More than 2,000 unarmed supporters of a presidential candidate who was denied registration in next month’s Kyrgyzstan election stormed the Kyrgyz government headquarters today.

Hundreds of people, some throwing stones, broke into Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Court in the capital Bishkek today and evicted supporters of five losing parliamentary candidates who had occupied the building for more than a month.

Soldiers opened fire on protesters in eastern Uzbekistan today and killed at least three after demonstrators stormed a jail to free 23 men accused of Islamic extremism, witnesses said.

A Kyrgyzstan advisory council began drafting reforms to the Central Asian nation’s constitution today, aiming to curb presidential authority and grant parliament more power in the wake of last month’s dramatic revolt.

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament today cancelled all special privileges and guarantees awarded by law to ousted President Askar Akayev.

THE Kyrgyz election contenders Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Felix Kulov have agreed to divide the spoils of the upcoming presidential election in an attempt to unite the opposition and divert Kyrgyzstan from a north-south split.

KYRGYZ President Askar Akayev, who fled Kyrgyzstan last month after demonstrators stormed his offices, signed a resignation agreement yesterday, a key step toward restoring stability in the central Asian nation.

Kyrgyzstan’s President Askar Akayev, who fled the country last month after demonstrators stormed his offices, signed a resignation agreement today, a Kyrgyz lawmaker said.

KYRGYZSTAN’S overthrown President Askar Akayev revealed yesterday he is staying near Moscow and will not resign.

Kyrgyzstan’s ousted President Askar Akayev said tonight he was prepared to resign if given “relevant” legal protections.

KYRGYZSTAN’S new authorities, struggling to end chaos after last week’s coup, yesterday appointed as the Central Asian country’s leader a key figure behind the overthrow of veteran President Askar Akayev.

President Askar Akayev, who fled the small former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan last week after protesters stormed his offices and brought down his government, is in talks with interim leaders seeking his resignation, Kyrgyzstan’s acting prosecutor-general said today.

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament today set June 26 as the date for elections to replace President Askar Akayev, who was ousted two days ago when demonstrators stormed government headquarters, the legislature’s press service said.

Kyrgyzstan’s interim prime minister chose his key officials as the new leadership moved quickly to try to quell widespread disorder and looting following the overthrow of the president.

Overthrown Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev said today that he is outside the country and denied he had resigned.

President Askar Akayev of Kyrgyzstan fled the country’s capital today after protesters stormed his headquarters, seized control of state television and rampaged through government offices.

Riot police broke up a small opposition rally in the centre of the Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek today, signalling the government’s determination to keep protests that have left much of the south under opposition control from spreading north.

KYRGYZ President Askar Akayev has charged the country’s opposition with attempting a coup in protests over a disputed parliamentary poll, claiming the effort was financed and managed from abroad.

Protests sweeping Kyrgyzstan are part of a “coup” designed by criminals, President Askar Akayev’s spokesman said today .

KYRGYZSTAN President Askar Akayev yesterday ordered an investigation into alleged violations in the recent election voting that has triggered mass demonstrations and partial takeovers by protesters in four cities.

About 10,000 pro-democracy protesters stormed a police station and forced workers to flee a governor’s office in Kyrgyzstan today, a government spokesman said, in the biggest demonstration since allegedly fraudulent elections last month.

THE Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan held run-off parliamentary polls amid a wave of protests against the country’s Soviet-era leadership and allegations of widespread vote-rigging.

PARLIAMENTARY elections have passed off peacefully in Kyrgyzstan despite opposition claims of vote rigging, electoral fraud and media manipulation in the Central Asian state.

KYRGYZSTAN voted for a new parliament yesterday, a test of its ability to stage a clean vote eight months before a presidential race that could lead to Central Asia’s first peaceful post-Soviet handover of power.