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Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:08:36 +0100

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Russians To Polls For Local Elections

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 12:07:26 +0200

“Khimki citizens informed our headquarters that resident registration offices worked overnight and 200 new Khimki residents were registered just in one [election] district. We are going to verify this information and see how it was possible that registration offices worked through the night before election day. This election is neither fair nor clean.”

Russian environmentalist and opposition activist Yevgenia Chirikova, who is running for the mayor’s office in the Moscow Oblast town of Khimki, speaking today (October 14) to journalists in Khimki.

Via RFE/RL’s Russian Service, Radio Svoboda.

Read more in English: Russians To Polls For Local Elections

NYC Subway Duel: Pro-Muslim Ads Counter Campaign Against...

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:34:00 +0200

NYC Subway Duel: Pro-Muslim Ads Counter Campaign Against Jihad

Rabbis for Human Rights North America and the Christian group Sojourners posted their own ads in 20 subway stations on October 8. The rabbis’ ads read: “In the choice between love and hate, choose love. Help stop bigotry against our Muslim neighbors.” The Christian group’s say, “Love your Muslim neighbors.”

The U.S. Election Through The Eyes Of One Middle Class...

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:55:00 +0200

The U.S. Election Through The Eyes Of One Middle Class Couple

The married couple, who have three small children, live in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Ashburn, Virginia — a critical state in this year’s election because its residents are almost equally divided in their support for Democrat President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney.

Students and athletes rallied in Tbilisi on September 26 to...

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 14:00:00 +0200

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Mzia Saganelidze (RFE/RL)

Students and athletes rallied in Tbilisi on September 26 to protest prison abuse under the rule of President Mikheil Saakashvili. The protests, which have now entered their second week, were sparked by the release of a video showing prison guards beating and humiliating prisoners, as well as inmates being raped.

Follow RFE/RL’s news from Georgia here (in English) and read news from RFE/RL’s Georgian Service (in Georgian) here.

Cleric Beaten Up By ‘Badly Veiled’ Woman “I...

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:24:00 +0200

Cleric Beaten Up By ‘Badly Veiled’ Woman

“I politely [told] her to cover herself up,” said Hojatoleslam Ali Beheshti, an Iranian cleric in the city of Shamirzad in Semnan Province, describing a recent encounter with a woman he believed was improperly veiled.

“She responded to me by saying: ‘You [should] close your eyes.’”

One year on, Heather Maher wonders what became of the Occupy...

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:03:00 +0200

One year on, Heather Maher wonders what became of the Occupy Wall St. movement. It’s still going strong says the group’s spokesman Ed Needham.

More here.

Picture by Courtney Brooks (RFE/RL)

Bomber Kills At Least 6 In Kabul

Sat, 08 Sep 2012 12:20:00 +0200

Kabul’s Deputy Police Chief Daud Amin speaking to reporters confirmed that a suicide attack took place in front of Italy’s embassy today.

“As we could see, several children that were working in the area as street vendors were among victims of today’s attack. We don’t exactly know - the aim of today’s attack - but because a number of special events take place in Kabul today, they apparently couldn’t succeed in targeting today’s events due to tight security arrangements, and couldn’t get into a near by ISAF compound and eventually blew him in this area.”

“They got used to [the aircraft]. They weren’t...

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 09:36:00 +0200

“They got used to [the aircraft]. They weren’t afraid, they were overtaking the deltaplane, flying close to the wing from the left, from the right, from above. Well done. Beautiful guys. Cute.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking on September 5 to Russian television on the Yamal Peninsula after flying with a copilot in a motorized deltaplane light aircraft to help lead endangered cranes on a migration route.

(Photos by RIA Novosti)

Kyrgyzstan’s Independence Day Having had to endure a...

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:24:00 +0200

Photo by Radio Azattyk

Photo by Radio Azattyk

Photo by Radio Azattyk

Photo by Radio Azattyk

Photo by Radio Azattyk

Photo by Radio Azattyk

Photo by Radio Azattyk

Photo by Radio Azattyk

Kyrgyzstan’s Independence Day

Having had to endure a number of high-profile corruption scandals and government crises in recent months, the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan put its economic and political woes aside on August 31 to celebrate the 21st anniversary of its secession from the Soviet Union. RFE/RL was in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek for the Independence Day festivities.See the photos on RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz website as well.

