Disadvantaged Afghan Kids Find Home At Music Institute

A Falcon 9 rocket, built by the SpaceX company, blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 22 with supplies for the International Space Station. This is the first time a private business has launched a vessel to the space station. (AP video)

In an interview with Voice of America's Urdu Service, Marc Grossman, the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, talks about efforts to reopen NATO supply routes from Pakistan into Afghanistan. Grossman spoke on the sidelines of the two-day NATO summit in Chicago.

Residents of the village of Chovdar in western Azerbaijan say a mining company has seized their land and blocked their roads as work begins to extract huge gold reserves. They've been trying to ask President Ilham Aliyev to intervene. What few realize is that the mining operation is largely controlled by members of the Aliyev family. Video by Nushabe Fatullayeva and Khadija Ismayilova, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service

May 19 saw hundreds of artists wheeling their works through the streets of Moscow, in an allegorical protest against the authorities following disputed parliamentary and presidential elections. (RFE/RL’s Russian Service)

Female graduate and post-graduate students protested in front of the Ukrainian Education Ministry on May 21 after Education Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk said that women at the highest levels of study in Ukraine are not as attractive as other women. (RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)

Azerbaijani opposition parties held an unsanctioned demonstration in the capital to highlight rights abuses, and reports say a number of demonstrators were beaten and arrested. The extent of injuries from the confrontation was not immediately clear. The protest was staged as Baku is preparing to host the Eurovision Song Contest, which begins on May 22.

During a march to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, gay rights activists in Tbilisi scuffled with counterprotesters associated with the Union of Orthodox Christian Parents. (RFE/RL's Georgian Service)

"They're locking up musicians again!" That cry of alarm was the name of a benefit concert held in Prague to show support for Pussy Riot, the Russian female punk rockers who are facing prison terms for staging a protest in a Moscow cathedral. The Czech musicians included the Plastic People of the Universe, who have reason to sympathize: the band members' arrest in the 1970s helped spur Czechoslovak dissidents' demands for freedom. Video by Margot Buff and Anton Chiriaev.

Bosnia this month marked the 20th anniversary of one of the milestones of the country's 1992-95 war: the fighting on Sarajevo's Dobrovoljacka Street, in which an unknown number of Serb soldiers died. As officials and civilians commemorated the event, some Bosnians came to protest against honoring the forces that besieged the city. Produced by Marija Arnautovic and Tina Jelin Dizdar, RFE/RL’s Balkan Service

Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic went on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague on May 16 over alleged atrocities, including leading the slaughter of 8,000 unarmed Muslim boys and men in Srebrenica in 1995 and the seige of Sarajevo. Mladic, now 70, listened intently as prosecutors made their opening remarks at the trial, the last of a main protagonist of the Balkan wars of the 1990s. (Reuters video)

The sudden appearance in a downtown Minsk park of a moose cow and juvenile surprised residents on May 15. The pair ran free in Chelyuskin Park before they were sedated and moved -- either back to the wild or across town to the Minsk zoo, depending on the source. (video by RFE/RL Belarus Service's Bahdan Arlou)

In an interview with Ihar Tsikhanenka of Voice of America's Russian Service, U.S. Senator John McCain discusses the status of democratic values in Ukraine since the Orange Revolution.

U.S. Senator John McCain (Republican-Arizona) speaks with Igor Tsikhanenka of Voice of America's Russian Service about Moscow's exertion of power over Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltics; the draft legislation that would sanction officials implicated in the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky; and the state of U.S. President Barack Obama’s “reset” policy with Russia.

In an interview with Igor Tsikhanenka of Voice of America's Russian Service, U.S. Senator John McCain discusses the status of democratic values in Ukraine since the Orange Revolution.Voice of America's Russian Service, U.S. Senator John McCain speaks with reporter Ihar Tsikhanenka about the importance of international sanctions on Belarus to bring about the release of political prisoners.

