Moldova has begun the procedure of denouncing key agreements with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which will allow it to leave the organization, Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi said on January 19. The minister said on Radio Moldova that Moldova has begun to denounce the CIS Charter, the Agreement on the Creation of the CIS and the corresponding annex, which were adopted in 1991-1993, NewsMaker writes.

Alexandr Piragis / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia Record snowfall in Russia’s Far East has paralyzed the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. With snow drifts several meters tall blocking homes, vehicles, and businesses, local residents are struggling to cope. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky recorded 37 centimeters (14.5 inches) of precipitation in December — more than three times the monthly average.

According to the prosecution, the comedian “created an organized crime group” to insult believers Kristina Kormilitsyna / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia Artemy Ostanin in the hall of the Meshchansky Court of Moscow, March 19, 2025 The Moscow Meshchansky Court began to consider the case against stand-up comedian Artemy Ostanin, accused of inciting hatred and insulting the feelings of believers.

French President Emmanuel Macron is not going to accept US President Donald Trump's invitation to join the newly created Peace Council, Bloomberg reported on January 19, citing a source. According to him, Macron believes that the charter of the new international organization goes beyond the issues of the Gaza Strip, as originally intended.

They fought Assad and defeated the Islamic State. It was also an experiment in creating direct democracy. Now autonomy is under the rule of Damascus Bakr ALkasem / AFP / Scanpix / LETA Demolition of the “Free Woman” monument in Raqqa (Syria). January 19, 2026 The Kurdish autonomy known as Rojava has been eliminated in Syria. It existed for almost 14 years, repelling attacks from the Bashar al-Assad regime, Syrian Islamists and Turkish “proxies”.

Pelagiya Tikhonova / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia Flowers lie beside a temporary sign replacing the destroyed memorial plaque to Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Moscow, January 19, 2026. The Russian neo-Nazi group National Socialism/White Power (NS/WP) has claimed responsibility for the destruction of a memorial plaque honoring Anna Politkovskaya, the Novaya Gazeta journalist who was assassinated in 2006, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on Monday.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev announced that he will resign, BTA reported on January 19. Addressing the nation, Radev said that he would submit his resignation on January 20. He expressed confidence that Vice President Iliana Yotova will become “a worthy acting president.” As Reuters notes , Radev’s statement has led to speculation that he is going to form his own political party and participate in early parliamentary elections.

"He incited the Iranians and abandoned them" Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg/Getty Images After mass protests began in Iran on December 28, US President Donald Trump began threatening an attack on the Iranian regime. Already on January 2, he publicly admitted that the United States could help the protesters, and on January 13 he directly called on them to overthrow the government, promising that “help is on the way.” However, no US strike on Iran has yet occurred.

Hungary's largest oil and gas company MOL said it has signed an agreement with Gazprom Neft to purchase its stake in the state oil company of Serbia (NIS). MOL said in a statement that the company will buy 56.15% of NIS shares, which were previously owned by Russia. NIS came under US sanctions in October 2025. Washington said they would lift sanctions if Russia completely pulled out of the company. Russia joined the NIS in 2008.

Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino fashion house Valentino Garavani died at his home in Rome, Corriere della Sera reported on January 19. He was 93 years old. Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty Images Valentino Garavani founded the fashion house named after him with Giancarlo Giametti in 1960. The fashion house achieved success in a short time and began collaborating with Hollywood stars.

The telegram channel of the closed publishing house Popcorn Books announced a new project called Soda Press. The new publishing house will publish “honest stories about what is happening around and inside us,” according to a welcome post on the renamed Popcorn Books Telegram channel. During January, the books “Will I Die a Little Fool?” will go on sale under the new brand. Ksenia Naimushina, “Diagnosis for Two” by Marissa Eller and “Eleven Houses” by Colleen Oakes.

In the program: a film by Zhanna Agalakova, the story of a parachutist grandmother and a film by a director who unexpectedly inherited land in Chechnya The IDFF Artdocfest/Riga documentary film festival will be held in Latvia from February 28 to March 8. At Meduza’s request, festival president and documentarian Vitaly Mansky talks about each participant in the main Artdocfest Open program. You can view the entire program on the IDFF Artdocfest/Riga website.

The neo-Nazi organization National Socialism/White Power (NS/WP) said it was involved in the destruction of a memorial plaque on the house in Moscow where Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya was killed in 2006, Novaya Gazeta Europe reports. Murder of Anna Politkovskaya Anna Politkovskaya was killed on October 7, 2006 in the entrance of house 8/12 on Lesnaya Street.

Tatiana Dzhafarova / AFP / Scanpix / LETA Evgenia and her husband, Pavlo, in their Kyiv kitchen during a blackout. January 13, 2026. In the fall, as Russia intensified strikes on Ukraine’s energy system, experts warned that the coming winter would be difficult — but few expected a critical breakdown.

The Meshchansky District Court of Moscow is considering a criminal case against stand-up comedian Artemy Ostanin, who is accused of inciting hatred and insulting the feelings of believers due to jokes about a legless man and Jesus Christ, Mediazona reported on January 19. During the trial, the prosecutor stated that Ostanin created an organized criminal group (yes, an organized crime group) to offend the feelings of believers, and read a joke about Christ at the Stand-up Brothers club.