Central Asia
Over-Reliance on Foreign Goods Proves Weakness
The falling value of the Tajik currency, the somoni, has been accompanied by rising prices.
Tajikistan Struggles With Rising Drug Use
The Tajik government is pursuing a programme to deter young people from using drugs, but the number of addicts is rising.
No Takers for Kyrgyz Power Companies
This winter has shown yet again how crucial a stable supply of energy is to Kyrgyzstan’s survival, yet when the country’s electricity companies are put up for sale, no one wants to buy them.
Kyrgyz Sales Shrink After Kazak Devaluation
The drastic devaluation of the tenge in Kazakstan has had an immediat effect on Kyrgyzstan, where the national currency has lost value and exports to its larger neighbour have fallen.
US Airbase Fate Still in Balance
President Kurmanbek Bakiev’s announcement that the United States airbase in Kyrgyzstan must close has provoked a heated debate in this Central Asian state.
High School Pupils Take to Teaching
Tajikistan is so short of teachers that 400 final-year pupils have stepped in to teach their younger schoolmates.
Dushanbe's Mounting Trash Problem
Piles of rubbish have become a common site in the streets and squares of the Tajik capital.