· November, 2009

Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from November, 2009

Kyrgyzstan: Water Management

  29 November 2009

Misha reflects on the problems of water management in Central Asia against the background of the news about glacial retreat in Kyrgyzstan.

Uzbekistan: Tashkent, a green city. Or not?

  26 November 2009

Old trees are cut down in the center of Tashkent – the shocking news was spread in the city within a day. Photo by goricvet Planetrees, or platanus, planted at the end of the 19th century, were cut down in the public garden named after Amir Temur (Tamerlane) in Tashkent...

Georgia: Why?

  24 November 2009

Serqqizi's Photo-Weblog posts photographs of the anti-government Why? youth movement in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Uzbekistan: Presidential daughter's self-promotion

  23 November 2009

Musafirbek writes about a charity gala-concert, held with the support of UNICEF, attended not only by singer Cesaria Evora and soccer player Samuel Eto’o, but also by some bloggers, who were hired by an American PR firm to cover the event.

Afghanistan: US opens new prison

  23 November 2009

Nick Fielding reports that the US military unveiled a new $60 million prison at Bagram airbase, north of the Afghanistan capital Kabul, saying it would provide detainees with better conditions and also promote transparency.

Afghanistan: Counting the cost of war

  23 November 2009

Nick Fielding reviews “The Cost of War: Afghan Experiences of Conflict 1978-2009″, a report by nine NGOs working in Afghanistan analyzing 30 years of war and a devastating impact they had.

Afghanistan: UK tends to quit

  23 November 2009

Dafydd talks about the slump of the Afghan campaign's popularity among the British public, media and officials – ahead of upcoming elections in the United Kingdom.

Uzbekistan: Authorities Free Sanjar Umarov

  23 November 2009

Noah Tucker reports that Sanjar Umarov, one of the most famous political prisoner in Uzbekistan, earlier charged with tax evasion and embezzlement after founding an opposition party in 2005, has been released from prison.

Kyrgyzstan: A power play beginning?

  23 November 2009

Steven_Schwerbel reviews the developments on the opposition side of the Kyrgyzstan's political field, where the major opposition party blamed the president for violation of constitution and unlawful seizure of power through the change of constitution.

Kyrgyzstan: President consolidates his rule

  23 November 2009

Kyrgyz President Bakiyev promoted his son to lead the Central Agency on Development, Investment, and Innovation, which controls both all FDIs and major national companies, thus consolidating his patronage network, Elina Galperin writes.

Afghanistan: Corruption, corruption

  23 November 2009

Peter Marton reacts to the news that the US could start holding Afghanistan’s government accountable for corruption by withholding money for projects, and says that corruption in this country often is a consequence of the US policies.

Azerbaijan: New Year

  22 November 2009

Azerbaijan might still be a predominantly Muslim country, but Scary Azeri in Suburbs says that many of the trappings of Christmas in the West can be observed in its New Year festivities. The blog details how the holiday is spent in much of the former Soviet world.

Azerbaijan: News of IRI departure met with concern

  18 November 2009

Following the cessation of radio broadcasts from foreign stations, as well as the sentencing last week of two video blogging youth activists, comes news of what some see as yet another threat to a fledgling process of democratization.

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.