In a settlement with US authorities, Seagate Technology has agreed to pay a $300 million fine for selling hard disc drives worth more than $1.1 billion to China's Huawei in violation of US export control regulations, the Department of Commerce said on Wednesday.

In spite of a law that restricted sales of some foreign products created with US technology to the company in August 2020, Seagate (STX) supplied the drives to Huawei between August 2020 and September 2021. As a result of concerns about its national security and foreign relations, Huawei was included to the Entity List, a US trade blacklist, in 2019.

The penalty is the most recent in a series of steps taken by Washington to prevent China from acquiring advanced technology that could bolster its military, permit human rights infractions, or otherwise endanger US security.

After the 2020 rule went into effect, Seagate supplied Huawei with all of its hard drives and shipped 7.4 million drives to the company, according to the Commerce Department.

After the new rule went into force in 2020, the other two major hard drive providers stopped shipping to Huawei, according to the department. The other two, though they weren't named, were Western Digital (WDC) and Toshiba (TOSBF), according to a 2021 report on Seagate by the US Senate Commerce Committee.

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Requests for comments from the corporations received no responses, reported Reuters.&nbsp;

Even after “its competitors had stopped selling to them … Seagate continued sending hard disk drives to Huawei,” Matthew Axelrod, assistant secretary for export enforcement at the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security said in a statement. “Today’s action is the consequence.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;Michael Schumacher’s family plans legal action over fake magazine interview generated by AI

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The administrative penalty, according to Axelrod, was the biggest in the organisation's history and was unrelated to a criminal investigation.&nbsp;Because they were not a direct byproduct of US machinery, Seagate maintained that its drives created abroad were exempt from US export control laws.

“While we believed we complied with all relevant export control laws at the time we made the hard disk drive sales at issue, we determined that … settling this matter was the best course of action,” Seagate CEO Dave Mosley said in a statement.

The government claimed in a ruling released on Wednesday that Seagate mistakenly thought the foreign product rule only required a review of the final step in the manufacturing process and not the full process.

The ruling stated that Seagate manufactured drives in China, Northern Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States and used equipment, including testing equipment, that was subject to the regulation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In a settlement with US authorities, Seagate Technology has agreed to pay a $300 million fine for selling hard disc drives worth more than $1.1 billion to China's Huawei in violation of US export control regulations, the Department of Commerce said on Wednesday.

In a settlement with US authorities, Seagate Technology has agreed to pay a $300 million fine for selling hard disc drives worth more than $1.1 billion to China's Huawei in violation of US export control regulations, the Department of Commerce said on Wednesday. In spite of a law that restricted sales of some foreign products created with US technology to the company in August 2020, Seagate (STX) supplied the drives to Huawei between August 2020 and September 2021. As a result of concerns about its national security and foreign relations, Huawei was included to the Entity List, a US trade blacklist, in 2019. The penalty is the most recent in a series of steps taken by Washington to prevent China from acquiring advanced technology that could bolster its military, permit human rights infractions, or otherwise endanger US security. After the 2020 rule went into effect, Seagate supplied Huawei with all of its hard drives and shipped 7.4 million drives to the company, according to the Commerce Department. After the new rule went into force in 2020, the other two major hard drive providers stopped shipping to Huawei, according to the department. The other two, though they weren't named, were Western Digital (WDC) and Toshiba (TOSBF), according to a 2021 report on Seagate by the US Senate Commerce Committee. ALSO READ | US cannot stockpile arms to defend Taiwan on our military bases, asserts Philippines Requests for comments from the corporations received no responses, reported Reuters. Even after “its competitors had stopped selling to them … Seagate continued sending hard disk drives to Huawei,” Matthew Axelrod, assistant secretary for export enforcement at the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security said in a statement. “Today’s action is the consequence.” ALSO READ | Michael Schumacher’s family plans legal action over fake magazine interview generated by AI The administrative penalty, according to Axelrod, was the biggest in the organisation's history and was unrelated to a criminal investigation. Because they were not a direct byproduct of US machinery, Seagate maintained that its drives created abroad were exempt from US export control laws. “While we believed we complied with all relevant export control laws at the time we made the hard disk drive sales at issue, we determined that … settling this matter was the best course of action,” Seagate CEO Dave Mosley said in a statement. The government claimed in a ruling released on Wednesday that Seagate mistakenly thought the foreign product rule only required a review of the final step in the manufacturing process and not the full process. The ruling stated that Seagate manufactured drives in China, Northern Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States and used equipment, including testing equipment, that was subject to the regulation. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Seagate to pay $300 mn in fines for violating US export control laws

