Global Briefs: Tajikistan cements its future

Tajikistan

Central Asia’s poorest and most remote nation will soon become an exporter of cement. The country announced plans to add four new cement plants to its current 16, doubling its output of the vital building material by 2029. Emomali Rahmon, president since 1994, gave strict instructions for domestic cement needs to be locally supplied. The country’s increasing infrastructure—roads, bridges, and dams—uses vast quantities of cement. The new hydroelectric Rogun Dam, a joint project with China as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, will be the world’s tallest dam at 1,099 feet and will double the country’s energy production. The new cement plants will increase Tajikistan’s output from 30,000 tons to 5.5 million, build economic stability, and provide thousands of jobs for Tajikistanis. —Amy Lewis

United Kingdom

Courts sentenced Vickrum Digwa, a 23-year-old British Sikh man, to life in prison June 1 for the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak. Details about the murder uncovered in the investigation sparked violent protests against the Southampton police station in early June, injuring 11 officers. On Dec. 3, 2025, Digwa stabbed Nowak with a Sikh ceremonial blade in Southampton. When police arrived, Digwa said he had been the victim of a racial attack, and officers did not believe Nowak when he said he’d been stabbed, but instead handcuffed and arrested him. Nowak died soon after in custody. Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, for calling people to respond with “pure cold rage” to evidence of “two-tier policing and anti-white prejudice.” —Evangeline Schmitt

Saudi Arabia

The kingdom signed contracts for six new urban development areas in the city of Mecca, a project valued at $3.5 billion. The city’s commission says the projects will upgrade infrastructure and public services while enhancing Mecca’s attraction for investors. Only Muslims can own land in Mecca, and non-Saudis can only purchase under specific conditions. Analysts see the developments as steps toward the nation’s 2016 goal to triple the number of annual pilgrims to Mecca by 2030. In recent years, authorities have introduced measures to streamline pilgrimages, like digital coordination and bigger entry point facilities. Despite war in the region, the number of pilgrims to Mecca increased in 2026. —Evangeline Schmitt

Senegal

Political deadlock looms after ousted Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko declared June 1 that his party won’t join President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s new government. The two men were formerly allies from Pastef, a party headed by Sonko, which holds 130 out of 165 parliament seats. But disagreement over how to handle loan negotiation with the IMF led to Sonko’s firing in May. Financial audits from 2025 uncovered $13 billion in unreported debt left behind by the prior administration. Senegal faces a severe debt crisis and soaring cost of living, with one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios in Africa. Faye has appointed economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as the new prime minister, and analysts say the departure of the firebrand Sonko may pave the way for closer ties between Dakar and Washington. —Olalekan Raji

Cambodia

Prime Minister Hun Manet announced June 2 that Cambodia has begun arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the ​Sea to resolve a longstanding maritime dispute with neighboring Thailand. In May, Thailand unilaterally terminated a 2001 agreement with Cambodia to jointly manage energy resources in a disputed area in the Gulf of Thailand. The 10,000-square-miles contain an estimated $300 billion worth of natural gas and oil. Thailand’s move came after deadly conflict with Cambodia erupted along a disputed land border last year. Thailand said it will comply with the UN compulsory conciliation proceedings. A five-member commission consisting of appointees from Cambodia and Thailand will recommend non-legally binding dispute resolutions. —Joyce Wu

Bolivia

The education and defense ministers resigned June 2 amid growing political rifts gripping the country. Protests intensified this spring, when Bolivian labor unions began a “siege” of the nation’s capital to pressure the new democratic government. Last October, Bolivians elected centrist President Rodrigo Paz after nearly 20 years of socialist one-party rule. But market reforms and austerity measures under Paz have more than doubled the price of fuel while deepening the country’s economic recession. Vice President Edmand Lara turned against Paz last December and accused him of “siding with the rich.” Paz enjoys U.S. support, but has struggled to build a unified political front during his presidency. —Carlos Paez