VIDEO REPORTS
Daily Vertical: Northern Exposure
In a sign of the times, both Finland and Sweden are flirting with NATO.
The World’s Largest Transport Aircraft Takes Off From Kyiv
The world's largest transport aircraft AN 225, manufactured at Ukraine’s Antonov aircraft factory, has taken off from Kyiv to Perth, Australia, carrying 133 tons of cargo.
Eurovision’s Crimean Tatar Singer Shares Message Of Peace
Crimean Tatar singer Jamala, representing Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest, will perform a song about Josef Stalin's deportation of Crimean Tatars to Central Asia at the festival’s semifinals on May 12.
Ghani In Tajikistan To Discuss Regional Agenda
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani began a two-day visit to Tajikistan to discuss terrorism, drug-trafficking, and a major project to expand hydroelectric power in the region.
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
UN Nixes Russian Bid To Blacklist Syrian Groups
Amid efforts to negotiate a cessation of hostilities in Syria, a Russian request to add two Syrian rebel groups to a United Nations terror blacklist was rejected by Britain, France, the United States, and Ukraine, diplomats said on May 10.
New Panama Papers Revelations Include 600 Ukrainian Names
New disclosures from the Panama Papers on May 9, including names of people closely connected to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, have prompted some parliamentarians to call for the creation of a commission to investigate the offshore holdings of top officials. (In Ukrainian)
Newly published materials show that more than 6,000 Russian individuals and legal entities own or manage offshore companies. Out of 77 Russian dollar billionaires,16 have been mentioned in documents leaked from Mossack Fonseca, among them Oleg Deripaska and Arkady and Boris Rotenberg. (In Russian)
Kremlin Downplays 'Stolen' Panama Papers
The Kremlin says the leaked financial and legal documents known as the Panama Papers were "stolen," and defended the use of the kind of offshore firms detailed in the trove of materials.
Group Accuses Russia Of ‘Mass Expulsion’ Of Migrants
Civil Assistance, a committee of Russian lawyers formed to help migrants, claims that Russia has carried out what amounts to a “mass expulsion” of migrants and refugees, sending back 177,800 people in 2015, and a total of 513,300 since 2012. (In Russian/Current Time TV)
Russia’s Central Bank reports that the volume of micro-loans issued to Russians in 2015 increased by 6.5 percent, with the average loan amounting to $101. (In Russian/Current Time TV)
Belarus - Ukraine Military Cooperation In Times Of Hybrid War
Since 2014 Belarus has provided technical support to Ukraine’s military through exports of motors, batteries, binoculars, thermal imaging cameras, scopes, and fabric for military uniforms, but cooperation did not extend to missile and tank development, according to Belarus military analyst Aleksandr Alesin. (In Belarusian)
U.S. - Georgian Military Drills Begin
Dubbed Noble Partner 2016, the exercises began in Georgia on May 11 as part of an effort to enable the country to contribute to a NATO response force.
Azerbaijan Worst Place To Be Gay In Europe
Azerbaijan has been ranked the worst place to live in Europe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex citizens, after meeting only 5 percent of a leading rights organization’s criteria for legal equality.
What Uzbek Kids Won't Do This Summer
School's out for the summer, but there will be no swimming, hanging out at arcades, or even praying at the local mosque, according to a letter sent to RFE/RL from Uzbekistan’s eastern city of Andijon.
Intervision: Eurovision's Poor, Defunct, Ex-Soviet Rival
Few remember that the mighty Eurovision Song Contest once had a communist challenger. Efforts to resurrect it have been afoot for years.