Provides the latest RSS feeds for Central Asia News. For more headlines on Breaking, National, Business, Finance, Sports and World News, visit our home page Asia Bulletin.com http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/cat/929bcf2071e81801/ en-us Wed, 22 May 2013 21:35:50 -0400 Wed, 22 May 2013 21:35:50 -0400 30 Chinese national men's volleyball team defeated Kazakhstan 3-0 at the China International Men's Volleyball Tournament here. China beat Kazakhstan 25-20, 25-23, 25-16 with little difficulty Tuesday, reports Xinhua. "My team consists of young players who didn't completely obey my order, so I'm very angry," said Gilyazutdinov Rafael, the assistant coach of Kazakhstan. "Although we won the game, I ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214685513/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 06:50:02 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214685513/scat/929bcf2071e81801 president Saparmurat Niyazov initiated the project under the name ''Green Belt''. Each Turkmen ministry is responsible for planting its own trees. However, as past initiatives have shown, not all of the trees survive, either because of the harsh weather conditions or the lack of care, such as regular watering. According to Mustafa Bilgin, the owner of a Turkish company ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214697876/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 15:54:32 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214697876/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Turkmenistan plans to begin production at Galkynysh, the world's second largest gas field, by June 30, which will allow it boost exports to Asia and help Europe lessen its dependence on Russian gas.Turkmenistan, a post-Soviet Central Asian country of 5.5 million which borders Afghanistan and Iran, holds the world's fourth-largest natural gas riches after Russia, Iran and ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214696442/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 15:28:29 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214696442/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Russia's Dina Garipova performs during the final of the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, on May 18, 2013. (John MacDougall/AFP/Getty ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214694806/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 14:05:04 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214694806/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Gulnara Karimova at Fashion Week in Moscow, Russia on April 2, 2011. (AP) Documents leaked to Swedish investigative journalists and reviewed by RFE/RL appear to offer fresh evidence of a link between Swedish telecom giant TeliaSonera and Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of the president of Uzbekistan. The documents, part of ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214694807/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 13:46:20 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214694807/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Fitch: Recession Concern Dampens European Investor Sentiment An increasing number of investors expect fundamental credit conditions will deteriorate across sectors, according to a Fitch Ratings investor survey. The more circumspect sentiment was most notable for the sovereign segment, where the proportion of survey respondents anticipating worsening conditions more than doubled to 55%, from 24% ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214694338/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 13:46:00 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214694338/scat/929bcf2071e81801 President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended two Baku-host exhibitions. The 19th Azerbaijan International food exhibition WorldFood Azerbaijan 2013 and 7th Azerbaijan international agricultural exhibition Agrihort Azerbaijan 2013 opened at the Baku Expo Center on 22 May.1news.az reports with reference to the official website for the President of Azerbaijan that President of Azerbaijan Ilham ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214692794/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 12:56:17 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214692794/scat/929bcf2071e81801 The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) is deeply concerned by reports that some members of Azerbaijan's parliament, the Milli Mejlis, have prepared draft legislation that would serve as yet another blow to local civil society.Prepared and presented to the Parliament by MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev, who is loyal to the authorities, the draft law "On the occupied ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214693211/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 12:51:30 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214693211/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed May 22, 2013 11:15am EDT (Adds Turkmen, Chinese, U.S. officials, details, background) * Turkmenistan, EU tout routes to ease dependence on Russia * Russia opposes EU-bound pipeline, security fears sour TAPI * China only winner so far as Galkynysh nears production * Hurry up, or you may lose to LNG producers, U.S. says By Michel Rose and Marat Gurt PARIS/ASHGABAT, May 22 (Reuters) - ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214693212/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:15:18 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214693212/scat/929bcf2071e81801 WAM DUSHANBE, 22 May, 2013 -- Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, is leading a UAE delegation to the 38th annual meeting of Board of Governors of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Tajikistan. In his speech, Al Tayer emphasised the importance of promoting economic growth in order to improve the quality of lives in Islamic countries, pointing out the challenges ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214691568/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:05:27 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214691568/scat/929bcf2071e81801 ASHGABAT, May 22 (RIA Novosti) – Gas from Turkmenistan’s largest gas condensate field will flow to China, national gas company Turkmengaz CEO Kakageldy Abdullayev said on Wednesday. The Galkynysh field, the world’s second largest by gas reserves, will be used to build up Turkmen gas exports to China. The field is expected to produce 25 billion cubic meters of natural gas per ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214688453/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:59:20 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214688453/scat/929bcf2071e81801 BOISE, Idaho – An Uzbek national facing terrorism-related charges in Idaho will remain jailed pending his trial after waiving his right to a detention hearing. Lawyers for Fazliddin Kurbanov on Tuesday waived a hearing where a U.S. District Court judge was to have considered whether he should stay in Ada County jail in Boise until his July 2 trial. Kurbanov is a refugee from Uzbekistan in ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214688469/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:48:16 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214688469/scat/929bcf2071e81801 'I support the establishment of specialized agrarian bank in Azerbaijan', said Minister of Agriculture Ismat Abbasov, APA-Economics reports. To him, today there are a lot of banks that may allocate loan to agrarian sphere in Azerbaijan: ‘Besides, the funds allotted by the National Entrepreneurship Support Fund under the Ministry of Economic Development of Azerbaijan are also ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214685852/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 06:52:44 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214685852/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Bucharest has a significant role in enhancing the relations between Azerbaijan and NATO, and it is aimed at further development of this trend. "Romania will continue to support development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO," Romanian ambassador in Baku Cristian Ciobanu said. Addressing the conference "Emerging Challenges: Improving Energy Security in XXI Century" ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214685851/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 06:52:44 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214685851/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Russia Russia is outraged over how Eurovision votes for its entrant, Dina Garipova, disappeared during a voting mishap in Azerbaijan, the Foreign Minister said. Azerbaijan gave Russia no points, despite the fact its song came second in a phone poll. