themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--5K Moscow Teachers, Doctors Sign Up for Coronavirus Vaccination on First Day

Online vaccination bookings for high-risk groups opened in the Russian capital Friday after President Vladimir Putin ordered large-scale nationwide immunization — hours after Britain became the first western country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech ’ s Covid-19 for general use — to start late next week .
Moscow ’ s teachers , doctors and social workers are signing up at a rate of 1,000 per hour for the Russian capital ’ s coronavirus vaccination drive that kicks off Saturday , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has said .
“ In the first five hours , 5,000 people signed up for inoculation , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before vaccination centers are expected to open .
“ These are teachers , doctors , social workers , those who risk their health and life the most.
” Authorities , who estimate that over 100,000 Russians at higher risk of Covid-19 have already received the Russian-made Sputnik V jab , have said the nationwide vaccination program would be free and voluntary .
Putin has said that around 2 million Sputnik V vaccine doses have either already been produced or will be manufactured in the coming days .
The two-dose jab is still undergoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety and efficacy among 40,000 volunteers .
Its developers , who received government approval in August , say interim results of Phase 3 trials show Sputnik V to be 95 % effective .
“ The complex Covid-19 vaccination process has been put in motion , ” Sobyanin said in his short message Friday .

Online vaccination bookings for high-risk groups opened in the Russian capital Friday after President Vladimir Putin ordered large-scale nationwide immunization — hours after Britain became the first western country to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 for general use — to start late next week.
Moscow’s teachers, doctors and social workers are signing up at a rate of 1,000 per hour for the Russian capital’s coronavirus vaccination drive that kicks off Saturday, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has said .
“In the first five hours, 5,000 people signed up for inoculation,” the mayor wrote on his website 24 hours before vaccination centers are expected to open.
“These are teachers, doctors, social workers, those who risk their health and life the most.”
Authorities, who estimate that over 100,000 Russians at higher risk of Covid-19 have already received the Russian-made Sputnik V jab, have said the nationwide vaccination program would be free and voluntary.
Putin has said that around 2 million Sputnik V vaccine doses have either already been produced or will be manufactured in the coming days.
The two-dose jab is still undergoing the final phase of clinical trials for safety and efficacy among 40,000 volunteers. Its developers, who received government approval in August, say interim results of Phase 3 trials show Sputnik V to be 95% effective.
“The complex Covid-19 vaccination process has been put in motion,” Sobyanin said in his short message Friday.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--Russia’s Mixed Censorship Model Is a Boon for Online Activism

