VISUAL REPORTS
THE POWER VERTICAL: The Colonel And The Farm Boss
Presidents Vladimir Putin and Alyaksandr Lukashenka need to make a deal.
Police Reportedly Detain 59 Demonstrators In Moscow
A political rights group says Russian police detained at least 59 demonstrators in central Moscow on April 2.
Georgian Ballerinas Celebrate Visa-Free EU Travel
Two days after visa requirements were lifted for travel to most EU countries, a group of Georgian ballet dancers arrived in the Czech Republic, and they couldn't hide their joy.
Thousands March In Budapest In Support of Soros-Funded CEU
Thousands of people have marched in Hungary's capital to protest legislation that could result in the closure of the Central European University, a prominent Budapest institution founded by U.S. financier and philanthropist George Soros.
Vox-Pop: ‘What Would You Ask Vladimir Putin If You Could?’
Most respondents to an informal street poll in Moscow said they would like to know when education and healthcare systems in Russia would improve, and why he has neither confirmed nor rejected Alexei Navalny’s claims about corruption. (Russian Service)
OTHER NEWS
Trial In Crimea Of RFE/RL Contributor Mykola Semena Resumes On April 3
The trial of Crimean journalist Mykola Semena, indicted on separatism-related charges in the Russia-controlled territory, resumes on April 3.
Ruling Republican Party Set To Win Armenian Elections
Official results indicate that President Serzh Sarkisian’s ruling Republican Party of Armenia has won the April 2 parliamentary elections with about 50 percent of the vote.
RFE/RL Reporter Attacked In Yerevan While Investigating Possible Vote-Buying
An RFE/RL reporter who was investigating allegations of vote-buying in Armenia’s April 2 parliamentary vote was attacked a few hours after polls opened.
EU Congratulates Vucic On 'Convincing' Win, Hopes EU Path Remains
European Union Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn has congratulated Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on his "convincing" victory in a presidential election over the weekend.
Putin, Lukashenka To Meet In St. Petersburg Amid Heightened Tensions
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are set to meet in St. Petersburg amid heightened tensions between the two countries over gas and integration issues.
Russian Rights Chief Urges Check On 'Monstrous' Treatment Of Gays In Chechnya
The head of the Kremlin human rights council is calling for a "thorough check" of reports that authorities in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya have been arresting and killing homosexuals.
Russia Launches Criminal Probe Into Protest Calls
The Russian government has opened a criminal investigation against the unidentified people who have called for an unsanctioned anticorruption demonstration in Moscow on April 2.
Ildar Dadin Detained Again In Moscow During Solitary Picket
Activist Ildar Dadin was detained on April 3 on undisclosed charges while he was holding a single picket near the headquarters of the Moscow police. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Acclaimed Russian Poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko Dead At 84
Acclaimed Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko has died in a U.S. hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 84.
Social Networks React To Yevtushenko’s Death
Russians on social networks expressed deep sadness at the news of the death of prominent Soviet and Russian poet Evgeny Evtushenko, calling him a “genius” and “hero,” and lamenting that “two brilliant centuries of Russian poetry have ended,” with “no giants left behind him.” (Russian Service)
Ukraine Rejects Eurovision Call To Allow Russian Entry
Ukraine has strongly rejected calls from the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest for Kyiv to lift an entry ban on Russia's entry in this year's competition.
Georgian President Bows To Constitutional Court Ruling On Electronic Surveillance
On March 27, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili signed into law a set of measures designed to preclude the abuse of electronic communications intended for security purposes, which he had vetoed one week earlier.
Poland Charges Three With Causing 2010 Presidential Plane Crash
Poland’s deputy Prosecutor General on April 3 announced new charges against two Russian air-traffic controllers and a “third person” who was allegedly in the control tower during the plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 95 other people on April 10, 2010, contending that they intentionally downed the plane. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Pro-Government Kyrgyz Lawmaker Charged With Corruption
A pro-government lawmaker in Kyrgyzstan has become at least the sixth high-profile figure to face corruption charges in the Central Asian country in the last two months.
COMMENTARY: Squeezing Turkmenistan's People To Pay For The Games
PODCAST: New Book Reveals Central Asia's Connections To The Outside World
Alexander Cooley, director of Columbia University’s Harriman Institute in New York, and John Heathershaw, associate professor at Exeter University in the U.K., discussed their new book, Dictators Without Borders, with RFE/RL.
FURTHER AFIELD: When Jackie Kennedy Visited Pakistan
Fifty-five years ago, Jacqueline Kennedy arrived in Lahore, marking the first-ever visit by a U.S. first lady to Pakistan.