RFE/RL HEADLINES
12/12/2011 9:00:27 PM
A daily digest of the English-language news and analysis written by the staff of Radio Free Europe/Radio LibertyRFE/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. |
TRANSMISSION
 The Week Ahead: December 12-18 More  South Ossetian Compromise Agreement Could Unravel If an agreement intended to end the two-week standoff between the outgoing de facto president and the opposition in Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia falls apart, Eduard Kokoity might still succeed in neutralizing the opposition and outmaneuvering Moscow to secure either his return to power or the election of his hand-picked successor. More  The Other Russia It took years, but step by step, the other Russia emerged -- the one that inspires, the one that belies the stereotypes, the one that was on full display during Saturday's protests. The one that is now impossible for the Kremlin to ignore or belittle. More  After Mass Protests In Russia, Is The Kremlin Using Facebook To Ease The Pressure? After posting a message on Facebook ordering officials to look into reports of possible violations at polling stations during the December 4 vote, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev page has been overwhelmed by negative comments. More  Belarus General Sentenced For Bribery The Belarusian Supreme Court's Military Collegium has sentenced the former commander of the country's air force to nine years in jail for bribery and "illegal operations with ammunition." More  Poland Arrests, Frees Belarus Activist The arrest of former Belarusian presidential candidate Ales Mikhalevich is potentially embarrassing for the Polish government, one of Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's staunchest critics. More  Belarusian Deputy Minister Arrested A Belarusian deputy interior minister who took a leading role in the postelection crackdown on the opposition has been arrested. More  Georgian Billionaire Philanthropist's New Public Movement Off And Running Billionaire philanthropist Bidzina Ivanishvili has officially launched his Georgian Dream public movement, a key step in his bid to seize control of parliament from President Mikheil Saakashvili's United Georgia Movement. Although Ivanishvili's quest faces many obstacles, it's off to a quick start. More  Obama Pledges Postwar Iraq Partnership U.S. President Barack Obama has hailed the end of the war in Iraq nearly nine years after it began and promised that the United States will remain a strong partner as it rebuilds and reestablishes itself in what he called "a rapidly changing region." More  Alleged Criminal Ties Doom Kyrgyz Speaker The chairman of a parliamentary commission that investigated speaker Akhmatbek Keldibekov told RFE/RL that the probe had revealed evidence that advisers and assistants appointed by Keldibekov had connections to Kyrgyz criminal groups. More  Kyrgyz Protests Over Parliament Speaker Some 1,000 protesters have picketed the Osh mayor's office in southern Kyrgyzstan to demand that it stop "blackmailing" parliament speaker Akmatbek Keldibekov over alleged criminal links. More  Pakistan To Block NATO Supplies Islamabad says its blockade of NATO supply lines into Afghanistan will remain until Washington rewrites the rules of engagement for its attacks in Pakistan's border region. More  Russia Opposition Arrest 'Legal' Sergei Udaltsov, a coordinator of the opposition Left Front movement, was among the organizers of a December 10 Moscow protest, one of dozens nationwide calling for fresh parliamentary elections following what protesters claim was a rigged poll on December 4. More  Embattled Kremlin Makes Concessions Russian authorities have made gestures since street protests began over elections but haven't budged on key opposition demands. Meanwhile, the EU hints it will raise the issue with President Dmitry Medvedev. More  Prokhorov Launches Kremlin Bid One of Russia's richest men and the architect of an abortive bid this year to launch a center-right political party, billionaire playboy Mikhail Prokhorov now says he will challenge Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in next year's presidential election. More  Some Chornobyl Vets End Hunger Strike While others continued to protest, about 20 veterans decided to stop their hunger strike on December 12 after Donetsk Oblast state administration chief Andriy Shishatskyy promised to pay their pensions for November and December "in full." More |
