Russian president Vladimir Putin recently paid a visit to Kyrgyzstan. He briefly met with Almazbek Atambayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic. They visited the President’s residency here in Ala-Archa, and held a press conference discussing relations between the two countries.

 

Of special importance was the upcoming election here in Kyrgyzstan and the Eurasian Economic Union, of which both Russia and Kyrgyzstan are members. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continuing economic relations between the countries, and to a fair and peaceful transition.

 

 

This weekend, a new competition will be held in Bishkek. Designers will compete to determine who can best dress a girl in traditional clothing. 40 designers from seven academic institutions are set to participate.

 

The goal is to help designers stay in touch with Kyrgyzstan’s nomadic roots. Designers cannot use modern cloth or patterns, and instead must try to faithfully recreate looks from the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Similar competitions have been held before, where designers had to recreate traditional men’s and women’s headwear.

 

 

Today is Flag Day here in the Kyrgyz Republic. The current flag was created and approved 25 years ago today. The very first flag was sewn in one night using silk and traditional printing techniques. It was given to Parliament, where it is still used as a model for producing other flags.

 

The flag was almost not red; blue was considered and eventually rejected. The color was chosen because it represents valor and bravery, and because, historically, red was used by the hero Manas to defeat rival tribes. The symbol at the center of the flag is a golden sun, with a tunduk in the middle. The tunduk is taken from the top of traditional yurts, and represents home and, more broadly, the universe, while the golden sun represents wealth and riches. The forty rays surrounding the sun symbolize the forty tribes that the great Manas united.

 

The official government flag is located on Ala Too Square, where it is guarded by members of the National Guard. Another famous flag flies on the hills above the city, at Panorama. It’s the 12^th tallest flagpole in the world, at a towering 75 meters.

 

While there have been suggestions over the years to change the design of the flag, the original design has so far prevailed.

 

 

Presenters read the wrong film for Best Picture at this week’s Oscars ceremony, causing the biggest backlash in the 89-year history of the Academy. The presenters were mistakenly given the envelope containing the winner for Best Actress instead of Best Picture, and so they announced that “La La Land” had won the category.

 

While the cast and crew of “La La Land” were giving their acceptance speeches, the discrepancy was noticed. The actual winner, “Moonlight”, was announced. The presenters even showed the correct card to the audience, where “Moonlight” was written. Statues were exchanged and given to the correct cast and crew.

 

The upset sent shockwaves through Hollywood and around the world. “La La Land” was a favorite going in to the ceremony, and was nominated for a record 14 Oscars. “Moonlight” features an all-Black cast, and is the first LGBT film to win Best Picture. The Oscars have come under criticism in the past for not including more work done by actors and actresses of color, and this Best Picture win certainly stoked conversation.

 

 

Several Major League baseball players are on trial concerning a smuggling ring that brought talent from Cuba to the US. Those who are on trial are accused of bringing top talent from Cuba to other island nations, where they applied or forged paperwork to allow them to enter the US.

 

One player recently testified about his journey. Jose Abreu, a first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, told about his plane ride to a recruitment meeting in Chicago. He boarded the flight with forged papers. While in transit, he ordered a beer, and proceeded to eat the incriminating pages while sipping the beer. When he landed, he claimed asylum, and was allowed to stay in the US.

 

The trial is expected to continue over the coming months.

 

 

Former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak has been acquitted in a trial about events from the 2011 revolution. Mubarak was sentenced to life in 2012 for his supposed involvement in killing hundreds of anti-government protesters. As a result of appeals and retrials, which have taken place over the last years, Mubarak was recently acquitted. He soon could be released from the military hospital where he is being held.

 

Mubarak has been the subject of numerous criminal charges since the 2011 revolution. This acquittal seems to be the end of his legal journey. There was not sufficient evidence to link him directly to the killings, which were carried out by police. Further, his health is deteriorating, which means that release would allow him slightly more comfort than his current situation.

 

 

French presidential elections are being subsumed by scandal. Recently, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen had her immunity revoked. As a member of the European Parliament, she has immunity from criminal prosecution. However, following killings in December, 2015, Le Pen tweeted a message about the Islamic State that was accompanied by a gruesome image. This violates laws regarding the spread of violent images. Parliament members voted whether to retain her immunity, or to revoke it. In the end, the majority voted to revoke her immunity, leaving open the possibility of criminal charges. Le Pen is also under investigation regarding her usage of official funds. For now, opponents and supporters alike are looking forward to the upcoming election.