VISUAL REPORTS
U.S. Envoy Urges Moscow To Quit Playing Games Over Whelan Case
Speaking at RFE/RL headquarters in Prague, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman urged Moscow to either produce evidence in the case of jailed U.S. citizen Paul Whelan or release him.
Pashinian Gets Tough On State Symbols
While touring a customs facility in Yerevan on April 9, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian noticed a dirty Armenian flag in an office. Already upset with a customs officer for failing to stand at attention when he entered the room, Pashinian reacted swiftly, ordering everyone in the room to be fired.
Saving Mansur The Air Bear
Russian pilots rescue and adopt an abandoned bear cub that they find near a runway.
World Press Photo 2019 Winners
World Press Photo is an independent nonprofit organization that supports photojournalism. For this year's awards, judges reviewed 78,801 photographs taken by 4,738 photographers. The winners of the prestigious international contest were announced on April 11. Here is a selection of the winning images.
OTHER NEWS
Moscow Court Extends U.S. Investor Calvey's House Arrest
A Moscow court has extended until July 14 an April 11 ruling granting house arrest to U.S. investor Michael Calvey, whose detention stunned the business community in Moscow and clouded the investment climate. The court rejected Calvey's request to be released on bail.
Russia Relieves Sanctioned Companies Of Some Disclosure Requirements
In an effort to reduce the damage caused by Western sanctions and avoid new measures, the Russian government will no longer require affected Russian companies and banks to disclose some categories of corporate information, including information about shareholders and leadership, foreign currency transactions, other categories of transactions and persons controlling those transactions, affiliates and subsidiaries, and financial investments. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Accountant Testifies Against Russian Director Serebrennnikov
An accountant implicated in the controversial embezzlement case against Kirill Serebrennikov has told a court in Moscow that the famous Russian theater director and his co-defendants had masterminded the scheme, in which prosecutors say 133 million rubles (about $2 million) of state funding for a theater project were stolen.
Kyiv Says One Ukrainian Soldier Killed, Eight Wounded In Conflict In East
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on April 12 that separatist fighters fired machine guns, anti-tank missiles, and grenade launchers, violating a cease-fire 20 times in a 24-hour period and killing one soldier and injuring eight others.
Poroshenko, Zelenskiy To Meet Separately With Macron
Ahead of Ukraine’s April 21 runoff vote, President Petro Poroshenko and challenger Volodymyr Zelenskiy are scheduled to meet separately on April 12 with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Poroshenko will also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.
Poroshenko Creates Anti-Corruption Court
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who has been repeatedly accused of turning a blind eye to corruption, has ordered the creation of a special anti-corruption court.
Turkey Condemns French, Italian Recognition Of Armenian Genocide
Turkey has strongly condemned separate moves by France and Italy to officially recognize the mass killings of Armenians at the beginning of the 20th century as genocide.
Armenian Court Upholds Pretrial Detention For Ex-President Kocharian
An Armenian court has rejected an appeal by former President Robert Kocharian to end his pretrial detention over charges relating to the excessive use of force during the final weeks of his decade-long rule that ended in April 2008. He has dismissed the accusations as politically motivated.
Computers Returned To Raided Independent Belarusian TV Channel
The independent Belsat TV channel based in Poland and broadcasting into Belarus says all computers seized by Belarusian police during an April 9 raid of their Minsk office have been returned.
Belarus Man Busted For 'Pornography' Over Rammstein Video Post
Posting a video on the Internet years ago of the German industrial metal band Rammstein has landed a man in Belarus in hot water with authorities who have charged him with producing and distributing pornographic materials.
Serbian President Vucic Prepares For Kosovo Summit
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had said he will take part in a April 29 summit on Kosovo with leaders of France and Germany, while noting that progress in negotiations with Pristina is impossible as long as its 100% import tariffs on Serbian goods remain in effect. Vucic said he would seek Russian President Vladimir Putin’s guidance on Albania’s participation in the meetings. (Russian Service)
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