VISUAL REPORTS
Uzbekistan's Mirziyoev Says Progress On Human Rights 'Irreversible'
Uzbekistan's president has told U.S. President Donald Trump that progress made so far on improving human rights in the Central Asian country is "irreversible," the White House said after a meeting between the leaders on May 16.
After Armenian Leader's Ouster, Yerevan Mayor Faces Protests
Dozens of protesters have burst into City Hall in Yerevan, demanding the resignation of the city’s mayor over accusations of corruption and the misuse of state funds, and his long-time association with former President Serzh Sarkisian.
#MeToo In Belarus: Ex-Teammates Bolster Korbut's Sexual-Assault Charges
Her breathtaking “Korbut flip,” smile, and pigtails captivated the sporting world when she won three gold medals as a 17-year-old at the 1972 Munich Olympics, but now legendary Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut says that behind the glory she suffered sexual abuse.
OTHER NEWS
First EU-Western Balkan Summit In 15 Years To Focus On Integration
Leaders of the European Union have urged their Western Balkan counterparts at a summit in Bulgaria to keep up the pace of reforms, but stopped short of indicating whether any of the region’s six countries would join the 28-member bloc soon.
Merkel Urged To Press Putin Over 'New Level Of Repression'
Human Rights Watch has urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel to use her meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week to press for the release of "wrongfully" held human rights activist OyubTitiyev and to raise other human rights issues.
Poll Finds Growing Fear Among Russians Of The Big War
A recent Levada Center poll found that 57 percent of respondents believe that Russia’s participation in the war in Syria and the resulting aggravation of Moscow’s relations with the West may cause a Third World War. (Russian Service)
Jailed Ukrainian Filmmaker To Wage Hunger Strike ‘To The End’
A lawyer for filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, a native of Crimea who has been held in a remote Russian prison after he opposed Moscow's 2014 annexation of the region, said Sentsov timed his hunger strike to correspond with Russia's hosting of the 2018 soccer World Cup, and told him, “If I die ahead of the championship or during it, there will be an outcry in favor of other political prisoners."
Moscow Grants Visa To 'Undesirable' Journalist, But What Happens Next?
Russia has backed down from an attempt to block German investigative reporter Hajo Seppelt from entering the country as an accredited journalist during the 2018 soccer World Cup. But it remains unclear whether Seppelt, credited with breaking the Russian doping scandal, will be able to work freely.
Putin Vs. Pensions: Will His Reelection Free Him To Tackle Looming Crisis?
Experts warn that reforming Russia’s pension system is essential to staving off a major fiscal crisis, but it's a move that is politically dangerous even for someone as popular as President Vladimir Putin.
How To Account For Crimea’s Economic Growth?
Crimean authorities have reported more than 10 percent growth in the region’s economy since 2017, but experts say the peninsula is heavily supported by Russia, with subsidies projected to amount to 79 percent of Crimea’s budget by 2020. Sales of gas and ore account for almost 90 percent of profits among Crimean enterprises, while printing, metallurgy and vehicle manufacturing have brought only losses. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Diego Maradona And Belarus: An Improbable Match
The 57-year-old soccer legend stepped down last month as coach of a second-division team in the United Arab Emirates, not exactly one of the world’s elite soccer leagues. Now, the 1986 World Cup champion is moving on to Belarus, having signed a three-year contract as club chairman with Dynamo Brest.