Tuesday morning news - November 9, 2021

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

U.S. charges two suspected major ransomware operators » Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday announced criminal charges against two suspected criminal hackers in connection with a wave of major ransomware attacks.

One of those attacks led to the temporary shutdown of the world’s largest meat processor. Another snarled businesses around the globe back in July.

One of the men facing charges is Ukrainian hacker Yaroslav Vasinskyi.

GARLAND: On October 8th, Vasinskyi crossed the border from Ukraine into Poland. There, upon our request, Polish authorities arrested him pursuant to provisional arrest warrant.

Garland said the Dept. of Justice has requested that Poland extradite him to the United States.

The DOJ has also criminally charged Russian national Yevgeniy Polyanin. Prosecutors say both men are part of the REvil ransomware gang.

The U.S. government says it has recovered more than $6 million in ill-gotten funds from Polyanin.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told reporters …

MONACO: The ransomware and digital extortion task force has delivered a significant blow to the Sodinokibi and REvil ransomware gang, who attacked thousands of victims worldwide.

European law enforcement authorities also announced Monday that they had arrested two other suspected ransomware operators with links to REvil in Romania.

Satellite images show China built mock-ups of US warships » New satellite images show China has built mock-ups of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and destroyer in its northwestern desert. That is presumably for target practice to wargame for any possible future clash between the U.S. and Chinese navies.

At a news conference Monday, Defense Dept. spokesman John Kirby said he had not seen the images and deflected when asked if Pentagon officials found them concerning. He said only that the United States finds China’s intimidation and coercive behavior in the Indo-Pacific region quite concerning.

KIRBY: We’re focused on developing the capabilities, the operational concepts, making sure we have the resources and the right strategy in place so that we can deal with the PRC as the number one pacing challenge.

“PRC” is short for People’s Republic of China.

The images dated Sunday show the outlines of a U.S. aircraft carrier and at least one destroyer sitting on a railway track.

China has massively upgraded its military in recent years. And tensions continue to rise over the South China Sea, Taiwan and military supremacy in the Indo-Pacific.

Obama predicts massive climate spending, hits Russia, China for "lack of urgency" » Former President Barack Obama told global leaders at U.N. climate talks Monday that he’s confident Congress will ultimately approve more than a half-trillion dollars in spending to flight climate change.

The climate spending would be part of a multi-trillion dollar spending package Democratic leaders are still trying to push across the finish line.

Obama also called out top Chinese and Russian leaders for sitting out the climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland.

OBAMA: China and Russia declined to even attend the proceedings. And their national plans so far reflect what appears to be a dangerous lack of urgency.

His comments came as conference leaders acknowledged Monday that many key sticking points exist after a week of talks.

Representatives of nearly 80 developing nations said countries like the United States must commit to sending more money to poorer nations to subsidize climate change measures.

Labor Dept. moves to tighten rules for religious exemptions to discrimination laws » The U.S. Department of Labor is moving to tighten rules around religious exemptions from anti-discrimination laws for federal contractors. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin reports.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: Prior to January of this year, the Labor Department narrowly defined those who qualified for religious exemptions to discrimination laws.

But under the Trump administration the Labor Department enacted a new rule. It said employers who “hold themselves out to the public as carrying out a religious purpose” may qualify.

Secretary of Labor at the time, Eugene Scalia, said, “Religious organizations should not have to fear that acceptance of a federal contract or subcontract will require them to abandon their religious character or identity.”

But the Biden administration, under pressure from LGBT activists, wants to nix the Trump-era rule.

Jenny Yang is director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. She said rescinding the rule will ensure that—“taxpayer funds are not used to discriminate.”

Under the Obama administration, the Labor Department banned consideration of sexual orientation and gender identity in hiring decisions by federal contractors.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Poland deploys troops to Belarus border » Poland has dispatched 12,000 soldiers to guard the border and push back migrants near Grodno, Belarus. Videos show thousands of people amassing at the razor wire fence that marks NATO’s eastern border.

The migrants are mostly asylum-seekers from the Middle East and Asia.

Lithuania also deployed troops to its border in anticipation of a similar mass migration.

Polish officials are accusing Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of—quote—“weaponizing migrants” by sending them to the border. They said Lukashenko is trying to pressure the European Union to drop sanctions against his regime. Belarus soldiers have been spotted escorting the migrants to the Polish border.

I’m Kent Covington. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org. 

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