NAZARBAYEV CONTINUES PERSONNEL PURGE.

Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev continued his shakeup of military and law enforcement structures Thursday, firing his top lawman and the commander of Interior Ministry troops. Nazarbayev issued a decree removing Interior Minister Bolat Baikenov and ministry troop commander Bulat Zhanasayev, replacing them with closer allies from within his administration.

Ukraine and Macedonia Join Council of Europe.