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Russia’s economy holds up, but growing challenges test Putin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

Western sanctions have hit Russian banks, wealthy individuals and technology imports. But after a year of far-reaching restrictions aimed at degrading Moscow’s war chest, economic life for ordinary Russians doesn’t look all that different than it did before the invasion of Ukraine.There’s no mass unemployment, no plunging currency, no lines in front of failing banks. The assortment at the supermarket is little changed, with international brands still available or local substitutes taking their place. Crowds might have thinned at some Moscow malls, but not drastically. Some foreign companies like McDonald’s and Starbucks have been taken over by local owners who slapped different names on essentially the same menu.“Economically, nothing has changed,” said Vladimir Zharov, 53, who works in television. “I work as I used to work, I go shopping as I used to. Well, maybe the prices have risen a little bit, but not in such a way that it is very noticeable.”Russia’s economy has weather...

Japan’s Kenzaburo Oe, awarded Nobel for poetic fiction, dies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Nobel literature laureate Kenzaburo Oe, whose darkly poetic novels were built from his childhood memories during Japan’s postwar occupation and from being the parent of a disabled son, has died. He was 88. His publisher, Kodansha Ltd., said in a statement Monday that Oe had died of old age on March 3. The publisher did not give further details about his death and said his funeral was held by his family. Oe in 1994 became the second Japanese author awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.The Swedish Academy cited the author for his works of fiction, in which “poetic force creates an imagined world where life and myth condense to form a disconcerting picture of the human predicament today.”His most searing works were influenced by the birth of Oe’s mentally disabled son in 1963. “A Personal Matter,” published a year later, is the story of a father coming to terms through darkness and pain with the birth of a brain-damaged son. Several of his later works have a damaged or de...

Michelle Yeoh’s mom tearful, proud of ‘little princess’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Michelle Yeoh’s mother cried for joy for her “little princess” when the Malaysian performer became the first Asian to win the best actress Oscar. Yeoh’s family and two Cabinet ministers were among the supporters roaring with joy at Yeoh’s win during a special Academy Awards viewing party in Malaysia on Monday morning. Her trophy for her performance as a laundromat owner was one of seven Oscars for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” including best picture.Janet Yeoh, 84, praised the actor as intelligent and hardworking and a filial daughter.“I so love my daughter and she has made Malaysia proud,” Yeoh told a news conference after the viewing at a cinema in Kuala Lumpur. ”Malaysia Boleh (Malaysia Can)! ”Janet Yeoh said she was immensely proud of “my little princess,” who wanted to be a ballerina before entering the movie world. Yeoh said she pushed her daughter out of her cocoon despite protests from her late husband, a lawyer whom she described a...

An EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence to ensure a stronger and more resilient EU

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

On 10 March, the Commission and the High Representative presented for the first time a Joint Communication on a European Space Strategy for Security and Defence. In the current geopolitical context of increasing power competition and intensification of threats, the EU is taking action to protect its space assets, defend its interests, deter hostile activities in space and strengthen its strategic posture and autonomy.The Strategy outlines the counterspace capabilities and main threats in space that put at risk space systems and their ground infrastructure, building on a common definition of the space domain. The Strategy proposes actions to strengthen the resilience and protection of space systems and services in the EU. It also outlines concrete measures to mobilise relevant EU tools to respond to space threats, including to: expand the existing space threat response mechanism, better detect and identify space objects, characterise inappropriate behaviours in orbit and protect EU a...

The 10 most expensive reported home sales in Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton the week of Feb. 27

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

A house in Danville that sold for $2.1 million tops the list of the most expensive real estate sales in Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton in the past week.In total, 10 real estate sales were recorded in the area during the last week, with an average price of $1.6 million. The average price per square foot ended up at $741.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Feb. 27 even if the property may have been sold earlier.10. $1.2 million, single-family residence in the 2700 block of Mountain Ash LaneThe sale of the single-family home in the 2700 block of Mountain Ash Lane, San Ramon, has been finalized. The price was $1,180,000, and the new owners took over the house in February. The house was built in 2005 and has a living area of 1,647 square feet. The price per square foot was $716. The house features 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.Mountain Ash Lane9. $1.3 million, townhouse in the 500 block of Rolling Hills LaneThe prop...

