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BBC World Service Leaves The Balkans
Citing budget cuts, the World Service announced that it was closing down radio programming in five of its broadcast languages -- Albanian, Macedonian, Portuguese for Africa, English for the Caribbean, and Serbian.
The move effectively shuts down the last World Service broadcasts in the Balkans, after earlier closures of the Croatian, Bulgarian, and Slovenian language services.
The departure of the World Service leaves RFE/RL, VOA, and a third international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, to provide in-language news coverage to Serbia, Macedonia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The "Financial Times" quoted a British foreign-policy insider as saying the World Service had struggled to compete with its rivals in the region.
Boro Kontic, the director of the Bosnia-based Media Center, which provides training for local journalists, says the departure of the BBC marks a sad close to a "big and historic chapter" in the region's history.
"This is really important news for the whole region. The BBC called on Yugoslavia in March 1942 to start an uprising against the Nazis at the beginning of the Second World War," Kontic says. "So we've had a really long history, and now 70 years later, they're closing the program."
New Player In The Region
The BBC closures in the Balkans come even as another major international broadcaster, the Middle Eastern television network Al-Jazeera, is preparing to launch an ambitious pan-Balkan broadcast channel.
Al-Jazeera, whose Arabic and English broadcasts claim to have more than 50 million viewers worldwide, has hired well-known television journalist Goran Milic to head its Balkan operations.
Milic says the channel, which will be one of the first major efforts to establish a network working across the entire Balkan region since the collapse of the former Yugoslavia, has the potential to succeed because of the tremendous amount of news still being generated in the Balkans.
"One month we will have more news from Serbia, another three months from Bosnia-Herzegovina, another two months from Croatia -- I don't know what will happen," Milic says.
"Al-Jazeera English got the award for the best news service. I watched it and, not that I'm biased, but I think we can do it better. We can do it better simply because we have more possibilities."
Media observer Kontic notes with some irony that the Balkans' "new history" is beginning with the arrival of Al-Jazeera even as its "old history" begins to bow out with the retreat of the BBC.
But he says the benefits remain the same. Just as the World Service provided an objective, unentangled alternative to local news, Al-Jazeera is likely to avoid the political ties and boosterism that dog Balkan broadcasters to this day.
"It could be good to finally see a normal TV program which is trying to give you factual, precise information, unlike what we see here with local public broadcasters who are trying all the time to be very connected with local politicians," Kontic says.
"That's what we think is going to happen -- that the Al-Jazeera TV station is going to be independent, balanced, and a company which will try to give us real facts."
Major Cuts
The closures are part of a 16 percent spending cut following a government spending review last autumn.
The World Service will also cease all radio programming in Azeri, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish for Cuba, Turkish, Vietnamese, and Ukrainian, but will continue to pursue online and television content in those markets.
Altogether, the World Service is set to lose 650 jobs as part of its cost-saving plan -- a reduction that represents nearly one-third of its workplace. The corporation estimates the cuts will also amount to an audience drop of more than 30 million people.
Reading from a statement by the British Broadcasting Corporation's global news director, Peter Horrocks, World Service spokesman Mike Gardner said the closures were "not a reflection of the performances of individual services or programs."
"They are all extremely important to their audiences, and to the BBC," Gardner said. "It is simply that there is a need to make savings due to the scale of the cuts to the BBC World Service's grant and aid funding from the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and we need to focus our efforts on the languages where there is the greatest need and where they'll have the strongest impact."
The World Service plans to provide additional funding for some priority projects, such as TV programming in Urdu, Hindi, and in Sub-Saharan Africa.
'Devastating Blow'
The cuts, which come just days after the BBC announced 360 online job losses, come at a time when global economic troubles have put journalists and international broadcasting in an increasingly perilous position.
The BBC is the main public-service broadcaster in the United Kingdom, and the largest broadcaster worldwide.
While much of its domestic service is funded by annual fees paid by households and companies within the United Kingdom, the World Service, which broadcasts in 32 languages worldwide, is funded by direct grants from the British government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
John Tusa, who served as the managing director of the World Service from 1986 to 1993, told the BBC's Radio 4 that the cuts were "awful" for World Service listeners and would deal a devastating blow to British foreign policy because they substantially weakened "one of the most important elements of international cultural diplomacy."
Foreign Secretary William Hague, who has ultimate authority over decisions to close BBC foreign language services, has acknowledged the cuts were "difficult" to make.
But in a fiery debate in Parliament today, Hague defended the BBC's move to streamline its operations and emphasize new, more cost-effective platforms.
He cited as an example the BBC's Russian service, which in dropping all radio programming in favor of online strategy perfectly mirrors that country's media trends.
"What has happened in Russia is that online audiences have increased by 120 percent in the last 12 months," Hague said, "while radio audiences have declined by 85 percent."
