RFE/RL Headlines
11/24/2009 6:14:21 PM
A daily digest of the English-language news and analysis written by the staff of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty News
UN Urges Sides In Bosnia To Work Together The permanent members of the UN Security Council and the European Union have urged the competing sides in Bosnia and Herzegovina to work toward common solutions so the country can get on the fast track to join Euro-Atlantic structures. Speaking at the UN, Valentin Inzko, the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, described the current situation as "worrisome and stagnant." More
From Our Bureaus
Kremlin Orders Investigation After Jailed Lawyer's Death
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has asked the Prosecutor-General's Office and the Justice Ministry to help investigate lawyer Sergei Magnitsky's recent death in a detention center, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More
Kremlin Orders Investigation After Jailed Lawyer's Death Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has asked the Prosecutor-General's Office and the Justice Ministry to help investigate lawyer Sergei Magnitsky's recent death in a detention center, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More
Two Policemen Found Beheaded In North Caucasus Two policemen were found beheaded in Russia's Kabardino-Balkaria Republic today, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More
Jailed Azerbaijani Bloggers Allowed To Meet Parents Judge Araz Huseinov has allowed the parents of Adnan Hajizada to visit with his parents on November 25, while Emin Milli and his parents will be allowed to meet the following day. More
Russian President Hosts 'Belarusian Only' Press Russian President Dmitry Medvedev held a meeting with Belarusian journalists at his residence in Barvikha on November 23, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports. More
Drunk Russian Police Kill Abkhaz Citizen In Moscow
Three Moscow police officers have been arrested and charged with murder after the death of an Abkhaz man, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More
Three Moscow police officers have been arrested and charged with murder after the death of an Abkhaz man, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More
Tajik Officials Detain Chinese Man, $150,000 In Cash Tajik authorities say they have detained a Chinese businessman at Khujand airport and confiscated $150,000 in undeclared money that he was carrying, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports. More
Kazakh Activists Demand Hospitalization Of Jailed Official Well-known Kazakh public figure Murat Auezov and opposition Azat Party official Bolat Abilov have called on Kazakh officials to provide proper medical treatment to Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the jailed former director of Kazakh uranium-production giant KazAtomProm, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports. More
Moscow Police Detain Alleged 'Turkestan' Terrorists
The Russian Interior Ministry has announced the arrest of three suspected terrorists in Moscow, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More
The Russian Interior Ministry has announced the arrest of three suspected terrorists in Moscow, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports. More
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Discuss Joint Border Patrols
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are seeking to arrange joint patrols of some parts of their common border beginning in 2010, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports. More
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are seeking to arrange joint patrols of some parts of their common border beginning in 2010, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports. More
Bishkek Schools Closed For Flu Quarantine
Officials in the Kyrgyz capital have introduced a quarantine in all Bishkek schools until November 30 due to a flu epidemic, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports. More
Officials in the Kyrgyz capital have introduced a quarantine in all Bishkek schools until November 30 due to a flu epidemic, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports. More
Watchdog
Tajikistan Must Properly Prosecute Violence Against Women, Amnesty Urges
In a new report, the rights watchdog Amnesty International demands that authorities in Tajikistan properly prosecute violence against women as a criminal offense. More
Tajikistan Must Properly Prosecute Violence Against Women, Amnesty Urges In a new report, the rights watchdog Amnesty International demands that authorities in Tajikistan properly prosecute violence against women as a criminal offense. More
Caucasus Report
Mediators Note Progress In Munich Karabakh Talks
The Munich meeting was the sixth between the two presidents this year, and according to the French co-chairman, Ambassador Bernard Fassier, it was "particularly long, because very constructive, detailed, and in-depth discussions took place between the two presidents on all the basic elements that have yet to be agreed on. Some of these elements were discussed for the first time in such a detailed and deepened manner." More
Mediators Note Progress In Munich Karabakh Talks The Munich meeting was the sixth between the two presidents this year, and according to the French co-chairman, Ambassador Bernard Fassier, it was "particularly long, because very constructive, detailed, and in-depth discussions took place between the two presidents on all the basic elements that have yet to be agreed on. Some of these elements were discussed for the first time in such a detailed and deepened manner." More
Election Law Consensus Eludes Georgian Ruling Party, Opposition The interparty working group established in March to draft amendments to Georgia's election law failed at its most recent meetings (on November 12 and 18) to reach a compromise agreement on how the mayor of Tbilisi should be elected. More
Persian Letters
'We're All Political Prisoners'
A blogger at Madyar (his blog name is Ghomar Asheghaneh, or Amorous Gamble) reacts to the recent release of Iran's former vice president, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, who was arrested in the postelection crackdown. He says Iran is a big prison in which all citizens are prisoners of a state that wants to rob them of all their rights. More
'We're All Political Prisoners' A blogger at Madyar (his blog name is Ghomar Asheghaneh, or Amorous Gamble) reacts to the recent release of Iran's former vice president, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, who was arrested in the postelection crackdown. He says Iran is a big prison in which all citizens are prisoners of a state that wants to rob them of all their rights. More
Features
U.S. 'Will Not Force Values' On Central Asia, Envoy Says
The U.S. deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asian affairs, George Krol, says in an interview with RFE/RL that although the United States seeks democratic changes in the five Central Asian countries, it is not attempting to "force its values or institutions" on them. Instead, the United States offers regional heavyweights Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan dialogue which respects the sovereignty of their governments. More
U.S. 'Will Not Force Values' On Central Asia, Envoy Says The U.S. deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asian affairs, George Krol, says in an interview with RFE/RL that although the United States seeks democratic changes in the five Central Asian countries, it is not attempting to "force its values or institutions" on them. Instead, the United States offers regional heavyweights Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan dialogue which respects the sovereignty of their governments. More
Billboard Wars Ukrainians are getting ready to elect their first president since the Orange Revolution. Eighteen candidates are on the ballot and the stakes are high. But what's interesting for many voters is not the candidates or their platforms -- it's who's got the biggest billboard. More
Energy Dreams Call For Desperate Measures Lacking the foreign funding needed to complete the long-delayed Roghun dam, Tajik leaders are calling on ordinary citizens to donate a month's salary to fund the effort. But many Tajiks wonder whether the government can't find better donors than its own impoverished people. More
Relations In Spotlight As PM Arrives For White House Dinner U.S. President Barack Obama sits down for important talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today, and later tonight hosts his administration's first state dinner in India's honor. The two men will have a lot to talk about, ranging from the insurgency in neighboring Pakistan to a perceived snub of India by Obama during his recent Asia tour. More
