Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Page created by Joseph Schneider

Science

English

Like
Share
Embed
Fullscreen
Slides
Download HTML
Download PDF
Abuse

←

→

Page content transcription

If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

2/8/23 Wednesday

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

US to Return Kiev Embassy to Full Staffing by Summer - Reports
By - Fantine Gardinier

The US embassy in Kiev will be fully staffed once again by the summer of 2023, according to
US media reports.
The information reportedly comes from a “sensitive but unclassified” US State Department cable
obtained by the press on Wednesday. The cable was sent by Bridge Brink, the US ambassador
to Ukraine, to the desk of her boss, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
According to the document, the skeleton staff at the embassy is just 106 US personnel and 250
Ukrainians, more than half of whom are working in security-related roles, “leaving a small core
group to advance diplomacy, manage foreign assistance programs, and oversee operations,”
the cable said. It did not include information about the facility’s optimal staffing numbers.
The plans are subject to future developments in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which
is nearing the one-year mark later this month.
As Russia-NATO tensions reached fever pitch in February 2022, just two weeks before Russia
launched its special operation to remove the threat of Ukraine serving as a base for NATO
offensive weapons, the US announced it was moving its embassy from the Ukrainian capital of
Kiev to the western city of Lvov, the furthest major city from the Russian border.
After the conflict started, the Kiev embassy remained closed until May, when it reopened. News
reports at the time indicated Washington was considering deploying US Special Forces troops
to defend the embassy in the capital city, which had been threatened by a Russian feint early-on
and continued to be struck by Russian cruise missiles.
A State Department spokesperson anonymously told US media that Blinken had “championed”
the effort to return to the Kiev facility “at the earliest possible date.”
Also of note in the document is a warning for department staff to keep a close eye on how the
massive volume of US aid to Ukraine is being distributed to avoid a harmful “scandal or
misstep.”

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

Ex-Twitter Execs Tell Lawmakers Suppressing Hunter Biden Laptop Story Was Mistake, But Not
FBI Order
By - Fantine Gardinier

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

House Republicans held a hearing on Wednesday triggered by the release late last year of what
became known as The Twitter Files, a series of internal documents exposing the social media
site’s content pruning efforts.
Of particular interest to Republicans was an October 2020 decision to suppress a New York
Post article about the contents of a laptop abandoned at a Delaware repair shop by Hunter
Biden, the son of then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Sharing of the document
was at different times blocked on Twitter or given a warning tag that its contents included
hacked materials.
According to the internal Twitter communications shown to journalists in November and
December 2022 by Elon Musk after he bought Twitter, the FBI influenced the company to
believe the NYP story was the result of a “hack-and-dump” action sponsored by the Russian
government.
The Republicans have long promised to probe the Biden family’s business dealings, especially
Hunter Biden, and in the newly inaugurated Congress finally have the majority to do so. At the
Wednesday hearing, lawmakers summoned several Twitter executives who were either fired or
quit when Musk bought the tech firm in October.
“America witnessed a coordinated campaign by social media companies, mainstream news and
the intelligence communities to suppress and de-legitimized the existence of Hunter Biden’s
laptop and its contents,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY), said at the hearing,
which he had called. He added that Twitter “worked hand-in-hand with the FBI to monitor the
protected speech of Americans, receiving millions of dollars to do so.”
One figure, a former top-DOJ attorney who later served as Twitter’s chief counsel, Jim Baker,
told the panel of lawmakers he was “aware of no unlawful collusion with, or direction from, any
government agency or political campaign on how Twitter should have handled the Hunter Biden
laptop situation.”
“Even though many disagree with how Twitter handled the Hunter Biden matter, I believe that
the public record reveals that my client acted in a manner that was fully consistent with the First
Amendment,” he said.
Yoel Roth, who was Twitter’s security chief at the time, said he disagreed with the decision to
suppress the story, but that it was understandable at the time, citing false claims of Russian
online disinformation operations associated with the 2016 and 2020 US elections.
“It isn’t obvious what the right response is to a suspected but not confirmed cyberattack by
another government on a presidential election,” Roth said. “I believe Twitter erred in this case
because we wanted to avoid repeating the mistakes of 2016.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) told the Twitter executives they had been duped by the DOJ’s claims
that the material on the laptop was likely fake and a plot by Russian intelligence.
“The information operation was run on you guys,” Jordan said, adding they had been “played by
the FBI.”
However, it wasn’t just Republicans calling witnesses at the hearing: the Democrats called
Anika Collier Navaroli, a former Twitter employee who previously testified before the January 6
committee last year about the company’s long tolerance of former US President Donald Trump’s
rule-breaking behavior before the Capitol insurrection.
Navaroli largely recounted her July criticisms of Twitter, but also noted that she had heard
rumors in 2019 that the Trump White House had sent the company a request to take down a

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

tweet as well. According to US media reports, the tweet in question was by Chrissy Teigen and
came after Trump took a public swipe at her, calling her John Legend’s “filthy-mouthed wife.”
Twitter did not remove the expletive-laden post.
Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also used the hearing to criticize Musk’s leadership of
Twitter, including what she characterized as its conservative bias, with numerous right-wing
accounts being unbanned while hate speech against minority groups such as Jews and LGBTQ
people has reportedly proliferated.

