In our zeal to embrace alternative sources of energy, including biofuels, let's keep in mind that there may be very real human costs. And not surprisingly those human costs will be felt by the most vulnerable. The most vulnerable often live in Africa. IRIN points out a recent report arguing: The rush to produce biofuels, driven by the […]
On May 28, the President of Turkmenistan, Mr. Berdymuhammedov, visited Kazakhstan to engage in bilateral meetings with Kazakhstan's President Nazarbaev and crew. The news wires are more or less blipping through these developments as they do most short news stories in Central Asia, but in aggregate these articles are describing a watershed event. I’m so excited about this I’m finding it hard […]
Reviewing recent events: Last week, I wrote on the Nurbank scandal and the about-face decision to investigate Mr. Aliev rather than to send him out of the country until the scandal died down. At the time that Mr. Aliev was demoted from his Foreign Ministry position and made Ambassador to Austria, he was feeling his […]
On Friday, the World Food Programme condemned a spate of aid hijackings that have taken place primarily in West and Southern Afghanistan. The amount of food stolen over the past 12 months — 500 tonnes — was worth a total of USD 350,000. The attacks have been increasing in incidence since April. Food was to be […]
Facing threats from drug gangs along with two grenade attacks, the Mexican newspaper Cambio Sonora, announced that it will shut down temporarily. Located in the border state of Sonora, the newspaper had already halted most of its investigations into drug trafficking and organized crime. Newspaper officials said the attacks were designed to intimidate the staff […]
New announcements from the Save Mark Seidenfeld site: Mr. Seidenfeld's new charges have now been announced, after a trial delay announced in April, when initial charges appeared to have been satisfied by evidence. The first new charge states that he took more money to pay for the originally-disputed equipment than it actually cost. Derek Bloom over at the […]
At The New York Times Naruddin Farah, a Somalian writer who lives in Cape Town, provides some insight into the situation in Somalia from the vantage point as an insider-outsider who was tapped as a short term emissary between his native country's two main warring factions. He is not optimistic that peace will take […]
Under ordinary circumstances a discussion of the possible successors to Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe would be an affirmative thing. Mugabe's murderous regime has to go. And similarly, a discussion of a possible successor who has shown the temerity to challenge Mugabe frontally would ordinarily represent serious progress. Alas, the most likely successor to Mugabe will […]
In today's test match South Africa pummeled a depleted England team missing up to 30 of its top players due to injury, illness, and the absence of players from last week's Heineken Cup champonship game. The final score was 58-10. Notwithstanding England's weakened status, this triumph seems to validate South African optimism on the state […]
There has been a perplexing story unwinding in South Africa over the course of the last few weeks. The Springboks are gearing up for their World Cup run later this year. The start has been promising — two South African teams, the Bulls and the Sharks, made the finals of the Super 14 with […]
Dr. Mannavar Sivakumar, chief of the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) agricultural meteorology division, argues that Africans need to be more aware and “proactive” on the issue of climate change: “He said it was ‘critical’ for Africa, which forecasters predict will be the region worst affected by changing weather patterns, to get its act […]
Now that Turkmenbashi is gone, I feel constrained to preserve the memory and teachings of his most amazing book, The Ruhnama. In my experience, there is no other book quite like it for range of subject matter, and reading it expresses a dedication to Central Asian affairs that is well worth remarking upon. Those of you who […]
It's sometimes difficult to get good information about the Xinjiang Autonomous Uighur Region of China, but these two blogs do an excellent job: On the serious side: Xinjiang Watch has a great article up now that should help us all read news about Xinjiang a little more intelligently: Xinjiang Man Throws Flaming Projectile at Picture […]
Targeting Xinjiang: According to the People's Daily online, the Chinese government is implementing a USD 2.6 million program to halt iodine deficiency in the Xinjiang area. 30 of Xinjiang's prefectures have significant populations suffering from iodine-deficiency diseases. The program will provide 5 yuan per person to equalize the costs between iodized salt and black market salt. […]
President Berdymukhammedov plans to open a new economic free zone along the Caspian Sea that would welcome tourists to his country. The zone would center around the town of Turkmenbashi and be called “Avaza”. Previously, Turkmenistan's tourism efforts were hampered by its stringent security. The new tourism zone would cut down on the constant […]