Jeffrey Donovan

Also by Jeffrey Donovan

• August 06, 2004

  Olympics 2004: Games Struggle For Spotlight, But Prestige Remains

  After months of security fears and concern over unfinished construction projects, the 2004 Olympic Games are finally set to begin next week in Athens. It's a historic return to Greece, the ancient birthplace of the games -- and to Athens, which played host to the first modern Olympics, in 1896. The Summer Games are now one of many international sports competitions, but they are still the most prestigious. As RFE/RL correspondent Jeffrey Donovan reports, they give little-known athletes, and less prominent sports, an opportunity to shine in the world spotlight.

• August 05, 2004

  U.K.: British Prisoners Accuse U.S. Of 'Systematic Abuse' At Guantanamo Bay

  Prague, 5 August 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Three British Muslims captured in Afghanistan and released from a U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have accused their U.S. captors of systematic abuse -- including beatings, death threats, and being photographed naked. The U.S. administration, already facing an international scandal over abuse of detainees in Iraq, has responded to the latest allegations of mistreatment by cautioning that militants are waging a "war of words and propaganda" against America.

• August 04, 2004

  Iraq: In Prison Abuse Hearing, U.S. Guards Accused Of Doing It 'Just For Fun'

  Abuse at Abu Ghurayb Debate is growing over who bears responsibility for the U.S. abuse of Iraqi prisoners. At a court hearing in the United States yesterday, U.S. military investigators portrayed U.S. guards accused of torturing prisoners at Abu Ghurayb prison as doing it "just for fun" and "to vent their frustration." But the lawyer of defendant Private Lynndie England said that she and other guards acted on orders from military intelligence officials who wanted guards to "soften up" prisoners for interrogations -- a tactic the lawyer said was "systemic" in numerous U.S.-run prisons in Iraq. Meanwhile, the U.S. general formerly in charge of Abu Ghurayb says the abuse was hidden from her in a cover-up that may reach the top levels of the U.S. government.

• August 03, 2004

  Iran: U.S. Vows Tough Stance On Tehran, But Will Europe Follow?

  The Bush administration is warning that Iran will come under increasing pressure and be internationally isolated if it refuses to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on its nuclear program. U.S. President George W. Bush says he hopes to get the support of France, Britain, and Germany for a tough stance on Iran. But analysts say the European trio, wary of confrontation, might not be prepared to end their bid to engage Iran on programs Washington says are meant to build nuclear weapons.

• August 02, 2004

  Central Europe: Auschwitz Ceremony Marks 60th Anniversary Of Romany Holocaust

  Roma from around Europe were expected to gather today at the site of the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau to mark the 60th anniversary of what is often called the "hidden Holocaust."

• July 30, 2004

  World: Tour De France Champion Inspires Hope In Cancer Patients

  Armstrong on his way to a record 6th-straight Tour de France victory. Fresh from winning his record sixth consecutive Tour de France, U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong was in the Czech capital Prague today on what could be termed his second job -- as a bearer of hope and inspiration for people with cancer. Armstrong was diagnosed in 1996 with an aggressive form of testicular cancer from which doctors said he had less than a 50 percent chance of survival. But the American ended up defeating the illness to become the greatest cyclist of his generation. And -- believe it or not - he credits cancer as inspiring him to achieve what many thought impossible.

• July 23, 2004

  Saudi Arabia: Few Militants Surrender As Saudi Amnesty Expires

  Scene of the recent Khobar hostage tragedy Over the last year, amid a rising wave of terrorist attacks, the government of Saudi Arabia seems to have realized that it is as much a target of Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network as the United States. In June, as attacks against locals and foreigners increased, Saudi officials seeking to thwart further violence offered an amnesty to militants who surrendered. But the amnesty has drawn in only one top suspect. Four fugitives surrendered in total, while 27 others were repatriated from abroad. Still, Saudi officials insist the amnesty has achieved progress as part of a wider government crackdown that this week included a raid on the home of Al-Qaeda's chief in Saudi Arabia that yielded a gruesome discovery.

• July 21, 2004

  Iran/U.S.: Former U.S. Officials Urge Sea Change In Iran Policy

  Washington is considering tough new policies to punish Iran for its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons -- as well as probing possible links between Tehran and the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States. But this week, a group of former senior U.S. officials urged Washington to take a different approach. They said lack of engagement with Iran is threatening U.S. interests in vital areas, including nuclear nonproliferation, Iraq and Afghanistan.

• July 19, 2004

  Iraq: Government Lifts U.S. Ban On Radical Cleric's Newspaper

  Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, affirming his stated belief in freedom of the press, has lifted a U.S.-imposed ban on a newspaper belonging to radical Shi'a Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The ban was widely seen as helping to spark an al-Sadr-led insurgency against the U.S. coalition, and the lifting of the ban appears to be an attempt by the government to broaden its support as it copes with growing violence.

