~theguardian-world | Bookmarks (6)

Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin face at least two years’ jail on ‘extremism’ charges, which they deny, amid continuing crackdown on dissentTwo Russian journalists have been arrested on “extremism” charges and ordered by courts there to remain in custody pending investigation and trial on accusations of working for a group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both...

Traditional affinity between Conservatives and the newspaper has given way to a complex, splintered drama, and the attempted acquisition by Gulf-backed RedBird IMI lies in limboWith the Conservative party trailing Labour by nearly 20 points in the polls, it needs all the help it can get if it is going to have a fighting chance at the next election.So Downing Street strategists privately wonder...

The Princess of Wales’s video was intended to calm the fevered speculation about her but may just spark yet more incessant coverageWhen she met Prince William, the heir to the British throne, more than 20 years ago at St Andrews University, Catherine, the Princess of Wales had her first taste of the appetite for news about her life and her budding romantic involvement with...

Proposed law bans foreign states and government officials from holding direct stakes in UK newspapersThe UAE-backed bid for the Telegraph group appears to be dead in the water after the UK published proposed laws that ban foreign states or government officials from holding any direct stakes in newspaper assets.Foreign states and government officials will be banned from holding any direct stakes in newspaper assets...

New legislation could thwart planned £600m purchase of media group by UAE-backed consortiumThe UK government plans to introduce legislation that would prevent foreign governments owning UK newspapers and news magazines in a significant move that could scupper the planned £600m sale of the Telegraph to a United Arab Emirates-backed consortium.RedBird IMI – a partnership between a fund backed by the UAE’s vice-president, Sheikh Mansour...

Reach chief tells staff to face ‘inconvenient truth’ over print but says digital will stabilise profitabilityThe boss of the publisher of the Mirror, Express and Star newspapers has warned staff they have to face the “inconvenient truth” that its print titles will become loss-making in as soon as five years.The chief executive of Reach, which also owns scores of regional titles including the Manchester...