In the former Yugoslavia, language and politics are closely intertwined. The once single common language, Serbo-Croatian, has now become Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin. But are they really separate languages?
Did the CIA finance a Russian-language publication of Boris Pasternak's "Doctor Zhivago" in order to help the dissident author win the Nobel Prize? Ivan Tolstoi, a literary historian and correspondent with RFE/RL's Russian Service, has spent the better part of two decades tracking down the truth.
The EU Presidency and the European Commission, keen to see their dreams of alternative energy supplies realized, are increasingly courting Turkmenistan. But in playing the role of suitor with Ashgabat, the major European actors are finding that they may have to betray human rights principles to get what they want.
Fresh talks between Russia, Georgia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia reached a minor milestone with an agreement on "incident prevention" mechanisms. But there are fears any progress might be undermined, eventually sparking a new conflict.
In its latest report, the UN's nuclear watchdog says Iran has slowed the expansion of its uranium-enrichment program. But it also says Iran now has more than a ton of enriched uranium -- enough to potentially produce a nuclear bomb.
As the global economic crisis leads to thousands of layoffs across Europe, Czech officials are offering free air tickets and 500 euros in cash to jobless migrants to allow them to return home. Some Asian laborers are using the opportunity to return to their native countries, but many Ukrainian workers say they prefer to stay put.
Just a few weeks ago, at the start of this year, the euro celebrated its 10th anniversary. At the time, the eurozone's single currency looked strong and -- compared to the dollar -- immune from the global economic crisis. But today, the euro's value against the dollar is sinking. And some economists worry the European currency will keep weakening.
A Russian court has found three defendants not guilty of charges of assisting in the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, an investigative journalist known for her criticism of the Kremlin. As Rinat Valiulin, the executive editor of RFE/RL's Moscow bureau, explains, the verdict is unlikely to provoke a strong reaction in Russia, and the investigation is not expected to continue.
First, France's president pays a ground-breaking visit to Iraq. Days later, Germany's foreign minister comes to town with businessmen in tow. Is the EU taking a more active interest in Iraq's future?
Pakistani officials have agreed to let local judges in the Swat Valley practice Shari'a law, in exchange for a pledge from pro-Taliban militants to refrain from attacks. Is the deal a necessary compromise, or could it open the door to abuses of human rights -- and create new safe havens for militants?
Gonabadi dervishes -- members of a Sufi Islamic sect -- had been keeping watch on their place of worship in Isfahan, fearing that it would be destroyed by Iranian authorities. But there was little they could do when 200 security forces arrived with a bulldozer in the middle of the night.
Acting on the orders of a local education and government officials, schools in Andijon Province and other regions of Uzbekistan are taking steps to ensure that schoolchildren go to classes. But some see the initiative -- which includes "raids" on mosques in search of truants, and requesting parents to keep close tabs on their children's whereabouts -- as a part of a government effort to suppress religious freedoms.
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