Russia oil firm stops work in Venezuela

Russia’s state-controlled oil giant Rosneft announced Saturday it had stopped operations in Venezuela and sold its assets to a company wholly owned by the Russian government in a shakeup of a key economic lifeline for embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil producer, had taken over an increasing share of Venezuela’s oil industry and reaped huge profits from exporting its crude, propping up the Maduro regime in the process.

But it was unclear whether the move would alter the Russian relationship with Maduro, or whether it amounted to an attempt to dodge U.S. sanctions and assuage the fears of Rosneft’s foreign investors.

In February, the Trump administration announced sanctions against the trading and marketing arm of Rosneft, but not the parent company, Rosneft Oil. Two weeks ago, the Treasury Department blacklisted TNK Trading International, a Swiss-based unit of Rosneft, ramping up its pressure campaign on the Russian oil ties to Venezuela.

Rosneft’s chairman, Igor Sechin, is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has supervised the company’s Venezuela operations. Both Rosneft and Mr. Sechin are also under limited U.S. sanctions related to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Global companies, including BP and the Qatar Investment Authority, own substantial minority stakes in Rosneft, which said it was selling its Venezuelan operations to “protect” its shareholders.

North Korea fires ‘unidentified projectile’

North Korea fired an “unidentified projectile” toward the Sea of Japan on Saturday, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, citing the military Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul.

No further details were immediately available.

North Korea has test-fired a number of ballistic missiles this month, following a threemonth pause. Sunday’s launch is believed to be the North’s fourth major weapons test this year.

Hanks, Wilson return to U.S. after quarantine

Actor Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson returned to the U.S. on Friday, weeks after testing positive in Australia for COVID-19.

The New York Post reported that Mr. Hanks, 63, was seen stretching down to touch the tarmac then doing a celebration dance after the plane arrived in Los Angeles.

Mr. Hanks and Ms. Wilson were hospitalized briefly on Australia’s Gold Coast after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in March. They then spent time in selfisolation but checked in with fans via social media.