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Landmark Census Of Marine Life Finds 'Riot Of Species'
Now, after a decade of research, hundreds of ocean expeditions, and thousands of hours of work by scientists from more than 80 countries, the Census of Marine Life project has revealed the most comprehensive look at undersea life ever.
Researchers say they discovered "an unanticipated riot of species" and that the census's findings constitute an unprecedented catalog of life in the planet's oceans. Scientists say they are also excited that they now have critical information to help them assess man's impact on undersea life.
"The scientific community was very interested in understanding what is out there [in the oceans], what don't we know, what can we discover, what's the distribution of species," James Baker, an oceanography specialist and member of the census's steering committee, said. "But we never had the ability -- either in terms of trying to bring everybody together, or the funding -- and so the scientific community, I think, is very excited about the fact that we were able to do something that we simply couldn't have done before."
The $650 million project received funding from more than 600 groups, including governments, corporations, nonprofits, and universities.
Just one of the thousands of new species discovered was a creature in the Atlantic Ocean that scientists described as nearly a missing link between backboned and invertebrate animals.
In total, the census recorded more than 6,000 potentially new species and increased the estimate of known marine species by 20,000 -- from 230,000 to some 250,000. Moreover, the study says, that amount may represent as little as one-fourth of the total number of organisms inhabiting the world's oceans.
Ian Poiner, a marine ecologist and chair of the census's steering committee, told Reuters that scientists were surprised to discover how closely different species in the world's oceans are connected.
"We have tunas that move from the west coast of the U.S. to Japan and back to the west coast of the U.S. We have sharks that move from the southwest coast of Australia to South Africa and back," Poiner said. "That sort of connectedness we didn't understand [before]."
Researchers found a similar degree of connectedness on the genetic level.
Checking Marine Health
But perhaps the broadest implication of the census is that it establishes a benchmark against which scientists can measure changes in the health of the world's oceans.
In a fortunate coincidence, the project included an in-depth study of the Gulf of Mexico, which was completed ahead of April's catastrophic BP oil spill. In one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history, millions of barrels of crude were released from a damaged underwater well before it was plugged in July.
In its 2009 study of the gulf, the census found more than 8,000 species, including fish and mammals, living in the waters where the spill occurred.
Now, post-disaster, that finding will help marine biologists evaluate how well the ecosystem is recovering and what needs to be done to help.
Two of the five people on a U.S. presidential commission formed to investigate the spill also served on the census's research team.
"The census had collected the most detailed description of species in the Gulf of Mexico, and this was the first time that we had had such a wonderful description of species before a big oil spill took place," Baker said. "Now, the scientific results [on the oil spill's impact] are not in yet, but because of this existing new database, we'll have a much better way of looking at what is the impact of the surface oil and the oil that is dispersed in the water column."
The project's data will also help scientists evaluate the effects of global warming and related ocean acidification, which are already proving to have a profound impact on undersea life.
Around 40 percent of plankton -- the tiny creatures at the core of the ocean's food chain -- has disappeared in the last 30 years, which the study attributes to a rise in water temperatures.
The results are also said to contain valuable information for how to maintain a sustainable world fishing industry.
At the census's unveiling in London on October 4, co-founder Jesse Ausubel said it had "far exceeded any dream."
He and the more than 2,000 experts who worked on the project, he said, "felt like the people who created the first dictionary and encyclopedia 250 years ago."
with additional wire reporting
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Andrew Tate Under House Arrest As Romanian Prosecutors Launch Probe Into New Charges
A court in Romania has placed divisive Internet influencer Andrew Tate under house arrest and his brother Tristan under judicial control for 30 days after they were interrogated by Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors as part of an investigation into new allegations against them. The court's decision came after Romania's anti-organized crime agency DIICOT asked that Tate and his brother Tristan be remanded in custody for 30 days. The brothers' spokeswoman said the judge cited the brothers' “exemplary behavior" while under previous court orders in deciding not to keep them in custody. "The Tate brothers welcome the decision and strongly deny all the allegations brought against them," Mateea Petrescu said in a statement. The new allegations include forming an organized criminal group and child trafficking. To read the original story on RFE/RL's Romanian Service, click here.
- By dpa
Film By Exiled Iranian Director Chosen As Germany's Hope For International Oscar
The Seed Of The Sacred Fig, a film by exiled Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, has been chosen to represent Germany in the competition for Best International Feature Film at the 2025 Academy Awards, German Films announced on August 22. German Films, which represents German cinema interests abroad, said that an independent jury of experts chose Rasoulof's film from among 13 submissions. The Seed Of The Sacred Fig tells the story of the effects of political protests in Iran on a family. The film is "a psychological portrait of Iran's theocracy which is built on violence and paranoia," according to the jury statement.
Ferry Carrying Fuel Tanks Sinks In Russian Port After Ukraine Missile Strike
Ukrainian forces sank a Russian ferry carrying fuel tanks in a missile strike on a port in Russia's southern Krasnodar region on August 22, Russian officials said.
"As a result of the damage, the ferry sank in the waters of the Kavkaz port," the Krasnodar region's operational headquarters said on Telegram.
The headquarters reported earlier that "a railroad ferry with fuel tanks in the Kavkaz port was attacked" and that emergency services had been dispatched. Images circulating on social media showed a plume of dark smoke rising in the area of the ferry crossing.
