http://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries http://www.rferl.org/img/rssLogo.gif http://www.rferl.org en-US Copyright 2009 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:20:36 +0000 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL Some were peaceful and some were violent. Some were popular revolts and some were orchestrated within the Communist Party leadership. The revolutions of 1989 cast aside Europe's Cold War dictators, paving the way for democracy and the free-market reforms of the 1990s. http://www.rferl.org/content/Velvet_And_Blood_In_Eastern_Europes_Season_Of_Change/1870373.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Velvet_And_Blood_In_Eastern_Europes_Season_Of_Change/1870373.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:40:04 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Velvet_And_Blood_In_Eastern_Europes_Season_Of_Change/1870373.html#relatedInfoContainer A new global address system for the Internet will soon be introduced that will make the Internet even more international -- making it possible for web domain names written entirely in Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese, or other scripts not based on the Latin alphabet. Described as a "fantastically complicated technical feature," the new system will make the Internet more user-friendly to people across the world. http://www.rferl.org/content/Internet_Expected_To_Be_Internationalized_With_Addresses_In_Cyrillic_Arabic_Chinese/1864073.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Internet_Expected_To_Be_Internationalized_With_Addresses_In_Cyrillic_Arabic_Chinese/1864073.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:04:42 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Internet_Expected_To_Be_Internationalized_With_Addresses_In_Cyrillic_Arabic_Chinese/1864073.html#relatedInfoContainer The genocide trial against Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic opened at the UN court in The Hague with Karzadzic boycotting the proceedings to protest what he said was a lack of time to prepare his defense. http://www.rferl.org/content/Karadzic_Trial_Set_To_Open/1860926.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Karadzic_Trial_Set_To_Open/1860926.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:06:23 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Karadzic_Trial_Set_To_Open/1860926.html#relatedInfoContainer Ankara says it barred longtime ally Israel from participating in a NATO military exercise in Turkey because of public concerns about Israel's Gaza offensive early this year. But some say it shows that Turkey's military may be losing influence over foreign-policy decisions, and that it could signal a major shift in the geopolitics of the Middle East -- the end of the unlikely but convenient alliance between the two countries' military forces. http://www.rferl.org/content/TurkeyIsrael_Row_Could_Signal_Geopolitical_Change_In_Region/1853497.html http://www.rferl.org/content/TurkeyIsrael_Row_Could_Signal_Geopolitical_Change_In_Region/1853497.html Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:58:14 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/TurkeyIsrael_Row_Could_Signal_Geopolitical_Change_In_Region/1853497.html#relatedInfoContainer The United States and some of its European allies have threatened tougher sanctions against Iran if Tehran fails to prove claims that its nuclear program is only for peaceful energy production. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks in Moscow with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the threat of sanctions at this time is "counterproductive." http://www.rferl.org/content/What_Are_Options_For_Tougher_Sanctions_Against_Iran/1850795.html http://www.rferl.org/content/What_Are_Options_For_Tougher_Sanctions_Against_Iran/1850795.html Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:35:46 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/What_Are_Options_For_Tougher_Sanctions_Against_Iran/1850795.html#relatedInfoContainer Although many parts of the world are seeing a return to growth after the global financial crisis, Central and Eastern Europe are seeing a much slower recovery. That's the assessment of Erik Berglof, the chief economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). http://www.rferl.org/content/EBRD_Economist_Says_Central_Eastern_Europe_Lag_On_Recovery/1846961.html http://www.rferl.org/content/EBRD_Economist_Says_Central_Eastern_Europe_Lag_On_Recovery/1846961.