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☆ Russian oligarch went to Moscow in effort to broker complex prisoner exchange that included Navalny, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Sebastian Shukla | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A multi-country prisoner exchange that might have freed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was being discussed and progressing when he died last month, multiple sources have told CNN, and included the direct involvement of a Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich. However, a source close to Navalny’s team told CNN that on the evening of February 15 they had received word that a message had been delivered to Putin. Clinton “initially passed on the message” to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Grozev told CNN. “We had to find a way to package the German asset [Krasikov] into an American negotiation,” the source close to the Navalny team said. Getting the message to Putin was one of the greatest challenges, the individual close to the Navalny team told CNN.

Persons: Alexey Navalny, Roman Abramovich, Navalny, Abramovich, Hillary Clinton, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Maria Pevchikh, “, ”, Dmitry Peskov, it’s, Christo Grozev, Clinton, Grozev, Biden, Viktor Bout, Brittney Griner, Clinton “, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, Pevchikh, Vadim Krasikov, Krasikov, Tucker Carlson, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Whelan, Gershkovich, Whelan –, Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, ” Abramovich Organizations: CNN, United Arab, Kremlin, IK, Aspen Ideas, FSB, US National, National Security, Wall Street, Krasikov, Navalny, US Department of Justice Locations: Russian, Moscow, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Siberia, Western, Russia, Aspen, Colorado, Berlin, Chechen, Europe, Germans, Brazil

☆ Chinese zodiac fortune predictions for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Maggie Hiufu Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

Natalie Leung/CNN, Adobe StockMonkeys are going to have a relatively stable year. Natalie Leung/CNN, Adobe Stock“This year, you may have to work a bit harder and work longer hours than usual. Natalie Leung/CNN, Adobe Stock“It isn’t the worst year but there are going to be some challenges. Natalie Leung/CNN, Adobe Stock“According to ancient Chinese philosophy, Tigers and Dragons have a complicated relationship. Natalie Leung/CNN, Adobe StockAll you Rabbits can give yourself a pat on the back.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, There’s, ”, Chen, “, Thierry Chow, CNN Chow, floristry, “ It’s, Chow, Xuan, Duke, Jupiter, Stringer, VCG, Zhang Yu, Ulet Ifansasti, Johanes, NurPhoto, Zhang Cheng, Wu Wenjun, Axel Miranda, Tai Sui –, Tai Sui, Natalie Leung, Ben Ming Nian, “ Let’s, Ben Ming, “ You’ll, Ma Xing, –, it’s, It’s, there’s, ” Chow, Xing Tai Sui Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, Shui, China News Service, Spring, Reuters Workers, Adobe, Adobe Stock, Adobe Stock People, ”, Roosters, Tiger Tigers, Dragons, Tigers Locations: Hong Kong, Asia, Xuan Kong, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China, Beijing, Solo City, Indonesia, Dharmayana, Bali , Indonesia, Guangzhou, China's, Guangdong Province, Barcelona, Spain, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province

☆ China gears up to ring in Year of the Dragon with expected record 9 billion trips
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Authorities last month forecast that China’s population of 1.4 billion would take a record 9 billion trips during the 40-day holiday travel period, which began on January 26. Stringer/VCG/Getty Images A man takes photos of blooming plum blossoms at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China on February 5. Johanes P. Christo/NurPhoto/AP Crowds flock to the Spring Festival Light Show in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China on February 3. Axel Miranda/SOPA Images/Sipa/Reuters Workers assemble dragon lanterns at a production workshop in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China on January 24. Two major indexes recorded their worst drops in years capping off a dire 2023 that saw China’s stock markets become the world’s worst performer.