Marija Arnautovic of RFE/RL's Balkan Service contributed to this report
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- By Current Time
After Public Outcry, Russia Launches Probe Into Suicide Of Bullied Teen Athlete
Russia's Investigative Committee said on August 23 that it launched an investigation into the death by suicide of teen athlete Ksenia Cheponova, which she apparently carried out as a result of a bullying over her ethnicity. The noted 17-year-old sambo wrestler's body was found on August 17 in Novosibirsk, where she studied at a sports college. Before her death, Cheponova left a message on Telegram saying she was tired of being humiliated for her ethnicity. Amid the public outcry that followed, the acting governor of the Altai region, Andrei Turchak, asked Investigative Committee chief Aleksandr Bastrykin to investigate Cheponova's death. Altais are Turkic-speaking indigenous people of Siberia. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.
Baku Court Sends Political Analyst Bahruz Samadov To Pretrial Detention
A Baku court on August 23 sent Azerbaijani political analyst Bahruz Samadov to pretrial detention for at least four months on a high treason charge, which he rejects. Samadov, a doctoral student at Charles University in Prague, was detained a day earlier. Police told Samadov's grandmother her grandson was suspected of illegal drugs-related activities. Later, a lawyer called and told her Samadov "is being accused of treason." Samadov 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 RFE/RL
Biden Voices 'Unwavering' Support For Ukraine With New U.S. Aid Package
U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated America’s "unwavering support for the people of Ukraine" in a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on August 23, the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day.
Biden made the comments in a statement that also announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine that includes air-defense missiles, equipment to counter drones, anti-armor missiles, and ammunition.
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.
News reports quoting an unidentified U.S. official said the package is worth $125 billion, although the White House statement didn't provide a figure.
Earlier on August 23, the United States announced new sanctions on nearly 400 entities and individuals who Washington says are enabling Russia's illegal war and supploying Russian military industries.
"These actions build on a series of historic steps we have taken with our Allies and partners over the last few months to support Ukraine -- from transferring F-16 fighter jets, to committing to deliver hundreds of air defense interceptors over the next year, to quickly surging security assistance to the frontlines following the passing of our National Security Bill," Biden said in the statement.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine is in critical need of the new U.S. military aid, especially air defense, Zelenskiy's office said.
Zelenskiy earlier on August 23 urged his country's Western partners to deliver promised military support, saying in his evening address that on the front lines "we fight with shells and equipment, not with words like 'tomorrow' or 'soon.'"
Ukraine is waiting for packages with weapons or equipment "that have been announced and decided upon but not yet delivered," he said.
Biden praised Ukraine for repelling "Russia's vicious onslaught" and remaining "unbowed in the face of Russia's heinous war crimes and atrocities." Day after day, he said, Ukrainians "have defended the values that unite people across both of our nations and around the world -- including independence."
Biden also reiterated that the United States and its allies and partners "will continue to stand with [Ukraine] every step of the way." He said that "when the war began, Ukraine was a free country. It still is today and will be when the war ends."
- By Reuters
U.S. Sanctions Hundreds Of Targets In Effort To Cripple Kremlin's Military Production
The United States on August 23 added nearly 400 individuals and entities in and outside of Russia to its sanctions list as part of the U.S. effort to disrupt Russia's international supply chains, metal procurement, and financial services that support its war effort in Ukraine.
The U.S. Treasury Department said the move was building on sanctions already imposed on Russia in response to its full-scale war in Ukraine and were aimed at distinct networks, individuals, and entities whose products and services enable Russia to sustain the war and evade sanctions.
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.
"Russia has turned its economy into a tool in service of the Kremlin’s military industrial complex," Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said in a news release. The treasury's "actions today continue to implement the commitments made by President [Joe] Biden and his G7 counterparts to disrupt Russia's military-industrial base supply chains and payment channels."
The sanctions target numerous transnational networks, the department said. Among them are those allegedly involved in procuring ammunition and military materiel for Russia, facilitating sanctions evasion for Russian oligarchs through offshore trust and corporate formation services, laundering gold for a sanctioned Russian gold company, and supporting Russia's military-industrial base by procuring sensitive and critical items such as advanced machinery tools and electronic components.
The list of companies designated for new sanctions includes 60 Russian-based defense and technology firms "critical for the sustainment and development of Russia's defense industry," it added.
Adeyemo added that companies, financial institutions, and governments around the world "need to ensure they are not supporting Russia’s military-industrial supply chains."
The department warned that foreign regulators and financial institutions "should be cautious" about any dealings with overseas branches or subsidiaries of Russian financial institutions and noted it is is aware of Russian efforts "to facilitate sanctions evasion by opening new overseas branches and subsidiaries of Russian financial institutions."
The sweeping action targets networks, individuals, and entities across 16 jurisdictions, including in China, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
The measures against companies in China alone are aimed at 190 targets, according to a State Department fact sheet outlining its sanctions.
Washington has repeatedly warned Beijing over its support for Russia's defense industrial base and has already issued hundreds of sanctions aimed at restricting Moscow's ability to exploit certain technologies for military purposes.
