Saturday, February 18, 2012


Hilary Swank (right) with Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme (center) and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov (left) at the latter's lavish birthday party last year.

Chechen Separatist Leader Urges Actress To Prove Charitable Donation

The controversy surrounding Hilary Swank's paid trip to Chechnya was revived this week when the republic's separatist leader asked the Hollywood actress to prove she had donated the fee she was paid to attend the birthday party of Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's despotic leader. More

Video Tymoshenko: 'I Fear For My Mother's Life'

The daughter of Ukraine's jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko tells RFE/RL that she's afraid her mother may die because of what she describes as abusive prison conditions. More

The imposter met with Kandahar Governor Tooryalai Wesa earlier this month. (file photo)

Fake Member Of Parliament Raises Alarm In Afghanistan

Lawmakers are sounding the alarm bell over what they say was a serious breach of security after a man purporting to be an Afghan parliamentarian duped regional officials into giving him an official tour. More

Mourners carry the coffin of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan during his funeral in Tehran on January 13. Roshan is the fourth Iranian nuclear scientist to be assassinated in two years. Iran accuses Azerbaijan of colluding with Israel in the killings.

The Iran Conflict Comes To The Caucasus

Incidents involving Jewish diplomats being targeted for attack in the South Caucasus illustrate how Georgia and Azerbaijan risk being drawn into the conflict between Tehran on one side and Israel and the West on the other. More

Iranian students hold up pictures of Iranian scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, who was killed in a bomb blast on January 11,  as they wait for the arrival of the IAEA delegates at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on January 29.

Iran Honors Its 'Nuclear Martyrs'

Tehran appears to be trying to develop a personality cult around the four nuclear scientists who have been assassinated over the past two years. More


Recent Features

What If Scotland Chooses Independence?

The date's not yet set, but Scots are on the verge of being asked if they want independence from the United Kingdom. How might the emergence of a new state in Europe affect the United Kingdom, the European Union, and other regions on the continent striving for greater autonomy?
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'No Question That The Iranians Are Trying To Lash Out'

Israel has blamed Iran for two bombings targeting its diplomats in India and Georgia this week. Iran has denied any involvement. RFE/RL spoke to Juan Zarate, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism about the attacks.
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Video 'Outsider' Jolie Puts Bosnia's War Story On World Stage

Angelina Jolie's new film about the Bosnian war, "In the Land of Blood and Honey," was screened in Sarajevo on February 14 before thousands of local residents and war survivors. Afterward, Jolie said she was "terrified" while making the film because the war was such a painful time in Bosnia's history.
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Iranian Nuke Still One To Three Years Away, Says Expert

Iran announced on February 15 that it has installed its first domestically produced nuclear fuel rods in a reactor in Tehran. Tehran also announced that it activated a new generation of centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear facility. RFE/RL speaks with nuclear physicist Frank Barnaby about what the advances reveal regarding Iran's uranium enrichment abilities.
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Trademark Dispute Threatens New iPad

A Chinese court will decide at the end of the month whether U.S. computer giant Apple or a Chinese firm called Proview owns the trademark rights to the name "iPad" in China. An injunction has already stopped sales of iPads in parts of China and the dispute potentially threatens to stop the export of Chinese-made iPads to other countries. Experts say Proview is pressuring Apple to settle the cases and buy the trademark rights from the Chinese firm.
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China's Future Leader In Washington For 'Get-To-Know' Visit

A closer look at the life and path to power of the man who is expected to become the next president of China.
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Video Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs.
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Video Yo! Turkmen Rappers Flip The Script On Repression

For a growing number of Turkmen youth, rap music has become a way to express their daily struggles and inspire political change in one of the world's most oppressive countries.
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In Pakistan, Cleaner Fuel Powers Supply, Safety Issues

Rising fuel prices have pushed Pakistan to become a global leader in using compressed natural gas (CNG) to fuel vehicles.
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Turkmenistan's Personality Cult 2.0

Turkmen Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov appears to be building a personality cult to match that of his eccentric predecessor.
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