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☆ Netflix aims to 'crawl, walk, run' when it comes to video games. It's still crawling
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Drew Richardson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Former Electronic Arts mobile gaming executive Mike Verdu joined Netflix as vice president of game development in 2021. Getting existing subscribers to download and play mobile games is a challenge, though, Benes noted. As of September 2023, Netflix's games have been downloaded 70.5 million times, globally, according to data obtained from Apptopia. The beta rollout to limited users Canada and the U.K. included Oxenfree from Night School Studio, a Netflix game studio, and Molehew's Mining Adventure, a gem-mining arcade game. But Netflix is not looking to be a console replacement, Netflix gaming executive Verdu previously told Tech Crunch.

Persons: It's, we've, Greg Peters, Ross Benes, Mike Verdu, Joseph Staten, Benes, Netflix's, Playrix, Candy Crush, King, Peters, Sunny Dhillon, Kyber Knight, Dhillon, Verdu Organizations: Netflix, Intelligence, Electronic Arts, AAA, Night School, Street, Tech, CNBC Locations: Canada

☆ Spain's PLD Space expects first orbital launch in Q1 2026 from French Guiana
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PLD Space/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Spanish rocket company PLD Space plans a first orbital launch from French Guiana in the first quarter of 2026, after it carried out the first fully private European rocket launch earlier this month, it said on Friday. PLD will use the data gathered with the 30 million euro ($32 million) suborbital test to develop the larger Miura-5, a full orbital launcher. So far, they have identified 1,000 elements for improvement to develop Miura-5, it said. PLD Space said it expects to sign the first binding agreements with clients next year. Europe's efforts to develop capabilities to send small satellites into space are in focus after a failed orbital rocket launch by Virgin Orbit from Britain in January.

Persons: Miura, Raul Torres, Raul Verdu, Emma Pinedo, Inti Landauro, Hugh Lawson Organizations: El, REUTERS, Rights, Spanish, Miura, Virgin Orbit, Boeing, Thomson Locations: Huelva, Spain, Rights MADRID, French Guiana, Guiana, Madrid, Britain

☆ Moldovan president says Russia's Wagner head plotted coup against her -FT
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Moldova's President Maia Sandu addresses the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, U.S., September 20, 2023. "Russia is going to increase its pressure on Moldova," Sandu told the FT. "They tried energy and they failed. Moldovans, she said, were entering the country with "bank cards that were issued in Dubai...they just distribute thousands of cards ...bank cards to people they wanted to bribe." Moldovan police on Friday said they had seized thousands of bank cards issued in Dubai due to be given to Shor's allies. "This is using bank cards instead of suitcases or black bags full of cash," Veronica Dragalin, head of Moldova's Anti-corruption prosecutors, told reporters.

Persons: Maia Sandu, Eduardo Munoz, Russia's Wagner, Sandu, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Ilan Shor, Shor, Veronica Dragalin, Ron Popeski, Alexander Tanas, Josie Kao Organizations: General Assembly, REUTERS, Financial Times, EU, Kremlin, Constitutional, PAS, Moldovan, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Spain, Moscow, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Russia, Russian, Transdniestria, Moldova's, Dubai ., Dubai, Chisinau

☆ Wagner's Yevgeny Prigozhin tried to overthrow Ukraine's neighbor Moldova before his death, the nation's president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Wagner's Yevgeny Prigozhin was behind a coup attempt in Moldova, the country's president said. Wagner intended to turn protests "violent" to justify its allies seizing power, Maia Sandu claimed. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Thousands of Russian troops are stationed in Transnistria, the breakaway region of Moldova bordering Ukraine, and they are bolstered by thousands more troops loyal to Transnistria's pro-Russia leadership.

