Eurasianet

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.

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

Iranians have been flooding into Armenia to get COVID vaccines, causing Tehran to complain and Yerevan to tighten the rules.

China has delivered 300,000 doses of vaccine, but will the public want them?

The government appears to be taking active measures to cover up the new outbreak.

Authorities have not made any attempt to explain the abnormally high number of deaths last year.

Dushanbe is desperate to resume flights to Russian cities.

Spraying chlorine, new infrastructure on the Afghan border, and claims of a naturally occurring COVID vaccine. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan bulletin.

Uzbekistan, Tajikistan are taking triumphalist stances on coronavirus.

Food prices have jumped this year and there are few jobs, but out-of-work migrants can’t get to where they are desperately needed.

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

Many in the territory blame the rising numbers of coronavirus cases on the authorities’ decision to open up to Russian tourists.

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.

Votes are usually held in November.