Eurasianet

Obsessing about sports, building bridges, and speaking up for China. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

Online battles between patriotic Russians and Georgians have raged, while some opposition figures are calling for a visa regime for Russians.

The 20-year-old informant for Russia’s security services was sent to Tbilisi to report on the many exiles here. Now, he says, he’s come clean.

The group said it was avenging an Azerbaijani woman who was "persecuted" by the authorities for writing a Shiite slogan on the wall of her home.

Ashgabat wants Afghanistan to become part of the global economy. It’s not so keen to bankroll integration, however.

Many have asked whether the crash, which killed eight people, and the fatal paragliding incident that necessitated the rescue flight, were preventable.

The country’s pro-Europe elite sees a millennia-old history of belonging to Europe. Will it matter for Georgia’s EU aspirations?

Land ownership is a sensitive issue in Abkhazia. The deal also sparked controversy in Georgia proper, where critics accused the government of closing its eyes to Russian expansion.

Far from Turkmen people acquiring new rights, there is every reason to believe things are poised to get worse on at least one front, if that is even possible. Our weekly briefing.

The unprecedented attacks on Georgia’s Western partners have drawn rebukes from Brussels and Washington.

The annual focus on Pride parades makes queerness a geopolitical issue. And that does not help Georgia’s LGBTQ community, which faces violence and economic marginalization.

The five presidents could not seal a friendship deal or agree on which challenges face their region.

The gathering had been intended to create regional solidarity in the face of overbearing pressure from China, Russia.

Turkmenistan is difficult to access, but it is a strategic location. In this week’s briefing we examine the assorted flavors of “north-south” corridor, trade with neighbors, and much more.

The memorandum is a win for Baku while committing it to do little.