Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from October, 2014
The Space Race Is Over, But Russian Schadenfreude at American Rocket Troubles Soars
In Russia's post-Crimea era, almost any event seems capable of sparking spasms of patriotic fervor. Thanks to the legacy of the Cold War, space travel is a particularly sensitive flashpoint.
Drone Footage of Hungary Protests Against “Internet Tax”
Hungarians have been rallying in masses against a proposed tax on Internet traffic that many in the country find to be outrageous. The Hungarian government plans to introduce a tax...
Hooligans Crash LGBT Community Celebration in Macedonia
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) was among the very few media to report about an attack on the second anniversary celebration of the center for support of the LGBT community...
Aleksandr Makarenko: Digital Quartermaster for Ukraine's Army
The Ukrainian army and pro-Kyiv forces, underfunded by the state, have relied heavily on support from ordinary Ukrainians like Aleksandr Makarenko, who has raised over $75,000 on social media.
Laughing at Russia's 2018 World Cup Logo
Good will is a rare commodity among Russian social media users, and Russia's logo for the 2018 World Cup became the target of mockery the moment it went public.
The Upsetting Ethnic Taxonomy of Russia's Richest Businessmen
One of Russia’s most popular news websites, the once vaunted Lenta.ru, finds itself at the center of a scandal today, after publishing an ethnic breakdown of Russia’s 200 richest people.
Ukraine Elections Online: Crowdmaps To Report Voter Fraud, Hashtags To Vent About Politics
As Ukraine counts the votes in its parliamentary elections, we take a look at the online citizen tools that Ukrainians used to report violations and discuss the candidates.
5 Muslim Countries Where Gays Are Not Prosecuted by the Law
The LGBT Muslims blog identified 5 Muslim nations where the legal system does not outlaw homosexuality. The 5 countries are : Mali, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkey and Albania. While the law...
Russian and Ukrainian Musicians Caught Between Conflict, Bitter Rhetoric and Bans
As the Russia-Ukraine conflict unfolds, political borders turn into cultural borders, and artists on both sides suffer the consequences.
Russia Step Ups Censorship of ISIS Social Media Content
The move to forbid ISIS’s media content joins a trend of growing Internet surveillance and censorship in Russia, but the feasibility of weakening ISIS by targeting social media is questionable.
Russia's Justice Ministry Targets Human Rights Group ‘Memorial’
Russia hasn't elaborated its grievances against the human rights group, but Memorial says the main issue is that officials want it to adopt a more centralized organizational structure.
Russian Opposition Leaders Support Ukraine, But Crimea Is Not Coming Back
Russia’s leading opposition figures Alexey Navalny and Mikhail Khodorkovsky have a message for Ukrainians: Crimea is gone, and Ukraine is not getting it back.
Russians, Rejoice! The Long-Awaited ‘Meduza’ News Portal Has Arrived!
A cross between news aggregation and independent reporting, "Meduza" is the coolest thing to hit online Russian journalism in recent memory.
False Ebola Alarm Provides Convenient Distraction for Macedonia From Unflattering EU Report
The arrest of 14 judges and an over-dramatized possible case of Ebola took over Macedonian media in October, overshadowing news of a damning EU progress report on the country.
Building an Internet Fast Lane in Russia Could Be a Great Way to Stifle Independent Media
In Russia, where the online space for independent media is fast shrinking, the prospect of ending net neutrality and filtering Internet content poses significant dangers.
With Just Over 50 Entries, Kremlin Blogger Registry Gets No Love
Russia's new blogger law requires popular bloggers to register with the state, but only 52 entries have been added to the registry since it started operations over two months ago.
As The Kremlin's Media Crackdown Continues, Blogs Might Be The Final Casualty
With independent online media closing down or moving abroad, Russian bloggers may now be facing even greater pressure from the Kremlin, as their freedom has shrunk dramatically.
Macedonian Civic Sector Starts Fundraising to Aid Independent Fokus Magazine
The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) appealed in October 2014 to all journalists and citizens to show solidarity with the journalists of Fokus magazine, who are subject to what...
Vladimir Putin and Russian Nationalists Don't Get Along. Here's Why.
RuNet Echo speaks to Egor Prosvirnin, the chief editor of the website "Sputnik & Pogrom," about Vladimir Putin and nationalism in Russia today.
Death By Firing Squad in Eastern Ukraine Over a Cartoon?
The rebel "culture minister" allegedly demands that a court sentence a writer to death by firing squad, and also asks to be awarded 50,000 rubles in compensation for moral damages.
Russian Lawmakers Will Debate Legislation Against Back Tattoos for Women
Male chauvinism and homophobia are nothing unique to Russia, but it’s hard to ignore how the Duma’s new effort to protect women from tattoos dovetails with current reactionary trends.
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