Novali's Condition Is in Torturous Conditions

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Novali is in solitary confinement at a penal colony some 250 kilometers east of Moscow serving prison sentence based on charges that would never have been upheld under an independent legal system. His team is very worried and people close to Novali who are now outside the country communicating with him via his lawyers suspect that he might have actually been poisoned. I don't think anything is impossible in Putin's Russia at the moment it is entirely possible that an order to poison him has gone out but we can't verify that.

In a historic first, the largest rocket ever assembled managed to get off the ground. But then it exploded midair. We ask if this launch can still be called a success. Alexei Navalny is still holed up in tortuous conditions in Russia and could be facing even more charges. And, a tribute to a trendsetting fashion designer.

For a full examination of Alexei Navalny’s story so far — told by the people who know him -- search for our Russia podcast "Next Year in Moscow". Or find it here economist.com/moscowpod

To explore the Starship rocket's potential impact on space travel —and find out why exploding is an important part of SpaceX’s model—listen to a previous episode of our "Babbage" podcast. Find that at economist.com/starship-pod or wherever you listen

And, to access the print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer