The Times Online reports “Turkmenistan’s first internet cafes opened in the capital Ashgabat today and the tightly controlled country’s new president declared that all schools will also soon have web access.The move comes two days after officials confirmed Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov as the country’s new president.Under Niyazov, who ruled the gas-rich nation for two decades, access to the Internet was restricted to state and officially approved groups, embassies, accredited foreign journalists and international organisations. Mr Berdymukhamedov won an overwhelming victory over his five contenders in the presidential vote on Sunday and was sworn in Wednesday. The vote was tightly controlled and was not monitored by foreign election observers. Unrestricted access to the Internet was one of Mr Berdymukhamedov’s election promises, which also included educational reform, raising pensions and support for private entrepreneurship”.

Turkmenistan gets a first taste of the internet