Central Asia
The Death and Life of the Aral Sea
The dried-up Aral Sea tells a story about decisions made in the past, but it is also the site of countless choices in our present: what kinds of economies we prioritize, what forms of nature we value and what we want our future to look like.
Keeping the Faith
Suluktu in Kyrgyzstan is a desolate, far-flung spot of the former Soviet empire, where some remain faithful to Russia, or at least their idea of it. The Russian-speaking minority here is engulfed in a battle over control of their Orthodox heritage, while their new priest tends to an empty church.
The Murder Trial of a Former Minister in Kazakhstan Has Gripped the Region
Kazakhstan and the surrounding region have been morbidly fascinated by the case of a 44-year-old former government official who was detained on the day his wife’s body was found.
Poland’s Allure for Tajikistan’s Exiles
Ethnic Pamiris fleeing repression have found an unlikely home in Poland, bolstered by the broader Tajik opposition movement that took up residence there years before. In Warsaw, they are planning a future after the authoritarian rule of President Emomali Rahmon.