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HALLE, Belgium (AP) — Farmers blocked more traffic arteries across Belgium, France and Italy on Wednesday, as they sought to disrupt trade at major ports and other economic lifelines. They also moved closer to Brussels on the eve of a major European Union summit, in a continued push for better prices for their produce and less bureaucracy in their work. I think we are addressing two very important (concerns) of them right now,” European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič said. A climax in Belgium is set for Thursday, when farmers plan to protest outside EU headquarters during a summit of government leaders. Despite the widespread inconveniences, governments in the EU are treating protests, which have been mostly peaceful, with extreme caution.
Persons: Maroš Šefčovič, Sven Pieters, Gérald Darmanin, , Alexander De Croo, De Croo, Emmanuel Macron, ___ Sylvie Corbet, Ciaran Giles Organizations: HALLE, — Farmers, European Commission, EU, Protesters, South Locations: Belgium, France, Italy, Brussels, Ukraine, , Berlin, Paris, Rome, Flanders, Zeebrugge, Creteil, “ Paris, , Chile, New Zealand, Belgian, Madrid
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - All states have an obligation to stop funding and facilitating Israel's military actions in Gaza after the World Court indicated that those actions could plausibly be genocidal, South African foreign minister Naledi Pandor said on Wednesday. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last week ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent its troops from committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, in a case brought by South Africa. South Africa has for decades been a strong advocate for the Palestinian cause, comparing the plight of Palestinians to that of Black South Africans under apartheid. Israel has strongly denied allegations of genocide and rejects the comparison to the apartheid era. (Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian and Nellie Peyton; Editing by Alexander Winning)
Persons: Naledi Pandor, Anait Miridzhanian, Nellie Peyton, Alexander Winning Organizations: Court, Court of Justice, Black South Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Gaza, Israel, South Africa, Black
Russian banks made a record 3.3 trillion rubles, or $36.8 billion, in profits last year. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementEven Russia's central bank is surprised by how well Russian banks did last year. Russian banks made 3.3 trillion rubles, or $36.8 billion, last year, marking a record high, the country's central bank announced on Tuesday. The performance came as “somewhat of a surprise,” said Alexander Danilov, the head of Russia's central bank's banking regulation department, according to the Financial Times.
Persons: , , Alexander Danilov Organizations: Service, Financial Times, Business Locations: Russia
“The group participants remain detained at the immigration center in a shared cell with 80 people,” the post said. The seven band members were arrested last Thursday after playing a concert on the southern resort island of Phuket, reportedly for not having proper working papers. After paying a fine, the band members were sent to the Immigration Detention Center in Bangkok. The detained musicians “include Russia citizens as well as dual nationals of Russia and other countries, including Israel and Australia,” the group Human Rights Watch said in a statement Tuesday. Andrei Lugovoi, a member of the lower house of Russia's parliament, called the band members “scum” for their criticism of Russia's military operations in Ukraine.
Persons: Ilya Ilyin, , , Elaine Pearson, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Gudkov, Gudkov, Andrei Lugovoi, ” Lugovoi, Alexander Litvinenko Organizations: , Facebook, RIA Novosti, Immigration Detention, Human Rights Watch, Rights Watch, AP, Kremlin, Russian Foreign Ministry, YouTube, Spotify Locations: BANGKOK, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Russian, Phuket, Bangkok, Australia, Asia, , Britain, London
The voluntary carbon market, where credits are traded, is tipped to reach $250 billion by 2050 as companies ramp up efforts to reach net zero. It also helps project developers communicate credit quality with third parties and manage orders, the company claims. The idea is that by streamlining administrative, manual tasks and bringing information into one place, carbon projects can come online more quickly and improve the supply-side crunch. The product was developed in partnership with two large carbon project developers while the company was in stealth mode, Argyros said. Louis Coppey, partner at Point Nine who led December 2023's cash injection into BlueLayer, touted it as the operating system or ERP for carbon project developers.