Persons: ”, Luo, Stringer, VCG, Zhang Yu, Ulet Ifansasti, Johanes, NurPhoto, Zhang Cheng, Wu Wenjun, Axel Miranda, Xi Jinping, ” Xi Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Festival, CNN, Authorities, China News Service, Spring, Reuters Workers, HSBC, Beijing, United States Embassy Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Fujian, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Solo City, Indonesia, Dharmayana, Bali , Indonesia, Guangzhou, China's, Guangdong Province, Barcelona, Spain, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, Shanghai

☆ Advent to buy UK payments firm myPOS valued at over $500 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Amy-Jo Crowley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Advent International has signed a deal to buy payments firm myPOS as part of the London-based buyout group's latest push into digital payments, director Fabio Cali told Reuters. The acquisition is expected to value myPOS at around 500 million euros ($542.15 million), two people familiar with the matter told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The payments sector has had a run of transactions recently. SumUp said last year it had raised 590 million euros in a funding round led by Bain Capital Tech Opportunities. The company is targeting a revenue run rate of 100 million euros this year, one of the people said.

Persons: Fabio Cali, SumUp, JP Morgan, PayPal Zettle, Christo Georgiev, Georgiev, Amy, Jo Crowley, Jane Merriman Organizations: Reuters, Bain Capital Tech, PayPal, House, Thomson Locations: London, Cali, Athens, Europe

A participant stands near a logo of IMF at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said China, the world's largest sovereign creditor, has been a roadblock to debt relief. IMF member countries will discuss the crisis lender's shareholding structure at annual meetings in Morocco next week. The U.S. is pushing instead for IMF member countries to agree to contribute more funds to boost lending firepower, but keeping the U.S.-dominated shareholding structure unchanged. Without naming China, he said this would include doing more on debt relief and providing more exchange rate transparency -- longstanding Treasury criticisms of Beijing.

Persons: Johannes P, Nancy Lee, Janet Yellen, Lee, Jay Shambaugh, Shambaugh, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, Andrea Ricci Organizations: IMF, International Monetary Fund, REUTERS, Rights, International Monetary, U.S, Treasury, Center for Global Development, U.S . Treasury, Thomson Locations: Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, U.S, China, Morocco, India, Brazil, Beijing

☆ Why all signs point to an Australian summer of heat and fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

On top of El Niño, there’s another climate fluctuation in the mix that amps up the likelihood of heat and drought. A fire rages in Bobin, 350 km north of Sydney, on November 9, 2019, during Australia's catastrophic Black Summer fire season. A combination of extreme heat and wind would likely fuel very intense fires “that will seem to come from nowhere,” he added. Whether summer heat will be unprecedented remains uncertain. “Increasing extreme heat is the clearest example,”he said, but it’s worsening the impacts of drought and extreme rain too.

Persons: CNN — It’s, El, ”, David Bowman, Steve Christo, ” Bowman, Karl Braganza, “, –, Peter Parks, Robb Webb, rainier, ” Braganza, Andrea Taschetto, Jason Evans Organizations: CNN, Sydney Marathon, University of Tasmania, Sydney, Getty, Australia’s, Meteorology, El, National Council, University of New Locations: Australia, New South Wales, AFP, Bobin, Sydney, Sydney’s, University of New South Wales

In one extraordinary video, he shouted and cursed at Shoigu and Gerasimov, demanding ammunition so his men could keep fighting as he stood in a field littered with the corpses of Wagner fighters. Prigozhin performed a U-turn and Wagner fought on, eventually capturing the city in late May. But a turning point came weeks later when he rejected an order for Wagner fighters to sign contracts placing them under the control of the defence ministry. Two weeks later, a video appeared to show Prigozhin welcoming his fighters to Belarus. Taking advantage of his political connections, Prigozhin was awarded major state contracts, becoming known as "Putin's chef" after catering for Kremlin events.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Marina Lystseva, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Prigozhin, Putin, Christo Grozev, Bellingcat, Donald Trump, Stanislav Belkovsky, Mark Trevelyan, Cynthia Osterman, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Marina, Defence, Staff, Kremlin, Financial Times, St, Thomson Locations: wreckages, Tver, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Rostov, Belarus, St Petersburg, Africa, St Petersburg's, U.S, Niger, Prigozhin

