Latest news with #AK-47s
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
A cinematic lunar experience lands in Boston, and a symbol of war is transformed into art
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The Museum of Flight in Seattle hosts the world premiere of 'The MiG-21 Project.' Kari Bodnarchuk Advertisement THERE Symbol of war transformed into art A fighter jet encased in more than 20 million colorful glass beads — painstakingly strung together by hand with cotton thread and wire — takes center stage in a fascinating new exhibit premiering at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. 'The MiG-21 Project' runs through Jan. 26 and features the final work produced by South African artist Ralph Ziman as part of his 'Weapons of Mass Production' project, during which the artist took objects of war — AK-47s, a mine-resistant Casspir military vehicle, and, in this exhibit, the most mass-produced supersonic fighter jet in the world — and turned them into stunning works of art. The aim: to encourage viewers to reflect on historical events and current conflicts, from apartheid to the militarization of police forces around the world. For this project, an icon of war and violence — a Cold War-era fighter jet measuring 51 feet long with a 24-foot wingspan — has been transformed into a symbol of beauty, collaboration, and imagination. Watch a 25-minute documentary about 'The MiG-21 Project,' which includes information on the teams of South African and US artists who created beaded panels to fit over almost every inch of the plane — from the tires and afterburners to the tip of the refueling probe — and interviews with the plane's original pilots. The exhibit also includes Afro-futuristic flight suits and helmets made with colorful glass beads and salvaged parts such as buttons, switches, and hoses from an authentic fighter jet; large-scale artistic photographs showing models in beaded regalia in front of the war objects; and strips of beads that you can touch — a great tactile element. See the main exhibit in the 206-764-5720, The ergonomic Moonbird device — essentially a handheld breathing coach — guides you through breathing techniques that can help with relaxation and reduced anxiety. Christine Smeyers EVERYWHERE Alleviate travel stress and jet lag with this clever device If road traffic, plane trips, family vacations, or other stressors make you apprehensive about summer travel, consider checking out a device that may help you calm your nerves. The ergonomic Moonbird device — essentially a handheld breathing coach — guides you through breathing techniques that can help with relaxation and reduced anxiety, potentially make stressful travel situations more manageable, or even assist with falling asleep faster and overcoming jetlag. First, download the Moonbird app, set up a free account, and sync the device to your phone. Give the device a gentle shake to wake it up, place your thumb over the black sensor, and then keep pace with the breathing exercises, such as 4-7-8 breathing and box breathing, both techniques for reducing stress and anxiety. Choose the duration of each exercise and whether or not you want audio. The device gently balloons out and retracts while tracking your heart rate and heart rate variability, and a calm voice guides you through breathing exercises (the device also works without the app, offering limited breathing exercises without audio guidance — perfect for bedtime or air travel). If nothing else, this handy device might help you forget about traffic, flying, and family drama for a while. The company has released new Moodbuddy bear- and bird-shaped breathing devices in smaller sizes for kids. $199 Moodbird, $89 Moodbuddy. KARI BODNARCHUK Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at
New York Post
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Wall Street bigshot who hired SBF 'defrauded' into funding South Sudan coup plot
Robert Granieri — the co-founder of trading firm Jane Street Group, which once gave jailed crypto titan Sam Bankman-Fried his big break in finance — was allegedly deceived into funding a plot to purchase AK-47s, Stinger missiles, and grenades for a coup in South Sudan, according to court papers. Federal prosecutors in Arizona first charged Harvard Fellow Peter Ajak and Abraham Keech in March 2024 with conspiring to illegally export arms to South Sudan, their home country, to overthrow its government. Both have pleaded not guilty. 