Turkmenistan opens elaborate ‘smart city’ development

By The Associated Press

The president of Turkmenistan inaugurated a vast, multibillion-dollar development hailed as the isolated country’s first “smart city” and named after the president’s father who established a pervasive cult of personality when he was the longtime ruler. The city designed for 70,000 inhabitants is called Arkadag (Protector), a title used by former president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov who led the country for 15 years before being succeeded last year by his son Serdar. The opening ceremony, led by Serdar Berdymukhamedov, featured a theatrical procession of local workers singing patriotic songs in honor of the city’s namesake. The city includes a monument to his father’s favorite horse, which established the Guinness world record for running 10 meters on its hind legs.