A Brazilian judge fined&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;$20 million Thursday for selling iPhones without chargers, calling it an "abusive practice" that forces customers to buy an additional product.

The decision, which can be appealed, came after&nbsp;Brazil's justice ministry slapped a separate fine of nearly $2.5 million on&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;in September over the same issue&nbsp;and barred the US tech giant from selling its iPhone 12 and 13 models without chargers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/woman-claims-apple-watch-helped-in-detecting-her-pregnancy-before-clinical-test-524013">Also read |&nbsp;Woman claims Apple Watch helped in detecting her pregnancy before clinical test</a>

The new fine of 100 million reais was awarded by a Sao Paulo civil court judge as damages in a lawsuit filed by the Brazilian Consumers' Association.

Apple&nbsp;stopped including outlet chargers with new iPhones in October 2020, saying it wanted to help reduce electronics waste.

But the move effectively "requires consumers to purchase a second product in order for the first to work," Judge Caramuru Afonso Francisco wrote in his ruling.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-wins-23-cut-in-french-antitrust-fine-to-372-million-euros-sources-523171">Also read |&nbsp;Apple wins 2/3 cut in French antitrust fine to 372 million euros: Sources</a>

He ordered the California company to supply chargers to all consumers in&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;who bought iPhone models 12 or 13 in the past two years, and begin including them with all new purchases.

Last week, the European Parliament passed a law requiring all smartphones, tablets and cameras to use USB-C ports as the single charger standard from late 2024, which will force&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;to change its phone designs.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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A Brazilian judge fined Apple $20 million Thursday for selling iPhones without chargers, calling it an "abusive practice" that forces customers to buy an additional product.

A Brazilian judge fined Apple $20 million Thursday for selling iPhones without chargers, calling it an "abusive practice" that forces customers to buy an additional product. The decision, which can be appealed, came after Brazil's justice ministry slapped a separate fine of nearly $2.5 million on Apple in September over the same issue and barred the US tech giant from selling its iPhone 12 and 13 models without chargers. Also read | Woman claims Apple Watch helped in detecting her pregnancy before clinical test The new fine of 100 million reais was awarded by a Sao Paulo civil court judge as damages in a lawsuit filed by the Brazilian Consumers' Association. Apple stopped including outlet chargers with new iPhones in October 2020, saying it wanted to help reduce electronics waste. But the move effectively "requires consumers to purchase a second product in order for the first to work," Judge Caramuru Afonso Francisco wrote in his ruling. Also read | Apple wins 2/3 cut in French antitrust fine to 372 million euros: Sources He ordered the California company to supply chargers to all consumers in Brazil who bought iPhone models 12 or 13 in the past two years, and begin including them with all new purchases. Last week, the European Parliament passed a law requiring all smartphones, tablets and cameras to use USB-C ports as the single charger standard from late 2024, which will force Apple to change its phone designs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Brazil judge imposes fine of $20 million on Apple for selling iPhones without chargers

Scientists have successfully implanted and integrated&nbsp;human&nbsp;brain&nbsp;cells into newborn rats, creating a new way to study complex psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism, and perhaps eventually test treatments.

Studying how these conditions develop is incredibly difficult -- animals do not experience them like people, and humans cannot simply be opened up for research.

Scientists can assemble small sections of&nbsp;human&nbsp;brain&nbsp;tissue made from stem cells in petri dishes, and have already done so with more than a dozen&nbsp;brain&nbsp;regions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-study-reveals-how-scientists-taught-human-brain-cells-to-play-pong-525371">Also read |&nbsp;Scientists just taught&nbsp;human brain cells to play 'Pong'. This is how</a>

But in dishes, "neurons don't grow to the size which a&nbsp;human&nbsp;neuron in an actual&nbsp;human&nbsp;brain&nbsp;would grow," said Sergiu Pasca, the study's lead author and professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford University.

And isolated from a body, they cannot tell us what symptoms a defect will cause.

To overcome those limitations, researchers implanted the groupings of&nbsp;human&nbsp;brain&nbsp;cells, called organoids, into the brains of young rats.

The rats' age was important:&nbsp;human&nbsp;neurons have been implanted into adult rats before, but an animal's&nbsp;brain&nbsp;stops developing at a certain age, limiting how well implanted cells can integrate.

"By transplanting them at these early stages, we found that these organoids can grow relatively large, they become vascularised (receive nutrients) by the rat, and they can cover about a third of a rat's (brain) hemisphere," Pasca said.

Blue light 'reward'&nbsp;

To test how well the&nbsp;human&nbsp;neurons integrated with the rat brains and bodies, air was puffed across the animals' whiskers, which prompted electrical activity in the&nbsp;human&nbsp;neurons.

That showed an input connection -- external stimulation of the rat's body was processed by the&nbsp;human&nbsp;tissue in the&nbsp;brain.

The scientists then tested the reverse: could the&nbsp;human&nbsp;neurons send signals back to the rat's body?

They implanted&nbsp;human&nbsp;brain&nbsp;cells altered to respond to blue light, and then trained the rats to expect a "reward" of water from a spout when blue light shone on the neurons via a cable in the animals' skulls.

After two weeks, pulsing the blue light sent the rats scrambling to the spout, according to the research published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The team has now used the technique to show that organoids developed from patients with Timothy syndrome grow more slowly and display less electrical activity than those from healthy people.

Tara Spires-Jones, a professor at the University of Edinburgh's UK Dementia Research Institute, said the work "has the potential to advance what we know about&nbsp;human&nbsp;brain&nbsp; development and neurodevelopmental disorders".

But she noted the&nbsp;human&nbsp;neurons "did not replicate all of the important features of the&nbsp; human&nbsp;developing&nbsp;brain" and more research is needed to ensure the technique is a "robust model".

Ethical debates&nbsp;

Spires-Jones, who was not involved in the research, also pointed out potential ethical questions, "including whether these rats will have more&nbsp;human-like thinking and consciousness".

Pasca said careful observations of the rats suggested the&nbsp;brain&nbsp;implants did not change them, or cause pain.

"There are no alterations to the rats' behaviour or the rats' well-being... there are no augmentations of functions," he said.

He argued that limitations on how deeply&nbsp;human&nbsp;neurons integrate with the rat&nbsp;brain&nbsp;provide "natural barriers" that stop the animal from becoming too&nbsp;human.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-playing-in-mud-good-for-kids-heres-what-studies-have-to-say-525230">Also read | Is playing in mud good for kids? Here’s what studies have to say</a>

Rat brains develop much faster than&nbsp;human&nbsp;ones, "so there's only so much that the rat cortex can integrate," he said.

But in species closer to humans, those barriers might no longer exist, and Pasca said he would not support using the technique in primates for now.

He believes though that there is a "moral imperative" to find ways to better study and treat psychiatric disorders.

"Certainly the more&nbsp;human&nbsp;these models are becoming, the more uncomfortable we feel," he said.

But "human&nbsp;psychiatric disorders are to a large extent uniquely&nbsp;human. So we're going to have to think very carefully... how far we want to go with some of these models moving forward."

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Scientists have successfully implanted and integrated human brain cells into newborn rats, creating a new way to study complex psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism, and perhaps eventually test treatments.