The sanctions, which freeze any assets held by those targeted in U.S. jurisdiction and bar them from dealings with people in the United States, were announced parallel to an announcement by the U.S. Commerce Department saying it was taking "aggressive action" to further restrict the supply of items made in the United States to both Russia and Belarus, due to "the Kremlin's illegal war on Ukraine."
In addition, the U.S. State Department said it was targeting entities and individuals involved in Russia’s future energy, metals, and mining production as well as sanctions evasion and Russia’s military-industrial base. It also is targeting subsidiaries of Russia's state atomic energy corporation Rosatom and "malign actors involved in the attempted, forcible 're-education' of Ukraine's children."
The U.S. government also added 123 entities to its U.S. export control list known as the Entity List that forces suppliers to obtain licenses before shipping to targeted companies. The companies -- 63 Russian and 42 Chinese as well as 18 from other countries -- were targeted for a host of reasons from sending U.S. electronics to Russian military-related parties to producing thousands of Shahed-136 drones for Russia to use in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked the United States for the "additional strong sanctions" saying on X they would further weaken Russia's ability to "wage an aggressive war against Ukraine."
"Pressure on the aggressor must be maintained and increased constantly as long as Russia continues its aggression," Zelenskiy added.
11 Confirmed Dead In Migrant Boat Accident In River Between Serbia And Bosnia
The number of dead in the sinking of a migrant boat on the Drina River on the border between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia has risen to 11, including a 9-month-old baby.
The search for more bodies continued on August 23 after the 11th body was pulled from the river. Rescuers found 18 people alive, including three children, who managed to reach the riverbank, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said on August 22.
Boris Trninic, director of Republika Srpska's Civil Protection Service, confirmed to RFE/RL that the migrant boat capsized near the town of Tegara in the municipality of Bratunac during an illegal crossing from Serbia to Bosnia.
Witness Milica Avdalovic told RFE/RL she was awakened between 4 and 5 a.m. local time on August 22 by the sound of a barking dog.
"Screams were coming from the Drina. We thought at first it was some young people there, but the dog continued to bark uncontrollably. I went out the window and noticed people trying to swim toward the shore," she said.
Then she saw a man asking for help. He indicated there were women and children in danger and said they were on a boat that sank with 25 people on board.
Zlatan Simic, commander of the local fire and rescue unit, said the search was still ongoing on August 23.
"We are on the water, starting the search from the point where the accident occurred, and the riverbed is being searched again in the hope that we will find the rest [of the victims]," he said, adding that rescuers do not know the number of people who were on the boat.
The survivors have been receiving humanitarian aid, said Nihad Suljic, a volunteer with the NGO SOS Balkan Route. Some will be admitted to a reception center in Sarajevo and then returned to Serbia.
Suljic said children whose parents drowned were sent to a center in Belgrade.
Bosnian police said efforts are under way to identify and apprehend the smugglers responsible for the tragedy.
Serbia lies on the so-called Balkan migration route to Western Europe. 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.
Moscow Orthodox Priest Defrocked Over Prayers For Reconciliation With Ukraine
Russian Patriarch Kirill on August 23 enforced the decision to defrock Orthodox priest Andrei Kudrin over his prayers for reconciliation between Russians and Ukrainians. Orthodox priests across Russia have been under orders since late 2022 to pray for "Holy Russia's victory." Kudrin served as a clergyman at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God in Moscow's Bibirevo district. In April, Patriarch Kirill issued a decree banning Kudrin from service. On July 12, the Moscow Diocesan Court ruled to defrock him for "perjury," saying Kudrin failed to comply with the instructions of the hierarchy. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Hostage-Taking Crisis In Russian Prison Ends With Eight Dead
The Russian National Guard said its snipers killed four hostage-takers when security forces stormed a prison in the southwestern region of Volgograd after knife-wielding prisoners reportedly launched a deadly attack on guards and held some staff hostage.
The Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) said in a statement that four prison guards died on August 23 after four inmates took eight guards and four other inmates hostage at the correctional colony No. 19 in the town of Surovikino in the Volgograd region.
"The perpetrators inflicted stabbing wounds of various types on four prison employees, three of whom died. The other four, who resisted, were hospitalized, and one of them died in hospital," the FSIN's statement said, adding that four other inmates also were wounded in the hostage-taking crisis.
Media reports as the incident began said several people died when the hostage-taking took place while a disciplinary commission was in the penitentiary.
Telegram channels close to the penitentiary service issued a video showing four inmates who called themselves "Islamic State fighters" wielding knives and standing next to three bodies in FSIN uniforms and another uniformed person who was injured.
One Telegram channel identified the four inmates as two men from Uzbekistan and two from Tajikistan, three of whom are serving terms for illegal drugs and one for inflicting serious damage to a person’s health. That information has not been confirmed officially.
In another video, an inmate states that prison guards "had violated Muslims' rights."
"We killed those who humiliated and tortured Muslims. They took away books from some of us, prayer rugs from some of us. So, we did the same to them. No mercy," the man in the video says.
