Milestones

BANNED. RECORDED MUSIC AT PUBLIC EVENTS; by Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov; in Ashgabat. Niyazov, the former Soviet republic's famously autocratic leaderhe has named the months of January and April after himself and his mothersaid the decree was necessary to stem the tide of foreign influence in Turkmenistan. This follows his similar outlawing of opera and ballet in 2001 (currently, much of the music broadcast on Turkmenistan's airwaves are Niyazov's own words set to music). "Don't kill our talents by lip synching," he warned his cabinet. "Create our new culture."

ANNOUNCED. THE CAMPAIGN OF GEORGE WEAH, 38, former star...