By empty (5/29/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Afghan capital erupted in gunfire and riots after US troops shot dead at least four people following a traffic accident, with angry crowds shouting \"Death to America.\" Gunshots could be heard near Kabul\'s diplomatic quarter as around 1,000 people marched toward the area. The trouble began when a US vehicle appeared to lose control and smashed into other vehicles, according to an AFP photographer who was on the scene.

By empty (5/28/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Iran\'s supreme leader said Sunday the United States would fail to provoke ethnic strife in the Islamic republic after several days of protests over a cartoon that insulted the country\'s largest minority. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also said in a speech broadcast by state-run television that \"trying to provoke ethnic and religious unrest is the last desperate shot by enemies.\" He referred to a Bush administration request to Congress for $75 million to promote democracy in Iran, saying: \"Enemies of the Iranian nation have earlier announced that they have allocated some money for this purpose.

By empty (5/27/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst)

An opposition rally attended by some 10,000 people in Bishkek on May 27 gave President Kurmanbek Bakiev and Prime Minister Feliks Kulov until September to implement a 10-point reform program passed as a resolution during the demonstration. The opposition\'s demands are: 1) a new draft constitution; 2) the punishment of those responsible for the shooting of demonstrators in Aksy in March 2002; 3) an end to \"family business\" and a real fight against corruption; 4) guarantees of freedom of the press; 5) economic reform, including the return of all economic functions to the cabinet; 6) a stepped-up fight against crime; 7) an end to the use of state-controlled media to denigrate political opponents; 8) an end to monopolization and price-gouging in the construction sector; 9) compensation for merchants\' losses in looting during the night of March 24, 2005; and 10) an end to \"unconstitutional\" attempts to limit free speech and demonstrations. Almazbek Atambaev, a member of the For Reforms movement that organized the protests, said that if the protesters\' demands are not met by fall, \"We will resume our protests and will demand the resignation of the ruling tandem [of Bakiev and Kulov].