RFE/RL's multimedia department has issued this Reuters video of the rather surreal press conference last night, during which pro-Russian separatists seemingly handed over MH17's "black boxes" to Malaysian investigators:
Spotted in Donetsk: rebels digging trenches along the road. Preparing for urban warfare? A Ukrainian ground assault here will be very messy
— Kirit Radia (@KiritRadia) July 22, 2014
Dutch Prime Minister says the bodies of the dead from flight MH17 are now in a safe area of Ukraine and will arrive in Kharkhiv in an hour.
— Keir Simmons (@KeirSimmons) July 22, 2014
You may have picked up on the outrage that reverberated around social media over the past day or so concerning Sky News reporter Colin Brazier's handling of an MH17 passenger's belongings. He's written a piece for "The Guardian" today, offering some context to his actions:
Certainly it was a serious error of judgement. I acknowledged that and so did Sky. My bosses issued an apology by tea-time. They were supportive and keen to stress that they understood the context of the gaffe.
And what was that context? What can mitigate the seemingly indefensible? I doubt many of my more roar-throated detractors on Twitter feel there can be any justification for such morally insolvent behaviour.
But, as we move into a world where excoriation comes quickly and explanations come slowly, I would like to offer another view.
The crash site of flight MH17 is like the set of a horror story. Except that movies are never allowed to show what we saw over the weekend. As I type I can smell the nauseating scent of death that clings to me still. I have seen burned bodies before – I was a 17-year-old football fan caught up in the Bradford football stadium fire – but nothing on this scale.
Read the entire article here
Americans think that EU only sounding strong this morning and sanctions only likely to match existing pre-MH17 American visa blacklists.
— Ben Judah (@b_judah) July 22, 2014
Crowds slowly growing outside Tabung Haji in Kuala Lumpur for #MH17 protest pic.twitter.com/AJrWKhQBfm
— Ed Flanagan (@edmundflanagan) July 22, 2014
Strange report about suicide bomber in e-ukraine. Only source so far spox on ukranian tv. Nothing on any of ukr news agencies.
— Simon Kruse (@crusoes) July 22, 2014
Nothing clears traffic from the passing lane like an ak pointed out the window. Local militia fly by. #Ukraine
— Chris Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) July 22, 2014
Russian Security Council meets 1pm. Nikolai Patrushev to report on ‘ensuring sovereignty & territorial integrity of the Russian Federation’
— Kevin Bishop (@bishopk) July 22, 2014
Bloomberg is reporting a potentially interesting development with respect to the controversial French sale of warships to Russia:
French President Francois Hollande said he’s prepared to cancel the sale of a second Mistral helicopter carrier ship to Russia if the European Union decides to expand its sanctions against Russia.
The second ship, due in 2016, hasn’t yet been paid for, making it possible to withhold the sale if the EU agrees to broaden its measures on Russia, Hollande said yesterday at the annual presidential press dinner.
At the same time, sanctions can’t be retroactive and wouldn’t cover delivery of the Vladivostok, the first Mistral warship, which is already paid for and due for delivery in October, Hollande said.
“Can the rest of the contract be honored?” Hollande told reporters in Paris about the second warship part of a contract with Russia. "That will depend on Russia’s attitude."
Read the entire article here