- Philippines challenges China over South China Sea at ASEAN meet
- Mets advance on Lindor blast, Dodgers stay alive in MLB playoffs
- Injury-ravaged Krygios aiming to return at Australian Open
- Greek international Baldock, dead at 31: family
- EU talks deportation hubs to stem migration
- Deaths and repression sideline Suu Kyi's party ahead of Myanmar vote
- S. Africa offers a lesson on how not to shut down a coal plant
- China opens $71 bn 'swap facility' to boost markets
- Mets advance on Lindor grand slam, Yankees and Tigers win
- Taiwan President Lai vows to 'resist annexation' of island
- China's solar goes from supremacy to oversupply
- Asian markets track Wall St record as Hong Kong, Shanghai stabilise
- 'Denying my potential': women at Japan's top university call out gender imbalance
- China's central bank says opens up $70.6 bn in liquidity to boost market
- Zelensky on whirlwind tour of Europe ahead of US vote
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- Tigers beat Guardians and on brink of advancing in MLB playoffs
- Argentina MPs back Milei's veto of university funding
- Man City sink Barca in Women's Champions League as Bayern outgun Arsenal
- Greek international Baldock, 31, found dead in pool: state agency
- Florida seaside haven a ghost town as hurricane nears
- Pharrell Williams to co-chair Met Gala exploring Black dandyism
- Wall Street indices hit fresh records as Chinese shares tumble
- Taiwan's president to deliver key speech for National Day
- Sea row on the menu as ASEAN leaders meet China's Li
- Injured Kane won't start England's Nations League clash with Greece
- Discord seen as online home for renegades
- US forecasts severe solar storm starting Thursday
- Mozambique starts tallying votes in tense election
- Zelensky moves to court European leaders in drive for military aid
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- One dead as storm Kirk tears through Spain, Portugal, France
- Indian business titan Ratan Tata dead at 86
- Lebanon facing 'catastrophic' situation as 600,000 displaced: UN
- US warns Israel not to repeat Gaza destruction in Lebanon
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Russian director in Germany after travel ban lifted
Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov was permitted to leave the country and has travelled to Berlin, his team told AFP on Friday.
The 52-year-old is known for his daring films and plays that have earned him the ire of conservatives.
He was convicted in 2020 of embezzling funds at Moscow's Gogol Centre theatre and barred from leaving the country, which his supporters say was revenge for his critiques of authoritarianism and homophobia.
But he was recently informed that, having served half his sentence, he would be permitted to travel.
"I left Russia since I've got an opportunity to do it legally. In Europe I have few important meetings concerning my future projects," Serebrennikov said in a statement to AFP by email.
His team did not say whether he planned to return to Russia.
Serebrennikov is due to soon begin rehearsals for a German opera, "Der Freischutz", in Amsterdam.
He is also due to open the Avignon Festival in France this summer with a new play based on "The Black Monk", a short story by Anton Chekhov.
The travel ban meant Serebrennikov was unable to attend the Cannes Film Festival last year where his film "Petrov's Flu" was competing for Palme d'Or.
P.Silva--AMWN