The reports are likely to further exacerbate the xenophobic aftermath of the worst attack inside Russia since 2004, which left 145 people dead after gunmen stormed the Crocus City Hall concert venue outside Moscow on March 22. Ten Tajiks have thus far been arrested in Russia in connection with the attack claimed by the Islamic State group, including four accused of being the gunmen.
The Baza Telegram channel, which is close to law enforcement structures, reported that the prison’s warden Andrei Devyatov was hospitalized with wounds after he and four other hostages, including an inmate, managed to escape.
In another video, an inmate urges Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet the hostage-takers' demands and says he needs a doctor. Putin said in televised remarks that he had been briefed on the situation by the head of the FSIN.
One video shows four inmates standing next to a black banner with an Arabic inscription on it, chanting "Allahu Akbar!" ("God is great!"), while one of them holds a uniformed man.
Media reports say riot police units are deployed near the prison and the imam of the Volgograd region had arrived at the site to hold talks with the hostage-takers.
This is the second hostage-taking event in a Russian penitentiary this summer.
In June, several inmates took hostages at a detention center in the city of Rostov-on-Don. Russian officials said at the time that the hostage-takers were members of Islamic State. Five hostage-takers were killed and two hostages wounded during that crisis.
Another incident occurred in the mainly Muslim region of Daghestan, where at least 20 people were killed in shootings in two cities in the southern Russian area.
Russian Court Hands Prison Terms To 5 Participants In Last Year's Anti-Jewish Unrest In Daghestan
A court in Russia's Krasnodar region said on August 23 that it had handed prison sentences to the first group of participants in anti-Jewish mob unrest in the North Caucasus region of Daghestan in October 2023.
Three men -- Anvarbek Atayev, Islam Ibragimov, and Salik Ramazanov -- were sentenced to 6 years and four months in prison each, while another defendant, Magomed Omaraskhabov, was sentenced to 6 1/2 years.
The four were found guilty of taking part in mass unrest. A fifth defendant, Rabadan Radzhabov, was also convicted of attacking a police officer and sentenced to nine years in prison.
The court concluded that the defendants’ actions at the airport in Makhachkala airport had been based on "ethnic and religious hatred," adding that their actions blocked the operations of the airport for a significant period of time.
The five men had pleaded not guilty.
The violence occurred on October 29, 2023, when hundreds of protesters, angry over the situation surrounding the ongoing war between Israel and the extremist group Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, broke through doors and barriers at the airport to get access to a plane that landed from Tel Aviv.
They stopped passengers who arrived from Israel, checking their ethnicity and citizenship by demanding that they show their passports.
In all, some 1,500 people took part in the unrest, with 136 of them subsequently being charged with participating in a riot and attacking law enforcement officers.
The Daghestani Prosecutor-General's Office said at the time that some 30 police officers were attacked while trying to restore order at the airport, some of whom sustained serious injuries.
The Kremlin blamed the unrest on "outside interference" and without showing any evidence accused Ukraine of involvement, which Kyiv rejected.
The Middle East conflict broke out after Hamas militants stormed Israel on October 7, killing hundreds of people and taking more than 200 hostage. Israel retaliated with a military campaign against Gaza, leading to the deaths of thousands of people and the destruction of much of the Gaza Strip.
India's Modi Calls For Peace During Historic Visit To Ukraine
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 23 again called for peace as he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a historic first visit to Kyiv as the war triggered by Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine neared the two-and-a-half-year mark.
Modi, who arrived by train from Poland, sat down for talks with Zelenskiy after both men visited a memorial exhibition in Kyiv dedicated to the children killed during the war.
"We have stayed away from the war with great conviction. This does not mean that we were indifferent," Modi, seated alongside Zelenskiy, said in remarks to the media posted on his X account.
"From day one, we were not neutral. We have taken one side, and we stand firmly for peace."
Modi did not elaborate on his vision for a peaceful resolution of the war, which was started by Russia, traditionally India's ally.
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 ascendant China.
Zelenskiy at the time had harsh words for Modi's trip, too, saying it was a "huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world's largest democracy hug the world's most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day."
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.
On August 23, Modi offered his country's humanitarian support for war-wracked Ukraine.
"Whatever help is required from a humanitarian standpoint, India will always stand with you and will go above and beyond to support you," Modi said.
Zelenskiy did not make any remarks, but posted a message on X accompanied by a video of him and Modi visiting the exhibition commemorating children who have died in the war.
"Today in Kyiv, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and I honored the memory of the children whose lives were taken by Russian aggression. Children in every country deserve to live in safety. We must make this possible,"Zelenskiy said in his message.
Modi's trip is the first by an Indian leader to Kyiv since the countries established bilateral relations more than 30 years ago. He has said he plans to also discuss "deepening the India-Ukraine friendship."
In comments to Reuters, Zelenskiy's presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said Modi's visit to Kyiv was significant because New Delhi "really has a certain influence" over Moscow.
"It's extremely important for us to effectively build relations with such countries, to explain to them what the correct end to the war is -- and that it is also in their interests," Podolyak said.