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:30:34 +0000 News International financial institutions have been lending billions of dollars to governments in Central and Eastern Europe during the past year to help them weather the global financial crisis. Unlike previous lending by the IMF and the World Bank, the new loans carry fewer, but more focused requirements on economic reforms. http://www.rferl.org/content/IMF_World_Bank_Revise_Loan_Conditions_To_Support_Eastern_Europe_Through_Crisis/1846018.html http://www.rferl.org/content/IMF_World_Bank_Revise_Loan_Conditions_To_Support_Eastern_Europe_Through_Crisis/1846018.html Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:14:48 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/IMF_World_Bank_Revise_Loan_Conditions_To_Support_Eastern_Europe_Through_Crisis/1846018.html#relatedInfoContainer Iran's top nuclear negotiator meets on October 1 with officials from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany. The P5+1 meeting in Geneva comes amid international concern about the build-up of a covert Iranian nuclear program -- and ongoing suspicions that Iran is secretly trying to build nuclear weapons. http://www.rferl.org/content/Pressure_On_Iran_Grows_As_Delegates_Prepare_For_Talks/1840352.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Pressure_On_Iran_Grows_As_Delegates_Prepare_For_Talks/1840352.html Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:34:28 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Pressure_On_Iran_Grows_As_Delegates_Prepare_For_Talks/1840352.html#relatedInfoContainer The United States, Britain, and France have condemned Tehran for building a uranium-enrichment facility without disclosing it to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Tehran on September 21 informed the IAEA that it has had a second uranium-enrichment facility for years. The revelation follows the release of satellite imagery of research facilities which an exiled Iranian opposition group claims are for building nuclear weapons. http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_Tells_IAEA_Of_Second_Enrichment_Plant_Diplomats_Say/1836025.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_Tells_IAEA_Of_Second_Enrichment_Plant_Diplomats_Say/1836025.html Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:12:51 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_Tells_IAEA_Of_Second_Enrichment_Plant_Diplomats_Say/1836025.html#relatedInfoContainer The United States, European Union and United Nations have exerted strong pressure on Honduras's de facto government to reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya, saying his removal from power was a coup that violated the rule of law. But there is a growing debate over Zelaya's removal -- with some arguing the move was not only legal under the country's constitution, but also necessary to preserve the rule of law there. http://www.rferl.org/content/Debate_Deepens_On_Legality_Necessity_Of_Ousting_Honduran_President/1829477.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Debate_Deepens_On_Legality_Necessity_Of_Ousting_Honduran_President/1829477.html Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:58:40 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Debate_Deepens_On_Legality_Necessity_Of_Ousting_Honduran_President/1829477.html#relatedInfoContainer France says it will soon close makeshift camps near Calais where hundreds of illegal migrants -- many of them unregistered refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan -- have taken shelter. Rights activists say refugees will now be forced to go into hiding or face jail and deportation. http://www.rferl.org/content/Desperate_Refugees_Hide_In_Europe_As_Makeshift_Camps_Are_Bulldozed/1827005.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Desperate_Refugees_Hide_In_Europe_As_Makeshift_Camps_Are_Bulldozed/1827005.html Sun, 20 Sep 2009 11:44:54 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Desperate_Refugees_Hide_In_Europe_As_Makeshift_Camps_Are_Bulldozed/1827005.html#relatedInfoContainer The Pentagon has reportedly begun putting a program in place that will give hundreds of detainees at the U.S. military's Bagram prison in Afghanistan the right to challenge their incarceration. Human rights advocates are welcoming the reports, but also are expressing some skepticism. http://www.rferl.org/content/New_US_Plan_Reportedly_To_Let_Afghan_Prisoners_Challenge_Incarceration/1822216.html http://www.rferl.org/content/New_US_Plan_Reportedly_To_Let_Afghan_Prisoners_Challenge_Incarceration/1822216.html Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:15:40 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/New_US_Plan_Reportedly_To_Let_Afghan_Prisoners_Challenge_Incarceration/1822216.html#relatedInfoContainer In the eight years since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, Al-Qaeda's operational tactics have been evolving within its strategically flexible ideology. Experts agree that Al-Qaeda is no longer the same organization it was in 2001. But for all the research that has been done, much remains unknown or a matter of speculation -- including whether Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is still alive. http://www.rferl.org/content/Weakened_AlQaeda_Continues_To_Evolve_Since_911_Attacks/1820346.