Urging the Metropolitan Opera to compensate its artists “appropriately,” the company’s music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, sent a letter to leaders at the Met on Thursday saying that the many months its orchestra and chorus had gone without pay during the pandemic had become “increasingly unacceptable.”

He sent the letter as the Met’s musicians were scheduled to receive their first partial paychecks since they were furloughed in April. Before this week, they had been the last major ensemble in the country without a deal for at least some pay during the pandemic. In addressing the players’ nearly yearlong furlough — and hinting at the tough negotiations ahead, in which the Met is seeking long-term pay cuts from its unionized employees — Nézet-Séguin was doing something rare for a music director: weighing in on labor matters.

“Of course, I understand this is a complex situation,” Nézet-Séguin wrote, “but as the public face of the Met on a musical level, I am finding it increasingly hard to justify what has happened.”

The letter was obtained by The New York Times and confirmed by its recipients, which included Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager; the leaders of the negotiating committees representing the chorus and orchestra; and members of the opera’s board of directors.

“We risk losing talent permanently,” Nézet-Séguin warned in the letter. “The orchestra and chorus are our crown jewels, and they must be protected. Their talent is the Met. The artists of the Met are the institution.”

The orchestra committee has said that 10 out of 97 members have retired during the pandemic as the ensemble has gone unpaid, a stark increase from the two to three who retire in an average year.

“Protecting the long-term future of the Met is inextricably linked with retaining these musicians, and with respecting their livelihoods, their income and their well-being,” Nézet-Séguin wrote.

The Met said in a statement that “we share Yannick’s frustration over the lengthy closure and the impact it has had on our employees,” and added that the company was pleased that its orchestra and chorus and others were now receiving bridge pay. The Met said all involved were “working together for new agreements that will ensure the sustainability of the Met into the future.”

The Met, the nation’s largest performing arts organization, has said that since the pandemic forced it to shut its doors it has lost an estimated $150 million in earned revenue, and that it was seeking pay cuts from its workers, as many arts institutions have. The Met has been trying to cut the payroll costs for its highest-paid unions by 30% — the change in take-home pay would be more like 20%, it has said — and has offered to restore half the cuts when ticket revenue and core donations return to prepandemic levels.

Months into the furlough, the Met offered partial paychecks to its workers if they agreed to those cuts, but the unions resisted. At the end of the year, the Met offered partial paychecks on a temporary basis for simply returning to the bargaining table. Members of the American Guild of Musical Artists, which represents chorus members, dancers and others, accepted at the end of January and have been receiving paychecks for more than a month. The orchestra musicians voted to accept the offer this week. (The Met has locked out its stagehands, whose contract expired last year.)

Nézet-Séguin wrote in his letter that he was relieved that both the musicians and the chorus members are now being paid, but added that “this is just a start.” The deal allows for temporary payments of up to $1,543 a week, less than half of what the musicians are typically paid.

Nézet-Séguin was named the Met’s music director in 2016, when he was tapped to succeed James Levine, who led the company for four decades (Levine, who stepped down to an emeritus position because of health problems and was then fired two years later after an investigation into sexual abuse allegations, died this month.)

“I implore the fiduciaries of this incredible house to urgently help to find a solution to compensate our artists appropriately,” Nézet-Séguin wrote. “We all realize the challenges, economic and otherwise, that the Met is facing, and therefore I ask for empathy, honesty and open communication throughout this process.”

Urging the Metropolitan Opera to compensate its artists “appropriately,” the company’s music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, sent a letter to leaders at the Met on Thursday saying that the many months its orchestra and chorus had gone without pay during the pandemic had become “increasingly unacceptable.

