Big on mountains and romantic vistas, the South Caucasus country of Georgia this year has a starring role in two Indian films; an international prominence that many Georgian film professionals hope could advance the fortunes of their long-struggling industry.
Georgia’s democratization process is taking an ironic turn. Though eager to distance themselves from the Soviet era, a time when informants buttressed the Communist system, officials in Tbilisi are now turning average Georgians into tax-fraud snitches.
Central Asia has been famous for its bazaars for centuries, but in recent years they have undergone radical changes. Cheap Chinese goods have been flooding into Central Asia, as Beijing’s trade surges with its neighbors to the West.
There has always been a bit of showman in Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s governing style. Now the Georgian president is pushing for an all-out merger between entertainment and politics with the aim of promoting tourism to Georgia.
The existence of multiple exchange rates for foreign currency in Uzbekistan is stifling economic activity. The case of Sanobar, a former merchant, helps illustrate how government currency policies are putting the squeeze on budding entrepreneurs.
After seven years of legal wrangling, trial postponements, and efforts by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev to control its political implications, the multimillion-dollar "Kazakhgate" bribery scandal is over.
An escalating row between a Kazakh gold company’s old and new owners has tarnished the image of one of the country’s most dazzling commercial prizes. The scandal is casting doubt over the company’s future and has sent foreign investors into a tailspin.
A $203 million commercial satellite project could make energy-rich Azerbaijan the first South Caucasus country to venture into outer space, but some critics ask whether financial problems will interfere with the satellite’s launch and operation.
