VISUAL REPORTS
Ukraine's Frontline Children
Doctors in the village of Popasna say they have seen a surge in psychosomatic disorders among children near Ukraine's front line, and that the conflict has left children in the region and their parents emotionally "frozen."
Kardashians Draw A Crowd In Yerevan
Armenian-American media star Kim Kardashian and her sister Kourtney were chased by crowds of fans and journalists during a visit to their ancestral homeland to have their children baptized at the country's main cathedral in Etchmiadzin.
Illegal Coal-Mining In Kyrgyzstan
Six men have died from carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of illegal coal mining in Kyrgyzstan. In such mines, the coal is mined manually, and workers receive up to $150 per week. (Current Time TV)
Anna Politkovskaya’s Last Interview
Novaya Gazeta investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya was gunned down in front of her apartment on October 6, 2006. In this interview, taken two days before her murder, she spoke about Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, describing him as an “extremely deceitful person...who knows how to lick the hand of a big white tsar.” (Over 1.1 million view on Current Time Facebook)
OTHER NEWS
Moscow Slams U.S. After FBI Questions Russian MP In New York
The Kremlin has sharply criticized the United States over the FBI's questioning of Russian lawmaker Inga Yumasheva in a New York airport on October 6. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said “such actions against a Russian deputy are unacceptable."
Kremlin Sees Role For U.S. In Helping Resolve Conflict With Ukraine
The Kremlin says the United States could play a role in helping resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict given Washington's influence in Kyiv. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on October 8 that Moscow wouldn't back Washington joining the Normandy Format talks to settle the conflict.
U.S. Lawyer Spent Nearly $100,000 To Boost Zelenskiy's Image In Washington
American attorney Marcus Cohen spent nearly $100,000 out of his own pocket to boost the profile of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and shuttled between Washington and Kyiv over a four-month period, according to an October 2 Justice Department foreign-agent filing.
U.S. Embassy Urges Russia To Punish Those Behind Politkovskaya Killing
In a tweet on October 7, the 13th anniversary of Politkovskaya's killing, the U.S. embassy in Moscow said that investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya “was brutally murdered for her courageous reporting of social, political, and human rights issues,” adding, "She did what reporters do -- find the truth."
Russian Challenges Use Of Facial-Recognition Technology
Alyona Popova, a Moscow lawyer and prominent women's rights activist, is challenging the Moscow city government over its growing use of facial-recognition technology amid concerns it is being used to crack down on dissent. Popova said that facial-recognition cameras had been used to identify her during an April 2018 protest against a lawmaker accused of sexual harassment by several women.
Sentence Upheld For Another Activist Accused Of Beating Officer At Moscow Rally
Moscow’s Tver District Court has upheld the two-year prison sentence handed down to Danila Beglets, another activist charged with assaulting police during an unsanctioned rally on July 27.
Over Previous Year, Russian Duma Deputies Almost Never Said ‘No”
A report by the Russian Center for Political Conjunctions has found that, according to data published on the Duma’s official website, deputies voted “against” legislation in fewer than 1% of instances during the period from September 11, 2018 - September 30, 2019. The Center calculated that the chamber’s 450 deputies voted more than 1 million times “for,” and fewer than 11,000 times “against” proposed legislation. (Russian Service)
EU Diplomat Nominee Says Ukraine, Balkans Top Foreign-Policy Priorities
The EU's proposed new top diplomat, Josep Borrell, wants to make the Balkans and the "eastern front of Europe" the bloc's main foreign-policy priorities. At his confirmation hearing on October 7 in Brussels, Borrell highlighted the EU’s growing tensions with Russia, and said the world had "dramatically...changed for the worse" over the past decade.
Ukraine Prosecutors Investigate Saakashvili Expulsion
Ukrainian prosecutors have opened a criminal probe into former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s deportation from Ukraine in 2018, in response to a complaint by Saakashvili alleging "abduction and violent actions against" him. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has reinstated Saakashvili's Ukrainian citizenship, almost two years after it was revoked by former President Petro Poroshenko.
Ukraine Opens Antitrust Probe Into Billionaire Akhmetov's Electricity Producer
Ukraine's Anti-Monopoly Committee has opened an antitrust probe into the country's biggest power producer, DTEK, owned by billionaire Rinat Akhmetov. The Committee accused a unit of Akhmetov's energy holding located in the western region of Ivano-Frankivsk of "abusive economic practices."
Azerbaijan's Parliament Approves Asadov As PM
Azerbaijan's parliament has approved former presidential aide Ali Asadov as the new prime minister just hours after Norvuz Mammadov tendered his resignation.
'First True Transition': Key Takeaways From Kosovo's Watershed Vote
The leader of the left-wing opposition party claiming a surprise victory in Kosovo's parliamentary elections has pledged to start coalition talks to end the dominance of parties led by former independence fighters and turn a corner in Europe's newest state.