The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

Uzbekistan sought American financing and technology for electricity networks, data centers and transport infrastructure at a Washington business roundtable on November 9. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce breakfast, held alongside the Business 20 (B20) summit, the G20’s business engagement forum, featured a delegation led by Laziz Kudratov, Uzbekistan’s minister of...

Adoption

A Social Media Like Helps Reunite Kazakh Adoptee with His Birth Family

Aral Sea

Uzbekistan Announces $3.3 Billion in Aral Sea Projects

Forced Labor

Turkmenistan Cotton Harvest: Forced Labor Persists Amid Reform Talks

Cotton

Is Cotton Back in Fashion in Uzbekistan?

Just a few months ago, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was criticizing cotton production in Uzbekistan’s history as having turned people into “slaves of cotton.” However, figures released at the start of November showed Uzbekistan gathered the largest cotton harvest in its 35 years as an independent country, some 5 million...

A formal business roundtable meeting between Kazakhstan and the United States is held in Washington, with delegates seated at a long table in front of a large blue backdrop displaying the两国 flags and event details.

U.S.-Kazakh Partnership

Kazakhstan Brings Largest Foreign Delegation to B20 as U.S. Firms Detail Industrial Expansion

Caspian Sea

Shrinking Caspian Sea Challenges Kazakhstan’s Transport Ambitions, Environmentalist Warns

New NATO Base Rumours, Organised OTS Opposition, and the Future of Kazakh-Turkish Ties

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Dastan
Short Stories from the Region

Dastan: Restoring an Ancient Buddha Head in Turkmenistan

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Opinions

Opinion: A Deeper Understanding of Transshipment

Daniel A. Witt

Opinion: Why Agriculture Cannot Afford to Overlook Women Farmers

Viorel Gutu

Opinion: I Spent 15 Years in Government. Here Is What the State Can Learn Next

Zhandos Sabit

Opinion: Central Asia Is More Than Minerals

Eric Rudenshiold & S. Frederick Starr

Opinion: Weaponizing Faith – The Cold War Roots of Central Asia’s Security Dilemma

Zabikhulla Saipov

From Lenin to Kenesary: What Kazakhstan’s Renamed Streets Say About Power

Issatay Minuarov

Opinion: Why Central Asia Cannot Afford to Abandon the Iranian Route

Timur Serikuly

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan Show What Diplomacy Can Deliver as Vast Rail Project with China Advances

Javier M. Piedra

Uzbekistan’s Heritage Did Not Stop With the Silk Road

Mathieu Lemoine

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Demining Expertise Could Provide Boost to Afghanistan

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: Uzbekistan Census – When the Village Reappears in the City

Zamirbek Minbaev

Opinion: The Specter Is Back – A Kazakh Warning to America

Askar Alimzhanov

Business & Economy

Nuclear Power

Rosatom Looking for Customers in Turkmenistan

Russian state atomic energy company Rosatom has been selected to build one nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan, is building one hybrid NPP in Uzbekistan, is in talks about constructing small reactors in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and is now trying to sell its products to Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan is an unlikely customer, as the country has gas-fired thermal power plants (TPP) and the fourth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world to fuel these electricity plants. However, increasing Western sanctions on Russia that followed Moscow’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine have greatly curtailed Rosatom’s ability to sign new...

Tokenized Notes

National Bank of Kazakhstan Sells Its First Tokenized Notes

U.S.-Uzbekistan Partnership

Uzbekistan Seeks U.S. Partners for Infrastructure Expansion

Berry Exports

China Opens Market to Fresh Kyrgyz Berry Exports

Cotton

Is Cotton Back in Fashion in Uzbekistan?

Remittances

Remittances to Uzbekistan Rise 8.9% to $15.17 Billion in Nine Months

Uzbekistan received $15.17 billion in remittances in the first nine months of 2026, up 8.9% from the same period in 2025, according to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan. Most of the $1.24 billion increase came in the first half of the year, when remittances rose 13% year on year. Growth slowed to 2.9% in the third quarter. Outbound transfers from Uzbekistan totaled $1.95 billion over the nine months, compared with $1.93 billion a year earlier. Russia remains the largest overseas labor market for Uzbek citizens. Its share of remittances to Uzbekistan fell from 77.6% in the first quarter of 2025...

IMF

IMF Team Evaluates Tajikistan’s Fiscal Transparency

An International Monetary Fund delegation is currently in Tajikistan to assess public finances in the country, according to the Tajik parliament. State media have said that Tajikistan is expanding cooperation with the 191-member institution. The Majlisi Namoyandagon, Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament, said the IMF delegation had met members of its economy and finance committee on November 5. The 63-member lower house adopts laws, which are then approved by the Majlisi Milli, or upper house. The lower house is also responsible for adopting and overseeing implementation of the state budget. “The meeting addressed issues related to the current state of...