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

Senior Chinese Diplomat: ‘No Point’ to Blinken Visit After Seeming US Reversal on Balloon
Reaction
By - Fantine Gardinier

A senior Chinese diplomat has criticized Washington’s recent downing of a Chinese
high-altitude balloon, saying the US had suggested it would react otherwise. The “irresponsible
act” has made it “inappropriate” for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to resume his plans to
visit Beijing.
“The United States is exaggerating in this matter,” Lu Shaye, the Chinese ambassador to
France, told French news on Monday, adding, “it is a civilian balloon used for meteorological
research.”
“Indeed, what happened between China and the United States in the past few years has
reduced the mutual trust between the two countries,” he added.
A day earlier, the US Air Force used a missile to shoot down the balloon off the South Carolina
coast after it had wandered for days across the continent, beginning in Alaska. While the
Pentagon said it had tracked the balloon since then, news agencies only caught wind of its
presence once it passed over a US nuclear missile base in Montana late last week.
Beijing said the balloon was Chinese, but denied American claims that it was for surveillance,
saying it was a civilian research balloon that scientists had lost control over.
“The United States is exaggerating in this matter,” Lu Shaye, the Chinese ambassador to
France, told French news on Monday, adding, “it is a civilian balloon used for meteorological
research.”
“At first, I think the Americans accepted this explanation, because according to the Pentagon
this balloon ‘presents no military or physical threat to people on the ground,”’ Lu explained.
“They asked China to get the balloon out of the way as soon as possible. But what is
incomprehensible is that after asking the Chinese side to do so, they knocked down the balloon
the next day, when the balloon was already about to leave [US airspace].”
Blinken Postpones Trip
Initially, the US declined to take action against the balloon other than observing it, but Blinken
nonetheless postponed his planned visit to Beijing that weekend to meet with senior Chinese
leaders until “conditions are right.”

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

On Saturday, Blinken spoke by phone with Wang Yi, the head of the Communist Party of
China’s foreign relations bureau and one of the officials he had been slated to meet, but took up
a very different tone. Blinken called the balloon flight “an irresponsible act and a clear violation
of US sovereignty and international law that undermined the purpose of the trip.”
Wang reiterated China’s position, saying that China has always followed international law and
that the balloon was not for intelligence-gathering, adding that "We do not accept any
groundless speculation or hype.” He also said that in the face of an unexpected situation, both
sides should compose themselves, communicate in a timely manner, avoid misjudgment and
manage their differences.
Persona non Grata
As a result of Blinken’s comments, Lu said the US foreign minister should be persona non grata
in Beijing.
“In my opinion, the so-called visit is inappropriate, because the US has recently carried out
many anti-China activities, including in military planning, technology, the Taiwan question and
other aspects,” Lu said.
The US eventually decided to shoot down the balloon in order to study it, the Pentagon said on
Sunday. The wreckage has been collected by the US Navy and Beijing has demanded it be
returned, since it is Chinese property - a point Lu reiterated on Tuesday.
Pentagon officials have since stated that the most recent balloon, while the most egregious
violation, was not the first Chinese balloon to do so, with at least three other instances
discovered during the Trump administration. However, the Pentagon only found out about them
after the fact, through intelligence analysis, so no action was taken against them at the time.
During the early decades of the Cold War, the US flew regular spy plane missions over Chinese
territory, with at least five U-2 Dragon Lady spy planes getting shot down by Chinese air
defenses. The flights reportedly ceased in the 1970s as the US normalized relations with
Beijing.

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

Microsoft, OpenAI Team Up to Add High-Powered ChatGPT to Search Engine, Web Browser
By - Fantine Gardinier

Tech giant Microsoft announced on Tuesday it was incorporating OpenAI’s artificial intelligence
into several of its internet services. Microsoft recently announced major investments into the Al
research lab, which recently launched its ChatGPT chatbot.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made the announcement at a press event alongside OpenAI CEO
Sam Altman. They told reporters they would be adding Al similar to ChatGPT to Microsoft’s
many features, including the Bing search engine and Edge web browser. As a consequence,
Edge will offer unique features not seen in other browsers, including the ability to chat with
users, generate content in response to user queries, and answer questions.
Nadella also revealed Microsoft would be releasing a mobile version of Bing.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

“It’s a new paradigm for search, rapid innovation is going to come,” Nadella told reporters. “In
fact, a race starts today ... Every day we want to bring out new things, and most importantly, we
want to have a lot of fun innovating in search because it’s high time.”
“This technology is going to reshape pretty much every software category that we know,” he
added.
Later, at a private event with investors, Altman revealed the chatbot Microsoft will be using is
much more powerful than ChatGPT, which made its public debut in November 2022 and has
received a wide variety of both praise and criticism.
Last month, Microsoft revealed it was investing $10 billion into OpenAI, a clear indicator it
doesn’t intend to yield to competitors like Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, and Baidu. It has invested in
the company since 2019.
A day before Microsoft’s announcement, Google, owned by Alphabet, launched its own Bard Al.
According to analysts, Bard will have access to internet information up to the present in
generating its responses, while ChatGPT is limited to information before 2021.
Artificial intelligence is seen as a key field of competition between the US and China, with both
governments rushing to support their domestic development programs. The technology holds
wide promise, from the medical field to military applications. Fears that China’s tech sector could
slip ahead have prompted Washington to sanction Chinese companies, although US investors
are by no means abiding by those attempted bans.

