2016

The Eccentric Autocrat Who Spent Billions Inventing a City

24 Sep

Events and opinions

1352

The Eccentric Autocrat Who Spent Billions Inventing a City

KAZAKHSTAN is a country with two capitals—one political, one cultural. This dichotomy was born of the president’s sudden decision a generation ago to up and move the capital from the ancient city of A... read more..

24 Sep

Economy

1947

Kazakhstan

Joanna Lillis is a freelance journalist specializing in Central Asian affairs who has been based in Kazakhstan since 2005. In 2015, Kazakhstan remained a consolidated authoritarian regime. The im... read more..

Central Asian children cast as IS executioners

22 Sep

Events and opinions

1388

Central Asian children cast as IS executioners

According to various estimates, there are 4,000 Central Asians fighting with various groups in Iraq and Syria Following a series of defeats on the battlefield and a loss of control over strategic cit... read more..

Last Soviet boss standing, Kazakh leader still lacks heir

22 Sep

Events and opinions

1283

Last Soviet boss standing, Kazakh leader still lacks heir

As he laid flowers recently at the grave of Uzbek strongman Islam Karimov, neighbouring Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev could have been forgiven an extra pause for thought. After Uzbekist... read more..

Uzbekistan: US, Netherlands Seeking US$ 1.4 Billion from Telia in Karimova Case

21 Sep

Corruption!

1821

Uzbekistan: US, Netherlands Seeking US$ 1.4 Billion from Telia in Karimova Case

US and Dutch authorities are seeking a record US$ 1.4 billion settlement from Nordic telecommunications firm Telia Company to resolve allegations of large-scale bribery during the company’s entry into... read more..

Central Asian Children Cast as ISIS Executioners

21 Sep

Events and opinions

1276

Central Asian Children Cast as ISIS Executioners

ISIS often features Central Asia’s children in its propaganda videos, labeling them “Cubs of the Caliphate.” Following a series of defeats on the battlefield and a loss of control over strategic citi... read more..

Just what IS Blair's game? As he shuts £60m money-making empire the question is: Is he set for a comeback?

21 Sep

Corruption!

1891

Just what IS Blair's game? As he shuts £60m money-making empire the question is: Is he set for a comeback?

Tony Blair set the stage for a potential political comeback last night with the shock announcement that he is shutting down his secretive money-making empire. After nine years of raking in millions o... read more..

19 Sep

Events and opinions

1365

Ashforth's Angles: owned in Kazakhstan

There is nothing special about Taraz, who runs in a 0-80 handicap at Pontefract (5.40) but there's plenty out of the ordinary about the four-year-old's owner, Nurlan Bizakov, all the way from Kazakhst... read more..

19 Sep

Events and opinions

1309

Don’t bet your shirt in the output sweepstake

The Opec and IEA reports this week pretty much buried any remaining hopes of substantial market rebalancing this year. Opec knocked some 200,000 b/d off the forecast fall in 2016 non-Opec productio... read more..

Did playing hockey with Medvedev get Kazakhstan’s PM fired?

12 Sep

Events and opinions

1245

Did playing hockey with Medvedev get Kazakhstan’s PM fired?

Prime Minister Karim Massimov has been ousted by Kazakhstan’s leader after a flurry of social media activity. There is more to this than meets the eye. Kazakhstan has seen a political upset at the hi... read more..

Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev may appoint grandson in succession plan: Report

12 Sep

Events and opinions

1353

Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev may appoint grandson in succession plan: Report

A weakening economy has triggered top-level changes in oil-rich Kazakhstan by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev is apparently planning "transition" of power th... read more..

Kazakhstan’s government reshuffle: latest shift in upper ranks

12 Sep

Events and opinions

1297

Kazakhstan’s government reshuffle: latest shift in upper ranks

The latest shift in Kazakhstan’s highest echelons of state power has almost immediately led to speculations concerning the eventuality that the head of state, now 76, but apparently still in good heal... read more..

09 Sep

Events and opinions

1252

A Post-Karimov Uzbekistan

Succession plans are a serious political vulnerability for the ageing leaders of Central Asia. With the death of President Islam Karimov announced in Uzbekistan on 2 September, cloak-and-dagger intrig... read more..

From Soviet Socialist Republics to Independent States: A Story of Central Asia

09 Sep

Events and opinions

1418

From Soviet Socialist Republics to Independent States: A Story of Central Asia

A Series of five articles covers 25 years of independence of all Central Asian republics. All five articles are included in this one piece of writing to give a background of Soviet Socialist Republics... read more..

Central Asia: countries enlightened feudalism

01 Sep

Events and opinions

1636

Central Asia: countries enlightened feudalism

Middle Ages in Central Asia - it's not the Middle Ages in Europe. While in Europe, blaming the Inquisition, burned at the stake scholars and their books in the quiet of the Asian palaces worked hundre... read more..

What's behind Kazakh PM's publicity comeback?

01 Sep

Events and opinions

1423

What's behind Kazakh PM's publicity comeback?

After months of media silence, Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov recently launched a major PR drive. Many analysts are linking the PM's move to the government's new media policy - and a strategy to ... read more..

