News in Europe: Russia Edition

Welcome to another news roundup, this week with mainly Russian news. It’s weird, sad, scary and also occasionally wonderful.

Worried about new rebel offensives in the eastern cities of Mariupol, Donetsk, and Luhansk, as well as Kharkiv and Berdyansk, the Ukrainian government is sending army reinforcements.

The Royal Air Force on Saturday intercepted a Russian bomber approaching UK airspace. On Wednesday, Norway intercepted two of them.

In an effort to make a lame Ebola joke, a Russian football (well, OK, soccer) coach has said he will not hire any more black players for his team. He’s still not been fired.

Russia is accused of blocking an agreement that would create the world’s biggest marine reserve in Antarctica. China is not helping either.

But here’s good news from Russia! Commuters on the Moscow metro can now download Russian classics for free. Which is ace.

In Hungary, prime minister Orbán has scrapped his plans for an Internet tax after widespread protests.

Finally! Roman Polanski has been arrested in Poland. He was later freed because his warrant was issued in the US, but no extradition request has been made. Welcome to the wonderful world of politics.

Polanski had been travelling to attend the opening of Poland’s first Jewish museum. Here’s an enlightening article about the subject.

Why Kurdish women need arms to fight ISIS.

The discussion continues over David Cameron’s attempt to compromise freedom of movement in the UK. Here are some statistics of the impact of EU migrants on the UK economy.

And finally, this week sees the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. 25 years, and I remember it vividly. (I’m old.) The first time we took to the road to go West, I cried 7-year-old tears. I had no idea what was going on, but I knew it was big. And I was going to see my cousins again, only a few weeks after I thought I’d lost them forever. Here are some pictures. Keep safe and love each other, everyone.

See you next week.