The line-up of the Tuva Ensemble has varied since the group was founded in 1988. In 2000 it was represented on a Japan tour by musicians called Mergen Chayan-Khoo, Nachun Choodu, Ayas-ool Danzyryn and Shonchalai Oorzhak with Mrs. Zoya Kyrgys, the head of the Khöömei Centre in Kyzyl,Tuva, and Ms. Kira Sergeyeva. With the exception of Mrs. Kyrgys, these musicians are unknown to me. I was told that Shonchalai Oorzhak is a grand daughter of a khöömei innovator called Oorzhak "Funasital-ool", which I suspect to be a misspelling of Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool, a well-known late master of khöömei.

The Russian government has thought of a way to make the Republic of Tyva free of subsidies from the federal budget. All it takes to make it happen is to build 460 km of the Kyzyl-Kuragino railway. Today the commission on investment projects of national importance agreed to allocate R30bn [about 1.1bn dollars at the current rate of exchange] from the investment fund for the construction.

Administrative pressure engaged by Tuvan prime-minister Sherig-ool Oorzhak in his desire to stay one more term in office in the past parliamentary elections has led to cancellation of the vote results in the constituencies where opposition received the majority. This decision was mase by the election commission of Kyzyl, whose members were pressed (even in night time) to vote in accordance with the executive power, the pretext for cancellation was the following - the election polls were not formed correctly.