VISUAL REPORTS
Turkish President Shouts Ukrainian Slogan That Rankles Russia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, met on February 3 in Kyiv. During welcoming ceremonies, Erdogan shouted "Glory to Ukraine!" -- a slogan that has been increasingly embraced in Ukraine amid the ongoing war in its eastern regions against Russia-backed separatists.
Inside A Closed Russian Village After Deadly Nuclear Accident
Current Time gained exclusive access to a closed village near a Russian military facility where five people died after an explosion and radiation leak. Residents of Nyonoksa have spent their lives in the shadow of a weapons test site, and while some are unworried, others say there's been a lack of information about possible health risks.
Braving The Icy Cold For Kyrgyz Gold
Gold prospectors in a village on the Naryn River in central Kyrgyzstan must wade through icy water in the middle of winter in the hope of finding a few shiny flakes of gold to help feed and clothe their families.
Living In Latvia: A Chinese Migrant Integrates Despite The Odds
Latvia attracts the most Chinese investment of any Baltic member of the European Union, but that does not always mean that Chinese migrants find it easy to settle here, and doing business remains a challenge.
OTHER NEWS
Pompeo Hails Uzbekistan's 'Progress' On Human Rights
Speaking in Tashkent, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has hailed the “wonderful, rapidly growing” partnership between the United States and Uzbekistan, which he said “deserves praise for its progress on human rights issues.”
Turkey's Erdogan Denounces Russia’s 'Illegitimate' Annexation Of Crimea
On a visit to Kyiv, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, emphasizing that Ankara doesn't recognize Russia’s “illegitimate” takeover of Crimea. Erdogan said Turkey will help build housing for “nearly 500 families” of Crimean Tatars who have relocated to other parts of Ukraine following Crimea’s annexation in March 2014.
Zelenskiy Pledges To Fight Gulen-Linked Organizations
Following a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Ukraine will “fight” organizations linked to Fetullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Islamic preacher from Turkey who is accused by Ankara of having orchestrated a failed coup in Turkey in July 2016. Zelenskiy said he received names and other information from Erdogan that he has already passed to Ukraine’s security service. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
The Kremlin Tries Keynes: Putin’s New Cabinet Looks To Spur Economy With (Big) Spending
Russia’s stock markets hit new highs in the first half of January, its budget has a surplus equal to 1.8 percent of the economy, and its foreign currency reserves are among the largest in the world. Yet, the economy is limping along, and according to some estimates, is on the verge of stagnation.
Chechnya’s Investigative Committee Balks At Investigating Kadyrov’s Calls To ‘Kill’
The Investigative Committee office of Chechnya has refused to investigate calls made by Chehnen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to “kill,” “detain,” and “scare” persons who “insult honor on the Internet, violate the consent among people, and engage in gossip and contention.” The committee stated that Kadyrov’s comments were published by the media with “unreliable translation and an incorrect interpretation.” (Russian Service)
Chechen Blogger Known For Criticizing Kadyrov Reportedly Murdered In France
Chechen blogger Imran Aliyev, known for his criticism of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has been found dead with multiple stab wounds in a hotel in France, according to reports. Aliyev, who resided in Belgium, was known online as Mansur Stary (Old Mansur).
Tehran Stops Sharing Evidence From Plane Crash With Kyiv After Leak
An Iranian official says his country will stop sharing evidence with Kyiv from the crash of a Ukrainian airliner shot down near Tehran last month after Ukrainian media leaked an audio revealing that authorities were aware immediately that a missile may have downed the plane.
Ukrainian Parliament Moves To Change Electoral System
The Ukrainian parliament has given preliminary approval to constitutional amendments that would reduce the number of parliamentarians from 450 to 300, and establish elections on a proportional basis. (Ukrainian Service)
OSCE Hopes Crimean Journalist Semena's Work Will Now Be 'Unhindered'
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir has welcomed a decision by the authorities in Ukraine’s Russian-controlled Crimea region to clear the criminal record of RFE/RL contributor Mykola Semena, insisting that the Crimean journalist shouldn’t have been “persecuted” in the first place for expressing his views.
Lukashenka Says Possible Talks With Moscow Will Be ‘Moment Of Truth’
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week to discuss ongoing disagreements over tariffs for Russian oil. The meeting comes at a crucial time in relations between the two countries, and days after the Belarusian leader met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Kosovo Gets New Government
Kosovo's parliament voted on February 3 to support a new government under Albin Kurti following four months of coalition talks between the Balkan country's two main parties.
Romanian Village Bakes Up A Racism Storm Over Asian Employees
A bakery in a small Romanian village says it will continue to allow a pair of Sri Lankan employees to make bread at its shop in the face of protests from local residents fearing an influx of immigrants.
Turkmen Leader Announces Plans To Raise New City
Turkmenistan's authoritarian leader, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, has ordered the government to allocate $1.5 billion to buy equipment and materials from foreign nations to build a new city from scratch.
POLL: One-Third Of Ukrainians Say They Belong To Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Thirty-four percent of Ukrainians identify with the newly created independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, according to a new poll by the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center. About 14 percent of the public say they are faithful to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. An additional 8.2 percent said they belong to the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church.
PHOTOGALLERY: When Americans Fought A War In Russia