farmer Fuat Demirdil told the state-run Anadolu Agency.

“Residents cannot solve the mystery of the metal block,” he added.





But the enigma was solved later in the day, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan projected an image of the monolith on a screen as he announced the country’s new space program.

“I now present to you Turkey’s 10-year vision, strategy and aims and I say: ‘look at the sky, you will see the moon,’” Erdogan said during a televised event.Turkish police officers standing near the recently discovered monolith in Sanliurfa on February 7, 2021.Bekir Seyhanli/IHA via AP

Erdogan’s use of the structure and of the phrase inscribed on it during his announcement made it clear that the monolith’s appearance had been part of a gimmick.

It was just the latest in a series of recent incidents where similar structures appeared and disappeared in numerous countries.

With Post wires

Turkish student protests feed anti-Erdogan anger

Fenced in by riot police, Zeynep Kurbanzade stands with her university classmates in daily protest against the rector picked by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since she was just one year old.

© Bulent Kilic Turkish police officers detain protesters during a rally against the appointment of a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) loyalist, as new Bogazic university rector

Small in number, loud in voice and filled with a thirst for change, the Bogazici University students are posing a worrisome challenge to the 66-year-old Turkish leader, who has responded by flooding the streets with police.

For the religiously conservative Erdogan, their social media-driven campaign -- now in its second month -- has ominous echoes of 2013 protests that began in defence of an Istanbul park before morphing into a national movement.

For the students, the appointment of Melih Bulu, a losing parliamentary candidate from Erdogan's ruling party who denies claims of plagiarising his doctorate thesis, as head of the elite Istanbul institution was the last straw in a life filled with discontent.

 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan decided to turn the protests into part of a broader culture war being waged across Turkey's deeply polarised society

"We are not happy with the economy, we are not happy with the growing pressure," Kurbanzade, 19, told AFP outside the campus, which has been besieged by police barricades since the start of the year.

"Acts of femicide go unpunished, mobsters walk free from jail and are given the red carpet treatment, but our friends are detained because of a tweet. We don't accept this," she said.

Police have fired rubber bullets and tear gas while detaining hundreds across Istanbul and in smaller solidarity rallies in big cities such as Ankara and Izmir.

Although most are quickly released, the jailings and heavy-handed police tactics remind many of the sweeping powers Erdogan has assumed since surviving a coup bid in 2016, which was followed by a punishing social and political crackdown.

"A mood of discontent -- from the presidential regime to the economic collapse -- has found a new form of expression through Bogazici," said Zeynep Gambetti, an associate professor of political theory at the university.

- Culture wars -

After initially ignoring the protests, Erdogan this month decided to turn them into part of a broader culture war being waged across Turkey's deeply polarised society.

For the first time since assuming power in 2003, he unleashed several verbal assaults on the LGBT movement, blaming it for the protests with a venom that drew immediate condemnation from the United States and the European Union.

"Don't pay attention to what those lesbians say," he told a group of female supporters last week, defending Bulu's appointment as lawful.


The students have responded to Erdogan on the streets and on Twitter, with several who run the protests' social media accounts jailed and charged with insulting the president.

"Kayyum Rektor Istemiyoruz!" (We don't want a trustee rector) has become a rallying cry, a protest against Erdogan's decision in 2016 to start picking the heads of universities.

For many students and professors, these appointments run similar to his naming of government trustees in place of dozens of mayors who have been dismissed or jailed for alleged links to outlawed Kurdish militants.

"What we need to discuss is autonomy at universities but we talk about detentions. Who benefits from the chaos? Not us," said Tinaz Ekim, a professor of industrial engineering at the university.

- 'An overreaction' -

Ustun Erguder, who served two terms as Bogazici University's elected rector in the 1990s, compared this standoff to the late 1970s, when left and right-wing militants clashed across the streets of Ankara and Istanbul.

Eventually the army seized power in a 1980 putsch, but even then the 158-year-old institution remained an island of stability, Erguder recalled.

"When I was a young academic in the 1970s, all the universities were in a state of war. Even under those circumstances, education at Bogazici continued uninterrupted," Erguder told AFP.

"We could calm (the protests on campus) without the police, but today there's an overreaction."

Erguder said Bulu visited him in his home soon after being appointed.

"I told him how his predecessor won the hearts and minds, and advised him to build bridges. He carefully listened and took notes."

Bulu told a pro-government newspaper last week: "I never think about resigning."