6 Abraham Keech (left) and Peter Ajak (right) are accused of conspiring to illegally export arms to South Sudan. Both men deny the allegations. US District Court of Arizona Granieri, 53, allegedly provided $7 million in two payments after meeting Ajak in February 2024 at a Midtown Manhattan condominium, prosecutors said. Ajak's lawyers stated in a May court filing, which was reviewed by The Post and first reported by Bloomberg, that Granieri's financing was 'vital to the plan.' They claimed in the May 29 court document that without his support, the alleged conspiracy would have been impossible. The attorney for the Jane Street founder, whose firm hired now-convicted fraudster and former FTX CEO Bankman-Fried in 2013, claimed he was misled by Ajak, whom he believed was a human rights activist. 'Granieri is a longtime supporter of human rights causes,' his lawyer was quoted by Bloomberg as saying. 'In this case, the person Rob thought was a human rights activist defrauded Rob and lied about his intentions.' 6 Jailed fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried got his big break on Wall Street in 2013 with Granieri's firm, Jane Street. REUTERS The case also references chess champion Garry Kasparov, though he is not named as a defendant nor accused of any wrongdoing, for allegedly connecting Ajak with Granieri through their shared work with the Human Rights Foundation. Ajak, a former child soldier who resettled in the US, studied at Harvard's Kennedy School and worked as a World Bank economist before becoming a South Sudanese opposition activist. He and Keech allegedly met with an undercover agent and inspected weapons in a Phoenix warehouse before their arrest, the May 29 motion said. 6 South Sudan, slightly larger than France, became the world's youngest country in 2011 after seceding from Sudan following more than 20 years of civil war. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images 6 A DOJ handout that shows some of the weapons that were allegedly set to be sent to the fledging, war-torn African nation. US District Court of Arizona Defense attorneys allege US authorities were aware of the plan, citing a 'public authority' defense and claiming that the State Department told Ajak in October 2023 it would not support non-democratic regime change. They also accused prosecutors of selectively targeting Ajak and Keech, both black men, while sparing Granieri and Kasparov. The financing was allegedly arranged through meetings, including some at the law firm Paul Hastings, where Ajak's former pro bono attorney, Renata Parras, worked, according to the May filing. 6 The court documents allege that Garry Kasparov, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, helped facilitate introductions on Granieri's behalf. REUTERS PR guru Michael Holtzman, who previously advised the State Department, also attended some meetings, the filing claims. Prosecutors have not accused Parras or Holtzman of any wrongdoing. The Post has approached Holtzman and Parras for comment. South Sudan, slightly larger than France, became the world's youngest country in 2011 after seceding from Sudan following more than 20 years of civil war. The conflict displaced millions of people and drew attention from human rights activists across the globe, including actor George Clooney. 6 An estimated 400,000 people have died in the conflict in South Sudan since 2013, according to human rights groups. AP Despite its independence, South Sudan has struggled with continued violence between rival forces over the past 15 years. Jane Street, known for its $20.5 billion in net trading revenue last year, has drawn attention for its success and Granieri's philanthropy, including support for human rights causes and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Granieri, one of the firm's four founders and the only one still working there, also supported causes backed by Kasparov. Despite the company's prominence, he maintains a low profile and is not featured on its website. Jane Street is a quantitative trading firm, meaning its traders use mathematics and statistics to determine how to bet on certain assets or financial markets. It boasts to be 'a firm of puzzle solvers on and off the clock' and has even seen its profits surpass those of major banks such as Bank of America or Citigroup, allowing Granieri to fund ventures like the Scarlet Pearl casino resort in Mississippi.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
In 2026 assembly polls, BJP will get less than 50 seats in West Bengal: Abhishek Banerjee in a scathing attack on BJP in Satgachia