Meanwhile in Washington, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at the Pentagon.
Austin noted the countries' increased defense cooperation, including efforts to strengthen critical supply chains and interoperability between their militaries.
"We share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and our defense cooperation continues to grow stronger and stronger," Austin said in a news release. "We're expanding our defense industrial ties and working to coproduce more capabilities and strengthen supply chain resilience."
He highlighted India's participation in the recent Rim of the Pacific military exercise led by the U.S. Navy in Hawaii that brought together 29 partner nations.
"The Indian Navy remains an important security provider in the Indian Ocean," Austin said, adding the U.S. is committed to deepening naval cooperation and "doing more together with unmanned technology, and to strengthening undersea domain awareness."
Singh said the growing U.S.-India cooperation covers "all areas of human endeavor." He noted robust ties between Indians and Americans and shared democratic values and interests on a range of issues.
Human Rights Foundation Submits Case Of Imprisoned Kazakh Activist To UN Special Procedures
The New York-based Human Rights Foundation (HRF) said on August 22 that it had filed a submission with the Special Procedures division of the UN Human Rights Council on behalf of Marat Zhylanbaev, the imprisoned leader of the unregistered Algha Qazaqstan (Forward Kazakhstan) political party.
Zhylanbaev, a noted human rights activist and athlete, was arrested in May 2023 and initially sentenced to 20 days in jail for holding a picket two months earlier to demand the release of political prisoners and to ask Western nations to impose sanctions on Kazakh officials for "helping" Russia evade sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.
Zhylanbaev was later remanded in custody on charges of taking part in a banned group's activities and financing an extremist organization.
In late November 2023, a court in Astana found Zhylanbaev guilty and sentenced him to seven years in prison while also banning him from engaging in social and political activities.
In June 2024, the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan rejected Zhylanbaev's appeal against his incarceration.
Investigators say the activities of Zhylanbaev and his followers were coordinated by the fugitive critic of the Kazakh government, Mukhtar Ablyazov, whose Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement was labeled as extremist and banned in the country in March 2018. Zhylanbaev is also accused of transferring money to supporters of DVK twice.
Zhylanbaev rejects the charges against him, calling them politically motivated.
"Kazakhstan failed to release Mr. Zhylanbaev when his pretrial detention was set to end in July 2023 and held him in a cell with a convicted individual while awaiting trial. His closed trial took place before a tightly controlled judiciary, and all but one of his requests to call witnesses was denied. His detention cannot be justified under these circumstances," HRF International Legal Associate Kaitie Holland said.
"The Kazakh regime has demonstrated a pattern of suppressing dissent by consistently classifying the opposition as 'extremist.'"
HRF asked UN Special Procedures to investigate Zhylanbaev's case and called on Kazakhstan to release him immediately.
CIA Chief Meets With Kurti At End Of Kosovo Visit
CIA Director William Burns held talks on August 23 in Pristina with Prime Minister Albin Kurti before concluding his two-day visit in Kosovo, the Kosovar government said in a statement.
Kurti thanked Burns for Washington's continuous support for Kosovo and voiced Pristina's dedication to deepening bilateral cooperation while reaffirming his country's unwavering commitment to democracy, rule-of-law, and Euro-Atlantic integration, the statement said, calling Burns' visit "historic."
On August 22, Burns met with Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani and the head of Kosovo's Intelligence Agency (KIA), Petrit Ajeti, according to a Facebook post by Osmani, who wrote on August 23 that her country's alliance with the United States was "a guarantee of security, peace and success.”
Burns, who arrived in Kosovo after reported stops earlier this week in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia during an unannounced tour amid concerns about U.S. relations with Kosovo and Russian influence in the Balkans, did not make any comment at the end of his visit.
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 although his tour was not confirmed officially by U.S. authorities.
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.
Due to security concerns, the United States is also urging Kosovo not to reopen a bridge in Mitrovica which divides the northern city into an Albanian-majority southern side and a Serb-majority northern side,.
China and Belarus Sign Free Trade Deal, Other Agreements On Security And Energy
Sanctions-hit Belarus has announced that it will sign a free trade deal with China for services and investment, as well as agreements to strengthen cooperation in security, energy, and finance.
The new pact was announced in a joint statement released on August 23, a day after a visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Minsk where he met with Belarusian Prime Minister Raman Halouchanka and authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, and promised to deepen cooperation to improve industrial supply chains and reduce costs.
“One of them can definitely be called historic -- an agreement on the creation of a free trade zone for services and investment,” the statement quoted Lukashenka as saying about the agreements.
Belarus said that the trade deal would create “transparent and predictable rules,” which would help the country’s economy by increasing its exports to China by at least 12 percent and boosting Chinese investment into Belarus by 30 percent in the next five years.
Speaking with Li, who arrived in Minsk after a multiday visit to Moscow, Lukashenka said he wanted to see a “large influx of Chinese technology” into Belarus over the coming years -- a move that could signal an increasing reliance on Beijing for trade and economic growth moving forward.