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Weakened_AlQaeda_Continues_To_Evolve_Since_911_Attacks/1820346.html Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:05:12 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Weakened_AlQaeda_Continues_To_Evolve_Since_911_Attacks/1820346.html#relatedInfoContainer Armenia and Turkey have taken a step toward reconciliation -- announcing that they will launch final talks aimed at establishing diplomatic ties. But diplomatic protocols announced on Monday still need to be approved by the parliaments of both countries. http://www.rferl.org/content/Pitfalls_Remain_As_Turkey_Armenia_Move_Toward_Reconciliation/1812318.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Pitfalls_Remain_As_Turkey_Armenia_Move_Toward_Reconciliation/1812318.html Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:26:20 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Pitfalls_Remain_As_Turkey_Armenia_Move_Toward_Reconciliation/1812318.html#relatedInfoContainer Iraqi officials say the country's first national census since 1987 could be postponed indefinitely because of fears it may stoke ethnic and political tensions in the north. Political rifts between Kurds and Arabs are at play, as are control of key oil fields. http://www.rferl.org/content/KurdishArab_Power_Struggle_Leads_To_Calls_For_Iraq_Census_Delay/1810612.html http://www.rferl.org/content/KurdishArab_Power_Struggle_Leads_To_Calls_For_Iraq_Census_Delay/1810612.html Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:15:39 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/KurdishArab_Power_Struggle_Leads_To_Calls_For_Iraq_Census_Delay/1810612.html#relatedInfoContainer Reports from Kabul say U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have had an "explosive" meeting -- with Holbrooke reportedly complaining about alleged fraud during last week's election. http://www.rferl.org/content/Holbrooke_Karzai_Reportedly_Argue_Over_Alleged_Afghan_Vote_Fraud/1809676.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Holbrooke_Karzai_Reportedly_Argue_Over_Alleged_Afghan_Vote_Fraud/1809676.html Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:02:12 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Holbrooke_Karzai_Reportedly_Argue_Over_Alleged_Afghan_Vote_Fraud/1809676.html#relatedInfoContainer With a Taliban suicide attack claiming seven lives in Kabul on August 15, there are renewed fears about security ahead of Afghanistan's presidential election next week. http://www.rferl.org/content/NATO_Afghan_Troops_Focus_On_Election_Security_Amid_Taliban_Threats/1800335.html http://www.rferl.org/content/NATO_Afghan_Troops_Focus_On_Election_Security_Amid_Taliban_Threats/1800335.html Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:33:24 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/NATO_Afghan_Troops_Focus_On_Election_Security_Amid_Taliban_Threats/1800335.html#relatedInfoContainer A wave of bombings in Shi'ite areas of Iraq has raised fears that there could be a resurgence of sectarian violence in the country. Some suggest Al-Qaeda may be trying to foment a civil war. Others say a turf war may be emerging between rival Iraqi factions following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from urban areas. So far, Shi'ite leaders have been urging their followers to show restraint. http://www.rferl.org/content/Facing_Wave_Of_Violence_Iraqi_Shiite_Factions_Show_Restraint__For_Now/1799247.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Facing_Wave_Of_Violence_Iraqi_Shiite_Factions_Show_Restraint__For_Now/1799247.html Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:14:07 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Facing_Wave_Of_Violence_Iraqi_Shiite_Factions_Show_Restraint__For_Now/1799247.html#relatedInfoContainer The U.S. and Britain are calling for a new framework on negotiations with the Taliban, saying moderate elements need to be encouraged to support the Afghan government. Some experts say this means a shift from trying to reconcile individual Taliban fighters. Instead, moderate groups and their commanders could be brought into the Kabul fold -- and their concerns about rival warlords in the central government alleviated by letting them stay armed and