Turkey: Israel’s Gaza Offensive Presents Ankara with Diplomatic Challenge
Israel’s attack in Gaza is proving to be both a test and an opportunity for Turkey’s continuing efforts to establish itself as a regional mediator in the Middle East, observers say.

Turkmenistan: Is Ashgabat’s Interest in Nabucco Rising?
The head of Germany’s second largest electricity and gas company, RWE AG, hailed Turkmenistan’s "promising" market and expressed a readiness for "constructive interaction in the energy sphere" during a visit to Ashgabat, news agencies report. This visit is raising speculation about Turkmen intentions to participate in the long-planned trans-Caspian and Nabucco pipeline projects.

Tajikistan: Supreme Court Bans Ultra-Conservative Sunni Islamic Movement
Tajikistan’s Supreme Court has issued a ban on the Salafi religious movement, the Asia-Plus news agency reported January 8. The court ruling specifically prohibits the import and distribution of Salafi religious material.

Kyrgyzstan: Presidential Chief-of-Staff Submits Resignation
Kyrgyzstan is experiencing political turnover at the top. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s chief of staff, Medet Sadyrkulov, unexpectedly announced his resignation on January 8. The departing presidential aide claimed that his departure had been planned, but some political analysts in Bishkek suggest that Bakiyev may be reshuffling his team in response to the recent revival of opposition political protests.

Kazakhstan: Astana Settles Old Electricity Debt with Tajikistan
Kazakhstan has agreed to pay off an old debt to Tajikistan by supplying wheat and fuel to Dushanbe.

Kazakhstan: Bureaucrats Told to Cut Back on Expenses
Kazakhstan’s president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has issued instructions for Kazakhstani state agencies to scale back administrative expenses, Interfax-Kazakhstan reported January 8.

Uzbekistan: Tashkent Announces Export Deal with Oman
Uzbekistan is strengthening its ties with Arabian Peninsula states. The newest deal involves Oman, with Tashkent pledging to send wheat, fruits and vegetables to the Gulf state. One source in Oman also indicates that Uzbekistan may also provide migrant laborers.

Kazakhstan: Government Takes Action to Guard Against a Surge in Unemployment
Kazakhstan’s government has announced that it will undertake preventative measures to avert the possibility of a destabilizing spike in unemployment.

Caspian Basin: Russia-Ukraine Spat Likely to Spur Construction of Alternate Pipelines
BY SVETLA MARINOVA
The ongoing dispute between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas exports is likely to end up spurring efforts to establish alternate, more reliable export routes to serve the European Union, experts and officials predict.

Cartoon Dispatches from Central Asia Political cartoonist and columnist Ted Rall has travelled extensively in Central Asia. Here, EurasiaNet features his irreverent take on the region.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Opts to Back Ahmadinejad’s Re-Election
BY KAMAL NAZER YASIN
For the first time since the early days of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the country’s supreme spiritual leader has plunged into partisan politics. The development, some experts speculate, could be an indicator that the time for compromise with the international community on Iran’s nuclear program has passed.

Kyrgyzstan: Long Holiday Season Comes to Close
A PHOTO SLIDESHOW BY DAVID TRILLING
This year, Bishkek’s holiday season stretched for an entire month, extending from the December 8 Muslim festival of Kurbon Ait -- the Feast of the Sacrifice, known as Eid al-Adha in Arabic -- through the Russian Orthodox Christmas on January 7.

Kazakhstan: GDP Growth Slows Dramatically
Preliminary estimates indicate Kazakhstan’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2008 has slowed to around 3 percent, the CA-news.org news website reported January 7.

Turkmenistan: Niyazov’s Image Disappears from Bank Notes
The minimum wage and state pensions in Turkmenistan have increased by 10 percent as of January 1.

Tajikistan: Remittances Take a Dive
Remittances to Tajikistan’s remote eastern autonomous region of Gorno-Badakhshan have fallen by 50 percent in just three months, an official from the Tajik National Bank revealed.

Uzbekistan: Entrepreneurs May Enjoy Tax Holiday
Small business owners in Uzbekistan could be exempt from paying income tax for five years, UzReport.com reported January 7.

Tajikistan: Tajik Officials Hope They Don’t Receive a Shock in Tashkent
Tajik and Uzbek officials are trying to work out a deal to allow the resumption of Turkmen electricity supplies to beleaguered Tajikistan.

Turkmenistan: UAE Eyes Investment Opportunities
A delegation from the United Arab Emirates is aiming to boost bilateral trade and investment ties during a visit to Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan: Drama Envelops Operations of New Television Channel
A row has broken out at Turkmenistan’s newest television channel concerning lip-synching and a purported dress-code for female performers.