Antoine Blua is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL.
Scientists believe that many of the fruit and nut trees commonly cultivated around the world originated in Central Asia and were brought west along the Silk Road centuries ago. But a new survey shows that some of these wild ancestors of the fruits we eat today are threatened with extinction, posing a potential risk to our food security.
The European Union has agreed on joint goals with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Egypt as it seeks to develop routes for gas supplies bypassing Russia, which currently supplies a quarter of all the natural gas and oil burned in the bloc. Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, however, did not sign the summit's final declaration.
The presidents of the five Central Asian states have failed to overcome their differences over water use. While their summit was officially intended to discuss the disappearing Aral Sea, it was widely seen as a chance to openly discuss the region's most contentious issues -- energy needs and cross-border water sharing.
Makset Kosbergenov spent the last four months, not on patrol in the great outdoors, but in detention on bribery charges. He was released this week but ordered to pay a heavy fine on a lesser charge. His supporters suggest he is being targeted for cracking down on poachers.
In an effort to protect such globally important species and their habitats, international and local environmentalists have united their forces to produce Important Bird Area (IBA) directories for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
A new study says Iran, Russia, and Georgia are among those nations where the rights of people who use the Internet are increasingly at risk, with governments expanding their ability to monitor, censor, and punish Internet users.
One-quarter of the world's antelope species are believed to be threatened with extinction. In Central Asia, the saiga antelope is among the most threatened antelopes. The other antelope species living in Central Asia, the goitered gazelle, has also seen its numbers decrease over the years. But there is a growing awareness of the need to preserve these unique animals and grounds for cautious optimism concerning their ultimate survival in the region.
A Chinese man who made a winning bid of $36 million for two imperial Chinese bronzes auctioned in Paris has said his bid was intended to draw attention to the issue of looted art, and that he has no intention of paying for the artworks.
Human Rights Watch says in a new report that, nearly a year after antigovernment demonstrations in the Armenian capital erupted into deadly violence, the police have yet to be held accountable for their excessive use of force. The report also documents the ill-treatment of those detained in connection with the protests against the outcome of the February 2008 presidential election.
As Israel widens its offensive in the Gaza Strip, demonstrations in some mainly Muslim former Soviet states have put some governments in difficult positions. Many have had relations with Israel since the collapse of the Soviet Union, but now seem to be reluctant to express support for either side in the conflict in the face of public opinion. Other countries like Russia and Georgia are taking sides more openly, according to their strategic interests.
With an opposition boycott in effect, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's only potential threat in this week's election is low voter turnout. But a distinct lack of enthusiasm among residents in the capital hints at serious voter malaise under the post-Soviet world's lone dynasty.
Not allowed to sing in Iran about the harsh treatment of women in society, rap group Tapesh 2012 (Pulse 2012) is doing just that from Germany.
A high-profile European Union delegation is meeting today with the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian states in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat. The two-day talks will focus on the implementation of the EU-Central Asia strategy adopted nearly a year ago, but will also discuss important energy issues and human rights.
"Every dinar you buy represents a share in Iraq's bright new future."
Faced with a rise in the number of death sentences, the head of Iran's judiciary wants to curb public executions. But it's unlikely that Iranians have seen the last of makeshift gallows.
November 11, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Several Western envoys have been sent to Georgia to urge President Mikheil Saakashvili to lift a state of emergency and media restrictions imposed on November 7.
Prague, November 10, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- A U.S. envoy heading to Georgia has urged authorities to lift a state of emergency and allow freedom of expression in the country.
November 3, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has promised to work with his country's neighbors to fight terrorism, responding to pressure from Turkey to help put an end to attacks from Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq.
The resignation of Ali Larijani raises questions about the direction Tehran will take in negotiations over its disputed nuclear program.
Though it's called the "last frontier" for hydrocarbon investment in the region, activists worry that Ashgabat may repeat the same environmental mistakes made by other Caspian states in their pursuit of oil and gas riches.
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