Amateur video shows explosions shaking the town of Rastan, held by Syrian rebels, as troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad fired shells. The fighting there has reportedly left at least 23 soldiers dead and dozens wounded. AP video

Opposition activists in Moscow have adopted new low-key protest tactics in an effort to avoid further arrests after hundreds were detained during recent protests. The activists, many wearing white ribbons as a symbol of the opposition movement, are gathering in surprise flash mobs or simply taking "antigoverment strolls" around Moscow. (RFE/RL's Russian Service)

Opposition activists in Moscow have adopted new low-key protest tactics in an effort to avoid further arrests after hundreds were detained during recent protests. The activists, many wearing white ribbons as a symbol of the opposition movement, are gathering in surprise flash mobs or simply taking "antigoverment strolls" around Moscow. (RFE/RL's Russian Service)

U.S. President Barack Obama has announced that he believes gay couples should have the right to get married. In an interview with U.S. broadcaster ABC, Obama said that it is his personal view, and that U.S. states should decide on the issue individually. (AP video)

Every evening, men gather in the town of Bannu in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, put on flower garlands, and dance to the sound of flutes and drums. No special occasion or holiday is needed; the festivities are simply part of everyday life. Word of the "Bannu evenings" has spread, and visitors now come from across Pakistan to join in the celebrations. Video by Umar Daraz Wazir, RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal

Vladimir Putin took the oath of office in a ceremony at the Kremlin on May 7, starting his third term as president of Russia. In his speech, Putin pledged to strengthen democracy in Russia and said that the next few years will be decisive for the country. (Reuters video)

Supporters of Socialist candidate Francois Hollande celebrate in Tulle and Paris as early results show him defeating incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy in the presidential race with 52 percent of the run-off vote. Sarkozy conceded defeat and wished his opponent good luck. Hollande will be France's first leftist head of state since Francois Mitterrand served from 1981 to 1995. Reuters video

Protesters marched in Moscow on March 6 to voice their opposition to Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency ahead of his inauguration on May 7. Police scuffled with the protesters and detained dozens, including opposition leaders Alexei Navalny, Boris Nemtsov, and Sergei Udaltsov. Leading dissident Garry Kasparov told reporters that the police crackdown is a sign of the government's fear of the opposition. (Reuters video)

Serbia is holding simultaneous presidential, parliamentary, and local elections on May 6. The right-wing opposition has a narrow lead in the polls for president and parliament, with voters likely to punish the ruling liberals for the country's economic woes. RFE/RL's Balkan Service.

Voting has begun in Armenia’s May 6 parliamentary elections, which pose the most serious challenge yet to President Serzh Sarkisian’s four-year rule and his administration’s declared commitment to democratic reform.

Voting is underway in France in an election on May 6 that could see Nicolas Sarkozy becoming the 11th European leader to be swept from office since the economic crisis began. If his rival Francois Hollande prevails in the poll, he will be France's first socialist president in 17 years. (Reuters video)

Voting is under way in France in an election on May 6 that could see Nicolas Sarkozy becoming the 11th European leader to be swept from office since the economic crisis began. If his rival Francois Hollande prevails in the poll, he will be France's first socialist president in 17 years. (Reuters video)

In honor of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, RFE/RL journalists talk about threats to the media in their home countries, and how they are fighting back against repression of free speech.

A year after the U.S. operation that killed Osama bin Laden, Radio Mashaal correspondent Khalid Khan spoke to residents of Abbottabad, Pakistan, which the Al-Qaeda leader had made his home. Locals expressed their anger that the military strike damaged the surrounding houses, while others said that the resulting unrest has taken its toll on business and daily life.

Just hours after U.S. President Barack Obama left Kabul following a surprise visit, a series of suicide attacks rocked the Afghan capital, Kabul, on May 2, leaving at least seven people dead and 17 injured. Afghan forces said they killed the attackers. It was not immediately apparent whether any foreigners were killed in the incident.

U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a speech to the American people during a surprise visit to Afghanistan on the anniversary of the killing of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. He also signed an agreement cementing U.S. ties with the nation that once harbored the Al-Qaeda chief. (AP video)

Hundreds of young Afghans marched in Kabul on April 30 to protest against the country's former warlords, many of whom still wield significant power in political affairs. The protesters burned posters and chanted slogans condemning the men. (Produced by Sabawoon, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan)

A year after the U.S. operation that killed Osama bin Laden, Radio Mashaal correspondent Khalid Khan visited the site of the Al-Qaeda leader's hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Bin Laden's compound was reduced to rubble by Pakistani authorities two months ago and is now a makeshift cricket pitch for local kids. But it also draws visitors who come to drink the water, which some say is holy. Still, doubts persist in Abbottabad about whether bin Laden actually lived at the site.

An accident at one of the reactors at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine on April 26, 1986, caused radiation to spread across parts of Ukraine, Belarus, and elsewhere in Europe in what became known as the world's worst civilian nuclear disaster. (Footage from Volodymir Shevchenko's "Chornobyl: A Chronicle of Difficult Days")

Villagers in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province recently held "Peace Games," with 32 local teams competing in mukha, archery with a local touch. Villagers have revived the tradition with an annual tournament since Taliban influence waned. (Video by Radio Mashaal's Niaz Ahmad Khan)

Ten years ago, Afghans fleeing from war filled refugee camps outside Peshawar, Pakistan. Today, many come to Kabul. They live in ragged encampments around the city. Despite the fact they are in their own country, they say they receive little help from the government. RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan visited one camp to see how the displaced live.

Several thousand supporters of the political opposition in Azerbaijan have staged a rally in Baku to demand freedom for political prisoners and the resignation of President Ilham Aliyev.

About 150 people from the Mothers Of Kabardino-Balkaria in Support of Citizens' Rights and Freedom movement took to the street of Nalchik in the southern Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria on April 21 to protest against the abuse and ill-treatment of those arrested and still not tried after hundreds of armed fighters launched an audacious attack on security and military facilities in Nalchik in October 2005. (RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service)

Adnan Rashid, a prominent Pakistani Taliban fighter sentenced to death, has appeared in a short video following his escape from prison. Rashid escaped along with nearly 400 other prisoners during a Taliban attack on the prison on April 15. The video was made available to RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal.

Two high-profile political prisoners in Belarus -- former presidential candidate Andrey Sannikau and his campaign aide Dzmitry Bandarenka -- gave a press conference after their unexpected release from prison. (RFE/RL’s Belarus Service)

Every month, thousands of U.S. troops move through the Manas transit center in Kyrgyzstan on their way to and from Afghanistan. The base plays a key role for U.S. operations in the region, but its future is uncertain as Washington lobbies to continue using Manas after the current agreement expires in 2014. Kenzhebaeva Zhyrgal of RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service takes a look at daily operations at Manas.

RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service joined a school group visiting a sculpture devoted to the Kazakh people in the capital, Astana, as a tour guide explained how the monument also honors the greatness of President Nursultan Nazarbaev.

April 15 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the cruise liner "RMS Titanic." File footage shows passengers on board in Southampton, England, just before the launch on April 10, 1912; Captain Edward Smith on board; transcripts of communications from the "Titanic"; crowds gathered outside the White Star Line shipping company in New York awaiting news; the "RMS Carpathia" carrying survivors to New York; and surviving crew members speaking with journalists. (Reuters)

Numan Burki, 13, has lived with a disability his entire life. And for the past two years, he and his family have faced new hardships. Fighting forced them to flee their homes in Pakistan's South Waziristan for a refugee camp in neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. But nothing has dampened Numan’s ambition to get a good education and work for peace. (Video by Sailab Mehsud, RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal)

The village of Darbnik, 15 kilometers to the southwest of Yerevan, is home to about two dozen ethnic Armenian families who fled the war and subsequent insurgency in Iraq. (RFE/RL's Armenian Service)

On the 20th anniversary of the start of the siege of Sarajevo, the city commemorated the victims with 11,541 empty seats along the main avenue, one for each of the civilians killed in Sarajevo during the war. Video by Tina Jelin Dizdar, RFE/RL's Balkan Service

During the Bosnian war, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel advocated for Western intervention to end the bloodshed, and visited the region to meet with warring leaders and investigate the conditions in prison camps. On the 20th anniversary of the start of the devastating siege of Sarajevo, VOA's Bosnian Service spoke to Wiesel about his efforts.

