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The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) called on the government of Turkmenistan April 29 to rescind an order by President Saparmurat Niyazov to close the country's libraries. The controversial leader declared that libraries are pointless because villagers don't read, the Prima news agency reported February 11. "Nobody reads books, people don't go to libraries," he concluded. "Central and student libraries will remain; the remainder need to close." Niyazov has also closed down all hospitals outside the capital of Ashgabat, as well...