The Yolk Standoff: US Border Patrol Destroying ‘Thousands’ of Eggs a Day at Tijuana Border
By - Ian DeMartino

More than 52 million birds were killed in the United States in 2022 as officials attempted to limit
the spread of avian flu.
With egg prices sky-high, agents at the border of Tijuana and San Ysidro, south of San Diego,
say they have been destroying “thousands” of contraband eggs a week.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average price of a dozen
large white cage-free eggs in California is currently $5.52. While that is down from a high of
$7.37 earlier this year, it is still massively higher than in years past.
The price increase has encouraged Southern California residents to cross the US-Mexico
border in hopes of finding a deal on the kitchen staple. But, eggs from Mexico are prohibited
from entering the United States for the same reason prices are rising: Avian Flu.
HPAI, better known as Bird or Avian Flu, has been found in 47 states across the US. In an
attempt to limit the disease’s impact, farmers have culled entire flocks when a case is detected,
which has led to more than 52 million birds being killed in the United States as of November
2022.
The vast majority of those birds were not infected but when one chicken or turkey in a flock has
bird flu, the policy is to eliminate the entire flock.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

A lower number of chickens means a lower number of eggs, hence the higher prices. And the
higher prices encourage people to look outside the United States for relief. Rosie Maizuss, the
chief agricultural specialist for the US Customs and Border Patrol told The Hill there are
“hundreds upon hundreds of people bringing boxes. All of these eggs will be destroyed.”
The FDA determined the risk of a human contracting HPAI from eggs is low, but their study
pointed to regulations and disease prevention measures the USDA and FDA put on American
farmers. Eggs coming from Mexico aren’t subject to those regulatory bodies, so the eggs must
be destroyed.
After being seized, the eggs are brought to a waste facility where they are sterilized and
disposed of.
Travelers who declare their eggs at the border are free to leave them and continue their
crossing, but if you are caught attempting to smuggle them into the country, you could face civil
charges and fines.
For those waiting for egg prices to drop domestically, there is some sign of relief. According to
the USDA, egg prices have fallen from their late 2022/early 2023 high, though they remain far
higher than this time last year. Ultimately, egg prices will not stabilize until after the flu is
eradicated. When that is, is anybody’s guess.
The last major Avian Flu outbreak in the US started in the winter of 2014, and was over by June
2015. The current outbreak also started in the winter but it managed to survive the summer
months.

Report: Memphis Police Officer Took Picture of Tyre Nichols & Texted Image to At Least Five
People
By - Ian DeMartino

On January 7, Memphis Police pulled over 29-year-old Tyre Nichols for alleged reckless driving.
Body cam footage showed the officers beating a restrained Nichols repeatedly. Nichols, a
FedEx driver and a father to a four-year-old boy, died three days later.
One of the five Memphis police officers fired and charged with second-degree murder and other
crimes in the beating death of Tyre Nichols admitted to taking a picture of Nichols after the
beating and sending it to at least five people.
The actions were revealed by a document released by the Memphis Police Department on
Tuesday as part of a request to decertify the officers involved. Decertifying the officers will make
them ineligible to be hired as police officers again in the state of Tennessee.
According to the document, Officer Demetrius Haley admitted to taking the picture and sending
it to at least five people with his personal cellphone. The police department’s policy prohibits
officers from using their personal cellphones while performing police duties, including traffic
stops.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Police said at the time that Nichols was pulled over for driving recklessly; however, Police Chief
Cerelyn Davis said her department was unable to find evidence of Nichols driving recklessly.
Haley was one of the officers involved in both the initial police confrontation with Nichols and the
beating that led to his death. During the initial stop, Haley can be seen in body camera footage
pulling Nichols out of the car and attempting to pepper spray him, while another officer fires his
taser gun at Nichols. Nichols eventually breaks free and flees the scene.
Several minutes later, officers caught up with Nichols and repeatedly beat him with kicks, fists,
and batons for nearly three minutes. Haley was not present for much of the beating, only
arriving after other officers had him restrained on the ground. Still, Haley can be seen on the
video kicking the restrained Nichols in either his head or upper body.
Nichols, who was left handcuffed and bleeding on the street for an extended period after his
arrest, died three days later.
The document does not specifically say to who Haley sent the pictures or what he texted when
he sent it, but does provide some details.
"On [Haley's] personal cellphone, [Haley] took two photographs while standing in front of the
obviously injured subject after he was handcuffed. [Haley] admitted [he] shared the photo in a
text message with five people; one civilian employee, two MPD officers, and one female
acquaintance."
The document also notes a sixth person received the same picture.
Nichols’ death led to protests in multiple cities nationwide, including Memphis. In response, the
Memphis Police Department said it is disbanding the SCORPION unit the officers were
assigned to. That unit, also known as a saturation unit, floods high-crime areas with a large
number of officers.
The city’s fire chief also fired the two Emergency Medical Technicians who were the first medical
professionals on the scene. The state board also suspended their licenses, saying they waited
19 minutes before providing medical assistance to Nichols. Afire lieutenant was also fired for
not leaving the firetruck while at the scene.
The five fired police officers are scheduled to appear in court on February 17. All five officers are
out on bond until their hearing. On Tuesday, Memphis City Attorney Jennifer Sink told the city
council that eight more officers will likely be charged in connection to Nichols’ arrest and death.
She said the officers' names and their charges will likely be released next week.
Two additional officers were also fired from the force following Nichols' death. They have not yet
been charged with a crime, and it is not known if they are among the officers Sink expects will
face charges.

