auto-update week 30

central-asia/tx.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "Introduction": {
     "Background": {
-      "text": "Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President for Life Saparmyrat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president.&nbsp;BERDIMUHAMEDOW won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007, and again in 2012 and in 2017 with over 97% of the vote in both instances, in elections widely regarded as undemocratic.<br /><br />Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. As of late 2019, Turkmenistan exported the majority of its gas to China and small levels of gas were also being sent to Russia. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many Turkmenistanis to emigrate, mostly to Turkey."
+      "text": "Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President for Life Saparmyrat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOW won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007, and again in 2012 and in 2017 with over 97% of the vote in both instances, in elections widely regarded as undemocratic.<br><br>Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. As of late 2019, Turkmenistan exported the majority of its gas to China and small levels of gas were also being sent to Russia. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many Turkmenistanis to emigrate, mostly to Turkey."
     }
   },
   "Geography": {
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@
       "time difference": {
         "text": "UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
       },
-      "note": "<strong>etymology:</strong> derived from the Persian words \"eshq\" meaning \"love\" and \"abad\" meaning \"inhabited place\" or \"city,\" and so loosely translates as \"the city of love\"&nbsp;"
+      "note": "<strong>etymology:</strong> derived from the Persian words \"eshq\" meaning \"love\" and \"abad\" meaning \"inhabited place\" or \"city,\" and so loosely translates as \"the city of love\" "
     },
     "Administrative divisions": {
       "text": "5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dasoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty<br><br><strong>note:</strong> administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)",
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@
         "text": "several previous; latest adopted 14 September 2016"
       },
       "amendments": {
-        "text": "proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership or absolute majority approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2020"
+        "text": "proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership or absolute majority approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2020 (changed parliament to bicameral)"
       }
     },
     "Legal system": {
@@ -512,13 +512,13 @@
     },
     "Legislative branch": {
       "description": {
-        "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Mejlis (125 seats; members directly elected from single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)"
+        "text": "note: in September 2020, the Turkmenistan Parliament adopted a constitutional amendment creating an upper chamber, making the Parliament bicameral<br>bicameral National Council or Khalk Maslakhaty consists of:<br>People's Council (56 seats; 48 members indirectly elected by provincial councils and 8 members appointed by the president)<br>Assembly or Mejlis Hakynda (125 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)"
       },
       "elections": {
-        "text": "last held on 25 March 2018, although interim elections are held on an ad hoc basis to fill vacant sets"
+        "text": "People's Council - first held on 25 March 2021 for 48 indirectly elected members (next to be held in 2026); first held on 14 April 2021 for 8 presidentially appointed members (next to be held NA)<br>Assembly - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2026)"
       },
       "election results": {
-        "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 55, APT 11, PIE 11, independent 48 (individuals nominated by citizen groups); composition - men 94, women 31, percent of women 24.8%"
+        "text": "People's Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 3, independent 45<br>Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 55, APT 11, PIE 11, independent 48 (individuals nominated by citizen groups); composition - men 94, women 31, percent of women 24.8%"
       }
     },
     "Judicial branch": {
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@
       }
     },
     "Political parties and leaders": {
-      "text": "Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or APT [Basim ANNAGURBANOW]<br />Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Ata SERDAROW]<br />Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs or PIE [Saparmyrat OWGANOW]<br><br><strong>note:</strong> all of these parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOW; a law authorizing the registration of political parties went into effect in January 2012; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad",
+      "text": "Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or APT [Basim ANNAGURBANOW]<br>Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Ata SERDAROW]<br>Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs or PIE [Saparmyrat OWGANOW]<br><br><strong>note:</strong> all of these parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOW; a law authorizing the registration of political parties went into effect in January 2012; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad",
       "note": "<strong>note:</strong> all of these parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOW; a law authorizing the registration of political parties went into effect in January 2012; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad"
     },
     "International organization participation": {
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@
   },
   "Economy": {
     "Economic overview": {
-      "text": "<p>Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and significant natural gas and oil resources. The two largest crops are cotton, most of which is produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. Although agriculture accounts for almost 8% of GDP, it continues to employ nearly half of the country's workforce. Hydrocarbon exports, the bulk of which is natural gas going to China, make up 25% of Turkmenistan&rsquo;s GDP. Ashgabat has explored two initiatives to bring gas to new markets: a trans-Caspian pipeline that would carry gas to Europe and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Both face major financing, political, and security hurdles and are unlikely to be completed soon.</p> <p>Turkmenistan&rsquo;s autocratic governments under presidents NIYAZOW (1991-2006) and BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 2007) have made little progress improving the business climate, privatizing state-owned industries, combatting corruption, and limiting economic development outside the energy sector. High energy prices in the mid-2000s allowed the government to undertake extensive development and social spending, including providing heavy utility subsidies.</p> <p>Low energy prices since mid-2014 are hampering Turkmenistan&rsquo;s economic growth and reducing government revenues. The government has cut subsidies in several areas, and wage arrears have increased. In January 2014, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan devalued the manat by 19%, and downward pressure on the currency continues. There is a widening spread between the official exchange rate (3.5 TMM per US dollar) and the black market exchange rate (approximately 14 TMM per US dollar). Currency depreciation and conversion restrictions, corruption, isolationist policies, and declining spending on public services have resulted in a stagnate economy that is nearing crisis. Turkmenistan claims substantial foreign currency reserves, but non-transparent data limit international institutions&rsquo; ability to verify this information.</p>"
+      "text": "<p>Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and significant natural gas and oil resources. The two largest crops are cotton, most of which is produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. Although agriculture accounts for almost 8% of GDP, it continues to employ nearly half of the country's workforce. Hydrocarbon exports, the bulk of which is natural gas going to China, make up 25% of Turkmenistan’s GDP. Ashgabat has explored two initiatives to bring gas to new markets: a trans-Caspian pipeline that would carry gas to Europe and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Both face major financing, political, and security hurdles and are unlikely to be completed soon.</p> <p>Turkmenistan’s autocratic governments under presidents NIYAZOW (1991-2006) and BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 2007) have made little progress improving the business climate, privatizing state-owned industries, combatting corruption, and limiting economic development outside the energy sector. High energy prices in the mid-2000s allowed the government to undertake extensive development and social spending, including providing heavy utility subsidies.</p> <p>Low energy prices since mid-2014 are hampering Turkmenistan’s economic growth and reducing government revenues. The government has cut subsidies in several areas, and wage arrears have increased. In January 2014, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan devalued the manat by 19%, and downward pressure on the currency continues. There is a widening spread between the official exchange rate (3.5 TMM per US dollar) and the black market exchange rate (approximately 14 TMM per US dollar). Currency depreciation and conversion restrictions, corruption, isolationist policies, and declining spending on public services have resulted in a stagnate economy that is nearing crisis. Turkmenistan claims substantial foreign currency reserves, but non-transparent data limit international institutions’ ability to verify this information.</p>"
     },
     "Real GDP growth rate": {
       "Real GDP growth rate 2017": {