Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from January, 2014
“Real Patriots Choose Patriotic Names” in Tajikistan
In Tajikistan, a person's name is no longer a private matter. Officials insist that a name is an indication of the degree of patriotism of its bearer.
Kyrgyz Woman Abducted for Marriage Tells Her Story on Twitter
A young woman was recently kidnapped for marriage in Bishkek. After police saved her from the kidnappers, the woman told the story of her "nightmare" on Twitter.
Goodbye Alexandros Petersen, Prodigious Guide to China in Central Asia
On January 17, a Taliban suicide bomb attack killed sixteen people at a Kabul restaurant. Among them was Alexandros Petersen, an enlightening commentator on Eurasian affairs and a riveting storyteller.
“It Has Become Hard to Breathe”: Tajikistan's Capital Gets a Coal Plant… and Hazardous Dust
As Dushanbe's new coal-fired power plant begins to supply electricity, rising levels of coal dust set off alarm bells in the city.
Hockey, Diving for Crosses and Other Christmas-in-January Traditions
While Christians in the Western hemisphere celebrate Christmas in December, most Orthodox and Coptic Christians mark the birth of Christ in early January, from Eastern Europe to North Africa.
About our Central Asia & Caucasus coverage
Maxim Edwards is the Eurasia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