Interruptions & Heckling: Three Dramatic Moments From Biden's State of the Union Address
By - Ian DeMartino

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

US President Joe Biden delivered his second State of the Union address Tuesday. Speaking to
a newly-divided Congress for the first time, Biden touted his administration’s accomplishments,
outlined his plans for the remainder of 2023, and made attempts to reach across the aisle.
While US President Joe Biden did not use the speech to announce his run for reelection, it still
resembled an appeal to the American people to give him another four years. Biden repeatedly
said “Let’s finish the job,” seemingly setting the theme of his address.
Biden was uncharacteristically fiery during the speech, yelling at the camera multiple times. The
speech was not without his trademark gaffes, but the president seemed more lively than he has
recently.
The commander-in-chief focused on the economy and infrastructure while taking time to
address the situation in Ukraine, the country’s growing rivalry with China (without specifically
mentioning the balloon), the continued fight against COVID, gun control, his tax plan, and his
proposals for increased consumer protections in a variety of industries, from tech to banking.
Here are the three most poignant moments from Biden’s State of the Union address.
Interruptions Abound
Speaking about the debt ceiling, Biden said “some Republicans” want to cut Medicare and
Social Security, which instantly brought a chorus of boos and jeers from the Republican side of
the chamber.
Marjorie Taylor Greene could be seen on camera yelling at Biden multiple times.
Although Biden attempted to continue his speech, the ruckus was too powerful. He addressed
criticism head on, stressing he was only referring to some Republicans even though the jeers.
“I guess we all agree, [cuts to] Social Security and Medicare are off the table," Biden eventually
said,
It is true that some Republicans have called for the sunsetting of mandatory funding of Social
Security and Medicare, but none have called for the programs’ complete elimination. Most
Republicans, including House Leader Kevin McCarthy, have distanced themselves from that
plan, with McCarthy saying cuts to both programs are “off the table.”
Biden Honors Tyre Nichols’ Parents
While speaking about police reform, Biden pointed to Tyre Nichols’ parents who were guests at
the event. Both sides of the chamber gave them a standing ovation.
Tyre Nichols was beaten bloody by police and died three days later. Addressing that, Biden said
that “when police officers violate the public trust, they must be held accountable.” Five officers
have been charged with second-degree murder for their role in Nichols’ death, with additional
law enforcement and medical personnel being investigated over the beating death.
Biden repeated his proposal to “give law enforcement the training they need,” a solution that has
received some criticism from the left and anti-police brutality groups.
However, it was also during this time that Biden had one of his most significant gaffes of the
speech. At one point, he appeared to call Tyre Nichols “Tyler” when referring to his parents.
Republicans Laugh Over Biden's Need for Oil
While speaking about big oil companies pulling in “$200 billion” and chastising them for using
that money on stock buybacks instead of investing in domestic production, Biden gave an
anecdote from his talks with the heads of the companies.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

“When I talked to some of them they said ‘well we’re afraid you’re going to shut down all the oil
wells and oil refineries anyway, so why should we invest in them?’ I said we are going to need
oil for at least another decade.”
Before Biden could finish, the crowd erupted in laughter at the apparent gaffe. McCarthy can be
seen behind Biden laughing while Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be stifling a laugh.
Biden signed an executive order setting a Net Zero carbon emission goal for federal operations
by 2050, but no proposal by Democrats contends the US will be completely off oil by then, much
less in a decade.

Fossilized Remains of 340-Pound Giant Penguin Found in New Zealand
By - Ian DeMartino

There are 17 to 19 species of penguins living today, most in the Southern Hemisphere. Also
found in New Zealand and parts of Zealandia, are other flightless birds - like an ancestor to New
Zealand’s beloved Kiwi and a giant “elephant bird” that also lived in Madagascar as recently as
800 years ago.
Fossilized remains of the largest penguin known to science were recently discovered in New
Zealand, shocking researchers who determined the massive bird weighed hundreds of pounds.
Named Kumimanu fordycei, paleontologists believe the species could have weighed up to 340
pounds. By comparison, the average adult male Western lowland gorilla weighs about 300
pounds.
The fossil was discovered in a 57-million-year-old boulder that had been cracked open with the
tides. Along with it they also found the remains of several individual specimens of another large
but not quite as big previously undiscovered ancient penguin named Petradyptes stonehousei
and fragments of two smaller yet-unnamed species of ancient penguins.
Scientists estimate the newly-discovered penguins lived around 60 million years ago.
Petradyptes, they estimate, weighed around 110 pounds, far smaller than the Kumimanu, but
still large for a penguin. The emperor penguin, the largest penguin on Earth today, can weigh up
to just 88 pounds.
The fossils were discovered by Alan Tennyson, a paleontologist at the Museum of New Zealand
Te Papa Tongarewa in 2017, but were described and named on Wednesday in the Journal of
Paleontology.
Most of what scientists know about the Kumimanu fordycei came from a humerus bone, which
was nine and a half inches long - about twice the length of those in the emperor penguin.
Paleontologists have been unable to determine the height of the ancient giant penguin but one
estimated that it probably stood about 5 feet 2 inches. That gives the giant penguin a stocky
build - the average aforementioned Western lowland gorilla stands at about 6 feet while being
roughly 40 pounds lighter.
Coming from an older branch of the tree of the penguin evolutionary tree, both the Kumimanu
and Petradyptes differed in appearance from modern day penguins in more ways than just their

