Coronavirus, Johnson's government reshuffle, Griveaux's private life, Parasite's Oscar win
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For some, the vacation from hell is over. Cambodian leader Hun Sen welcomed passengers from the M-S Westerdam that set sail from Singapore on January 16. The coronavirus outbreak had Thailand and others refusing entry, despite there being no confirmed cases aboard. Meanwhile, the ordeal continues for most of the 3,700 aboard the Diamond Princess, quarantined in the port of Yokohama since February 3. With 218 confirmed cases aboard, Japan's now allowing those 80 years or more, those in frail health or those in windowless cabins to disembark, but only if they test negative.
After his landslide general election win and Brexit Day, Boris Johnson's long-awaited cabinet reshuffle showed no change in political direction. Instead, the only high profile change signalled a consolidation of the PM's power. Finance minister Savid Javid was forced to resign when Johnson insisted he sack all of his political advisors and replace them with those vetted by Number 10.
He was already in trouble, running a distant third in the race for Paris mayor one month from now. Emmanuel Macron's "eminence grise" Benjamin Griveaux has thrown in the towel after an exiled Russian performance artist published a private video of the married father of three masturbating for his mistress. All of Griveaux's rivals unanimously denounced the intrusion into his private life. But Russian artist Piotr Pavlensky justifies his act by Griveaux's stage managing of his family life.
And it was a hero's welcome for the cast of Parasite at Seoul's Incheon Airport after the South Korean film become the first-ever foreign language movie to win Best Picture.
It even prompted applause at the very top.
Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Juliette Laurain and Laura Burloux.
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