Urging the Metropolitan Opera to compensate its artists “appropriately,” the company’s music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, sent a letter to leaders at the Met on Thursday saying that the many months its orchestra and chorus had gone without pay during the pandemic had become “increasingly unacceptable.” He sent the letter as the Met’s musicians were scheduled to receive their first partial paychecks since they were furloughed in April. Before this week, they had been the last major ensemble in the country without a deal for at least some pay during the pandemic. In addressing the players’ nearly yearlong furlough — and hinting at the tough negotiations ahead, in which the Met is seeking long-term pay cuts from its unionized employees — Nézet-Séguin was doing something rare for a music director: weighing in on labor matters. “Of course, I understand this is a complex situation,” Nézet-Séguin wrote, “but as the public face of the Met on a musical level, I am finding it increasingly hard to justify what has happened.” The letter was obtained by The New York Times and confirmed by its recipients, which included Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager; the leaders of the negotiating committees representing the chorus and orchestra; and members of the opera’s board of directors. “We risk losing talent permanently,” Nézet-Séguin warned in the letter. “The orchestra and chorus are our crown jewels, and they must be protected. Their talent is the Met. The artists of the Met are the institution.” The orchestra committee has said that 10 out of 97 members have retired during the pandemic as the ensemble has gone unpaid, a stark increase from the two to three who retire in an average year. “Protecting the long-term future of the Met is inextricably linked with retaining these musicians, and with respecting their livelihoods, their income and their well-being,” Nézet-Séguin wrote. The Met said in a statement that “we share Yannick’s frustration over the lengthy closure and the impact it has had on our employees,” and added that the company was pleased that its orchestra and chorus and others were now receiving bridge pay. The Met said all involved were “working together for new agreements that will ensure the sustainability of the Met into the future.” The Met, the nation’s largest performing arts organization, has said that since the pandemic forced it to shut its doors it has lost an estimated $150 million in earned revenue, and that it was seeking pay cuts from its workers, as many arts institutions have. The Met has been trying to cut the payroll costs for its highest-paid unions by 30% — the change in take-home pay would be more like 20%, it has said — and has offered to restore half the cuts when ticket revenue and core donations return to prepandemic levels. Months into the furlough, the Met offered partial paychecks to its workers if they agreed to those cuts, but the unions resisted. At the end of the year, the Met offered partial paychecks on a temporary basis for simply returning to the bargaining table. Members of the American Guild of Musical Artists, which represents chorus members, dancers and others, accepted at the end of January and have been receiving paychecks for more than a month. The orchestra musicians voted to accept the offer this week. (The Met has locked out its stagehands, whose contract expired last year.) Nézet-Séguin wrote in his letter that he was relieved that both the musicians and the chorus members are now being paid, but added that “this is just a start.” The deal allows for temporary payments of up to $1,543 a week, less than half of what the musicians are typically paid. Nézet-Séguin was named the Met’s music director in 2016, when he was tapped to succeed James Levine, who led the company for four decades (Levine, who stepped down to an emeritus position because of health problems and was then fired two years later after an investigation into sexual abuse allegations, died this month.) “I implore the fiduciaries of this incredible house to urgently help to find a solution to compensate our artists appropriately,” Nézet-Séguin wrote. “We all realize the challenges, economic and otherwise, that the Met is facing, and therefore I ask for empathy, honesty and open communication throughout this process.”

Met Opera’s music director decries musicians’ unpaid furlough

Forget red and blue (states). The theme of the Biden inauguration was “America United,” and the colour of the day seemed to be purple — the shade that bridges the divide by bringing both colours together (not to mention one of the original signature colours of the suffragists, whose dreams are now being realized with the first female vice president).

“Purple is the colour of loyalty, constancy to purpose, unswerving steadfastness to a cause,” the National Woman’s Party wrote in a newsletter in 1913.

Though Jill Biden coordinated her blue Markarian coat with her husband’s blue Ralph Lauren tie, Vice President Kamala Harris served up a bipartisan message in a bright single-breasted coat and dress from Christopher John Rodgers, as did former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a grape Ralph Lauren pantsuit. And Michelle Obama, the former first lady, wore wine trousers with a coordinated turtleneck and long coat from Sergio Hudson, a young Black designer.