The rapid spread of mobile internet around the world over the last decade has directly contributed to falling levels of trust in government and a surge in populism , according to a recent paper by a group of Russian economists .
The research shows that as 3G internet spreads , millions of people gain access to new sources of information , leading to growing skepticism toward authorities and the establishment — phenomena which have characterized the global political economy since the 2008 financial crisis .
The effect is particularly pronounced in countries with unbalanced censorship models — like Russia — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online space and the flow of information is comparatively freer .
“ With the arrival of 3G [ in a country or region ] , government approval falls , ” said Yekaterina Zhuravskaya , a professor at the Paris School of Economics and one of the authors of the paper in a lecture at Russia ’ s independent New Economic School last month .
“ The effect is stronger if alternative channels of information are missing or censored — in particular when traditional media is controlled , ” she added .
“ For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no relationship : 3G expands , but government approval does n't fall.
” Russian anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny is a prime example of the trend , Sergei Guriev , co-author of the paper , told The Moscow Times .
His online campaigning machine has propelled him to be the country ’ s leading opposition voice .
Guriev cited Navalny ’ s widely-watched investigation into the alleged corruption of ex-President Dmitry Medvedev as one the world ’ s clearest cases of the research in action .
“ This is the biggest anti-corruption investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career .
Can he be prime minister or president today ?
No — and it ’ s because of this investigation , ” Guriev said .
Navalny ’ s film — which alleges that Medvedev used a network of charities to build up his wealth and property , including a $ 350 million country estate — has racked up more than 36 million views since it was released in 2017 .
Independent polling showed an immediate fall in Medvedev ’ s approval ratings after it was released .
One state-controlled firm stopped publishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Vladimir Putin sacked Medvedev as prime minister in January 2020 , in a move believed to be linked to his failure to deliver results on Russia ’ s ambitious “ National Projects ” socio-economic program .
“ It was a very effective film — it showed that the internet can disseminate information about corruption .
It is completely in line with our findings that 3G helps inform the public about corruption — and that the impact is especially strong when traditional media is censored.
” Russia has had mixed success in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While some websites are blocked and rights groups have raised fears over various drives toward online sovereignty , using the internet to target opponents and snooping on user data , a plethora of online independent media outlets still reach large audiences and campaigners such as Navalny have had success in reaching out to younger Russians through YouTube and Facebook .
“ Every year the authorities try to censor YouTube more and more .
The reason is growing discontent combined with the ability to communicate online .
This makes the Russian government nervous.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — without having a decent alternative in place — would be a high-risk move .
Russia ’ s years-long fight against messenger app Telegram and failed government efforts to foster state-controlled messengers , search engines and browsers , shows the technical difficulties Moscow faces in reining in the internet space .
While Russia is one of the leading examples of how the spread of mobile internet has led to rising dissatisfaction in government , its autocratic political model means this has not translated into significant electoral gains , Guriev said .
It also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in European , U.S. or Brazilian-style populism .
“ In Europe , we show how 10 years of growth in 3G internet has helped populist politicians .
In many countries , we would say that the growth of 3G brought populists into power .
But Russia is not a country where you should be worried about populism , because it ’ s not a democratic country.
” Both Putin and Navalny have been seen by some as Russian populists .
Guriev disputed this view — his “ lowest common denominator ” definition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-establishment and anti-pluralist , meaning Putin would fall short on the first charge and Navalny on the second .
However , he added that both the Kremlin and Navalny are skilled internet campaigners — a trait they share with other populists like Donald Trump , Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Marine Le Pen in France .
This sets Putin apart from some other autocrats , including Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus .
But Guriev said that were it not for the Kremlin ’ s near-complete domination of Russia ’ s electoral architecture , Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political campaign and messaging .
“ Russia is unique in a few areas .
It stands out as a country which is very autocratic and yet very well-educated.
” Multiple papers have shown that the correlation and causal relationship between education levels and democracy is very high .
“ So , why isn ’ t Russia democratizing ?
It has high levels of education — but not in social science or humanities , where it ’ s still pretty bad .
Russian history textbooks are Soviet history textbooks .
In that sense , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinking.
” This fact , he added , “ makes the population susceptible to propaganda ” in the form of state-directed messaging and narratives played out on the highly-controlled traditional media .
Should Russia open up , that could change .
“ Once we have democracy , I ’ m sure Russia will have something like Donald Trump or Bolsonaro .
But not yet , ” Guriev said .
The Moscow Times is a media partner of the New Economic School ’ s lecture series in memory of Alberto Alesina , where Yekaterina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of mobile internet on trust in governments .

