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This Happened

This Happened - February 26: Oscars Mix-Up

During the 89th Academy Awards ceremony on this day in 2017 , presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway mistakenly announced "La La Land" as the winner of the Best Picture award instead of the actual winner "Moonlight."


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How did the Oscars mix-up happen?

The mistake happened when Beatty and Dunaway were given the wrong envelope for the Best Picture award. The accounting firm responsible for handling the Oscars envelopes, PricewaterhouseCoopers, later issued an apology for the error.

What was the reaction to the Oscars mix-up?

The mistake caused confusion and shock among the audience and those watching the ceremony live on television. The "La La Land" producers were already on stage accepting the award when the mistake was revealed and "Moonlight" was declared the true winner.

Was any action taken in response to the Oscars mix-up?

Yes, in response to the mistake, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced several changes to its voting process and procedures, including a new system for handling and distributing the winning envelopes. The firm responsible for the mistake, PricewaterhouseCoopers, was also replaced by a new accounting firm for the 2018 Oscars.

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FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War

How Much Does Xi Jinping Care About Putin's ICC Arrest Warrant?

After the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow for a three-day visit. How far will he be willing to go to support Putin, a fugitive from international justice?

Photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev

Extended meeting of Russian Interior Ministry board on Monday, March 20

Pierre Haski

-Analysis-

PARIS — Since Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin said last year that the friendship between their nations was "boundless," the world has wondered where the limits really lie. The Chinese president's three-day visit to Russia, which began Monday, gives us an opportunity to assess.

Xi's visit is important in many ways, particularly because the International Criminal Court has just issued an arrest warrant against Putin for his role in forcibly sending thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia. For Putin, there could be no better response to this international court, which he does not recognize, than to appear alongside the president of a great country, which, like Russia, is also a permanent member of the UN Security Council. How isolated can Putin really be, when the leader of 1.5 billion people in China comes to visit?

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