Current Time

'If Not Now, When?' LGBT Movement Gains Momentum In Kyrgyzstan

This spring, a march in Bishkek marked International Women's Day by calling for equality for all -- including LGBT people. Members of the LGBT community say it marked a turning point in the fight for equal rights in Kyrgyzstan, but they describe ongoing battles with threats and job discrimination.

Donbas Separatists Release Four Ukrainians In Minsk

Russian-backed separatists from Ukraine's eastern Donbas region have released four Ukrainian citizens from captivity in Minsk. The freed men were transported from the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don to the Belarusian capital.

Russian Tourists In Georgia Unfazed By Putin's Flight Ban

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree suspending all direct flights between Russia and Georgia from July 8. The ban follows nights of protests in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, after a Russian lawmaker gave a speech from the speaker's chair of the Georgian parliament.

Rock Star Gives Voice To Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Party

A Ukrainian rock star is moving back into politics. Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, frontman of the band Okean Elzy, has launched a new anti-corruption party called Holos (Voice) ahead of July's parliamentary elections. Vakarchuk was previously elected to parliament in 2007, but resigned after a year.

Questions, Demands, And Pleas For President Putin

Vladimir Putin holds an annual session on national television in which citizens can call in and ask the president questions. Ahead of the event, Current Time TV asked Russians what they would like to ask Putin, given the chance, while local activists were holding demonstrations to address their concerns directly to the president.

Ford Plant Closures In Russia Mean Mass Layoffs, Protests Over Pay

Ford's joint venture in Russia, Ford Sollers, is closing three of its four factories in the country in response to a weakened local economy. As thousands of workers face unemployment, a few are protesting against what they say is an unfair severance package.

State-Approved Rally Held In Moscow In Support Of Free Media

The Russian Interior Ministry says nearly 1,600 people are taking part in a rally in Moscow in support of free media in Russia, which critics have described as "fake."

Kazakhstan: Families Search For Detained Relatives

Relatives of many of the individuals detained in the Kazakh city of Almaty for alleged participation in unauthorized protests during against Kazakhstan’s presidential elections say they cannot find their family members.Interviewed prison staff told Current Time that they had no information about the individuals’ whereabouts.

Kazakhstan: Families Search For Detained Relatives

Relatives of many of the individuals detained in the Kazakh city of Almaty for alleged participation in unauthorized protests during against Kazakhstan’s presidential elections say they cannot find their family members. Interviewed prison staff told Current Time that they had no information about the individuals’ whereabouts.

Police Detain Hundreds At Moscow Protest

Police detained dozens of demonstrators who turned out for a march in Moscow on June 12 to maintain pressure on authorities following the release of Ivan Golunov, an investigative reporter who was arrested on a drug charge supporters said was fabricated.

Kazakh Opposition Figures Question Amirzhan Qosanov's Second-Place Finish In Presidential Vote

Interview With Former Kazakh Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin

Arrests Mark Kazakhstan's First Post-Nazarbaev Election Day

Lawyer Reveals Details Of Yushchenko Corruption Probe

A lawyer for former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has disclosed some details of the corruption charges his client is facing in the high-profile case.

Digging Up The Past: A Stalin-Era Mass Grave Found In Kazakhstan

A Kazakh man discovers a Stalin-era mass grave in his backyard.

The Dukhobors, Georgia's Pacifist 'Spirit Warriors'

In Georgia, members of a small Christian sect called the Dukhobors preserve the faith they brought with them from Russia in centuries past. Their forebears were persecuted and exiled for their unconventional beliefs and refusal to serve in the army.

'A Person, Not An Invalid': Smolensk DJ Defies His Diagnosis

After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Stas Borodin, 33, lost a good job in Moscow, his wife left him, and he was forced to return to his native Smolensk. He didn't give up, but instead started a new life and became a well-known DJ in the city.

Investigators Seeking Cause Of Russian Explosives Plant Blast

Regional authorities say emergency rescue operations have been completed following a series massive blasts that devastated an explosives plant in central Russia, and investigators are seeking the cause of the accident.

Massive Explosions Hit Russian Munitions Plant, Dozens Injured

Blasts at an explosives plant in central Russia have left at least 19 people injured and two have been reported missing, Russian news agencies reported, citing local health ministry officials.

Woke In Kazakhstan: Viral Videos Open Eyes To Political Problems

A video of Kazakhs criticizing aspects of life in their country went viral and sparked a widespread debate ahead of June's presidential election.