The port sits in the Kerch Strait separating Russia from Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that Moscow illegally annexed in 2014. Ukraine has issued no official comment on the incident, but Darya Zarivna, a communications adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, posted a photo on Telegram showing a large fire at the port and the word "Beautiful."
Fyodor Babenkov, the district head of the Russian town of Temryuk, was quoted by Reuters as saying the ferry was carrying 30 fuel tanks. The vessel sustained significant damage as a result of the attack, which caused a fire, Babenkov said.
The Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti said five people were on the vessel at the time of the attack and were unaccounted for. The Russian online news channel Baza reported that the number of people on board was 15 and all were missing.
All port employees were evacuated, TASS reported citing the Transport Ministry.
Ukraine in recent weeks has taken bold steps, including a surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region and attacks on fuel storage facilities and airfields inside Russia used to conduct attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, in an effort to turn the tide of the war.
A drone strike earlier on August 22 on an airfield hundreds of kilometers inside Russia was the work of Ukraine's military intelligence, security sources told RFE/RL.
Zelenskiy, meanwhile, traveled to Ukraine's Sumy region that borders Kursk for the first time since the start of Ukraine's invasion there on August 6.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) together with the Special Operations Forces early on August 22 struck the Marinovka airfield in Russia's Volgograd region, located 275 kilometers east of the Ukrainian border, SBU sources told RFE/RL on the condition of anonymity.
The strike targeted a storage site for fuel, antitank missiles, and glide bombs, the security source said.
After the impact, "plumes of black smoke and a powerful detonation" occurred on the airfield surface, the SBU source said.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
Earlier, Russian Telegram channels, citing eyewitnesses, reported a series of explosions at Marinovka, and the Astra channel on Telegram posted a video showing what appeared to be a large explosion and plumes of black smoke rising above the airfield.
Volgograd Governor Andrei Bocharov said drone strikes ignited a fire at a military facility in the region but claimed the attack had been repelled.
"As a result of the UAV crash, a fire broke out on the territory of a ministry facility. Fire and rescue services quickly began extinguishing the fire," Bocharov said on Telegram, adding that there were no casualties.
Meanwhile, the airport of regional capital Volgograd, a city of some 1 million people 55 kilometers east of Marinovka, restricted the arrivals and departures of commercial aircraft.
Volgograd is the current name of Tsaritsyn, which from 1925 to 1961 bore the name Stalingrad, after Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Stalingrad became famous for its repelling a monthslong Nazi siege in 1942-1943 during World War II.
Meanwhile, the airport of regional capital Volgograd, a city of some 1 million people 55 kilometers east of Marinovka, restricted the arrivals and departures of commercial aircraft.
In Bryansk, another Russian region bordering Ukraine, Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said Russian forces prevented a separate attempt by Ukrainian troops to enter the region.
Bogomaz said the attempted breakthrough occurred in the Klimovo district of the region, which borders the Chernihiv region of Ukraine.
His claim could not be independently confirmed, and Ukraine has not commented.
During his trip to Sumy, Zelenskiy met with Ukraine's top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskiy, who briefed him on the operational situation in the area controlled by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk, Ukraine's presidential administration said in a statement.
Sumy Governor Volodymyr Artyukh told Zelenskiy that following the start of Ukraine's operation in Kursk, the number of cross-border shellings and the casualties among civilians had dropped drastically, also allowing the start of infrastructure repairs badly needed after months of incessant Russian bombardments, the statement said.
Ukraine's leadership has repeatedly stated that its bold move into Kursk aims to establish a buffer zone inside Russia meant to protect Ukrainian civilians from cross-border Russian shelling.
Ukraine has also said it is not pursuing territorial gains from Russia.
The Ukrainian military had earlier announced the destruction of a Russian pontoon bridge with U.S.-made weapons during their incursion in Kursk.
A video posted by Ukrainian special forces showed strikes on several pontoon crossings built by Russia after Ukraine destroyed at least three bridges over the Seym River.
Kazakh Prosecutors Seek Additional Prison Term For Ex-Wife Of Nazarbaev's Nephew
ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Prosecutors on August 22 asked the Specialized Inter-District Court in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, to sentence the imprisoned former wife of a convicted nephew of the Central Asian nation's former authoritarian president, Nursultan Nazarbaev, to 12 years in prison on charges that include the illegal deprivation of liberty and extortion.
Investigators say Gulmira Satybaldy, with the assistance of her driver, forcibly held her former business partner and relative Abai Zhunusov in isolation against his will for 165 days in 2019 to force him to give up his stakes in several businesses.
Satybaldy is concurrently serving two sentences -- eight years for embezzlement and the illegal appropriation of shares and assets of several enterprises, and seven years for abduction and actions aiding the commission of a crime.
The sentences were handed down by a court in May and June last year.
Prosecutors are now asking the court to rule that the new 12-year sentence they are seeking for the defendant be served partially concurrently, meaning that the total time to be spent in prison by Satybaldy would be 13 years.
Gulmira Satybaldy was arrested along with her ex-husband Qairat Satybaldy in March 2022. He was tried separately in September 2023 and sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of fraud and embezzlement.
