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| Finger pointing over the conflict in South Ossetua continues. (Photo by Temo Bardzimashvili) |
Georgia: President Saakashvili Denies That Washington Gave OK for South Ossetian Military
BY GIORGI LOMSADZE
Days after a stinging public attack from a former ally, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili testified about his course of action during the August war with Russia. Saakashvili emphatically denied an earlier allegation that he had received a thumbs-up from Washington to use force in South Ossetia.
Azerbaijan: Global Crisis Hits Baku Banks and Real Estate Sector
A EURASIANET COMMENTARY BY SHAHIN ABBASOV
Despite the recent sag in oil prices, Azerbaijan’s 2009 state budget is still betting big on potential oil revenues. Some analysts believe the Azerbaijani government is leaving the country exposed to a financial catastrophe by clinging to optimistic revenue projections.
Turkey: Female Worker’s Five-Month Sit-In Sheds Light on Workers’ Rights
BY NICHOLAS BIRCH
Soft-spoken Emine Arslan doesn’t look like the sort of person who likes to kick up a fuss. But her solitary 150-day sit-in outside a prominent Istanbul factory that supplies leather goods to international brands like Prada and Mulberry has attracted unprecedented domestic and international attention to labor rights issues in Turkey.
Afghanistan: Iran Forcing Afghan Refugees to Return
Afghan politicians have sharply criticized the Iranian government for deporting more than 8,850 Afghans during the past week.
Uzbekistan: Top EU Official Visits Tashkent
Pierre Morel, the European Union Special Representative for Central Asia, arrived in Uzbekistan on December 1 for discussions designed to boost political and economic relations.
Rose Revolution Leader Joins Opposition, Establishes New Party
BY MOLLY CORSO
Seven months after her abrupt decision to leave Georgia’s ruling party, former Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze has officially joined the opposition. Once a strong political ally of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, political analysts now believe she could be his biggest threat.
Iran Shaping Up As Key Foreign Policy Challenge For Obama
BY GOLNAZ ESFANDIARI
For nearly three decades, Iran and the United States have traded accusations and threats. But when Barack Obama is inaugurated as U.S. president on January 20, that long-standing status quo could finally begin to change.
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from RFE/RL
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.
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Dogged By Security Failings, Karzai Seeks Reelection
BY ABUBAKAR SIDDIQUE
With Hamid Karzai's presidential term set to end next year, the deteriorating security situation in parts of Afghanistan appears to be harming his chances for reelection.
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from RFE/RL
Uzbekistan: Social Networking Websites Are A Hit
BY GULNOZA SAIDAZIMOVA
"Social websites are extremely popular here these days," Natalya, an IT specialist and a friend of mine, told me during my recent trip to Tashkent. So it was, and the evidence was everywhere. Virtually everyone I spoke to - from a 14-year-old boy to a 46-year-old woman - used Odnoklassniki.ru. "Classmates" is probably the most popular social site in Uzbekistan, and very likely beyond.
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from TOL
Kazakhstan: US Continues to Probe Rail Route Via Central Asia to Afghanistan
American military officials are continuing to press for alternative transport routes to Afghanistan, with senior commanders exploring the feasibility of a rail route through the Caucasus and Central Asia.
The European Union: Back to "Business as Usual" with Russia?
BY LILI DI PUPPO
The failure of the November 14 European Union-Russia summit to change the status quo in Georgia has left some observers to ask whether the EU is going back to "business as usual" with Russia.
Pakistan Tries To Clean Up ISI Image By Shutting Down Political Wing
BY RON SYNOVITZ
The section of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate that is responsible for domestic spying on Pakistani politicians has been quietly been shut down.
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from RFE/RL
Ten Years On, Armenia’s So-Called "Miracle Cure" for AIDS Still Unproven
BY SARA KHOJOYAN AND LEAH KOHLENBERG
For ten years, Armenians have been told about the wonders of Armenicum, the locally produced formula whose makers claim it has curative powers over the deadly HIV virus.
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from IREX CMSPA This Month Magazine
Turkmenistan: Frustration Mounts as Western Energy Companies Wait for Ashgabat to Make Up Its Mind
BY JAMES DELLY
It was the only thing that many of the participants of the 13th Annual Turkmenistan International Oil and Gas Exhiition could think about, yet no Turkmen official cared to mention its name aloud -- Nabucco.
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EurasiaNet Special Feature 
EurasiaNet Special Feature 
EurasiaNet Special Feature 
EurasiaNet Special Feature 
EurasiaNet Special Feature 
EurasiaNet Special Feature 
Turkmenistan Project 