RFE/RL Headlines
1/19/2011 7:58:38 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
BP Deal To Legitimize Yukos Grab?
BP's fortunes appear to have made a 180-degree turn in Russia. Just a few years after the company's Moscow offices were stormed by police, BP's CEO Robert Dudley was back last week to sign an $8 billion deal with Rosneft. Critics say the Kremlin is hoping the deal will help legitimize its seizure of Yukos assets. More 
Norway Gripped As 'Citizen Of The Year' Faces Deportation To Russia
A Russian-born woman who has spent almost a decade in Norway faces deportation as an illegal migrant in a case that has sparked a storm of protest in her adoptive country. Maria Amelie, who could be sent to Russia within days, says her real home is in Norway. More 
Afghan Journalist In Acid Attack
A prominent Afghan journalist has been hospitalized in Kabul after an acid attack caused injuries to his face and hands. Abdul Razaq Mamoon, a writer and former television presenter, says the attack was retaliation for his latest book, which harshly criticizes the policies of neighboring Iran. More 
Currency Issues Top Hu-Obama Talks
A dispute between the United States and China over currency policies tops the agenda of Chinese President Hu Jintao's White House talks today with U.S. President Barack Obama. More Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights, has expressed concern about the continuing imprisonment of Armenian opposition members during a fact-finding visit to Yerevan. More 
Entire Staff At Dushanbe's Russian-Language Weekly Resigns
The entire staff of the Russian-language weekly "Vecherny Dushanbe" has resigned to protest censorship and "harassment" by their owner. More 
Kyrgyz PM: Teachers To Get Raises
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambaev says the salaries of secondary-school teachers and health-care workers will be substantially increased as of May 1. More The trial of two former local Kazakh officials charged with high treason has begun in the northeastern city of Qaraghandy. More 
U.K. Law Groups Call For Release Of Jailed Iranian Lawyer
Two lawyers' associations in Britain are calling on Iran to release a prominent human rights lawyer who was jailed for 11 years earlier this month. More Two Russian opposition activists have been found guilty of inciting hatred and fined 100,000 rubles ($3,300) each in the southeastern republic of Buryatia. More 
Journalist Ponders Reason For Attack
Russian journalist Oleg Kashin, found beaten in Moscow in November, says the attack was related to his professional work. He is currently in Israel undergoing treatment for injuries to his head, jaw, leg and hand. More 
Tajik Hunt Goes On For Militant Leaders
Tajikistan's president, Emomali Rahmon, meanwhile used a cabinet meeting to order Tajikistan's "power" ministries to step up the fight against organized crime, religious extremism, and terrorism. More 
Uzbeks Halt Kyrgyz Money Transfers
A representative of the National Bank of Uzbekistan responsible for international transactions confirmed to RFE/RL that all Uzbek banks suspended transactions with Kyrgyzstan in the wake of deadly violence between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in June. More 
Something Everyone Can Agree On
Even months after the violence in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh, visitors can hear an awful lot of labeling. Uzbeks are this way. Kyrgyz are that way. But there's one generalization that no one seems to quibble with: Uzbeks make better cooks. More Thank You For Driving Do you imagine that in the future we will be driving emissions-free electric cars or hybrids powered by renewable biofuels? More 
EU Tough On Belarus, Easy On Baku
The EU has kept up its pressure on Belarus but seems far more lax where other regional authoritarian leaders are concerned. This is particularly true of President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, whose country has the virtue of oil and gas deposits the EU covets. More |
