NOV. 27 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – In Georgia’s rebel region of South Ossetia, ex-education minister Alla Dzhioyeva defeated the Moscow-backed candidate in a presidential second round vote with an estimated 56% of the votes. Days later South Ossetia’s Supreme Court annulled the result and banned her from standing in an election re-scheduled for March.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 67, published on Dec. 1 2011)
NOV. 25 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – The eldest daughter of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev will return to politics after he nominated her for a seat in parliament at an election in January Dariga Nazarbayeva, 48, had previously been talked about as a potential successor but she quit politics in 2006 after a dispute with her father.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 67, published on Dec. 1 2011)
NOV. 28 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – In probably her last main act as Kyrgyzstan’s president, Roza Otunbayeva launched a campaign to reduce bride kidnapping which affects an estimated 15,000 women a year. Bride kidnapping is the traditional term for the abduction of women who then, under pressure, often agree to marry their kidnapper. Ms Otunbayeva leaves office on Dec. 1.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 67, published on Dec. 1 2011)
NOV. 17 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Azerbaijan rejected criticism last week from human rights group Amnesty International that it unfairly cracked down on protests earlier this year. Instead, Azerbaijan’s government said it has increased political tolerance in the 20 years since independence from the Soviet Union.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 66, published on Nov. 23 2011)
NOV. 22 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Reports from Uzbekistan say police have arrested emergencies minister Tursinkhon Khudaybergenov and presidential adviser Ravshan Mukhitdinov. It is not yet clear why the men were arrested for whether the arrests were connected.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 66, published on Nov. 23 2011)
NOV. 21 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – A bronze statue of ex-US President Ronald Reagan will be unveiled in Tbilisi on Nov. 23, local media reported. Reagan, who was president between 1981-1989, is credited with being one of the architects of the downfall of the Soviet Union. The statue depicts Reagan sitting on a park bench seemingly inviting passers-by to sit and chat.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 66, published on Nov. 23 2011)
NOV. 16 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – In a 47-page report entitled “The Spring that never blossomed”, Amnesty International criticised Azerbaijan for its excessively harsh crackdown on anti-government protests this year inspired by the revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. The Azerbaijani government has not commented.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 65, published on Nov. 16 2011)
NOV. 16 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev called an early parliamentary election for Jan. 15, a date which means the suspended Communist Party cannot compete. Although its voter base is small, the Communist Party is one of the only genuine opposition parties.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 65, published on Nov. 16 2011)
NOV. 13 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – A presidential election in the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia will go to a second round after the Kremlin-backed candidate, emergencies minister Anatoly Bibilov and former education minister Alla Dzhioyeva tied with 25% of the vote each. No other candidate polled over 10%.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 65, published on Nov. 16 2011)
NOV. 8 2011 (The Conway Bulletin) – Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s upgraded Kazakhstan’s sovereign debt rating to BBB+, one notch above Russia. The upgrade is a significant boost to Kazakhstan’s political and business elite. Standard & Poor’s highlighted Kazakhstan’s projected increase in oil exports.
ENDS
Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved
(News report from Issue No. 64, published on Nov. 8 2011)