GDP Growth

Kazakhstan Economic Growth Reaches 4.5% in January–October 2026

Kazakhstan’s economy grew 4.5% in January–October 2026, down from 6.4% in the same period last year. Manufacturing and construction were among the main drivers of growth despite a sharp decline in oil production, while household incomes barely increased after inflation in the first half of the year. The latest preliminary gross domestic product (GDP) figures were released by the Ministry of National Economy, citing the Bureau of National Statistics. Growth was slightly higher than the 4.2% recorded in January–September. The non-resource sector expanded by an estimated 5.6% in the first 10 months, while oil production fell 8.3% year over year...

Rural Internet

Kazakhstan Telecom Investment Tops $2.2 Billion, but Rural Fiber Gaps Persist

Investment in Kazakhstan’s telecommunications sector has exceeded $2.2 billion over the past three years. Yet as of October 2025, only 2,606 of the country’s 6,179 villages were connected to backbone fiber-optic networks. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev presented the investment figures at the 2026 Mobile World Congress in Doha. By the end of 2027, the government aims to make high-speed wired internet available in more than 90% of villages. An August 2026 government update said fiber-optic lines had been laid in just 12 villages under an agreement with Kazakhtelecom to bring high-speed...

Local Politics

Homelessness

Bishkek Homeless Shelters Prepare for Winter Amid Uncertainty Over Numbers

Bishkek has prepared shelter accommodation for up to 150 homeless people this winter, but City Hall’s November 9 announcement gave no updated estimate of how many need help. The seasonal shelter in the Oktyabrsky district has 80 places and will remain open until April 1, 2027. Kolomto, the city’s year-round shelter in the Pervomaysky district, takes in 70 to 100 people a night despite having just 70 beds. The shelter, whose name means “hearth” in Kyrgyz, provides one meal a day and medical examinations. The nonprofit Mercy Center has a further 40 places reserved for women with children in crisis....

Energy Drinks

Japarov Orders Cabinet to Consider Kyrgyzstan Energy Drink Ban

Reshuffle

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

State of the Nation

Tokayev Unveils $14 Billion Construction Plan in Kazakhstan State of the Nation Address

Public Service

Opinion: I Spent 15 Years in Government. Here Is What the State Can Learn Next

Media Ownership

Uzbekistan Media: 67% Privately Owned as Survey Highlights Press Freedom Concerns

Privately owned outlets now account for 67% of Uzbekistan’s media, presidential press secretary Sherzod Asadov said at the third Uzbekistan-Russia Media Forum in Tashkent on November 9. He said internet coverage had reached 94% and discussed the development of digital content and the launch of what he described as Central Asia’s first national media bank, an online collection of photographs and videos. The forum was organized by the Uzbekistan National News Agency and Russia’s TASS news agency. Asadov identified journalist training, joint fact-checking, and the use of AI as areas for cooperation between the two countries. "Information attacks and fake...

Public Transport

Opinion: Overcrowding on Almaty Buses – A Man-Made Transit Crisis

The Kazakh authorities' grand plans to turn Almaty and its picturesque surroundings into Central Asia's next tourist mecca have run headlong into a public transportation crisis this fall. Almaty residents have been flooding social media with photos and videos of overcrowded buses and trolleybuses, saying they have not seen anything like this since the 1990s. But a closer look at the problem suggests that the current chaos is largely man-made. Almaty is a university city, so residents have long been accustomed to several months of crowded conditions each year. Public spaces, inexpensive cafés, and public transportation all become noticeably busier....

Rogun Hydropower Plant

Rogun Hydropower Plant Accident Sparks Conflicting Injury Reports

A water tank ruptured in a construction tunnel at Tajikistan’s Rogun Hydropower Plant on October 21, sending water rushing toward workers below. While the authorities maintain no one was injured, witnesses have reported that more than five workers were hurt. The accident occurred inside the plant’s tunnel system, Asia-Plus reported, citing Tajikistan’s industrial safety regulator. An upper tank used to collect water ruptured, damaging a second drainage tank below it. Water from both tanks then flowed into the lower section of the tunnel, where workers from the Chinese subcontracting company Sinohydro were carrying out construction work. The regulator said none...

Republic Day

Kazakhstan Marks Republic Day as World Leaders Send Congratulations

Kazakhstan marked Republic Day on October 25 with a flag-raising ceremony in Astana and congratulations from its international partners. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used the occasion to describe bilateral relations as the “strongest” in their history. “Our countries are working together to strengthen regional security, expand economic cooperation, and create new commercial opportunities which will pair Kazakh ambition with American innovation to benefit both of our nations,” Rubio said in his October 24 statement. He praised Kazakhstan’s diplomatic role and support for President Donald Trump’s “peace initiatives,” and said the U.S. looks forward to further cooperation in the...