China is already Belarus’s second-largest trading partner after Russia, with the state-run China Daily saying that bilateral trade surpassed $8.4 billion in 2023.
Belarus has been one of Russia's closest allies following its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, providing logistical support and air bases for the war and recently deployed Russian tactical nuclear weapons on its territory.
But while Minsk still relies heavily on Moscow for political and financial support, it has also looked to balance that dependence with closer ties with Beijing.
That need for diversification has grown in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with Moscow directing its political and economic resources toward the war.
Cut off from Brussels in 2020 following a crackdown triggered by his disputed reelection that the opposition and the West denounced as rigged, Lukashenka has courted China for loans, investment, and, increasingly, military and political support.
In July, Belarus became the 10th member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and also hosted Chinese troops for joint military exercises in the western part of the country, some 5 kilometers from the Polish border.
Once an active investor in Belarus for infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology ventures, China had not offered a new project or loan to Minsk since 2019 and seemed to have stepped back from the country amid its domestic crisis, which cut Lukashenka off politically from the European Union and made him a less appealing economic partner for Beijing.
But despite the years of limited economic engagement, Beijing and Minsk have maintained close political ties, which have now led to Lukashenka securing fresh Chinese investment.
Among the various agreements included in the series of deals, five industrial projects totaling $1 billion are set to be launched and 12 more industrial projects worth $2 billion are under approval, according to the joint statement.
Theagreements signed also plan to set up closer cooperation between Belarus and Chinese provincial governments in Chongqing and Shaanxi.
Exiled Iranian Director 'Happy' After Germany Submits Film For International Oscar
Germany’s decision to select Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s latest movie to represent the country in the 2025 Oscars in the international feature category shows that Iranian independent cinema is making strides, the director has told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
Rasoulof’s The Seed Of The Sacred Fig was selected by an independent jury of experts from among 13 submissions, according to German Films, which represents German cinema interests abroad.
In a brief message to Radio Farda on August 22, the Golden Bear-winning director said he was “happy” for various reasons.
“First of all, the voice of Iranian independent cinema appears to be on a new path,” said Rasoulof, who fled Iran earlier this year.
“Secondly, the movie offers a picture close to the reality about the women's protests in Iran,” he added, referring to the ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ protests in 2022.
The protests were sparked by the death in morality-police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish-Iranian woman who was detained for allegedly flaunting the country’s strict dress code for women.
The unrest lasted for months, with rights groups estimating that more than 500 protesters were killed as security forces clamped down on the demonstrations.
Rasoulof said he was also happy because the movie’s submission as Germany’s hope for the Oscars was a recognition of the efforts and hardships endured by the cast and crew of the film in Iran.
“This highlights the efforts of a group that tried to be an honest narrator of the truth despite the restrictions,” he said.
Rasoulof revealed in May that he had fled Iran after being informed that he had been sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging on security-related charges.
An outspoken critic of the Iranian establishment’s crackdown on protests, Rasoulof was convicted of “collusion to act against national security.”
The cast and crew of The Seed Of The Sacred Fig had been under pressure by the Iranian authorities to pull the movie from the Cannes Film Festival.
Rasoulof attended the festival after leaving Iran, receiving a 12-minute standing ovation after the screening of his film. The movie won multiple awards at Cannes, including the Competition's Special Jury Prize and the Prix Francois Chalais for Best Film.
The film tells the story of an Iranian judge struggling with paranoia. His mistrust intensifies after his gun goes missing amid growing nationwide protests. He suspects his wife and daughters of stealing his weapon and imposes heavy restrictions at home.
Rasoulof won the Golden Bear -- the Berlin Film Festival’s top prize -- in 2020 for his film There Is No Evil, which tells four stories loosely connected to the themes of the death penalty in Iran and personal freedoms under oppression. He was barred by Tehran from travelling to Germany to receive his award.
Burning Oil Depot In Russia's Rostov Region Struck Again, Reports Say
An oil depot in Russia's Rostov region, which has been on fire for several days following a Ukrainian drone strike, was hit again on August 23, Russian telegram channels report. There was no immediate confirmation from Russian or Ukrainian authorities about the alleged second strike on Proletarsk. A Ukrainian drone attack on August 18 set fire to some 20 diesel fuel tanks with an estimated volume of 5,000 cubic meters of fuel each. The reported targets of the August 23 strike were kerosene tanks, which had escaped the first strike undamaged. It was not immediately clear if the strike was successful. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
Memorial To Founders Of Wagner Mercenary Group Appears In Siberia On Anniversary Of Their Deaths
Large portraits of Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, the deceased founders of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, appeared in Narym park in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk on August 23, the first anniversary of their deaths in a suspicious plane crash. A makeshift memorial erected near the portraits includes two flags with Wagner symbols. Prigozhin's forces launched a rebellion in June 2023 and briefly took control of the city of Rostov-on-Don. Many believe the plane crash two months later was orchestrated by the Kremlin in retaliation. The Kremlin has denied the assertion and no evidence to back up the claim has been found. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, click here.