Trinamool National General Secretary & MP Abhishek Banerjee said on Wednesday that BJP will get below 50 seats in the coming Bengal assembly polls in 2026 'I promise that in 2026, total number of seats won by BJP will be under 50. In 2021, BJP's count stopped at 77. I had said that Trinamool's seats would increase in 2024, and it turned to be true…. BJP's talkative president Sukanta Majumdar won by 9000 votes. He even dared to organise people against me. If he does politics for 50 years and contests 10 elections, even then his margin wouldn't come near 7.1 lakh, which I got in Diamond Harbour,' Banerjee claimed while speaking in Satgachi today, which is part of his Constituency. Banerjee , attacking BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari , said, 'Suvendu Adhikari claimed that Mamata Banerjee would become a grandmother from Didi if he weren't there. He left the party in 2020. After that, how did Mamata Banerjee win in 2021, 2023 panchayat polls? After he joined BJP, the party did not win a single election. BJP lost in all the 11 bypolls in Bengal. They even said that they would conduct Operation Bengal here, which means they will buy MLAs.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Don't Miss The Top Packaging Trends Of 2024, Enhnace Your Brand With The Latest Insights Packaging Machines | Search Ads Search Now 'West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has become the CM on her own strength, after ousting the 34-year-long CPI(M) government with the people's blessings. He might become a grandfather, but will never be able to remove Trinamool from people's hearts in the next 50 years,' Abhishek said. Banerjee came down heavily on BJP's attack on Jagannath Temple. 'Those who claim to protect Hindus are mocking the Jagannath Temple. Suvendu Adhikari mocks it. Sukanta Majumdar called it an amusement park. This is what BJP leaders said. I am thankful to Mamata Banerjee and the State Government for the Jagannath Temple, else people would not see BJP's true face,' Banerjee said. Live Events Talking about the Pahalgam attack, the Trinamool Secretary said, 'The Pahalgam attack occurred on April 22 this year and 26 people were killed by four terrorists who crossed the border with AK-47s and shot them in broad daylight. They escaped, and the Central Government has no clue where they went. Who is responsible for border security and the IB, CRPF, CISF? If you demanded Mamata Banerjee's resignation over RG Kar, why shouldn't we demand Amit Shah's resignation for Pahalgam?' A book 'Nishobdo Biplab' silent Revolution launched 'After being elected as an MP for the first time in 2014, I held the first Nishobdo Biplab book launch event in Amtala in 2015. The book published today will be distributed to all. It consists of 695 pages. When it was first published, it had only 50-60 pages. Later, after being elected as an MP, the work I was able to do has been detailed in this book. It only has details of my work as MP fund of Rs 5 crore. Detailed accounts regarding the same are provided in the book. Apart from this, it also includes details of the works undertaken with the help of various departments of the Maa-Mati-Manush government led by CM Mamata Banerjee,' Abhishek said. et
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Jane Street Boss Says He Was Duped Into Funding AK-47s for Coup
(Bloomberg) -- The indictment reads like a cinematic plot: A Harvard Fellow and another activist allegedly wanted to buy AK-47s, Stinger missiles and grenades to topple South Sudan's government. What they lacked was enough cash. Now, Jane Street co-founder Robert Granieri concedes he put up the money — saying he was duped into funding the alleged coup plot. The admission from the wealthy recluse behind a Wall Street trading powerhouse stems from the US prosecution of Peter Ajak, the Harvard Fellow who was accused last year of scheming to install himself atop the East African nation. 'Granieri is a longtime supporter of human rights causes,' his lawyer said in a statement. 'In this case, the person Rob thought was a human rights activist defrauded Rob and lied about his intentions.' The case came to light in March 2024, when federal prosecutors in Arizona charged Ajak and Abraham Keech with conspiring to illegally export arms to their home country. Both have pleaded not guilty. While prosecutors haven't said where the defendants obtained several million dollars for an attempt to buy military-grade weaponry, Ajak's lawyers pointed to Granieri in a recent filing — saying the 53-year-old financier was 'vital to the plan.' 'Without the significant financing that Mr. Granieri could and agreed to provide, the alleged conspiracy would have been impossible,' they wrote in the document filed in late May. The lawyers accused authorities of selectively prosecuting two Black men, even though support also came from Granieri and Garry Kasparov, the chess champion and prominent Russian dissident. The US hasn't accused either of them of wrongdoing. Kasparov came to know Ajak when the chessmaster was chair of the Human Rights Foundation. He later connected Ajak with Granieri, according to people familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified discussing the legal case. 