International Affairs

U.S.-Kazakh Partnership

Kazakhstan Brings Largest Foreign Delegation to B20 as U.S. Firms Detail Industrial Expansion

Kazakhstan brought the largest foreign delegation to the B20 summit in Washington, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark said, as American executives outlined expanding industrial operations and new investment opportunities in the country. The B20 is the G20’s business engagement group. At a November 9 business roundtable, discussions ranged from PepsiCo's first locally manufactured Lay's potato chips and Wabtec's growing railway production capabilities to energy processing, AI infrastructure and critical minerals. Senior American and Kazakh officials emphasized the political support behind a commercial relationship built on decades of investment. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said...

Property Rights

Kyrgyzstan Border Settlements Bring Property Documents to Villagers

Observer Status

Turkish Official Questions Tokayev’s Proposal for OTS Observer Status for Russia

Economic Diplomacy

Expanding U.S.–Turkmenistan Ties: Envoy and Business Group Visit Ashgabat

Oil Exports

Kazakhstan Resumes Oil Exports Through Russian Pipeline After Drone Attack

Kazakhstan-Tajikistan

Kazakhstan Tajikistan Sign Fuel Supply and Mining Agreements

Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have signed a framework agreement on fuel supplies as part of wider plans to expand cooperation in mining and manufacturing. Following talks between Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Emomali Rahmon in Astana on November 7, Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry reported that 20 cooperation documents were signed, while businesses from the two countries concluded 25 agreements worth a total of $2.5 billion. It is fuel supplies that are particularly important for Tajikistan. The country has substantial hydropower resources but depends on imported petroleum products, primarily from Russia. As The Times of Central Asia previously reported, Russia accounted for 72.3% of...

Aqaba Process

Uzbekistan Offers to Host Regional UN Counterterrorism Office at Astana Summit

Central Asian leaders and Jordan’s King Abdullah II met on November 6 to discuss how terrorist groups could use artificial intelligence to recruit members, coordinate their activities, and spread propaganda. At the Aqaba Process summit, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev offered to host a Central Asian office of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism. The proposed office would help Central Asian countries set up channels for reporting terrorist content and detect terrorist financing, according to the Uzbek presidential press service. Co-hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Abdullah II, it is the first time Central Asia has hosted the Aqaba Process....

Middle Corridor

Middle Corridor: $55 Billion in Investment Needed to Turn a Transit Route into an Economic Corridor

Developing the Middle Corridor, a transport route connecting China and Europe through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, and the South Caucasus, will require at least $25 billion in infrastructure upgrades by 2040. The World Bank estimates that another $30.5 billion will be needed for complementary investments in logistics centers, industrial zones, and other projects capable of generating economic benefits for countries along the route. These estimates are presented in the World Bank study Integration: World-Class Trade Logistics Along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. According to the bank's projections, if the necessary investments and reforms are implemented, freight volumes crossing the Caspian...

U.S.-Central Asia Engagement

U.S. Midterms Hand Democrats a Central Asia Agenda They Helped Build

Democrats have won control of Congress in the November 3 midterms, ending President Donald Trump’s Republican majority. But they inherit a Central Asia agenda their party helped build, backed by substantial orders for American manufacturers. Uzbekistan Airways’ new Boeing deliveries are due to begin in 2031, while Kazakhstan’s $4.2 billion Wabtec agreement covers a decade. For American businesses, the region’s importance is already measured in export orders that outlast a congressional majority. American Jobs Behind the Diplomacy Kazakhstan signed its Wabtec agreement in September 2025. The U.S. Commerce Department said the Pennsylvania-based manufacturer would supply 300 heavy-haul locomotive kits over...

Life & Culture

Adoption

A Social Media Like Helps Reunite Kazakh Adoptee with His Birth Family

When Rustam Masimov joined a video call with his uncle in Almaty, he was reconnecting with a family he had left behind as a young child. Adopted in 2010 and raised in Europe, the 21-year-old had been searching for his relatives in Kazakhstan. “Hello, my dear nephew!” were Alimzhan’s first words. The reunion followed a search that gained momentum through a single social media like. It helped confirm the identity of Rustam’s uncle, whose old online profile eventually led to a working phone number. [caption id="attachment_60353" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Screenshot of the video call between Rustam and Alimzhan[/caption] The Search Begins...

