Live Blog: Putin's Call-In Show
Russian President Vladimir Putin is fielding questions from across the country in what is expected to be an hours-long call-in show, one of a handful of live performances he holds every year.
VISUAL REPORTS
What Would You Ask Vladimir Putin?
Putin’s annual Direct Line show is on June 7. We found out what people would ask him if they had the chance.
Near Front Line, Ukrainian Girls Chase Soccer Dream
Maria and Viktoria train in Severodonetsk, just 30 kilometers from territory controlled by Russia-backed separatists, and hope to play for Ukraine's national soccer team one day.
Bosnian-Made Refs' Boots Set For World Cup Duty
The pride of Bosnia-Herzegovina will be on the line in soccer's World Cup in Russia, despite not qualifying for the top tournament.
Unreal: Belarusian Activist Jailed For Fake Protest
Pyotr Markelau was arrested after he used Photoshop to create a photo of himself holding a placard in front of the Interior Ministry in Minsk.
OTHER NEWS
Britain Demands Release Of Ukrainian Prisoners In Russia
The British Foreign Office on June 6 said it is “deeply concerned” about the welfare of four Ukrainians being held in Russia who are conducting hunger strikes to protest Moscow's detention of Ukrainian political prisoners, and called their imprisonment “politically motivated.”
Kyiv Offers Prisoner Exchange To Russia
Iryna Heraschenko, Kyiv’s representative to the Trilateral Group on Ukraine, which includes Russia and the OSCE, has announced her country’s offer to exchange 23 detained Russians for Ukrainians serving their sentences in Russian prisons. Heraschenko severely criticized Russian authorities as being unwilling to address the problems of Russians detained by Ukraine in the conflict zone. (Russian Service)
Ukraine Lawmakers Pass Legislation Creating Anti-Corruption Court
The Ukrainian parliament has voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill on a long-awaited anticorruption court, whose creation is a key condition in order for the International Monetary Fund to distribute more aid to the country.
Ukraine PM Moves To Sack Finance Minister Amid Anticorruption Rift
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman has announced he wants to sack his Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk, whom he has accused of spreading "distorted information amid our international partners." Danylyuk says Hroysman's move is politically motivated.
U.S. Imposes Iran-Related Sanctions Against Ukrainian Airline
The Ukrainian airline Dart will be subject to Iran-related sanctions enacted on June 7 because of activities that include “assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of, Iran's Caspian Air,” an OFAC explanation says. (Ukrainian Service)
‘Dingo' Arraigned: Kyiv Prosecutors Drop 'Russian Trail' In Chechen Case
When a Russian ex-con with a colorful past last year allegedly tried to kill a Kyiv-based Chechen man accused by Russia of plotting to kill President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine's interior minister saw a trail leading back to Moscow. One year later, Ukraine has excluded from a formal indictment the claim that Russian leaders were involved in the alleged assassination attempt.
Ukraine PM Offers Assurances, While Scientists Worry About Chernobyl Wildfires
Scientists have been concerned for decades about potentially catastrophic wildfires inside the exclusion zone around the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, but Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman's has said on Facebook that "there's no need to worry."
FIFA Chief Downplays Rights Concerns Ahead Of Russia World Cup
The president of soccer's world governing body has downplayed concerns about racism, human rights, and security and instead praised Russia, saying it is "100 percent ready" to host the World Cup next week.
Belarus Proposes Law To Prosecute 'Fake News'
Belarus’s Prosecutor-General's Office is drafting legislation that would enable the state to prosecute people suspected of spreading "false" information on the Internet. Critics fear the government would use the law to tighten control over the Internet.
New Trial Ordered For Bosnian Muslim Wartime Commander Oric
Naser Oric, the Bosnian Muslim commander who defended Srebrenica during the 1990s war, faces a new trial for alleged war crimes after an earlier acquittal was overturned, his lawyer says.
Hundreds Protest Against Illegal 'Bride Kidnapping' In Kyrgyz Capital
Around 1,500 students and other young people have protested in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, against the illegal practice known as "bride kidnapping," an issue that has resurfaced following the brutal killing last month of a 20-year-old woman by the man who abducted her.
OBITUARY: Kira Muratova, Prominent Soviet-Era Film Director
Kira Muratova, an award-winning director, screenwriter, and actress whose films were celebrated and censored in the Soviet era, has died at the age of 83.