 RFE/RL Headlines 6/30/2010 7:28:49 PM A daily digest of the English-language news and analysis written by the staff of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty RFE/RL is looking for guest bloggers, preferably writing from and about our broadcast region. If you're interested, drop us a line at webteam@rferl.org. |
| Features  Turkish Internet Bans Dismay EU Advocates It was meant to herald the start of an epic democratic odyssey that would see Turkey easing censorship and free-speech restrictions and result in it joining the European Union. More  How Strong Is Kyrgyzstan's New Constitution? Kyrgyzstan has a new constitution, which creates the strongest parliamentary system in Central Asia. What are its strengths and weaknesses and what pitfalls may lie ahead? More  Six Months Into OSCE Chair, Kazakhstan Found Wanting In Kyrgyz Events The recent instability and violent interethnic clashes in Kyrgyzstan have presented a stark test for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and for Kyrgyz neighbor Kazakhstan, which currently holds the OSCE's rotating chairmanship. Analysts fear that Kazakhstan is failing the test, putting its own national interests above its duties as head of the Eurasian region's premier security body. More  EU Aims To Sharpen Budget Discipline The European Commission has said the 16 eurozone countries should lose access to EU funds and place deposits with the commission if they break the bloc's budget rules capping deficits and debt. More  Germany Chooses President Germany's presidential election has gone to a third ballot after Chancellor Angela Merkel's candidate failed to secure an absolute majority in the first and second rounds. More Afghan and NATO officials say several Taliban fighters were killed when they attacked a NATO-operated airport near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. More  Nashi Activists Disrupt Russian Opposition Leader's Book Presentation Members of the pro-Kremlin youth movement Nashi and other activists have disrupted another book presentation by opposition politician Eduard Limonov. More  Transdniester Police Detain Moldovan Writer Moldovan writer Savatie Bastavoi was detained on June 30 for several hours in Moldova's breakaway Transdniester region after local police searched his car and found "films and photographs." More  Iraq Concern About Iran Nuke Sites An Iraqi minister says Iran is refusing to answer repeated requests by Baghdad for information about Iranian nuclear facilities near the Iraqi border. More  Europe Rights Official Chides Baku The Council of Europe's human rights commissioner has issued a report on Azerbaijan urging officials to protect freedom of expression in the country. More  Jailed Uzbek Sports Journalist Won't Appeal Conviction The mother of jailed Uzbek sports journalist Khairulla Khamidov says he will not appeal his conviction to a higher court. More  Tatars 'Can Be Bridge' To Islamic World Tatarstan's President Rustam Minnikhanov has said Kazan could serve as a bridge or "green area" for Russia in its cooperation with Islamic countries. More  Ex-KGB Agent: 400 Russian Spies In U.S. A former senior agent with the Soviet KGB has suggested that the recent arrests of alleged Russian spies in the United States is just the tip of the espionage iceberg. More  What Russian Experts Are Saying About The Spy Scandal Read all about it. More  The 'Mystery' Behind Iran's Economic Numbers A prominent Iranian economist based in Paris says Iran's economic growth rate is a veritable "mystery." More  'Basij Thugs' Harass Iran Opposition Leader Karrubi At Memorial Service Iranian opposition leader and reformist cleric Mehdi Karrubi has again been harassed by a group of apparent hard-liners who verbally assailed him at the Sharif University mosque on June 29. Karrubi was reportedly shouted down upon entering the mosque to attend a mourning ceremony for the father of former reformist official Mohammad Reza Aref. More  Karimov The Good But then Karimov began to take on an unexpected role: a voice of moderation. With anti-Kyrgyz sentiments running high in Uzbekistan, Karimov doused any talk that Uzbekistan might intervene militarily in defense of ethnic Uzbeks across the border. Karimov offered messages of peace and reconciliation. More  Episode 1 The Iran Sound From Way Out is a new music program from RFE/RL with the best of Iran's underground music scene. More |
