Eugen Tomiuc is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL.
Milosevic: still wants to defend himself Slobodan Milosevic's court-appointed lawyers today called the first witness in his defense, as the ex-Yugoslav leader blasted the war crimes tribunal's decision to appoint lawyers for him and demanded he be given back the right to represent himself. Milosevic is facing numerous counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide for his alleged role in the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia throughout the 1990s. The court last week imposed a defense counsel on Milosevic after his war crimes trial was repeatedly delayed due to his ill health. Legal experts say the decision could give new momentum to the 2 and 1/2 year-old trial. But as RFE/RL reports, it remains unclear how the trial will continue if Milosevic refuses to cooperate with his court-appointed attorneys.
Slobodan Milosevic (file photo) Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic opened his long-delayed defense case today at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague by calling the accusations against him "unscrupulous lies." Milosevic -- who faces life in jail if found guilty -- is charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes in connection with the 1990s conflicts in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo. Milosevic has also been charged with genocide and complicity in genocide for the war in Bosnia that left some 200,000 people dead. In his opening statement, Milosevic also accused the international community of being "the main force for the destruction of Yugoslavia." As RFE/RL reports, the start of Milosevic's defense case, originally set for April, has been delayed five times because of his recurrent health problems.
Russia and eight other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are accusing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) -- the continent's biggest security and human rights watchdog -- of failing to respect their sovereignty. A written statement signed by Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan said the OSCE does not respect fundamental principles such as noninterference in internal affairs and respect of national sovereignty.
(file photo) The human rights watchdog Amnesty International says clashes in Kosovo in March showed that international forces have failed to protect ethnic minorities in the UN protectorate. In a report published today, the London-based group also says that five years after the international community took control over Kosovo, Serbs and other minorities remain as vulnerable as ever. Amnesty calls for those responsible for crimes committed in March to be brought to justice and for the international administrators of the region to investigate why peacekeepers failed to protect minorities during the violence.
The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency said today he is ready to discuss Israel's concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions. Muhammad el-Baradei, who is in Israel on a three-day visit, held talks today with Israeli nuclear officials. El-Baradei has said he wants Israel to begin a dialogue to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons, but will not force it to publicly reveal whether it has nuclear weapons. Israel's so-called "ambiguity policy" is to neither admit nor deny whether it has nuclear arms.
Judges at the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague are expected to decide as early as today on how to proceed with the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. The future of the trial was thrown into doubt yesterday when the start of Milosevic's defense case was postponed due to his poor health. The court ordered a "radical review" of the trial process after a doctor's report said Milosevic needs to rest because of high blood pressure and heart concerns. Milosevic has been on trial since February 2002 for genocide and war crimes in connection with the 1990s Balkans wars.
The catastrophic effects of climate change depicted in the new Hollywood blockbuster "The Day After Tomorrow" has once again raised the issue of global warming and what, if anything, can be done to stop or slow the process.
Prague, 31 May 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Among the main topics up for discussion in the press today are the terrorist attack on foreigners in Saudi Arabia and its impact on the world oil market, the hurdles in choosing the members of Iraq's post-30 June government, Russia and democracy, Libya's change of path, and other issues.
The Romanian-Moldovan pop band O-Zone has stormed to the top of the charts in several Western countries, following in the footsteps of other Eastern European musical sensations like the Russian "lesbian" band tATu or the Romanian duo Cheeky Girls. O-Zone has now set their sights on Britain, Europe's top musical market.
The escape of American hostage Thomas Hamill from his Iraqi captors has refocused attention on those foreigners still being held hostage in Iraq. It has also shed light on how different governments are responding to hostage crises involving their citizens. In Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has asked Italian broadcasters not to air any reports on three Italian hostages, saying such a move would put their lives in danger.
The latest World Competitiveness Survey says that, while the United States remains the world's most competitive country, a new breed of challengers is emerging -- mainly from Asia, but also from Russia and Central and Eastern Europe. But the survey's author cautions that lack of democracy and transparency, as well as widespread corruption, could scare away much-needed investment in the region.
Poland appears to be expressing doubts about its commitment to keeping troops in Iraq. This comes after decisions by Spain, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic to withdraw their forces. Other states have shown varying degrees of commitment to their Iraq obligations. How strong is the U.S.-led "coalition of the willing"?
A U.S Marine operation against Sunni insurgents continued in Iraq today as the U.S.-led coalition vowed to destroy a Shi'a cleric's rebellious militia. The latest wave of fighting is seen as testing the resolve of coalition troops in Iraq. Ukraine announced it has withdrawn from a flashpoint town in the south, while Bulgaria reaffirmed its determination to continue its engagement in Iraq, despite its troops coming under attack.
Prague, 30 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Topics of discussion in the international press today include NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe; yesterday's terrorist attacks in Uzbekistan, which killed 19 people; UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's plan for the reunification of Cyprus; the Afghan aid conference in Berlin; Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsii's letter of repentance; and more.
Kofi Annan Prague, 29 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan today presented his latest -- and likely final -- plan for the reunification of Cyprus. It's a last-minute attempt to strike a deal between Turkish and Greek Cypriots to allow a unified Cyprus into the European Union on 1 May.
The highly competitive world of sport has fostered a dangerous rise in the use of performance-enhancing substances -- both among professional athletes and ordinary young people looking for a confidence-booster. Antidoping watchdogs say regulations are in place to ensure the Summer Olympic Games in Athens will be drug-free. But experts say efforts must be intensified to fight the influence of doping on both national sport and youth culture. In the first of a three-part series on doping, RFE/RL correspondent Eugen Tomiuc looks at the rise of performance-enhancing drugs and measures to curb them.
In the second of the three-part series on doping, RFE/RL correspondent Eugen Tomiuc looks at a dangerous trend -- the growing popularity of anabolic steroids among young people striving for a better body and a boost in confidence.
In the third and final part of our series on doping, we present the main substances and methods banned in sports. Most of the banned substances appear on the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2004 Prohibited List, but a leading expert also speaks about the new, difficult-to-detect substances called designer steroids.
New clashes erupted today in Kosovo as NATO began sending reinforcements to the troubled province. Yesterday's outbreak of violence between Kosovar Serbs and ethnic Albanians has left at least 22 people dead. Russia has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the crisis in the protectorate.
Prague, 15 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has held an emergency government meeting ahead of tonight's deadline (2030 Prague time) for leaders in the Adjaria autonomous region to accept Tbilisi's authority or face economic sanctions.
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