Eurasianet

Travel bans, dams and Russian fans. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

The terminal state of the economy remains paramount in the minds of those wishing to leave.

The president bets on a big infrastructure program to reinvigorate his political fortunes.

While it would be wrong to start pointing fingers and formulating conspiracy theories, clearly the risks are many and real.

Independent Ukraine has held only one census, almost 20 years ago.

The territory's public health officials have warned against opening up to tourism, and the arrival of tourists has coincided with a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases.

In an unprecedented speech, Ilham Aliyev blasted the “socialist economic model” behind his country’s largest companies.

Denialism and conspiracy theories about the disease appear to be in retreat as more and more people are infected.

The government’s lack of capacity helps explain the about-face.

The labor migrants are trying to return home after losing their jobs in the coronavirus pandemic. Tensions are rising, and a protest on the border has been violently broken up by Russian police.

The authorities have indicated some sensitivity to the public mood, announcing that they are investigating evidence of excessive use of force.

Articles on the U.S. Embassy-sponsored website call COVID-19 a "fake pandemic" and oppose vaccines. Health experts warn it could make the crisis worse.

This year, Azerbaijan embraces both the Orient and bisexuality, while Georgia complains about the West.

“The police say you can't go out the door, but no one says your husband can't beat you.” 


The currency’s hard peg to the dollar could compound the economic cost of the crisis in Baku.