Scientists have successfully implanted and integrated human brain cells into newborn rats, creating a new way to study complex psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism, and perhaps eventually test treatments. Studying how these conditions develop is incredibly difficult -- animals do not experience them like people, and humans cannot simply be opened up for research. Scientists can assemble small sections of human brain tissue made from stem cells in petri dishes, and have already done so with more than a dozen brain regions. Also read | Scientists just taught human brain cells to play 'Pong'. This is how But in dishes, "neurons don't grow to the size which a human neuron in an actual human brain would grow," said Sergiu Pasca, the study's lead author and professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford University. And isolated from a body, they cannot tell us what symptoms a defect will cause. To overcome those limitations, researchers implanted the groupings of human brain cells, called organoids, into the brains of young rats. The rats' age was important: human neurons have been implanted into adult rats before, but an animal's brain stops developing at a certain age, limiting how well implanted cells can integrate. "By transplanting them at these early stages, we found that these organoids can grow relatively large, they become vascularised (receive nutrients) by the rat, and they can cover about a third of a rat's (brain) hemisphere," Pasca said. Blue light 'reward' To test how well the human neurons integrated with the rat brains and bodies, air was puffed across the animals' whiskers, which prompted electrical activity in the human neurons. That showed an input connection -- external stimulation of the rat's body was processed by the human tissue in the brain. The scientists then tested the reverse: could the human neurons send signals back to the rat's body? They implanted human brain cells altered to respond to blue light, and then trained the rats to expect a "reward" of water from a spout when blue light shone on the neurons via a cable in the animals' skulls. After two weeks, pulsing the blue light sent the rats scrambling to the spout, according to the research published Wednesday in the journal Nature. The team has now used the technique to show that organoids developed from patients with Timothy syndrome grow more slowly and display less electrical activity than those from healthy people. Tara Spires-Jones, a professor at the University of Edinburgh's UK Dementia Research Institute, said the work "has the potential to advance what we know about human brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders". But she noted the human neurons "did not replicate all of the important features of the human developing brain" and more research is needed to ensure the technique is a "robust model". Ethical debates Spires-Jones, who was not involved in the research, also pointed out potential ethical questions, "including whether these rats will have more human-like thinking and consciousness". Pasca said careful observations of the rats suggested the brain implants did not change them, or cause pain. "There are no alterations to the rats' behaviour or the rats' well-being... there are no augmentations of functions," he said. He argued that limitations on how deeply human neurons integrate with the rat brain provide "natural barriers" that stop the animal from becoming too human. Also read | Is playing in mud good for kids? Here’s what studies have to say Rat brains develop much faster than human ones, "so there's only so much that the rat cortex can integrate," he said. But in species closer to humans, those barriers might no longer exist, and Pasca said he would not support using the technique in primates for now. He believes though that there is a "moral imperative" to find ways to better study and treat psychiatric disorders. "Certainly the more human these models are becoming, the more uncomfortable we feel," he said. But "human psychiatric disorders are to a large extent uniquely human. So we're going to have to think very carefully... how far we want to go with some of these models moving forward." WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Scientists have successfully implanted and integrated human brain cells into newborn rats

On Friday (October 14), a Red Crescent ambulance was caught in violent combat between IDF soldiers and Palestinian gunmen, which led to the loss of the lives of a doctor and two medics.

Later, a defence official told the Israeli media that the doctor was shot dead by the Palestinian fire. However, a Fatah official, claimed that the doctor died fighting alongside the resistance fighters. The officials further claimed that the Israeli troops went to the area to arrest a wanted Palestinian, who was alleged to be behind recent shooting attacks.

The doctor was identified as Dr. Abdullah Abu by the Palestinian media, The Jerusalem Post reported.&nbsp;

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🚨 Video shows Palestinian Arab terrorists open fire at Israeli Defense Forces while using a civilian ambulance to take cover. The IDF eliminated at least one terrorist in the clashes; with others injured and killed in the terrorists’ cross fire. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IsraelFightsBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IsraelFightsBack</a> <a href="https://t.co/8PdCIzIAsG">pic.twitter.com/8PdCIzIAsG</a>
— Eretz Israel (@EretzIsrael) <a href="https://twitter.com/EretzIsrael/status/1580896389898571777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Uncertainty persists regarding the timeframe of the incident. Videos posted on Twitter showed the scene of the gunfire and how the ambulance was stuck.&nbsp;

Several clips of IDF soldiers were also circulating where they could be seen down an alley firing guns.

It was revealed that six others were injured. The second casualty was recognised as a Hamas operative.&nbsp;

The video depicted numerous encounters between the combatants who appeared to be firing at one another down an alley.&nbsp;

In the West Bank, attacks against Israeli security forces have increased recently, and Jennin has been a focal point of this violence.&nbsp;

Many claimed&nbsp;that several Palestinian gunmen have attacked military posts in the last few months.

Furthermore, the Israeli troops have detained several Palestinians on charges of violence and attacking the military.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Friday (October 14), a Red Crescent ambulance was caught in violent combat between IDF soldiers and Palestinian gunmen, which led to the loss of the lives of a doctor and two medics.

On Friday (October 14), a Red Crescent ambulance was caught in violent combat between IDF soldiers and Palestinian gunmen, which led to the loss of the lives of a doctor and two medics. Later, a defence official told the Israeli media that the doctor was shot dead by the Palestinian fire. However, a Fatah official, claimed that the doctor died fighting alongside the resistance fighters. The officials further claimed that the Israeli troops went to the area to arrest a wanted Palestinian, who was alleged to be behind recent shooting attacks. The doctor was identified as Dr. Abdullah Abu by the Palestinian media, The Jerusalem Post reported. 🚨 Video shows Palestinian Arab terrorists open fire at Israeli Defense Forces while using a civilian ambulance to take cover. The IDF eliminated at least one terrorist in the clashes; with others injured and killed in the terrorists’ cross fire. #IsraelFightsBack pic.twitter.com/8PdCIzIAsG — Eretz Israel (@EretzIsrael) October 14, 2022 × Uncertainty persists regarding the timeframe of the incident. Videos posted on Twitter showed the scene of the gunfire and how the ambulance was stuck. Several clips of IDF soldiers were also circulating where they could be seen down an alley firing guns. It was revealed that six others were injured. The second casualty was recognised as a Hamas operative. The video depicted numerous encounters between the combatants who appeared to be firing at one another down an alley. In the West Bank, attacks against Israeli security forces have increased recently, and Jennin has been a focal point of this violence. Many claimed that several Palestinian gunmen have attacked military posts in the last few months. Furthermore, the Israeli troops have detained several Palestinians on charges of violence and attacking the military. (With inputs from agencies)

Palestinian doctor shot dead as ambulance gets caught in clash between IDF and gunmen

The Japanese cabinet ministers on Friday (October 14) approved repealing a law that requires a pregnant woman seeking a divorce to wait for at least 100 days before marrying again.&nbsp;

Set out over 100 years ago, several critics campaigned for its repeal, which for six months prior to its revision in 2016 prohibited remarriage, AFP reported.

The law was designed to make it easier to identify the father of the child, who will be legally responsible for the finances of the infant.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepals-citizenship-bill-is-it-gender-discriminatory-510480">Also read |&nbsp;Nepal's citizenship bill: Is it gender discriminatory?</a>

According to the local media, the administration will present the updated civil code to the current legislative session, which ends on December 10 this year. If approved, the amendment is predicted to take effect in the year 2024, AFP reported.&nbsp;

The new law will also take away parents' right to discipline their children to the necessary extent.

Two years ago, the government delayed a two-decade-old rule that aimed for nearly 30 per cent of the top businesses in industry and politics to be held by women.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-colorado-baker-fights-ruling-over-gender-transition-cake-522872">Also read |&nbsp;US: Colorado baker fights ruling over gender transition cake</a>

Despite being one of the most advanced in science and technology, as per the World Economic Forum's annual Global Gender study, Japan stood at 116th place out of 146 nations in the year 2022.&nbsp;

The report considers political empowerment along with health, education, and economic engagement. The country is currently lagging behind in bridging the gender gap.

