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Yes, This Is A Hotline For Those Who Want Changes (Russian Service)

VISUAL REPORTS

Zapad 2017: What Went Wrong

The Zapad 2017 military exercises, carried out by Russia and Belarus, have recently concluded. Russian media reported that not everything went smoothly -- and that there were a number of accidents.

Semena Lawyer Vows To Appeal To European High Court

Emil Kurbedinov, a lawyer for Crimea journalist Mykola Semena, whom a Russian court found guilty of ‘separatism’ charges on September 22, has promised to appeal the verdict to the European Court of Human Rights.

Opposition Holds Anticorruption Rally In Baku

Hundreds of opposition activists attended an anticorruption protest in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, on September 23.

Teacher Screams At Students In Uzbekistan

With the words “let Allah punish you! Let your feet be taken away! So you cannot come to school!” -- a teacher in Uzbekistan yelled at her students because they complained about her to their parents. (over 150k views on Current Time TV Facebook)

OTHER NEWS

Russian, Pakistani Forces Launch Joint Exercise In North Caucasus

Special forces from Russia and Pakistan have begun a two-week joint training exercise in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Karachayevo-Cherkessia.

Azerbaijan Blacklists Three U.S. Lawmakers Over Nagorno-Karabakh

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has called a recent visit to its breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh by three U.S. lawmakers a "provocation" and has reportedly blacklisted them.

UN Cites 'Grave Human Rights Violations' In Russia-Annexed Crimea

A UN human rights report says Russia’s occupation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula has been marked by disappearances and torture, infringements of the Geneva Convention, and violations of international law.

Exiled Crimean Tatar Leader Comments On Putin’s Crimea Dilemma

In an interview with RFE/RL, Crimean Tatar Mejlis head Refat Chubarov, who is barred from the peninsula by Russian authorities and now resides in Kyiv, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin got involved “in an adventure that he personally does not have an exit for,” but that Russia's withdrawal from Crimea would mean “political, and maybe physical death.” (Ukrainian Service, Crimea Realities)

‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ To Open Representation In France

On September 25 the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic plans to open a "representational office" in Marseilles, France. Geral-Hubert Fayyar of France, a frequent guest of Moscow lawmakers, has reportedly appointed himself "honorary consul." (Ukrainian Service)

Russian Christian Extremist Group Leader Held For One Month

The leader of a self-styled Russian Christian religious group has been placed under arrest for one month.

Russian Human Rights Defenders Protest Arrests Of Scientologists

The Moscow Helsinki Group is leading calls by human rights defenders on President Vladimir Putin to defend the rights of leaders of the Scientology Church in St. Petersburg who were arrested on extremism charges in June 2016. (in Russian, Current Time TV)

Ukrainian Language Bill Facing Barrage Of Criticism

A bill that would make Ukrainian the mandatory language in schoolrooms is facing a wave of protest from minorities at home and capitals abroad.

Ringside With Saakashvili's Traveling Political Circus

Mikheil Saakashvili is in his element, again playing the role of political outsider fighting for the common man, as he berates political foes, extols his own virtues, and pontificates to a crowd of rowdy supporters.

The ‘Historical Marathon’ That Is The Raoul Wallenberg Case

Relatives of wartime Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg have pledged to appeal a Moscow district court decision that denied them access to FSB documents related to Wallenberg's death while in the custody of Josef Stalin's secret police.

Moldova’s Socialist Party Launches Campaign For Increased Presidential Powers

Moldova’s opposition Socialist Party says it is launching a campaign to increase the powers of the president and turn the country’s current parliamentary system of government into a presidential one.

Uzbeks To Be Allowed To Buy Foreign Cash As Of October 1

Uzbekistan's government says private citizens may purchase foreign cash as of October 1 for the first time since after the country gained independence in 1991.

FURTHER AFIELD: Iraqi Kurds Vote On Independence Despite Threats From Baghdad

PRESSROOM: Semena Found Guilty Of ‘Separatism’; RFE/RL Condemns Verdict

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