☆ Prigozhin, Russia's Wagner Group leader, will be killed by Putin or lead another coup within 6 months, journalist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An investigative journalist predicted that the Wagner Group boss would either be killed or lead another coup. After an aborted mutiny, Yevgeny Prigozhin and many Wagner troops agreed to move to Belarus. A think tank said that Wagner troops were planning to return to Russia, suggesting the deal was collapsing. In six months, Prigozhin will either be dead, or there will be a second coup. The think tank said that Putin has "failed to decisively resolve" issues brought up by Prigozhin and Wagner following the rebellion.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Christo Grozev, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Prigozhin, Vladimir, Putin, Grozev, Alexander Lukashenko, ISW, Lukashenko Organizations: Wagner Group, Service, Financial Times, Bellingcat, for Locations: Belarus, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Ukraine, Belarusian

A participant stands near a logo of World Bank at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. "Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Group's values. World Bank President Ajay Banga, who took office in June after the Ugandan law was enacted, has come under pressure to respond to the Ugandan law. The existing portfolio will continue to disburse funds, even as new lending is put on hold, a World Bank source said. It said the IFC and MIGA would also implement additional measures to "ensure inclusion and non-discrimination as needed."

Persons: Johannes P, Ajay Banga, Banga, Kanishka Singh, Andrea Shalal, Leslie Adler, Jonathan Oatis, Richard Chang Organizations: Bank, International Monetary Fund, REUTERS, United Nations, World Bank, International Development Association, International Finance Corporation, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, Reuters, IFC, Thomson Locations: Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Uganda, Washington

☆ Names Old and New Top British Open Leaderboard
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Alan Blinder | More About Alan Blinder | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It worked well enough for Stewart Cink on Thursday at the British Open. “When the gun goes off and you start in the tournament, you’ve got that adrenaline, and adrenaline does wonders for your jet lag,” Cink, 50, said. It also seemed to do plenty good for his scorecard, which reported a three-under-par 68 that positioned him high on the first-round leaderboard at northwest England’s Royal Liverpool Golf Club. There was Cink, who won the 2009 Open at Turnberry in Scotland by outlasting Tom Watson, then 59, in a playoff. But Christo Lamprecht, an amateur who plays for Georgia Tech, finished his five-under round with the lead.

Persons: Stewart Cink, you’ve, Cink, lurked, outlasting Tom Watson, Christo Lamprecht, Tommy Fleetwood, Emiliano Grillo, Lamprecht, Brian Harman, Adrián Otaegui, Antoine Rozner Organizations: Liverpool Golf, Royal Liverpool, Georgia Tech Locations: England’s, Royal, Turnberry, Scotland

☆ Fleetwood thrives at home sweet home
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Ed Osmond | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

They were so great to me today," Fleetwood told reporters. But just having that support and people egging you on, whether you hit a good shot or a bad shot just pushes you on." Fleetwood said he felt very lucky to be able to play an Open so close to home. Started tournaments pretty slow, so to get something going today felt really good." "As first rounds go, that's absolutely the one you wanted, and to get off to a good start feels good," he said.

Persons: Tommy Fleetwood, Paul Childs HOYLAKE, Nick Faldo, Fleetwood, Christo Lamprecht, It's, St Andrews, that's, Ed Osmond, Toby Davis Organizations: 151st, Royal, REUTERS, British, Portrush, Thomson Locations: Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, Britain, England, Southport, St

☆ The Open: Towering Georgia Tech amateur Christo Lamprecht powers into early share of lead
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —At six feet, eight inches tall, amateur golfer Christo Lamprecht towered over most of the field at the Open Championship even before he teed off Thursday. He’s in uncharted waters, but seeing his name atop the leaderboard was not surprising to Lamprecht. A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, the 30-year-old’s best major finishes both came at The Open, as he tied 12th in 2016 and 2021. 3 Jon Rahm, who will need a big response if he is to add to his Masters triumph in April. It puts the American on track to miss the cut at three of the year’s four majors, with a tied-65th finish at the PGA Championship the only time he made the weekend.