Persons: Wagner's Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Maia Sandu, —, Sandu, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Transnistria's Organizations: Service, Russian, NATO, European Union, Financial Times Locations: Moldova, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Romania, Moscow, Russia, Russian, Transnistria

☆ Officials Urge Moldova to Seize Opportunity for EU Membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Alexander TanasCHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova launched a nationwide discussion on securing European Union membership, with senior officials and academics urging their compatriots to seize every opportunity to join the bloc or run the risk of being left behind or sinking into chaos. Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu launched the discussion on EU membership on Friday, saying that public participation "has a critical meaning in building a more prosperous future within the framework of the community of Europe". The Moscow-sympathetic opposition, thrown out of power by Sandu's landslide 2020 election victory, is sceptical about EU membership. Moldovans, their country wedged between Ukraine and EU member Romania, have proved enthusiastic. Sandu and other officials have suggested that Moldova should forge ahead with its EU membership bid and ignore separatist Transdniestria, much like Cyprus was allowed to join despite the Turkish occupation of its northern regions since the 1970s.

Persons: Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, Maia Sandu, Nicu Popescu, Vlad Culminschi, Transdniestria, Sandu, Ron Popeski, Leslie Adler Organizations: European Union, Moscow's, Institute of Strategic Initiatives Locations: Moldova, Soviet Moldova, Ukraine, Sandu, Russian, Transdniestria, Europe, Moscow, Romania, Cyprus, Soviet Union

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The tiny Pacific island nation of Niue has come up with a novel plan to protect its vast and pristine territorial waters — it will get sponsors to pay. “Niue is just one island in the middle of the big blue ocean,” Tagelagi said. It's one of the smallest countries in the world, dwarfed by an ocean territory 1,200 times larger than its land mass. Under the plan, the sponsorship money — called Ocean Conservation Commitments — will be administered by a charitable trust. Simon Thrush, a professor of marine science at New Zealand's University of Auckland who was not involved in the plan, said it sounded positive.

Persons: Dalton Tagelagi, Tagelagi, ” Tagelagi, Niueans, we've, —, Lyna Lam, Chris Larsen, Maël, ” Imirizaldu, Simon Thrush, ” Thrush, I'd Organizations: Niue's, Associated Press, Agriculture Organization, Conservation International, Blue Nature Alliance, New Zealand's University of Auckland Locations: WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Niue, New York, U.S

There are signs that the country has now slipped into another era of brutal oppression, even as newly reelected President Emmerson Mnangagwa speaks publicly of “peace, love, harmony and tolerance." “It is the beginning of a new term and we are seeing people being abducted and tortured, people’s homes being burnt down, and lawyers arrested for simply doing their job,” said Doug Coltart, one of Nhende’s lawyers, who was himself arrested. The sight of an elected representative showing injuries from a beating isn't uncommon in Zimbabwe. The CCC and analysts say there is a clear post-election clampdown now that the international observers have left. “It was a sham election, a disputed election, a flawed election.

Persons: Womberaiishe, truncheons, Emmerson Mnangagwa, —, ”, Doug Coltart, Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa, Tapiwa Muchineripi, Coltart, bode, “, ” Mnangagwa's, Nhende, ” Nhende, Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe, Mkwananzi, Siziba, clampdown, Rashweat Mukundu, Nelson Chamisa, Chamisa Organizations: Citizens Coalition, ZANU, CCC, Coltart, Amnesty, Human Rights, PF, Police, AP Locations: HARARE, Zimbabwe, Harare, Africa, Zimbabwean, africa

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A two-day summit in Romania began on Wednesday that brings together 12 European Union member states situated between the Baltic, Black and Adriatic Seas, as the grouping of mostly formerly communist countries aim to boost ties and connectivity amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Three Seas Initiative, which is being held in the capital, Bucharest, brings together high-ranking officials from EU countries as well as representatives from partner countries and aims to improve interconnectivity in the transportation, energy, and the digital fields. Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu tweeted Wednesday that she had “excellent discussions” with the U.S. assistant secretary of state for energy resources, Geoffrey Pyatt, about joint projects that aim to bolster regional energy security. On the sidelines of the event, Moldovan President Maia Sandu met Wednesday with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. ___Stephen McGrath reported from Sighisoara, Romania.