The rapid spread of mobile internet around the world over the last decade has directly contributed to falling levels of trust in government and a surge in populism, according to a recent paper by a group of Russian economists. The research shows that as 3G internet spreads, millions of people gain access to new sources of information, leading to growing skepticism toward authorities and the establishment — phenomena which have characterized the global political economy since the 2008 financial crisis. The effect is particularly pronounced in countries with unbalanced censorship models — like Russia — where traditional media is heavily controlled while online space and the flow of information is comparatively freer. “With the arrival of 3G [in a country or region], government approval falls,” said Yekaterina Zhuravskaya, a professor at the Paris School of Economics and one of the authors of the paper in a lecture at Russia’s independent New Economic School last month. “The effect is stronger if alternative channels of information are missing or censored — in particular when traditional media is controlled,” she added. “For countries which censor the internet, there is no relationship: 3G expands, but government approval doesn't fall.”
Russian anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny is a prime example of the trend, Sergei Guriev, co-author of the paper, told The Moscow Times. His online campaigning machine has propelled him to be the country’s leading opposition voice. Guriev cited Navalny’s widely-watched investigation into the alleged corruption of ex-President Dmitry Medvedev as one the world’s clearest cases of the research in action. “This is the biggest anti-corruption investigation in Russia. It cost Medvedev his career. Can he be prime minister or president today? No — and it’s because of this investigation,” Guriev said. Navalny’s film — which alleges that Medvedev used a network of charities to build up his wealth and property, including a $350 million country estate — has racked up more than 36 million views since it was released in 2017. Independent polling showed an immediate fall in Medvedev’s approval ratings after it was released. One state-controlled firm stopped publishing figures on then-prime minister’s popularity. President Vladimir Putin sacked Medvedev as prime minister in January 2020, in a move believed to be linked to his failure to deliver results on Russia’s ambitious “National Projects” socio-economic program. “It was a very effective film — it showed that the internet can disseminate information about corruption. It is completely in line with our findings that 3G helps inform the public about corruption — and that the impact is especially strong when traditional media is censored.” Russia has had mixed success in cracking down on freedom of speech online. While some websites are blocked and rights groups have raised fears over various drives toward online sovereignty, using the internet to target opponents and snooping on user data, a plethora of online independent media outlets still reach large audiences and campaigners such as Navalny have had success in reaching out to younger Russians through YouTube and Facebook.
Guriev called the Google-owned video sharing platform Russia’s “most important political battleground.” “Every year the authorities try to censor YouTube more and more. The reason is growing discontent combined with the ability to communicate online. This makes the Russian government nervous.” Any attempt to completely block YouTube — without having a decent alternative in place — would be a high-risk move. Russia’s years-long fight against messenger app Telegram and failed government efforts to foster state-controlled messengers, search engines and browsers, shows the technical difficulties Moscow faces in reining in the internet space. Russian Populism While Russia is one of the leading examples of how the spread of mobile internet has led to rising dissatisfaction in government, its autocratic political model means this has not translated into significant electoral gains, Guriev said. It also means Russia has not seen a surge in European, U.S. or Brazilian-style populism. “In Europe, we show how 10 years of growth in 3G internet has helped populist politicians. In many countries, we would say that the growth of 3G brought populists into power. But Russia is not a country where you should be worried about populism, because it’s not a democratic country.” Both Putin and Navalny have been seen by some as Russian populists. Guriev disputed this view — his “lowest common denominator” definition of populism is that somebody must be both anti-establishment and anti-pluralist, meaning Putin would fall short on the first charge and Navalny on the second. However, he added that both the Kremlin and Navalny are skilled internet campaigners — a trait they share with other populists like Donald Trump, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Marine Le Pen in France. This sets Putin apart from some other autocrats, including Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--Russia Suffers New Blow in $50Bln Yukos Case

Russia was ordered to make the payout in 2014 by the Hague-based international Permanent Court of Arbitration ( PCA ) , but has been challenging the case ever since through Dutch courts .
The Netherlands ' top court ruled Friday that shareholders in dismantled oil giant Yukos can continue to pursue Russia for $ 50 billion ( 41 billion euros ) in compensation pending a final judgement in a long legal saga .
In a fresh blow to Moscow , the Dutch Supreme Court `` dismissed the Russian Federation 's application to suspend enforcement '' of the payout while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
`` The Supreme Court ’ s decision means that the former shareholders can continue to enforce the arbitral awards pending its final judgment , '' the Dutch court said .
Lawyers for both sides would argue their cases before the supreme court in early 2021 , it said .
The 2014 ruling in favor of Yukos shareholders was a record award for the PCA , which arbitrates in disputes that arise out of international agreements between countries , international organizations or private litigants .
The PCA ruled that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mid-2000s with excessive tax claims and then sold off its assets to state-owned companies .
In a shock turnaround a local Dutch court in 2016 annulled the PCA 's decision , saying it was `` not competent '' to rule on the issue .
But the Dutch appeals court then again overturned that ruling in February , prompting Russia to take the case all the way to the Netherlands ' highest court .

