More than $20 billion worth of Russian money gathered under the high ceilings of New York’s Neue Galerie on Monday evening to open a new exhibit featuring the private collection of one of the country’s top bankers — and to promote the new oil company he has just taken part in founding.

Alibaba is hoping to re-create March Madness in November. The Chinese online shopping giant is teaming up with top leagues in the National Collegiate Athletic Association to stream the first regular-season games played in the country online. 

Havana-born Cueto’s permanent domicile is two connected apartments in Northwest Washington that he has transformed into a private museum and archive of all things Cuban. Visiting scholars and diplomats come away stunned by one of the most significant personal collections of Cuban culture in the world. 

Within a global society increasingly vexed by income inequality, conflict and environmental challenges, he and other event participants argued that the only smart long-term businessmove is to demonstrate a tangible commitment to the larger good. 

Even as the Narendra Modi government talks big about projecting India’s soft power, India’s main instrument for cultural diplomacy continues to wallow in severe fund crunch, forcing it to now open new cultural centres abroad only in collaboration with private organisations.

To the outside world, the rapport between India and Pakistan is characterised by the political tensions that have simmered, and at times boiled over, since partition in 1947. Yet contemporary art is an arena in which the two nations enjoy a more fruitful relationship.

As his real estate and entertainment empire expands overseas, Mr. Wang, 60, has emerged as the rare private-sector tycoon in a position to advance Beijing’s interests abroad, with clout in industries and communities around the world.

The National Basketball Association wasted little time reaching out to Cuba. But lingering enmity toward the communist nation may force the NBA—and other sports leagues—to proceed with caution.