On April 6, 2010, protests by opponents of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev turned violent in the northwestern city of Talas. The protesters clashed with police, stormed government buildings, and later set the district administration on fire. By April 7, the violence spread to the capital, Bishkek, eventually leaving nearly 90 people dead and driving Bakiev out of office. RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service correspondent Janar Akaev was on the scene in Talas and captured dramatic video as the events unfolded.

The Sarajevo Haggadah, a Jewish illuminated manuscript dating back more than 650 years, has survived everything from the Spanish Inquisition to the siege of Sarajevo, which began 20 years ago. Now it is threatened once again -- this time, by the lack of funding for Sarajevo's cultural institutions. RFE/RL looks at the book's history as Jews around the world celebrate Passover, the holiday when the Haggadah is read.

April 6 marks 20 years since the start of the siege of Sarajevo, a blockade of the city by Bosnian Serb forces. The siege lasted 44 months and resulted in 11,541 deaths. Archival video provided by Flash Production Sarajevo shows the bombing of the city during the siege and the human cost that resulted, along with scenes of Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic leading the offensive.

As Sarajevo prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the start of the siege of the city by Bosnian Serb forces, theater director Haris Pasovic, who is organizing the April 6 commemorations, talks about how the simple act of making a salad automatically takes him back to wartime in the city.

A young opposition candidate, Konstantin Yankauskas, won a seat on the Moscow municipal council in the March 4 vote. His victory is seen by some as a small but important sign of change in Russia’s political scene. RFE/RL’s Russian Service

On December 26, 2008, 23-year-old Renat Shawaliev was taken to a police station in Zelenodolsk, in the Russian republic of Tatarstan. He was never seen again. When his mother Aliya asked the police about the fate of her son, she was told he had escaped from custody. RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service spoke to Aliya about the case.

For hundreds of thousands of Tajiks, the beginning of spring means the start of seasonal work -- and for many, that means leaving home in search of jobs. There are more opportunities in Russia, but Tajiks working there also face a number of threats, from harassment by the police to racist attacks. (Produced by Akram Qahhorov, RFE/RL's Tajik Service)

Demonstrators met on the outskirts of Minsk for a tightly policed march and rally in honor of the "Day of Freedom" -- an unofficial holiday marking the day an independent Belarus state was created in 1918.

As Iran celebrates Norouz, the Persian New Year, some well-to-do Iranians are heading to more liberal Armenia to enjoy the holiday with alcohol, nightclubs and music. Video by Hasmik Smbatian, RFE/RL’s Armenian Service

VOA's Moscow correspondent spoke with the U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, about the two sides' stances on Syria and Iran.

VOA's Moscow correspondent spoke with the U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, about U.S. funding for civil society organizations and the Jackson-Vanik amendment.

Russian Prime Minister and President-elect Vladimir Putin has carefully cultivated his macho image in recent years. But a new art exhibit in St. Petersburg by painter Aleksei Sergienko shows the leader in a gentler light: petting a dog, holding a child, or riding a bicycle. Whether the show, titled “The Kindest Man,” is meant seriously or as a satire of Putin’s image-making is left up to the viewer. (Video by Aleksander Gorelik for RFE/RL)

People across Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East are celebrating Norouz, the Persian New Year, which marks the coming of spring. In Kabul, Afghans gathered at a fair full of music, rides, and food, while young men dressed in green, the traditional spring color, to try to kiss a holy flagpole raised during each Norouz. (Video by Sayedjan Sabawoon, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan)

Uladzislau Kavalyou and Dzmitry Kanavalau have been executed in Belarus after being convicted of carrying out a deadly 2011 bombing in the Minsk subway. RFE/RL's Belarus Service spoke to Kavalyou's mother, Lyubou Kavalyova, shortly after she received news of her son's execution.

