VISUAL REPORTS
THE POWER VERTICAL: Peacekeepers? What Peacekeepers?
Where the peacekeepers are deployed will send a powerful message about how the international community views the war in Ukraine.
Crimean Tatar Leader Chiygoz Says 'I'd Rather Accept Death' Than Kneel
Crimean Tatar leaders Ilmi Umerov and Akhtem Chiygoz were unexpectedly released from custody in their Russian-annexed homeland in October. Kateryna Nekrecha, a correspondent with RFE/RL's Crimea Realities unit, spoke with Chiygoz in Kyiv about his detention.
Belgrade Park Named For Russian Army Choir
A new park in Belgrade has been named in honor of the Alexandrov Ensemble, the Russian Army choir that lost dozens of members in a 2016 plane crash.
'Metal Coffin' Gives New Life To Georgian Town
A mining town in Georgia has become an unlikely tourist stop after photos of its dizzying public transport went viral.
OTHER NEWS
U.S., Russia Envoys To Discuss Peacekeepers For Ukraine
The U.S. envoy for efforts to end the Ukrainian conflict, Kurt Volker, is set to meet with Kremlin aide Vladislav Surkov in Belgrade on November 13 to explore deploying United Nations peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine.
Putin, Erdogan To Meet In Sochi
Russian President Vladimir Putin is to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi on November 13.
Sechin Summoned Again After Skipping Extortion Hearing
A Russian judge has summoned Rosneft chief Igor Sechin to court a second time after the powerful ally of President Vladimir Putin failed to show up to testify in a high-profile extortion trial.
Bankruptcies In Russia Near Historic High
Citing weak consumer demand and the slow decline of the key interest rate, a Russian report finds that bankruptcies in Russia are just 2.1 percent lower than their historic peak in 2009. Recorded bankruptcies rose by 3 percent over the last quarter, and by 12.4 percent over the period July -- September 2016. (In Russian, Current Time TV)
President Off-Piste: Bronze Putin Statue Goes Up Outside Urals City
Vladimir Putin is very much alive, and likely to remain Russia’s president until at least 2024, but that hasn’t stopped the occasional statue from popping up to immortalize the 65-year-old Russian leader.
Crimea Residents Stripped Of Russian Citizenship
A Russian commission has been set up to review the granting of citizenship to residents of annexed Crimea in response to claims that passports have been granted either in excess or in violation of standard procedures. Russia’s Interior Ministry has stated that the status of 44,000 Crimeans has been checked, and that in Sevastopol alone, 528 persons have had their citizenship revoked. Russian MP Pavel Shperov told Russia’s Supreme Court that 3,200 Russian passports had been wrongfully issued to Crimeans as of August this year. (Crimea Realities website)
Georgian PM Nixes Four Ministries Amid Cabinet Reshuffle
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili told reporters on November 13 he is reshuffling the cabinet and cutting several ministries in an effort to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Saakashvili Supporters Rally In Central Kyiv
Several hundred supporters of the Movement of New Forces, the political group led by Mikheil Saakashvili, demonstrated in central Kyiv on November 12 to call for reforms.
Preliminary Results Show Georgian Dream Won Most Mayoral Runoffs
Preliminary election results suggest that Georgian Dream won five out of six mayoral runoffs held on November 12, three weeks after the ruling coalition won victories in most constituencies in the first round.
'Vigilante' Violence Prompts Uzbek Warning...Against Posting Videos
A spate of “vigilante" videos that have gone viral in other countries is causing concern among Uzbek authorities about the impact the footage is having on the country’s reputation.
Kyrgyz Officials Detain 'Leader' Of Banned Islamic Group
Regional police say that a 47-year-old man arrested in late October is "the leader of a religious community that follows the teachings of the Yaqyn Inkar Islamic movement."
Tajik 'Genius' Kids Become Overnight Celebrities
Empire of Knowledge, a curriculum of mental arithmetic, is producing “genius girls” in Tajikistan.
Journalism Watchdog Calls On EU To Press For Media Freedom In Central Asia
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has called on the European Union to press for greater media freedom as it forges closer economic ties with nations in Central Asia.
BLOGGING THE BALKANS: Kosovo's Bridge To Russia
7.40am -- Good Morning!
[Excerpt: Current Time TV’s daily, first-read for Russian-speaking audiences.]
A new revolution is coming to Russia. Prime Minister Medvedev will review proposals to introduce artificial intelligence into the sphere of rulemaking and law enforcement (for example, with regard to standard court decisions). However, the AI systems will have to be introduced by human intelligence; therefore,failures are possible.
PRESSROOM: RFE/RL Taps New Voices Through Documentary Film