No masks required, but Japanese fans still wear them at WBC

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese government relaxed its mask-wearing guidelines on Monday, but the vast majority of fans at the Tokyo Dome watching the World Baseball Classic still wore them.Nippon Professional Baseball also issued new guidelines. Spectators will now be allowed to cheer at the Tokyo Dome without wearing masks, which had been prohibited until Sunday, though some bent the rules.The vast majority of people attending games at the Tokyo Dome on Monday were wearing a mask. But there were more maskless fans than the day before, though it was clear many did not know the guidelines had changed.“Most Japanese are still wearing masks, and I’m doing it because I don’t want to be in the minority,” 19-year-old Kanon Shibuya said, standing inside the stadium.The shift away from masks has been slow in Japan, where much of the public wore them even before the COVID-19 pandemic.The Japanese pro team Fukuoka Softbank Hawks announced over the weekend that fans and employees could use their ow...

Publisher says Japanese writer Kenzaburo Oe, who was awarded literature Nobel for his darkly poetic fiction, died at 88

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Publisher says Japanese writer Kenzaburo Oe, who was awarded literature Nobel for his darkly poetic fiction, died at 88.Source

Meneses homers twice, Mexico clobbers US 11-5 in WBC

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Joey Meneses hit two homers, including a crucial three-run shot in the fourth inning, to lead Mexico to an 11-5 win over the United States in the World Baseball Classic on Sunday at Chase Field.Meneses got the sellout crowd of 47,534 — mostly cheering for Mexico — on its feet in the first inning with his first homer, which gave Mexico a 2-0 lead. Those cheers got even louder in the fourth for his encore, which was a blast deep into the left-center seats that brought home Randy Arozarena and Alex Verdugo and made it 7-1.Meneses hit his first homer off starter Nick Martinez, who took the loss, and the second off Brady Singer. Mexico starter Patrick Sandoval gave up one run over three innings, earning the win.The 30-year-old Meneses became an unlikely MLB slugger in 2022 after spending over a decade in the minors and playing overseas. He debuted with the Nationals last season, batting .324 with 13 homers in just 222 at-bats.Mexico kept piling onto the lead in the eighth,...

‘Navalny’ wins Oscar for best documentary

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

“Navalny,” a film about the poisoning and imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, won the Academy Award for best documentary feature in the early hours of Monday morning. Navalny’s two children and his wife Yulia attended the ceremony in Los Angeles, and joined the movie’s director on stage to accept the award.“My husband is in prison just for telling the truth, my husband is in prison just for defending democracy,” Yulia Navalnaya said. “Alexei, I am dreaming about the day you will be free, and our country will be free. Stay strong, my love.”A longtime critic and political opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Navalny, 46, currently languishes in a maximum-security prison about 120 kilometers east of Moscow. He was arrested upon returning to the Russian capital in January 2021, after spending five months in a German hospital to treat a suspected Kremlin-sanctioned nerve agent poisoning. The Russian government...

India enthuses over Oscars for ‘Naatu Naatu,’ elephant doc

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:54 GMT

HYDERABAD, India (AP) — India celebrated its two historic Academy Awards with enthusiasm befitting the high-energy best original song “Naatu Naatu.”The dance anthem from the blockbuster Telugu-language action epic “RRR” is the first from an Indian film to earn a nomination and win and has dazzled audiences everywhere with its energetic tempo and choreography.“The Elephant Whisperers” was named best short documentary at Sunday’s night’s ceremony in a first for an Indian production. The documentary, which is streaming on Netflix, follows the story of a couple in southern India who devote themselves to caring for an orphaned elephant and explores the bond between humans and animals. “Congratulations India” trended on Twitter after “Naatu Naatu” by M.M. Keeravani and Chandrabose trumped the likes of Rihanna and Lady Gaga to win best original song.In the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, where the predominant language is Telugu, fans were elated over the Telugu song’s global...