Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:countries/turkmenistantag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/12/Downturn_threatens_Europes_life_expectancy_1adf

Gains in life expectancy across Europe could be reversed if cash-strapped governments cut health budgets, the World Health Organisation has warned in a new report.

2013-03-13T01:12:39ZAFP Global Editionby Katy Leetag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/24/Turkmenistan_rebuilds_capital_into_marble_5d1e

In an extraordinary construction boom, the isolated Central Asian country of Turkmenistan is spending billions of dollars on remodelling its capital Ashgabat into a gleaming white showpiece where even the curbs are made of marble.

2013-02-24T07:23:15ZAFP Global Editionby Anton Lomovtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/23/Turkmenistan_plant_three_million_trees_901d

The ex-Soviet state of Turkmenistan announced on Saturday a new campaign to plant three million tree saplings this year with the aim of transforming the desert Central Asian nation into a "blooming garden".

2013-02-23T15:43:34ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/30/Afghan_army_fuel_sales_have_2acb

US funds may have served to buy fuel for Afghan security forces from Iran in direct contravention of America's economic sanctions on Tehran, a US watchdog warned Wednesday.

2013-01-30T22:17:40ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/29/Watchdog_launches_global_press_freedom_594f

Reporters Without Borders on Wednesday launched a new indicator measuring global press freedom by aggregating the scores of its annual index, from perennial table-topping Finland to worst offenders Eritrea.

2013-01-30T00:51:42ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/01/19/Secluded_Turkmenistan_edges_closer_70f8

Turkmenistan on Saturday indicated for the first time an intention to join the World Trade Organisation, in a surprising move by a country with an economy still dominated by Soviet-style five year plans.

2013-01-19T18:08:04ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/12/01/Russian_diplomat_slams_EU-backed_Caspian_8a86

A Russian diplomat on Saturday called a planned pipeline linking gas-rich Turkmenistan with Europe via the Caspian Sea a political project of the West that could cause tensions without ensuring Europe's energy security.

2012-12-01T18:31:12ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/30/Kremlin_plays_down_bout_Putin_0349

The Kremlin on Friday insisted President Vladimir Putin was in good physical shape and able to work normally, after reports that he had put off a visit by the Japanese premier raised new concerns about his health.

2012-11-30T16:57:50ZAFP Global Editionby Stuart Williamstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/20/Water_tensions_overflow_ex-Soviet_Central_d039

The ex-Soviet states of Central Asia are engaged in an increasingly bitter standoff over water resources, adding another element of instability to the volatile region neighbouring Afghanistan.

2012-11-21T00:16:59ZAFP Global Editionby Akbar Borisovtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/18/Turkmenistan_pushes_ambitious_trans-Afghan_pipeline_b277

Turkmenistan is pushing ahead with plans to build a hugely ambitious pipeline to transport its gas through conflict-torn Afghanistan to India and Pakistan, despite concerns about the viability of the project.

2012-11-18T13:09:24ZAFP Global Editionby Anton Lomovtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/10/Japan_spend_700_million_Central_9a5e

Japan pledged to launch projects worth $700 million in Central Asia to help the resource-rich region promote trade, energy-saving and regional cooperation in stabilising nearby Afghanistan.

2012-11-11T02:26:36ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/11/01/Putin_cancels_trips_injury_27d8

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shelved trips at home and abroad due to an old injury which he aggravated during his controversial hang-glider flight with cranes, a report said Thursday.

2012-11-01T09:58:57ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/26/Food_combat_conflicts_global_fair_97a7

In a world dogged by conflicts and wars, the key to peace and reconciliation lies in food, say chefs, small-scale producers and Slow Food campaigners at the world's biggest food fair in Turin.

2012-10-26T20:26:59ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/10/13/Ahmadinejad_push_Asia_cooperation_forums_fbd3

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, current chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, travels next week to Azerbaijan and Kuwait to attend forums on boosting cooperation in Asia, the state-run IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.

2012-10-13T15:22:27ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/09/11/Karzai_calls_9/11_re-think_war_63b7

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday called for a re-think in the "war on terror" as the Taliban taunted the United States with the prospect of "utter defeat" on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

2012-09-11T16:58:01ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/09/11/Taliban_taunts_with_defeat_9/11_5c57

The Taliban has taunted the United States with the prospect of "utter defeat" in Afghanistan, marking the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that saw US troops invade to bring down the militia's repressive regime.

2012-09-11T12:06:51ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/08/26/Iran_says_Hamas_invited_Non-Aligned_cee5

The Hamas premier in Gaza has not been invited to this week's summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran, Iran said on Sunday, heading off a threatened boycott by the Palestinian president.

2012-08-26T09:53:19ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/08/09/Iran_hosts_Syria_forum_pushing_ed2e

Iran on Thursday hosted a 29-nation conference on the conflict gripping its key ally Syria and backed moves to start peace talks between the Damascus regime and opposition groups.

2012-08-09T18:53:25ZAFP Global Editionby Mohammad Davaritag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/08/09/Iran_urges_dialogue_halt_Syria_d721

Iran on Thursday appealed to Syria's government and armed opposition to open peace talks as it hosted a hastily arranged international conference on the conflict in its key Arab ally.

2012-08-09T16:22:33ZAFP Global Editionby Mohammad Davaritag:www.blnz.com,2009:2012/08/09/Iran_hosts_Syria_talks_calls_7f2c

Iran on Thursday hosted a 29-nation conference on Syria with the aim of stopping bloodshed there and forging a role for Tehran as peace-broker for its beleaguered Arab ally.

2012-08-09T13:40:37ZAFP Global Editionby Mohammad Davari