Last week, a court in Kazakhstan's eastern city of Oskemen replaced Qairat Satybaldy's six-year prison sentence with a suspended sentence.
Court No. 2 in the capital of the East Kazakhstan region ruled on August 16 that Qairat Satybaldy must be released with a suspended 40-month sentence, stressing that the once extremely powerful businessman and politician had returned all the money he was accused of embezzling to the State Treasury.
The probes launched against the couple were part of a series of investigations targeting relatives and allies of Nazarbaev following unprecedented anti-government protests that turned into deadly mass disorders in early January 2022.
After the deadly events, the Kazakh regime began to quietly target Nazarbaev, his family, and other allies -- many of whom held powerful or influential posts in government, security agencies, and profitable energy companies.
Russia Annuls Contract Between Danish National And Defense Ministry On Deployment In Ukraine
A court in Russia on August 22 annulled a contract between the Defense Ministry and a Danish citizen, who claims he was duped into joining Russian troops invading Ukraine. The man, whose lawyer asked RFE/RL not to disclose his identity, moved to Russia in the summer of 2023 and joined the Russian armed forces on condition that he would serve in a non-combatant unit, hoping it would help expedite his efforts to obtain Russian citizenship. However, the Dane says, because he could not speak Russian, he was tricked and sent to Ukraine against his will. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Idel.Realities, click here.
CIA Chief Makes Stop In Kosovo As Part Of Unannounced Visit To Balkan Region
CIA director William Burns has arrived in Kosovo after stops earlier this week in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia on an unannounced trip amid concerns about U.S. relations with Kosovo and Russian influence in the Balkans.
Burns was seen on August 22 entering the building of Kosovo’s presidency.
A U.S. government official confirmed to RFE/RL earlier this week that Burns arrived in Sarajevo and met with his Bosnian counterparts, members of the presidency, and the foreign minister.
Burns is believed to have traveled from Sarajevo to Belgrade, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia before arriving in Kosovo. According to the flight-tracking website Flightradar24, a U.S. military plane believed to be used to fly the CIA chief made stops in those countries. On August 22, it was seen parked at the VIP gate at Pristina's international airport, according to an RFE/RL photographer.
But there has been no confirmation of Burns’ visit to Kosovo from the U.S. Embassy in Pristina, the Kosovar presidency, or the Interior Ministry.
The U.S. government official who confirmed Burns’ visit to Sarajevo said the CIA chief was in the Bosnian capital to discuss the “worrying secessionist rhetoric and actions” of the pro-Russian president and government of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Serb entity.
Burns' visit to Kosovo follows concerns about the partnership between the United States and Kosovo, especially regarding the government's handling of issues related to the country's Serb minority.
In an interview last week with RFE/RL's Kosovo Service, U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier said the U.S. administration had been "challenged" by Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his government and the “quality of our partnership is not what we would hope it would be on some of these issues."
The U.S. State Department has urged Kurti to return to "constructive and close engagement" with Washington, the European Union, and NATO, while the United States is also urging Kosovo not to reopen a bridge in Mitrovica because of security concerns.
Former Kosovar security forces commander Kadri Kastrati said Burns’ visit may be linked to Russia’s activities in the western Balkans, where he said Moscow is waging a “hybrid war."
Kastrati said the greatest risk of conflict is in Bosnia through Republika Srpska and in northern Kosovo.
Burns’ visit shows that the CIA has “enough information about Russian efforts -- through its satellite, Serbia --- that this part of Europe is at risk of a potential conflict,” Kastrati said. "They came here to give their recommendations."
- By Kian Sharifi
Iranians Decry The Demise Of Republicanism After Cabinet Controversy
When Iran’s reformist President Masud Pezeshkian submitted nominees for his 19-member Cabinet, many expected the hard-line parliament to reject at least some of his picks.
But in a rare move, lawmakers accepted the entire slate of ministers without a change, the first time a president has managed the feat in over two decades.
Pezeshkian hailed the move as a win for consensus in the divided country. But critics said the unanimous approval of his cabinet showed the limits of the president’s powers in Iran’s clerically dominated political system.
That is because Pezeshkian, addressing parliament before they voted on his nominees, said that the names were selected in “coordination” with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and preapproved by him.
Some Iranians saw Pezeshkian’s comments as an admission that the government is controlled by the supreme leader, who has the final say on all important matters of the state.
Hamid Aboutalebi, a former Iranian ambassador to Australia, said Pezeshkian may have “won the battle in parliament” but had “lost [Iran’s] century-long war for constitutionalism and republicanism.”
Some Iranian social media users said the presidency had lost all legitimacy and Pezeshkian was effectively a prime minister reporting to Khamenei.
“Get rid of this meaningless position of president and appoint a prime minister,” said political activist Hossein Razzaq.
Razzaq added that Khamenei should pick the head of government so that public funds are not spent on holding “ridiculous elections for show" in Iran, where votes are tightly controlled.
In many countries, including Iran, a president is elected by the people. A prime minister, a role that does not exist in Iran, is typically chosen by parliament or the head of state.
Some Iranians argued that Khamenei had finally realized what they said was his yearslong goal of abolishing the presidency and installing a prime minister, arguing that in Pezeshkian, he had accomplished it without the need to change the constitution.
