News of the World

[kyonides]

World Bank Mishandled Sexual-Harassment Claims, Internal Tribunal Says

A labor tribunal found the bank ignored allegations of sexual harassment
by a senior official, now a Costa Rican presidential candidate

The World Bank failed to protect two young employees who filed sexual-harassment allegations against a veteran, high-ranking official who is now a presidential candidate in Costa Rica, according to findings released by the bank’s internal labor tribunal.

The World Bank Administrative Tribunal found that senior management under bank President David Malpass and his two predecessors didn’t adequately sanction Rodrigo Chaves. He was demoted—but not fired—despite a documented pattern of harassment that lasted at least four years and involved six women, according to case-related documents that were reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Chaves left the bank in 2019, weeks after he was demoted, to become Costa Rica’s finance minister.

The labor tribunal, which serves as a judicial forum of last resort for the bank’s 12,000 employees, released the 56-page ruling in June.
...
Mr. Chaves denied that he sexually harassed female colleagues. The complaints likely originated from “cultural differences and behaviors that, for other people, would not be offensive,” he said.
...
In 2007, former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz quit over a memo he sent to the human-resources vice president, instructing him to arrange a pay increase and promotion for Mr. Wolfowitz’s girlfriend. Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned as the International Monetary Fund’s managing director in 2011 after he was accused of sexual assault in a New York hotel, although the charges were later dropped.
...
Queried by the Journal, Mr. Chaves wrote that the lunchtime allegations referred to subjective perceptions of events that the woman found disturbing, but that there were no sexual advances or physical contact.

In 2013, Mr. Chaves was promoted, becoming country manager of Indonesia, a director-level position.
...
In late 2019, the human-resources department imposed an administrative sanction on Mr. Chaves, including a demotion to a nonmanagerial position and a three-year salary freeze, for “inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature.” The department made no mention in its decision letter of sexual harassment, which under bank guidelines would have led to immediate dismissal.
...
Four months after Mr. Chaves left the bank to become Costa Rica’s finance minister, the World Bank approved a $157 million loan to help the finance ministry improve Costa Rica’s tax collection and customs operations.
...
In addition to its apology, the bank issued a “no rehire” flag and restricted access of Mr. Chaves to the World Bank and informed the IMF security team of those restrictions. The tribunal also ordered the bank to cover the women’s legal fees and costs.

The second round of the presidential elections in Costa Rica will take place on April 3rd, 2022.
Who will be the next Costa Rican President?
Former President Figueres who was involved in the Alcatel scandal?
Or former Finance Minister and lady stalker Chaves?

Zelenskyy representative blames US
other Budapest Memorandum signatories for Ukraine's war

A representative of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described signatories to the Budapest Memorandum as a reason Ukraine is at war, citing their failure to hold up their end of the agreement.

"They signed their obligation to protect Ukraine, to provide the security and safety," Fedir Venislavsky, President Zelenskyy's representative to Ukraine's Constitutional Court, told Fox News.

"Which means when Ukraine gave up its nuclear potential … Ukraine was confident the other countries who have signed all of those agreements were going to guarantee its territorial integrity, it's independence and it's sovereignty."

"Unfortunately, we're deeply sorry" the signatories of the Budapest Memorandum and the Charter "did not perform" and "provide the security of Ukraine" and "there is a war because of that going on in our territory," Venislavsky explained.
...
In a speech during Qatar's Doha Forum, President Zelenskyy called on the United Nations to do more to intervene in the conflict and aid Ukrainians.

DOJ backs antitrust bill targeting Amazon, Google, Apple

The Justice Department Monday endorsed legislation forbidding large digital platforms such as Amazon and Google from favoring their own products and services over competitors’, marking the Biden administration’s first full-throated support of the antitrust measure.
...
The letter, obtained by The Wall Street Journal, expresses support for the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which the Senate’s judiciary panel approved in January in a bipartisan vote, as well as similar legislation moving through the House.

Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Apple Inc. and others oppose the proposed legislation, saying it would make it harder to offer popular services. The bills’ opponents also say it is fair for e-marketplaces, search engines and app stores to profit off their creations’ popularity.

The department’s letter throws its weight behind a different view: that the platforms’ dominant position gives them unchecked power to influence the fate of other businesses, and that restricting the platforms’ conduct would carry significant benefits.
...
The Biden administration’s support boosts the prospects for passing the legislation, which has cleared key committees in the House and Senate.

But it still hasn’t received a vote on the floor of either chamber, and it faces industry resistance as well as skepticism on both sides of the aisle.

Biden's stumbles in discussing Ukraine invasion
evoke missteps during botched Afghanistan withdrawal

During a press conference Thursday at a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, Biden said the U.S. would respond "in kind" if Russia used chemical weapons in Ukraine. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan later had to clarify that meant Russia would pay a "severe price," but that "the United States has no intention of using chemical weapons, period, under any circumstances."

During the same conference, Biden declared that "sanctions never deter" and that he never said the economic measures would stop Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine, despite members of the administration, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, explicitly stating that the sanctions were meant to deter.
...
"And you're going to see when you're there… you're going to see women, young people standing – standing… in front of a damn tank, just saying, 'I'm not leaving. I'm holding my ground,'" Biden said.

A White House spokesperson later clarified: "The president has been clear we are not sending U.S. troops to Ukraine and there is no change in that position."
...
During a speech in Poland on Saturday, Biden said Putin "cannot remain in power," signaling a significant change in U.S. policy toward the Kremlin. Secretary of State Antony Blinken later clarified that the U.S. is not looking for regime change in Russia.

In January, a month before Russia launched its invasion, Biden was slammed for appearing to downplay the potential for a "minor incursion" against Ukraine.
...
The White House later clarified that a "renewed invasion" of Ukraine "will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our Allies."

Well, if you accused your enemy of using controversial weaponry but later on you stated that you might use them against your foe as well, how exactly are you supposed to be the "good guy" there? Especially if you can be as mean and evil as your counterpart.

Russian oligarch, Ukraine peacekeepers suffer
suspected poisoning after Kyiv meeting

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and at least two senior Ukrainian peacekeepers suffered symptoms from a suspected poisoning attack but have since recovered, according to a report published Monday.

Following a meeting in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv earlier this month, Abramovich and the two senior members of the Ukrainian peacekeeping team, including Crimean Tatar lawmaker Rustem Umerov and a second unnamed individual, began experiencing symptoms that included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Citing unnamed sources familiar with the incident, the newspaper said it’s not clear who was responsible for the alleged attack, but the victims pointed to hardliners in Moscow trying to sabotage talks to end the war. Abramovich, Umerov and the third officials have since improved in condition and their lives are not in danger following the suspected poisoning, the sources said.

The sources added that Western experts said it was difficult to determine whether the symptoms were caused by a chemical or biological agent or by some sort of electromagnetic-radiation attack.
...

When contacted by Fox News, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied information about the suspected poisoning.

A source at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry also told Fox News that The Journal’s article was the first time they heard about the poisoning and "Minister Reznikov feels good and is working."

'The Flash' star Ezra Miller arrested after Hawaii karaoke incident

Ezra Miller, who stars in the upcoming DC Comics film "The Flash," a reprise from his role in "Justice League," faces disorderly conduct charges after a bar incident in Hilo, Hawaii.

Police arrested Miller, 29, shortly after midnight on Monday, March 28, charging him with disorderly conduct and harassment, the Hawaii Police Department announced in a statement Tuesday.
...
"Miller began yelling obscenities and at one point grabbed the microphone from a 23-year-old woman singing karaoke (disorderly conduct offense) and later lunged at a 32-year-old man playing darts (harassment offense)," the police added. "The bar owner asked Miller to calm down several times to no avail."

Police set bail at $500. Miller provided the bail and was released.