Russia was ordered to make the payout in 2014 by the Hague-based international Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), but has been challenging the case ever since through Dutch courts.
The Netherlands' top court ruled Friday that shareholders in dismantled oil giant Yukos can continue to pursue Russia for $50 billion (41 billion euros) in compensation pending a final judgement in a long legal saga.
In a fresh blow to Moscow, the Dutch Supreme Court "dismissed the Russian Federation's application to suspend enforcement" of the payout while the court deals with the case, it said in a statement.
"The Supreme Court’s decision means that the former shareholders can continue to enforce the arbitral awards pending its final judgment," the Dutch court said.
Lawyers for both sides would argue their cases before the supreme court in early 2021, it said.
The 2014 ruling in favor of Yukos shareholders was a record award for the PCA, which arbitrates in disputes that arise out of international agreements between countries, international organizations or private litigants.
The PCA ruled that Russia had forced Yukos into bankruptcy in the mid-2000s with excessive tax claims and then sold off its assets to state-owned companies.
In a shock turnaround a local Dutch court in 2016 annulled the PCA's decision, saying it was "not competent" to rule on the issue.
But the Dutch appeals court then again overturned that ruling in February, prompting Russia to take the case all the way to the Netherlands' highest court.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--Kazakhstan to Launch Production of Russian Vaccine

Russia last month said its Sputnik V drug was 95 % effective and would be cheaper and easier to store than some alternatives .
Ex-Soviet Kazakhstan said Friday it will begin producing Russia 's coronavirus vaccine later this month , becoming the latest country to do so as a global inoculation race heats up .
President Vladimir Putin has called on Moscow 's allies to mass produce the country 's vaccines .
In a statement on Friday , Kazakhstan 's presidency said the country would begin producing Sputnik V from Dec. 22 , with plans to begin inoculating vulnerable groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sputnik V — named after the Soviet-era satellite — have said the jab will be available on international markets for less than $ 10 ( 8.40 euros ) per dose .
They have also said it can be stored at between two and eight degrees Celsius ( between 35.6 and 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit ) instead of the temperatures far below freezing required for some other vaccines .
Russia was one of the first to announce the development of a vaccine in August but before beginning final clinical trials .
The jab is currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinical trials slated to involve some 40,000 volunteers .
Western experts have in the past expressed concern over Sputnik V , fearing that its development could be rushed .
Several welcomed the most recent efficacy figures , though they said more data was needed .
Russia 's trade and industry ministry on Thursday said it had delivered samples of the vaccine to Uzbekistan .
The ministry added that the country has agreed to production deals with countries including India , Brazil , China and South Korea .
On Friday Serbia announced it had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ V. Last month Russia sent samples of the vaccine to EU member Hungary , in the face of concerns from Brussels .

Russia last month said its Sputnik V drug was 95% effective and would be cheaper and easier to store than some alternatives.
Ex-Soviet Kazakhstan said Friday it will begin producing Russia's coronavirus vaccine later this month, becoming the latest country to do so as a global inoculation race heats up.
President Vladimir Putin has called on Moscow's allies to mass produce the country's vaccines.
In a statement on Friday, Kazakhstan's presidency said the country would begin producing Sputnik V from Dec. 22, with plans to begin inoculating vulnerable groups in early 2021.
The developers of Sputnik V — named after the Soviet-era satellite — have said the jab will be available on international markets for less than $10 (8.40 euros) per dose.
They have also said it can be stored at between two and eight degrees Celsius (between 35.6 and 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit) instead of the temperatures far below freezing required for some other vaccines.
Russia was one of the first to announce the development of a vaccine in August but before beginning final clinical trials.
The jab is currently in its third and final stage of clinical trials slated to involve some 40,000 volunteers.
Western experts have in the past expressed concern over Sputnik V, fearing that its development could be rushed.
Several welcomed the most recent efficacy figures, though they said more data was needed.
Russia's trade and industry ministry on Thursday said it had delivered samples of the vaccine to Uzbekistan.
The ministry added that the country has agreed to production deals with countries including India, Brazil, China and South Korea.
On Friday Serbia announced it had received a 20-dose trial batch of Sputnik V.
Last month Russia sent samples of the vaccine to EU member Hungary, in the face of concerns from Brussels.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--Russia Eyes ‘Prison-Free’ Cities