In 2011, Khamenei said there would be “nothing wrong in changing” the system of government if “one day in the distant future it is felt that a parliamentary system is better than a presidential system for appointing officials.”
Getting rid of the presidency would further widen Khamenei’s powers.
Iran abolished the position of prime minister in 1989, a decade after the Islamic Revolution. The prime minister’s duties were divided between the president and the newly established position of first vice-president.
Under the Islamic republic, the prime minister was nominated by the president and approved by parliament. He served as the head of the government.
- By RFE/RL
In Warsaw Ahead Of Kyiv Visit, Indian PM Modi Urges Path For Russia-Ukraine Peace
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Russia and Ukraine to find a path to peace "as soon as possible" ahead of his historic visit to Kyiv.
Modi was in Warsaw on August 22 to meet with Polish officials before heading to Ukraine, the first trip by an Indian leader to Kyiv since the countries established bilateral relations more than 30 years ago. His visit also marks the first trip by an Indian prime minister to Warsaw in 45 years.
"It is India's strong belief that no problem can be resolved on a battlefield," Modi said while in the Polish capital, adding that his country supported "dialogue and diplomacy for restoration of peace and stability as soon as possible."
India came under fire from some Western countries after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last month, which coincided with a deadly Russian missile attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv that elicited harsh international condemnation.
The United States was particularly concerned with Modi’s two-day visit to Russia as it sees New Delhi as an important pillar in its strategy to contain an ascending China.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said as he welcomed Modi that "history has taught our nations the importance of respecting the rules, respecting borders, [and] territorial integrity."
Modi said in a statement published before he left for Poland that "as a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region."
The statement added that Modi will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and "share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict."
Kazakh Court Rejects Appeal Of Former Minister Against Prison Sentence
A court of appeals in Astana on August 21 rejected an appeal by former Kazakh Culture and Sports Minister Arystanbek Mukhamediuly against his imprisonment after being convicted of corruption. Mukhamediuly was initially sentenced last year to eight years in prison on embezzlement charges. In February, he was handed an additional three years on bribery charges, while his wife was handed six months in prison for mediating an attempted bribe, and his lawyer was sentenced to six years and eight months for his alleged role in mediating the bribe. Mukhamediuly’s arrest in 2022 came amid President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev's campaign to remove his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbaev and his associates, from the political scene. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.
Kazakhstan Summons Belarusian Ambassador After Lukashenka Interview
ASTANA -- Kazakhstan summoned Paval Utsyupin, Belarus's ambassador in Astana, to "objectively assess" the Central Asian nation's stance on key international issues in an unbiased manner amid rising tensions between the two countries.
The ministry did not say specifically why it summoned Utsyupin, but it comes after Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the authoritarian ruler of Belarus, made several controversial statements in an interview with Russian state television.
Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtileu said at the August 21 meeting with Utsyupin that Astana is "confident that all differences between any nations must be solved solely via political and diplomatic means."
In the televised interview on August 20, Lukashenka accused some post-Soviet states of what he called "unfair relations with Russia," specifically mentioning antigovernment protests in Kazakhstan in January 2022 that turned deadly after Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev invited troops of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to help him restore order.
"We have to be together. The time will come soon to ask Russia for help. Nobody else is there to ask for help.... When the situation occurred in Kazakhstan, whom did it refer to for help? China, India, Pakistan? No. It turned to Putin for help. And we sent [CSTO] troops there. In just half of one day our planes landed there, and order was restored," Lukashenka said in the interview.
The interview caused a sharp reaction in Kazakhstan and other countries such as Armenia, where protesters pelted the Belarusian Embassy in Yerevan with eggs and other produce and demanded diplomatic ties with Minsk be cut over Lukashenka's interview, in which he also criticized Armenia's shift westward.
"Who needs Armenians? Nobody. Let them develop their economy and rely on their own resources. What is France? Who is [French President Emmanuel] Macron? Tomorrow, when Macron is gone, everybody will forget about the Armenians," Lukashenka said in the interview.
The rally in front of the Belarusian Embassy was organized by the pro-Western For the Republic Party. The party's leader, Arman Babajanian, was among the protesters.
Lukashenka's interview came amid Ukrainian armed forces' incursion into Russia's Kursk region, which led to speculations in many post-Soviet countries that Russia could now call on the CSTO member states -- Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan -- to help it repel Ukrainian troops. Armenia suspended its membership in the CSTO in February.
At Least 10 Dead After Boat Carrying Migrants Capsizes In River Between Serbia And Bosnia
At least 10 people drowned after a boat full of migrants capsized overnight on the Drina River as it was attempting to cross over from Serbia to Bosnia-Herzegovina, authorities in the two countries said on August 22.
Rescuers found 18 people alive, including three children, who had managed to reach the riverbank, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said.
Ten bodies, including the body of a 9-month-old baby and his mother, have been recovered, Dacic said.
Serbian rescuers pulled the bodies of six men from the river, he said. The bodies of two other men were located by members of the Republika Srpska police, Dacic said, adding that as of about 6 p.m. local time the search was still ongoing.
Boris Trninic, the director of Republika Srpska's Civil Protection Service, confirmed to RFE/RL that a boat capsized near the town of Tegara in the municipality of Bratunac during an illegal crossing from Serbia to Bosnia.
Trninic also said the search was continuing.
