Stories about Kazakhstan from November, 2007
Croatia: Football News
Illyrian Gazette writes about the Croatian football team, music – and Borat.
Kazakhstan: Stabilization Money
Ben is doubtful whether the recently-announced $4bn stabilisation fund in Kazakhstan will be used prudently.
Kazakhstan: Gangster Movie Hits Box Office
The first Kazakh fully commercial movie – shot, cut and promoted without state support with the purpose to extract money from the box-office – has produced a big debate in the blogosphere. “Racketeer” is a movie about a young sportsman, who had to make money in the 1990s – a...
Kazakhstan: Economic Crisis Aftermaths
In the aftermath of slight economic and financial crisis, which the government prefers to call a “correction of the market”, the bloggers keep on discussing its consequences. Sarimov says that the annual Kazakhstan’s Congress of Financiers has been postponed indefinitely. Mr. Saidenov, chairman of the National Bank, explained that the...
Kazakhstan: New Blog Studies Competitiveness
Adam Kesher presents new blog project, launched by a newly established think-tank that is going to research Kazakhstan's competitiveness issues.
Kazakhstan: The Big Oil Companies Are Making Concessions
Steve LeVine reports that a fresh concession by Chevron and Exxon Mobil in Kazakhstan is evidence of the shrinking influence of Big Oil. “After years of playing tough guy on the Caspian Sea, the two companies have knuckled under and paid their share of a whopping $309 million environmental fine...
Kazakhstan: The Coming Oil Plateau
Steve LeVine opines that Italy's Eni, negotiating on behalf of many of the world's largest oil companies with Kazakhstan, will try to satisfy Kazakhstan and proceed with the development of Kashagan, which contains a minimum of 13 billion barrels of recoverable oil.
Kazakhstan: Walking in Astana
Marlengo posts pictures of monuments in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, starting the series with the monument to Abai, the great Kazakh humanist.
Kazakhstan: One Glance at the Traditions
KZBlog shares his experience of facing one of the most widespread indications of hospitality in Kazakhstan – presenting a sheep head to the honored guest during the dinner.
Kazakhstan: Aliev Affair and OSCE Bid
Adam Kesher reviews the launch of trial over Rakhat Aliyev, the ex-ambassador and Kazakhstan president's son-in-law, and the new round of bargaining around the country's bid to chair the OSCE.
Kazakhstan: Media Wars
As the Rakhat Aliyev affair spins, and the ex-ambassador and former presidential son-in-law continues blackmailing the country’s authorities with discrediting materials, including publication of illegal taps of telephone conversations between the top officials, a number of websites have been recently blocked in Kazakhstan. “No explanations on the reasons of filtering...
Kazakhstan: Interview with Akhan Satayev, Film Director
Tomorrow the movie theatres of Kazakhstan and Russia will start shows of “Racketeer”, one of the first Kazakhstani commercial film-making experiences. The audience is invited to learn the biographical story of a young boxer from Almaty, who decided to fight for a better life with his own fists in uneasy...
Kazakhstan: Crying Forever for the Victims of Nuclear Test Ground
KZBlog reviews a new book by Struan Stevenson, a Scottish Conservative Member of the European Union, who has spent a lot of his career trying to bring public attention to the tragedies surrounding Soviet-era's Semipalatinsk nuclear test ground in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan: A Plan to Spend Money
Adam Kesher reviews reports on the new Sir Norman Foster's architectural project in Astana, Kazakhstan, looks at this piece of news from the point of view of how do the authorities spend petrodollars [ru].
Kazakhstan: Dreamland for Fortune-Makers
Adam Kesher reports on the South Korean new billionaire-tycoon, who made his fortune in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan: Blogosphere Debates the Language Issue
A month ago Nurgeldy told at neweurasia how they are fighting poor knowledge of the state language in the Kazakhstan's northern city of Kustanai. His post gave rise to quite a heated dispute both in Russian and English versions of the blog, covering such issues as why urban population speaks...
Kazakhstan: Another Norman Foster's Project in Astana
Ben reports on continued Norman Foster’s professional engagement in Kazakhstan with another spectactular landmark to be added to Astana, The Abu Dhabi Plaza.
Kazakhstan: Review on “Nomad” movie
Nathan reviews the Kazakhstan's “Nomad” epic movie that was regarded by Western observers as a response to “Borat” and finds that most unintentionally entertaining were the political messages of the movie.