 RFE/RL Headlines 3/10/2010 7:59:56 PM A daily digest of the English-language news and analysis written by the staff of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| News  Sheikh Tantawi, Prominent Sunni Muslim Voice, Dead At 81 One of the most prominent and moderate voices in the Sunni Muslim world -- Sheikh Muhammad Sayed Tantawi -- has died. He was 81. More  Petraeus Visits Kyrgyzstan Bilateral cooperation and the situation in Afghanistan were on the agenda of talks today between Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev and the visiting head of U.S. Central Command, General David Petraeus. The visit comes after confirmation that Bishkek plans to set up a counterterror training center with U.S. funding -- a move that could upset Russia. More  Jailed Azeri Bloggers' Appeal Rejected The Baku appeals court has upheld the prison sentences handed down last November to bloggers Adnan Hajizada and Emin Milli. More  U.S. Embassy Honors Armenian Activist The U.S. Embassy in Armenia has publicly honored a young Armenian activist who was prosecuted for publicizing alleged sexual and other abuse at a Yerevan boarding school, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports. More  'Ukrainian Only' School In Crimea Expands The only school in Simferopol where all subjects are taught in Ukrainian is seeking to offer new classes to meet high demand, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports. More  EU Condemns Belarus Treatment Of Poles The European Parliament has condemned Belarus's clampdown on its ethnic Polish minority, in a row that has strained ties between Brussels and Minsk. More  Kyrgyz Businessman Wanted In Italy A business associate of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev's son says he will step down as head of his company after a warrant was issued for his arrest in Italy. More  Moldova's Roma Protest Ethnic Slur Leaders of Moldova's 30,000-strong Romany community have asked a former top official to apologize for a racist remark, RFE/RL's Moldovan Service reports. More  Baha'i Activist Says Faithful In Iran Live In 'Constant Fear Of Losing Everything,' Including Their Lives Seven top leaders of the Baha’i faith are on trial in Iran after awaiting their fate in Tehran's notorious Evin prison for almost two years. Iran's Shi'ite religious establishment considers the faith a heretical offshoot of Islam. RFE/RL correspondent Ladan Nekoomaram sat down with Sovaida Ma'ani Ewing, an international lawyer and Baha'i activist and author of the book “Collective Security Within Reach,” to discuss the persecution of Baha’is in Iran. More  New Iran Blog Golnaz Esfandiari, one of RFE/RL's resident Iran watchers, is blogging over at Persian Letters, where she'll bring you insight and analysis as well as a vibrant mix of guest Iranian bloggers. More  Uncharted Waters Of The Holocaust In The Soviet Union The American Forum of Russian Jewry, with the help of the Russian Mission to the UN, launched on March 9 at the UN headquarters in New York the "Encyclopedia of the Holocaust on the Territory of the USSR." More  Some Money Stinks As Brian Whitmore noted yesterday, some people in Russia’s arts community are taking some brave public stands against the authorities. Rocker Aleksei Shevchuk ended his concert tirade with a strong appeal for action: “Everything depends on you. The type of song you sing determines what kind of country we will have. Everything is in your hands, guys.” More  Daghestan Police Ask Medvedev To Fire Top Investigator The independent trade union of Interior Ministry and prosecutor's office employees in Daghestan has addressed a written request to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to fire Aleksandr Bastrykin, head of the Investigative Committee of the federal Prosecutor-General's Office. More  Alasania Nominated Tbilisi Mayoral Candidate After U-Turn Former Georgian Ambassador to the UN Irakli Alasania was nominated on March 4 as a candidate for the upcoming Tbilisi mayoral election. Alasania said he will launch his election campaign immediately, as there is no time to continue "endless talks" on how to select a single opposition mayoral candidate to challenge incumbent Mayor Gigi Ugulava. More  Balkar Activists Demand 'Self-Determination' Between 300-500 Balkars congregated in Nalchik yesterday to mark the anniversary of the deportation to Central Asia on Stalin's orders in 1944 of the entire Balkar nation -- some 38,000 people. More  Filmmaker Calls For Release Of Jailed Panahi One of Iran's most prominent filmmakers, Abbas Kiarostami, has called for the release of Jafar Panahi and Mahmoud Rasoulof, two