Russia Eyes ‘Prison-Free’ Cities

Justice Minister Konstantin Chuichenko told state television that the mass prison relocation is part of the Federal Prison Service ’ s “ transformation ” toward “ effective and reasonable ” management .
Russia ’ s penitentiary system has been rocked by a series of torture and death scandals in recent years .
Russian authorities have said they want to relocate all prisons out of major cities , sparking concerns from activists that the move could violate prisoners ’ rights and complicate visits by lawyers and relatives .
“ The goal of this pilot project is to remove the reality of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Chuichenko told the state-run Rossia 24 broadcaster Thursday .
Chuichenko did not give a timeframe for the “ optimization , ” saying only that the Justice Ministry is currently drafting development concepts and legal proposals .
The mass prison transfer is part of the ministry ’ s three-pronged mission to “ defend statehood , guarantee citizens ’ rights and freedoms and ensure the rule of law , ” he said .
Family members and lawyers will find it difficult to visit prisoners relocated to far-flung regions , argued Ilya Shablinsky , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group human rights organization .
“ Considering the current [ coronavirus ] situation , this will complicate everything : the delivery of food , mail and everything else , ” Shablisnky told the RBC news website .
Nikolai Svanidze , a member of the presidential Human Rights Council , said he sees nothing wrong with moving prisoners immediately outside city limits .
But incarcerating them “ somewhere in the desert steppe 500 kilometers away would certainly be terrible , ” he told RBC .
Moscow-based Higher School of Economics 2015 research said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detention centers are located within city limits in major Russian urban centers .
Penal colonies in remote regions are a relic of the Soviet era , when the authorities had built them with the aim of developing infrastructure and promoting settlement in those areas .

Justice Minister Konstantin Chuichenko told state television that the mass prison relocation is part of the Federal Prison Service’s “transformation” toward “effective and reasonable” management. Russia’s penitentiary system has been rocked by a series of torture and death scandals in recent years.
Russian authorities have said they want to relocate all prisons out of major cities, sparking concerns from activists that the move could violate prisoners’ rights and complicate visits by lawyers and relatives.
“The goal of this pilot project is to remove the reality of incarceration from our people in our cities,” Chuichenko told the state-run Rossia 24 broadcaster Thursday.
Chuichenko did not give a timeframe for the “optimization,” saying only that the Justice Ministry is currently drafting development concepts and legal proposals.
The mass prison transfer is part of the ministry’s three-pronged mission to “defend statehood, guarantee citizens’ rights and freedoms and ensure the rule of law,” he said.
Family members and lawyers will find it difficult to visit prisoners relocated to far-flung regions, argued Ilya Shablinsky, a legal expert with the Moscow Helsinki Group human rights organization.
“Considering the current [coronavirus] situation, this will complicate everything: the delivery of food, mail and everything else,” Shablisnky told the RBC news website.
Nikolai Svanidze, a member of the presidential Human Rights Council, said he sees nothing wrong with moving prisoners immediately outside city limits. But incarcerating them “somewhere in the desert steppe 500 kilometers away would certainly be terrible,” he told RBC.
Moscow-based Higher School of Economics 2015 research said that a majority of penal colonies and pre-trial detention centers are located within city limits in major Russian urban centers. Penal colonies in remote regions are a relic of the Soviet era, when the authorities had built them with the aim of developing infrastructure and promoting settlement in those areas.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--1 Dead in Ukraine-Russia Border Shootout – FSB

One person has been killed in a shootout that took place after three armed men tried to illegally cross the @ @ @ @ @ , Russia ’ s Federal Security Service ( FSB ) said Friday .
Russian border @ @ @ @ @ the Ukrainians after they resisted arrest at the border near Belgorod , the state-run TASS @ @ @ @ @ ’ s press service as saying .
One of the individuals was killed while the @ @ @ @ @ FSB said it is currently investigating the incident and has not provided any other details @

One person has been killed in a shootout that took place after three armed men tried to illegally cross the border from Ukraine to Russia, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Friday.
Russian border patrol officers opened fire on the Ukrainians after they resisted arrest at the border near Belgorod, the state-run TASS news agency cited the FSB’s press service as saying. One of the individuals was killed while the two others fled.
The FSB said it is currently investigating the incident and has not provided any other details.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--Russia to Debut ‘Flight to Nowhere’

Russia to Debut ‘Flight to Nowhere’