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov slammed the "outrageous" incident at a press conference in Moscow with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Elmar ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214685853/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 06:40:58 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214685853/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Azerbaijan will continue support to Afghanistan even after 2014. The statement came from head of the Azerbaijani office in NATO Khazar Ibrahim. "Azerbaijan is among the eight partner countries that will stay in Afghanistan after 2014", he said. Ibrahim said that peacekeeping troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan after 2014 and all military as tasks will be laid, mainly, on ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214684916/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 05:45:41 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214684916/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Azerbaijan is a reliable energy partner of the United States. The statement came from the US ambassador to Baku Richard Morningstar in an interview with ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214682783/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 03:31:09 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214682783/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan has launched a probe over the recent reports by the Armenian media claiming that Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caball will give a concert in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. The statement came from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Elman Abdullayev in an interview ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214682763/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 03:31:09 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214682763/scat/929bcf2071e81801 HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks stayed on course for a fresh multiyear high Wednesday after the country's central bank raised its economic outlook, even as it left other elements of the monetary policy ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214682743/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 03:09:31 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214682743/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Chairman of the Uruguayan Parliament has visited the Heydar Aliyev Centre. On 21 May, a delegation led by Chairman of the Uruguayan Parliament German Cardoso visited the Heydar Aliyev Centre. The guests familiarized with the Heydar Aliyev Museum and viewed the conference and exhibition halls. The Uruguayan parliamentary chairman was informed about the museum which reflects the life and ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214681912/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 02:24:46 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214681912/scat/929bcf2071e81801 On 20 May, The Houston City Hall hosted a reception on the Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan. First hymns of the United States of America and Azerbaijan chanted. President of the Sister City Association Houston-Baku (HBSCA) Irada Akhundova welcomed the guests and spoke about the significance of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan, the historical ties between the U.S. and Azerbaijan, in particular, ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214681913/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 02:24:43 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214681913/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Bishkek, May 22 (Prensa Latina) Kyrgyzstan will rescind in 2014 the cooperation agreement with the United States on the exploitation of the Manas military base, used by the occupying forces of NATO in Afghanistan, the Executive reported today. The former air base was recently turned in Transit Center to supply U.S. units, and is controlled by the Pentagon since December 2001, after the invasion ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214680930/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:17:25 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214680930/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Chairman of the Milli Majlis, Azerbaijani parliament, Ogtay Asadov has met chairman of the Board of Directors of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), senator Edgardo Angara. The Speaker said Mr. Angara`s visit will contribute to developing and strengthening the relations between Azerbaijan and ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214680931/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:16:13 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214680931/scat/929bcf2071e81801 "The millions of viewers in Europe and the contestants, who have put heart and soul into their performances, deserve a fair and transparent result," said Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, in response to media reports that question the integrity of the ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214680932/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 01:16:10 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214680932/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Police want to question a political cartoonist in a defamation case brought by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra over comments he reportedly made about her on ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214680969/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:41:30 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214680969/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Regional Fed chief James Bullard said in a speech Tuesday that the Fed should continue its monthly $85 billion in bond purchases, which drives down interest rates and thus encourages lending and spending, to help spur the U.S. economic ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214679850/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:26:21 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214679850/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Chinese national men's volleyball team defeated Kazakhstan 3-0 at the China International Men's Volleyball Tournament here in Luohe, central China's Henan Province on Tuesday.China beat Kazakhstan 25-20, 25-23, 25-16 with no difficulty because Kazakhstan was not a strong team."My team consists of young players who didn't completely obey my order, so I'm very ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214677822/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 21:42:33 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214677822/scat/929bcf2071e81801 An Uzbek man facing terrorism-related charges in Idaho will remain jailed pending his trial after waiving his right to a detention hearing. Lawyers for the man, Fazliddin Kurbanov, on Tuesday waived a hearing where a United States District Court judge was to have considered whether he should stay in the Ada County jail in Boise until his July 2 trial. Mr Kurbanov, 30, a truck driver, was arrested ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214677899/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 20:30:11 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214677899/scat/929bcf2071e81801 By Eldar Mamedov BAKU - There's a coffee shop in an out-of-the-way part of Baku where the walls are covered with illustrations from an early 20th century satirical magazine called Molla Nasreddin. The magazine represents a bygone era, when Azerbaijan was a font of new cultural trends in the Muslim world, pioneering such issues as female emancipation, anti-clericalism, anti-colonialism and ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214671436/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 16:24:51 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214671436/scat/929bcf2071e81801 The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) is appalled by reports that Ministry of Interior officials - as yet unnamed - tortured blogger and activist Rashad Ramazanov (a.k.a. Hagigat Agaadin) during a custodial interrogation. The Azerbaijani authorities should establish an immediate and independent investigation into this barbaric case and hold those responsible for ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214669698/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 15:50:00 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214669698/scat/929bcf2071e81801 17/05/2013 11:07 CET Russia and Azerbaijan are joining forces to investigate a Eurovision scandal that saw votes for Russia’s entry vanish. Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has described as ';outrageous'; the revelations by Azerbaijan that although its country’s voters had put Dina Garipova’s ballad second, she got ';nul points'; instead of ... http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214668071/scat/929bcf2071e81801 Tue, 21 May 2013 14:13:02 -0400 http://www.asiabulletin.com/index.php/sid/214668071/scat/929bcf2071e81801