mobilized. http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Reconciliation_Strategy_Advocated_To_Bring_Taliban_Groups_Into_Kabul_Fold/1789007.html http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Reconciliation_Strategy_Advocated_To_Bring_Taliban_Groups_Into_Kabul_Fold/1789007.html Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:48:53 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Reconciliation_Strategy_Advocated_To_Bring_Taliban_Groups_Into_Kabul_Fold/1789007.html#relatedInfoContainer Preliminary election results from northern Iraq's Kurdish region show the two traditional ruling Kurdish parties securing the presidency and a majority of seats in parliament. But as the final results are being tallied, it also appears that a viable opposition has emerged in the region with a reformist agenda. http://www.rferl.org/content/Viable_Opposition_Emerges_In_Iraqs_Kurdish_Region_Elections/1787207.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Viable_Opposition_Emerges_In_Iraqs_Kurdish_Region_Elections/1787207.html Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:28:01 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Viable_Opposition_Emerges_In_Iraqs_Kurdish_Region_Elections/1787207.html#relatedInfoContainer Obama's administration is eager to promote political reconciliation in Iraq ahead of parliamentary elections in the country's Kurdish autonomous region. That July 25 vote will determine whether Kurdish regional president Masud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party leads any future negotiations between Kurdish authorities and Baghdad over long-standing differences. http://www.rferl.org/content/Iraqs_Federal_System_Being_Tested_By_Disputes_Between_Baghdad_Kurds/1783023.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Iraqs_Federal_System_Being_Tested_By_Disputes_Between_Baghdad_Kurds/1783023.html Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:04:34 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Iraqs_Federal_System_Being_Tested_By_Disputes_Between_Baghdad_Kurds/1783023.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. President Barack Obama says he is collecting facts about the killing of up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners in late 2001 by fighters of a U.S.-backed warlord in northern Afghanistan -- General Abdul Rashid Dostum. http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Calls_For_Facts_On_Mass_Killing_Of_Taliban_At_Sheberghan/1776726.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Calls_For_Facts_On_Mass_Killing_Of_Taliban_At_Sheberghan/1776726.html Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:58:43 +0000 News http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Calls_For_Facts_On_Mass_Killing_Of_Taliban_At_Sheberghan/1776726.html#relatedInfoContainer South Korea is on high alert amid suspicions that North Korea was behind a recent wave of website outages in South Korea and the United States. The attacks are being called the most widespread cyberoffensive in recent years. http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1773148.html http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1773148.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:34:22 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/feature/1773148.html#relatedInfoContainer Iranian demonstrators who allege vote-count fraud in the reelection of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad are using Internet media to stay ahead of government censors. And some young Iranians are taking the battle further, launching their own cyberattacks against government websites. http://www.rferl.org/content/Irans_Cyberwarriors_Stay_Ahead_Of_Government_Censors/1756442.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Irans_Cyberwarriors_Stay_Ahead_Of_Government_Censors/1756442.html Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:12:17 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Irans_Cyberwarriors_Stay_Ahead_Of_Government_Censors/1756442.html#relatedInfoContainer After a weekend of widespread protests against Iran's official election results, many Iranians continue to believe that incumbent President Mahmud Ahmadinejad was fraudulently declared the winner of the June 12 vote. Now the regime in Tehran is trying to silence the critics. RFE/RL looks at the reasons many suspect Iran's presidential election was stolen. http://www.rferl.org/content/Ahmadinejad_Asks_Where_Is_Fraud_But_Prevents_Independent_Scrutiny/1754670.