In an interview with Alhurra in Abu Dhabi on March 15, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said there is still a chance negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program can succeed but that the window of opportunity is closing.

The Corrupt Tour Travel Agency, which opened in February, offers a different look at the Czech capital. Locals and tourists can visit the main sites of the country’s biggest corruption scandals. The company’s founder, theater director Petr Šourek, hopes to offer not just an entertaining tour but also new insight into the widespread problem of corruption. (Video by Lukáš Ballý and Bela Mamayeva. RFE/RL’s Russian Service)

As U.S. and other NATO troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014, they are stepping up efforts to train local security forces. Voice of America reporter David Axe traveled to one isolated village along the border with Pakistan, where coalition forces are hoping that a risky local police initiative will win over villagers and help weaken the Taliban.

In Afghanistan, ambiguously defined "moral crimes" or "bad character" can mean jail sentences for women. Sayedjan Sabawoon of RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan visited Kabul’s only detention facility for women and spoke to the inmates about the charges that put them there.

Maryam Durani, a member of the Kandahar Provincial Council, has been named one of 10 International Women of Courage by the U.S. State Department. A day before the March 8 ceremony, Voice of America asked Durani about her work -- she also runs a radio station aimed at helping women understand their rights -- and the risks involved.

Voice of America's Afghan Service talks to Sima Samar, who heads the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, about her concerns for basic freedoms for women in Afghanistan.

Riot police detained dozens of people, including opposition leaders Aleksei Navalny and Sergei Udaltsov, after thousands of protesters took to the streets of central Moscow to challenge Vladimir Putin's victory in the March 4 presidential election.

Riot police detained some 50 opposition protesters in St. Petersburg on March 5 after hundreds took to the streets to challenge Vladimir Putin's victory in the March 4 presidential vote.

Eduard Limonov, the head of the Other Russia opposition coalition, was detained along with other activists on March 5 as they tried to stage an unsanctioned protest outside the Central Election Commission. Their demonstration took place as another, larger opposition protest was under way elsewhere in Moscow. RFE/RL's Russian Service

As Russians vote for a new president on March 4, volunteer election observers from various opposition groups have been reporting on violations. Members of an election observer group in Moscow say they have spotted so-called "carousel" voting, i.e. multiple ballots cast by the same people.

More than 10,000 people took part in an opposition protest in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh, voicing support for Mayor Melis Myrzakmatov and criticizing Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev. Officials said security measures were increased around Osh in advance of the protest, which is being held ahead of March 4 elections. (RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service)

Dozens of Iraqis, driven from their homes by instability, have made a makeshift residence at a disused military base on the outskirts of Baghdad, where they struggle to scrape by.

Russia's upcoming presidential election has exposed a generation gap between younger and older voters. Aleksandr Avanesov, the 56-year-old director of a French choir in Moscow, wants Vladimir Putin to remain in power to avoid a repeat of the chaos of the 1990s. Many of his students, however, want to see an end to Putin's rule. (RFE/RL's Russian Service)

Russia's March 4 presidential election has exposed a generation gap between younger and older voters. Aleksandr Avanesov, the 56-year-old director of a French choir in Moscow, wants Vladimir Putin to remain in power to avoid a repeat of the chaos of the 1990s. Many of his young students, on the other hand, want to see an end to what they call Putin's authoritarian system. (RFE/RL's Russian Service)

Directors Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Daniel Junge have just received an Oscar for their short documentary "Saving Face," about the efforts of plastic surgeon Mohammad Jawad to help the victims of acid attacks in Pakistan. VOA spoke with the filmmakers and Jawad in Los Angeles just before the awards ceremony.

Iranian writer and director Asghar Farhadi has received the Academy Award for best foreign-language film for "A Separation," a domestic drama set in Tehran. The film is the first from Iran to win the U.S. movie industry's most prestigious award. In Iran, many people welcomed the news, saying that the award gave them a sense of national pride. (Reuters)

A rally was held in Moscow on February 26 in support of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who is widely expected to win the upcoming presidential election. Activists carried slogans saying "Putin Loves Everybody" and "Putin Will Win In A Week."

