 RFE/RL Headlines 11/2/2010 6:45:18 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  In Unusual Move, Iran's Revolutionary Guards Slam Ahmadinejad Over Comments The mouthpiece of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has criticized President Mahmud Ahmadinejad over recent comments, including a statement that parliament is not on top of the country's affairs. The IRGC called the comment an offense against the founder of the Islamic republic. Analysts believe the criticism has the green light of Iran's supreme leader, who is said to be concerned by Ahmadinejad's growing influence. More  Turkey Facing East-West Dilemma Over NATO Missile-Shield Plan Turkey's role in the NATO alliance is facing its sternest test in years over plans to station a missile-defense shield on its soil. United States officials have said the system is aimed at protecting the alliance from attack by Iran, with whom Turkey has strong ties. But Turkey says it will only agree to the system if Iran and other neighbors are not defined as threats. More  Tekebaev Says Kyrgyz Coalition Deal Up In The Air The head of Kyrgyzstan's Ata-Meken party, Omurbek Tekebaev, says his party has not joined official talks on forming a ruling coalition in Kyrgyzstan's new parliament. More  Khodorkovsky Calls Russia 'Sick Country' Imprisoned former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky used his closing statement in his fraud trial today to make a passionate and provocative political statement on Russia's future. More  Japan Recalls Russian Ambassador Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to a disputed group of islands on November 1 has upset Japan and threatens to reignite a bitter diplomatic dispute. More  Britain, France Sign Defense Deals British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are holding talks in London ahead of signing agreements on new defense cooperation between their two countries -- including the joint development and testing of nuclear warheads. More  Freed American Ponders Iran Return One of the three young Americans charged by Tehran with spying says she can't make any decision for the time being about returning to Iran for trial. More  Trial Of Former Kyrgyz Officer Postponed The trial of the former chief of Kyrgyzstan's National Guard, who is charged with ordering police to shoot at antigovernment protesters, has been postponed by the Supreme Court. More  Protestants In Minsk Hope to Save Church Protestant Christians in Minsk have asked Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to protect an embattled evangelical church in the capitalю More A court in the central Russian city of Barnaul has given a suspended sentence of engaging in extremist activities and illegal possession of weapons to an activist of the opposition Other Russia movement More Some 100 people in Bishkek's Akjar suburb have unblocked the main road near the largest Central Asian bazaar after Bishkek authorities promised to allocate money to provide the district with electricity and running water. More  Kyrgyz Party To Challenge Vote Results The Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan) party received 4.6 percent of total eligible votes in final results announced by the Central Election Commission on November 1 -- short of the minimum 5 percent needed to enter parliament. Five parties cleared the 5-percent barrier. More  Students, Legislators Protest Dissolution Of Iran's Medical University Iranian students and parliament deputies are protesting a decision to dissolve one of the country's largest medical and educational centers. More  Kazakh Union Leader Hit By Car A union leader in western Kazakhstan has been seriously injured after being hit by a car, which his co-workers believe was no accident. More About 100 people in the Akjar suburb of the Kyrgyz capital blocked the main road near the largest Central Asian bazaar to demand that electricity and a water line be brought into the suburb. More  U.S. Embassy In Armenia Clarifies Biden's Genocide Comment The U.S. Embassy in Armenia has issued a statement about an online video in which U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian told him not to "force" the issue of the Armenian genocide during Turkish-Armenian reconciliation negotiations. More  Digital Cameras Bring To Life The Real North Korea The piece only has a couple of images (which look like video stills) but the first, of a young woman, is particularly haunting. Her face dirty, she looks like she's 12, but in fact she's 23. She survives by "foraging for grass to sell to wealthier families for their rabbits." More  Into Taliban Territory: Arrival In Tarbuz Guzar Part 1 of Muhammad Tahir's journey into Taliban territory in Northern Afghanistan. More  What Is Georgia’s Strategy In The North Caucasus? What is the point of Georgia’s new visa-free policy in the North Caucasus? Is the point, as critics suggest, that Saakashvili wants to annoy Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin without giving much thought to the consequences? Or is this a more thought-out, long-term strategy? More |
