2020
The Kolbaev Connection
By RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service, OCCRP, Kloop, and Bellingcat A private resort village on the shores of Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk-Kul is among the clues that connect former Kyrgyz customs boss Raimbek Matraimov and notorious criminal leader Kamchy Kolbaev. Raimbek Matraimov, a shadowy Kyrgyz power broker and former customs official, is an intensely private person. But his…
Vatican Extends Deal With China Over Appointment of Bishops
The agreement calls for China to formally recognize the pope’s authority within the church, while the Vatican in turn recognized the legitimacy of bishops previously appointed by Beijing.