Masks were also part of the material culture of this inauguration. Jill Biden wore a sky blue mask that appeared custom-made to match her coat, and other members of her family chose a similar monochromatic theme. Harris opted for a shiny black number that complimented her purple outfit, one of her signature mask looks.

Many men opted for paper medical masks, but a few went for solid shades or face coverings that featured insignia. Former President George W. Bush sported a mask made by Rhoback, a company that was started by former Capitol Hill staffers.

Despite the very high fashion content of President Joe Biden’s swearing-in, which included Lady Gaga in a veritable ballgown from Schiaparelli, Ella Emhoff in a crystal-dusted tweed Miu Miu coat with a big white collar; and Jennifer Lopez in winter white Chanel, it was Sen. Bernie Sanders, not normally known for his style statements, whose choice of accessories may have had the widest effect. Specifically, Sanders’ woolly mittens, in a sort of brown and cream Himalayan sweater pattern, seemed to have charmed practically half the social media world, with commenters asking where they could buy a pair.

The mittens quickly got their own hashtag: #Berniesmittens. Even Vogue took note. Jen Ellis, a Vermont schoolteacher, claimed ownership in a tweet.

“I made Bernie’s mittens as a gift a couple of years ago,” she wrote, posting a photo of other similar creations. “They are made from repurposed wool sweaters and lined with fleece (made from recycled plastic bottles).”

In response a friend noted, “you better buy some titanium knitting-needles lol, you’ll need them, you just became the world’s most famous ‘mitten knitter’.” And thus the new administration appears to be keeping its vow to jump-start small businesses already.

Forget red and blue (states). The theme of the Biden inauguration was “America United,” and the colour of the day seemed to be purple — the shade that bridges the divide by bringing both colours together (not to mention one of the original signature colours of the suffragists, whose dreams are now being realized with the first female vice president).

Forget red and blue (states). The theme of the Biden inauguration was “America United,” and the colour of the day seemed to be purple — the shade that bridges the divide by bringing both colours together (not to mention one of the original signature colours of the suffragists, whose dreams are now being realized with the first female vice president). “Purple is the colour of loyalty, constancy to purpose, unswerving steadfastness to a cause,” the National Woman’s Party wrote in a newsletter in 1913. Though Jill Biden coordinated her blue Markarian coat with her husband’s blue Ralph Lauren tie, Vice President Kamala Harris served up a bipartisan message in a bright single-breasted coat and dress from Christopher John Rodgers, as did former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a grape Ralph Lauren pantsuit. And Michelle Obama, the former first lady, wore wine trousers with a coordinated turtleneck and long coat from Sergio Hudson, a young Black designer. Masks were also part of the material culture of this inauguration. Jill Biden wore a sky blue mask that appeared custom-made to match her coat, and other members of her family chose a similar monochromatic theme. Harris opted for a shiny black number that complimented her purple outfit, one of her signature mask looks. Many men opted for paper medical masks, but a few went for solid shades or face coverings that featured insignia. Former President George W. Bush sported a mask made by Rhoback, a company that was started by former Capitol Hill staffers. Despite the very high fashion content of President Joe Biden’s swearing-in, which included Lady Gaga in a veritable ballgown from Schiaparelli, Ella Emhoff in a crystal-dusted tweed Miu Miu coat with a big white collar; and Jennifer Lopez in winter white Chanel, it was Sen. Bernie Sanders, not normally known for his style statements, whose choice of accessories may have had the widest effect. Specifically, Sanders’ woolly mittens, in a sort of brown and cream Himalayan sweater pattern, seemed to have charmed practically half the social media world, with commenters asking where they could buy a pair. The mittens quickly got their own hashtag: #Berniesmittens. Even Vogue took note. Jen Ellis, a Vermont schoolteacher, claimed ownership in a tweet. “I made Bernie’s mittens as a gift a couple of years ago,” she wrote, posting a photo of other similar creations. “They are made from repurposed wool sweaters and lined with fleece (made from recycled plastic bottles).” In response a friend noted, “you better buy some titanium knitting-needles lol, you’ll need them, you just became the world’s most famous ‘mitten knitter’.” And thus the new administration appears to be keeping its vow to jump-start small businesses already.

From Kamala Harris to Michelle Obama: Purple was a popular colour at the inauguration