VISUAL REPORTS
Russian Parents Despair As Kids Hit By Gene Disorder
A rare genetic disorder called CLN2 causes children to lose the ability to walk, see, and speak, with most not living beyond their teens. Five-year-old Nastya, from Kamenka in Russia, is one of an estimated 1,500 worldwide suffering from it.
Georgian Police Clash With Protesters Fighting Power Plant's Construction In Pankisi
Police clashed with local residents protesting against the construction of a hydropower plant in Georgia's northeastern Pankisi Gorge on April 21.
Repatriates From Syria Released In Kosovo
Kosovo began releasing women and children who were repatriated from Syria. They were returned to family members, some of whom they had not seen for years.
The Next Aral Sea? Caspian Suffers From Pollution, Climate Change
Disappearing seals, plummeting fish stocks, and a falling water level all point to the deteriorating health of the Caspian Sea. Environmentalists in Azerbaijan have warned that it will take rapid action to save the Caspian from the fate of its eastern neighbor, the dying Aral Sea.
OTHER NEWS
North Korea Confirms Kim To Meet Putin In Russia 'Soon'
North Korea has confirmed that leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia "soon" and meet with President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin said on April 18 that Kim plans to visit Russia "in the second half of April." The Russian news agency Interfax reported that a limousine used by the North Korean leader had been brought to the far eastern city of Vladivostok, and a news outlet that focuses on North Korea published photos on April 22 of workers in the city installing North Korean and Russian flags.
U.S. Prosecutors Seek 18-Month Sentence For Russia's Maria Butina
"Activities at issue in this case are part of Russia's broader scheme to acquire information and establish relationships and communication channels that can be exploited to the Russian Federation's benefit," prosecutors wrote in a presentencing memo. Butina is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in Washington on April 26.
As Ukraine Elects A Comedian, Russia Declares The Election A Joke
Many prominent Russians wasted no time in celebrating Sunday’s resounding defeat of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, a politician Moscow had long sought to discredit and derail. But early forecasts are that "Russia is not banking on changes," nor a deepening of the two countries’ “confrontational path.”
A Partial To-Do List For Ukraine's President-Elect
With Ukraine's presidential election concluded, it's time to get back to governing. President-elect Zelenskiy, a political newbie with a billowing popular mandate but virtually no established institutional base, confronts numerous issues, including: corruption, the economy, energy independence, and the country’s conflict in the east.
Savchenko Back In Parliament After Abrupt Release
Back in parliament a week after being unexpectedly released from jail, Ukrainian lawmaker Nadia Savchenko vowed to remain in politics, and said she has no plans to be in opposition to President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Investigates Poroshenko Associates In Embezzlement Case
Ukraine’s prosecutor-general's office has summoned three associates of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko for questioning in connection with an investigation involving the embezzlement of $1.5 billion from the state budget. The officials are former National Bank head Valeriya Gontareva, former presidential administration head Boris Lozhkin, and Lozhkin’s deputy Aleksei Filatov. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Coordinated Searches Target Jehovah’s Witnesses Searches In Russian Regions
Russian law enforcement authorities searched the homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Novosibirsk, Primorye, and Krasnoyarskiy Krai on April 18, detaining five people. The country’s Supreme Court designated the group an extremist organization and banned their activities in 2017. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Lukashenka Calls Belarus's Next Presidential Election For 2020
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has announced that the country’s next presidential election will be held in 2020, but that parliamentary elections will be held in 2019.
Antigovernment Rallies Resume In Serbia's Capital
Thousands of antigovernment protesters have gathered in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, a day after populist President Aleksandar Vucic held a mass rally in an apparent bid to counter months of demonstrations against him.
Kazakh Ruling Party Nominates Toqaev For President
Kazakhstan's ruling Nur Otan party has nominated interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev for the presidency, virtually assuring his victory in a snap election scheduled for June 9.
Tajik Top Official Dismissed Over Internet Price Hike
The head of Tajikistan’s Antimonopoly Service has been dismissed amid criticism over an April 18 decree to double the minimum fee for Internet connections.
PHOTOGALLERY: Day Of Decision: Ukrainians Choose A New President