Stories about Kazakhstan from January, 2008
Kazakhstan: A Shadow Billionaire Spotlighted by Forbes
Lena B-Va cites the newly released Forbes report on the billionaires “you’ve never heard of” – including a Kazakhstani citizen.
Kazakhstan: Mobile Video Festival
Zhanna Zhukova reports that the first festival of short films, shot by cameras installed in the cellphones, was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, January 26.
Kazakhstan: A Hidden Billionaire
Lena B-Va quotes the newly released Forbes’ report on the non-public billionaires “you never heard of” – and a Kazakh citizen mentioned in the report.
Kazakhstan: Movie Bids for Oscar
Adam Kesher reports that for the first time in history there is a Kazakh movie shortlisted for Oscar Award.
Kazakhstan: More Turkish-Kazakh Violence
KZBlog reports that according to Turkish news sources, a group of 30 masked men in Almaty, Kazakhstan, attacked 40 Turkish workers Thursday night.
Uzbekistan: Perpetuum Mobile?
Ibragim says that a teenager from the academic school in Samarqand, Uzbekistan, allegedly invented a “perpetual” car engine powered by a very unusual kind of fuel – air.
Afghanistan: Holbrooke on Bush’s “ineffective” counter-narcotics plan
Bipasha Ray reports that former UN Ambassador Richard Holbrooke tackles the issue of the Bush administration’s counter-narcotics policy in Afghanistan calling the billion-dollar-per-year plan the “single most ineffective program in the history of American foreign policy”.
Kazakhstan: German Journalist Attacked in Astana
Ben reports that German journalist Marcus Bensmann was seriously injured in an attack on his life in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan.
Kazkahstan: IKEA Comes to Kazakhstan
Joshua Foust reports that IKEA, the discount Swedish retailer which furnished a swath of my apartment, is penetrating the Kazakhstani market with opening two giant stores in Kazakhstan—one in Astana, and one in Almaty.
Kazakhstan: Kazakh Billionaire Noticed in London
Steve LeVine says the Kazakhstan billionaire Horelma Peramam has just spent 50 million pounds ($97 million) in the largest new residential property sale in U.K. history.
Kazakhstan: A Girl from Provincial Town Leads International Reality Show
Lena B-va reports on a girl from the northern Kazakhstani town of Temirtau, and how successfully she represents Kazakhstan on the international contest “Hello Jurmala” in Latvia.
Rakhat Aliyev Sentenced
Zhanna Zhukova reports on the decision, announced yesterday by the court in Almaty, Kazakhstan, sentencing Rakhat Aliyev, former presidential son-in-law, to 20 years in jail for organizing of a mafia-type gang and abduction of two men thatare still missing. Aliyev himself is currently in Vienna, Austria.
Kazkahstan: Surviving or Prospering?
Kazakhstan is a country of contrasts, with no exaggeration: desperate poverty neighbors with arrogant wealth, economic growth is accompanied by decline of social sphere and expansion of state control, and tolerance abuts discrimination. Such is the set of topics in focus of Kazakhstani blogosphere this week. Eilide, a blogger living...
Kazkahstan: Surviving in the Steppe
Scaliger says that the famous Kazakh hospitality is vanishing into the past and recounts how people are surviving in remote rural areas — extortionate profiteering and traps for strangers are almost the only way to make living there.
Kazakhstan: Ex-Diplomat Sentenced to jail
KZBlog reports that Rakhat Aliyev, former diplomat and president's son-in-law, was found guilty of kidnapping, organizing a criminal group, extortion, robbery, misappropriation of state property, and fraud, and sentenced him in absentia to 20 years in prison along with the confiscation of his property.
Kazakhstan: Ulytau, an ethno-rock band, Goes West
Zhanna Prashkevich says that Kazakh ethno-rock band Ulytau, featuring a violin, a dombyra and an electric guitar, has landed a notable contract in Germany with the show-biz tycoons.
Kazkahstan: Two Hours in Astana
Steve LeVine updates on the conflict between the Kazakhstani government and the consortium of transnational oil companies that run the supergiant Kashagan project. At 3 a.m. today in Astana, all seemed lost on the Kashagan deal. Two hours later, a settlement was announced. “What happened?” Steve wonders.
Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan.Net Domain Sold
Lena B-va reports that the domain Kazakhstan.net was sold for $15,000 at the specialized fair of geographic domains names was held by the Associated Cities Co. in San-Francisco.
Kazakhstan: Fourth Capital
Arseny is reviewing a new project of building another brand new city in Kazakhstan — this time in Aktau, Western Kazakhstan — that is to become a tourist center and business hub for the whole Caspian region.
Kazakhstan: Kashgan Crisis Has Ended
Just minutes before a breakthrough of the negotiations was announced, Ben rounded up the latest developments in the continuing row over the massive Caspian oil field.
Kazakhstan: What the Kashagan Deal May Look Like
Steve LeVine reviews the report by Milano Finanza newspaper on the skeleton of a final settlement of the Kashagan dispute. With at least 13 billion barrels of proven reserves, Kazakhstan's Kashagan is the largest discovery in the world in the decades.