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

size. Paleontologists say they had primitive flippers that resembled flying and diving birds like
puffins. Their leg structure was also angled forward, unlike modern penguins whose legs are
shaped like an upside down “L” coming out of their spine.
New Zealand has been a hot spot for finding ancient penguin fossils. In 2017, a closely related
Kumimanu biceae was described as living just a few million years after the fordycei and
weighed 220 pounds. The slightly slimmer giant penguin had a sharp “stork-like” beak that
researchers think may have been used to stab prey. The beak of the Kuminmanu fordycei has
not yet been discovered.
In 2021, a 4.5-feet tall penguin with unusually long legs was described after a group of students
in a fossil hunting club found fossilized remains on a small peninsula in the Kawhia Harbor
during a field trip.
One explanation for why giant penguins thrived at the time is because they evolved shortly after
the meteor that killed off the dinosaurs hit Earth. That impact also killed most of the sea-faring
reptiles, leaving a niche open for a large amphibious predator to fill their space. Sea-faring
mammals, like seals and whales, had not yet evolved. Paleontologists hypothesize that once
mammals reentered the sea, the giant penguins were out-competed and only the smaller
penguins survived.
It is also worth noting that scientists now believe New Zealand and the island of New Caledonia
are a part of the Earth’s eighth continent, with most of the landmass sitting below the sea. This
continent is known as Zealandia, which they believe broke off from the Southern Hemisphere
supercontinent of Gondwana about 105 million years ago.
What would become Zealandia then stretched out in a process scientists don’t yet understand.
Scientists are still debating if most Zealandia was always submerged, with just small islands
poking out, or if it sank at one point. In either case, a sinking continent or a collection of islands
make for a natural habitat for penguins. If it did sink, scientists estimate that it would have taken
over a hundred million years, meaning the giant penguins could have lived while much of
Zealandia was still above sea level.

Leaked Docs Reveal Maryland State Troopers Have Arrest Quotas in Defiance of 2006 Law
By - Ian DeMartino

According to a 2021 anti-corruption report by the University of Illinois at Chicago, Baltimore,
Maryland’s largest city, has been the second-most corrupt jurisdiction in the country over the
past decade.
Newly leaked internal documents have revealed Maryland state police officials were involved in
a points-based system scheme that rewarded its patrol officers for increased arrests, a practice
banned since 2006.
The documents, reviewed by local news outlet The Baltimore Banner, include a “goals and
expectations” memo that details what is expected of troopers, including how many arrests,
stops, and citations should be made in a month.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

The documents come from a judiciary committee hearing in the General Assembly on Tuesday.
Delegate Robin Grammer, a Republican from Essex county, said the docs were sent to him
anonymously. The tipster wrote they felt “most troopers disagree with this but have no voice to
help combat this practice.”
One of the documents appears to be an email sent to state police supervisors and implies that
troopers can be rewarded for exceeding quotas, or punished for failing to reach them.
“I just pulled the last 6 months of stats to help determine who is getting a new car. I added the
information below for your reference to help you identify any Troopers who are falling behind.
The average point total was 1089. If you have a Trooper who is significantly below that, it is an
indication that there may need to be additional coaching or corrective action taken.”
The document then lists thirteen troopers with their names redacted next to an apparent point
total ranging from 471 to 2,259.
To meet expectations, troopers in Maryland are expected to make 70 to 90 traffic stops per
month, issue 35 to 50 citations a month, issue 35 to 50 warnings a month, keep their
citation-to-warning ratio above 0.7, perform 4 to 6 DUI arrests a year, issue 3 to 5 safety
equipment repair orders for things like broken tail lights a month, make 3 to 5 controlled
substance arrests or civil citations a month, and make between 2 and 3 arrests a month.
Those statistics will put a trooper in the “Meets Expectations” range, but they can also increase
those numbers and be included in the “Exceeds Expectations” category. Failing to hit those
statistics will result in an officer's performance being ranked “Needs Improvement” or
“Unsatisfactory.”
Grammer, who has introduced legislation to strengthen the state’s current ban on law
enforcement quotas, said the program amounts to “taxpayer-paid incentives for juicing up the
numbers so that local politicians look good.”
A democratic delegate from Baltimore City, Caylin Young says the practice “gamified public
safety in a way where the incentive is not actual safety, the incentive is the material benefit.”
Grammer says the issue could have been avoided, but the 2006 legislation that banned the
practice was gutted by the state lawmakers who opposed it.
“The bill was amended and chopped to hell so that it was basically meaningless, and in 2023,
we still have quotas,” he said.
When asked to comment, the Maryland State Police seemed unaware of the documents. State
police spokesperson Ron Snyder told the Baltimore Banner that the agency was looking into it
and would “follow up as soon as possible.”