Blowing Smoke? Classic Russian Cartoon May Become Victim Of New...

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:14:16 +0200

Blowing Smoke? Classic Russian Cartoon May Become Victim Of New Law

The classic Soviet-era children’s cartoon “Nu, pogodi!” features a hapless wolf trying to catch a crafty rabbit, sort of like Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner from those old Looney Tunes shorts.

But just imagine Wile E. Coyote with a lit cigarette dangling from his lips. Or 10 cigarettes at the same time. That will give you an idea of the dilemma facing broadcasters in today’s Russia…[READ MORE]

A new report by Russian opposition leaders accuses President...

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:57:00 +0200

A new report by Russian opposition leaders accuses President Vladimir Putin of enjoying a lifestyle that “can be compared to that of a Persian Gulf monarch or a flamboyant oligarch.” [READ MORE]

Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Azerbaijani...

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:28:00 +0200

Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev speaking Tuesday (August 28) during a meeting in front of the media in Minsk.

“You have come to a very friendly country where you are loved and respected for the great deeds which you have done — sometimes not standard ones — to support our country in hard times, connected with the issues of our state independence. Not only I personally know it and appreciate it very much, but the Belarusian people know it as well,” said Lukashenka.

And Aliyev responded…

“I’m glad to visit your wonderful country again and to have an opportunity to discuss the issues on the vast agenda of our bilateral relations again. Before we start discussing the issues in particular, I want to express our attitude to your country, to your people, which is based both on historic roots and friendly feelings.”

Does This Russian City Have The Worst Wheelchair Access Ever? A...

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:19:45 +0200

Does This Russian City Have The Worst Wheelchair Access Ever?

A disabled-rights campaigner in Tatarstan is suing the authorities in the Russian republic over what he sees as subpar access rights for disabled people. And by the looks of some of the photos he’s provided of the republic’s capital, he has a point…[read more]

United Nations: Keeping The Peace Everywhere But At The...

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 10:57:20 +0200

United Nations: Keeping The Peace Everywhere But At The Office…?

UNITED NATIONS – Strangling, biting, assaults with telephones, and sexual demands.

Those are just a few of nearly 100 reported infractions committed by United Nations personnel over the past year according to a report from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to the General Assembly…[READ MORE]

The 2012 London Olympic Games In Numbers Nearly 5,000 medals,...

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:16:00 +0200

The 2012 London Olympic Games In Numbers

Nearly 5,000 medals, 10,000 toilets, and 2,000 newts. The London Olympics is about to start.

Silly Dictator Story #9: ‘Go To The Olympics They Said, It...

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:54:35 +0200

Silly Dictator Story #9: ‘Go To The Olympics They Said, It Will Be Fun They Said’

Being an athlete himself, Belarus’ strongman, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, is well aware of the pressures athletes will face at the upcoming Summer Olympics in London.

At a recent meeting with the staff of Belaruskali, Belarus’ most profitable company, Lukashenka, who heads the country’s National Olympic Committee, uttered a few inspirational words about the upcoming games…[read more]

True Life: I Was A Turkmenbashi Flower Girl As journalist from...

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:28:54 +0200

True Life: I Was A Turkmenbashi Flower Girl

As journalist from RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service who had the “honor” of being a flower girl during Niyazov’s reign tells it, the young people chosen to perform in these elaborate displays of affection pay a price — literally…[read more]

Exclusive Internet Cafe Connects Afghan Women To The World KABUL...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:47:38 +0200

Exclusive Internet Cafe Connects Afghan Women To The World

KABUL — Dozens of women flock each day through the discreetly marked doors of Kabul’s Sahar Gul Cafe, Afghanistan’s first all-female Internet cafe…[read more]

Silly Dictator Story #8: The Turkmen President Just Can’t...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:03:58 +0200

Silly Dictator Story #8: The Turkmen President Just Can’t Take A Day Off

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov is a busy man, even on vacation. A recent Turkmen state TV newscast dedicated three separate segments to the president’s not-so-leisurely leisure time, which he spent promoting fitness, visiting vacationing children — who serenaded him with songs and poems, and putting the finishing touches to a new book…[read more]