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Ahmadinejad_Asks_Where_Is_Fraud_But_Prevents_Independent_Scrutiny/1754670.html Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:49:40 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Ahmadinejad_Asks_Where_Is_Fraud_But_Prevents_Independent_Scrutiny/1754670.html#relatedInfoContainer A Bosnian television station has shown what it says is recent video footage of indicted Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic freely enjoying life with members of his family and at parties attended by scores of guests. But officials in Belgrade say the footage is at least eight years old, and allege it was leaked to undermine Serbia's EU membership bid by suggesting Belgrade is not meeting its promise to arrest Mladic. http://www.rferl.org/content/Mladic_Video_May_Have_Impact_on_Serbias_EU_Membership_Bid/1753093.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Mladic_Video_May_Have_Impact_on_Serbias_EU_Membership_Bid/1753093.html Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:22:09 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Mladic_Video_May_Have_Impact_on_Serbias_EU_Membership_Bid/1753093.html#relatedInfoContainer Opinion polls in Iran suggest that two reformist candidates could pose serious challenges to incumbent President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in this week's voting. But opinion polls in Iran are notoriously inaccurate, particularly when trying to predict election results for the entire country. http://www.rferl.org/content/Iranian_Opinion_Polls_Have_A_Checkered_Past/1750622.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Iranian_Opinion_Polls_Have_A_Checkered_Past/1750622.html Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:38:02 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Iranian_Opinion_Polls_Have_A_Checkered_Past/1750622.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. President Barack Obama is to give his much-anticipated speech to the Islamic world on June 4 when he visits Cairo, Egypt. Obama has made it clear that the United States wants to reach out to Muslims across the world with "the language of respect." But expectations ahead of his speech to the Islamic world are mixed. http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Faces_Challenges_Mixed_Expectations_On_Speech_To_Islamic_World/1745229.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Faces_Challenges_Mixed_Expectations_On_Speech_To_Islamic_World/1745229.html Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:44:28 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Faces_Challenges_Mixed_Expectations_On_Speech_To_Islamic_World/1745229.html#relatedInfoContainer There appears to be growing recognition that the counternarcotics strategy in Afghanistan is failing. Military and civilian officials say too little support has been offered to farmers, and too little effort has focused on the powerful drug lords who spread instability throughout the region and farther abroad. http://www.rferl.org/content/US_UN_Officials_Urge_Crackdown_On_Afghan_Drug_Lords_Corrupt_Officials/1741528.html http://www.rferl.org/content/US_UN_Officials_Urge_Crackdown_On_Afghan_Drug_Lords_Corrupt_Officials/1741528.html Thu, 28 May 2009 10:06:15 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/US_UN_Officials_Urge_Crackdown_On_Afghan_Drug_Lords_Corrupt_Officials/1741528.html#relatedInfoContainer Following the publication of "Godfather-in-Law," a new tell-all book about President Nursultan Nazarbaev, Kazakh authorities have warned citizens that they can be punished for merely "touching" the book. RFE/RL takes a closer look at the legal basis for the book ban, and how it compares to prior restraint laws in the United States and Britain. http://www.rferl.org/content/Kazakhstans_Book_Ban_And_The_Issue_Of_Prior_Restraint_/1737484.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Kazakhstans_Book_Ban_And_The_Issue_Of_Prior_Restraint_/1737484.html Fri, 22 May 2009 13:43:10 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Kazakhstans_Book_Ban_And_The_Issue_Of_Prior_Restraint_/1737484.html#relatedInfoContainer A U.S. think tank that focuses on the spread of nuclear weapons has released reports showing how Pakistan has been expanding its nuclear-weapons-production complex in recent years. The conclusions are based on comparisons of commercial satellite images from 2004 and 2008 that focus on several of Pakistan's nuclear facilities. http://www.rferl.org/content/Satellite_Photos_Show_Pakistan_Expanding_NuclearWeapons_Production/1736014.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Satellite_Photos_Show_Pakistan_Expanding_NuclearWeapons_Production/1736014.html Wed, 20 May 2009 16:47:29 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Satellite_Photos_Show_Pakistan_Expanding_NuclearWeapons_Production/1736014.html#relatedInfoContainer Afghanistan's government is investigating claims that highly flammable white phosphorus was used last week in Farah Province during a battle between the Taliban and U.S. forces. The U.S. military denies using phosphorus there, and it has accused the Taliban of using the incendiary ammunition against civilians. http://www.rferl.org/content/Investigation_Launched_Into_White_Phosphorus_Claims_In_Afghanistan/1731117.