Three Things for August 24
1. Russian Warships Enter Sea of Japan Ahead of Major Military Exercises
On Monday, Aug. 22, the Japan Ministry of Defense released a statement that 14 Russian warships had been spotted transiting from the Western Pacific Ocean into the Sea of Japan, via La Pérouse Strait.
These 14 ships are expected to be a part of the Vostok-2022 Strategic Military Exercise, which will take place next week. The Strategic Military Exercise will run from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5. In addition to Russia, five other countries will be participating in the exercise, including China and India.
On July 28, Japan asked Russia not to conduct drills in the four southern Kuril Islands, as these islands are claimed by Japan.
As of Monday, at least four of the ships had been confidently identified.
For more information, click here.
2. China-Bound Ex-Apple Engineer Admits to Trade Secrets Theft
On Monday, Aug. 22, a former Apple engineer pled guilty to stealing trade secrets from the California-based technology company with the intention to use those trade secrets at a China-based technology company. The secrets included Apple's plans for a self-driving car.
Apple hired Zhang Xiaolang in 2015 as a hardware engineer in its autonomous car project, but he resigned from the company in April 2018.
Xiaolang was arrested in July 2018, before he boarded a one-way flight to China. He was due to begin working at a technology company in the process of producing its own self-driving car. A judge ordered the plea agreement to be sealed against public view, and set a sentencing hearing for Nov. 14. Trade secret theft can carry a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Xiaolang is not the only ex-Apple employee to be charged with stealing trade secrets. In 2019, Jizhong Chen was charged by federal prosecutors with also stealing secrets related to the autonomous car project.
For more information, click here.
3. Ex-Louisville police officer pleads guilty to Breonna Taylor cover-up
On Tuesday, Aug. 23, a former Louisville cop pled guilty to conspiracy in helping falsify a search warrant which was later used in the killing of Breonna Taylor. Kelly Goodlett entered the guilty plea before Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings in a federal court in Louisville, Kentucky. Goodlett was also charged with covering up the false search warrant after the raid. Goodlett is one of four former detectives charged by the US Department of Justice for their participation in this raid.
This guilty plea makes Goodlett the first officer to be held criminally responsible in connection with the failed raid. After pleading guilty, Goodlett was ordered to surrender her passport. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 22.
While Goodlett is the first officer convicted, former officer Joshua Jaynes and current Sergeant Kyle Meany were charged with “civil rights violations and obstruction of justice.” The fourth officer, Detective Brett Hankison, was charged with wanton endangerment.
"Today's decision adds to the frustration and anger of many over the inability to find more accountability for the tragic events of March 13, 2020," Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said in a statement. "I know that for many, justice has still not been achieved."
For more information, click here.
