Stories written by Kester Kenn Klomegah
Kester Kenn Klomegah is the IPS Moscow correspondent. He covers politics, human rights issues, foreign policy and ethnic minority problems. His research interests include Russian area studies and Russian culture. Kester has worked for several years with the Moscow Times. He has studied social philosophy and religion and spent a year at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He is co-author of ‘AIDS/HIV and Men: Taking Risk or Taking Responsibility’ published by the London-based Panos Institute. In 2004, he was awarded the Golden Word Prize for excellence in journalism by the Russian Media Union, a non-governmental media organisation in Moscow.

RUSSIA: Privatisation to Preserve the Past

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Russian authorities are considering a proposal for privatisation of monuments so they could be preserved better to attract tourists.

HEALTH: Too Much of Russia Killing Itself

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Offers of money to produce more children will not address problems such as suicide that are contributing to a reduction in the Russian population, experts warn.

WORLD AIDS DAY: Bureaucracy Delays Treatment in Russia

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
The budget for treatment of HIV and AIDS has been doubled in Russia, but patients are complaining they still do not have access to adequate treatment.

RIGHTS-RUSSIA: Peace Descends, But Abuses Continue

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Three human rights organisations have said that abductions and torture are rampant in Chechnya despite the relative calm.

RUSSIA: Alcohol Goes the Wrong Way

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Russian authorities are searching for new solutions to tackle alcoholism after reports started to emerge last month that thousands of people may have died from consumption of the popular home-made alcohol Samogon. Low-grade industrially manufactured alcohol may have gone into the drink, according to some reports.

DEATH PENALTY: Russians Say Spare Saddam’s Life

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Russian politicians and Muslim leaders here have thrown their weight against the death sentence handed down early this month to Saddam Hussein, and suggest that an independent, international tribunal be set up to retry the former Iraqi president.

RUSSIA: Needs More Migrants, But Will Not Have Them

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Quite abruptly, potential migrants have been told they may not be as welcome in Russia as they had come to expect.

RUSSIA: Limited Amnesty Brings Little Result

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
The limited amnesty offered by Russian authorities to suspected militants has had little success so far.

RUSSIA: Record Arms Sales to Poor Countries

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Russia is increasingly supplying military arms and weaponry to developing countries in what defence analysts describe as the largest post-Soviet export deals.

MEDIA: Another Casualty in Chechnya

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
A year after elections, little promise is in sight for the development of free and independent media in the autonomous republic of Chechnya.

RUSSIA: Putin Attempts a Bridge to Africa

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to build new bridges with Africa on a tour this week - with development among its main pillars.

RUSSIA: Politics Not Women’s Business

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Russian women are turning increasingly to business given the new economic opportunities but keeping away from politics, social leaders say.

RUSSIA: Church Prepares to Resist Madonna

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Thousands of fans are expected to greet pop superstar Madonna when she arrives in Moscow early next month, but the Russian Orthodox Church wants Moscow city hall to ban the concert, and is asking fans to boycott it.

DEATH PENALTY: Groups Fight Uzbek Extradition

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Russian prosecutors confirmed earlier this month that they will begin the extradition of 13 people who authorities say were involved in a May 2005 uprising in Uzbekistan. Human Rights organisations are fighting the move, saying many in the group could face torture or execution if they are sent back.

/CORRECTED REPEAT*/G8 SUMMIT: New Hope in Fighting AIDS

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Leading civil society groups are seeing new hope in the fight against AIDS following decisions taken at the G8 summit earlier this month.

G8 SUMMIT: To Germany for Human Rights

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Human rights organisations are looking for a place for their cause at the G8 summit in Germany next year after the issue was more or less set aside this year.

DEATH PENALTY: Europe Squeezes Russia

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Though Russia first declared its willingness to abolish the death penalty more than a decade ago, that determination has foundered because many legislators believe it is a necessary tool to fight terrorism.

G8 SUMMIT: U.S., Russia, In New Nuclear Agreement

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
After the decades of a nuclear standoff during the Cold War, the United States and Russia, the biggest remnant of the old Soviet Union, are now moving towards nuclear cooperation.

G8 SUMMIT: Putin Faces a New Generation of Ideas

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
It wasn't such a junior G8 summit after all when President Vladimir Putin dropped in.

MIDEAST: G8 Condemns Violence, And Does No More

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Leaders of the G8 countries agreed to deliver a strong message Monday condemning bloodshed and military actions in the Middle East.

RUSSIA: A Step Closer to WTO

By Kester Kenn Klomegah
The G8 summit in St. Petersburg this week is expected to take Russian membership of the World Trade Organisation a step closer.
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