Global Courant 2023-04-19 01:55:01
How Western Weapons Technology Reaches Russia
While Ukraine tries to keep Russia off its territory, the US and its allies are fighting a parallel battle to keep the chips needed for weapons systems, drones and tanks out of Russian hands.
But denying Russia access to chips has been a challenge, even as the US and its allies have stopped direct sales of chips to the country. Although sweeping sanctions have reduced Russia’s ability to manufacture weapons, the country is still finding a way to access many electronic components.
Chip sales from the US and Europe to Armenia, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries have skyrocketed. But documents from US and European officials show that these are being diverted to Russia.
Other countries have also stepped in to provide Russia with some of what it needs. Russian potato chip imports are on the rise, particularly from China and Hong Kong.
The result is devastating: While the US and EU are supplying Ukrainians with weapons to continue fighting Russia, Russia is using their own technology to fight back.
Context: Russia may have run out of stockpiles of weapons and electronics it accumulated before invading Ukraine, making it more urgent for the Kremlin to get its hands on new chips.
Other news from the war:
A ceasefire fails in Sudan
As the hour of an announced ceasefire passed, residents of Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, reported loud explosions and gunfire, and a UN spokesman said there was no sign the fighting had abated.
The Case for Marriage Rights in India
India’s Supreme Court began hearing arguments in a case to legalize same-sex marriage yesterday. A ruling in favor of gay unions would significantly expand the rights of members of India’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, who say they still live marginalized lives in society.
India’s conservative Hindu nationalist government opposes same-sex unions. In a lawsuit Monday, it called them an “urban-elitist concept far from the country’s social ethos.”
But the court may not share that view. Nearly five years ago, the court struck down a ban on consensual gay sex, ushering in a new era for LGBTQ rights in India.
That action and other rulings fueled hopes that the court would act as a socially liberal counterweight to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party.
Now what: It’s unclear how long the court will take to reach a decision, but a ruling in favor of the petitioners would make India an outlier for gay rights in Asia, where most countries still ban same-sex marriage.
THE LAST NEWS
Asia Pacific
Housing can be difficult in Japan, especially in busy cities like Tokyo.
But akiya, or abandoned rural homes, are plentiful — about 8.5 million, about 14 percent of the country’s housing stock, according to the most recent government data. Now officials are trying to make akiya more attractive, and some buyers are picking up on the cheap houses.
ART AND IDEAS
Learning to love my Kiwi accent
Pete McKenzie, a New Zealander living in New York, wrote about the struggle to be understood in America. Here is an excerpt from The Times Australia Letter:
Accent problems are as old as immigration itself. But I am amazed at how serious these challenges are for New Zealanders in particular.
American friends find me harder to understand than other international students from Brazil, India, Chile and Finland. A friend thought I was in New York for a month studying the Baltic States, not politics. For a week another acquaintance thought my name was Pip, not Pete.
It’s an isolating feeling, and I even played with an American accent, wondering if I could conveniently hide my identity. But over time I sought out other New Zealanders for coffee gatherings and movie nights – joking about shared vocal struggles gave me a surprising sense of solidarity.
PLAY, WATCH, EAT
What to cook
This pink grapefruit bars are a fancier take on lemon squares.
What to read
Julia Lee’s memoir “Biting the Hand” follows her on her journey to forging an identity as a Korean American.