To improve the situation, the country is making efforts as per the new five-year strategy. Efforts were made to reach this goal by the year 2030.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Japanese cabinet ministers on Friday (October 14) approved repealing a law that requires a pregnant woman seeking a divorce to wait for at least 100 days before marrying again.

The Japanese cabinet ministers on Friday (October 14) approved repealing a law that requires a pregnant woman seeking a divorce to wait for at least 100 days before marrying again. Set out over 100 years ago, several critics campaigned for its repeal, which for six months prior to its revision in 2016 prohibited remarriage, AFP reported. The law was designed to make it easier to identify the father of the child, who will be legally responsible for the finances of the infant. Also read | Nepal's citizenship bill: Is it gender discriminatory? According to the local media, the administration will present the updated civil code to the current legislative session, which ends on December 10 this year. If approved, the amendment is predicted to take effect in the year 2024, AFP reported. The new law will also take away parents' right to discipline their children to the necessary extent. Two years ago, the government delayed a two-decade-old rule that aimed for nearly 30 per cent of the top businesses in industry and politics to be held by women. Also read | US: Colorado baker fights ruling over gender transition cake Despite being one of the most advanced in science and technology, as per the World Economic Forum's annual Global Gender study, Japan stood at 116th place out of 146 nations in the year 2022. The report considers political empowerment along with health, education, and economic engagement. The country is currently lagging behind in bridging the gender gap. To improve the situation, the country is making efforts as per the new five-year strategy. Efforts were made to reach this goal by the year 2030. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Japan to repeal 'discriminatory' law restricting remarriage of pregnant women

A recent study has revealed how scientists have taught human brain&nbsp;cells to play the famous 1970s video game, Pong.

Pong was released in 1972, where two players use paddles to bat a ball back and forth. The game was so simple and, back in those days, so successful.

The study published in Neuron gave details about this. For the study, cells were taken from humans and mice and were made to learn and then play the game. The human cells were taken from stem cells and the mice from embryonic cells.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-playing-in-mud-good-for-kids-heres-what-studies-have-to-say-525230">Also read |&nbsp;Is playing in mud good for kids? Here’s what studies have to say</a>

Approximately 800,000 brain cells were used in the experiment. The brain cells mastered the game, played longer rallies, and aced less often.

The scientists during the experiment attached "DishBrain," a multi-electrode array used to detect active cells and their activities when they strike the ball.

The experiment was successful, and the cells learned to play the game in just five minutes using a shared electric language activity.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/signs-of-dementia-can-be-detected-at-least-nine-years-prior-to-official-diagnosis-says-study-525111">Also read |&nbsp;Signs of dementia can be detected at least nine years prior to official diagnosis, says study</a>

The cells played over 400 games, which were used to utilise the reactions, especially if their behaviour affects the environment. It was found that the cells could not learn how their behaviours affected the environment.&nbsp;

The scientists are now aiming to test if the cells can perform if they are drunk. The scientists hope to use the same method to learn more about dementia and more.&nbsp;

One of the lead authors, Dr. Brett Kagan, said, "This is the new way to think about what a neuron is." He added, "It’s not necessarily a computer, but it’s a small biological device that can process information and respond intelligently with incredible speed, low power consumption, and flexibility," The Guardian.

(With inputs from agencies)

A recent study has revealed how scientists have taught human brain cells to play the famous 1970s video game, Pong. Pong was released in 1972, where two players use paddles to bat a ball back and forth.

A recent study has revealed how scientists have taught human brain cells to play the famous 1970s video game, Pong. Pong was released in 1972, where two players use paddles to bat a ball back and forth. The game was so simple and, back in those days, so successful. The study published in Neuron gave details about this. For the study, cells were taken from humans and mice and were made to learn and then play the game. The human cells were taken from stem cells and the mice from embryonic cells. Also read | Is playing in mud good for kids? Here’s what studies have to say Approximately 800,000 brain cells were used in the experiment. The brain cells mastered the game, played longer rallies, and aced less often. The scientists during the experiment attached "DishBrain," a multi-electrode array used to detect active cells and their activities when they strike the ball. The experiment was successful, and the cells learned to play the game in just five minutes using a shared electric language activity. Also read | Signs of dementia can be detected at least nine years prior to official diagnosis, says study The cells played over 400 games, which were used to utilise the reactions, especially if their behaviour affects the environment. It was found that the cells could not learn how their behaviours affected the environment. The scientists are now aiming to test if the cells can perform if they are drunk. The scientists hope to use the same method to learn more about dementia and more. One of the lead authors, Dr. Brett Kagan, said, "This is the new way to think about what a neuron is." He added, "It’s not necessarily a computer, but it’s a small biological device that can process information and respond intelligently with incredible speed, low power consumption, and flexibility," The Guardian. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists just taught human brain cells to play 'Pong'. This is how

India abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution denouncing Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory Wednesday. In other news, as per reports, former president Donald Trump ordered an employee to move out boxes at his residence after his legal team received a subpoena for any classified documents at the Florida estate. Finally, North Korea continues its launching spree as it test-fired two-rage missiles, overseen by leader Kim Jong Un.&nbsp;

Click on the headlines to read more:&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/unga-passes-resolution-condemning-russian-illegal-annexation-of-ukrainian-land-india-abstains-from-voting-524945">UNGA passes resolution condemning Russian 'illegal annexation' of Ukrainian land; India abstains from voting</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/10/13/303319-new-wion-7.png" />

As per IANS, Ruchira Kamboj, India's permanent representative explained that India has decided to abstain keeping with its "firm resolve to strive for a peaceful solution through dialogue and diplomacy".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-directed-staff-to-move-boxes-at-mar-a-lago-after-subpoena-was-served-report-524938">Trump directed staff to move boxes at Mar-a-Lago after subpoena was served: Report</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/10/13/303317-untitled-design-55.png" />

&nbsp;The employee reportedly told FBI that he was told to do so and the agency even has surveillance footage showing a staffer moving boxes out of the storage room.&nbsp;

The said subpoena was served in May this year and new evidence could prove extremely helpful for the FBI's investigation into Trump and various crimes, such as obstruction, destruction of government records and mishandling of classified information.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-claims-it-test-fired-pair-of-long-range-cruise-missiles-524927">North Korea claims it test-fired a pair of long-range cruise missiles, overseen by Kim Jong Un</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/10/10/302476-north-korea-2.png" />

"We should continue to expand the operational sphere of the nuclear strategic armed forces to resolutely deter any crucial military crisis and war crisis at any time and completely take the initiative in it," state media&nbsp;Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted him as saying.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;US President Joe Biden vows consequences for Saudi Arabia after OPEC+ decision

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Watch |&nbsp;US pledges more weapons for Ukraine than EU members combined

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India abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution denouncing Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory Wednesday. In other news, as per reports, former president Donald Trump ordered an employee to move out boxes at his residence after his legal team received a subpoena for any classified documents at the Florida estate.

India abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution denouncing Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory Wednesday. In other news, as per reports, former president Donald Trump ordered an employee to move out boxes at his residence after his legal team received a subpoena for any classified documents at the Florida estate. Finally, North Korea continues its launching spree as it test-fired two-rage missiles, overseen by leader Kim Jong Un. Click on the headlines to read more: UNGA passes resolution condemning Russian 'illegal annexation' of Ukrainian land; India abstains from voting As per IANS, Ruchira Kamboj, India's permanent representative explained that India has decided to abstain keeping with its "firm resolve to strive for a peaceful solution through dialogue and diplomacy". Trump directed staff to move boxes at Mar-a-Lago after subpoena was served: Report The employee reportedly told FBI that he was told to do so and the agency even has surveillance footage showing a staffer moving boxes out of the storage room. The said subpoena was served in May this year and new evidence could prove extremely helpful for the FBI's investigation into Trump and various crimes, such as obstruction, destruction of government records and mishandling of classified information. North Korea claims it test-fired a pair of long-range cruise missiles, overseen by Kim Jong Un "We should continue to expand the operational sphere of the nuclear strategic armed forces to resolutely deter any crucial military crisis and war crisis at any time and completely take the initiative in it," state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted him as saying. Watch | US President Joe Biden vows consequences for Saudi Arabia after OPEC+ decision Watch | US pledges more weapons for Ukraine than EU members combined

Morning news brief: India abstains from voting at UNGA, N. Korea tests long-range strategic missiles, & more

A government report in New Zealand revealed that three out of every four fish have microplastics, while significant numbers of native species and indigenous birds are on the verge of extinction.

On Thursday (October 13), the ministry of environment released a report outlining the state of threatened species.

According to the report, nearly 90 per cent of indigenous seabirds, 82 per cent of indigenous shorebirds, and 22 per cent of marine mammal species were categorised as facing threatened extinction or at risk of becoming extinct.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/microplastics-detected-in-human-breastmilk-for-first-time-scientists-startled-523920">Also read |&nbsp;Microplastics detected in human breast milk for first time, scientists startled</a>

Seabirds are under threat as nearly 1,400 were killed last year by big fish and also because of the ocean becoming more acidic.&nbsp;

The report revealed that the ocean's acidification rose 8.6 per cent in 22 years, with water temperatures rising, and marine heat waves becoming more severe and frequent.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/fishes-feel-pain-stress-and-anxiety-organisation-introduces-proposal-for-their-humane-slaughter-523756">Also read |&nbsp;Fish feel 'pain, stress and anxiety': Organisation introduces proposal for their 'humane slaughter'</a>

The conversation group Forest and Crisis described the situation as a 'crisis,' reported The Guardian.&nbsp;

The group in its statement said, "The true scale of the crisis affecting the oceans could be much worse because the extinction risks facing most marine mammals, fish, and invertebrates remains unknown, due to lack of research." 
 
The Green party representative, Eugenie Sage, blamed the government for the deteriorating marine health. Sage said that it was the government's neglect that landed the marine life in the situation.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A government report in New Zealand revealed that three out of every four fish have microplastics, while significant numbers of native species and indigenous birds are on the verge of extinction.

A government report in New Zealand revealed that three out of every four fish have microplastics, while significant numbers of native species and indigenous birds are on the verge of extinction. On Thursday (October 13), the ministry of environment released a report outlining the state of threatened species. According to the report, nearly 90 per cent of indigenous seabirds, 82 per cent of indigenous shorebirds, and 22 per cent of marine mammal species were categorised as facing threatened extinction or at risk of becoming extinct. Also read | Microplastics detected in human breast milk for first time, scientists startled Seabirds are under threat as nearly 1,400 were killed last year by big fish and also because of the ocean becoming more acidic. The report revealed that the ocean's acidification rose 8.6 per cent in 22 years, with water temperatures rising, and marine heat waves becoming more severe and frequent. Also read | Fish feel 'pain, stress and anxiety': Organisation introduces proposal for their 'humane slaughter' The conversation group Forest and Crisis described the situation as a 'crisis,' reported The Guardian. The group in its statement said, "The true scale of the crisis affecting the oceans could be much worse because the extinction risks facing most marine mammals, fish, and invertebrates remains unknown, due to lack of research." The Green party representative, Eugenie Sage, blamed the government for the deteriorating marine health. Sage said that it was the government's neglect that landed the marine life in the situation. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Microplastics found in 75% of New Zealand's fish; 90% of seabirds face extinction

In pics | Thousands of Australians evacuated as floods create a 'nerve wracking' situation in states

India slammed Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly debate on Russia as its&nbsp; permanent representative member to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani diplomat Muni Akram, who brought up the 'Kashmir' issue and tried&nbsp;to draw parallels with the Russia-Ukraine conflict.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/unga-passes-resolution-condemning-russian-illegal-annexation-of-ukrainian-land-india-abstains-from-voting-524945">Also read |&nbsp;UNGA passes resolution condemning Russian 'illegal annexation' of Ukrainian land; India abstains from voting</a>

During the debate in the General Assembly, Kamboj said, "We have witnessed, unsurprisingly, yet again, an attempt by one delegation to misuse this forum and make frivolous and pointless remarks against my country."

She added, "The entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir is and will always be an integral part of India... We call on Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism so our citizens can enjoy their right to life and liberty."

The UNGA debate was held to condemn Russia for its illegal annexation of four regions in Ukraine. Among the present members, 143 voted in favour of the resolution against Russia, with only five supporting the country&nbsp;in its decision. The remaining 35 countries, including India&nbsp;and China, abstained.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-supreme-court-to-examine-2016-demonetisation-decision-asks-for-affidavits-524831">Also read |&nbsp;India's Supreme Court to examine 2016 demonetisation decision, asks govt, RBI to file affidavits</a>

India, which has a history of remaining neutral, chose to stick with it. India has always shown its deep concerns over the escalating war in Ukraine, saying no solution can be reached at a human cost.&nbsp;

Kamboj, standing by India's vote, said, "We have urged that all efforts be made for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy."

(With inputs from agencies)

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India slammed Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly debate on Russia as its permanent representative member to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani diplomat Muni Akram, who brought up the 'Kashmir' issue and tried to draw parallels with the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

India slammed Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly debate on Russia as its permanent representative member to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani diplomat Muni Akram, who brought up the 'Kashmir' issue and tried to draw parallels with the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Also read | UNGA passes resolution condemning Russian 'illegal annexation' of Ukrainian land; India abstains from voting During the debate in the General Assembly, Kamboj said, "We have witnessed, unsurprisingly, yet again, an attempt by one delegation to misuse this forum and make frivolous and pointless remarks against my country." She added, "The entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir is and will always be an integral part of India... We call on Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism so our citizens can enjoy their right to life and liberty." The UNGA debate was held to condemn Russia for its illegal annexation of four regions in Ukraine. Among the present members, 143 voted in favour of the resolution against Russia, with only five supporting the country in its decision. The remaining 35 countries, including India and China, abstained. Also read | India's Supreme Court to examine 2016 demonetisation decision, asks govt, RBI to file affidavits India, which has a history of remaining neutral, chose to stick with it. India has always shown its deep concerns over the escalating war in Ukraine, saying no solution can be reached at a human cost. Kamboj, standing by India's vote, said, "We have urged that all efforts be made for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India slams Pakistan at UNGA for 'frivolous, pointless' remarks on Kashmir during Russia vote

British officials on Wednesday (October 12) urged for more supplies, warning that a lack of blood stocks could delay non-urgent hospital operations.&nbsp;

The NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) which collects blood and other tissues, issued the first "amber alert" warning of the same. For the first four weeks, the amber alert will be in effect so that stocks, especially of the most prevalent O-type blood, can be replenished.&nbsp;

According to the interim chief, the executive said, "Asking hospitals to limit their use of blood is not a step we take lightly. This is a vital measure to protect patients who need blood the most."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/blood-type-could-predict-risk-of-having-stroke-before-age-60-study-512091">Also read |&nbsp;Blood type could predict risk of having stroke before 60, finds study</a>

The chief apologised to patients whose surgeries would be postponed or cancelled.&nbsp;

Patients who require the most blood such as long-term illnesses will be given priority. The NHSBT said that hospitals will continue to do surgeries&nbsp;for urgent or emergency cases as well as for transplants.&nbsp;

However, the non-urgent surgery might be delayed, adding to the publicly funded health service's waiting list crisis, the govt is currently under pressure to address the matter.

