Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev has fired the mayor of the capital, Tashkent, and several other officials for failing to properly prepare for the winter as a deep freeze makes its way across Central Asia. Jahongir Ortikhojaev was removed as the leader of Tashkent during a meeting on energy resources on January 16. The head of a heating plant, the deputy energy minister, as well as several regional governors, were also removed from their posts by Mirziyoev. Temperatures have plummeted in Uzbekistan and other Central Asian nations in the past week to below -30 degrees Celsius in some locations. To read the original story from RFE/RL's Radio Ozodlik, click here.
Tashkent Mayor, Other Officials Fired By President Amid Cold Snap
Jahongir Ortikhojaev, who has just been fired as Tashkent mayor (file photo)