It was not immediately possible to establish the exact number of people on the boat, but survivors told rescuers there were about 25 people on board.
Members of the border police of Bosnia-Herzegovina, firefighters from the Bosnian town of Bratunac and from Serbia, divers from Republika Srpska's Civil Protection Service as well as Serbian police divers are taking part in the search on the river and its banks, authorities told RFE/RL.
Migrants fleeing wars and poverty in Africa and the Middle East often fall prey to people smugglers who promise to illegally take them across borders in their quest to reach Western Europe.
Bosnian police said efforts are under way to identify and apprehend the smugglers who are responsible for the tragedy.
"The Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia-Herzegovina has been informed about all of the above, and at this moment everything is being done to establish the facts and take all measures and actions to shed light on this event," Bosnia's border police said in a statement for RFE/RL.
Serbia lies on the so-called Balkan migration route to Western Europe. At least 40 people have died over the past decade trying to cross the Drina, according to an RFE/RL Balkan Service count.
Dozens Of Ukrainian Refugees Forced Onto Hungarian Streets After Legal Change
Dozens of Ukrainian refugees, many of whom are children, spent the night sleeping on the street in Hungary after a government-approved legal change revoked their access to state-subsidized accommodation.
The refugees were evicted due to a decree signed by nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban that took effect on August 21. The decree limits state support for refugees who came to Hungary from parts of Ukraine that Budapest says were not affected by Russia's full-scale invasion and the war it has sparked.
"Since the publication of the government decree, we have continuously warned the parties involved and civil organizations about the problem hoping that there will be some solution. This shouldn't happen in a state based on the rule of law," Magdolna Szecsi, an equal-opportunities expert at the Civil College Foundation in Hungary, told RFE/RL on August 22.
Ukrainian Refugees Homeless After Hungary Limits Support
Szecsi said many of those forced onto the street are Transcarpathian Roma who do not want to return to Ukraine, where their living conditions were "inhumane." Transcarpathia, located in the western part of Ukraine, is home to a large ethnic Hungarian community.
Since moving to Hungary, she added, they have begun to integrate by sending their children to school and getting jobs. However, without the subsidies for housing, they cannot afford a place to live.
"I don't know what kind of solution can be found, but it is certain that these people do not want to leave here," Szecsi said.
According to the Hungarian government, 13 regions in Ukraine are currently accepted as directly affected by the war. While all parts of Ukraine have been subjected to attacks by Russia, the front line of the war runs mainly through the eastern and southern parts of the country.
Norbert Pal, the government commissioner responsible for those who have fled Ukraine, said the decree was "reasonable and proportionate" and that those who "wanted to get back on their feet in Hungary have been able to do so."
Last week the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, expressed "concern" over the law saying up to 3,000 Ukrainians could lose access to subsidized accommodation.
"UNHCR consistently calls on EU Member States to interpret and implement the Temporary Protection Directive in a uniform and inclusive manner. The directive also requires Hungary to provide those with asylum status with suitable accommodation and housing," it said in a statement.
"Accordingly, the UNHCR urges the Hungarian Government to review the current amendment. All changes related to collective accommodation must be gradual and adequate measures must be taken to prevent anyone from becoming homeless or forced to destitution as a result of the changes," it added.
Azerbaijani Political Analyst Samadov Detained In Baku
Azerbaijani political analyst Bahruz Samadov, who is known for his criticism of the country's authorities, was arrested in Baku on August 21. Samadov's grandmother, Zibeyda Osmanova, told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service that after her grandson's arrest police searched their apartment and informed her Samadov was suspected of illegal drugs-related activities. Later, a lawyer called and told her her grandson "is being accused of treason." Samadov, a doctoral student at the Charles University in Prague, has been critical of Baku's military offensives in 2020 and 2024 that ended with Azerbaijan regaining control over the then mostly ethnic Armenian-populated breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, click here.
- By AFP
UN Nuclear Agency Confirms Grossi To Visit Russia's Kursk Plant Next Week
UN nuclear agency head Rafael Grossi will visit Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant next week, a spokesperson confirmed on August 22, weeks after Ukraine launched a surprise counteroffensive in the region. "We can confirm (it's planned for) next week," a spokesperson for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said without giving further details. The UN nuclear agency on August 9 urged Russia and Ukraine to exercise "maximum restraint" to "avoid a nuclear accident with the potential for serious radiological consequences" as fighting approached the plant. The visit was first announced on August 21 by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
U.S. Embassy In Kyiv Warns Of Heightened Risk Of Russian Attacks Ahead Of Independence Day
The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has warned of an "increased risk" of Russian air attacks in the coming days as Ukraine prepares to celebrate its Independence Day on August 24. The embassy "assesses that during the next several days and through the weekend there is an increased risk of both nighttime and daytime Russian drone and missile attacks throughout Ukraine in connection with Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24," it said in a statement on its website. Ukraine will mark its 33rd year of independence from the Soviet Union on August 24. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
Lithuania Extends Temporary Residence For Ukrainian Refugees
Lithuania's government has extended temporary residence permits for Ukrainian war refugees for another year. The validity of such residence permits, currently due to expire in March next year, has been prolonged until March 4, 2026, in the European Union country. According to Lithuania's Migration Department, 30-40 new applications for temporary residence permits are registered every day. Currently, more than 44,300 Ukrainians have valid temporary residence permits in Lithuania.
