https://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org en Copyright 2017 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Sat, 22 Jul 2017 07:21:44 +0000 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL Russia's FSB spy agency was a client of the Russian lawyer at the center of U.S. probes into Moscow's alleged attempts to meddle in the presidential election, media reported on July 21. https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-spy-agency-fsb-was-client-russian-lawyer-veselnitskaya-center-investigations-russian-election-meddling-/28631886.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-spy-agency-fsb-was-client-russian-lawyer-veselnitskaya-center-investigations-russian-election-meddling-/28631886.html Sat, 22 Jul 2017 04:33:34 +0000 NewsRussia The European Union on July 21 criticized the two latest death sentences handed down in Belarus, saying they "violate the right to life." https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-criticizes-belarusian-dath-sentences-says-should-be-abolished/28631843.html https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-criticizes-belarusian-dath-sentences-says-should-be-abolished/28631843.html Sat, 22 Jul 2017 00:26:02 +0000 NewsBelarus Russia on July 21 lambasted as "buffoonery" U.S. allegations that the Russian military might leave equipment behind in Belarus after holding large-scale military exercises there in September. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-karasin-calls-charge-it-might-leave-military-equipment-personnel-in-belarus-buffoonery-ben-hodges-us-general/28631842.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-karasin-calls-charge-it-might-leave-military-equipment-personnel-in-belarus-buffoonery-ben-hodges-us-general/28631842.html Sat, 22 Jul 2017 00:22:45 +0000 NewsRussia A top U.S. general confirmed on July 21 that the CIA is shutting down its program to equip and train rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's army, but denied it is doing so to please Russia. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-didnt-shut-down-anti-assad-cia-arms-program-please-russia-general-thomas-aspen-forum/28631840.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-didnt-shut-down-anti-assad-cia-arms-program-please-russia-general-thomas-aspen-forum/28631840.html Sat, 22 Jul 2017 00:17:08 +0000 NewsRussia U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran faces "new and serious consequences" unless all "unjustly detained" American citizens are released and returned, the White House said on July 21. https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-warns-iran-faces-serious-consequences-unless-frees-us-prisoners/28631403.html https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-warns-iran-faces-serious-consequences-unless-frees-us-prisoners/28631403.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 21:54:30 +0000 NewsIran Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas says he is freezing all contacts with Israel following a day of deadly violence after Israel implemented heightened security measures at a contested Jerusalem holy site. https://www.rferl.org/a/palestinian-israel-west-bank-temple-mount-mosque/28631377.html https://www.rferl.org/a/palestinian-israel-west-bank-temple-mount-mosque/28631377.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:36:33 +0000 News U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says he believes that the leader of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is still alive. https://www.rferl.org/a/28631348.html https://www.rferl.org/a/28631348.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 19:28:05 +0000 NewsIraq The eldest daughter of the slain Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov has appealed against the verdicts and sentences of five men convicted for her father's killing and called for the case to be reexamined. https://www.rferl.org/a/nemtsov-daughter-urges-murder-case-be-reexamined-as-political-assassination/28631308.html https://www.rferl.org/a/nemtsov-daughter-urges-murder-case-be-reexamined-as-political-assassination/28631308.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 18:07:51 +0000 NewsRussia The Pentagon says a U.S. air strike in Afghanistan's southern Helmand Province mistakenly killed a number of Afghan security forces. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-air-strikes-accidentally-kills-afghan-security-forces-in-helmand/28631290.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-air-strikes-accidentally-kills-afghan-security-forces-in-helmand/28631290.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 17:59:32 +0000 NewsAfghanistan The United Nations’ top official in Belarus warned against the danger of politicizing human rights issues in the country, and called for more international engagement with Belarusian society and average citizens. https://www.rferl.org/a/un-warns-against-politicizing-human-rights-in-belarus/28631274.html https://www.rferl.org/a/un-warns-against-politicizing-human-rights-in-belarus/28631274.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 17:36:16 +0000 NewsBelarus U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director, administration officials announced. https://www.rferl.org/a/spicer-resigns-new-comms-director/28631214.html https://www.rferl.org/a/spicer-resigns-new-comms-director/28631214.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 16:48:29 +0000 News Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has blamed Russia for the recent deaths of eight Ukrainian soldiers in its eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, where Moscow-backed separatists have intensified shelling of Ukrainian forces. https://www.rferl.org/a/poroshenko-blames-russia-for-recent-deaths-of-soldiers-in-east/28631194.html https://www.rferl.org/a/poroshenko-blames-russia-for-recent-deaths-of-soldiers-in-east/28631194.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 16:27:04 +0000 NewsUkrainePicks Russia and China have started weeklong naval maneuvers on the Baltic Sea, flexing their muscles in a region where tensions have risen in recent years. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-china-hold-joint-naval-exercises-in-the-baltic/28631179.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-china-hold-joint-naval-exercises-in-the-baltic/28631179.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 16:11:43 +0000 NewsRussia Moldovan lawmakers demanded that Russian troops pull out of the pro-Moscow breakaway region of Transdniester. https://www.rferl.org/a/moldovan-political-split-deepens-after-demand-for-russia-transdniester-pullout/28631170.html https://www.rferl.org/a/moldovan-political-split-deepens-after-demand-for-russia-transdniester-pullout/28631170.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 16:05:31 +0000 NewsMoldova School bells rang for Afghan students who haven't been able to attend their school in Pakistan for five months, due to border restrictions. (RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal) https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-pakistan-school/28631150.html https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-pakistan-school/28631150.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 15:37:00 +0000 AfghanistanVideo ArchivePakistanPicksVideos The Russian parliament's lower house has passed a bill that would prohibit the use of Internet proxy services including virtual private networks, or VPNs. https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-duma-passes-bill-tightening-internet-restrictions/28631126.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-duma-passes-bill-tightening-internet-restrictions/28631126.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 14:59:22 +0000 NewsRussiaPicks Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko rolled out the red carpet for his visiting counterpart from Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, but some Ukrainians were critical, especially of the timing of the authoritarian leader's visit. (RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service) https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-belarus-2/28631078.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-belarus-2/28631078.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 14:59:00 +0000 BelarusUkraineVideo ArchivePicksVideos Russian President Vladimir Putin said he has not decided whether to seek re-election in the March 2018 presidential vote, Russian state-run media report. https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-says-not-decided-if-he-will-run-again-for-presidency-in-2018/28631057.html https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-says-not-decided-if-he-will-run-again-for-presidency-in-2018/28631057.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 14:51:45 +0000 NewsRussiaPicks A plan to build hydroelectric power stations in Kyrgyzstan has become steeped in controversy after the contract to build them was awarded to a Czech company, which critics allege has neither the experience nor the finances to do so. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-czech-hydro/28631052.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-czech-hydro/28631052.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 14:48:00 +0000 KyrgyzstanVideo ArchivePicksVideos Tajikistan has set up a commission to promote clothing the government deems appropriate for citizens of the Central Asian country, an initiative it says is aimed at combating “alien” culture. https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-to-promote-clothing-to-counter-alien-traditions/28631026.html https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-to-promote-clothing-to-counter-alien-traditions/28631026.html Fri, 21 Jul 2017 14:34:20 +0000 NewsTajikistan