Dear supporters of the petition, Several important developments took place since our last update. 1) Blavatnik School of Government decided to hold a quiet and low key opening of the new building on 30 November after our petition earlier that month. No journalists or high level figures have been known to attend, although allegedly Blavatnik was present there (the latter information is being verified). The link at BSG site says that the reception will be held in Spring 2016. http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/multimedia/photos/gallery-moving-day We should consider this as our small achievement as Oxford administrators have clearly been afraid to hold a lavish reception now. However, we should not allow them to have a self-praising reception without criticism next year. If they hope that this story will be fizzled out, they should be proven wrong. 2) There are three latest controversies associated with Blavatnik in the US right now, all of which should highlight urgency for the set up of a new due diligence at Oxford: a) Blavatnik's fake bankruptcy discussed in a U.S. court: Nov 9 A U.S. judge on Monday rejected a Chapter 11 plan for Boomerang Tube, a pipe maker for the oil industry, in a bankruptcy that shed light on the aggressive tactics of its private equity owner and hedge fund lender. The bankruptcy pitted the company's owner, billionaire Leonard Blavatnik's Access Industries, and hedge fund lender against its unsecured creditors, who attacked the strategies often used in debt restructurings. In a court filing, the unsecured creditors accused debt investor Black Diamond Capital Management of joining with Access Industries to use bankruptcy to grab control of the company and protect themselves from potential lawsuits. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/10/boomerangtube-bankruptcy-idUSL1N1343AT20151110#qgephULUGtICPBi1.97 b) Controversial music award at Carnegie Hall: Among the issues that financier Ronald O. Perelman cited before he told Carnegie Hall board members Thursday that he will step down as chairman was a seemingly innocuous project: the Warner Music Prize, a new award for young musicians that was to include a $100,000 cash prize, a record deal and a performance at the concert hall.... The prize should be subject to careful review, Mr. Perelman has said, because of Mr. Blavatnik’s board affiliation and because there is value conferred upon Warner Music by its association with Carnegie Hall, according to people close to Mr. Perelman. http://www.wsj.com/articles/an-award-takes-center-stage-in-controversy-at-carnegie-hall-1442616294 http://www.wsj.com/articles/carnegie-hall-board-backs-director-after-outside-review-of-alleged-mismanagement-1447697680 c) Controversial luxury real estate deal in Miami: Critics of the Ocean Terrace plan have also sought to link Scher to a political committee run by term-limited comissioner Jonah Wolfson, recently shut down amid widespread controversy, that raised money from developers and lobbyists and made ads featuring Levine boasting of his accomplishments. They note Alex Blavatnik's brother is multi-billionaire Len Blavatnik, the investor behind the massive Faena District redevelopment project on Collins in mid-Beach, whose controlling corporation contributed $100,000 to Wolfson’s committee. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article41232129.html#storylink=cpy http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article41232129.html 3) Our petition has been covered by French, German and other global press, below are select articles: http://www.lepoint.fr/monde/l-universite-d-oxford-accusee-de-vendre-son-ame-aux-proches-de-poutine-05-11-2015-1979549_24.php http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/universitaet-in-england-oxford-protestiert-1.2722834 http://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/economia/educacao/detalhe/universidade_de_oxford_criticada_por_aceitar_donativo_de_75_milhoes_de_libras.html 4) ...And in industry press dealing with architecture, philanthropy and university press outside Oxbridge: Oxford’s dreaming spires… and hard cash http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/nov/15/oxford-university-architecture-dreaming-spires-hard-cash Oxford Draws Fire Over Big 2010 Gift From Putin Ally https://philanthropy.com/article/Oxford-Draws-Fire-Over-Big/234120 Oxford criticised over oligarch's £75m donation http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20151107082616222 Oxford University accept £75 million donation from oligarch http://mancunion.com/2015/11/11/oxford-university-accept-75-million-donation-oligarch/ 5) Since the launch of the petition many new distinguished people, including dissidents and academics, students and alumni, have joined open and closed lists. What matters is not the number but quality of people that support this cause and tenacity to uphold public pressure on Oxford administrators. Please share the above articles and this petition with people who you think share our concern. The story remains largely untold as we have many more details to reveal about how bad the 2008-2010 due diligence process was and what vested interests are connected to oligarchs and their backers in the Kremlin.