Ukraine Reports Intense Fighting Near Pokrovsk As Russian Forces Press For Breakthrough
Ukraine's military said its forces came under repeated attack on August 21 around the town of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces are pressing for a breakthrough.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
In a statement, the General Staff of the Ukrainian military said there were 46 Russian attacks in the Pokrovsk area over the course of day. Of these, 44 were repelled and two were ongoing into the evening hours local time.
It also said 238 Russian troops were killed or wounded in the same area on August 21. It did not disclose Ukrainian losses, and it was not possible to verify the number of Russian soldiers killed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine's military was responding to the Russian push by strengthening its forces around Pokrovsk, one of the hottest areas of the front.
The Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine has ordered a forced evacuation of children with their parents or legal representatives from certain districts of the Donetsk region, including Pokrovsk.
There were dozens of other clashes across the front line on August 21. Most of them were repelled, according to the General Staff, but some continued into the late evening hours.
The governor of the Bryansk region of Russia, Aleksandr Bogomaz, said Russian forces prevented an attempted incursion into the region by Ukrainian troops. Bogomaz said the attempted breakthrough occurred in the Klimovo district of the region, which borders the Chernihiv region of Ukraine.
"The enemy has been hit by fire. Currently, the situation at the site of the clash has stabilized," Bogomaz said on Telegram.
Ukraine said separately that it had destroyed a Russian pontoon bridges with U.S.-made weapons in Russia's Kursk region. A video posted by Ukrainian special forces showed strikes on several pontoon crossings after Russia reported that Ukraine has destroyed at least three bridges over the Seym River.
"Where do Russian pontoon bridges 'disappear' in the Kursk region? Operators...accurately destroy them," Ukraine's Special Operations Forces said on Telegram.
Claims of battlefield success could not be independently verified.
The Kremlin believes the fighting to repel Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region will last for months and is trying to prepare the public for this "new normal," sources close to the Russian presidential administration and the government have told the Meduza and Verstka news websites.
The reports came as Russia is battling to repel the two-week-old Ukrainian incursion into its region bordering Ukraine, where Kyiv's forces say they control more than 1,260 square kilometers and 92 settlements.
The news outlets said the Ukrainian incursion "shocked" Russian elites, but now that the initial shock has passed, "they've gotten used to it."
'New Reality'
At the same time, the Kremlin is using its propaganda machine to try and prepare Russians for life in the conditions of a "new reality" and "new normality," said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"The Kremlin proposes convincing Russians that an enemy that breaks through to Russian territory will face 'inevitable defeat,' but 'the return of territories will take time and Russians need to wait,'" one of the sources said.
Russian elites are expecting the resignations of those responsible for the Ukrainian breakthrough, a source told Meduza.
Ukraine's leadership has repeatedly clarified that its bold move into Kursk is meant to establish a buffer zone inside Russia meant to protect Ukrainian civilians from cross-border Russian shelling.
The American Institute for the Study of War said Ukrainian forces continued to advance along the entire front line in Kursk.
Earlier on August 21, Ukrainian naval forces struck a Russian S-300 antiaircraft complex in Russia's Rostov region, Ukraine's General Staff reported, while Russia said it was subjected to one of the most intense waves of Ukrainian drone strikes that ever targeted the capital, Moscow.
Ukraine's General Staff said the strike against the S-300 missile complex near the settlement of Novoshakhtinsk in the Rostov region was carried out by naval force units and the consequences of the strike are still being evaluated.
"Russian invaders also use S-300 missiles to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities, destroying residential buildings and terrorizing the civilian population," the General Staff said.
Rostov regional Governor Vasily Golubev separately said a Ukrainian missile had been shot down in the region, without giving details.
Meanwhile, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Ukrainian drones targeted the Russian capital in one of the largest such attacks, adding that air defenses shot down 10 of the drones.
"This is one of the largest attempts to attack Moscow with drones of all time," Sobyanin wrote, adding no casualties or material damage were reported.
Russia's Defense Ministry separately said its air defense systems shot down 45 Ukrainian drones.
"Eleven drones were destroyed over the Moscow region, 23 over the Bryansk region, six over the Belgorod region, three over the Kaluga region, and two over the Kursk region," it said.
Zelenskiy Says Solution Needed For Loan Secured By Frozen Russian Assets
Ukraine needs a real mechanism that will enable Russian frozen assets to work for the country in the coming months, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
Zelenskiy said in his evening video address that the topic was discussed with Ukraine’s partners on August 21 “to bring real decisions closer to the promised $50 billion from frozen Russian assets.”
There has been a lot of discussion in the past about the transfer of the funds to Ukraine, but Zelenskiy said that despite these statements Ukraine still needs a real mechanism.
"It is necessary that the funds from the aggressor's assets work for real assistance in defense against the aggressor," he said. "Relevant discussions have been going on for too long, and finally solutions are needed."
Western countries froze some 276 billion euros ($300 billion) in sovereign Russian wealth funds following Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In June, the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized countries decided to service a $50 billion loan for Ukraine with proceeds generated by the so-called immobilized assets.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has suggested that the G7 could agree on the terms of providing Ukraine with a $50 billion loan secured by the assets by October.
