Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

RFE/RL Headlines 12/13/2010 6:18:09 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 Critics Allege Russian Magazine Is Misrepresenting WikiLeaks Cables Critics have raised questions about the accuracy of articles in the Russian magazine "Russky Reporter" purporting to be based on diplomatic cables exposed by WikiLeaks. The growing controversy illustrates that while the WikiLeaks revelations have exposed a treasure trove of information, they have also opened the door to potential misinterpretation and deception. More   Remittances From Russia Vital To Kyrgyz Stability It's not an easy existence in Russia, but Elnur Kadyrova doesn't want to go back to her home in Kyrgyzstan anytime soon. More   Kosovar Serbs Caught Between Belgrade And Pristina Belgrade is urging Kosovar Serbs to boycott Sunday's general election. But in contrast to previous votes, fewer are inclined to listen this time. More   WikiLeaks Proving A Political Bombshell In Pakistan The publication of confidential U.S. diplomatic cables has raised the debate over hot-button political and security issues in Pakistan to a fever pitch. More   Slow Pace Of Coalition Talks Sparks Kyrgyz Crisis Fears Time is running out for Kyrgyzstan's new parliament to form a coalition, and the rumblings that the country is on the brink of another political crisis are getting louder. Legislators are now on their second attempt at working out a solution, with the very real prospect that parliament will be dissolved should they fail. More   News Foreign Minister Fired As Ahmadinejad Strengthens Grip Iran's official IRNA news agency says Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has fired Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki. More   Kosovo Prime Minister Thaci Declares Election Victory Kosovo's incumbent Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has claimed victory ahead of the release of official results in the country's first parliamentary vote since declaring independence from Serbia nearly three years ago. But his main rival has not conceded defeat. More   Russian President Vows To 'Deal With Everyone' Involved In Moscow Riots Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has promised that those behind violence that left some 30 people will be punished. The violence broke out during a protest against the death of a soccer fan in a street fight last week. More   From Our Bureaus Kyrgyz Uzbek Detained Over Illegal Weapons Cache Kyrgyz officials say that one of several suspects arrested in the southern city of Osh for alleged involvement in a hidden weapons cache is an Uzbek citizen. More   Moldovan Ex-President Warns Against Communists' Return Former Moldovan President Petru Lucinschi says his country will be "thrown back into the past" if the Communist Party returns to power after recent inconclusive elections. More   Osh Mayor Meets With Uzbek Leaders Ethnic Uzbek community leaders have met with the mayor of Kyrgyzstan's southern city of Osh to discuss their security concerns, including reports of kidnappings. More   Kazakh Communist Freed From Jail After Lenin Monument Protest A Kazakh Communist Party activist has been released from jail in the central city of Qaraghandy after spending seven days in prison. More   Kyrgyz Teacher Strikes Move North Some 500 schoolteachers in northern Kyrgyzstan have picketed the local governor's office demanding a salary increase. More   Iran 'Refuses To Release Labor Activist' The family of a jailed Iranian trade union activist says authorities continue to hold him some two months after bail was posted. More   Nazanin Khosravani's Mother Protests Charges Iranian journalist Nazanin Khosravani has been accused of acting against national security, a charge that was made public last week, six weeks after she was originally arrested and confined to Evin Prison's ward 209. Her mother was warned to give no interviews to any media if she wants to help her daughter. More   Transmission Putin Finds Thrill In Rendition Of 'Blueberry Hill' Vladimir Putin sang an American classic, "Blueberry Hill," in front of a celebrity-packed audience. More   The Week Ahead: December 13-19 The Week Ahead is a detailed listing of key events of the coming week affecting RFE/RL's broadcast region. More   Everyone Gets A Piece: The Making Of A 22-Year-Old Russian Businesswoman As the Russian government investigates the harrowing murder of 12 people in the southern town of Kushevskaya, in Krasnodar, the vast network of connections being brought to light indicates that corruption in the region facilitates everything from the strong-arming of the police, to "enriching" the niece of Governor Aleksandr Tkachev. More   Gandhara Can Pakistan Implement The International Bill Of Human Rights? On UN Human Rights Day, Radio Mashaal's Fazal Afridi wonders if Pakistan can make progress on rampant human rights issues in the country. More   The Rundown The Rundown - December 13 More