Central Asia

EU-Turkmen Talks to Focus on Energy

Uzbekistan Opens Airbase to NATO Freight

Tajikistan's Social Orphans

Analysts say poverty and a culture of dependence on government prompts many parents to place their children in state-run homes.

Press Gangs Roam Tajikistan

As the twice-yearly conscription year draws to an end, some are casting doubt on the military’s claims that it was a resounding success.

Torrential Rains Leave Havoc in Wake

Villagers in parts of southern Tajikistan are living as refugees in tent camps following heavy rains which produced devastating floods and mudslides.

Deep Water Perils in Kyrgyzstan

Tourists visiting Lake Issykkul, Kyrgyzstan’s main holiday destination, are on their own if they venture out into the water, and drownings are common.

Uzbek Activists Mark Four Years Since Andijan

TV Stations Struggle With Language Rules

Television stations in southern Kyrgyzstan are finding it hard to comply with rules requiring them to broadcast 50 per cent of their material in Kyrgyz.

Tajiks Switch On Energy-Saving Campaign

A campaign is under way to replace all normal light bulbs in Tajikistan with energy-saving ones by the end of this year.

War Memories From Another Age

Surviving veterans of the Second World War living in Tajikistan often find themselves living on the margins, in a society that has changed greatly since the end of the Soviet Union.