Yellen said in June that there was "no legal problem" in providing Ukraine with the loan. She also rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's accusation that the use of income from Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine was theft.
Most of the frozen Russian sovereign funds -- some 210 billion euros ($228 billion) -- are held in Europe, while about $10 billion ($11.1 billion) is in the United States, the news website Euractiv.com estimates. Some $30 billion ($33.4 billion) are in Japan, and $10 billion in Britain.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced last month that 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) of “proceeds from immobilized Russian assets” would be transferred to Ukraine for defense and reconstruction.
"There is no better symbol or use for the Kremlin's money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live,” von der Leyen said on July 26.
In reaction to von der Leyen's announcement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would not leave the EU's move unanswered but said Moscow's response had to be carefully planned.
The Foreign Ministry said that “any encroachment on Russian state property under the guise of any contrived ‘reparation mechanism’ would be nothing more than theft at the state level."
Western countries have discussed the possible confiscation of the frozen assets, but it is associated with greater legal difficulties than using the proceeds from them.
Iran's Military Denies Safety Breach Was Partial Cause Of Chopper Crash That Killed President
The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces has rejected a media report saying that the helicopter crash in May in which Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died was caused by weather conditions and the aircraft's inability to handle the weight it was carrying.
Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency reported on August 21 that the investigation into the helicopter crash had been "fully completed by the regulatory and security institutions."
Fars quoted an unnamed security source informed of the final investigation as saying there was "absolute certainty that what happened was an accident." The monitoring and security institutions "did not identify a suspicious factor" in their final assessments, Fars reported.
The two reasons given for the crash were bad weather conditions and the helicopter’s inability to handle the weight of extra passengers that exceeded safety protocols, the source added.
According to the Fars report, the chopper was carrying two passengers beyond the recommended capacity when it crashed.
But after the Fars report, the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces "strongly rejected" the reported findings, saying in a statement carried by state media that it was "distorted and discredited."
The headquarters said the claim that the helicopter was carrying more people than its capacity was "fundamentally false.”
The Bell 212 helicopter had a capacity of 15, including one pilot, according to the manufacturer. Raisi and seven others were killed when the helicopter crashed on its way to the city of Tabriz on May 19 in heavy fog as it crossed a mountainous and forested area.
Some reports at the time noted that because of international sanctions it has been difficult for Iran to obtain parts for its aging helicopter fleet. The Bell 212 was made in the United States and procured by Iran from the United States before the 1979 Iranian revolution.
Iran elected a new president, reformist Masud Pezeshkian, in June and on August 21 the country's hard-line parliament approved his 19-member Cabinet, accepting the entire slate of ministers without a change for the first time since 2001.
With reporting by AFP
Russian Opposition Politician Dmitry Gudkov Sentenced To 8 Years In Absentia
A Russian court on August 21 sentenced exiled opposition politician and former parliamentary deputy Dmitry Gudkov to eight years in prison in absentia for his criticism of Russia's military offensive in Ukraine. Gudkov, who served in Russia's parliament from 2011 to 2016, was found guilty of publishing "false information" about the Russian military motivated by "political hatred," the Moscow prosecutor's office said in a statement. In response to the sentencing, Gudkov said on Telegram that his thoughts were with "the hundreds of real, and not 'in absentia' Russian political prisoners" who are waiting for a chance to be freed in a prisoner exchange or for the end of their prison terms. To read the original story on RFE/RL’s Russian service click here.
Dodik Denies That Secession From Bosnia Has Ever Been Policy Of Republika Srpska
SARAJEVO -- Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik denied on August 21 that the Serbian entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina has ever pursued a policy of secession and or disputed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia under the Dayton agreement.
Dodik said, however, that Republika Srpska "has the right to a political fight for its status” under the Dayton agreement.
Dodik made the comments a day after CIA Director William Burns visited Sarajevo amid what a U.S. government official described to RFE/RL as “worrying secessionist rhetoric and actions.”
Bosnia “is a community of two equal entities and three constituent peoples, so I encourage Mr. Burns' position that the responsibility for the functioning of the country lies with all ethnic communities," Dodik said on X.
He also said he welcomed cooperation in the area of terrorism, indicating that he believed Burns made the visit to discuss that topic.
"The fight against terrorism is a duty of the entire free world. In this context, the visit by the CIA director, Mr. William Burns, to Bosnia-Herzegovina is important,” he said. “Republika Srpska is committed to this fight and welcomes any cooperation in this sphere."
The U.S. official who spoke with RFE/RL about Burns’ visit said the CIA director held meetings at the Bosnian presidency with colleagues in the intelligence community, members of the presidency, and the foreign minister.
"They discussed issues of mutual interest, which include the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia-Herzegovina,” according to the official, who asked not to be named.
Dodik, who has been designated for sanctions by the United States, backed a proposal in May that called for the “disassociation” of Republika Srpska from Bosnia. The United States called it “secession by another name” and said it contradicted the Dayton agreement, which ended the 1992-95 Bosnian War.
Dodik has also raised concerns among Bosnia’s Western allies because of his ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Dodik reaffirmed in February after meeting Putin in the Russian republic of Tatarstan that Republika Srpska would not join Western sanctions against Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Denis Becirovic, the current chairman of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, expressed gratitude to Burns for U.S. assistance to Bosnia in building a democratic and multiethnic state. He said he told Burns that the dangerous anti-Dayton policy of Republika Srpska threatens peace and security in Bosnia and the region.