As per statistics released in September 2022, in the UK, there were nearly 6.84 million patients on the waiting list as of July, according to statistics from NHS England. Although the NHSBT strives to have enough blood on hand for over six days, levels of O-positive types are expected to fall below.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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British officials on Wednesday (October 12) urged for more supplies, warning that a lack of blood stocks could delay non-urgent hospital operations. The NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) which collects blood and other tissues, issued the first "amber alert" warning of the same.

British officials on Wednesday (October 12) urged for more supplies, warning that a lack of blood stocks could delay non-urgent hospital operations. The NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) which collects blood and other tissues, issued the first "amber alert" warning of the same. For the first four weeks, the amber alert will be in effect so that stocks, especially of the most prevalent O-type blood, can be replenished. According to the interim chief, the executive said, "Asking hospitals to limit their use of blood is not a step we take lightly. This is a vital measure to protect patients who need blood the most." Also read | Blood type could predict risk of having stroke before 60, finds study The chief apologised to patients whose surgeries would be postponed or cancelled. Patients who require the most blood such as long-term illnesses will be given priority. The NHSBT said that hospitals will continue to do surgeries for urgent or emergency cases as well as for transplants. However, the non-urgent surgery might be delayed, adding to the publicly funded health service's waiting list crisis, the govt is currently under pressure to address the matter. As per statistics released in September 2022, in the UK, there were nearly 6.84 million patients on the waiting list as of July, according to statistics from NHS England. Although the NHSBT strives to have enough blood on hand for over six days, levels of O-positive types are expected to fall below. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

UK: NHS declares 'amber alert' as blood supply shortage stalls non-urgent surgeries

Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, American companies have been prohibited from dealing with MMZ Avangard, a state-owned&nbsp;firm&nbsp;that makes&nbsp;missiles&nbsp;for one of Russia's most sophisticated weapons, the S-400 air-defence system.

In a measure of Western concern about the S-400, the United States ejected Turkey, a NATO member, from a joint fighter jet programme in 2019 after Ankara took delivery of the Russian system.

But even as the United States was taking actions to blunt MMZ Avangard's business, a publicly traded American&nbsp;technology company, Extreme Networks, was providing MMZ Avangard with computer&nbsp;networking&nbsp;equipment for its office IT systems, according to emails and other business records seen by Reuters, as well as interviews with people familiar with the matter.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/unga-passes-resolution-condemning-russian-illegal-annexation-of-ukrainian-land-india-abstains-from-voting-524945">Also read |&nbsp;UNGA passes resolution condemning Russian 'illegal annexation' of Ukrainian land; India abstains from voting</a>

In a statement to Reuters, Extreme said that based on information provided by the news agency it believed equipment "may have" been sold to MMZ Avangard using a surrogate buyer. Extreme said the equipment was sold without its knowledge. It added, without providing evidence, that an intermediary in Russia was "complicit" in supplying its products via a front company to "bad actors." Extreme said it is reporting its findings of these potential sales to&nbsp;U.S. authorities.

Ukraine has accused Russia of deploying&nbsp;missiles&nbsp;made by MMZ Avangard against ground targets since Russia launched what it terms its "special operation" on Feb. 24. Ukrainian authorities said MMZ Avangard&nbsp;missiles&nbsp;killed at least 30 civilians in a gruesome attack on a convoy on the edge of the southern city of Zaporizhzhia last month. Neither Kremlin officials nor MMZ Avangard responded to questions for this article. MMZ Avangard's parent, Almaz-Antey, also didn't comment.

Between 2017 and 2021, MMZ Avangard obtained over half a million dollars' worth of Extreme equipment for its IT systems, according to the business records reviewed by Reuters and the people familiar with the matter. The products included high-speed switches, an essential building block of corporate IT networks, and software.

The records also show that the deals went through a seemingly innocuous corporation near Moscow, and despite two Extreme officials raising concerns, the sales went forward.

That a Russian military company, identified as a threat by Washington, continued to acquire&nbsp;U.S. computer hardware is a case study in how Western countries may have overestimated their ability to choke the Russian economy with export bans and trade sanctions. It also highlights how dependent Russia's military machine is on&nbsp;U.S. high-tech&nbsp;equipment.

In April, six weeks after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an Extreme employee filed an internal complaint, seen by Reuters, alleging that the company was selling to various military manufacturers in Russia. "Extreme equipment is used on Russian warships," the complaint said, "in communications systems."

Extreme said in its statement that the allegations were brought by a disgruntled employee. An investigation by the&nbsp;firm&nbsp;had found nothing to corroborate any of the claims until Reuters brought "new facts" to the company's attention this month. The company said it ceased operations in Russia in March, adding that it subsequently launched a process to dismiss the disgruntled employee for poor performance. It said it has no records of sales involving Russian warships.

Extreme, which trades on the NASDAQ exchange and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, has earned a solid reputation in the United States and is an official partner of the National Football League. The NFL declined to comment for this article.

A Reuters investigation in August found that while the United States and allies banned high-tech&nbsp;exports to Russia to try to cripple its defense industry, and many&nbsp;tech&nbsp;companies announced that they had halted exports to Russia, the flow of Western brand-name computer parts to Russian clients hasn't stopped.

This account of how Extreme&nbsp;supplied&nbsp;MMZ Avangard and at least two other Russian military companies is based on interviews with three people familiar with the shipments as well as a review by Reuters of documents spanning five years to 2021. The documents include sales records and email exchanges between Extreme employees, customers and distributors. The shipments are reported here for the first time.

The&nbsp;U. Department of Commerce, which administers export restrictions, declined to comment for this story.

It&nbsp;was&nbsp;necessary&nbsp;to use cover

Russian companies, including those in the military sector, have virtually no choice but to buy foreign equipment to build the computer networks necessary for modern-day business. Russia has very limited domestic production of&nbsp;networking&nbsp;equipment.

Founded in 1996, Extreme is a junior player in the computer&nbsp;networking&nbsp;industry. Last year, it posted revenue of $1.1 billion, compared with $50 billion for Cisco Systems.

Still, the smaller company is a "meaningful competitor," according to Alex Henderson, a network and security analyst at Needham and Company in New York. The&nbsp;US&nbsp;military as well as NASA use Extreme hardware and support, according to contracting records, and the company has built up a substantial marketing profile.

In Russia, as well, Extreme lists prestigious customers, such as the Ministry of Health, the federal pension fund and Lomonosov Moscow State University.

But according to documents seen by Reuters, other buyers of Extreme equipment included not just MMZ Avangard but a major Russian military shipbuilding company and a high-tech&nbsp;defense electronics manufacturer.

Watch |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine War: More than 50 Western countries promise more weapons for Ukraine

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One of the documents shows that in the four years ending 2020, Russian customers purchased $41.5 million worth of equipment. Reuters couldn't determine Extreme's total sales to sanctioned or military&nbsp;firms because it wasn't clear if transactions other than those involving MMZ Avangard had been recorded under cover names.

In its statement to Reuters, Extreme said it doesn't report country specific revenue.

In Russia, Extreme maintained contacts with its customers in order to help design complex networks that expand over time, according to two of the people familiar with the matter. Each customer or potential buyer had its own account manager at the company and was listed on internal sales records. Actual sales, though, were done through authorized intermediaries.

Extreme, in its statement to Reuters, said it rarely provided direct installation services. It said it had no such contracts with DEMZ or MMZ Avangard.