Persons: fintech Moonfare, BlueLayer, Alexander Argyros, Argyros, , Vivian Bertseka, Al Gore's, Gerardo Bonilla, Louis Coppey Organizations: Business, Nine, Point Locations: Berlin, London, Athens
CNN —The United States Figure Skating team will receive a gold medal for their team event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, after Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was handed a four-year ban Monday over a long-running doping controversy. Valieva, now 17, had led the Russian Olympic Committee to first place in the team event ahead of the US and Japan — before her doping test came back positive for performance-enhancing substance trimetazidine. CNN Sport has contacted the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Japanese Olympic Committee and the Russian Olympic Committee for further comment. Even with the latest news of Valieva’s ban, Alexander Kogan, director general of the Russian Figure Skating Federation, said that he still views his athletes to be the champions in the team event. In its Monday announcement, CAS said that the decision to ban Valieva for four years is “final and binding,” explaining that the parties can appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal “within 30 days on limited grounds.”
Persons: Kamila Valieva, Japan —, Valieva, , Sarah Hirschland “, Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim, Vincent Zhou, Alexander Kogan Organizations: CNN, United, Skating, Russian Olympic Committee, Olympic, Paralympic, IOC, International Olympic Committee, International Skating, CNN Sport, Japanese Olympic Committee, Swiss Federal Locations: United States, Japan, Canada, Beijing
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian farmers outraged over rising costs, European Union environmental policies and cheap food imports plan to block access roads to the Zeebrugge container port in Belgium, financial daily De Tijd reported on Tuesday. Farmers also disrupted traffic close to the Dutch border on the E19 highway on Tuesday morning, with a tractor convoy heading towards port city Antwerp, state broadcaster RTBF said. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo is set to meet with farmers' associations on Tuesday. In recent weeks, farmers across Europe including Germany, Poland and Romania have demonstrated over what they call excessive red tape, high fuel costs and unfair competition resulting from liberal European Union trade policies. On Monday, Belgian farmers blocked highways in southern Belgium and parked tractors near to the EU Parliament in Brussels.
Persons: De Tijd, RTBF, Alexander De Croo, Emmanuel Macron, Tassilo Hummel Organizations: Reuters, Farmers, Belgian, European Union, European Commission, South America's Mercosur, GV De Locations: BRUSSELS, Union, Zeebrugge, Belgium, Antwerp, Europe, Germany, Poland, Romania, Belgian, France, Paris, Brussels
Jim Esposito, one of three co-heads of Goldman Sachs's powerful global banking and markets division, is set to step down. His previous roles include co-head of the global financing group, co-head of global markets, and global co-head of investment banking. Most recently, Jim played an important role in bringing together our Global Markets and Investment Banking franchises to form the Global Banking & Markets business. Jim's passion for our distinctive culture has also been reflected in his commitment to recruiting, developing and mentoring talented individuals around the world, including the next generation of leaders across Global Banking & Markets. Prior to assuming his current role, Jim was global co-head of the Global Markets Division and before that global co-head of the Investment Banking Division.
Persons: Jim Esposito, Goldman, Esposito, He's, David Solomon, Solomon, John Waldron, Waldron, Julian Salisbury, , Salisbury's, Eric Lane, Gregg Lemkau, Goldman Sachs, Jim, Jenn, David Organizations: Business, Goldman, Wall Street, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Tiger Global, IB, Global Banking, Markets, Management, Investment Banking, Global Markets, Global Markets Division, Global, Group, Trustees, Corporation, Brown University, Advisors, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College
Far from buckling under their weight, the Russian economy is in fact 1% larger than it was on the eve of the invasion. India and China now account for 90% of Russian oil exports, according to Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak. Noemi Cassanelli/CNNThere’s little sign that ordinary Russians have been drastically impacted by Western sanctions. Sanctions will have a long-term impact on the Russian economy, according to the European Commission. Nabiullina said the Russian economy was like a car trying to go too fast.
Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Sergei Chemezov, ” Chemezov, Scott Peterson, Alexander Novak, Christine Abely, , , SWIFT, Alexei Mordashov, Noemi Cassanelli, Geoffrey Pyatt, Rachel Lyngaas, , Alexander Nemenov, Elvira Nabiullina, Nabiullina, Natalia Kolesnikova, ” Abely Organizations: CNN, Atlantic Council, Russia, West ., Shipping, Windward, Reuters, US Treasury Department, United Arab Emirates, Crime Agency, US Treasury, , Bank of, European, US, Financial Times, Russian Central Bank, Getty, Producers, International Energy Agency Locations: United States, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Western, Sviatohirsk, Donetsk region, Asia, West, West . India, China, India, Volgograd, Turkey, UAE, Bank of Finland, Hong Kong, Europe, Egypt, Thailand, Moscow, Kazakhstan, Soviet Russia, AFP, Beijing
Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailChina stimulus measures need to be much more targeted and forceful, strategist saysAlexander Cousley, Asia-Pacific investment strategist at Russell Investments, discusses the Chinese government's measures to boost consumer and business confidence.
Persons: Alexander Cousley Organizations: Russell Investments Locations: China, Asia, Pacific
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 27 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 107-101 on Monday in a matchup of teams that entered the night tied for the lead in the Western Conference standings. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and Jalen Williams added 20 for the Thunder, who lost their second straight after a five-game win streak. The Thunder led 97-96 with 2:43 remaining before Minnesota took control. A two-handed dunk by Edwards down the middle of the lane in traffic put the Timberwolves up 101-97, and Minnesota led by at least four the rest of the way. Minnesota led 49-47 at halftime behind 13 points apiece from Edwards and Towns.
Persons: — Anthony Edwards, Karl, Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Shai Gilgeous, Alexander, Jalen Williams, Edwards, Williams, Gilgeous, ___ Organizations: OKLAHOMA CITY, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Western Conference, Minnesota, Timberwolves, Thunder, Oklahoma City, UP NEXT Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets Locations: Minnesota, Edwards, Towns
Second Man Jailed in Moldova's 'Fraud of the Century'
  + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com   time to read: +2 min
By Alexander TanasCHISINAU (Reuters) - A Moldovan court jailed a banker for 10 years on Monday, the second man to be sentenced in connection with the ex-Soviet state's "fraud of the century" in which $1 billion was removed from the banking system and taken out of the country. The country's anti-corruption prosecutor announced the sentence handed down on Viorel Birca in connection with the 2014-2015 fraud on charges of mass fraud and "acting in the interests of a criminal group". Moldova's Constitutional Court subsequently outlawed a political party bearing his name. The fraud case continues to reverberate in Moldova's politics a decade after the events. Moldova's parliament last month dismissed central bank chief Octavian Armasu for failing to act to recover the money lost in the scandal.
Persons: Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, Birca, Ilan Shor, Shor, Maia Sandu's, Vlad Plahotniuc, Octavian Armasu, Alexander Tanas, Ron Popeski, Stephen Coates Organizations: Moldovan, Journalists, Prosecutors, Banca de Economii, Birca Locations: Soviet, Moldova, Israel, Northern Cyprus
CNN —Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva has been found guilty of an anti-doping violation by Switzerland’s Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and has received a four-year ban from competitions. In Beijing, Valieva’s Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team had finished first ahead of the US and Japan – with Canada finishing fourth – and no medals were subsequently awarded due to the doping controversy. CNN Sport has contacted the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the ISU, the Japanese Olympic Committee, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Russian Olympic Committee for further comment. RUSADA had changed its initial stance and sought a punishment that “may include or be limited to a reprimand” for Valieva, CAS announced in February last year. Russian athletes were competing as neutral athletes at the Winter Olympics in Beijing due to a previous ban for doping non-compliance.
