Around the Bloc: Suspected Terrorists in Kazakhstan Mainly Locals Say Authorities

Around the Bloc: Suspected Terrorists in Kazakhstan Mainly Locals Say Authorities

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Kazakhstan; Terrorism; Aktobe

Authorities make arrests and search for others behind the deadliest terrorist assault in the country’s history.

Around the Bloc: Belarus Moves Against Crimea Recognition

Around the Bloc: Belarus Moves Against Crimea Recognition

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Belarus; Russia; Crimea; Globe

Authorities ban Polish-made globes that depict the peninsula as part of Russia.

Around the Bloc: NATO Launches Massive Military Exercise in Poland

Around the Bloc: NATO Launches Massive Military Exercise in Poland

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Poland; NATO; Military Exercise; Anakonda

Moscow says war games are unjustified since Russia has no plans to invade.

Around the Bloc: Legal Conflict Escalates over Kyrgyz Gold Mine

Around the Bloc: Legal Conflict Escalates over Kyrgyz Gold Mine

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Kyrgyzstan; Gold Mine; Centerra; Kumtor

The Kyrgyz government has launched a criminal investigation of the Canadian company that owns the Kumtor mine.

Around the Bloc: Abkhazia Wins ‘Alternative World Cup’

Around the Bloc: Abkhazia Wins ‘Alternative World Cup’

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

The Georgian breakaway state secures victory in a soccer competition of unrecognized countries.

Around the Bloc: Macedonian President Revokes Rest of Pardons

Around the Bloc: Macedonian President Revokes Rest of Pardons

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Macedonia, Pardons; Wiretapping; Ivanov; Gruevski

Move paves the way for possible prosecution of those implicated in wiretapping scandal.

Around the Bloc: Swastika Allegedly Mowed into Latvian President’s Lawn

Around the Bloc: Swastika Allegedly Mowed into Latvian President’s Lawn

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Latvia; Swastika; Vejonis

Observers noticed the man making the symbol in the grass shortly before he mowed the rest of the lawn, making it disappear.

Around the Bloc: Black Sea Countries Vulnerable to Zika, WHO Warns

Around the Bloc: Black Sea Countries Vulnerable to Zika, WHO Warns

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Georgia; Abkhazia; Russia; Zika; virus; WHO

The Zika virus is expected to travel north with the warmer weather.

Around the Bloc:Frenchman Plotted Attacks at Euro 2016, Kyiv Says

Around the Bloc:Frenchman Plotted Attacks at Euro 2016, Kyiv Says

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Ukraine; France; Euro2016; terrorism; weapons; Hrytsak

Ukraine arrested man with big weapons cache, but French prosecutor says he was likely just a gunrunner.

Around the Bloc: Putin Says ‘Nyet’ to State Meddling in Media

Around the Bloc: Putin Says ‘Nyet’ to State Meddling in Media

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Russia; media; Putin; journalism

Governments should not automatically label as propaganda news reports that rub them the wrong way, Russian leader urges.

Around the Bloc: Poland Halts Intake of North Korean Workers

Around the Bloc: Poland Halts Intake of North Korean Workers

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: PolaNorth Korea; workers; migrants; forced; DPRK; EU

Human rights concerns and Poland’s desire to increase economic pressure on Pyongyang seen as spurs to the decision.

Around the Bloc: Ukrainian Secret Service Nixes Idea of Negotiations

Around the Bloc: Ukrainian Secret Service Nixes Idea of Negotiations

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Ukraine, SBU; Savchenko; Donbas; Separatists; Negotiations

Savchenko had proposed direct talks with separatists to end the conflict.

Around the Bloc: Israel and Russia Find Common Ground in Syria

Around the Bloc: Israel and Russia Find Common Ground in Syria

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Russia; Israel; Putin; Netanyahu; Syria; meeting

Netanyahu and Putin meet again in Moscow, but Israeli PM dismisses suggestions that he’s looking to replace United States as country’s main ally.

Around the Bloc: Bulgarian Communist Monument May Get New Lease on Life

Around the Bloc: Bulgarian Communist Monument May Get New Lease on Life

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Bulgaria, Communist Monument; Borisov; Buzdludzha

Two young digital designers and an architect are spurring new ideas for the building.

Arts and Culture: On the Lighter Side: Wacky Bridge Stories

Arts and Culture: On the Lighter Side: Wacky Bridge Stories

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Charles; bridgel; Tbilisi; Prague; Slovakia; Chuck Norris; Stephen Colbert; Khabarovsk

Think the Kadyrov scandal is the only strange bridge story out there? Think again.

Around the Bloc: Five Dead as Kazakh Police Hit Suspected Militants

Around the Bloc: Five Dead as Kazakh Police Hit Suspected Militants

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Kazakhstan; Aktobe; terrorism; Islamists; protests

Police were hunting suspects involved in weekend attacks in western city of Aktobe.

Around the Bloc: Obama Hopes for Early End to Ukraine Conflict

Around the Bloc: Obama Hopes for Early End to Ukraine Conflict

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Ukraine; US; Obama; Russia; Donbas; Minsk; Savchenko

Top White House aide Susan Rice says international efforts are intensifying to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine

Around the Bloc: Controversial Russian Artist Pavlensky Freed

Around the Bloc: Controversial Russian Artist Pavlensky Freed

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Russia; FSB; Lubyanka; Pavlensky; trial; artist

Known for harming himself as a form of protest, Pavlensky was fined for damaging ‘cultural heritage’ – the doors to Moscow’s KGB/FSB headquarters.

Around the Bloc: Punk’s Not (Yet) Dead in Dushanbe

Around the Bloc: Punk’s Not (Yet) Dead in Dushanbe

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/14/2016

Keywords: Tajikistan; punk; music; rock; Rahmon; traditions

Under the combined blows of economic decline and official disapproval, alternative lifestyles are withering in the Tajik capital.

Around the Bloc: New App Will Simplify Mail Delivery in Mongolia

Around the Bloc: New App Will Simplify Mail Delivery in Mongolia

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 06/21/2016

Keywords: Mongolia; App; Mail Delivery; What3Words

The app assigns a three-word combination to every point on the planet, ideal for the billions who have no mailing address.