Day: August 3, 2020
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French Trial Ordered for Alleged Russian Bitcoin Fraudster
A judge in Paris has ordered a French trial for Alexander Vinnik, a Russian suspected of money laundering on the bitcoin exchange BTC-e, also wanted by Washington and Moscow, his lawyer and other sources told AFP. Vinnik was extradited to France in January from Greece, where he had been arrested on an American warrant in…
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8 Arrested in Russia’s First Surrogacy Probe
Eight Russians have been arrested and charged with human trafficking in the country’s first surrogacy probe, and a court on Monday was to consider extending the arrests. Surrogacy is legal in Russia and has been a lucrative business for many years. However, a criminal probe was made possible due to “ambiguities” in legislation, defense lawyer Igor Trunov…
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Russia Sparks Backlash for Allowing Deforestation, Construction Along Lake Baikal
A new Russian law that allows deforestation and construction near the shores of Siberia’s Lake Baikal has sparked backlash among environmental activists who say the law threatens protected natural areas. Lake Baikal, the world’s largest freshwater lake, has been plagued with environmental problems caused by industrial pollution, mining and agricultural run-off. Plans to construct a…
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On and Off the Trans-Siberian Train: The Rapper
Last summer journalist Marina Dmukhovskaya and photographer Georg Wallner took a trip on the Trans-Siberian from Moscow to Vladivostok. For 28 days and almost 10,000 kilometers, they talked to dozens of people in “Seat 47” (Mesto 47) riding next to them. When they returned, they turned 38 conversations into first-person stories. Here is one of…
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The Mischief and Mayhem of Russian Paratroopers’ Day
Each year on Aug. 2, current and former members of Russia’s Airborne Troops meet up to raise a drink (or, more likely, many drinks) to each other’s achievements and remember fallen comrades. The holiday falls on the anniversary of the Soviet military’s first parachute flight, which was held during exercises near the southern Russian city…
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Trump Сalls for New Death Sentence for Boston Marathon Bomber Tsarnaev
U.S. President Donald Trump called Sunday for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to be re-sentenced to death after an appeals court overturned the death penalty. “Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,” Trump tweeted. “So many lives lost and ruined. The Federal Government must again seek the Death…
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Russia Aims to Produce ‘Millions’ of Virus Doses by 2021
Russia said Monday it aims to launch mass production of a coronavirus vaccine next month and turn out “several million” doses per month by next year. The country is pushing ahead with several vaccine prototypes and one trialled by the Gamaleya institute in Moscow has reached advanced stages of development and is about to pass…
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Which Countries Are Open to Russians – and Vice Versa?
Russian authorities could resume all international flights with countries that grant reciprocity as early as Aug. 11, the state-run TASS news agency cited aviation industry sources as saying Saturday. Most flights to and from Russia have been grounded since March 27 in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Russia also closed…
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Russian Mercenaries in Belarus Say They Were ‘On Their Way to See Hagia Sophia’ – Investigators
Some of the 33 Russian mercenaries detained in Belarus told investigators they were on their way to Istanbul to see the Hagia Sophia, the head of Belarus’ Investigative Committee told President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus authorities detained the men last week for allegedly plotting to destabilize the country ahead of the country’s Aug. 9 presidential election.…
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Russia Records Almost 5,400 New Coronavirus Cases
The highest number of new cases were in Moscow, the western Siberian region of Khanty-Mansiysk and Sverdlovsk in the Urals. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military…