In its statement, Extreme said it has a "firm&nbsp;policy" not to work with sanctioned entities, but added it isn't always notified of the end customer, especially when its products are sold through so-called "stocking" distributors that hold an inventory.

Extreme named one of those distributors as RRC and said it believed RRC was "complicit" in the scheme to supply MMZ Avangard. RRC and its Cyprus parent, BD Enterprise&nbsp;Networking&nbsp;didn't respond to messages from Reuters seeking comment.

For Russian military companies, Extreme equipment had a strong selling point, the three people familiar with the shipments said: Unlike larger rivals, Extreme doesn't require service subscriptions and frequent software updates. "It is absolutely autonomous," one of the people said of the equipment. "It works without a license and you don't even need to be connected to the internet." This means, another person said, that "you don't need to fear that your system will go dark because someone in the&nbsp;U.S. decided to disconnect you."

Extreme said that the "autonomous model" is not unique to the company, but acknowledged it has become relatively rare.

It was no secret in Russia that MMZ Avangard used Extreme equipment. In late 2019, the missile manufacturer issued a tender through Russia's online public procurement platform, saying it needed spare parts for the Extreme computer networks it possessed. Extreme didn't dispute this but said it wouldn't necessarily be aware of such a tender.

A few months before, in the summer of 2019, an intermediary had contacted Extreme's representative office in Russia, asking for advice on a network upgrade for the missile company, the documents show. "We are working on a solution for the customer, MMZ Avangard," an employee of the intermediary wrote in a June 28, 2019, email to an Extreme system engineer. "I was told that I could seek your help."

As soon as its equipment arrived in Moscow, Extreme dispatched a staff engineer to MMZ Avangard's offices to help ensure a smooth installation, one of the people familiar with the shipments said.

In its statement to Reuters, Extreme said it had no records of an Extreme employee installing equipment at MMZ Avangard.

When it came to processing MMZ Avangard's purchasing orders, the missile&nbsp;maker's name didn't appear on Extreme's books. Instead, Extreme's Moscow employees recorded the orders as having been placed by a company called OOO DEMZ, according to emails and sales records, as well as three people familiar with the matter.

"It was necessary to use a cover because the Russian company is blacklisted in the&nbsp;U.S.," one of the people familiar with the shipments said. It has been illegal for&nbsp;U.S. companies to do business with MMZ Avangard since July 2014, when the&nbsp;U.S. Treasury Department listed its parent company, Almaz-Antey, as a "blocked" entity. The Treasury declined to comment for this story.

MMZ Avangard began buying products from Extreme in December 2017 and was disguised under the DEMZ cover in Extreme business records from that date, according to emails and other documents seen by Reuters. The most recent transaction using the DEMZ cover that Reuters identified was in September 2021. In total, the records show that Extreme shipped goods worth about $645,000 in this way during that period.

Extreme, in its statement, said it now believes that its equipment may have been acquired through a "front company." Extreme confirmed that the DEMZ account listed product purchases for approximately $645,000.

DEMZ is a small company based in Dmitrov, a city 50 miles north of Moscow. Russian corporate records list Vladimir Markov as its general director. Reached by phone, Markov said that DEMZ, which made tools for railcar maintenance, ceased all operations in 2016. The executive said he had never heard of Extreme or of DEMZ buying Extreme equipment for itself or on behalf of others.

The apparent ruse was a shallow one. Purported executives for DEMZ, listed in the Extreme customer records seen by Reuters, were actually employees of the missile&nbsp;maker&nbsp;who had provided their MMZ Avangard email addresses. They even included the Avangard email addresses when they applied for access to an Extreme customer service portal. One of these people declined to comment. The other couldn't be reached. Some of the documents also listed mmza.ru - MMZ Avangard's domain name - as DEMZ's purported web address.

On the last day of 2019, as a "DEMZ" order was winding through Extreme's approval system, an Extreme sales manager working in North Carolina emailed RRC, the Russian distributor, with a question about the domain name: "Can you tell me what the relationship is between DEMZ and mmza.ru?" An employee of the distributor responded that mmza.ru was "the customer's" domain. The employee didn't elaborate. A subsequent message indicates that the sale went through.

Extreme, in its statement, did not address questions about MMZ Avangard staff registering for access to online support, and an Extreme sales manager raising questions about the web domain.

Nearly a year later, dealing with another set of "DEMZ" orders, an employee from Extreme's in-house compliance desk in Ireland spotted the mmza.ru domain in the sales paperwork and researched it. "This link," the compliance team employee said in a Nov. 11, 2020, email, "goes directly to https://mmzavangard.ru/ which is a defense contractor seemingly [sic] to specialize in ground to air missile systems, we need to further review before we can make a decision."

Extreme, in its statement, also did not address questions about this email.

Good news

The Extreme compliance employee instructed the Russia office to have "DEMZ," the purported customer, fill out a form to certify there was no military end-user, that the equipment would not be resold for any military purpose, and that it would not be transferred to any sanctioned company.

Less than a week after the message from the Extreme compliance employee, a two-page letter seen by Reuters attested that the end-user was not sanctioned, and would not use Extreme's equipment in a way banned by&nbsp;U.S. law. Bearing an illegible signature and a blue "DEMZ" stamp, the document was sent to Extreme's compliance desk, according to one of the people familiar with the matter.

DEMZ's business, according to the purported self-declaration, had nothing to do with sophisticated&nbsp;missiles. Rather it was "components for the Metalworking of country houses." DEMZ never made such components and was out of business at the time of the letter, according to former director general Markov.

"Just heard back from our supply team for the DEMZ orders," emailed the North Carolina manager on Nov. 25 "with some good news."

The sales could go through.

"Thank you," Extreme's Vienna-based regional director for Northern and Eastern Europe wrote.

U.S. export control specialists told Reuters self-declarations can be useful in determining whether a client is legitimate. However, upon coming across a red flag, "you stop or put on hold the transaction," said James Fuller, a former special agent with the&nbsp;U.S. Department of Commerce. "You don't offer an avenue to provide more false information, or suggest some kind of workaround."

Extreme in its statement to Reuters confirmed that its internal compliance officer had requested and received the self-declaration. The company added that it has "other screening processes to check for red flags."

Shipbuilding

In Russia, Extreme&nbsp;supplied&nbsp;IT equipment to other military companies, according to the business documents seen by Reuters and the people familiar with the matter.

One of them was United Shipbuilding Corp. The company has headquarters in St. Petersburg and operates a host of Russian shipyards, making everything from frigates to submarines to mine sweepers. Like MMZ Avangard, United Shipbuilding has been listed as a "blocked" entity by the&nbsp;U.S. Treasury since July 2014.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-administration-unveils-new-national-security-strategy-china-russia-identified-as-major-threats-524974">Also read |&nbsp;US National Security strategy: China, Russia seen as threats, India as partner</a>

Another one was Concern Morinformsystem-Agat, a manufacturer of radar and other military electronics systems. According to the documents, including a July 2020 public tender, and one of the people familiar with the matter, Agat was relying on equipment from Extreme for some of its systems, which were then fitted on United Shipbuilding warships.

Extreme told Reuters it had no records of selling products to United Shipbuilding or Agat. The Russian companies did not respond to requests for comment.

United Shipbuilding is clearly described as an Extreme customer in email correspondence. In April 2020, an intermediary contacted Extreme's office in Moscow to submit the plan the intermediary had sketched out to modernize United Shipbuilding's data center.

A Russia-based engineer from Extreme responded the next day, pointing to a few items that could be removed from the proposed design.

"Apart from that, it's all correct," the Extreme engineer wrote in the email.