Persons: Kamila Valieva, Valieva, Catherine Ivill, Ms Valieva, Travis Tygart, Sarah Hirshland, RUSADA, , Alexander Kogan, WADA, , ” CNN’s Jill Martin, Thomas Schlachter, Anna Chernova Organizations: CNN, Switzerland’s, Sport, Valieva, Russian Olympic Committee, Canada, International Skating Union, ISU, Winter Games, CNN Sport, International Olympic Committee, Japanese Olympic Committee, Canadian Olympic Committee, Doping Agency, Olympic, Paralympic, Team USA, , IOC, RIA Novosti, Skating, Swiss Federal Locations: Russian, Beijing, Japan, US
Supporters of prominent Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., who is serving a 25-year sentence for treason, said Monday that he has disappeared from the Siberian prison where he was behind bars. Transfers within Russia’s prison system are shrouded in secrecy and inmates can disappear from contact for several weeks. Backers of Russia's most noted opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, were alarmed in December when he couldn't be found. Navalny, serving a 19-year sentence, resurfaced in a prison colony above the Arctic Circle. He previously had been held in the Vladimir region in central Russia about 230 kilometers (140 miles) from Moscow.
Persons: Vladimir Kara, Murza Jr, Murza, Alexander Podrabinek, Kara, Podrabinek, Vadim Prokhorov, Alexei Navalny, Russia’s, poisonings, Vladimir Putin, Josef Stalin, Putin Organizations: Facebook, Telegram Locations: Omsk, Vladimir, Russia, Moscow, Arizona, Ukraine
American Airlines — The airline stock added 1.5% following an upgrade to buy from neutral at Citi. "North America's network carriers' diversified revenue streams and solid demand for premium cabin offerings appear to provide them with superior positioning in this post-pandemic environment," wrote analyst Stephen Trent. Builders FirstSource — The building materials manufacturer edged 2% higher following an upgrade to buy from neutral at Bank of America. ZoomInfo Technologies — The software stock popped 5.5% after Bank of America analyst Koji Ikeda upgraded it to buy from neutral. "We believe it is a classic self-help story that is set to outperform," the analyst wrote, underscoring the company's revenue growth reacceleration and new AI products as potential catalysts.
Persons: Stephen Trent, Flywire, Morgan Stanley, Omar Nokta, Hershey, Wells, Steven Cahall, , Cowen, Rafe Jadrosich, Julien Dumoulin, Smith, FactSet, Koji Ikeda, McGrath RentCorp — McGrath RentCorp, CNBC's Michelle Fox, Alexander Harring, Sarah Min, Jesse Pound Organizations: JPMorgan, American Airlines —, Citi, Zim Integrated Shipping Services —, Jefferies, Warner Bros, Bank of America, Bloom Energy, Koninklijke Philips —, Food and Drug Administration, Technologies, WillScot Mobile Locations: Albemarle, Netherlands
Goldman Sachs on Monday said that Jim Esposito, one of the bank's three co-heads of global banking and markets and a potential CEO contender, would be stepping down . He said he's developed a sense of restlessness and suggested he's leaving because he's eager for a change of pace. Goldman Sachs is one of the most powerful investment bank on Wall Street and its leaders often go on to do great things, including heading up firms or taking on leading roles in government. "As the pace of innovation accelerates at a mind blowing speed, there's a strong pull to explore new adventures," Esposito wrote, concluding later: "Keep winning as our results will always define us. I will bleed Goldman Sachs forever."
Persons: Goldman Sachs, Jim Esposito, he's, I've, Esposito, Buffett, Beckham, Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, David Beckham, Goldman's Organizations: Business
By Nellie PeytonJOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) said on Monday it had suspended the membership of former president Jacob Zuma after he announced he would vote for another party in this year's general election. His suspension reflects deep-seated divisions in the party of liberation hero Nelson Mandela that has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid. "The formation of the MK party is not an accident," the ANC said in a statement. The MK party is named after the ANC's former armed wing, in a challenge to the long-dominant movement. Zuma has been at odds with the ANC's leadership since he was forced to quit as party leader in 2018.