Persons: Christo Lamprecht, England’s Tommy Fleetwood, Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, Lamprecht, Stuart Franklin, Andrew Landry, ”, “, “ It’s, Fleetwood, Stuart Kerr, Nick Faldo, ” Fleetwood, ” Grillo, Emiliano Grillo, James Baker, Oisin Keniry, Oisin, France’s Antoine Rozner, Spain’s Adrian Otaegui, Brian Harman, Stewart Cink, Wyndham Clark ., Royal Liverpool’s, Matthew Jordan, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy’s, –, McIlroy, Richard Heathcote, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas ’ Organizations: CNN, Georgia Tech, Liverpool, Amateur, PGA, Tour Communications, European, Royal, Fleetwood, PGA Tour, The 151st, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Getty, Royal Liverpool, PGA Championship Locations: Merseyside, Hillside, ” Merseyside, HOYLAKE, ENGLAND, Argentina, Hoylake, England, Spanish

☆ Air New Zealand has been ranked the best airline in the world, a study found. See which others made the top 10.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Air New Zealand has been ranked the best airline in the world by AirlineRatings.com. Air New Zealand has been ranked the best airline in the world by AirlineRatings.com, a website for airline safety and product reviews. Air New Zealand was ranked first for best economy class; Qatar Airways took the lead for business class; and Singapore Airlines was ranked the best first-class airline. Air New ZealandSafety: 7/7Product: 7/7Air New Zealand, or Air NZ, is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand. Korean Air has an average score of 7.8/10 based on 60 AirlineRatings.com reviews.

Persons: Geoffrey Thomas, Taylor Rains, Johannes P, Virgin Atlantic Sir Richard Branson, Steve Parsons, Richard Branson, Emirates Yursi Abu Barak Organizations: Morning, Air New, Qatar Airways, Air, Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Delta, US, Ryanair, New Zealand, Air New Zealand Air, Air New Zealand, Air NZ, . Air NZ, Qatar Airways Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Etihad Airways Airbus, Etihad, UAE, Korean Air Korean, Airlines, Korean Air, Christo, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images, SIA, Qantas Qantas, Qantas Media Safety, Qantas, Virgin, Virgin Atlantic Boeing, Heathrow Airport, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways Cathay, Boeing, Cathay, Nikkei, Emirates, Dubai . Emirates, UAE . Emirates Locations: Zealand, Air New Zealand, Europe, Air, Auckland , New Zealand, Doha, Qatar, Al Jazeera, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Seoul, South Korea, Bali , Indonesia, Singapore, Asia, Mascot, Australia, Virgin Australia, Crawley , England, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, East Asia, Cathay Pacific Airways Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong, Nikkei Asia, Dubai ., Emirates, Dubai

☆ World’s best airline for 2023 named by AirlineRatings.com
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket/Getty ImagesAfter a couple of years of reduced air travel in the wake of the pandemic, travelers returned to the air in 2022 to significant airline chaos – canceled flights, lost luggage and overstretched staff. And interestingly, while Air New Zealand came out on top for 2023, Thomas said the results were close among the top five. Singapore Airlines took the fifth spot on AirlineRatings.com's 2023 list and also won the Best First Class award. Johannes P. Christo/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesAbu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways is number 3 on AirlineRatings.com’s 2023 list. Singapore Airlines, named top in the Best First Class award and the Excellence in Long Haul Travel - Southeast Asia award, took fifth place overall.