Persons: Klaus Iohannis, isn’t, Luminita Odobescu, Geoffrey Pyatt, Odobescu, Iohannis, Maia Sandu, Marcel Ciolacu, Sandu, “, John Kerry, ___ Stephen McGrath Organizations: Union, Seas Initiative, U.S, EU, Romanian Locations: BUCHAREST, Romania, Black, Adriatic, Ukraine, Bucharest, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria, Estonia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Romanian, Moldova, Greece, Moldovan, Sighisoara

☆ Moldovan president says audit disproves $800 million Gazprom debt claim: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Moldovan President Maia Sandu attends a press conference during a meeting of the European Political Community at Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, Moldova June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Vladislav Culiomza/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 3 (Reuters) - An audit carried out by an international firm has disproved Russian gas giant Gazprom's claim that the Moldovan government owes it $800 million, Moldovan President Maia Sandu was quoted as saying on Sunday. The former Soviet republic, situated between Ukraine and EU member Romania, used to buy Russian natural gas. But in late 2021 Gazprom and its Moldovan subsidiary said it had accumulated hundreds of millions of dollars in debt which had to be repaid to ensure further stable supplies. Gazprom put the debt at $709 million a year ago, although the sum might have increased with the addition of interest.

Persons: Maia Sandu, Mimi, Vladislav Culiomza, Sandu, Moldova's, Ros Russell Organizations: REUTERS, Moldovan, Gazprom, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bulboaca, Moldova, Soviet, Ukraine, Romania, Chisinau

☆ China's Baichuan, Zhipu AI launch AI models after receiving approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters and robot hand miniature in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) firms Baichuan Intelligent Technology and Zhipu AI on Thursday opened their AI large language models to the public after receiving approval from Chinese authorities. The companies made the launch announcements in separate WeChat statements. It comes after Baidu said it had received a regulatory nod to launch its artificial intelligence Ernie Bot to the general public starting from Aug. 31. Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Baidu, Ernie Bot, Brenda Goh, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Intelligent Technology, Thomson

☆ Goalkeeper Raya moves to Arsenal on loan from Brentford
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 15 (Reuters) - Arsenal have signed Spanish goalkeeper David Raya from fellow Premier League club Brentford on a season-long loan with an option to make the transfer permanent, both clubs said on Tuesday. According to British media reports, Arsenal paid Brentford a loan fee worth three million pounds ($3.82 million) for Raya and will have the option to sign the goalkeeper on a permanent basis for 27 million pounds. "David is a top-quality goalkeeper, who has consistently performed to a high level with Brentford in the Premier League," Arsenal sporting director Edu said. Brentford added that Raya had signed a two-year contract extension before moving to Arsenal. The West Londoners, who finished ninth in the Premier League last season, signed Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Bundesliga side Freiburg on a four-year contract in May.

Persons: David Raya, Raya, David, Edu, Aaron Ramsdale, Matt Turner, Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, I've, Mikel Arteta, he's, Mark Flekken, Aadi Nair, Janina Nuno Rios, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Arsenal, Premier League, Brentford, Nottingham Forest, West Londoners, Bundesliga, Freiburg, Fulham, Thomson Locations: Spanish, Raya, Spain, Qatar

☆ Netflix to make its games playable on more devices
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoAug 14 (Reuters) - Netflix (NFLX.O) will test games on select TVs and computers in a first step to make them playable on more devices, the company's vice president of Games Mike Verdu wrote in a blog post on Monday. The streaming platform had begun its push into the gaming experience by launching Netflix games on mobiles in November 2021. "Oxenfree" from Night School Studio, a Netflix Game Studio, and "Molehew's Mining Adventure", a gem-mining arcade game, will be part of the initial testing. "By making games available on more devices, we hope to make games even easier to play for our members around the world," Verdu said. Netflix said games on TV will operate on select devices from initial partners Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players, Chromecast with Google TV and Roku devices, among others.