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Investigation_Launched_Into_White_Phosphorus_Claims_In_Afghanistan/1731117.html Wed, 13 May 2009 15:38:10 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Investigation_Launched_Into_White_Phosphorus_Claims_In_Afghanistan/1731117.html#relatedInfoContainer Afghan villagers are mourning relatives that they have buried in mass graves after a coalition air strike this week that all sides say killed or injured noncombatants. The timing of the tragedy is particularly awkward politically, as U.S. President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai gather in Washington for three-way talks with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. http://www.rferl.org/content/Clinton_Expresses_Regret_Over_Afghan_Civilian_Casualties_Vows_Investigation/1622953.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Clinton_Expresses_Regret_Over_Afghan_Civilian_Casualties_Vows_Investigation/1622953.html Wed, 06 May 2009 16:30:53 +0000 News John Barry, author of "The Great Influenza" and among the world's foremost historians on the influenza pandemic of 1918, is warning the world not to become complacent about the threat posed by the new swine flu virus. He worries the new strain may seem to disappear during the summer -- but quietly continue to infect people around the world until it surfaces against in a stronger, mutated form. http://www.rferl.org/content/Great_Influenza_Author_Warns_About_Possible_Autumn_Wave_Of_Swine_Flu/1622784.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Great_Influenza_Author_Warns_About_Possible_Autumn_Wave_Of_Swine_Flu/1622784.html Wed, 06 May 2009 13:31:17 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Great_Influenza_Author_Warns_About_Possible_Autumn_Wave_Of_Swine_Flu/1622784.html#relatedInfoContainer The World Health Organization has raised the alert over the H1N1 flu virus for the second time this week -- urging governments around the world to start putting their emergency plans into action for an imminent pandemic. http://www.rferl.org/content/WHO_Urges_Governments_To_Put_Flu_Plans_Into_Action/1619133.html http://www.rferl.org/content/WHO_Urges_Governments_To_Put_Flu_Plans_Into_Action/1619133.html Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:36:34 +0000 News Islamic militants are challenging government authority in Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province, and fresh advances are bringing the insurgency closer to major cities. How confident should we be that Pakistan's nuclear weapons won't fall into the wrong hands? http://www.rferl.org/content/Rising_Tide_Of_Militancy_Feeds_Fears_About_Pakistans_Nukes/1615403.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Rising_Tide_Of_Militancy_Feeds_Fears_About_Pakistans_Nukes/1615403.html Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:27:18 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Rising_Tide_Of_Militancy_Feeds_Fears_About_Pakistans_Nukes/1615403.html#relatedInfoContainer Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says a NATO-led military exercise scheduled for May in Georgia would be dangerous and hinder efforts to rebuild relations between Moscow and the Western alliance. But NATO insists it will go ahead with the long-planned exercises, despite Russian demands to call them off. http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_and_NATO_At_Odds_Over_Planned_Military_Exercise_In_Georgia/1614496.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_and_NATO_At_Odds_Over_Planned_Military_Exercise_In_Georgia/1614496.html Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:28:13 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russia_and_NATO_At_Odds_Over_Planned_Military_Exercise_In_Georgia/1614496.html#relatedInfoContainer After four months of deadlock, Iraqi lawmakers have elected Ayad al-Samarraei, a Sunni Arab legislator and strong critic of Iraq’s Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, to the post of parliamentary speaker. http://www.rferl.org/content/Iraqs_New_Parliament_Speaker_Is_Strong_Critic_of_Prime_Minister/1612117.