Persons: AirlineRatings.com, –, ” Geoffrey Thomas, ” AirlineRatings.com, Marcos del Mazo, Thomas, Johannes P Organizations: CNN, Air, Zealand, CNN Travel, Zealand’s, Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand, Business, Catering, Long, Singapore Airlines, Christo, Anadolu Agency, Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, Korean, North, ” Air, New, Civil Aviation Authority, Auckland International Airport, Etihad Airways, Qantas, Virgin, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, SAS, TAP, All Nippon Airways, Delta Air, Air Canada, British Airways, Jet, JAL, Vietnam Airlines, Turkish Airlines, KLM, . Alaska Airlines, United Airlines Locations: Australia, North Asia, Asia, Zealand, Auckland, AirlineRatings.com’s, Virgin Australia, Swiss, TAP Portugal

☆ IMF still concerned by banking sector wobbles - chief economist
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

FILE PHOTO: A participant stands near a logo of IMF at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. REUTERS/Johannes P. Christo/File PhotoPARIS (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund remains concerned about recent turbulence in the banking sector despite actions by the U.S. and Swiss authorities to deal with troubled banks on their watch, its chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said on Monday. Speaking to journalists in Paris, he added that “the story is not over” and that EU banks were not immune to problems as long as the bloc did not go further to complete long-discussed mechanisms to deal with failed banks.

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Moscow expels German diplomats
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 22 (Reuters) - Russia said it was expelling a number of German diplomats in a tit-for-tat move. Germany did not immediately confirm any expulsions of its own, but said the arrival of a Russian government plane in Berlin was connected to the issue. Russia's RIA Novosti news agency said Germany had decided to expel more than 20 Russians. TANKS, BATTLE* Russia's Defence Ministry said Russian forces had captured three more blocks in the western part of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. * The U.S. said on Friday it would soon start training Ukrainian troops to use its Abrams tanks as Germany announced a deal to establish a hub in Poland to repair German Leopard tanks deployed in Ukraine.

☆ Jessica Burstein, Whose Camera Captured New York, Dies at 76
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Richard Sandomir | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jessica Burstein, a photographer who in extended assignments captured three quintessentially New York institutions — the “Law & Order” television franchise, the new Yankee Stadium as it was being built and the restaurant and celebrity hangout Elaine’s — died on April 11 at her home in Manhattan. The cause was lung cancer, her sister Patricia Burstein said. In 1992, Ms. Burstein became the official photographer at Elaine’s, the night spot on the Upper East Side of Manhattan where writers, athletes, actors, politicians and filmmakers gathered in a salon overseen by the imperious owner, Elaine Kaufman. Ms. Burstein came as she pleased, with her only tangible reward the display of her framed pictures on a restaurant wall (Ms. Kaufman did not pay her). She also crafted striking tableside portraits of luminaries like Liza Minnelli and William Styron.

CNN —Jailed Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny has been experiencing severe stomach issues in prison, and members of his team fear that he may have been poisoned again. Navalny lost eight kilograms over the past 15 days in his isolated prison cell, his spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said in a Twitter post on Tuesday. “The lawyer says that an ambulance was called for Alexey Navalny on the night of Friday to Saturday because of an acute stomach pain. “This may sound like nonsense and paranoia to someone else, but not to Navalny after Novichok,” Kobzev tweeted on Tuesday. Investigative journalist Christo Grozev, who worked on CNN’s “Navalny” documentary, said he believes Putin has “motivation” to poison Navalny.

☆ Nigeria gets World Bank funding for social program ahead of fuel subsidy cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Felix Onuah | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A participant stands near a logo of World Bank at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. REUTERS/Johannes P. ChristoABUJA, April 5 (Reuters) - Nigeria has secured $800 million from the World Bank to scale up its national social program ahead of the removal of its costly but popular subsidies on petrol in June, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said on Wednesday. Ahmed said the government was considering cash transfers and mass transit buses for workers to ease the pain of the subsidy removal on the most vulnerable segment of its population. She added that the country has registered ten million households, which is equivalent to 50 million people on its vulnerable list. Ahmed said discussions were going on at different levels of government and with members of the incoming administration of President-elect Bola Tinubu on the subsidy removal.