Persons: Mike Blake, Mike Verdu, Verdu, Samrhitha, Krishna Chandra Organizations: Netflix, REUTERS, Night School, Amazon, Google, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Canada, United Kingdom, Bengaluru

☆ Foxconn Industrial Internet denies signing deal with Tamil Nadu -report
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING/TAIPEI, Aug 1 (Reuters) - A subsidiary of tech giant Foxconn (2317.TW) said that it had not signed any agreement to invest 16 billion rupees ($194.6 million) in Tamil Nadu, China's Securities Times reported on Tuesday. The government of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu said on Monday it has signed a deal with Foxconn for a new electronic components manufacturing facility that would create 6,000 jobs. The Foxconn Industrial Internet (FII) (601138.SS) facility will be built in the Kancheepuram district near the state capital of Chennai, a state government source told Reuters on condition of anonymity as details are not yet public. "We did not sign any investment agreement," FII was quoted as saying by the Securities Times newspaper, adding the company had issued a statement in July refuting similar "rumours." ($1 = 82.2290 Indian rupees)Reporting by Beijing Newsroom and Yimou Lee in Taipei; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: FII, Foxconn, Yimou Lee, Jacqueline Wong, Jamie Freed Organizations: China's Securities Times, Foxconn, Securities Times, Beijing Newsroom, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, TAIPEI, Tamil Nadu, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Taipei

CNN —Russian missiles badly damaged dozens of Ukrainian architectural landmarks, including a historic Orthodox cathedral in the southern port city of Odesa, sparking outrage and prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to vow retaliation. “Russians deliberately aimed their missiles at the historic city center of Odesa, which is under the UNESCO protection. Some of the other cultural sites damaged include the House of Scientists and Zhvanetskyi Boulevard, Odesa’s Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said Sunday. Jae C. Hong/APThe cathedral lies in Odesa’s city center, which UNESCO named a World Heritage Site amid the threat of Russia’s invasion. “Missiles against peaceful cities, against residential buildings, a cathedral … There can be no excuse for Russian evil,” Zelensky said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Odesa –, Oleh Kiper, Hennadii Trukhanov, Jae C, Catherine the Great, Oleksandr Tkachenko, Maia Sandu, Russia’s, Oleksandr Gimanov, ”, Julia Gorodetska, I’ve, Odesa, Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Serhii Smolientsev, Reuters “, Josep Borrell, Oleh Syniehubov, ” Syniehubov Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Scientists, Zhvanetskyi, Ukrainian, Heritage, Getty, Command, Russian Ministry of Defense, “, Odesa, Reuters, Telegram . Civilian Locations: Russian, Odesa, Odesa’s, Soviet, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, AFP, Ukrainian, Kharkhiv, Dvorichna, Kharkiv, Chuhuiv, Kupyansk

☆ China's slow AI roll-out points to its tech sector's new regulatory reality
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/3] An AI (Artificial Intelligence) sign is seen at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China July 6, 2023. New rules Chinese firms have to comply with range from algorithm vetting to accepting security reviews of data they want to export. They definitely stifle the innovation and slow down the ability of Chinese firms to catch up." A key motivation behind China's reluctance to release AI chatbots is that Beijing fears uncensored chatbots may start influencing societal views in potentially subversive directions, said Mark Natkin, managing director of research firm Marbridge Consulting. "While the U.S. is racing ahead with AI, China is hitting the brakes with more rules."

Persons: Aly, HONG KONG, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Henry Gao, Ernie Bot, Robin Li, Shi, Mark Natkin, Heatherm Huang, Bard, Microsoft's Bing, Xi Jinping, Baidu, Josh Ye, Brenda Goh, Jamie Freed Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, China, Baidu, HK, Ant Group, Western, Singapore Management University, Microsoft, SenseChat, Nomura, Marbridge Consulting, Huawei Technologies, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG, Beijing, Alibaba, Tencent, Hong Kong, U.S

☆ Analysis: China's slow AI roll-out points to its tech sector's new regulatory reality
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

☆ The chip wars are heating up. This Chinese stock rose 30% in five days
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

China is starting to show what sway it has in the semiconductor supply chain, and stocks are only starting to react. About a week ago on July 3 , China's Commerce Ministry announced export restrictions on germanium and gallium would take effect on Aug. 1. WestSummit claims about 20 billion yuan ($2.77 billion) in assets under management. China's latest export curbs follow sweeping U.S. export restrictions in October to limit Chinese businesses' access to advanced semiconductor technology. One of Delta's investments, Shanghai New Vision Microelectronics, raised just over 1 billion yuan in an initial public offering on Shanghai's Star board on June 1.