- Strong headwinds -

The students are facing formidable headwinds, from the brute power of the police, to the absence of a natural protest leader, to their mistrust in other political parties.

For all of these reasons, Ozgur Unluhisarcikli of the US German Marshall Fund said it was unlikely that the protests would grow.

"There is an understanding among opposition parties that mass protests lead to polarisation and galvanise Erdogan's supporters," said Unluhisarcikli.

One Western diplomat told AFP that he could detect "no sign so far" that the protests could broaden.

But for now, at least, the students and their supporters vow defiance.

"These youngsters live on the internet, see blocked websites, bans, detentions over a tweet, all sorts of pressure, so they feel compelled to channel their frustration in one way or another," said political analyst Gurkan Ozturan, a Bogazici graduate.

fo/zak/txw

IT USED TO BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND

U.S. authorities seize Florida-bound convoy allegedly smuggling 270 kg of Canadian marijuana

Jorge Barrera 

© Courtesy of Aboriginal Peoples Television Network 

Seth Lazore, a member of Akwesasne, which straddles the Canada-U.S. border, was charged in connection with a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration operation targeting a convoy of pickup trucks allegedly…

U.S. authorities recently intercepted a convoy of late-model pickup trucks pulling trailers in New York state with more than 270 kilograms of Canadian-grown marijuana headed for Florida, U.S. court documents allege.

The Feb. 5 bust was part of a multi-agency operation that included surveillance and cellphone wiretaps.

The operation, headed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), tracked the movements of a motorboat across the St. Lawrence River and the departure of vehicles from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, which straddles the Canada-U.S. border about 120 kilometres southwest of Montreal.

The convoy was eventually intercepted by New York state police on Hwy 87 heading south toward Lake Placid, N.Y., with Florida as the ultimate destination, according to an affidavit filed by the DEA.

The bust comes as the U.S. inches toward removal of marijuana from the list of controlled substances. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill late last year to push the effort forward. The proposed change is expected to gain traction in a Democrat-controlled Senate.

New York and Florida are also moving toward legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, which has been legal in Canada since 2018.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in January that he planned to legalize and tax marijuana in the state by the end of the year. In Florida, state legislators are also moving to legalize recreational marijuana use this year, with bills introduced in the state House and Senate.
Intercepted text messages tipped off DEA

The DEA began its operation after obtaining information that "large amounts of marijuana" were being smuggled into the U.S. through Akwesasne, according to the affidavit filed by DEA agent Niles DuPont, who also works for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Akwesasne Mohawk territory is cut in half by the border, leaving some portions of the reserve within Canada, accessible domestically only by river, or through the U.S. by roads with no border checkpoints.

Given this geography, coupled with the historic nationalism of Akwesasne, the region has been used to move tobacco north and marijuana south — mainly across the river by boats and by snowmobile in winter when it freezes over.

The DEA received wiretap authorization to intercept the cellphone of John Skidders Jr., who is an Akwesasne member, according to the court document.

The DEA intercepted a text conversation between Skidders and another Akwesasne member named Seth Lazore on Feb. 3, allegedly discussing the packaging of 650 bags of marijuana.

"What time we leaving trw," said an alleged text message from Lazore.

"Soon as its all sealed," Skidders allegedly responded, according to the affidavit. © CBC News An alleged text message exchange between Akwesasne members John Skidders Jr. and Seth Lazore intercepted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The DEA then set up surveillance of a warehouse on Cook Road, which is on the U.S. side of Akwesasne. It skirts the Canadian side of the reserve in a section called Snye, which sits between the St. Lawrence River and the U.S. border.

"This location is believed to be utilized by Skidders to load marijuana for transport and to organize marijuana shipments," the court document alleges.
Boats used to move marijuana

The DEA surveillance team then observed a Ford F-350 with New York licence plates.

The truck was pulling a "hydro-yacht type boat" on a trailer. Surveillance also spotted another truck, a black GMC pickup, pulling a "camouflaged coloured hydro-yacht," which was later monitored by a second surveillance team heading into a nearby marina in Hogansburg, N.Y.

The camouflage boat was then observed heading across the St. Lawrence toward Canada. A little less than an hour later, the surveillance team spotted it on a trailer towed by the same black GMC truck headed back to the warehouse, the court document says.

"Drug smugglers commonly use boats to smuggle narcotics between Canada and the U.S.," the affidavit says.

The next morning, the surveillance team watched four vehicles — including the Ford F-350 and a 2021 Yukon Denali spotted at the warehouse — at a plaza on Route 37, which cuts through the U.S. side of Akwesasne.

