Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

RFE/RL Headlines 3/24/2011 8:13:06 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 Ultranationalist Serbs Organize Pro-Qaddafi Campaign Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi doesn't have many friends in the world. But he can count on Serbia's ultranationalists. More   International Crises Boost Russia’s Energy Posture With U.S.-led fighter jets pounding military assets in oil-rich Libya, and Japan still struggling to contain radiation at its stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, concerns are rising around the world about the future of energy supplies. But not in Russia. More   Bashkortostan Strains Against Moscow Centralization Students in the Russian region of Bashkortostan are protesting the alleged suppression of Bashkir language and culture -- a quiet, but stern test of Moscow's claims that Russia is multicultural, multiconfessional federation. More   News Afghans Want 'Kill Teams' Probe Afghan human rights campaigners have called for an in-depth investigation into alleged "kill teams" following news of a 24-year sentence in the United States against a U.S. soldier for conspiring to kill unarmed Afghans. More   UN Investigator Approved For Iran In the first such move in a decade, the UN's top rights body has voted to appoint a special investigator for the human rights situation in Iran. More   Kuchma 'Charged' In Gongadze Case Ukraine's former President Leonid Kuchma has said that he has been charged in connection with the 2000 death of investigative journalist Heorhiy Gongadze. More   Two Belarusian Activists Get Jail, One Gets Asylum A court in Minsk has sentenced two opposition activists to jail in a trial that critics say was aimed at keeping them behind bars during the presidential election. Meanwhile, a former opposition presidential candidate has been granted political asylum in the Czech Republic. More   Libya, Portugal Dominate EU Agenda EU leaders begin a two-day summit dominated by the Libya uprising and worries over political turmoil in eurozone member Portugal. More   Allies Step Up Strikes On Qaddafi Strongholds The international coalition targeting Libyan leader's Muammar Qaddafi's military capabilities says the country's air force and defenses have been neutralized -- and that it will continue strikes on ground forces to protect civilians. More   Soldier Sentenced In Afghan Murders A U.S. soldier was sentenced to 24 years in prison after admitting "the plan was to kill people" in a conspiracy with four fellow soldiers to kill unarmed Afghan civilians. More   From Our Bureaus Moldovan Premier Threatens To Resign Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat says his government will be forced to resign if the ruling coalition does not adopt new budgetary laws by the end of the month. More   Russia Increases Tajik Gas Tariffs Russia says it has decided to increase tariffs for oil and oil products exported to Tajikistan. More   Azerbaijan To Simplify Visa Regulations For Tourists Azerbaijan is considering legislation to ease visa regulations for tourists this year, which has been declared by Baku as the "Year of Tourism." More   PACE 'Won't Rule Out' Azeri Sanctions A Council of Europe rapporteur for Azerbaijan says sanctions cannot be ruled out if Baku continues to block his fact-finding visit. More   Iraq Says IDPs, Refugees Returning Judge Asghar al-Musawi, deputy minister of migration and displacement, told RFI that nearly 89,500 families have returned to their homes since a ministry "return program" was launched in 2008. He said most of the returnees are IDPs but that many refugees have also returned from abroad. More   Kyrgyz Clerics Set Off On 'Peace Caravan' To South A group of 22 Islamic clerics has set off from Bishkek for southern Kyrgyzstan as part of a "Caravan Of Peace." More   Iraq Grapples With Water Shortages, Pollution United Nations officials say an inadequate supply of water and pollution in Iraq have led to severe health problems. More   Belarus Oppositionist Freed From Jail Belarusian businessman and opposition activist Andrey Bandarenka has been found not guilty of financial mismanagement by a Minsk city court after spending two years in jail. More   Transmission Kosovo: An Intervention That Still Divides It was March 24, 1999. The first bombs were dropped at 8 p.m. and the sirens could be heard everywhere. More   The Power Vertical The Prodigal Ambassador Returns The struggle over Russian policy toward the upheaval in Libya is far from over. Former ambassador Vladimir Chamov, who was sacked last week, has returned to Moscow -- and he doesn't appear ready to go quietly into the sunset. More   Chaikhana Kyrgyz Human Rights Veteran Turns To Uzbekistan Tursunbek Akun has been a champion of human rights in Kyrgyzstan for a long time now. And not just in Kyrgyzstan. More