Persons: Bo Du, Du, WestSummit, Greg Ye, Ye, Wei Jianguo, Wei didn't, Brian Tycangco, Tycangco Organizations: China's Commerce Ministry, . Geological Survey, WestSummit Capital Management, CNBC, Delta Capital, Shanghai New Vision Microelectronics, Shanghai's Star, Stansberry Research, Materials, Earth Holdings Locations: China, Yunnan, U.S, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Washington, Beijing

☆ Tajik man shoots two dead at Moldova's international airport
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Alexander Tanas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CHISINAU, June 30 (Reuters) - A 43-year-old Tajik man grabbed a gun, shot dead two security officers and wounded a civilian at Moldova's main international airport on Friday after being denied entry to the country, authorities said. The suspected assailant was himself wounded and apprehended, police said, in an incident that briefly grounded flights at Chisinau International Airport. Moldova's acting chief prosecutor, Ion Munteanu, said the shooting was being examined as a terrorist act. The two killed were a border guard and an airport security officer, President Maia Sandu said, offering condolences. It was only after we went far away from the airport that we were told there is someone who is shooting."

Persons: Ion Munteanu, Olena Shevelyova, Dorin Recean, Maia Sandu, Munteanu, Dragos Galbur, Alexander Tanas, Olena Harmash, Tom Balmforth, Cynthia Osterman, Ron Popeski, Grant McCool Organizations: Chisinau International Airport, European Union, Thomson Locations: CHISINAU, Chisinau, Tajikistan, Soviet, Asia, Istanbul, Moldova, Moldovan, Soviet Union, Ukrainian, Milan

☆ China's Baidu says its new AI beat ChatGPT on some metrics
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Baidu said in a statement on Tuesday that Ernie 3.5, the latest version of its Ernie AI model, had surpassed "ChatGPT in comprehensive ability scores" and outperformed "GPT-4 in several Chinese capabilities". The Baidu announcement comes amid a global AI buzz kicked off by ChatGPT that has spread to China, prompting a flurry of domestic companies to announce rival products. Baidu was the first big Chinese tech company to debut a AI product to rival ChatGPT when it unveiled its language AI Ernie Bot in March. Ernie Bot, built on Baidu's older Ernie 3.0 AI model, has been in invite-only tests for the past three months. Other big Chinese tech firms, including Alibaba Group (9988.HK) and Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), have all since revealed their respective AI models.

Persons: China's, Baidu, Ernie, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Ernie Bot, Josh Ye, Himani Sarkar Organizations: Baidu Inc, HK, Microsoft, China Science Daily, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent Holdings, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, China

☆ China's Baidu claims its Ernie Bot beats ChatGPT on key tests as A.I. race heats up
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In this article BIDU Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTChinese technology giant Baidu has launched its own ChatGPT rival, Ernie bot. The chatbot is based on Baidu's foundational AI model called Ernie. Citing the China Science Daily journal, Baidu said Ernie 3.5 surpassed ChatGPT in a number of benchmark tests. ChatGPT is based on OpenAI's GPT 3.5 model. Ernie 3.5 also beat GPT 4, OpenAI's latest and more advanced model, in Chinese language tests, according to the science journal.

Persons: Ernie bot, Baidu, Ernie Bot, Ernie, that's Organizations: Baidu, Getty, China Science, Microsoft Locations: China, U.S, ChatGPT

☆ Their parents made China the world's factory. Can the kids save the family business?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( David Kirton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Du, like tens of thousands of other young Chinese factory bosses, is inheriting a basic manufacturing business that can no longer rely on the labour-intensive model that made China the world's largest exporter of goods. Those skills would come in handy in a factory the Chinese state set up in 1951 and privatised in 2002. Like five of the other chang er dai who spoke to Reuters, Zhang never planned to take over the factory. Chang er dai, however, help lift the bottom, which is also important for preserving China's share of world manufacturing, two industry experts told Reuters. Not all chang er dai will get there.