• July 06, 2004

  U.S.: Democrat Kerry Picks Edwards As Running Mate In Bid For White House

  Prague, 6 July 2004 (RFE/RL) -- U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry ended months of speculation today, announcing his choice of running mate.

• June 25, 2004

  U.S.: 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Fans Political Controversy

  The U.S. presidential campaign is set to heat up today as a controversial new documentary by director Michael Moore opens in cinemas across America. "Fahrenheit 9/11" has been described as a scathing but funny critique of the Bush administration's war on terrorism and in Iraq. And after winning the top prize at the recent Cannes Film Festival in France, it is also emerged at the heart of a debate over propaganda and censorship ahead of this November's U.S. presidential elections.

• June 23, 2004

  Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Claims Breakthrough In Fight Against Al-Qaeda

  A wave of terrorist attacks has shaken Saudi Arabia, prompting concern there could be an exodus of foreign experts from its oil industry, the world's top supplier of petroleum. But after the recent killing of an American hostage, Riyadh said it struck key Al-Qaeda cells blamed for that killing and other attacks. So have the Saudis reached a breakthrough in their fight against Al-Qaeda, or are more attacks likely as the terror network simply finds new leaders and militants?

• June 17, 2004

  U.S.: Panel Says 9/11 Mastermind Envisioned Far Worse Attack

  The 9/11 commission Al-Qaeda's original plans for the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States included flying 10 hijacked jets into U.S. targets across America and Asia in a bid to cripple the U.S. economy. Meanwhile, Iraq never cooperated with the terrorist network, contrary to claims by members of the Bush administration. As RFE/RL reports, those are just some of the gripping details to emerge from interim staff reports released yesterday by an independent U.S. panel investigating the 9/11 attacks.

• June 16, 2004

  Middle East: Islamic Militants Take Jihad To The Internet

  The Internet is becoming an increasingly vital medium for Islamic militants. Whether through websites featuring videos of Americans being executed or texts inspiring attacks, the Internet has become a key tool for propaganda and for the exchange of ideas among militants. As RFE/RL reports, the latest dramatic example of its use came yesterday when a militant group posted a video of a blindfolded and bandaged American hostage in Saudi Arabia.

• June 14, 2004

  Iraq: Officials Come Under Attack Ahead Of Power Transfer

  The death toll from violent attacks continues to rise A series of attacks on officials has put Iraq's interim government under intense pressure just two weeks before Washington is scheduled to hand back sovereignty. Over the weekend, two Iraqi officials were gunned down in Baghdad as insurgents seek to undermine the power transfer with targeted killings.

• June 11, 2004

  Europe: Politics, Culture -- and Football -- Go On Display As Euro 2004 Begins

  It's not the World Cup, but it's close. Millions of people around the world will tune in tomorrow for the kickoff of the 2004 European football championships in Portugal. Sixteen teams from England to Russia have qualified for the event, which features many of the game's brightest stars. RFE/RL correspondent Jeffrey Donovan takes a look at the much-anticipated tournament and at how politics and national traits are often reflected in the sport.

• June 10, 2004

  Turkey: EU Hails Release Of Four Kurdish Activists

  Turkey has freed from prison four prominent Kurdish activists, including a former Nobel Peace Prize nominee, in a move that the EU hailed as progress toward key democratic and human rights reforms. The move, which coincided with the first Kurdish-language broadcasts on Turkish state television, precedes a European Union decision on whether to start entry talks with Ankara.

• June 09, 2004

  Saudi Arabia: Could Islamic Militants Bring Down The Royal Family?

  With militant attacks in Saudi Arabia intensifying, experts are comparing the situation there to the foment in Iran prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But is the situation really so dramatic? RFE/RL looks at the state of the House of Saud -- a vital U.S. ally for 60 years, which is now under growing pressure from both Islamic militants and a disaffected public.

• June 04, 2004

  Bosnia-Herzegovina: Government Launches Bid To Attract Tourists

  Bosnia-Herzegovina has launched a bid to improve its tattered image and try to attract foreign tourists. It hopes to mirror the success of neighboring Croatia, but Bosnia's pitch is hardly aimed at the beachcombing set. Instead, it is seeking adventurers who want to experience its exotic mix of cultures and natural beauty -- and who are perhaps unfazed by the notion of a few stray landmines.

• June 03, 2004

  China: 15 Years After Massacre, Country Is Changed -- Yet Communists Remain

  In the early hours of 4 June 1989, Chinese troops moved into Beijing's central Tiananmen Square to quash a popular uprising for greater political freedoms. Controversy still surrounds the death figures, but hundreds, perhaps thousands of people are believed to have died in clashes with soldiers. Since that infamous day, China has experienced a startling economic metamorphosis fueled by economic liberalization, yet political reform and human rights continue to lag, and the Communist Party is still firmly in charge.

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