Roundup of Radio Free Asia Headlines

Two weeks ahead of a new round of voting for Tibet's exile government, RFA's Tibetan service has begun a series of live broadcasts of election-related coverage. Thousands of exiled Tibetans are expected to cast ballots on March 18. Go to www.rfa.org/Tibetan for detailed program guides.

Burma Blocks Humanitarian Prison Visits
Burma's military junta is blocking regular visits by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and putting pressure on them to work in tandem with local groups approved by officials, RFA's Burmese service reports.

North Korean Refugees Head For Europe
Increasing numbers of defectors from North Korea are finding their way to Europe, often after a marathon journey spanning several years and tens of thousands of miles-the result of a complex network of people-smugglers, defectors, and South Korean missionaries.

Turkey-based Publisher Keeps Uyghur Letters Alive
A modest publishing house in Turkey is increasingly keeping the Uyghur language and culture alive from its place of exile, sending out volumes of poetry, history, and Islamic scholarship free of charge even as Beijing clamps down on the millions of Uyghurs under its control.

U.S. Could Take 200 North Korean Refugees in 2006
The United States could process asylum claims for up to 200 North Koreans this year, a U.S. source says, despite the unique difficulty of conducting required background probes into refugees from the world's most tightly closed country.

Vietnamese Journalist Questions 'Socialist Economy'
A prominent Vietnamese journalist has called on the ruling Communist Party to do more to overhaul the country's massive bureaucracy and "disoriented" economy and to clarify who runs Vietnam-party or state.

Tibetan School Draws International Students
A North India-based adult education center for Tibetan refugees has proven popular with a wider community, drawing students from as far away as Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.

Tibetan Youths Detained Over Anti-Fur Campaign
Authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan have detained eight youths after authorities suspected them of campaigning to destroy clothes made of fur under "foreign influences." According to a source who asked not to be named, the youths weren't mistreated but were questioned intensively.

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RFA is a private, nonprofit corporation that broadcasts news and information in nine native Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. The purpose of RFA is to provide a forum for a variety of opinions and voices from within these Asian countries. Strict adhererance to the highest standards of journalism is at the very core of RFA's mission. RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

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