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Cyber Chaikhana: Digital Conversations from Central Asia

Introducing Cyber Chaikhana

Posted by Schwartz | in Announcements, Blogosphere | on February 14th, 2008

Hello everybody,

My name is Christopher Schwartz. Some of you in the neweurasia community have probably heard of me; most of you, however, have not. I am a friend of Ben’s from his early days in London, and I worked as the English language editor on neweurasia’s predecessor website, Thinking-East. I am proud to now introduce myself as the editor for neweurasia’s next great project, CyberChaikhana: Digital Conversations from Central Asia.


Visit the blog here, and sign up to the Google Group here. And make sure to read the rest of this entry!

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Steppe III is out - along with Blog Guide

Posted by Ben | in Announcements, Blogosphere, Culture | on January 21st, 2008

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The third issue of Steppe Magazine, Central Asia’s first glossy magazine devoted to the arts, culture, people, history and landscape of the region, has just been published. This time, neweurasia teamed up with the editors of the magazine and contributed a Guide to Central Asian Blogs.

As a bonus to our readers, you can download the article here. Let us know what you think! Furthermore, we have started compiling an online Central Asia Blog guide at neweurasia.net/steppemagazine. If you think your blog should be included there, please let us know!


Of course, the “rest” of the current Steppe is well worth a read as well, not least for its stunning photography. Check out the magazine’s website for delivery options. Here’s a quick rundown on the main stories featured:

The two main features of Steppe 3 centre around the Aral Sea. So infamous is the story of the sea’s environmental devastation that we do not repeat it, but instead follow those who eke out a living by fishing from its shores. An extended photo essay with stunning images of ice fishing on the Aral Sea presents a stark insight into life in the surrounding fishing villages and shows that beauty can be found even amongst the harshest of realities. While a World Bank and Kazakh-sponsored dam is raising hopes for rising water levels, a local collective has helped open a fish-processing centre in Aralsk, a former Aral Sea port and major provider of fish for the entire Soviet Union, which now lies some 20 km from the sea’s shores. Steppe presents one of the very first articles that focuses on the human side of the Aral Sea disaster at a time when the sea is starting to come back to life.

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Happy Birthday neweurasia!

Posted by Ben | in Announcements, neweurasia blogs | on January 21st, 2008

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It’s been more than two years now that neweurasia has been around the Central Asian blogosphere - high time to write a Happy Birthday note! Thanks to all of our readers, contributors and supporters for making this project come this far! Check out the first post on the homebase and click around to see where it all started.

To let you know where we’ve been coming from, we actually need to rewind to 2004, when Chris Schwartz and Ben Paarmann founded Thinking-East - neweurasia’s predecessor website. With a focus on news and analysis generated by people from the ground, we have shed light at under-reported issues and given space to young and bright minds from day one.

Concentrating on the strengths that our website showed when reporting on Central Asia and the Caucasus, neweurasia was the logical continuation. Blogs quickly became our preferred medium - since they meant less editing and quicker and more direct publishing. We went live in the summer of 2005, with all country blogs operational later that year.

neweurasia wouldn’t be around today without the many and mostly “Western” volunteers who helped to set up the website in the beginning: Their help and sharp pens quickly turned neweurasia into one of the most visited blogs on the region. This group included Claire, Katy, Marianna, Peter, Rico, James, Neil, Jeremy, Nick to name but a few. (more…)

Anonymous Blogging with Wordpress and Tor

ru.neweurasia.net - blogscan

Kyrgyz Pupils Took Part in Festival of National Cultures in Moscow

July 19th, 2008

Elena tells that pupils-winners of school olympiads from Kyrgyzstan took part in the festival of national cultures (ENG).

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan Don’t Pass the Kyrgyz Water to Kazakhstan

July 19th, 2008

Elena reports that Uzbekistan and Tajikistan don’t pass through water from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan (RUS).

Friday Photo: Horses

July 18th, 2008

MissLuckyAndCrazy posts beautiful pictures of the horses pastured high in the mountains in southern Kazakhstan (ENG, RUS)

The Kyrgyz Taigan As a New Brand of Kyrgyzstan

July 18th, 2008

Elena tells that the Kyrgyz breed of dog Taigan (the Kyrgyz Greyhound) could become a new brand of Kyrgyzstan (RUS).

Bakiev Met Medvedev

July 18th, 2008

Elena reports about recent meeting of the Presidents of Russia and Kyrgyzstan (ENG).

The Rise of Kazakh Military

July 17th, 2008

Adam tells that new types of ammunition, designed in Israel, but made in Kazakhstan, comply with the world trends in the sphere of design of high-precision weaponry (ENG).

