Author: Blake Morgan

Being married to a stranger at fourteen or fifteen, being raped, beaten and humiliated by her husband and his relatives, and giving birth to her first child a year later — this is the life of girls and young women who are victims of early and forced marriages in the North Caucasus. They can be kidnapped or forced into marriage by their own parents who fear for the “honour” of the family. Mediazona recounts a report by the human rights project AD REM on this practice, which is hardly researched in Russia. In 2009, 18-year-old Zaira Bopkhoeva from Ingushetia was abducted by a local resident named Khalid. Two…

Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on January 23 that Tajikistan in 2010 raised the minimum age for marriage from 17 to 18.  Authorities said the move was to protect women’s rights and ensure their well-being.  The government also warned religious figures not to conduct a “nikah” (Islamic marriage, a contract exclusively between a man and woman.  Both the groom and the bride are to consent to the marriage of their own free wills) to anyone below 18. Tajiks, however, can still marry at 17 with a court’s permission. Official statistics show that underage marriages with court permission have rising steadily in Tajikistan…

Online travel company Agoda has announced that it has partnered with Indian e-commerce platform Snapdeal to deliver what it calls cost-effective travel options for Indian consumers. How Does it Work? Snapdeal will integrate Agoda’s travel services into its online e-commerce platform, allowing customers to book accommodation and travel services. While Agoda looks to expand its reach in India through this collaboration, Snapdeal’s aim is to provide a unified experience for consumers, making travel planning more accessible and enjoyable, the two companies stated in a release. Ecommerce platforms in India have tied up with online travel agencies to expand their offering to guests. Flipkart had previously tied up…

Paris, Dublin, London (24/9 – 32) Undefeated in 17 games in the last 15 months, Ireland has beaten every rugby union world champion, three of them twice – just for humiliation. Historically, the Irish never got past the last eight of a Rugby World Cup. In this year’s tournament they are on fire: fans have faith that Ireland will finally seize The Webb Ellis Cup on 28 October, final day of the struggle. Low-scoring but epic: a 13-8 win over the defending champion South Africa in Pool B of the 2023 Rugby World Cup on Saturday – a brutal statement…

MINSK, 6 September (BelTA) – Belarus is the most reliable and dependable partner of Uzbekistan, Chairwoman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva said as she met with Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko, BelTA has learned. “Our visit is taking place at a historic time – the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Belarus and Uzbekistan. The policy of the two states, as Aleksandr Grigorievich said, is aimed at improving people’s lives. Every person needs a good life. The essence of our policy is to deliver results…

EastFruit experts have repeatedly drawn attention to Uzbekistan’s rapid increase fresh watermelon exports in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, the country exported 81.8 thousand tons of watermelons, which became a historical record, beating the previous one by 67%. In 2023 Uzbekistan has already exceeded this record, exporting almost 96 thousand tons of watermelons in in May-August 2023. Thus, it is possible that by the end of September 2023 the country will exceed a historical 100,000 tons threshold for the first time, making it to top 10 largest global exporters of watermelons. We know that prices of Uzbek watermelons are very attractive…

Frankfurt (22/09 – 58.33) Since May 2022, the Tajikistani authorities have stepped up their ongoing crackdown on Pamiris, an ethnic, linguistic and religious minority originating from the Pamir mountains in Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast of Tajikistan. They have arbitrarily detained hundreds of Pamiris, including civil society activists and human rights defenders, and imprisoned over 200 of them after convictions in unfair trials, in a campaign aimed at stripping the local communities of their leadership and dismantling their civil society. The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Pamiri civil society activists, journalists and human rights defenders who have been detained solely…

With the assistance of the Consulate General of our country in Frankfurt am Main, negotiations were held between the leadership of the Agency for External Labor Migration under the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations and the German company Goldcliff Stark, Azernews reports, Kun.uz news agency. Goldcliff Stark is an international patent and law firm based in Frankfurt am Main. The organization provides consulting and legal services in the field of construction, architectural, traffic and labor law. During the negotiations, the German side was informed in detail about the system of regulation of labor migration in Uzbekistan and the Agency activities. Issues…

First Lady of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ziroatkhon Mirziyoyeva has visited the Heydar Aliyev Center. Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center Anar Alakbarov informed First Lady of Uzbekistan Ziroatkhon Mirziyoyeva about the Center. The Heydar Aliyev Center houses a conference hall with three auditoriums, a library and museum. The project is intended to play an integral role in the intellectual life of the city. Located close to the city center, the site plays a pivotal role in the redevelopment of Baku. The Center is engaged in studying and promoting the statehood policy and heritage of national leader Heydar Aliyev. First…

In his address to entrepreneurs and businesspeople, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev recently emphasized that Uzbek businesspeople have had to contend with factors such as disruptions in logistics and supply chains due to various conflicts, currency devaluation in partner countries, and the cost escalation of financial resources owing to high global inflation. “I believe that if we draw the right lessons from our shortcomings and move forward, our hardworking and enterprising people will undoubtedly overcome any difficulty,” he said. He underscored that the most appropriate response in such a complex situation is to directly hear about the problems from the…