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Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, American companies have been prohibited from dealing with MMZ Avangard, a state-owned firm that makes missiles for one of Russia's most sophisticated weapons, the S-400 air-defence system.

Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, American companies have been prohibited from dealing with MMZ Avangard, a state-owned firm that makes missiles for one of Russia's most sophisticated weapons, the S-400 air-defence system. In a measure of Western concern about the S-400, the United States ejected Turkey, a NATO member, from a joint fighter jet programme in 2019 after Ankara took delivery of the Russian system. But even as the United States was taking actions to blunt MMZ Avangard's business, a publicly traded American technology company, Extreme Networks, was providing MMZ Avangard with computer networking equipment for its office IT systems, according to emails and other business records seen by Reuters, as well as interviews with people familiar with the matter. Also read | UNGA passes resolution condemning Russian 'illegal annexation' of Ukrainian land; India abstains from voting In a statement to Reuters, Extreme said that based on information provided by the news agency it believed equipment "may have" been sold to MMZ Avangard using a surrogate buyer. Extreme said the equipment was sold without its knowledge. It added, without providing evidence, that an intermediary in Russia was "complicit" in supplying its products via a front company to "bad actors." Extreme said it is reporting its findings of these potential sales to U.S. authorities. Ukraine has accused Russia of deploying missiles made by MMZ Avangard against ground targets since Russia launched what it terms its "special operation" on Feb. 24. Ukrainian authorities said MMZ Avangard missiles killed at least 30 civilians in a gruesome attack on a convoy on the edge of the southern city of Zaporizhzhia last month. Neither Kremlin officials nor MMZ Avangard responded to questions for this article. MMZ Avangard's parent, Almaz-Antey, also didn't comment. Between 2017 and 2021, MMZ Avangard obtained over half a million dollars' worth of Extreme equipment for its IT systems, according to the business records reviewed by Reuters and the people familiar with the matter. The products included high-speed switches, an essential building block of corporate IT networks, and software. The records also show that the deals went through a seemingly innocuous corporation near Moscow, and despite two Extreme officials raising concerns, the sales went forward. That a Russian military company, identified as a threat by Washington, continued to acquire U.S. computer hardware is a case study in how Western countries may have overestimated their ability to choke the Russian economy with export bans and trade sanctions. It also highlights how dependent Russia's military machine is on U.S. high-tech equipment. In April, six weeks after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an Extreme employee filed an internal complaint, seen by Reuters, alleging that the company was selling to various military manufacturers in Russia. "Extreme equipment is used on Russian warships," the complaint said, "in communications systems." Extreme said in its statement that the allegations were brought by a disgruntled employee. An investigation by the firm had found nothing to corroborate any of the claims until Reuters brought "new facts" to the company's attention this month. The company said it ceased operations in Russia in March, adding that it subsequently launched a process to dismiss the disgruntled employee for poor performance. It said it has no records of sales involving Russian warships. Extreme, which trades on the NASDAQ exchange and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, has earned a solid reputation in the United States and is an official partner of the National Football League. The NFL declined to comment for this article. A Reuters investigation in August found that while the United States and allies banned high-tech exports to Russia to try to cripple its defense industry, and many tech companies announced that they had halted exports to Russia, the flow of Western brand-name computer parts to Russian clients hasn't stopped. This account of how Extreme supplied MMZ Avangard and at least two other Russian military companies is based on interviews with three people familiar with the shipments as well as a review by Reuters of documents spanning five years to 2021. The documents include sales records and email exchanges between Extreme employees, customers and distributors. The shipments are reported here for the first time. The U. Department of Commerce, which administers export restrictions, declined to comment for this story. It was necessary to use cover Russian companies, including those in the military sector, have virtually no choice but to buy foreign equipment to build the computer networks necessary for modern-day business. Russia has very limited domestic production of networking equipment. Founded in 1996, Extreme is a junior player in the computer networking industry. Last year, it posted revenue of $1.1 billion, compared with $50 billion for Cisco Systems. Still, the smaller company is a "meaningful competitor," according to Alex Henderson, a network and security analyst at Needham and Company in New York. The US military as well as NASA use Extreme hardware and support, according to contracting records, and the company has built up a substantial marketing profile. In Russia, as well, Extreme lists prestigious customers, such as the Ministry of Health, the federal pension fund and Lomonosov Moscow State University. But according to documents seen by Reuters, other buyers of Extreme equipment included not just MMZ Avangard but a major Russian military shipbuilding company and a high-tech defense electronics manufacturer. Watch | Russia-Ukraine War: More than 50 Western countries promise more weapons for Ukraine One of the documents shows that in the four years ending 2020, Russian customers purchased $41.5 million worth of equipment. Reuters couldn't determine Extreme's total sales to sanctioned or military firms because it wasn't clear if transactions other than those involving MMZ Avangard had been recorded under cover names. In its statement to Reuters, Extreme said it doesn't report country specific revenue. In Russia, Extreme maintained contacts with its customers in order to help design complex networks that expand over time, according to two of the people familiar with the matter. Each customer or potential buyer had its own account manager at the company and was listed on internal sales records. Actual sales, though, were done through authorized intermediaries. Extreme, in its statement to Reuters, said it rarely provided direct installation services. It said it had no such contracts with DEMZ or MMZ Avangard. In its statement, Extreme said it has a "firm policy" not to work with sanctioned entities, but added it isn't always notified of the end customer, especially when its products are sold through so-called "stocking" distributors that hold an inventory. Extreme named one of those distributors as RRC and said it believed RRC was "complicit" in the scheme to supply MMZ Avangard. RRC and its Cyprus parent, BD Enterprise Networking didn't respond to messages from Reuters seeking comment. For Russian military companies, Extreme equipment had a strong selling point, the three people familiar with the shipments said: Unlike larger rivals, Extreme doesn't require service subscriptions and frequent software updates. "It is absolutely autonomous," one of the people said of the equipment. "It works without a license and you don't even need to be connected to the internet." This means, another person said, that "you don't need to fear that your system will go dark because someone in the U.S. decided to disconnect you." Extreme said that the "autonomous model" is not unique to the company, but acknowledged it has become relatively rare. It was no secret in Russia that MMZ Avangard used Extreme equipment. In late 2019, the missile manufacturer issued a tender through Russia's online public procurement platform, saying it needed spare parts for the Extreme computer networks it possessed. Extreme didn't dispute this but said it wouldn't necessarily be aware of such a tender. A few months before, in the summer of 2019, an intermediary had contacted Extreme's representative office in Russia, asking for advice on a network upgrade for the missile company, the documents show. "We are working on a solution for the customer, MMZ Avangard," an employee of the intermediary wrote in a June 28, 2019, email to an Extreme system engineer. "I was told that I could seek your help." As soon as its equipment arrived in Moscow, Extreme dispatched a staff engineer to MMZ Avangard's offices to help ensure a smooth installation, one of the people familiar with the shipments said. In its statement to Reuters, Extreme said it had no records of an Extreme employee installing equipment at MMZ Avangard. When it came to processing MMZ Avangard's purchasing orders, the missile maker's name didn't appear on Extreme's books. Instead, Extreme's Moscow employees recorded the orders as having been placed by a company called OOO DEMZ, according to emails and sales records, as well as three people familiar with the matter. "It was necessary to use a cover because the Russian company is blacklisted in the U.S.," one of the people familiar with the shipments said. It has been illegal for U.S. companies to do business with MMZ Avangard since July 2014, when the U.S. Treasury Department listed its parent company, Almaz-Antey, as a "blocked" entity. The Treasury declined to comment for this story. MMZ Avangard began buying products from Extreme in December 2017 and was disguised under the DEMZ cover in Extreme business records from that date, according to emails and other documents seen by Reuters. The most recent transaction using the DEMZ cover that Reuters identified was in September 2021. In total, the records show that Extreme shipped goods worth about $645,000 in this way during that period. Extreme, in its statement, said it now believes that its equipment may have been acquired through a "front company." Extreme confirmed that the DEMZ account listed product purchases for approximately $645,000. DEMZ is a small company based in Dmitrov, a city 50 miles north of Moscow. Russian corporate records list Vladimir Markov as its general director. Reached by phone, Markov said that DEMZ, which made tools for railcar maintenance, ceased all operations in 2016. The executive said he had never heard of Extreme or of DEMZ buying Extreme equipment for itself or on behalf of others. The apparent ruse was a shallow one. Purported executives for DEMZ, listed in the Extreme customer records seen by Reuters, were actually employees of the missile maker who had provided their MMZ Avangard email addresses. They even included the Avangard email addresses when they applied for access to an Extreme customer service portal. One of these people declined to comment. The other couldn't be reached. Some of the documents also listed mmza.ru - MMZ Avangard's domain name - as DEMZ's purported web address. On the last day of 2019, as a "DEMZ" order was winding through Extreme's approval system, an Extreme sales manager working in North Carolina emailed RRC, the Russian distributor, with a question about the domain name: "Can you tell me what the relationship is between DEMZ and mmza.ru?" An employee of the distributor responded that mmza.ru was "the customer's" domain. The employee didn't elaborate. A subsequent message indicates that the sale went through. Extreme, in its statement, did not address questions about MMZ Avangard staff registering for access to online support, and an Extreme sales manager raising questions about the web domain. Nearly a year later, dealing with another set of "DEMZ" orders, an employee from Extreme's in-house compliance desk in Ireland spotted the mmza.ru domain in the sales paperwork and researched it. "This link," the compliance team employee said in a Nov. 11, 2020, email, "goes directly to https://mmzavangard.ru/ which is a defense contractor seemingly [sic] to specialize in ground to air missile systems, we need to further review before we can make a decision." Extreme, in its statement, also did not address questions about this email. Good news The Extreme compliance employee instructed the Russia office to have "DEMZ," the purported customer, fill out a form to certify there was no military end-user, that the equipment would not be resold for any military purpose, and that it would not be transferred to any sanctioned company. Less than a week after the message from the Extreme compliance employee, a two-page letter seen by Reuters attested that the end-user was not sanctioned, and would not use Extreme's equipment in a way banned by U.S. law. Bearing an illegible signature and a blue "DEMZ" stamp, the document was sent to Extreme's compliance desk, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. DEMZ's business, according to the purported self-declaration, had nothing to do with sophisticated missiles. Rather it was "components for the Metalworking of country houses." DEMZ never made such components and was out of business at the time of the letter, according to former director general Markov. "Just heard back from our supply team for the DEMZ orders," emailed the North Carolina manager on Nov. 25 "with some good news." The sales could go through. "Thank you," Extreme's Vienna-based regional director for Northern and Eastern Europe wrote. U.S. export control specialists told Reuters self-declarations can be useful in determining whether a client is legitimate. However, upon coming across a red flag, "you stop or put on hold the transaction," said James Fuller, a former special agent with the U.S. Department of Commerce. "You don't offer an avenue to provide more false information, or suggest some kind of workaround." Extreme in its statement to Reuters confirmed that its internal compliance officer had requested and received the self-declaration. The company added that it has "other screening processes to check for red flags." Shipbuilding In Russia, Extreme supplied IT equipment to other military companies, according to the business documents seen by Reuters and the people familiar with the matter. One of them was United Shipbuilding Corp. The company has headquarters in St. Petersburg and operates a host of Russian shipyards, making everything from frigates to submarines to mine sweepers. Like MMZ Avangard, United Shipbuilding has been listed as a "blocked" entity by the U.S. Treasury since July 2014. Also read | US National Security strategy: China, Russia seen as threats, India as partner Another one was Concern Morinformsystem-Agat, a manufacturer of radar and other military electronics systems. According to the documents, including a July 2020 public tender, and one of the people familiar with the matter, Agat was relying on equipment from Extreme for some of its systems, which were then fitted on United Shipbuilding warships. Extreme told Reuters it had no records of selling products to United Shipbuilding or Agat. The Russian companies did not respond to requests for comment. United Shipbuilding is clearly described as an Extreme customer in email correspondence. In April 2020, an intermediary contacted Extreme's office in Moscow to submit the plan the intermediary had sketched out to modernize United Shipbuilding's data center. A Russia-based engineer from Extreme responded the next day, pointing to a few items that could be removed from the proposed design. "Apart from that, it's all correct," the Extreme engineer wrote in the email. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