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

Video: US Reporter Arrested During Ohio Governor’s Conference on Palestine Train Derailment
By - Ian DeMartino

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

At the time of the arrest, the governor was speaking about a train derailment in East Palestine,
Ohio, and the evacuation orders he put into place after hazardous chemicals aboard the train
caught fire.
NewsNation reporter Evan Lambert was arrested on Wednesday while covering a news
conference held by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine about a severe train derailment that occurred
the week prior.
Lambert was giving a live report on the conference for NewsNation’s “Rush Hour" program.
According to the station, Lambert was supposed to go live hours after the conference but it was
delayed from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time, the same time Lambert was scheduled to go live.
Lambert stayed at the back of the high school gymnasium where the governor was speaking but
was told to be quiet by police. Lambert complied with the order and quickly ended his broadcast,
sending it back to the station.
The police arrested him moments later, something that DeWine was quick to point out he did not
order. “If someone was stopped from [talking to a camera], or told they could not do that, that
was wrong. It was nothing that I authorized,” he told reporters, adding “I don’t know all the facts
but he or she, whoever was arrested, had a right to be reporting and do what they do every
single day.”
Videos posted on the network’s social media and broadcast showed police with Lambert on the
ground in handcuffs, before police picked him up and walked him to a police car.
“From their standpoint he didn’t obey orders when he was told to stop talking,” Preston Swigart,
a photographer working with Lambert said. “Gymnasiums are echoey and loud and sound kind
of carries, so I’m guessing that they just didn’t like the fact that there was sound competing with
the governor speaking, even though it was all the way at the other end of the room.”
Law enforcement officers told the outlet that Lambert would be held overnight and the earliest
he could be released would be at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. He is being charged with disorderly
conduct and criminal trespass.
Mike Viqueira, NewsNation’s Washington bureau chief, condemned the arrest.
“I was watching the press conference stream ... and the only thing I heard that was disruptive
was when this altercation with the police — which apparently they have instigated — was
unfolding,” Viqueria said. “I did not hear anything of Evan’s voice when he was quietly speaking
on live television. ... As his boss, as his colleague, as a fellow journalist, it’s really infuriating.”
During the conference, DeWine ended the evacuation order he put into place after the train
derailment. Roughly 5,000 people had been ordered to leave their homes after the train, which
included at least ten cars carrying hazardous chemicals, derailed and caught fire around 9 p.m.
on Friday in East Palestine, Ohio.
There have been no reported injuries to residents, the train’s crew, or first responders but
authorities warned that the burning vinyl chloride in some of the derailed cars would send
dangerous chemicals into the air.
An East Palestine business owner and two other residents are suing the train company, Norfolk
Southern, alleging negligence and exposure to toxic chemicals.
UPDATE: Lambert was released on Wednesday night. Appearing on NewsNation after his
release, Lambert said that he could not talk much about the incident because his charges are
still pending but stated that he was "Just trying to do my job ... that's what it is all about
protecting the first amendment and democracy and trying to help people get information."

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

UN Chief Says No Sanctions Should Interfere With Relief Efforts in Syria

UNITED NATIONS, February 8 (Sputnik) - No sanctions should interfere with relief efforts in
Syria as the country is dealing with the fallout of the devastating earthquake, UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday.
"This is a moment in which everybody has to make very clear that no sanctions of any kind
interfere with relief to the population of Syria in the present moment," Guterres told journalists.

US Exploring Action Against PLA-Linked Chinese Entities Behind 'Spy Balloon' - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, February 9 (Sputnik) - The United States will consider taking action against
Chinese entities linked to the People’s Liberation Army that allegedly supported the
"surveillance" balloon's incursion into US airspace last week, the State Department said
Thursday.
"The United States will also explore taking action against P.R.C. entities linked to the P.L.A. that
supported the balloon’s incursion into U.S. airspace," a State Department official said, as quoted
by The New York Times.

White House Considers Restricting China’s Access to Dollars - Reports

WASHINGTON, February 9 (Sputnik) - The White House is considering the possibility of
restricting Beijing’s access to US dollars, as concerns grow about China's military ambitions,
The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the discussions.
While the White House is already finalizing curbs on US investment in China, including in
certain tech sectors, cutting off the supply of US dollars could limit financing of the development
of advanced military technologies, the report noted.
The Treasury has been in talks with other governments, including the European Union, to get
them on board, so that they would not provide replacement financing, according to the
newspaper.
Public revelations last week about an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon program added fuel
to US concerns about China’s growing military capabilities.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

