VISUAL REPORTS
Ecumenical Patriarchate Agrees To Recognize Independence Of Ukrainian Church
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has agreed to recognize the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a move immediately hailed by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko but slammed as "catastrophic" by Moscow. Speaking to reporters on October 11 in Kyiv, Kyiv Patriarch Filaret said he wanted to avoid confrontation with Moscow.
'Everything Was Blasting': Ukrainians Recount Panic During Massive Munitions Fire
Around 12,000 residents were forced from their homes after a military depot 135 kilometers northeast of Kyiv began exploding early on October 9, sparking a huge blaze that the Defense Ministry suggested was the result of "military sabotage."
Rage In The Cage: Russian Prison Protester Arrested
A Russian political activist uses performance art as a form of protest against harsh prison conditions. Her latest one-woman show didn't last long in Daghestan. She was arrested -- again.
Kadyrov Castigates Young Chechen For Assaulting Russian On Bus
The leader of the Russian North Caucasus region of Chechnya has condemned the behavior of a young Chechen man who attacked a teenager in a bus after a video of the assault went viral.
Crossing Siberia's Tundra In A Swamp Monster
In spring and autumn, parts of northern Russia are too muddy to access -- unless you're equipped with a six-wheeled swamp vehicle like Vitaly Alyoshin's Trekol.
OTHER NEWS
U.S. Special Envoy Urges Moscow Not To Back 'Illegitimate Elections' In Eastern Ukraine
The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker told Current Time TV, "We urge Russia not to have these elections go forward. We think this is completely illegitimate for several reasons."
Rights Activist Says 20 Russian Inmates Cut Their Wrists In Protest
A Russian human rights activist says 20 inmates at Russia's notorious Vladimir Central jail have slashed their wrists to protest their planned transfer to what they call a "torture colony."
Failed Launch Is Likely Last Under NASA - Roscosmos Contract
Russian observers say the failed October 11 ISS launch is likely the last one under Russia’s contract with NASA to deliver astronaut crews to the International Space Station. The agreement, which expires in April 2019, has provided Russia almost $1 billion over the last three years. American companies Boeing and SpaceX are proposing to support the mission at a cheaper price, roughly $58 million per person, compared to the $82 million currently charged by Roscosmos. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Russian Companies Hit By Sanctions Propose Tax Breaks
As U.S. sanctions continue to bite, Russian companies are devising ways to strike back. The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs has proposed to the finance ministry that the government issue tax breaks to companies under sanctions and unable to service their debt, and additional measures to help companies avoid impact, including by allowing firms to change ownership quickly. (Russian Service)
Bosnian Muslim Wartime Commander And Troops Charged With War Crimes
Bosnian Muslim wartime commander Atif Dudakovic and 16 members of his unit were charged on October 11 with carrying out atrocities against Serbs in western Bosnia during the 1992-95 war.
Bosnian Croats Protest Moderate’s Mandate For Presidency's Croat Seat
Several thousand Bosnian Croat nationalists have protested the election of Zeljko Komsic, a moderate politician, to the Croat seat in Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-member presidency.
Serbia Ends Visa-Free Travel For Iranians, Citing 'Abuses' By Some
Serbia has scrapped visa-free entry for Iranians little more than year after it was introduced out of concern that some Iranians were using the system as an avenue to permanently relocate to Europe.
Russian Court Arrests The Vice President Of United Aircraft Corporation
A court in Moscow has sanctioned an arrest of the vice president of the United Aircraft Corporation Sergei Gerasimov until the trial continues on December 9. Gerasimov is accused of a large scale fraud and seft of approximately $2.6 million from the federal budget. Gerasimov’s company was responsible for redesigning and manufacturing the interiors of the special flying units transporting senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Can A Kazakh Sports Hero Knock Out An Alleged Uzbek Crime Boss And Save Olympic Boxing?
Two former Soviet boxers from Central Asia are squaring off in a bout for the presidency of amateur boxing's world governing body -- the International Boxing Association. The outcome could determine boxing's future as an Olympic sport.
BLOGGING CENTRAL ASIA: Central Asia’s Militants In The Middle East
INFOGRAPHIC: It’s Complicated: Bosnia’s Byzantine System Of Government