"This is a very important visit, primarily from the security aspect, but it is also a confirmation of the strong support of the United States for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina," Becirovic said on Facebook.
Almir Dzuvo, the chief of Bosnia's Intelligence and Security Agency, who met with Burns on August 20, told RFE/RL that that the visit had been agreed to earlier and that Burns “expressed support for cooperation’ between the two countries’ intelligence agencies and between the United States and Bosnia.
Analysts and current and former Bosnian officials considered the visit a response to the challenges posed by the Kremlin's influence in the region and the secessionist aspirations of pro-Russian Bosnian politicians.
"I am convinced that this is a serious problem, because the director of the CIA rarely goes on such missions and publicly announces it,” said Srdja Pavlovic, a historian and associate of the Wirth Institute at the University of Alberta in Canada. “I suppose that one of the reasons is the growing malign influence of Serbia and Russia in the Balkans," Pavlovic told RFE/RL.
Margarita Assenova, a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington, agreed that Serbia has been stirring up trouble in Bosnia for some time and it’s become “more visible and more dangerous.”
Burns' visit is a “very good message” to Serbia that the United States will not tolerate its actions, Assenova said.
- By Reuters
Russia Says Head Of UN Atomic Watchdog To Visit Kursk Nuclear Plant
Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has confirmed he is ready to visit the Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia at the end of August, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on August 21. Russia's Defense Ministry last week accused Ukraine of planning to attack the Kursk plant as part of its ongoing incursion into the Russian region, an assertion Kyiv has denied.
- By RFE/RL
Russian Ex-Deputy Defense Minister Held On Corruption Charges Loses Appeal
A former Russian defense official held in pretrial detention on corruption charges will remain behind bars, a Moscow court decided on August 21 in a ruling that rejected an appeal against his arrest. General Dmitry Bulgakov was detained in Moscow last month pending an investigation and trial, Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement. Bulgakov is charged with large-scale embezzlement. He reportedly oversaw the creation of a system to supply low-quality food rations to Russian troops at inflated prices. If found guilty, Bulgakov faces up to 10 years in prison. Bulgakov was deputy defense minister in charge of logistics from 2008 to September 2022, when he was dismissed.
Belarusian Embassy In Yerevan Pelted With Eggs And Tomatoes After Lukashenka Statements
YEREVAN -- Protesters in Yerevan pelted the Belarusian Embassy with eggs and other produce and demanded that diplomatic ties with Minsk be cut over statements made by authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka about Armenia's shift westward.
The protests on August 21 came a day after Lukashenka, speaking in an interview with Russian state television, sharply criticized Armenia's current diplomatic friendliness with Western countries amid tense relations between Yerevan and Moscow.
"Who needs Armenians? Nobody. Let them develop their economy and rely on their own resources. What is France? Who is [French President Emmanuel] Macron? Tomorrow, when Macron is gone, everybody will forget about the Armenians," Lukashenka said in the interview.
The rally in front of the Belarusian Embassy on August 21 was organized by the pro-Western For the Republic Party. The party's leader, Arman Babajanian, was among the protesters.
The party's petition demanding the expulsion of the Belarusian ambassador and calling for ties to be cut with Minsk was also signed by two other political parties -- the Republic and the European Party. Three pro-Western nongovernmental organizations also signed the petition.
Earlier in May, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian claimed that two member states of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) helped Azerbaijan prepare for the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
It is believed that Pashinian was referring to Russia and Belarus.
Russian-Armenian relations have worsened significantly since Azerbaijan managed in September last year to regain control over Nagorno-Karabakh, which had been under ethic Armenian control for three decades.
Yerevan has been seeking closer ties with the West, accusing Moscow of not honoring its security commitments to Armenia.
Pashinian has repeatedly threatened to pull his country out of the CSTO, prompting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to charge that Pashinian’s administration was "leading things to the collapse of Russian-Armenian relations" at the behest of the West.
In Rare Move, Iranian Parliament Approves Full Cabinet Of New President Pezeshkian
Iran's hard-line parliament approved moderate reformist Masud Pezeshkian's 19-member Cabinet, accepting the entire slate of ministers without a change for the first time since 2001.
The vote on August 21 included the appointment of 61-year-old career diplomat Abbas Araghchi -- a member of the negotiating team that reached a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015 -- as Iran’s new foreign minister.
Pezeshkian, a doctor and a former health minister, defeated ultraconservative hard-liner Saeed Jalili in a July 5 runoff vote and was sworn in earlier this month.
The election was triggered by the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.
Pezeshkian has called for "constructive relations" with Western countries and favors reviving the 2015 deal that fell apart after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the United States out of the deal in 2018.
Iran's acute economic doldrums have since worsened under the weight of the harsh sanctions.
Pezeshkian has also said he supports the principles of the Islamic republic and said that he plans to follow Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's policies.
He has also questioned Iran's methods of enforcing the Islamic head scarf for women following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in 2022 while in the custody of Iran's dreaded morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly.
He has also said that while the hijab law should be observed, "there should never be any intrusive or inhumane behavior toward women."
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