VISUAL REPORTS
Mysterious Pneumonia Soaring To 'A Terrifying Level' In Russian City Of Ufa
Russian medical workers in the city of Ufa say authorities are underreporting the real number of COVID-19 cases as they struggle to deal with an outbreak of a mysterious pneumonia that has "soared to a terrifying level."
Armenia Shows Off Alleged Azerbaijani Drones
Armenia showed off parts of drones on July 21, saying they belonged to Azerbaijan and that Armenian armed forces had shot them down during border fighting last week. An Israeli-produced Hermes 900 was allegedly among the UAVs shot down.
Ukraine Hostage Drama Ends After President ‘Likes’ A Video
A twelve-hour standoff on a bus in western Ukraine has ended without casualties after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke with the hostage-taker by phone and agreed to one of his demands regarding animal rights.
Sarajevo's Iconic Hotel: It Survived A Siege, Can It Survive A Pandemic?
Sarajevo's Holiday Inn hotel became an iconic landmark and symbol of survival during the 1992-95 siege of the Bosnian capital. Known today as Hotel Holiday, the building is now facing another existential crisis -- the COVID-19 pandemic.
TOP NEWS
Russian Baltic Gas Pipeline On Pompeo Agenda As He Visits Denmark
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Denmark, where he is set to discuss the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline when he meets with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The pipeline, which Russia is seeking to complete, would transport gas to Europe under the Baltic Sea. The portion of the pipeline that remains to be built lies in Denmark's economic waters. Also: U.S. House approves more sanctions related to Nord Stream 2.
Protesters In Khabarovsk Target Anger At Newly Appointed Governor
Hundreds of supporters of the arrested ex-governor of Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk region, Sergei Furgal, rallied for an 11th day in the regional capital, denouncing acting Governor Mikhail Degtyaryov, who was appointed to the post by President Vladimir Putin a day earlier. Who is Mikhail Degtyaryov, Putin’s unlikely choice?
Navalny's Greatest Hits: FBK's Best Corruption Exposés
Russian opposition activist Aleksei Navalny has announced that he will be closing his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), after a Kremlin insider won a large defamation lawsuit. “The Anti-Corruption Foundation, which I established nine years ago, will soon be taken away by Putin's Chef and his friends," the activist said in a July 20 tweet.
Russian Gulag Historian Faces Sentencing In Case Critics Call 'Spurious'
A verdict is expected on July 22 in the case against Yury Dmitriyev, a Russian historian and human rights activist, who has been tried on charges of sexually assaulting his adopted daughter -- an allegation he and his supporters deny. Current Time’s documentary series Gulag Generation continues here.
Shaman Who Sought ‘To Topple’ Putin Released From Psychiatric Detention
Aleksandr Gabyshev, a shaman in the Siberian region of Yakutia, who embarked on an 8,000 kilometer trek “to topple [Russian President Vadimir] Putin,” has been released from a psychiatric clinic where he was forcibly placed earlier this year amid protests by human rights defenders.
U.S. Adds Sanctions Against Chechen Leader Kadyrov For Rights Abuses
The United States has slapped additional sanctions on Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov "for numerous gross violations of human rights." Washington already has multiple layers of sanctions against Kadyrov and his associates. The latest designation expands those sanctions to Kadyrov's wife and two daughters, including visa bans.
Under Threat, Belarusian Opposition Candidate Moves Children Out Of Country
Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian opposition's main presidential candidate, has taken her two children to an EU country out of concern for their safety after receiving threats ahead of next month's election.
Belarus Journalists Urge Authorities To Stop Persecution Of Journalists
Over 200 media representatives in Belarus have accused the government of “exceptionally cruel repression” of the press ahead of August 9 elections, noting 43 arrests to date, and demanded that the persecution stop. The appeal specifically mentions the brutal arrest of RFE/RL Belarus Service journalist Anton Trafimovich, who was beaten and bloodied on July 16. (Belarus Service)
Armenia Accuses Azerbaijan Of Launching Fresh Attack On Border
The Armenian military has accused Azerbaijani forces of again attacking one of its positions at a section of the border where deadly fighting raged last week, and said that an Azerbaijani commando unit suffered heavy losses.
Bulgarian Government Survives Fifth No-Confidence Vote Over Corruption
Bulgaria's center-right government has survived a no-confidence vote initiated by the opposition Socialists, who accuse it of failing to fight endemic corruption. Thousands of Bulgarians have been rallying for almost two weeks against third-term Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's cabinet and Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev, with protesters shouting "Mafia", "Resign" and "Borisov is a disgrace."
Official In ‘Coronavirus-Free’ Turkmenistan Dies Of Covid-19
A district mayor in eastern Turkmenistan has died of the coronavirus, according to sources, as the secretive Central Asian state continues to deny the existence of COVID-19.
Uzbek Medics Accuse Government Of Breaking Promises; Romanians Now Stopped From Leaving Hospital
How Tajikistan Blocked Term Extensions For Key OSCE Officials
INFOGRAPHIC: Rising In The East: Where God Is Increasingly Important In People’s Lives