Arrest Warrant Issued For Navalny LIVE YouTube Channel Producer
A Moscow court on August 23 issued an arrest warrant for Nina Volokhonskaya, a producer at the Navalny LIVE YouTube channel who is currently outside of Russia. In mid-August, Volokhonskaya was added to Russia's wanted list for allegedly taking part in the activities of an extremist group. Late Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's organizations and projects were labeled as extremist and banned in Russia in June 2021. If arrested and convicted, Volokhonskaya faces up to six years in prison. Outspoken Kremlin critic Navalny died in February in an Arctic prison. His associates and supporters blame President Vladimir Putin for his death. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Iran Claims To Have Arrested 14 Members of Islamic State-Khorasan
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said in a statement on August 23 that its agents had arrested 14 members of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), which is a branch of the IS militant group based in Afghanistan, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported. It did not specify when the arrests occurred but said all 14 had entered Iran illegally and “planned to carry out terrorist operations.” Seven suspects were arrested in the southern Fars Province while the rest were apprehended in the northern provinces of Tehran and Alborz, and Khuzestan Province in the southwest. In January, IS-K claimed a deadly twin bombing in southern Iran that killed 95 people.
4 Children Among 6 Dead In Fire In Serbia's Novi Sad
Six people, including four children aged 2 and 7, died in a fire overnight in Novi Sad, Serbia's second-largest city, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said on August 23. The fire, which broke out in the Salajka neighborhood of Novi Sad, appears to have been caused by a scooter, which had been left connected to the electricity grid, Dacic said. "We assume the victims are members of the family that lived at that address," said Dacic. Police and prosecutors opened an investigation after the fire was put out by the city's fire brigade.
- By RFE/RL
Ukraine Repels Fresh Wave Of Russian Drone Strikes, Air Force Says
Ukrainian air defense systems shot down 14 out of 16 attack drones that Russia launched overnight at four of its regions, Ukraine's air force said early on August 23. "Antiaircraft systems operated in the Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Poltava, and Sumy regions," it said on Telegram, adding that two Russian drones were "lost on location" and it was not clear whether they were destroyed. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damages. Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its air defenses downed four Ukrainian drones over the Kursk region and three over the Belgorod region. It did not mention any casualties or damage.
- By Pamir Sahill
Gang Kills 11 Police Officers In Restive Pakistani Region
As many as 11 policemen have been killed and 10 others injured in an August 22 ambush by robbers in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab Province, one of the deadliest attacks against law enforcement in the restive region in recent times.
The robbers, armed with rocket-propelled grenades and guns, attacked the officers while the two vehicles they were traveling in stopped along the road after one experienced mechanical problems, the police said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and ordered "immediate and effective action" against the bandits. Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab Chief Minister, said in a statement that the attack “will not go unavenged.”
The ambush comes three weeks after six police officers from Punjab and Sindh provinces were killed by robbers in two separate attacks in the region on July 31.
The riverine region along the border of Punjab and southeastern Sindh Province is considered a no-go zone for citizens, and law enforcement agencies do not have much control of it.
The area, a combination of forests and uncultivated land owned by the state, is spread out over hundreds of square kilometers on both sides of the Indus river.
Armed bandits have been present there for many years, engaging in kidnapping for ransom, extortion, and murder. Police and other law enforcement agencies began operations to combat their activities in 2021.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, a non-governmental, independent body, said in its fact-finding report last year that at least "300 cases of kidnapping for ransom were registered" in 2022. The robbers make an estimated 1 billion Pakistani rupees ($3,580,400) a year from their illegal activities.
Experts believe that local influential politicians and landlords are behind the gangs as they seek to profit from the land.
- By Todd Prince
Harris Accepts Democratic Presidential Nomination Vowing To 'Stand By Ukraine'
WASHINGTON – In a historic speech at the Democratic National Convention, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris promised to continue military support for Ukraine and strengthen NATO as she accepted the party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential race.
The 59-year-old Harris, the first woman of color to top the presidential ticket of a major U.S. party, sharply criticized her Republican challenger Donald Trump for cozying up to authoritarian leaders.
Speaking to thousands of cheering supporters on the fourth and last day of the convention inside the United Center in Chicago, Harris, just a month after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed her to replace him atop the Democratic ticket, accused Trump of disowning Ukraine and allies and of denigrating the United States.
“As President, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies,” Harris, said on August 22 during the 40-minute speech.
"I will never waver in defense of America's security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand," she added, contrasting her position with Trump and running mate JD Vance, who have repeatedly questioned U.S. backing for Ukraine.
Harris, the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to accept a major party's presidential nomination, delivered an upbeat view of the United States and its standing in the world, a sharp contrast to the doom-and-gloom picture Trump painted at the Republican convention last month.
“I see a nation that is ready to move forward, ready for the next step in the incredible journey that is America,” she said.