How a US firm supplied networking technology to maker of feared Russian missiles

Sources familiar with TikTok's parent company&nbsp;ByteDance confirmed that the firm has recently begun talks with other music apps and platforms to expand its streaming service worldwide to compete with music industry leaders like Spotify.&nbsp;

ByteDance recently introduced 'Resso,' a music service that is currently available in Asia (India, Indonesia) and Brazil as well. The company is aiming to extend its streaming worldwide and to make it easier for customers to stream on the short-video app, TikTok. The United States won't be a part of this, The Wall Street Journal reported.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-take-upto-760-of-donations-displaced-families-in-syria-camps-beg-for-report-524718">Also read |&nbsp;TikTok takes 70% of profits from videos of families begging in Syria refugee camps: Report</a>

The parent company is currently negotiating with a rising music industry service.&nbsp;

The short-video app has helped several songs become megahits by going viral. The audience on the social media platform increased tremendously during the Covid lockdown.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-all-you-need-to-know-about-latest-tiktok-trend-skin-cycling-524341/amp">Also read |&nbsp;All you need to know about latest TikTok trend Skin Cycling</a>

<ul>
</ul>

To expand its service, the Chinese streaming app needs to reach an agreement on negotiating terms with all major music labels as revenue through Resso has been a matter of concern as it is difficult to make money through it.

Resso offers both an on-demand subscription tier and a free, ad-supported tier, much like Spotify's "freemium." Currently, it appears that the company will have to work for its expansion.&nbsp;It is also working on how to work with TikTok to expand its services and earn money.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Sources familiar with TikTok's parent company ByteDance confirmed that the firm has recently begun talks with other music apps and platforms to expand its streaming service worldwide to compete with music industry leaders like Spotify.

Sources familiar with TikTok's parent company ByteDance confirmed that the firm has recently begun talks with other music apps and platforms to expand its streaming service worldwide to compete with music industry leaders like Spotify. ByteDance recently introduced 'Resso,' a music service that is currently available in Asia (India, Indonesia) and Brazil as well. The company is aiming to extend its streaming worldwide and to make it easier for customers to stream on the short-video app, TikTok. The United States won't be a part of this, The Wall Street Journal reported. Also read | TikTok takes 70% of profits from videos of families begging in Syria refugee camps: Report The parent company is currently negotiating with a rising music industry service. The short-video app has helped several songs become megahits by going viral. The audience on the social media platform increased tremendously during the Covid lockdown. Also read | All you need to know about latest TikTok trend Skin Cycling To expand its service, the Chinese streaming app needs to reach an agreement on negotiating terms with all major music labels as revenue through Resso has been a matter of concern as it is difficult to make money through it. Resso offers both an on-demand subscription tier and a free, ad-supported tier, much like Spotify's "freemium." Currently, it appears that the company will have to work for its expansion. It is also working on how to work with TikTok to expand its services and earn money. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

TikTok's parent company ByteDance plans to expand its music services globally

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