Jailed former oil tycoon accuses Russian prosecutors of withholding exonerating evidenceSeptember 30th, 2009 Jailed Russian tycoon says state hiding evidenceMOSCOW — Jailed former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky is accusing Russian prosecutors of withholding evidence exonerating him of new charges that could keep him in prison for decades. Khodorkovsky — once Russia's richest man — is charged with embezzling more than $25 billion worth of oil from subsidiaries of his former oil major oil company, Yukos, and laundering most of the proceeds.
Activists say they'll have only minutes to talk with Obama about Russia's poor rights recordJuly 6th, 2009 Russian rights activists seek Obama's earMOSCOW — Some prominent Russian human rights activists said Monday they fear they won't be able to talk frankly and in detail about Russia's checkered rights record when they meet briefly with President Barack Obama during the summit. Leaders of the country's leading human rights groups, including the Moscow Helsinki Group and Memorial, hope to speak with Obama in a gathering of civic groups Tuesday on the sidelines of the two-day meeting.
In Russian newspaper interview, Obama says he backs Medvedev efforts to strengthen rule of lawJuly 5th, 2009 Obama backs Medvedev's judicial reformsMOSCOW — President Barack Obama said strengthening human rights and the rule of law in Russia should be a part of the much-heralded "reset" in U.S.-Russian relations, according to an interview with an embattled Russian opposition newspaper. Obama also said he applauded President Dmitry Medvedev's efforts to reform Russia's creaky judicial system, according excerpts released by Novaya Gazeta before Obama's arrival Monday in Moscow, when the full interview to be published.
Wife of Astor's 85-year-old son says husband suffered mild stroke 2 weeks agoJune 23rd, 2009 Wife: Astor's 85-year-old son had mild strokeNEW YORK — The wife of Brooke Astor's son, Anthony Marshall, says her husband suffered a mild stroke two weeks ago. Charlene Marshall disclosed the stroke Monday outside the courtroom where her husband is on trial on charges of looting his late mother's $198 million estate.
Jailed former Yukos CEO Khodorkovsky says Russian court reform must be Medvedev's top priorityJune 15th, 2009 Khodorkovsky: Court reform crucial for RussiaMOSCOW — Ridding Russia's court system of corruption and political pressure is crucial to the country's future and must take precedence over other reforms, jailed former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky said in an article published Monday. Efforts to enforce the rule of law or improve Russian democracy — two goals President Dmitry Medvedev has voiced — will not succeed without independent courts, Khodorkovsky said.
Russian navy ship accidentally shells village near St. Petersburg; no injuries reportedMay 29th, 2009 Russia: Village accidentally shelled; no injuriesST. PETERSBURG, Russia — A Russian naval ship carrying out target practice off the Russian Baltic Sea coast accidentally rained shell fragments on a village near St.
Kremlin opponent Garry Kasparov spars with prosecutor during break in Khodorkovsky trialApril 29th, 2009 Kasparov confronts prosecutor in Khodorkovsky caseMOSCOW — Kremlin opponent Garry Kasparov attended the trial of onetime billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky on Wednesday, getting in a brief, heated exchange with one of the Russian prosecutors during a recess. The impromptu debate took place a few feet from the glass defendant's cage where Khodorkovsky and his co-defendant, Platon Lebedev, stood watching.
Chess champion Garry Kasparov stages guerrilla protest at Khodorkovsky trialApril 29th, 2009 Kasparov stages guerrilla protest at Moscow trialMOSCOW — Chess master Garry Kasparov staged the latest of his guerrilla hit-and-run protests against the Kremlin on Wednesday, showing up at the criminal trial of a former billionaire and engaging in a brief, heated debate with one of the prosecutors. Spectators gawked and whispered when Kasparov sat on a front bench in the courtroom where Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, is being tried on charges he embezzled billions of dollars while he was the chief of the Yukos Oil Company.
Husband: Yukos lawyer who gave birth while in detention freed from prison clinicApril 27th, 2009 Husband: Ex-Yukos lawyer freed from prison clinicMOSCOW — A former Yukos oil company lawyer who gave birth while serving a prison sentence for embezzlement and tax evasion was released along with her child from a prison hospital on Monday, her husband said. Svetlana Bakhmina, 40, had been in custody since her arrest in December 2004.
Russia begins second trial of KhodorkovskyMarch 31st, 2009 MOSCOW - A Moscow court Tuesday rejected jailed ex-tycoon and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky's request that state oil company Rosneft be removed from a list of complainants in the second trial against him. The Khamovnichesky court began hearings Tuesday on new charges against Khodorkovsky of embezzling about $50 billion from his former company Yukos's affiliate, which could see his jail term extended by 21 years.
Scientology to be put on trial in France for fraudJanuary 28th, 2009 PARIS - The Church of Scientology, a controversial self-styled religion with many well-known Hollywood adherents, will be tried in Paris on charges of organised fraud, France-Info radio has reported. If found guilty, the church could be declared illegal and disbanded.
London Evening Standard sold to ex-Soviet spyJanuary 20th, 2009 LONDON - Loss-making London newspaper the Evening Standard has been sold to Russian oligarch and former KGB officer Alexander Lebedev for a 'nominal sum', its current owners announced Wednesday. The Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT) said London's traditional eveninger has been bought by Evening Press, a company formed by Lebedev and his son Evgeny Lebedev and owned by Lebedev Holdings.
US student goes on trial for murder in ItalyJanuary 15th, 2009 PERUGIA - Media frenzy surrounded the opening Friday of a trial in which a US college student and her Italian former boyfriend are accused of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate. Scores of reporters, including many from the US and Britain, packed a courthouse in Perugia where Amanda Knox from Seattle and Raffaele Sollecito appeared in front of an eight-member jury, the ANSA news agency reported.
Ex-KGB man set to buy London Evening Standard?January 14th, 2009 LONDON - A Russian billionaire and former KGB spy is set to buy a 150-year-old British newspaper, according to reports Thursday. Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev was reported to have made an offer for securing a controlling stake in the London Evening Standard, which is owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT).
'Russian billionaire in bid to buy British paper'January 8th, 2009 LONDON - A Russian billionaire and former KGB agent's approach to buy the Evening Standard, London's traditional daily, has been rebuffed by its owners, according to media reports Friday. Viscount Rothermere, the controlling shareholder of the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), rebuffed an approach by Alexander Lebedev, former first director of the Soviet spy agency KGB, who made his fortune from banking, the Times reported.
Loading ...