directors recently detained by the Iranian authorities. More  Iranian Women’s Rights Advocate Dedicates Her Prize To Jailed Activist Iranian human rights lawyer and women’s rights advocate Shadi Sadr has dedicated her “Women of Courage Award,” given by the U.S. State Department, to jailed human rights activist Shiva Nazar Ahari. More This picture is an ad by the Khuzestan Province judiciary for two executions due to take place in Ahwaz this week. More  Lawyer Denies Former President Barred From Leaving Iran The semi-official Fars news agency, which allegedly has ties to the powerful Revolutionary Guard, is quoting an unnamed intelligence official as saying that Mohammad Khatami was barred from leaving the country. But Khatami's lawyer has denied the report. More  Iran's Supreme Leader Tweets About Women's Rights Here is a tweet by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (yes, he's on Twitter, he joined Twitter long before the Dalai Lama) on his views about women and their role in society. It came on March 9, the day after International Women's Day. More  Kabul Stuck In Between U.S., Iranian 'Double Game' Claims The verbal jousting between the United States and Iran has provided fodder for debate over whether Iran has Afghanistan's best interests in mind, while placing Kabul in an uncomfortable position between its two allies. More  Tide Of Protest Engulfs More Russian Cities Penza has become the latest Russian city to join the tide of protests that has swept the country in recent months. Some 2,000 people gathered in the central Russian city to protest low pay, surging prices, and an ineffectual local government. More  Prague's One World Festival Puts Focus On Iran The One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, which will show over 100 films from 30 countries in Prague from March 10-18, has a special focus on Iran this year. More  Garry Kasparov Talks About Putin's Endgame Former world chess champion and current Kremlin gadfly Garry Kasparov sat down recently with RFE/RL Azerbaijani Service correspondent Ibragim Bayamduroglu to talk about the Russian political landscape. In a wide-ranging interview, Kasparov interprets Vladimir Putin's vision, cites a Russian tendency toward authoritarianism and its effect on the region, and skewers the idea of a "pro-Russian" Ukrainian president. More  EU's Ashton Puts Focus On Neighborhood Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign policy, told the European Parliament in Strasbourg today reforms in the bloc's immediate neighborhood will be her key priority and will be vital in furthering the bloc's ambition to play a greater role in the world. More  In Marjah, New Gains Could Offer Escape From Tragic Past Locals see a window of opportunity in the wake of a recent offensive in Marjah, which for years served as an insurgent stronghold in southern Afghanistan. More  EU Enlargement Chief Tackles Balkans, Moldova, Eastern Neighbors, And 'Elephant In The Room' Stefan Fule, the new EU commissioner for enlargement and the European Neighborhood Policy, says the European Union is looking to keep its relations with neighbors on a pragmatic footing. Fule also recommends pragmatism to the EU's neighbors in their relations with Russia, but says the countries must remain free in choosing their own future. In an interview with RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent, Ahto Lobjakas, the commissioner also said the EU would not accept the emergence of any new states in the Balkans. More  The Blooming Friendship Between Azerbaijan And Israel Although Azerbaijan is a predominantly Shi’ite Muslim country and a majority of ethnic Azeris live in neighboring Iran (a ferocious enemy of Israel), Baku routinely shares intelligence with the Jewish state, buys its arms, and considers it trustworthy in security matters, completely contradicting stereotypes about a “clash of civilizations.” More  New OSCE Media Representative Faces Challenge Of Upholding Universality As the OSCE's media freedom representative, Miklos Haraszti, comes to the end of his term, there has been intense speculation about who will replace him. The post is likely to fall to Dunja Mijatovic, whose role as a media regulator in postwar Bosnia will likely bring greater focus to the complex role of the media during elections and ethnic conflicts. More  Georgia’s Opposition Faces A Choice Between Unity And Principles Does the slogan “united opposition” imply cooperation with everyone who opposes President Mikheil Saakashvili or should unity be based as well on some sort of positive principles? Many in the opposition cannot answer this question. More |