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Iraqs_New_Parliament_Speaker_Is_Strong_Critic_of_Prime_Minister/1612117.html Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:12:55 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Iraqs_New_Parliament_Speaker_Is_Strong_Critic_of_Prime_Minister/1612117.html#relatedInfoContainer Leaders of youth protests against Moldova's official election results have been using cell phone text messages, blogs and Internet social networks -- like Facebook and Twitter -- to organize massive demonstrations in Chisinau. RFE/RL takes a closer look at how a small group of Internet-savvy activists in Chisinau have been using modern technology to get the word out about their rallies. http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Revolution_Will_Be_Tweeted__Moldovan_Protesters_Exploit_Social_Networking_Sites/1604740.html http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Revolution_Will_Be_Tweeted__Moldovan_Protesters_Exploit_Social_Networking_Sites/1604740.html Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:22:39 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/The_Revolution_Will_Be_Tweeted__Moldovan_Protesters_Exploit_Social_Networking_Sites/1604740.html#relatedInfoContainer As U.S. President Barack Obama called on Iraqis to "make political accommodations" and take "responsibility" for their country during a surprise visit, officials in Baghdad were grappling with a case that could well indicate how prepared they are to tackle a key obstacle to progress. http://www.rferl.org/content/Tension_Runs_Deep_Between_Iraqi_Government_and_Awakening_Councils/1604222.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Tension_Runs_Deep_Between_Iraqi_Government_and_Awakening_Councils/1604222.html Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:44:01 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Tension_Runs_Deep_Between_Iraqi_Government_and_Awakening_Councils/1604222.html#relatedInfoContainer A confidential report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), cited by the "Financial Times," says that struggling EU member states should switch to the euro currency, even if they are not full members of the eurozone. http://www.rferl.org/content/IMF_Calls_For_Eastern_EU_Member_States_To_Adopt_Euro/1603368.html http://www.rferl.org/content/IMF_Calls_For_Eastern_EU_Member_States_To_Adopt_Euro/1603368.html Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:56:47 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/IMF_Calls_For_Eastern_EU_Member_States_To_Adopt_Euro/1603368.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. officials say President Barack Obama will not press for concrete commitments on Afghanistan from NATO allies during the summit April 3-4 in Strasbourg, France, and Baden Baden, Germany. The announcement follows consultations between Obama and European leaders in which the U.S. president was told there would not immediate troop reinforcements by key European allies like France and Germany. http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Faces_Reluctance_From_NATO_Allies_On_More_Troops_For_Afghanistan/1601557.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Faces_Reluctance_From_NATO_Allies_On_More_Troops_For_Afghanistan/1601557.html Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:15:13 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Faces_Reluctance_From_NATO_Allies_On_More_Troops_For_Afghanistan/1601557.html#relatedInfoContainer Since its creation in 1949, NATO has evolved from a paper treaty into a defensive military organization for security against the Soviet Union. It has overcome internal divisions to outlive both the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union. And it has gone on to tackle security challenges beyond its own borders -- including the Balkans and Afghanistan. In the first of four articles, RFE/RL looks back at 60 years of NATO history. http://www.rferl.org/content/NATO_At_60_Part_1_Learning_To_Roll_With_The_Changes/1565196.html http://www.rferl.org/content/NATO_At_60_Part_1_Learning_To_Roll_With_The_Changes/1565196.html Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:52:32 +0000 Features NATO air strikes 10 years ago to counter a violent crackdown by Serbian forces in Kosovo are remembered by many in Belgrade as a case of Western aggression. But in Kosovo's capital, which also was targeted by NATO missiles and air strikes, many Kosovar Albanians view the campaign as the end of a repressive era and the ushering in of freedom. http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_NATO_Bombing_Over_Kosovo_FingerPointing_Continues/1515905.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_NATO_Bombing_Over_Kosovo_FingerPointing_Continues/1515905.html Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:24:23 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Ten_Years_After_NATO_Bombing_Over_Kosovo_FingerPointing_Continues/1515905.