Antoine Blua is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL.
Will events in Kyrgyzstan bring change to its neighbors? In the wake of protest movements in Georgia, Ukraine and more recently in Kyrgyzstan, authorities in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are increasing the amount of attention they pay to their young people. The leadership in both countries is hoping to lure the youth toward pro-government support -- and away from political movements that might eventually take them to the street in search of regime change. For more on the rise of political youth groups, see RFE/RL's special website "The Power of Youth." --> /specials/youth/
Central Asia is home to many species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Hunting species threatened with extinction, like the Bukharan deer, is prohibited. But many foreign tourists come to the region to hunt other species, such as the Marco Polo sheep, whose populations are protected but still open to limited hunting. Hunting has raised worries among wildlife activists. But hunting and conservation can be compatible, under certain conditions.
Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov was criticized in new report Freedom House has released its annual list of the world's most repressive regimes. Six of the 18 are members of the UN's Commission on Human Rights, which is supposed to monitor and condemn human rights violations. Others include the former Soviet republics of Belarus, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
An international report released today says humans are damaging the earth at an unprecedented rate and raising the risk of mass deforestation or oceanic "dead zones." According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a UN-sponsored international monitoring group, the rise in human population over the past half-century has already led to the pollution or exploitation of over two-thirds of the world's ecological systems.
The world's most populous country, China, is also among its most rapidly aging ones. Many developed countries are facing the so-called "graying" trend as well. But unlike in much of the West, China is getting old before it gets rich. That has put the government in Beijing under pressure to bolster its retirement program before China's younger generations are overwhelmed.
President Askar Akaev (file photo) Prague, 22 March 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev has said the recent parliamentary elections in the country are valid.
Rallies continued today in Kyrgyzstan against recent parliamentary polls despite warnings from President Askar Akaev to the opposition. The release of a regional governor held by protesters since 14 March has diffused tensions in the southern city of Talas. But the sides appear far apart on major issues.
http://gdb.rferl.org/C68A55B9-02FD-4658-BEE1-FD6D0CA53A32.JPEG --> http://gdb.rferl.org/C68A55B9-02FD-4658-BEE1-FD6D0CA53A32.JPEG Not so easy to live with Given a choice, wolves generally steer clear of humans. But this winter, extreme temperatures in Central Asia have forced them into close contact with residents of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, threatening their livelihoods and -- in some cases -- their lives. Wolves have presented similar problem in other places, including nearby Russia and France. Those countries' efforts to control the damage from roaming wolves could prove useful for frustrated Uzbek and Tajik villagers.
Afghan refugees receiving medical care (file photo) Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death among women of reproductive age in developing countries. It is estimated that more than 500,000 women die each year from such causes, mainly in Africa and Asia. RFE/RL reports that the situation in Afghanistan and Central Asia is also bad.
Workers at a port in China's Shandong Province For decades the United States has consumed the lion's share of the world's resources, but this situation is changing fast as the Chinese economy surges ahead. According to a report released this week, China has already surpassed the United States in total consumption of every basic food, energy, and industrial commodity, except oil. But the economic boom is also feeding consumption of consumer goods and services.
Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov file photo) The dual holidays of Flag Day and President Saparmurat Niyazov's 65th birthday, which both fall on 19 February, will dominate the news in Turkmenistan this week. The country traditionally stages lavish birthday celebrations for its leader, whom admirers hail as Turkmenbashi, or head of all Turkmen. RFE/RL reports on how the importance of the event has grown along with the president's cult of personality.
Ak Zhol (Bright Way) was the only opposition party to win a seat in parliament in September's elections in Kazakhstan. The poll was widely criticized as rigged, yet the results failed to generate much of a public outcry. In an effort to increase their chances in future elections, three opposition parties the following month founded the Coordinating Council of Democratic Forces of Kazakhstan. Some opposition parties have also come together in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which will both hold parliamentary elections later this month.
This month's parliamentary elections are seen as a test of democracy for Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev, who has been criticized for trying to tighten control over the republic. The vote will also set the stage for the October presidential election, from which Akaev is constitutionally barred. RFE/RL looks at the latest developments as campaigning for the 27 February vote starts today.
Chinese media reported today that "explosive material" was responsible for a blast aboard a bus that killed 11 people in the northwest Xinjiang region. There is no word on who or what may have been responsible. Blasts caused by the careless handling of explosives and other hazardous materials are common in China. But officials say they cannot exclude Uyghur militants, who have been accused of previous blasts in the restive region.
Sexual relations between men were considered a crime in the Soviet Union, punishable by up to five years in jail. Of the five independent Central Asian states, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have decriminalized homosexuality, but only Kazakh and Kyrgyz gays say their conditions have improved. But as RFE/RL reports, those who decide to go public say they still face discrimination at work and in society, as well as abuse from police.
Experts from around the world have gathered in Kobe, Japan, to discuss how to prevent a repeat of the massive loss of life in last month's Indian Ocean tsunami tragedy through an early-warning system. United Nations officials have pledged to set up an tsunami-alert system in the Indian Ocean within a year and a half. Country representatives attending the five-day Kobe conference have pledged millions of dollars toward the project.
Apples grown in Kazakhstan's southeastern Almaty Province, which takes its name from the fruit, are renowned for their variety and flavor. But farmers who cultivate apples in Kazakhstan are facing increasing competition, particularly from China. In an effort to boost local production, the Geneva-based International Labor Organization (ILO) is running a project in Kazakhstan that involves the introduction of modern cooperative principles and vocational training.
Tsunami-ravaged Aceh in Indonesia The United Nations has asked donor nations to contribute nearly $1 billion by the end of the month to address the immediate needs of victims of the South Asian tsunami disaster. The world body says it has already secured concrete commitments for about two-thirds of that amount. Meanwhile, relief supplies continue to arrive in the region. As RFE/RL reports, Central Asian nations, including war-ravaged Afghanistan, have joined the international effort to raise funds and provide humanitarian aid to the affected areas.
Beginning 1 January, the citizens of the member countries of the Eurasian Economic Community -- Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Russia -- must have international passports to legally enter each other's territories. The new measure is of special concern to the hundreds of thousands of Tajik labor migrants who work in Russia every year -- about 90 percent of whom have been traveling using internal Tajik passports.
With more than 100,000 people reported dead so far as a result of the South Asian tsunami disaster, governments and relief agencies are rushing to deliver humanitarian aid to millions of survivors. The region is a popular holiday destination for tourists from around the world, including the countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Thousands of holiday makers are reported either dead or missing, including nearly 50 Russian and Kazakh tourists. Citizens from other CIS states were also traveling in the disaster zone.
Load more