Tajikistan: A Ruling Family Feud Appears to Turn Bloody
As if Tajikistan didn’t have enough problems, now it appears that President Imomali Rahmon’s family is beset by intrigue. In a twist worthy of a television soap opera, Rahmon’s son, Rustam, reportedly shot Hassan Sadullayev -- his uncle, and the president’s brother-in-law -- in connection with a struggle for control of one of the country’s leading banks.

Caspian Basin: No Way to Halt Sturgeon Poaching
Momentum is building among Caspian Basin governments for a moratorium on sturgeon fishing, in order to protect the lucrative caviar trade. Informal discussions with fishermen, however, suggest that an official ban would be unlikely to halt the dangerous depletion of sturgeon stocks.