Passengers will take off from Moscow ’ s Vnukovo International Airport , then land 1.5 hours later at… Vnukovo Airport .
Russia ’ s Pobeda low-cost airline plans to debut its own “ flight to nowhere ” for cooped-up passengers looking to recreate the travel experience this month , popular Pobeda pilot and flight podcast host Alexei Kochemasov has said .
“ We guarantee the crew ’ s kind and attentive attitude , ” Kochemasov wrote on his website .
Kochemasov , who called the Dec. 19 no-destination journey a “ Flight Into the New Year , ” promised “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clouds even if it ’ s overcast.
” Pobeda , a subsidiary of the Russian flag carrier Aeroflot , confirmed to the Meduza news website that the “ flight to nowhere ” will indeed take place on Dec. 19 .
Tickets were on sale for $ 100 on Kochemasov ’ s personal website .
By mid-Friday , the website said the 162-passenger Boeing 737-800 flight was sold out .
Russia grounded all international flights in late March as the coronavirus pandemic spread across the country .
Special evacuation flights and government-authorized family reunification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flights have continued to operate during the pandemic .
In the past several months , Russia has gradually reopened flights to a dozen countries it deemed safe for travel .

Passengers will take off from Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport, then land 1.5 hours later at… Vnukovo Airport.
Russia’s Pobeda low-cost airline plans to debut its own “flight to nowhere” for cooped-up passengers looking to recreate the travel experience this month, popular Pobeda pilot and flight podcast host Alexei Kochemasov has said .
“We guarantee the crew’s kind and attentive attitude,” Kochemasov wrote on his website.
Kochemasov, who called the Dec. 19 no-destination journey a “Flight Into the New Year,” promised “clear skies and the sun above the clouds even if it’s overcast.”
Pobeda, a subsidiary of the Russian flag carrier Aeroflot, confirmed to the Meduza news website that the “flight to nowhere” will indeed take place on Dec. 19.
Tickets were on sale for $100 on Kochemasov’s personal website. By mid-Friday, the website said the 162-passenger Boeing 737-800 flight was sold out.
Russia grounded all international flights in late March as the coronavirus pandemic spread across the country. Special evacuation flights and government-authorized family reunification, medical treatment, qualified-specialist and diplomatic flights have continued to operate during the pandemic.
In the past several months, Russia has gradually reopened flights to a dozen countries it deemed safe for travel.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--Russian Schoolgirl’s Art Picked for J.K. Rowling’s ‘The Ickabog’

Artwork by Yevdokiya “ Dunya ” Obolenskaya , 11 , is among 34 original illustrations chosen out of 42,000 submissions from around the world for Rowling ’ s latest book published earlier in November .
“ Mama had received a text message close to evening saying that I won the contest .
I danced for joy , ” Dunya told the Sever.Realii news website , a northwestern Russia affiliate of the U.S.-funded RFE/RL outlet .
Dunya , who said she aspires to follow in her parents ’ footsteps as an artist when she grows up , worked on her version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandmother ’ s village near the Latvian border in the Pskov region .
Her illustration of the greedy wine-drinking monster is featured on page 107 of “ The Ickabog.
” “ You feel pride and joy when you hold a book with your own illustrations in your hands , ” the young artist told Sever.Realii .
As a prize , Dunya — who had never read Harry Potter or other Rowling books prior to “ The Ickabog ” — was offered 10 books of her own choice in addition to a signed copy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t speak English well but if I met Joanne Rowling , I ’ d thank her for taking me in her book and tell her that it ’ s a very interesting fairytale , ” Dunya said .

Artwork by Yevdokiya “Dunya” Obolenskaya, 11, is among 34 original illustrations chosen out of 42,000 submissions from around the world for Rowling’s latest book published earlier in November.
“Mama had received a text message close to evening saying that I won the contest. I danced for joy,” Dunya told the Sever.Realii news website, a northwestern Russia affiliate of the U.S.-funded RFE/RL outlet.
Dunya, who said she aspires to follow in her parents’ footsteps as an artist when she grows up, worked on her version of the character Lord Spittleworth in her grandmother’s village near the Latvian border in the Pskov region. Her illustration of the greedy wine-drinking monster is featured on page 107 of “The Ickabog.”
“You feel pride and joy when you hold a book with your own illustrations in your hands,” the young artist told Sever.Realii.
As a prize, Dunya — who had never read Harry Potter or other Rowling books prior to “The Ickabog” — was offered 10 books of her own choice in addition to a signed copy of the latest novel.
“I don’t speak English well but if I met Joanne Rowling, I’d thank her for taking me in her book and tell her that it’s a very interesting fairytale,” Dunya said.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-04--Who’s Afraid of Jennifer Psaki?

