VISUAL REPORTS
No Gas, No Paved Road: Georgian Village Considers Election Boycott
Like other areas in Georgia, the 300-person village of Davitiani is poverty-stricken, struggling with a lack of income and infrastructure. To get officials’ attention, the residents of this predominantly ethnic Russian settlement in the eastern vineyard region of Kakheti is considering boycotting Georgia’s October 2020 parliamentary elections.
Love Triumphs Over Bosnia's Segregated Schools
There are still dozens of schools in Bosnia-Herzegovina where children are divided according to their ethnicity, a system referred to as “two schools under one roof.” RFE/RL Balkan Service correspondent Ajla Obradovic takes a look at this issue, and shows how an interethnic marriage created hope within the backward system.
Inside The Fight For Uzbekistan's Legendary Ilkhom Theater
A theater in Tashkent has become a cultural battleground between its fans -- including the Uzbek president’s daughter -- and property developers.
Prominent Kazakh Activist Aghadil Dies After Day In Detention
Noted Kazakh rights activist Dulat Aghadil has died while being held in pretrial detention in Nur-Sultan, just one day after being arrested for failing to comply with a court order to report to local police. A police statement said he died of a heart condition. RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service is covering the public reaction, live, here.
INFOGRAPHIC: Europeans At Risk Of Poverty
In 2018, one in ten employed Europeans were found to be at risk of poverty.
OTHER NEWS
Senior U.S. Democrats Demand Russia Sanctions Over 2020 Election Interference
U.S. Senate Democratic leaders have urged the administration of President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Russia after U.S. intelligence officials briefed members of Congress that Russia was again trying to interfere in a national election.
Kremlin Media Shines Favorable Light On PM’s Friend's Mysterious Wealth
A sudden series of articles in Kremlin-friendly media showcases Aleksandr Udodov, a rising business star whose apparent success is driven by savvy investments, financial smarts, and a sense of patriotism. The timing of the articles may be no coincidence: Udodov is believed to be a close friend of newly appointed Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Russian Activist App Developer Held In Yekaterinburg For Drug Possession
A Yekaterinburg court has remanded Aleksandr Litreyev, a former anti-corruption activist and cybersecurity firm owner, to nearly two months in pretrial detention for possession of the drug ecstasy. Litreyev is a co-developer of the Red Button app that allows people detained at protests to swiftly inform others, including rights groups, of their situation. The app also automatically recognizes the location of the police station to where the detainee is taken.
Libretto For Litvinenko: 2006 Poisoning Transformed Into Opera In Britain
The murder of former Russian security officer Aleksandr Litvinenko has been turned into a two-act opera, its composer, Anthony Bolton, announced in London on February 24.
Chechnya Marks Day Of Chechen, Ingush Deportations
For the first time in eight years, Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya publicly commemorated the victims of the 1944 deportation on February 23, the actual day when the tragedy started.
Ukraine’s Security Council Warns Of Water Crisis For Crimea
The Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Council has told reporters that it is “impossible” to restore the supply of fresh Dnieper river water to Crimea under the conditions of annexation. Ukraine provides 85% of Crimea's fresh water needs through the North Crimean Canal, which has been blocked since Russia forcibly annexed the peninsula in 2014. (Ukrainian Service)
Ukraine's Crimean Tatar TV Asks EU For Money To Stay Afloat
Ukraine's only remaining Crimean Tatar television channel, ATR, has submitted a plea to the European Parliament and European Commission asking for financial support as it faces imminent closure due to lack of funding.
BlaBlaCar Cites Sanctions As It Suspends Operations In Crimea
Russian media reports that the French ride-hailing company BlaBlaCar will cease its operations in Russia-annexed Crimea in response to EU sanctions. The service has been operating in Russia and Ukraine since February 2014. (Russian Service)
Bulgarian PM Again Faces Money-Laundering Allegations
Anti-corruption prosecutors in the autonomous Spanish region of Catalonia are reportedly investigating a money-laundering case with possible links to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Borisov denies owning property in Spain.
Armenia, Azerbaijan Trade Accusations Over Deadly Border Fighting
Azerbaijan and Armenia have accused each other of violating the fragile cease-fire along their border. The State Border Service of Azerbaijan said on February 24 that one Azerbaijani soldier was killed by Armenian fire in the Gazakh district. A spokesman for the Armenian Defense Ministry said that one Armenian serviceman was slightly wounded in the fighting.
Armenian Ex-President Sarkisian Stands Trial On Graft Charges
Former Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian is set to go on trial to face large-scale corruption charges that he says are politically motivated. The trial of the 65-year-old Sarkisian comes nearly two years after he was ousted from power by mass protests following a decade in office.
Lavrov Promises Schools For Tajikistan
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced during a visit to Dushanbe on February 24 that Russia will construct and equip five schools in Tajikistan in “response to the growing demand of Tajiks for Russian education.” Previously, the World Bank provided funds to build the country’s schools, but the support was suspended in 2019. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
OBITUARY: Dmitry Yazov, 1991 Soviet Coup Plotter, Dies At 95
AFGHANISTAN: At Least Six Killed Despite ‘Reduction of Violence’ Deal