Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from May, 2008
Uzbekistan: IMU Arrest in Europe
Nathan reports that police in the Netherlands, France, and Germany arrested 10 men suspected of financing the IMU, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, aimed at establishment of an Islamic theocracy in...
Uzbekistan: President Publishes a Book on Moral Living
Nathan says that Islom Karimov, the long-ruling president of Uzbekistan, pompously launched his own book on moral living, praised as “the best book on philosophy and morality since the times...
Afghanistan: A Case of the Judiciary
SunLeaf tells story of a Journalist student convicted of insulting Islam (the punishment for this crime is death), which vividly reflects the state of the Judiciary in Afghanistan.
Armenia/Azerbaijan: Eurovision Semi-Final Results
Life Gets In The Way reports that as predicted by many blogs, both Armenia and Azerbaijan have made it through to the 24 May final of the Eurovision Song Contest...
Armenia: Out of Change
Dominic in Armenia comments on how frustrating buying goods with bills in the local currency can be. In particular he recounts how even if a shop has change it will...
Georgia: Right to Return
Steady State comments on the passing by the UN National Assembly of a resolution recognizing the right of Georgian refugees to return to the breakaway region of Abkhazia. However, the...
Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Update
Unzipped Gay Armenia says that Sirusho, the country's entry in this week's Eurovision Song Contest, is the best yet and stands a good chance of winning the international song contest....
Armenia: HIV Awareness
Armenia and Me reports and posts photographs from Sunday's annual HIV Awareness event held in Yerevan. The blog says that over 60 Red Cross youth volunteers marched through the center...
Kazakhstan: Rakhatgate’s Implications for Kazakhgate
Zhanna Zhukova reviews the reports on recent statement by Rakhat Aliev — former son-in-law of the Kazakhstan president — that he allegedly would speak at the so-called Kazakhgate trial.
Armenia, Russia: Shavarsh Karapetyan
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about Shavarsh Karapetyan, the man who saved 20 people in the trolley bus accident in Yerevan in 1976.
Kazakhstan: New Religion Law Criticized
KZBlog reports that as Kazakh Parliament debates a new religion law, Forum 18 reports on religious leaders’ complaints that the atmosphere in Kazakhstan is not as tolerant as the government...
Central Asia: A Gas/Oil Party
Patrick Frost reviews the experts’ reactions on Russia’s March 11 deal with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to buy their gas at world prices, which may signal a weakening Russian position...
Afghanistan: Children's Beggary
SunLeaf tells a story of a kid, whose experience is an eye-opening yet bittersweet account of ‘what it takes’ to survive as a street working child in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: Killing with Impunity
SunLeaf reacts to the UN investigation into the disregard of for the fundamental rights of the Afghan citizens, which reads that civilian casualties in Afghanistan were intolerably high, and often...
Armenia: Global Food Crisis
The Armenian Observer says that despite the global food crisis, the country is self-sufficient in most foods and so seems likely to be spared shortages in the future. However, figures...
Caucasus: Eurovision Countdown
With the first of the semi-finals in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia, just days away, the countries of the South Caucasus are becoming increasingly excited about the international song contest and how their representatives will fair. Global Voices rounds up the reaction to the three songs in the Eurovision blogosphere.
Armenia: “Non-Armenians”
Seetizen, the blog of a youth activist in Armenia, decries the latest action by the pro-radical opposition Hima youth movement — a list which labels various celebrities, political figures and...
Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Interview
Krik! Music Corner posts an interview it held with Armenia's entry into the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho, while she was on promotional tour last week. The blog was impressed...
Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Rehearsal, Opposition Urges Boycott
The Armenian Observer posts video of the first rehearsal by Armenia's entry into next week's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, but also reports that opposition plans to urge a boycott...
Diaspora: Armenian-American Homophobia
Writing on its blog, The Armenian Gay & Lesbian Association of New York reports on a recent anti-homophobic event at a Glendale school and the ensuing battle of words that...
Armenia: News Roundups
The Armenian Observer rounds up and comments on the news headlines of the week. Not unpredictably, the main topic discussed in the local media was the post-election situation in Armenia...
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