Who is behind the Kazakhgate scandal in the Belgian media? OSI revealed one name so far: that of the Kazakh oligarch Bulat Utemuratov, who orchestrated it in late 1990s and early 2000s. 

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is perhaps the most feared person whom President Donald Trump wishes he could fire. But unlike the sacking of FBI Director James Comey, it would not be so easy to axe Mueller – both legally and politically. There was a reason why the position carries the “Special Counsel” title.

Corruption comes in different forms. Corruption for money and wealth is a pervasive one. In politics, another kind of corruption is prevalent – the lust for power.

When people ponder the history of Central Asia, they tend to have two ideas in mind – that the region has long been the subject of great power rivalry, known since the 19th century as the ‘Great Game,’ and that prior to that, for over 2,000 years, the region was at the heart of a major trade route connecting China and Europe, known as the ‘Silk Road.’

In the months before his arrest, Kazakhstani journalist Zhanbolat Mamay knew something was up.

Kazakhstan — Central Asia’s most stable state — is waking up to the fact that Islamic extremism has planted its roots and is here to stay.

TDC Note – Kazakhstan is an important ally to both Russia and China. This tiny country is a member of both the SCO and EEU and smelts most of Russia’s gold. It is also the country that had formal talks with the Shanghai Gold Exchange regarding gold payments along the Belt and Road Initiative and the Caspian Sea, which Russia likes to use for military purposes. Wonder why the warmongering department is “meddling” in Kazakhstan?

The latest Cage meme is no laughing matter, according to the Human Rights Foundation.

Two former associates of Donald Trump helped a family of wealthy Kazakh fugitives make extensive investments in the United States, some aimed at helping family members obtain legal residency here, a McClatchy investigation shows.