A CEO Arrested, A Merger, and a Tiny Spaceship That Couldn’t Fly

August 26, 2024

Hello readers – happy Monday! Today we talk about the arrest of Pavel Durov, the Kroger/Albertsons merger, the Venezuelan elections (still), sanctions, Hurricane Hone, presidential campaign fundraising, and the spaceship problem.

Here’s some good news: Over the weekend, a statue of John Lewis was unveiled in Georgia. The statue replaced a Confederate monument that was dismantled four years ago. Scientists are also by using bacteria to help them the extraction of rare metals used in the development of green technology.

“Experience is a hard teacher, because it first gives the test and then the lesson.” – Vern law

Telegram is blocked IRL

On Saturday, the founder and CEO of messaging service Telegram was arrested at a Paris airportPavel Durov was arrested on suspicion of using the messaging platform for money laundering, drug trafficking, online sexual exploitation and several other crimes.

Telegram is not an encrypted messaging service, despite its sometimes shady reputation. Instead, it has won favor with users by not moderating its users at all. While WhatsApp “filed over 1.3 million CyberTipline reports[to law enforcement]in 2023,” according to one researcher, “Telegram files none.” That hands-off policy has made it a platform of favor for a wide variety of groups: Russians looking to avoid government surveillance, Ukrainians seeking updates on the war, people simply trying to chat with relatives abroad, and, of course, criminals.

The arrest comes as the EU is considering new laws that, in the name of detecting child abuse material, the government would scan and store the vast majority of online messages sent to and from users within the bloc. Users would be required to use an “upload moderation” system that performs live scans and stores messages. If users do not consent to the surveillance program, the government would simply relinquish their ability to send messages containing media or URLs.

Tackling Krogertsons

The largest grocery merger in U.S. history is about to be stuffed back into the freezer aisle, just like that tub of ice cream your mom said no to when you brought it to the checkout counter. Supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons had hoped to merge their operations to compete with rivals like Costco, but antitrust regulators at the Federal Trade Commission have decided to take the grocers to court.

That trial begins Monday in Portland, Oregon, where a federal district judge will decide whether to grant the FTC’s request to freeze the deal. The grocers say the $24.6 billion deal will give them more leverage in negotiations with suppliers (which could ultimately lead to some price cuts for consumers?), but the FTC alleges the merger will lead to lower-quality products, lower wages for workers, and higher prices for groceries at a time when grocery shopping is already painful for American families. Regardless of who wins this initial case, one thing is for sure: The loser will fight the case in another court. After all, what’s the point of owning a billion-dollar grocery store if you don’t spend a little on lawyers?

Maduro needs more receipts

• According to Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has still not “provided the necessary public evidence” to confirm that his victory in the July presidential election was fully legitimate. While Venezuela’s government (which Maduro still controls) and the country’s Supreme Court have certified the election results, the EU and other Western powers have called on Venezuela to release the official counts of the election to fully certify Maduro’s victory.
• The leaders of Brazil and Colombia also joined in the fun, saying that “the credibility of the electoral process can only be restored through the transparent publication of disaggregated and verifiable data.” The Venezuelan government has already responded to the outrage, calling Borrell’s comments “interventionist” and adding that “continued disrespect” for the electoral process in Venezuela “could significantly affect diplomatic, political and economic relations.”

An end to a summer full of sanctions

• On Friday, the US unleashed a barrage of its favorite weapon: the sanctions rifle. The sanctions hit Russia, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, hitting their targets right in the forehead. Just kidding, the targets didn’t have foreheads at all — the sanctions all targeted companies that (allegedly) supplied products and services to Russia(allegedly) helping Moscow continue its war against Ukraine and (allegedly) helping Russia avoid a broader network of international sanctions.
• The sanctioned companies include 60 Russian technology and defense firms; multiple companies in Turkey, France and Hong Kong tied to a Russian transportation company; and several other companies. “Russia has turned its economy into a tool in the service of the Kremlin’s military-industrial complex,” Wally Adeyemo, deputy finance minister, said at the time of the announcement. “Businesses, financial institutions, and governments around the world must ensure that they do not support Russia’s military-industrial supply chains.”

More mixed nuts

Middle Eastern Mixed Nuts

Honey is getting duller

• Hurricane Hone is headed toward Hawaii’s Big Island, packing maximum sustained winds of over 75 mph, but fortunately it is not expected to strengthen. Hone was expected to pass near or south of the island early yesterday and then peak this morning.
• The island saw heavy rain Saturday afternoon, and the National Weather Service was particularly concerned about large waves that could endanger surfers. Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency Saturday that is expected to remain in effect today.

The Post-DNC Money Dance

• Well, folks, you know what time it is: The Democratic National Convention is over and We are curious how much money flowed in as a resultVice President Kamala Harris’ campaign reported Sunday that she has received a total of $540 million since Harris launched her presidential bid a month ago.
• The campaign reported raising $40 million during the convention, with fundraising peaking immediately following the vice president’s acceptance speech. Meanwhile, her deadly enemy His opponent, former President Trump, reported that about $327 million was in the bank as of August 1, after cashing in nearly $139 million in July.

More nuts in America

A lonely flight back home

• Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, the astronaut pair who traveled to the International Space Station in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, will not be returning when their ride does. According to NASA, the pair will instead return from the ISS aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, in a flight scheduled for… February 2025The Spaceliner, whose problems were discovered while docked, will return home (without its human passengers) in September.
• “Boeing has worked very hard with NASA to get the data needed to make this decision,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “We want to better understand the root causes and understand the design improvements so that the Boeing Starliner becomes a key part of ensuring our crew access to the ISS.”
• The space agency and Boeing agree that future (hopefully less problematic) Starliners will definitely carry crewed flights after the spacecraft’s problems are resolved. In the meantime, “the astronauts are having a great time here on the ISS,” Williams said. “You know, Butch and I have been here before, and it feels like home. It feels good to be floating around. It feels good to be in space and working with the team here on the International Space Station,” she added.

More loose notes

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Team Thoughts

Kayli – The idea of ​​unexpectedly adding six months to a space trip fills me with dread. No thanks!

Marcus – You can read more about the US sanctions addiction here.