US Sanctions 9 Entities Linked to Iranian Petrochemical Industry - Treasury
(Adds details in paras 7-9)
WASHINGTON, February 9 (Sputnik) - The United States is imposing sanctions on nine entities
allegedly involved in the production, sale and shipping of Iranian petrochemicals and petroleum
to buyers in Asia, the Department of the Treasury said on Thursday.
"Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
sanctioned nine entities across multiple jurisdictions that have played a critical role in the
production, sale, and shipment of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian
petrochemicals and petroleum to buyers in Asia," the Treasury said in a statement.
The sanctioned entities include six petrochemical manufacturers and their subsidiaries based in
Iran, and three firms located in Malaysia and Singapore.
According to the statement, the firms have been facilitating the sale and shipment of petroleum
and petrochemicals on behalf of Triliance Petrochemical Co. Ltd, sanctioned by OFAC in 2020
for facilitating the same activities for National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).
The list of the sanctioned Iranian entities includes Kabir Petrochemical Company (AKPC);
Simorgh Petrochemical Company; and four subsidiaries of Iran’s Marun Petrochemical
Company, namely Laleh Petrochemical Company, Marun TadbirTina Company, Marun Sepehr
Ofogh Company, and Marun Supplemental Industries Company.
The other sanctioned companies are Malaysia-based firm Sense Shipping and Trading,
Singapore-based Unicious Energy PTE. Ltd and Singapore-based Asia Fuel PTE. Ltd.
The Treasury added that all of these companies having assets and properties in the US will be
blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Accordingly, entities which are owned at least 50% by
one of the sanctioned entities or individuals will suffer the same fate.
Furthermore, all companies or individuals who engage in certain transactions with the
sanctioned entities will themselves be exposed to sanctions and "enforcement action," Treasury
warned.
In a separate statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today’s action demonstrates the
United States' determination to enforce sanctions on Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trade
and disrupt Tehran's efforts to circumvent sanctions.

One in Five Black Students Report Discrimination at US Postsecondary Institutions - Poll

WASHINGTON, February 9 (Sputnik) - More than a fifth of black students say they feel
"frequently" or "occasionally" discriminated against at US postsecondary institutions, according
to the Lumina-Gallup State of Higher Education Study released Thursday.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

This 21% of black students exceeds the 15% reported for all other postsecondary students.
Among this group, experiences of discrimination vary according to the type of institution,
program attended, and racial diversity.
Thirty-four percent of black students in private for-profit institutions felt "frequently" or
"occasionally" discriminated against compared with 17% and 23% in public universities and
private non-profit institutions, respectively. In general, black students were more likely to feel
discriminated against in institutions with less racial diverse student populations, so this
discrepancy was notable, given that black students make up a higher percentage of the student
body at private for-profit institutions.
Thirty-two percent of black students in short-term credential programs said they felt "frequently"
or "occasionally" discriminated against, compared to the 14% and 16% in bachelor’s or
associate degree programs, respectively.
Black students who report frequent or occasional experiences with discrimination (61%) were far
more likely to consider leaving their studies.
The study is based on web surveys conducted from October 26-November 17, with US adults
aged 18-59 who have a high school degree/diploma or equivalent and have not yet completed
an associate or bachelor’s degree. Gallup surveyed 6,008 US adults, including 1,106 black
adults.

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

US Sanctions 9 Entities Linked to Iranian Petrochemical Industry - Treasury

WASHINGTON, February 9 (Sputnik) - The United States is imposing sanctions on nine entities
allegedly involved in the production, sale and shipping of Iranian petrochemicals and petroleum
to buyers in Asia, the Department of the Treasury said on Thursday.
"Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
sanctioned nine entities across multiple jurisdictions that have played a critical role in the
production, sale, and shipment of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian
petrochemicals and petroleum to buyers in Asia," the Treasury said in a statement.
The sanctioned entities include six petrochemical manufacturers and their subsidiaries based in
Iran, and three firms located in Malaysia and Singapore.
According to the statement, the firms have been facilitating the sale and shipment of petroleum
and petrochemicals on behalf of Triliance Petrochemical Co. Ltd, sanctioned by OFAC in 2020
for facilitating the same activities for National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).
The list of the sanctioned Iranian entities includes Kabir Petrochemical Company (AKPC),
Simorgh Petrochemical Company, four subsidiaries of Iran’s Marun Petrochemical Company
being Laleh Petrochemical Company, Marun Tadbir Tina Company, Marun Sepehr Ofogh
Company, and Marun Supplemental Industries Company,
The sanctioned Malaysian and Singaporean companies are Malaysia-based company Sense
Shipping and Trading, Singapore-based Unicious Energy PTE. Ltd and Singapore-based Asia
Fuel PTE. Ltd.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

US, UK Impose Sanctions on 7 Members of Alleged Russia-Based Cybercrime Gang Trickbot

WASHINGTON, February 9 (Sputnik) - The United States and the United Kingdom imposed
sanctions on seven members of the alleged Russia-based cybercrime gang Trickbot, the US
Department of the Treasury said on Thursday.
"Today, the United States, in coordination with the United Kingdom, is designating seven
individuals who are part of the Russia-based cybercrime gang Trickbot. This action represents
the very first sanctions of their kind for the U.K., and result from a collaborative partnership
between the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the UK’s
Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office; National Crime Agency; and His Majesty’s
Treasury to disrupt Russian cybercrime and ransomware," the statement said.