Who’s Afraid of Jennifer Psaki?

This week ’ s news that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden had chosen Jennifer Psaki as his administration ’ s press secretary sparked a flurry of excitement on Russian state media and social media alike .
“ We are looking forward to Jen 's return , ” said Vladimir Solovyev , a controversial host on the state-run Rossia 1 broadcaster and one of Russia ’ s main spin doctors , following the announcement .
A little-known official in her home country , Psaki is a celebrity in Russia — even if against her will .
Psaki ’ s rise to Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department spokeswoman from 2013-2015 and as the Obama White House ’ s communications director from 2015-2017 , some of the most contentious years in U.S.-Russia relations .
Russian state television pundits and bloggers alike seized on gaffes she made while speaking on Russia-related topics , churning out jokes , satirical memes and videos , and constantly trolling her .
Psaki was also the target of sexist jokes on topics ranging from not knowing who the father of her child is to her lacking knowledge of eastern European geography .
The term “ Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean “ confusing the facts.
” Dmitry Kiselyov , another Kremlin-aligned television host , reminded viewers this week of the time Psaki accidentally said gas supplies flow from western Europe through Ukraine to Russia , not the other way around .
While Psaki corrected herself shortly after making the mistake at a live press briefing , it didn ’ t save her from attacks on her intelligence .
“ This Psaki calmly declares that gas in Europe flows from west to east .
It was she who was going to send a fleet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kiselyov said on his Sunday news program .
Kiselyov also told Russian viewers that Biden ’ s pick of Psaki was a “ symbolic ” gesture of the U.S. ' confrontational approach toward Russia .
Russian lawmakers echoed Kiselyov ’ s statement on the symbolism of Psaki ’ s appointment .
“ The return of Jen Psaki to the team of the elected , according to preliminary data , U.S. President Joe Biden was expected , but the fact that such people occupy high government posts in a nuclear superpower is naturally alarming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the State Duma ’ s International Affairs Committee , told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency .
This time , the attacks on Psaki are coming not just from Russian trolls and state media pundits but also from political opponents at home .
Hosts on the conservative Fox News network took a page from Russia ’ s playbook by ridiculing Psaki for a 2014 photo next to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in which she wears a pink Soviet fur hat .
Incumbent President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the photo , writing : `` Here ’ s Jen Psaki hugging Russia 's Foreign Minister and Russia ’ s chief foreign affairs propagandist while wearing a pink hammer and sickle hat . ''

This week’s news that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden had chosen Jennifer Psaki as his administration’s press secretary sparked a flurry of excitement on Russian state media and social media alike.
“We are looking forward to Jen's return,” said Vladimir Solovyev, a controversial host on the state-run Rossia 1 broadcaster and one of Russia’s main spin doctors, following the announcement.
A little-known official in her home country, Psaki is a celebrity in Russia — even if against her will.
Psaki’s rise to Russian stardom stems from her time as State Department spokeswoman from 2013-2015 and as the Obama White House’s communications director from 2015-2017, some of the most contentious years in U.S.-Russia relations. Russian state television pundits and bloggers alike seized on gaffes she made while speaking on Russia-related topics, churning out jokes, satirical memes and videos, and constantly trolling her.
Psaki was also the target of sexist jokes on topics ranging from not knowing who the father of her child is to her lacking knowledge of eastern European geography. The term “Great Psakiing” was coined in Russian to mean “confusing the facts.”
Dmitry Kiselyov, another Kremlin-aligned television host, reminded viewers this week of the time Psaki accidentally said gas supplies flow from western Europe through Ukraine to Russia, not the other way around. While Psaki corrected herself shortly after making the mistake at a live press briefing, it didn’t save her from attacks on her intelligence.
“This Psaki calmly declares that gas in Europe flows from west to east. It was she who was going to send a fleet to the shores of Belarus,” Kiselyov said on his Sunday news program.
Kiselyov also told Russian viewers that Biden’s pick of Psaki was a “symbolic” gesture of the U.S.' confrontational approach toward Russia.
Russian lawmakers echoed Kiselyov’s statement on the symbolism of Psaki’s appointment.
“The return of Jen Psaki to the team of the elected, according to preliminary data, U.S. President Joe Biden was expected, but the fact that such people occupy high government posts in a nuclear superpower is naturally alarming,” Elena Panina, a member of the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
This time, the attacks on Psaki are coming not just from Russian trolls and state media pundits but also from political opponents at home. Hosts on the conservative Fox News network took a page from Russia’s playbook by ridiculing Psaki for a 2014 photo next to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in which she wears a pink Soviet fur hat.
Incumbent President Donald Trump's campaign spokesperson Matt Wolking also tweeted the photo, writing: "Here’s Jen Psaki hugging Russia's Foreign Minister and Russia’s chief foreign affairs propagandist while wearing a pink hammer and sickle hat."