'My record and my values are clear, and they remain unchanged,' Kasparov said in a statement sent by a spokesperson, in response to questions about the case. 'I have spent much of my life standing up for civil rights and promoting democracy around the world.' To industry outsiders, Jane Street is probably best known as the former employer of Sam Bankman-Fried, before he left to build a crypto empire that imploded. But across Wall Street, the market-making firm is a source of fascination — known for turning mathematicians into traders who mint profits. It generated $20.5 billion in net trading revenue last year, helping it leap past the likes of Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. Despite Jane Street's ascent in the industry, Granieri has kept a low profile. He's one of the firm's four founders — and the only one still there. Yet he's not featured on the company's website, and public photos of him are scarce. The firm's success has allowed Granieri to pour money into other ventures and causes. He helped build the Scarlet Pearl, a casino resort on the Gulf Coast in Mississippi, was a major financial backer for Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, and has donated to the Equal Justice Initiative and Institute for Justice. He also channeled money into causes Kasparov backed around the globe. South Sudan — slightly larger than France — became the world's youngest country after seceding from Sudan in 2011 following more than 20 years of civil war. The bloody regional conflict displaced millions of people, drew attention from human rights activists and gained mainstream awareness after actor George Clooney championed intervention in the early 2000s. Despite emerging as an independent nation, stability still eludes its people. Ajak aimed to change that. After escaping life as a child soldier in Sudan in the 1990s, he resettled in the US as one of the 'Lost Boys.' He went on to study at the Harvard Kennedy School before returning to Sudan as a World Bank economist. After South Sudan's independence, Ajak became a prominent opposition activist and political prisoner there, later seeking asylum in the US. One sticking point in the court case is how much, if anything, US authorities knew about Ajak and Keech's alleged plan to topple South Sudan's government. Attorneys for both men have signaled in court that they plan to pursue a 'public authority' defense, essentially claiming that US officials had supported their plan. Prosecutors said Ajak was told by the State Department in October 2023 that it wouldn't fund plans for non-democratic regime change. Ajak and Keech are accused of forging ahead regardless. For that, they needed financial backing. The financing took shape early last year amid a flurry of meetings. Some were at the law firm Paul Hastings, where Ajak's former pro bono attorney, Renata Parras, worked, according to the May filing. Another attendee was public-relations specialist Michael Holtzman, who previously advised the State Department, that filing says. Prosecutors haven't accused Parras or Holtzman of wrongdoing. 'Based on the government's indictment of Peter, it would seem he lied to me and others about his intentions from the outset,' Holtzman said in a statement. Parras didn't respond to a request for comment. The search for cash culminated at a Midtown Manhattan condominium building that February, according to prosecutors. That's where Granieri first met Ajak, people with knowledge of the matter said. The next day, charging documents allege, Ajak sent an encrypted message to an undercover agent, writing: 'We are getting the funding.' The financier later transferred $7 million in two stages, according to people with knowledge of the payments. Within a few weeks of the condo meeting, prosecutors say Ajak and Keech inspected a cache of weaponry inside a Phoenix warehouse. They were soon arrested. 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Arab Times
3 days ago
- Arab Times
Arms, ammunition discovered in N. Afghanistan
KABUL, June 25, (Xinhua): Counter-terrorism police have discovered a dozen pieces of arms and ammunition during operations in northern Afghanistan's Samangan province over the past two months, provincial police spokesman Hashmatullah Rahmani said Wednesday. The weaponry included a variety of assault rifles, such as AK-47s, machineguns, and hundreds of bullets, the officer said. The officer noted that no one was allowed to keep or carry arms illegally.