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

IFRC Deploys 5000 Staff, Volunteers to Areas in Turkey, Syria Affected by Earthquakes

UNITED NATIONS, February 9 (Sputnik) - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC) has deployed more than 5,000 staff and volunteers to Turkey and
Syria following the catastrophic earthquakes, the IFRC Under-Secretary-General for Operations
Xavier Castellanos told Sputnik.
"As of today, more than 5000 staff and volunteers have been deployed to all the affected areas,"
Castellanos said on Wednesday.
Castellanos noted it is important to differentiate the focal areas - the urban settings that have
more goods and resources available versus the rural areas, which are harder to reach.
The IFRC coordinates its activities on humanitarian aid with the United Nations and shares a
humanitarian coordinating platform with the world body but preserves its neutrality and
independence in its work.
When the IFRC defines the amount of money needed to act in a particular area, it shares the
sum with the United Nations so that the latter is aware of the IFRC’s focus.
According to initial estimates, IFRC will need $217 million to provide aid in Turkey and Syria.
On Monday, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake with several powerful aftershocks, followed by another
earthquake, hit parts of Turkey and Syria, toppling thousands of homes and killing more than
9,057 in Turkey and 1,250 people in Syria.

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Turkey, Syria Need Rescue Teams With Equipment More Than Anything - IFRC

UNITED NATIONS, February 9 (Sputnik) - Rescue teams with equipment are what Turkey and
Syria need the most following the devastating earthquakes, the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies told Sputnik.
"We see a major challenge in those areas where you don't have rescue search and rescue
teams with equipment that is needed and with necessary machinery that is required," IFRC
Under-Secretary-General for Operations Coordination Xavier Castellanos said in an interview.
Turkey and Syria were rattled on Monday by a pair of major earthquakes and dozens of
aftershocks that killed more than 10,000 people and collapsed thousands of homes.
Russian rescue teams are working on the ground in both countries. In Syria, Russian military
personnel are also involved in rescue operations.

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

IFRC Says Syria May Have More People Under Rubble Than Turkey, Expects Many Missing

UNITED NATIONS, February 9 (Sputnik) - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC) believes that Syria may have more people under the rubble than
Turkey following the devastating earthquakes and expects a huge number of those to be
missing, Under-Secretary-General for Operations Coordination Xavier Castellanos told Sputnik.
"In Syria, my view is that probably we will end up having significantly more people under rubble
than in Turkey, but numbers will tell us, there will be a moment in time when we will talk about
missing people because there will not be guarantee what happened with them," Castellanos
said in an interview.
Turkey and Syria were rattled on Monday by a pair of major earthquakes and dozens of
aftershocks that killed more than 10,000 people and collapsed thousands of homes. Syria's
death toll has topped 1,200 people.
Russian rescue teams are working on the ground in both countries. In Syria, Russian military
are involved in rescue operations.

This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise
Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file
with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.

Sanctions on Syria Affect Aid Deliveries Amid Earthquake Response - IFRC

UNITED NATIONS, February 9 (Sputnik) - Sanctions against Syria, which is dealing with the
fallout of the devastating earthquake, drive prices up for everything and slow down humanitarian
operations, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies told Sputnik.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

"Sanctions do have these unintended consequences. And if I summarize, [it] increases the
prices on everything that we do, takes more time to deliver the humanitarian services, it
sometimes requires private supplies that could again increase the cost and there is this level of
fear sometimes to facilitate the existing procedures [with regard to] sanctions," IFRC
Under-Secretary-General for Operations Coordination Xavier Castellanos said in an interview.
Turkey and Syria were rattled on Monday by a pair of major earthquakes and dozens of
aftershocks that killed more than 10,000 people and collapsed thousands of homes. Syria's
death toll has topped 1,200 people.
Russian rescue teams are working on the ground in both countries. In Syria, Russian military
are involved in rescue operations.

FRC Projects Long-Term Recovery From Earthquakes, More Challenging for Syria

UNITED NATIONS, February 9 (Sputnik) - Turkey and neighboring Syria will need a lot of time
to recover from the massive destruction caused by the deadly earthquakes, and this challenge
will be greater for Syria due to the already dire conditions in the conflict-stricken country, IFRC
Under-Secretary-General for Operations Coordination Xavier Castellanos told Sputnik.
"What is also important to highlight is that when we talk - there is massive, massive destruction.
It is not a solution that is going to be fixed in six months or even one year. This has to be long
term because the rehabilitation and the reconstruction take a significant amount of time,"
Castellanos said in an interview.
It will be "even more complicated" for Syria, while Turkey is likely to tackle the crisis "a little bit
faster," the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies official added.
Turkey and Syria were rattled on Monday by a pair of major earthquakes and dozens of
aftershocks that killed more than 10,000 people and collapsed thousands of homes. Russia and
other nations have pledged their assistance, with Russian rescue teams working on the ground
in both countries.

IFRC Estimates Initial Quake Response at $130Mln for Turkey, $87Mln for Syria - Official

UNITED NATIONS, February 9 (Sputnik) - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC) estimates its cumulative initial response to the earthquakes in Turkey
and Syria at 200 million Swiss francs ($217 million), IFRC Under-Secretary-General for
Operations Coordination Xavier Castellanos told Sputnik.
"We came out with an emergency bill of 200 million Swiss francs: 120 million goes to Turkey,
and 80 million to Syria," Castellanos said in an interview.

Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 02/14/2023 2:02:47 PM

You can also read