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Tajik news doesn't usually make the home page of BBC. It doesn't even make the Asian news page. In order to get Tajik news, one has to go looking for it. And the findings usually fall into three categories: violence, incompetence and ridiculousness. Violence: The New York Times: "Islamist Rebels and the Police Clash in Tajikistan, Killing 17" "Police Commander From Tajikistan Appears in ISIS Video" CNN: "Deadly clashes erupt in Tajikistan" NPR: "Tajik Opposition Leader Shot Dead In Istanbul" Russia Today: "US-trained snr Tajik special forces commander defects to ISIS, swears jihad" Fox News: "Afghan official says Taliban have overrun remote district bordering Tajikistan" BBC: "Tajikistan clashes leave 22 dead" Based on these reports, ISIS has fully penetrated Tajikistan, making the country and its people very dangerous. You shouldn't travel to Tajikistan, because it is inhabited by members of ISIS and you will be killed. Incompetence: CNN: "Communications cut to residents in eastern Tajikistan" "Clinton discusses human rights, regional security in Tajikistan" NPR: "Rich With Water But Little To Drink In Tajikistan" After reading these articles, it is clear that Tajikistan is a backward nation that can't even provide its citizens with clean water or internet access. Houses likely don't have any type of plumbing and kids have to play with rocks for toys. The country is so impoverished that Hillary Clinton had to go all the way over there to stand up for Tajik citizens and make sure ISIS isn't affecting the lives of children too much. Ridiculousness: Fox News: "Tajikistan bans Christmas trees and gift-giving in schools" Al Jazeera: "Tajikistan shaves 13,000 beards in 'radicalism' battle" BBC: "Tajikistan: Man fined over 'illegal' birthday party" "Tajik president proposes wrestling holiday" Now, not only does the world know how dangerous and inferior Tajikistan is compared to the rest of the world, it believes the country's inhabitants are a bunch of crazies. Who ever thought of controlling how men wear their facial hair? And the president hates Christmas. He probably steals candy from babies too. But if they can't celebrate one of the biggest holidays of the year, at least they have National Wrestling Day. It sounds like a day of sweaty man rubbing their bodies together. Symbolic/Stereotype Skins:

TAJIKISTAN

TAJIKISTAN

Charting a Nation's Media, Arts & Cultural Environments

This portrayal of Tajikistan could not be more different from that of the news media. This Tajikistan looks like a wonderful place where beautiful women will sell you fruits and dance for you, and then you can go for a leisurely drive through some of the tallest mountains in the world. Nowhere to be seen are the radical Muslims, and the country appears more like a cultural paradise than an impoverished, ridiculous mess.