themoscowtimes--2020-12-05--U.S. Calls for 'Moratorium' on Nord Stream 2 Pipeline — Report

The United States is asking Germany and the EU to halt construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline linking @ @ @ @ @ Washington sees as a `` political tool '' of the Kremlin , a top envoy @ @ @ @ @ interview on Saturday .
`` Now is the time for Germany and the EU to @ @ @ @ @ construction of the pipeline , '' the U.S. acting ambassador to Germany , Robin Quinville @ @ @ @ @ .
That would send a strong signal to Russia that Europe was not willing to @ @ @ @ @ behavior , '' the diplomat said .
`` The pipeline is not only an economic @ @ @ @ @ tool that the Kremlin is using to bypass Ukraine and divide Europe . ''

The United States is asking Germany and the EU to halt construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline linking Russia to Europe, which Washington sees as a "political tool" of the Kremlin, a top envoy said in a German newspaper interview on Saturday.
"Now is the time for Germany and the EU to impose a moratorium on the construction of the pipeline," the U.S. acting ambassador to Germany, Robin Quinville, told business daily Handelsblatt.
That would send a strong signal to Russia that Europe was not willing to accept "its ongoing malicious behavior," the diplomat said.
"The pipeline is not only an economic project but also a political tool that the Kremlin is using to bypass Ukraine and divide Europe."


themoscowtimes--2020-12-05--Moscow Starts Inoculating Vulnerable Workers Against Coronavirus

Moscow on Saturday began vaccinating workers at high risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus at newly opened clinics across @ @ @ @ @ said they had opened 70 coronavirus vaccine centers in the Russian capital that would initially @ @ @ @ @ education and social workers .
`` Citizens from the main risk groups who in connection @ @ @ @ @ into contact with a large number of people can get vaccinated , '' officials said @ @ @ @ @ the first countries to announce the development of a vaccine , Sputnik V — dubbed @ @ @ @ @ in August but before beginning final clinical trials .
It is currently in its third @ @ @ @ @ trials involving some 40,000 volunteers .
Sputnik V 's developers last month said interim results @ @ @ @ @ 95 percent effective and would be cheaper and easier to store than some alternatives .
@ @ @ @ @ human adenovirus vectors and is administered in two doses with a 21-day gap .

Moscow on Saturday began vaccinating workers at high risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus at newly opened clinics across the city.
Health officials said they had opened 70 coronavirus vaccine centers in the Russian capital that would initially offer jabs for health, education and social workers.
"Citizens from the main risk groups who in connection with their professional activities come into contact with a large number of people can get vaccinated," officials said.
Russia was one of the first countries to announce the development of a vaccine, Sputnik V — dubbed after the Soviet-era satellite — in August but before beginning final clinical trials.
It is currently in its third and final stage of clinical trials involving some 40,000 volunteers.
Sputnik V's developers last month said interim results had shown the vaccine was 95 percent effective and would be cheaper and easier to store than some alternatives.
The jab uses two different human adenovirus vectors and is administered in two doses with a 21-day gap.