· September, 2007

Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from September, 2007

Kazakhstan: Big politics and human lives

  29 September 2007

While the usual discussions about political cobwebs and oil business intrigues kept the Kazakhstani bloggers busy, two dramatic incidents stood out: A rocket crash potentially threatening the health of thousands of people and the murder of a Russian blogger made the Kazakhstani blogosphere think about the value of a human life.

World Reaction to the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights

  24 September 2007

In every society in which they find themselves, the world's 370 million indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable and marginalized. After over 22 years of negotiations and consultations, the United Nations approved the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples earlier this month, a broad, non-binding agreement articulating basic...

Uzbekistan: A nation's great loss

  22 September 2007

On September 7, 2007, a sunny Friday morning, Tashkent and the whole country were struck with sad news. Mark Weil, the legendary artistic director of the famed Ilkhom Theatre was mugged to death. Tolkun reports from the blogosphere.

Kazakhstan: Energy Twists and Media Tricks

  13 September 2007

Be it the crisis of the country's biggest oil project or the biases of the national media: Both big stories from Kazakhstan this week demonstrate that power is concentrated in very few hands, while social indicators point at huge income inequalities.

Video-blogging from battlefield in Afghanistan

  11 September 2007

Vaughan Smith, founder of the Frontline Club for journalists in London, is video-blogging from Afghanistan on Frontline's blog. On September 1, 2007 he reported on a battle between British and Afghan soldiers against the Taliban. Vaughan said: The Green Zone is the area on either side of the Helmand River,...

Afghanistan: Culture, Clash

  6 September 2007

In this week's Afghanistan blog tour, Joshua Foust reports about culturally insensitive footballs, the beautiful city of Herat, suicide bombs in Kabul and a lack of foreign investment.

Kazakhstan: Sham Elections

  6 September 2007

The fallout from the 18 August 2007 parliamentary elections is still having an impact on local and international bloggers. Apathy, resignation, anger, surprise - there were many emotions for a poll many Kazakhs called a sham election. Adam Kesher collects some voices.

Afghanistan: CNN Youtube debate

  4 September 2007

Afghanistanica is unhappy that out of the 1,400 questions collected for the presidential CNN-Youtube debate, only two deal with Afghanistan. He asks his readers to help him change this dismal record.

Uzbekistan: Arsenal shareholder

  4 September 2007

Craig Murray is willing to testify in front of the Premier League to block a rich Uzbek investor from buying himself into Arsenal FC. Meanwhile, Jamiyat says that the children of the businessman are among Russia's richest heirs.

Uzbekistan: Samarkand anniversary

  4 September 2007

Central Asian Borders writes about the former Silk Road capital Samarkand's 2750th anniversary. Uzbek president Karimov came on a visit, and his entourage made sure that every major street was blocked for the event, causing lots of hassle for the inhabitants.

Kazakhstan: Political soap opera

  4 September 2007

KZBlog has the latest developments in Kazakhstan's political soap opera, including new rumours why president Nazarbayev rushed to change key personnel and the fate of his son-in-law.

Armenia: World Bank corruption update

  4 September 2007

Onnik Krikorian finds it scandalous that the World Bank's own watchdog “Department of Institutional Integrity” has not yet sent an investigation commission to Armenia following serious allegations of corruption in the Bank's public utility lending.

Armenia: School year starts

  4 September 2007

Observer reports of the new academic year starting in Armenia. There are less children starting school each year, but there are still traffic jams around schools because of proud parents driving their kids to school.

It's time for non-Western IMF leadership

  4 September 2007

Convention Pour Une Nouvelle Guadeloupe criticizes the probable selection of a European (Fr) as the next head of the IMF, writing that it's time for someone from Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean or Africa to take the helm; global governance needs to be reformed so that it “takes into account...

About our Central Asia & Caucasus coverage

Nurbek Bekmurzaev
Nurbek Bekmurzaev is the Central Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.

Arzu Geybullayeva
Arzu Geybullayeva is the South Caucasus editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.