The president visits Italy, a disappeared gay doctor reemerges with a suspicious denial, and officials say the cotton harvest was perfect. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan bulletin.
Turkmenistan is an inveterate foe of open internet. And it has reportedly made lavish investments in ensuring that its people cannot freely access which websites they want.
The president regularly casts blame for Turkmenistan’s troubles on his cabinet of lickspittle loyalists. Public arrests like this week's, however, are rare.
After weeks of rumors that the president had died, state television packed its evening news with evidence that the president is not just alive, but positively brimming with energy.
Georgia said the plan would be illegal, while Abkhazian authorities tried to pre-empt criticism that it would deepen the territory’s dependence on Russia.