Oil Gives Pause to $64 Billion Kazakh Wealth Fund on Asset Sales

17 Aug

Events and opinions

1638

Oil Gives Pause to $64 Billion Kazakh Wealth Fund on Asset Sales

The crash in crude prices may have nudged Kazakhstan toward its biggest wave of privatization in history, but its wealth fund is now willing to bide its time for a recovery in oil to take hold. Samru... read more..

NZ court orders Mega personal data to be handed over

17 Aug

Events and opinions

1302

NZ court orders Mega personal data to be handed over

Sensitive online information will be handed over as early as next week, from cloud storage company Mega to a Central Asian government pursuing dissident hackers. Kazakhstan is pursuing the source of ... read more..

Kazakhstan seeks International Arbitration ruling over investment in Romania

17 Aug

Economy

1808

Kazakhstan seeks International Arbitration ruling over investment in Romania

KMGI Deputy Director General Azamat Zhangulov talks to New Europe in an interview about his company’s investment in the Balkans region Nine years ago, in the Balkans, three important facilities start... read more..

Kazakhstan: EXPO Pension Raid Report Raises Hackles

17 Aug

Events and opinions

1296

Kazakhstan: EXPO Pension Raid Report Raises Hackles

Authorities in Kazakhstan have had to mount a rearguard battle against claims that they have dipped into the state pension pot to fund the showcase EXPO-2017 fair in Astana. A few media outlets, news... read more..

Kazakhstan: Doping Scandal Casts Gloom Over Olympic Hopes

06 Aug

Events and opinions

1258

Kazakhstan: Doping Scandal Casts Gloom Over Olympic Hopes

Discoveries of drug cheating by some of Kazakhstan’s sporting heroes have injected a dispiriting note into preparations for the upcoming Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro. The euphoria inspired by the... read more..

Cameron offered £36m new job that comes with a free bus pass but he has to be circumcised

05 Aug

Events and opinions

1285

Cameron offered £36m new job that comes with a free bus pass but he has to be circumcised

He has lost his job and tied home in London but David Cameron is in demand in Kazakhstan where he has been offered an advisor's role with a £36m annual salary – plus "a harem of the most beautiful gir... read more..

Lithuanian court refuses to extradite Kazakh billionaire’s Mukhtar Ablyazov’s brother-in-law to Ukraine and Kazakhstan

04 Aug

Events and opinions

1296

Lithuanian court refuses to extradite Kazakh billionaire’s Mukhtar Ablyazov’s brother-in-law to Ukraine and Kazakhstan

On 29 July, 2016 Court of Appeal of Lithuania has announced its final and undeniable decision, by which the Court has refused to extradite Kazakh billionaire’s Mukhtar Ablyazov’s brother-in-law Syrym ... read more..

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Reject Turkish Calls to Close Gülen Schools.

04 Aug

Events and opinions

1261

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Reject Turkish Calls to Close Gülen Schools.

With the Turkish government asking countries around the world to shutter schools linked to Fethullah Gülen’s movement, governments on the receiving end of such requests have to measure several interes... read more..

Kazakhstan: Rare Public Outreach Being Wound Down

26 Jul

Events and opinions

1340

Kazakhstan: Rare Public Outreach Being Wound Down

Kazakhstan launched a rare exercise in consulting with the general public earlier this year to defuse spreading discontent, but the authorities are now bracing to pull the plug on the experiment and r... read more..

Kazakhstan: Stricter Laws to Follow Almaty Shootings

22 Jul

Events and opinions

1251

Kazakhstan: Stricter Laws to Follow Almaty Shootings

In the wake of the deadly Almaty shootings, authorities in Kazakhstan are drawing up measures to step up the fight against extremism and considering the creation of a fingerprint and DNA register. “P... read more..

Kazakhstan -- In The Absence Of Official Information. Kazakhstan has been going through some tough times recently.

22 Jul

Events and opinions

1303

Kazakhstan -- In The Absence Of Official Information. Kazakhstan has been going through some tough times recently.

There were widespread protests against government land-reform plans in late April that culminated in countrywide rallies against government policies on May 21. Hundreds of people were arrested in the ... read more..

How Rogue Regimes Have Weaponized Interpol.

19 Jul

Events and opinions

1741

How Rogue Regimes Have Weaponized Interpol.

Iran, Russia, Venezuela and other authoritarian governments abuse the agency to target critics. Autocratic regimes and governments who sneer at the rule of law have found a new tool for harassing i... read more..

Kazakhstan: Libel Fine Deals Another Blow to Independent Media

19 Jul

Events and opinions

1273

Kazakhstan: Libel Fine Deals Another Blow to Independent Media

One of Kazakhstan’s last remaining independent newspapers has been ordered to pay heavy damages in a libel case that its editor believes was designed to drive it out of business. The ruling ordering ... read more..

Kazakhstan’s Latest Shooting: Terror or Crime?

19 Jul

Events and opinions

1274

Kazakhstan’s Latest Shooting: Terror or Crime?

In a disturbing development for Kazakhstan, another supposedly radicalized gunman singled out security forces for an attack — this time in the country’s largest city, Almaty. Interior Ministry said a... read more..

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