Persons: Steven Du, Du, Zhang Zhipeng, Mao Zedong's, Du said, Zhang, Zhang Zeqing, Chang, Zhou Yuxiang, Tian Weihua, Tian, Zhang Ying, David Kirton, Marius Zaharia, David Crawshaw Organizations: Shenzhen Research Institute of High, Reuters, Apple, Agricultural Products, Lake Technologies, Science, Technology Innovation Research Institute, University of Arts, Workers, Thomson Locations: RUICHANG, China, Shanghai, Southeast Asia, India, New Zealand, United States, TW, Wisconsin, Ruichang, France, London, Ningbo

☆ Moldova bans pro-Russian Shor party after months of protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Alexander Tanas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Marina Tauber, leader of the opposition pro-Russian political party Shor, delivers a speech during a hearing of the Constitutional Court in Chisinau, Moldova, June 19, 2023. REUTERS/Vladislav CuliomzaSummary Constitutional Court bans pro-Russian Shor partyShor lawmakers can remain in parliament as independentsPresident Maia Sandu welcomes court's decisionCHISINAU, June 19 (Reuters) - Moldova's Constitutional Court on Monday banned the pro-Russian Shor party that has led months of protests and is headed by an exiled businessman accused by the West and the government of trying to destabilise the country. Shor has denied the protests are part of a Russian threat or of attempts to destabilise Moldova. Parliamentary speaker Igor Grosu said the court's decision was "an important victory for Moldovan democracy". Opposition Socialist Party leader Igor Dodon said Sandu's governing Action and Solidarity Party had "officially become totalitarian, destroying opposition forces" and that it would eventually suffer the same fate as the Shor party.

Persons: Marina Tauber, Shor, Vladislav Culiomza, Maia Sandu, Ilan Shor, Nicolae Rosca, Sandu, Igor Grosu, Igor Dodon, Alexander Tanas, Anna Pruchnicka, Timothy Heritage, Mark Heinrich, Ed Osmond Organizations: Constitutional, REUTERS, West, European Union, EU, Moldovan, Opposition Socialist Party, Solidarity Party had, Thomson Locations: Russian, Chisinau, Moldova, CHISINAU, Israel, United States, Soviet, Russia, Moldova's, Transdniestria

☆ Russia's 'least capable' troops aren't in Ukraine, but they're still causing problems next door, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Moldova, next door to Ukraine, has been under pressure from Russia for decades. Amid the war in Ukraine, Kyiv and Western officials say Moscow is stepping up its interference. As a result of a 1992 war between Moldovan forces and Transnistrian separatists, Russian troops entered the breakaway region to support the separatists. Following that war, Transnistria gained a form of autonomy. SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty ImagesMoldova declared a state of emergency after Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, and it remains in effect.

Persons: —, that's, John Sullivan, SERGUEI VORONIN, Chișinău, Maia Sandu, Diego Herrera Carcedo, SERGEI GAPON, Moldova's, John Kirby, Kirby, Pierre Crom, Thomas de Waal, Dara Massicot, Massicot, Jamar Marcel Pugh, Sandu, Ursula von der Leyen, Constantine Atlamazoglou Organizations: Service, Georgetown University, Getty, Moldovan, NATO, EU, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images Moldova, White House National Security Council, Carnegie, RAND Corporation, US Army National Guard, European Commission, Fletcher School of Law, LinkedIn Locations: Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Transnistria, Kyiv, Western, Moscow, Soviet Union, Romania, Europe, Baltic, Poland, Bender, Transnistrian, Chisinau, May, Lithuania, Sweden, AFP, Russian, Carnegie Europe, NATO, Bulgaria

☆ Casey DeSantis' mission on the 2024 campaign trail is to bring suburban women back to the GOP after Trump lost them
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Ron DeSantis' wife, Casey DeSantis, is a chief confidant key to his political rise. He finished boasting about his "Florida Blueprint," and then his wife, Florida first lady Casey DeSantis, glided onstage. In the geography was Casey DeSantis' autobiography: raised in Troy, Ohio, and college-educated at the University of Charleston. As Florida's first lady, Casey DeSantis' initiatives included childhood emotional resiliency, child welfare, and — as a breast-cancer survivor herself — cancer research. "They did not want woke ideology shoved down the throats of their five years olds while they were in school," Casey DeSantis said.

☆ The DeSantis campaign will test whether Casey DeSantis can bring suburban women back to the GOP after Trump lost them
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

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