Persons: Nellie Peyton JOHANNESBURG, Jacob Zuma, Zuma, Nelson Mandela, Cyril Ramaphosa, Nellie Peyton, Alexander Winning, Andrew Heavens Organizations: National Congress, Analysts, ANC, Forces, Natal Locations: South Africa, KwaZulu
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — The leaders of Russia and Belarus met Monday to discuss ways to further expand their close alliance that has seen the deployment of some of Russia's nuclear weapons on the territory of its neighbor. President Vladimir Putin emphasized that Russia and Belarus have developed a “strategic partnership” as part of their 25-year union agreement. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesLast year, Russia moved some of its short-range nuclear weapons into Belarus, closer to Ukraine and onto NATO’s doorstep. Their declared deployment was widely seen as part of Moscow's efforts to discourage the West from increasing military support to Kyiv. Lukashenko said last month that the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons was finalized in October.
Persons: Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko Locations: PETERSBURG, Russia, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Belarusian, Soviet, Ukraine, Kyiv
Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian made his comments on national radio as Moldova's pro-European government pressed ahead with its drive to secure European Union membership. "Returning to that format for a peaceful settlement depends on improved relations between Moscow and Kyiv," he said. Prime Minister Dorin Recean on Saturday announced in a video presentation that Cristina Gherasimov, previously foreign ministry secretary of state, would serve as European integration minister and chief negotiator in negotiations on EU membership. Gherasimov will also head a new European Integration Bureau dedicated to proceeding with those talks. Her appointment, and that of new Foreign Minister Mihail Popsoi, followed the resignation last week of Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu.
Persons: Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, Oleg Serebrian, Serebrian, Maia Sandu, Russia's, Transdniestria, Dorin Recean, Cristina Gherasimov, Gherasimov, Mihail Popsoi, Nicu Popescu, Alexander Tanas, Ron Popeski, Leslie Adler Organizations: European Union, European Affairs, EU, Saturday, Integration Bureau Locations: Russian, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Moscow, Kyiv, Romania, Moldova
Voters in Finland will cast ballots on Sunday in a presidential election that comes as NATO’s newest member faces the threat of an antagonistic Russia. The election, which is expected to require a second round of voting, is for Finland’s first new head of state in 12 years. The country’s wildly popular president, Sauli Niinistö, has served two terms and is ineligible to run again. Seen as a steadying force, Mr. Niinistö is considered the person most responsible for getting Finland into the NATO alliance, leaving whomever assumes the presidency with big shoes to fill. From a field of nine candidates, the latest polls show two front-runners: Alexander Stubb and Pekka Haavisto.
Persons: Sauli Niinistö, Niinistö, Alexander Stubb, Pekka Haavisto Organizations: NATO Locations: Finland, Russia
5 Podcasts for Hollywood’s Awards Season
  + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Emma Dibdin | ) www.nytimes.com   time to read: +4 min
The 2024 awards season has felt unusually hectic so far, thanks to the strike-delayed Emmy Awards shifting from their usual fall airdate to January. But even when there’s nothing quite so unusual going on, the analysis here always makes awards season more interesting. Starter episode: “Oscar Voters, Start Your Engines”There’s a peculiar category of film that debuts with great fanfare, attracts plenty of awards buzz, and then fades from the cultural consciousness without a trace (and no awards). Not all of the films discussed on “This Had Oscar Buzz” fall into that bracket, but, as the title suggests, the focus is on the movies that had that buzzy aura around them, at least for a while. Starter episode: “Alexander (With David Sims)”Though not a traditional awards season podcast with predictions or play-by-play recaps, “The Town” is an invaluable resource for anyone hoping to understand the upheaval in Hollywood.
