Latest posts by Ben Paarmann from July, 2007
Turkmenistan: Travel paradise
Bonnie Boyd is inclined to think that a $1 billion investment program to boost tourism on the Caspian shore in Turkmenistan is a great idea.
Kyrgyzstan: Wedding season
Kyrgyzstani couples choose the summer months to get married. As the ceremonies portrayed by bloggers are mostly Western in style, they convey a different, somewhat "non-exotic" image of the landlocked Central Asian republic. From white doves to violins, the Kyrgyzstani dream wedding seems above all one thing: expensive!
Kazakhstan: Team Astana withdraws
neweurasia reports that this year's Tour de France is over for the Kazakhstani Team Astana following the positive doping test of the team's captain Alexander Vinokurov.
Kyrgyzstan: Moving the capital?
Daniel Kohler, on Registan.net, discusses whether the recent suggestion of a Kyrgyzstani governor to move the capital closer to his southern constituency is politically motivated.
Armenia: 2008 elections
The 2008 Presidential Election Monitor wonders whether next year's voting will be cleaner than before. The roundup also ponders the state of the opposition in Armenia.
Armenia: International outreach camp
Kyle taught a class at the latest International Outreach Camp in Armenia and shares her experiences from a week which “showcased some of the amazing talent and potential Armenian youth have”.
Afghanistan: The King is dead
Afghanistan's former king Mohammad Zahir Shah died on Monday and SunLeaf says that he will be remembered by most Afghans for his ambitious, yet unrealised dreams to modernise Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: Is less more?
Carl Robichaud wonders whether Rory Stewart's ideas about how to turn around Afghanistan are very realistic.
Armenia: Shootout fallout
How convincing is it of the authorities to claim that a shootout hurts several people but is not responsible for the death of a child very close by? Onnik Krikorian has the latest developments in which a suspect has handed himself in after being on the run for two months.
Armenia: Managed democracy
Onnik Krikorian ponders the pros and cons of managed transition to democratic rule in Armenia.
Armenia: Shadow matriarchy?
One Armenian World looks at the predominant role of the Armenian mother – and in how far this cements the oppression of young child-bearing women.
Armenia: Domestic violence
Tirami Su has some thoughts on domestic violence and women's perception of it in Armenia.
Armenia/Azerbaijan: Karabakh update
Tesaket has several updates on the presidential elections held last week in the breakaway and self-declared Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Uzbekistan: HRW shut?
UzNGO says that by refusing to give accreditation to the next country director, the Uzbek authorities have effectively shut down Human Rights Watch.
Georgia: Art-Gene Festival
Bringing together folklore from all Georgian regions, this year's Art-Gene festival proved to be very successful. Nutsa has posted plenty of pictures of the event.
Uzbekistan: Lyab-i-Hauz
Joshua Kucera finds that relaxing at Bukhara's central pond, the Lyab-i-Hauz, is a great introduction to Uzbekistan.
Afghanistan: Kites for hearts and minds
Civil-Military Relations wonders whether handing out free kites with an ISAF logo to Afghan children is a good idea.
Kazakhstan: Officially no choice
On neweurasia, Adam Kesher says that a French PR company is preparing the Kazakhstani public for a landslide victory of the ruling party.
Kazakhstan: All-nation leader
Arthur finds that a recent press release of the Kazakhstani embassy is not even trying to hide the fact that President Nazarbayev, following recent constitutional changes, is now the “all-nation leader” with seemingly limitless powers.
Turkmenistan: Travelogue
Joshua Kucera just visited Turkmenistan, which he entered rather smoothly from Azerbaijan. Josh visited a burning gas crater, the Museum of Fine Art in the capital Ashgabad, and had a tour guide who wasn't quite getting the numbers right. He also acquainted himself with the (rather barren) local media landscape...
Caucasus: Arms race
Onnik Krikorian is concerned that with all states in the Caucasus increasing their military spending, an arms race and – worst of all – new military conflicts can become a likely future scenario.
