August, 15 was 'khuresh' day--it's considered to be the climax of the national festival. Khuresh Stadium, where the main wrestling competition takes place, was overcrowded. There was little hope that there would be a tense fight for 1st place, as Ayas Mongush has proven to be invincible for the last 14 years.

His reign of victory began when he was 18 years old and he remains undefeated. His title in the Republic is Amyrga (Hercules).

Jury named Tuvan student Radmila Kuzhuget 'Miss Asia' at the beauty contest which took place in Kyzyl within the framework of the 6th Festival of youth and students from Asian-Pacific countries.

For Radmila Kuzhuget it is the second victory of the season. Two weeks ago she won the 'Miss Alma Mater' beauty contest which gathered in Kyzyl Tuvan students who study in and outside Tuva.

Seventeen beauties representing Russian regions, Kazakhstan and Mongolia took part in the contest on the Tuvan Drama theatre stage. Sangadji Tarbaev, a KVN Russian star, of Kalmykian origin, acted as the contest moderator.

If you click 'Tuva' in any search systems the first site to prop up will be 'Friends of Tuva'. Today it is the main source of information about a less known and thus more enigmatic republic in the very heart of Asia. The popular site takes its beginning from a mailing list of Tuva's fans, the first and most devoted of which were Richard Feynman and Ralph Leighton.

With the upcoming 'Friends of Tuva' 25th anniversary here is an essay by Ralph Leighton on how it all started:

Tuva is getting ready for autumn bird migration. As IA Tuva-Online reports, a session of the operative headquarters on the situation in Tuvan-Mongolian Ubsu-Nur Lake, where mass death of water fouls from bird flu was registered, was held by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Brokert in Tuvan Government.

A three-day service finished in Kamby Lama Religious Directorate of Buddhistic Republic of Tuva on August, 3.

Three-day tantric rites aimed at calling the main protecting Buddhist gods – Jamantaki, Makhala, Kalarupa and Palden Lkhamo – took place in Kyzyl Chief Buddist Monastery -- Khuree Tsecheling -- by personal request of Tuvan Kamby Lama Jampel Lodoy. According to Tupten Shakya, the monks group leader of Tibetan Gyudmed Monastery, these rites are directed at the removal of obstacles in the life of Kyzyl Temple and Tuvan people in general and success in their gradual restoration of Buddhism after it was destroyed in the 30s.