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Hello!  It’s April 2, and we’re tracking today's top stories: Moscow nabs four suspects for bankrolling concert massacre, Russia's sanction-proofed economy is helping it avoid defeat, Taliban oppression of women is bona fide apartheid, dozens charged in Mexican cartel crackdown, and much more...

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Featured Story

🎯 Moscow Nabs Four Suspects Accused of Bankrolling Concert Massacre. The Kremlin claimed they were “directly involved” in financing the attack, which left 140 people dead. Daily Beast 

Top Stories

🌎 Russia’s sanction-proofed economy is helping it avoid defeat in Ukraine. The American right’s isolationism, Europe’s glacial approach, and insufficient sanctions make Russia’s expulsion increasingly unlikely. Politico

🚩 Russia’s Economy Picked Up in Early 2024 on Consumers, Exports Bloomberg

🌎 The Taliban’s oppression of women is apartheid. Afghan women have been erased from society via systematic Taliban discrimination since 2021. WaPo

🚩 Russia works to remove Taliban from terrorist list Reuters

🌎 Dozens charged in international drug smuggling operation linked to brutal Mexican cartel. A federal task force arrested two dozen in major crackdown on trafficking narcotics in US. Houston Chronicle

🌎 To Fight Corporate Crime, the DOJ Should Give People a Reason to Snitch. Deputy AG Monaco highlighted programs giving corporate criminals a get-out-of-jail-free card for whistleblowing. Take this idea national. Rolling Stone

🌎 Federal judge won’t dismiss Hunter Biden’s tax charges, paving way for June trial. U.S. District Judge Scarsi rejected Hunter’s arguments that the felony indictment was politically motivated. CNN

🌎 Russia's Baltika sues Carlsberg subsidiaries for over $900M in damages. Previous court sessions involving the parties have been closed to the public due to trade secrets. Reuters

🌎 Lawmakers urge Biden to call out more Chinese biotech firms. Bipartisan calls for Biden to add seven Chinese biotech firms to a list created by DOD. Reuters

🌎 The Big Problem for Marijuana Companies? What to Do With All That Cash. Few banks will work with cannabis upstarts – but some lawmakers hope to change that this year. WSJ

🌎 Secrets of Diddy’s billionaire boys club. Rapper wooed Wall Street elite – who praised him as ‘genius’ before sex-trafficking probe. NYP

🌎 Bitcoin’s Future as Currency. Bitcoin has flourished as digital gold, but its biggest impact will be in denominating business and trade. CoinDesk

🌎 Singapore Sends Convicted Money Launderer to 13 Months in Jail. Cambodian national Su Wenqiang has been sentenced after pleading guilty on April 2 to money laundering. Straits Times

🌎 GW, Program on Extremism director sued in alleged smear campaign. Hafez is suing for $10M in punitive damages, lost business opportunities and relocation costs. GW Hatchet

💥 Get more news at Illicit Edge.

IN THE NEWS

Russia

🇷🇺 Hackers stole Russian prisoner database to avenge death of Navalny CNN

🇷🇺 Johnson eyes Russian assets in Ukraine funding fight Politico

🇷🇺 Russia to start from scratch on some submarine parts amid sanctions Defense News

🇷🇺 Russia Seeking to Impose Its Laws on NATO States Newsweek

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China

🇨🇳 Controversial Scientist Back at Work After Jail Time for Creating Genetically Modified Babies Gizmodo

🇨🇳 China quietly making progress on new techniques to cut reliance on advanced ASML lithography machines SCMP

🇨🇳 China’s advancing efforts to influence the US election raise alarms NYT

🇨🇳 How China could respond to U.S. sanctions in a Taiwan crisis Atlantic Council

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Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 Feds Want to Seize This $7M Condo in a Luxe Trump Building Daily Beast

💸 Losses linked to impersonation scams top $1B yearly Record

💸 After police raid home of Peru's president, six ministers replaced Reuters

💸 European prosecutors take over Belgian probe into Pfizergate Politico

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Crypto & Cyber

🔐 Singapore MAS launches centralized AML/CFT digital platform Business Times

🔐 4 Things You Need to Know About Health Care Cyberattacks NYT

🔐 Solana Telegram Trading Bot to Shut Down After Users Drained of $523K Decrypt

🔐 One of the largest FTX creditors is trying to recoup millions for victims CNN

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Trafficking

🚚 Oregon re-criminalizes small amounts of hard drugs after 2020 voter initiative overturned NBC

🚚 Rioting charges for 222 migrants who broke through razor wire on Texas border NYP

🚚 Texas Immigration Bill Heading Back to Court Newsweek

🚚 Tory MPs plan for migrant crime league tables Telegraph

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." --Milton Friedman

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