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. President Barack Obama says new plans for Afghanistan should also focus on Pakistan, and must include an "exit strategy" for U.S. troops. Within hours of his remarks, his special envoy to the region was briefing NATO allies on the new strategy. http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Calls_For_Exit_Strategy_As_Part_Of_New_South_Asia_Policy/1515164.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Obama_Calls_For_Exit_Strategy_As_Part_Of_New_South_Asia_Policy/1515164.html Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:24:42 +0000 News Azerbaijan says voters in the March 18 referendum have overwhelmingly approved a series of constitutional amendments -- including a provision that would allow President Ilham Aliyev to continue running for reelection indefinitely. But the president of the Council of Europe's chamber of local authorities says the amendments violate Baku's commitments on democracy, and that if the amendments are implemented, Azerbaijan could eventually be suspended from the council altogether. http://www.rferl.org/content/Council_of_Europe_Official_Says_Azerbaijan_Could_Be_Suspended_Over_Amendments/1513237.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Council_of_Europe_Official_Says_Azerbaijan_Could_Be_Suspended_Over_Amendments/1513237.html Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:43:06 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Council_of_Europe_Official_Says_Azerbaijan_Could_Be_Suspended_Over_Amendments/1513237.html#relatedInfoContainer Programs to wipe out opium poppies have been hailed as a success in much of northern and eastern Afghanistan, with about half of Afghan provinces declared "poppy-free" zones. But former poppy farmers in Afghanistan now appear to be growing cannabis instead -- giving Afghanistan the dubious distinction of being the world's top producer of both heroin and cannabis. http://www.rferl.org/content/Pressured_On_Opium_Crops_Many_Afghan_Farmers_Switch_To_Cannabis/1505493.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Pressured_On_Opium_Crops_Many_Afghan_Farmers_Switch_To_Cannabis/1505493.html Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:18:48 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Pressured_On_Opium_Crops_Many_Afghan_Farmers_Switch_To_Cannabis/1505493.html#relatedInfoContainer Islamic banks so far appear to be weathering the global financial crisis better than many conventional banks. But experts say you don't have to be a direct holder of "toxic assets" to get burned, and falling prices for assets that have been deemed Shari'a compliant could mean darker days ahead. http://www.rferl.org/content/Islamic_Banks_Unhurt_By_Toxic_Assets_But_Could_Suffer_As_Crisis_Evolves/1503409.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Islamic_Banks_Unhurt_By_Toxic_Assets_But_Could_Suffer_As_Crisis_Evolves/1503409.html Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:13:32 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Islamic_Banks_Unhurt_By_Toxic_Assets_But_Could_Suffer_As_Crisis_Evolves/1503409.html#relatedInfoContainer Iran this week began the lengthy process of starting up its long-delayed Bushehr nuclear power plant -- a Russian-built facility with a 1,000-megawatt light-water reactor. As the day nears when Iran will start producing its own nuclear energy, fears that material from Bushehr could be used to build a nuclear weapon have been eclipsed by fresh concerns over uranium-enrichment efforts elsewhere in Iran. http://www.rferl.org/content/Concerns_About_Irans_Nuclear_Program_Linger_As_Bushehr_Prepares_StartUp/1500488.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Concerns_About_Irans_Nuclear_Program_Linger_As_Bushehr_Prepares_StartUp/1500488.html Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:56:48 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Concerns_About_Irans_Nuclear_Program_Linger_As_Bushehr_Prepares_StartUp/1500488.html#relatedInfoContainer Iranian officials say the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant could finally become operational this year. Commissioned in 1995, its launch has been delayed many times amid Western allegations that it may be part of a wider Iranian program to secretly develop nuclear weapons. http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_Nuclear_Boss_Visits_Completed_Reactor_In_Iran/1499310.html http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_Nuclear_Boss_Visits_Completed_Reactor_In_Iran/1499310.html Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:59:01 +0000 Features http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_Nuclear_Boss_Visits_Completed_Reactor_In_Iran/1499310.html#relatedInfoContainer