How to support corruption

July 17th, 2008

Adam Kesher tells about new traffic regulation in Kazakhstan, which are to make the rules stricter, but hardly will eliminate corruption in traffic police (RUS).

Unpack the National Fund

July 17th, 2008

Zhanna Zhukova reports that the business association of Kazakhstan came out with the demand to use money from the National Fund to solve urgent problems in the crediting sector of economy (RUS).

Google Earth pictures of Kagan, Bukhara

July 17th, 2008

Libertad uploads Google Earth photos of blast-torn city Kagan (ENG).

Kagan residents are being evacuated again

July 17th, 2008

Libertad informs readers about Kagan residents being evacuated again and puts photos of the evacuation (ENG).

Central Asia strategy

July 16th, 2008

Phillip posts his impressions of a panel discussion of the German Association for Eastern European Studies about the Central Asia strategy of the European Union (ENG).

9 People Were Confirmed to Have Anthrax

July 16th, 2008

Elena reports that nine people were confirmed to have anthrax and one person died from anthrax (RUS).

Mittal’s Business Still Under Risk in Kazakhstan

July 16th, 2008

Adam Kesher reflects on the recent developments around Arcelor Mittal’s enterprise in Kazakhstan against the background of evolving resource nationalism trends in Kazakhstan and consolidation of major industries in hands of the state (ENG).

Social Fund Needs to Increase Pensions Minimum

July 15th, 2008

Elena reports that President set a task before social fund to increase pensions minimum by 15% (ENG).

The young Kazakh journalists get united

July 15th, 2008

The Kostanay (North Kazakhstan) regional administration supported the forum of young journalists and promotes improvement of quality of journalistic works in the city media (KAZ)

Astana as a tool for nationalization

July 15th, 2008

Askhat writes that after the Astana anniversary celebrations, a foreign web-site published an article which raised the view that the holiday was used as an instrument for showcase of the new national identity (KAZ)

Double Standards Exposed

July 15th, 2008

Adam reviews the article in London’s Sunday Times about a Kazakh odious politician’s participation in the journalists investigation into lobbying patterns (RUS).

Restriction Of Use of Electric Power Will Start in August

July 14th, 2008

Elena writes about the begining of the limitations of electric power in August (RUS).

Young Talents Devote Their Works to Chingiz Aitmatov

July 14th, 2008

Elena announces about a future exhibition of young talents devoted to writer Chingiz Aitmatov’s (ENG).

Dispute on money for Whitney’s performance on Astana bithday

July 14th, 2008

Askhat reviews the internet posts after the Astana holiday and writes that the audience was dissatisfied with Whitney Houston concert at the celebration of Astana, and American readers are wondering where the money for new buildings in Astana come from (KAZ)

Mega Media Holding

July 14th, 2008

Adam reports on creation of a new Kazakh media holding company, made up of state-owned and - of course - pro-government outlets (ENG).

Friday Photo: Bayterek, Almaty-Style

July 14th, 2008

Adam posts a picture of the copy of Bayterek tower in Almaty. As believed, the similar copies are to be installed in all major cities of Kazakhstan (ENG, RUS).

Podcast: Eyewitness story about the explosions in Kagan

July 12th, 2008

Rashid uploads a podcast where eyewitness tells about the explosions in Kagan town in Bukhara region of Uzbekistan (RUS).

Joys of traveling to Uzbekistan or…

July 12th, 2008

Mansurhon links to a blog that shares its authors good and bad experiences as a tourist in Bukhara (ENG).

Pictures of Kagan, Bukhara

July 12th, 2008

Libertad writes about the explosions in Kagan town near Bukhara city, and uploads its Google Earth pictures (ENG).

Bauhaus Photography Exhibition Opened in Bishkek

July 10th, 2008

Elena reflects on the exhibition Bauhaus Photography in Bishkek (ENG).

Site of the Opposition Party Hacked

July 10th, 2008

Elena reports about a hacker’s attack on the site of the opposition party “Ata-Meken” (RUS).

Explosions in Bukhara

July 10th, 2008

Libertad writes about the night explosions in Bukhara and uploads its first video (ENG).

Missing the old Kazakh capital

July 10th, 2008

Erbol writes that many Kazakh bright scientist was born in Kyzylorda which was the second capital of Kazakh Republic (Kaz).

Any Chance for Democratization?

July 10th, 2008

Adam reflects on the political developments in Kazakhstan in light of its future OSCE chairmanship (ENG).