Persons: , Michael Hogan, Katey Rich, Richard Lawson, Joanna Robinson, Oscar, Andrew Scott, Emma Stone, Greta Lee, “ Oscar, Buzz ”, Jennifer Aniston, Aniston, Joe Reid, Chris Feil, don’t belittle, “ Alexander, David Sims, , Matthew Belloni, Puck, , Brooks Barnes Organizations: Sundance, The Hollywood, Hollywood, The New York Times, Hollywood Foreign Press Association Locations: Hollywood, La, Los Angeles, Cannes, Venice, Toronto
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Jannik Sinner rallied from two sets down to take the Australian Open final from Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday and clinch his first Grand Slam title. He’s the first Italian to win the Australian Open title in what could be a generational shift in tennis. For 2021 U.S. Open champion Medvedev, the loss was his fifth in six major finals. Nobody had done that on the way to an Australian Open final since Pete Sampras in 1995. In the sixth game of the fifth set, Sinner had triple breakpoint against a fatiguing Medvedev.
Persons: , Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic’s, Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz’s, Djokovic, Rafael Nadal —, Emil Ruusuvuori, Alexander Zverev —, Nobody, Pete Sampras, didn’t, Rod Laver, fatiguing Medvedev, didn't, Rafael Nadal Organizations: Open, Djokovic —, Medvedev, Australian, Melbourne, Nadal Locations: MELBOURNE, Australia
Chinese stocks are starting to turn around. How to play it
  + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com   time to read: +5 min
Chinese stocks ended the week with four straight days of gains — a rare upswing after a dismal start to the year. "Investing in China, you have to have an active strategy," he said, emphasizing the need to focus on industries that receive policy support. All three are listed on mainland Chinese stock exchanges. In the past six months, foreign investors have pulled around $30 billion from mainland Chinese A shares, the report said. Citi analysts also include adidas and Kone in their basket of European stocks with China exposure.
Persons: David Chao, Chao, Pan Gongsheng, Edward Chan, Schelling Xie, Xie, CRRC, , Peter Alexander, Alexander, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Asia Pacific, People's Bank of China, PBOC, . Federal Reserve, Financial Regulatory Administration, CNBC, HSBC, Hong, Citi, adidas, Kone Locations: Asia, Japan, Invesco, China, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, U.S
It was down only 14% from the previous weekend and brings its running domestic total to $42.3 million. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThis was the first moviegoing weekend following Oscar nominations. Searchlight’s “Poor Things,” nominated for 11 Oscars, including best picture, best director and best actress for Emma Stone, got a 43% boost from last weekend with an estimated $3 million. And A24’s “The Zone of Interest,” which had five nominations, including best picture and best director for Jonathan Glazer, expanded to 317 screens, where it earned $1.1 million. Universal had leading Oscar nominee “Oppenheimer” in 1,262 theaters, where it earned an additional million dollars this weekend.
Persons: holdovers, , Jason Statham actioner, It's, “ Oppenheimer, ” “ Barbie, , Jeffrey Wright, Emma Stone, Jonathan Glazer, Alexander Payne's “, Glazer's, Jonathan Organizations: American, Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Bros, Universal Locations: North America
Polls across the country opened at 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) and will close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT). The president also acts as the supreme commander of the Finnish military, a particularly important duty in Europe's current security environment. They are picking a successor to hugely popular President Sauli Niinistö, whose second six-year term expires in March. Recent polls suggest that former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, 55, and ex-Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, 65, are the leading contenders. Advance vote results will be confirmed soon after polls close and initial results from Sunday's voting are expected by around midnight (2200 GMT).
Persons: Sauli Niinistö, Eve Kinnunen, Alexander Stubb, Pekka Haavisto, Stubb, Haavisto, Jussi Halla, Olli Rehn, Niinistö, Vladimir Putin of Organizations: Nordic, NATO, Union, National Coalition Party, United Nations, Finns, Bank of Finland, Associated Press, Green League Locations: Espoo, Finland, Russia, United States, China, Helsinki, Sunday's, Europe, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Nordic, Finland's, Sweden, Hungary
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