TURKMENISTAN: Ashgabat Quietly Builds Up Caspian Military Might

When it comes to the brewing arms race in the Caspian Sea region, no one can accuse Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov of navel-gazing. Ashgabat is now able to back its claims to some energy-rich patches of the sea with considerable firepower.

IOC in Talks with Saudi Arabia over Male-Only Team

The International Olympic Committee has said it is in talks with Saudi Arabia, after Human Rights Watch called for Riyadh to be barred from participating in the London Olympic Games.

The Battle for Federalism in Libya’s East

With Libya's first election in more than four decades looming, a vocal group of people in the east of the country is far less enthusiastic about this democratic milestone than those in the west.

Tests Point to Possible Arafat Poisoning

It was a scene that riveted the world for weeks: The ailing Yasser Arafat, first besieged by Israeli tanks in his Ramallah compound, then shuttled to Paris, where he spent his final days undergoing a barrage of medical tests in a French military hospital.

Kosovo to Gain Full Sovereignty

Kosovo will finally gain full soverignty in September, almost four years after breaking away from Serbia, the International Steering Group (ISG) overseeing its independence has announced.

Karadzic Acquitted on One Genocide Charge

The Yugoslav war crimes tribunal has acquitted former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic of one of the two genocide charges he faces at the halfway stage of his long-running trial.

MONGOLIA: Can New Electoral Law Help Women Enter Parliament?

If all goes as envisioned on Jun. 28, Mongolia's parliament will no longer be a male bastion.

Haiti’s “Gold Rush” Promises El Dorado – But for Whom?

Twenty billion dollars worth of gold, copper and silver hidden in the hills of the hemisphere's poorest country. Investors in North America so convinced of the buried treasure, they have already spent 30 million dollars collecting samples, digging, building mining roads and doing aerial surveys.

Nigerian Cities in Lockdown after Deadly Riots*

Soldiers and police are patrolling the empty streets of two Nigerian cities after three days of violence left at least 101 people dead, with some residents still unable to return home.

TAJIKISTAN: Could Showdown With Popular Cleric Backfire?

With a court order to close one of Tajikistan's most popular mosques, President Imomali Rahmon's administration is stepping up its campaign to neutralise both Islam and the last vestiges of any political opposition.

Annan: ‘Bold Steps’ Needed for Syria Peace

Kofi Annan, the U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria, has called on the country's government to take bold steps to prove its commitment to restoring peace during a visit to Damascus.

EU Summit Ends with Warning for Greece

A European Union summit has ended with a warning to Greece that it will have to stick to its bailout terms if it wants to stay in the eurozone, but failed to resolve Franco-German differences over the issue of eurobonds.

TAJIKISTAN: Divorce Spurs Female Labour Migration

Four years ago, Farida Hajimova's husband left Tajikistan to work in Russia. After a time, he stopped calling. Ultimately, he never returned. She was left at home in Dushanbe with two daughters and not a lot of options.

IAEA Reports Progress in Iran Nuclear Talks

The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog has said he expects to sign a deal with Iran soon on investigating suspected weapons activities connected to the country's nuclear programme.

Al-Qaeda Claims Deadly Yemen Suicide Blast

Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in the centre of the Yemeni capital that has left nearly 100 people dead.