Radio Free Europe
RFE/RL journalists report the news in 22 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia.
Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Loyal To Russia Since 2019 Schism, Now Cuts Ties Over War.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left), Russian Patriarch Kirill of Moscow (right), and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu talk while visiting a marine church in St. Petersburg. (file photo)
The leaders of Orthodox churches in Ukraine that have been affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church on May 27 adopted measures to sever ties with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine in a significant move against the Russian Orthodox Church and its spiritual leader.
The leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church -- Moscow Patriarchate made the announcement in a statement on Facebook after holding a council in Kyiv focused on “issues that arose as a result of the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine." "We disagree with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow...on the war in Ukraine," said the statement.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church -- Moscow Patriarchate has until now formally pledged allegiance to Russia's Patriarch Kirill, who has expressed clear support for President Vladimir Putin's offensive in Ukraine. Church spokesman Archbishop Kliment said the council stressed its "complete rejection" of Kirill's position regarding the war. "Not only did he fail to condemn Russia's military aggression but he also failed to find words for the suffering Ukrainian people," the archbishop told AFP. In recent weeks, hundreds of Ukrainian Orthodox priests signed an open letter calling for Kirill to face a religious tribunal over the war.
The statement said it condemns war as “a violation of God's commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill!' and expresses condolences to all those who suffer in the war."
It said relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Moscow leadership had been "complicated or absent" since the war began, and that the council had approved amendments testifying "to the full independence and autonomy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.” The statement also appealed to both Ukraine and Russia to "continue the negotiation process" and find a way to "stop the bloodshed." The Ukrainian Orthodox Church -- Moscow Patriarchate remained subordinate to Russia after a schism that formed the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. It broke away from the Russian Orthodox Church over the Kremlin's annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in the Donbas region and in 2019 was granted autocephaly, or independence. Putin's invasion and Kirill's support for it had placed the Moscow-backed branch of the church in Ukraine in an increasingly precarious position. It is unclear whether clerics of the Moscow Patriarchate will join ranks with those who broke away in 2019 and who now pledge allegiance to Istanbul-based Patriarch Bartholomew, who is considered the leader of the worldwide Orthodox community.
With reporting by AFP
Memorial Concert For Navalny Scheduled To Take Place June 4 In Berlin.
Associates of Aleksei Navalny, who died in February in a Russian penal colony, say a concert has been scheduled in his memory in Berlin on June 4, which would have been the opposition politician’s 48th birthday.
Orban Challenger Leads Protest Calling For Reforms Of Child Protections In Hungary.
Peter Magyar, an aspiring challenger to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, renewed his calls for change on April 26 as he led a protest of several thousand people demanding a more robust child protection system and the resignation of Orban's g...
Hacker Group Claims It Penetrated Belarusian KGB Network.
A group known as Cyberpartisans claims it has infiltrated the network of Belarus’s main security agency and accessed the personnel files of thousands of employees.
Aliyev Rejects Criticism Over Arrest Of Journalists In Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on April 26 rejected criticism over the arrests of journalists and said the fact that people had access to the Internet meant press freedom was assured.
Briton Charged Over Alleged Russian-Linked Arson Attack.
A British man has been charged over alleged hostile state activity intended to benefit Russia, including by allegedly recruiting others for an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked commercial property in London.
Jesse Watters: Biden ran away from the podium
Fox News host Jesse Watters criticizes the Biden administration's handling of anti-Israel protests across American campuses on 'Jesse Watters Primetime.' #foxnews #fox #jessewatters Subscribe to Fox News! Watch more Fox News Video: Watch Fox News ...
Pro-Palestinian protest moves off campus as LAPD moves in.
As the Los Angeles Police Department began surrounding pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Southern California, some of the demonstrators moved off campus. Police say those remaining on campus will be arrested for trespassing. » Subsc...
Miami police arrest man in the beating death of a transgender woman.
Miami Beach Police arrested a 53-year-old man in connection to the beating death of a transgender woman near the Miami City Ballet. Her stepfather speaks out on how the family is devastated and how he feared this could happen. WTVJ's Chris Hush re...
President of Planned Parenthood on Arizona’s vote to repeal Civil War-era abortion ban.
ABC News’ Linsey Davis spoke with the president of Planned Parenthood, Alexis McGill Johnson, on the Arizona House decision to repeal the 1864 abortion ban. ––– Subscribe to ABC News on YouTube: Watch 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events...
Stay Tuned NOW with Gadi Schwartz - April 24 - NBC News NOW.
Biden signs foreign aid package into law, the U.S. secretly sent long range missiles to Ukraine, and the LAPD move in to break up pro-Palestinian protests on the campus of USC. 00:00 Introduction 00:39 Biden signs $95B foreign aid package 02:49 U....
Rissi Palmer describes impact of Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter”.
Abby Phillip speaks with country and pop artist Rissi Palmer about CNN’s upcoming documentary on MAX, “Call Me Country: Beyonce & Nashville’s Renaissance.” The documentary examines Beyonce’s historical moment as the first black woman to top Billbo...