 RFE/RL Headlines 6/3/2010 6:00:41 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  Uzbek, Kyrgyz, And Tajik Lives Collide In An Enclave Recent tensions have put the spotlight on a little-known Central Asian enclave in the Ferghana Valley that has proven to be one of the strangest creations of Soviet-era leaders. Sokh District is an Uzbek enclave located inside Kyrgyzstan inhabited mainly by ethnic Tajiks. Recent tensions between Sokh residents and local Kyrgyz over pasture rights have further complicated an already-tangled cultural and political situation. More  Ukraine's New Rulers: What Do They Want? Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, now on the eve of his 100th day in office, has promised comprehensive reforms that would establish stability and prosperity in his ailing country. But the opposition says the government's plans are only a cover for plundering the economy and bringing the country back into Russia's orbit. More  Nazarbaev Rejects Special Powers Law In a statement read on state television today, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev announced that he would not sign a controversial draft law that would give him special powers for life. More  BP 'Was Not Ready' For Oil Spill British energy giant BP has been hit with a ratings downgrade over the worst oil spill in U.S. history. More  Mission: Implausible -- Scientists Locked Away On 520-Day 'Trip' To Mars A manned mission to Mars may be decades away, but a group of Russian, European, and Chinese researchers is to experience what one might be like. They have just locked themselves up in a mock spaceship for a "journey" set to last a year-and-a-half. More  Iran 'Pardons' 81 Jailed Protesters Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has pardoned or commuted the sentences of 81 people convicted for their alleged activities during the postelection unrest, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports, citing local media and Khamenei's website. More  UN Chief Urges End To Gaza Blockade As Turkey buried those killed in the Gaza convoy raid, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza immediately so that humanitarian aid can enter the territory. More  Jirga Talks Peacemaking With Taliban Afghan tribal elders, religious leaders and lawmakers from around the country are resuming talks in Kabul. More  Armenian Journalist Released From Jail An Armenian journalist and her brother who were detained while covering an attempted opposition protest on May 31 have been released from custody. More  Injuries Reported In Severe Storms In Lviv Torrential rain and hail storms have knocked down several trees in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, causing injuries. More  Moldova To Hold Early Polls In The Fall Moldova's ruling coalition today announced it will hold a referendum in September to change the way the country's president is elected More The employees at a struggling tractor plant in Russia's Altai Krai have been informed they will be laid off. More  Kyiv Court Bans Anti-Yanukovych Protest A Ukrainian opposition party says it has been barred from holding a protest in Kyiv today against President Viktor Yanukovych's policies. More  Iran Baha'i Leaders' Trial On June 12 Seven Iranian Baha'i leaders incarcerated since 2008 are scheduled to appear in court on June 12, the Baha'i International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva has said. More  Tankers Of Venezuelan Oil On Way To Belarus Ukraine says three tanker loads of crude oil from Venezuela will reach Belarus this month. More  Russian Activists Demand Justice For Injured Journalist The Russian opposition youth movement My (We) is demanding justice for journalist Aleksandr Artemyev, who was injured when police violently dispersed an opposition protest this week. More About 30 supporters of Almaz Kulmatov picketed the Naryn provincial governor's office today. More  Turkmenistan's Flaming Sinkhole To Hell Fascination with the sinkhole led me to a cool website called Crookedbrains and a fascinating post from March 14, 2009, titled "12 Amazing Holes In The Earth" (how can you not read that?) -- the first one of which is in the village of Darvaza (or Derweze) in the Karakum desert of Turkmenistan. More  Apropos Of Nothing: Chekessian Ski Camel Found in the archives: Perhaps this will become a more common sight as the 2014 Sochi Olympics approach? More  The Yalta Syndrome And Its Critics Cooler heads in the Tbilisi foreign policy establishment are not as concerned about the U.S. "reset" with Russia as all the noise suggests. More  Karachayevo-Cherkessia Parliament Approves New Prime Minister The Karachayevo-Cherkessia Republic (KChR) parliament today approved by a vote of 47 in favor and 15 against the candidacy of Muradin Kemov as prime minister. More Russian Interior Ministry Seeks To Disbar Lawyer In Magnitsky Case An investigator from the Russian Interior Ministry has filed a petition to disbar a lawyer working in the prison-death case of Sergei Magnitsky. More  The Worst Of The Worst Repressive Countries Freedom House, an international independent organization monitoring democracy and human rights, today released its report titled "Worst of the Worst: The World's Most Repressive Societies." More |