☆ World Bank raises 2023 growth outlook in developing East Asia as China reopens
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Xinghui Kok | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Growth in the developing economies of East Asia and the Pacific will accelerate in 2023 thanks to China’s reopening and economic rebound, but high inflation and household debt will weigh on consumption in some countries, the World Bank said on Friday. FILE PHOTO: A participant stands near a logo of World Bank at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. The stronger forecast was due to China’s reopening, which the World Bank expects will help its economy rebound to 5.1% from 3% last year. Countries in developing East Asia and the Pacific include Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Mongolia, plus island nations like Fiji, Vanuatu and Palau. “While still small compared to the advanced economies like the U.S., China has become an increasingly important source of knowledge for innovation in other East Asia and Pacific countries,” said the report.

☆ Russia's Navalny dedicates his part in Oscar movie to those fighting dictatorship
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Evgenia NovozheninaMarch 15 (Reuters) - Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny on Wednesday dedicated his part in an Oscar-winning film about him to those fighting against dictatorship and war. Director Daniel Roher's film "Navalny", about the poisoning that nearly killed Russia's most prominent opposition figure and his detention upon returning to Moscow in 2021, won the Oscar for best feature documentary on Sunday. In the film, Navalny and Grozev pinned responsibility for the poisoning episode on a team of agents from the FSB state security service. After returning from Germany, where he recovered from the poisoning, Navalny was immediately detained. He is now serving time on charges of fraud and contempt of court that he says were trumped up to silence him.

☆ Indonesia's Bali wants to tighten visa requirements for Russian tourists
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Tourists enjoy the sunset at Canggu beach amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Bali, Indonesia, December 2, 2021. REUTERS/Johannes P. ChristoJAKARTA, March 13 (Reuters) - Authorities in Indonesia's popular holiday island of Bali have asked the central immigration agency to cancel a visa-on-arrival policy for Russian and Ukrainian nationals after tourists were found working illegally. Russian nationals are among the biggest groups of foreign arrivals in Indonesia, according to official tourism data. At least four Russian citizens were deported this month for visa violations and immigration authorities have repeatedly warned foreigners in Bali against working on tourist visas. About 8,800 Ukrainian visitors arrived between September 2022 and January 2023.

☆ World Bank board aims to pick next president by early May, U.S. nominee expected soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] A participant stands near a logo of World Bank at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. The bank's executive directors affirmed their commitment to an "open, merit-based and transparent selection process" for the new leader, and said countries could nominate candidates beginning Thursday through March 29. The World Bank board gave a list of criteria and relevant experience for would-be applicants, including "effective communication and diplomatic skills" and also said it "would strongly encourage women candidates to be nominated." The bank has never had a permanent woman president in its 77-year history, although current International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva served as acting president for about two months in early 2019. The United States has historically selected the president of the bank, but some developing countries and civil society groups are challenging that tradition.

☆ Not so quiet on the BAFTA front as anti-war remake tops the billing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Albrecht Schuch, Edward Berger, and Malte Grunert arrive at the world premiere of "All Quiet on the Western Front" at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada September 12, 2022. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/File PhotoLONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - A German remake of anti-war classic "All Quiet on the Western Front" leads the contenders at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, the country's highest accolade for the industry. "Banshees", about two feuding friends on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, and "Everything Everywhere" each have received 10 nominations. Bill Nighy ("Living"), Paul Mescal (Aftersun") and Daryl McCormack ("Good Luck to You, Leo Grande") complete the leading actor nominees list. BAFTA Chief Executive Jane Millichip said while Grozev would not attend the ceremony, the film's nominated producers would.

☆ Pell wrote secret memo calling Francis' papacy 'catastrophe', journalist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Commentators of every school, if for different reasons ... agree that this pontificate is a disaster in many or most respects; a catastrophe," the memo begins. The Vatican's political prestige is now at a low ebb." Pell appeared to like the more liberal-minded Francis personally, but not how he ran the Church. Francis supported Pell privately during the abuse saga and on the day of the acquittal offered Mass for all who suffer unjust sentences. "The political influence of Pope Francis and the Vatican is negligible.

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