Eurasianet

The government has ordered the fiscal inspection service to withdraw letters accusing businesses of evading taxes.

While clumsy on COVID-19, Turkmenistan is being more sure-footed, or consistent at least, on the Afghanistan front. Plus, unsustainable agriculture. Our weekly briefing.

The government signals it is taking COVID a bit more seriously, without admitting the virus is running rampant. And Ashgabat gets down to business with the Taliban. This and more in our weekly briefing.

Central Asia’s largest nations are using unique coronavirus vaccines that haven’t been carefully studied. Do they have a choice?

That Central Asia's presidents seemed to enjoy themselves together was itself a breakthrough. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

The COVID-19 outbreak has compounded a problem caused by low salaries.

Kazakhs unable to travel abroad are discovering their country is full of nice places to vacation. But what’s good for the local economy is not always good for nature.

Conspiracy theories have fueled the low update for vaccination.

Cases are rising rapidly and vaccines – for those who want them – are hard to find.

Critics are concerned over potential privacy issues.

Our Kazakhstan correspondent describes the waiting, the bureaucracy, and the anticlimax of getting his Sputnik V jab in Almaty.

The health minister then drank the concoction at a press conference.

Laborers in the extractive industries are proving more adept at fighting their corner.

Only a tiny fraction of the population has got the jab so far.

The region appears wholly unprepared for the latest rise in cases.