Craig Allen, a communications professor and political commentator at Arizona State University, told RFE/RL after the speech that while Harris was “inspiring,” especially when she spoke about family and her personal journey, her comments on Ukraine weren’t anything “that Biden hadn't already said.”
“She did not elaborate on what she was going to do for Ukraine,” he added.
Turning to the war between Israel and Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, Harris vowed to work toward ending the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people in the Gaza Strip.
The vice president said that as president she would "always stand up for Israel" and would "never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists."
The address, watched by millions of Americans around the country, is the first time many voters have gotten to see the new Democratic candidate up close.
Harris emerged as the party’s frontrunner on July 21 when Biden took the unprecedented step of bowing out of the race after winning the primaries.
The 81-year-old president faced intense pressure from senior party officials to withdraw after he appeared frail and confused during a June 27 debate against Trump, deepening widespread concern he was too old to serve another four years.
While Harris oversaw key issues such as illegal immigration and abortion rights, like most vice presidents, she had been largely out of the public eye during her more than three years in office.
In a recent poll, more than a third of Americans said they don't know Harris or her positions well.
Wearing a blue suit, Harris talked about growing up in a middle class family of immigrants and going on to become a prosecutor to protect people.
She laid out some of her priorities as president, including increasing the supply of affordable housing and protecting abortion rights.
“They are out of their mind,” Harris said about the Trump's campaign stance on abortion.
The former president took to social media and then called into Fox News to comment further, to criticize the speech for not talking about China, oil fracking, or crime, issues that Trump has pushed consistently.
“It was a lot of complaining," he said.
“Why didn’t she do the things that she’s complaining about?”
Independent polls taken days before the August 19-22 Democratic National Convention showed Harris, who if elected would become the first female president in the history of the United States, slightly edging out Trump in a hypothetical national vote.
Analysts say even 100,000 votes across a few swing states could determine the outcome of the November 5 election.
Harris' campaign has enjoyed a momentum not seen by a Democratic candidate since former President Barack Obama’s first bid in 2008, party members say.
Even though Trump and Biden easily won their respective primaries earlier this year, a significant number of American voters said they wanted new candidates on the ballot. The two men faced off in 2020.
Harris's entry into the race has energized some voters – especially younger women – who had shown little enthusiasm for either Biden or Trump, experts said.
Russia Opens Criminal Case Against Journalists From CNN, Ukraine Over Reporting From Kursk Region
Russia's secret service agency, the FSB, said it has opened a criminal case against CNN journalist Nick Paton Walsh and two Ukrainian correspondents saying they illegally crossed into the country to film reports on Ukraine's incursion into Russian territory.
The journalists -- which include Paton Walsh, a British national, and Ukrainian journalists Diana Butsko and Olesya Borovik -- reported from the Sudzha area of the Kursk region, where Ukraine has surprisingly taken a foothold inside of Russia in recent weeks.
The incursion is the biggest into Russia by a foreign power since World War II.
"In the near future, they will be put on the international wanted list," the FSB said in a statement on August 22, adding all three face up to five years in prison.
The journalists entered Russia embedded with a Ukrainian military convoy and travelled to the town of Sudzha in a reporting mission CNN said was a legitimate reporting trip.
"Our team was invited by the Ukrainian government, along with other international journalists, and escorted by the Ukrainian military to view territory it had recently occupied," CNN said in a statement.
"This is protected activity in accordance with the rights afforded to journalists under the Geneva Convention and international law," it added.
The FSB move comes on the heels of a similar case launched last weekend against two Italian journalists who reported on Ukraine's offensive in the Kursk region.
Simone Traini and Stefania Battistini were also accused of illegally crossing the border.
Moscow subsequently summoned Italy's ambassador to Moscow, Cecilia Piccioni, who informed Russia's Foreign Ministry that Italian state broadcaster RAI, "and in particular the editorial teams, plan their activities in a totally free and independent way."
The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier this week also summoned the U.S. Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission Stephanie Holmes to protest what it called "provocative" reports by U.S. journalists from the Kyiv-controlled part of Russia's Kursk region who "illegally" crossed the Russian border.
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.
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 is "a psychological portrait of Iran's theocracy which is built on violence and paranoia," according to the jury statement. Rasoulof told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda from Berlin where he now lives that “the movie offers a picture close to the reality about the women's protests in Iran." To read the original story on RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.
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.
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.
The strike targeted a storage site for fuel, antitank missiles, and glide bombs, the security source said.
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.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian military said late on August 22 that 135 combat clashes had taken place at the front during the day, and that Russia continues to concentrate its main efforts in the Pokrovsk area, where it attacked Ukrainian positions 53 times.
A Russian military strike killed a 56-year-old man and injured eight others in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's Office said .The injured included a 15-year-old boy, while residential buildings were also damaged.
After Zelenskiy met with Ukraine's top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskiy, in Sumy, a Russian drone attack killed two civilians and wounded a third.
During his visit to Sumy, Zelenskiy was briefed by Syrskiy 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.
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