The leader of the separatist Georgian region of Abkhazia has survived an assassination attempt.

In an interview with RFE/RL, Yevhenia Tymoshenko, the daughter of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, says her mother has been subjected to poor medical care and abusive conditions in prison.

With Russia's presidential elections just weeks away, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev spoke to RFE/RL's Russian Service in Moscow about prime minister and presidential hopeful Vladimir Putin's authoritarian tendencies and capacity to change.

RFE/RL Balkan Service Director Gordana Knezevic spoke with actress Angelina Jolie in Sarajevo about her directorial debut, "In the Land of Blood and Honey." The film, a drama set during Bosnia's war of the 1990s, premiered in the Bosnian capital on February 14.

Theater group Teatr.doc premiered a new political satire on February 14 in Moscow. Director Varvara Faer explains that "Berlusputin" is a reinterpretation for Russian audiences of a play by Italian Nobel laureate Dario Fo, in which scientists create a monstrous hybrid of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Produced by Alexander Kulygin of RFE/RL's Russian Service.

This month’s extreme winter weather throughout Europe and Eurasia is a matter of life or death for people living on the streets. In the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, officials have set up several shelters that offer a temporary respite for the city’s homeless. Video by Nushaba Fatullayeva, RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev spoke to RFE/RL's Russian Service in Moscow on February 14 about the surprise changes at independent radio station Ekho Moskvy, saying that he had no doubt the changes were sanctioned by the Kremlin.

The Uzor factory near St. Petersburg produces tapestries that decorate Russian homes. Its best-selling products: textile portraits of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. (video by Reuters)

Tens of thousands of anti-Kremlin demonstrators hit the streets across Russia on February 4 to protest alleged fraud in parliamentary elections late last year and Putin's domination of Russian politics. In the Siberian cities of Tomsk and Irkutsk, protesters marched carrying signs with antigovernment slogans and chanted "Russia without Putin." Activists addressed crowds saying Russia must get rid of corrupt politicians and end unfair elections.

Anti-Kremlin protesters came out in force on the streets of Moscow on February 4, in demonstrations that come a month before Prime Minister Vladimir Putin faces reelection to the presidency.

A song by a group of former Russian paratroopers has become an Internet sensation, receiving nearly 800,000 views on YouTube. The song claims that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has destroyed the armed forces. The paratroopers talked to RFE/RL's Russian Service and plan to perform at the February 4 antigovernment rally.

A Russian coffee chain is taking its own informal poll of who's most popular among the presidential candidates running in the upcoming election. Baristas are creating the candidates' portraits with cinnamon shaken over milk foam, then tallying which face is picked most often for customers' drinks. Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov and billionaire businessman Mikhail Prokhorov are apparently more popular than Vladimir Putin on customers' lattes. (AP narrated)

A new UN survey shows that many Afghans have doubts about their police officers’ capacity to take charge of security as NATO-led forces withdraw. RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan spoke to one police officer in Kabul about the challenges of the job. Produced by Muhammad Arif Ludin, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan; written by Farangis Najibullah

Croatians went to vote on January 22 on whether to join the European Union in 2013. Opinion polls suggest most Croatians will vote "Yes" to joining the EU. (Reuters video)

Orthodox Christians in Kazan participated in the annual tradition of swimming in the icy waters of Kaban Lake to mark Epiphany on January 19. (Video by RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service)

Police used pepper spray, water cannon, and tear gas on January 14 in clashes with Kosovar Albanian demonstrators at two border crossings with Serbia. The protesters are attempting to block Serbian goods from crossing the border.

Ahead of Orthodox and Eastern Rite Christmas on January 7, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service visited a living history museum in Kyiv to see what Christmas would have looked like for Cossacks some 400 years ago. Performers at Mamajeva Sloboda (Mamaj’s Village) demonstrate how to prepare kutya, a traditional Ukrainian Christmas dish.