The Denali was towing a trailer with two ATVs and the F-350 pulled a trailer with a Corvette bearing a California licence plate. A third vehicle, a 3500 Dodge pickup truck, carried a trailer with an "antique-like pickup truck." The fourth vehicle, a 1500 Chevrolet Silverado, did not have a trailer but did have a Florida licence plate, according to the court document.

The DEA then began to monitor the movement of the four-vehicle convoy as it headed for Lake Placid. Agents noticed that vehicles "made the same turns and maintained an even speed."

New York State Police troopers then swept in, pulling over the vehicles one by one, several kilometres apart.

Lazore was allegedly found sitting in the passenger seat of the Denali, along with an unnamed driver and two minors. Skidders was allegedly pulled over driving the F-350 that was pulling the Corvette. There were two minors in the truck with him, the court document says.

The DEA said it found 270 kilograms of marijuana hidden in the floorboards of the three trailers.

Skidders and Lazore are each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana.

Lawyers for the two did not respond to a request for comment.

U.S. Assistant Attorney Troy Anderson did not respond to a request for comment.

People living rough on Vancouver's streets brace for Arctic blast

© Provided by Vancouver Sun 

Taze Haasbeek outside his tent at Strathcona Park as temperatures are expected to drop to -10c overnight in Vancouver.

It’s the same advice you would give someone on the Prairies during a blast of Arctic cold front: Layer up.

It is not as cold as Winnipeg or Edmonton and their minus-30C temperatures, but for those living on the street, this week’s weather poses real and dangerous problems.

“We’re surviving,” Chrissy Brett said. “It helps that we have a warming centre and the sacred fire.”

Brett is a spokeswoman at the tent city in Vancouver’s Strathcona Park, where more than 200 people have decided to brave out the winter rains, wind, and now cold weather.

At the request of the city, B.C. Housing provided a mess tent with propane heaters inside. But because of pandemic protocols, only 18 people are allowed inside at a time.

A Nanaimo couple has come up with candles made of paint cans and cinder blocks, with wire mesh to prevent items such as blankets or sleeping bags from falling into the flames and burning down a tent.

“It’s very, very difficult having to deal with the cold,” said Fiona York, an advocate for people without shelter. “We’re trying to double up on extra tarps, sleeping bags. We’re doing our best.”

© NICK PROCAYLO The warming tent at Strathcona Park.

At Strathcona park on Tuesday, a volunteer delivered huge bags of dog and cat food, while another pulled a wagon loaded with treats for residents.

The city, in cooperation with the province, opens extreme-weather shelters as soon as temperatures drop to freezing. They have been open 75 nights so far this winter, on top of the temporary winter shelters that are open every night between November and March.

The city has also opened warming centres from Feb. 8 to 12, which are activated when the temperature reaches minus-5C or below.

“Due to the cold weather this week, additional extreme-weather response shelter spaces are open from Feb. 8 to 12 at Evelyne Saller Centre, Directions Youth Services Centre, Tenth Church, Langara YMCA, and Cascades Church,” a city spokeswoman said. “Warming centres are activated when the temperature reaches minus-5C or below, or when it feels like minus-5C or below.

“These spaces act as a life-saving measure for people sleeping outside during the colder winter months. The city encourages anyone who is sleeping outside to visit one of these centre which are open to all, including couples, and provide hot drinks and snacks.”

Most centres accept people with pets and carts.

But with pandemic protocols in place, all shelters and warming centres have reduced capacity to accommodate social distancing.

At Strathcona Park, there are two warming tents to enable people to stay warm, as well as temporary shower and washroom facilities. The first tent is for people who have symptoms of COVID-19, and the second for those who are not experiencing symptoms. Both tents operate 24 hours a day and are operated by a non-profit and staffed by peers.

“I definitely don’t want to go inside (a single-room occupancy building),” Strathcona Park resident Taze Haasbeek said outside his igloo-looking tent, citing past violent attacks. “My worry here is, I don’t want to wake up on fire.”

When the temperature drops, danger rises, said Jeremy Hunka of Union Gospel Mission, pointing to a fire death at a North Shore homeless camp in January.

And aside from things such as frostbite and hyperthermia, the cold can bring on pneumonia, Hunka said.

“The cold gets in your body, your bones, your lungs.”

Union Gospel Mission’s cold-weather spaces are open and its mobile mission is dropping off socks, toques, blankets, sleeping bags and, if need be, winter footwear.