Uzbek Crafts

Uzbekistan Showcases Traditional Crafts at Design Doha

Samarkand Marathon

Petrov Leads Uzbekistan’s Athletes in Samarkand Marathon

Kairat

Kairat Almaty Hold Atalanta to Draw as Kazakh Club’s European Rise Continues

Food Poisoning

Kazakhstan’s Youth Soccer Players Hospitalized After Suspected Food Poisoning in Tashkent

Sports

Kazakh Race Walker Stripped of Asian Games Gold Over Shoes Receives State Award

Kazakh race walker Yasmina Toxanbayeva, who was stripped of an Asian Games gold medal in September because her shoes did not meet competition regulations, has received a state award. On November 9, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev awarded her the Eren Enbegi Ushin Medal (For Distinguished Labor). On September 27, at the Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, Toxanbayeva completed the 42.195-kilometer race in 3 hours, 22 minutes, and 20 seconds, finishing almost four minutes ahead of her nearest rival. However, after the finish, officials determined that her shoes were not on the list of models approved for competition by...

Women’s tennis

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina Withdraws from WTA Finals

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, the world No. 1 and defending champion, has withdrawn from the WTA Finals because of a viral illness. The Women’s Tennis Association announced her withdrawal on November 7, a day before play began in Indian Wells, California. “I’ve had an incredible season but my body is just not physically ready to compete,” Rybakina said in a statement. Rybakina will become the first player representing Kazakhstan to finish the season at No. 1 in the WTA rankings. She secured the year-end top spot on October 29 by beating fellow Kazakhstani Yulia Putintseva in the second round in Tokyo....

Athletics

Mo Farah to Present Medals at Samarkand Marathon

Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah will present medals to finishers at the Samarkand Marathon in Uzbekistan on November 8. As an “ambassador” for the event, Farah will welcome participants, get the race started and meet the winners, according to the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, which is organizing the marathon. “Guys, I’ll see you at the start line,” Farah says in a social media video. The British long-distance runner won the 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter titles at the Olympic Games in London in 2012 and then won the same races at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. He...

University Rankings

Kazakhstan’s Top Three Universities Slip in QS Asia Rankings

Kazakhstan remained the only Central Asian country with universities in the top 100 of the latest Asian rankings from higher education analysts Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), although all three of its leading institutions fell. In the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027, released on November 3, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University fell from 38th to 46th, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University slipped from 61st to 62nd, and Satbayev University dropped from 79th to 89th. Kazakhstan’s representation rose from 44 to 51 universities, putting it 10th in Asia by number of institutions listed. The rankings covered 1,722 universities from 26 countries and territories,...

Justice

Forced Labor

Turkmenistan Cotton Harvest: Forced Labor Persists Amid Reform Talks

In Turkmenistan, teachers, healthcare workers, and employees of state-owned enterprises continue to pay from their salaries to avoid being forced to pick cotton, according to independent reporting. The independent news outlet Turkmen.news reported in October that employees of an oil depot in the Dashoguz region paid approximately $19 a month despite earning around $110. Bank employees paid $3.50 three times a week, while school employees in Turkmenabat paid $1.50 up to 10 times a month. These dollar amounts are approximate, based on an unofficial exchange rate of around 19–20 manat to $1, compared with the official rate of 3.5 manat....

Victim Compensation

Kazakhstan Victims Compensation Fund Pays Out Just 9% of Revenue

Cybercrime

Kazakhstan Proposes UN Cybercrime Center in Astana

Extremism

Kazakhstan Detains Ten Over Alleged Plot to Change Constitutional Order

School Violence

School Bullying in Kazakhstan: Prosecutors Propose New Deputies to Protect Students from Violence

Gas Safety

18 Dead in Suspected Carbon Monoxide Poisonings in Uzbekistan

Eighteen people died in three suspected carbon monoxide poisoning incidents in Uzbekistan between October 25 and November 1, prompting warnings about dangerously modified gas boilers being sold as new. On October 25, seven members of one family died in the village of Chimyon in the Fergana region. On November 1, another five people died in Kokand, including three girls aged seven, three, and one. An initial inspection of the Kokand home found a disconnected exhaust pipe on the gas boiler. In Tashkent, six people were found dead in a house under construction on October 25, and two others were hospitalized...

Data Breaches

Hackers Walk Back Claim of Uzbekistan Data Leak Affecting 27 Million

Journalists in Uzbekistan found their own personal information and details about relatives in a database circulating online, Gazeta.uz has reported. The Interior Ministry announced an investigation on October 29 after reports linked the records to SAFE Service, formerly known as SafeRoad, a digital service for motorists. As of November 5, the authorities had yet to announce their findings. Separately, on November 1, a hacker group known as Butterfly claimed it had accessed a government database containing personal information on more than 27 million Uzbek citizens. The group said it had accessed passport details, addresses, phone numbers, personal identification numbers (PINFL),...

Child Labor

Child Labor in Kyrgyzstan: Poverty and Gaps in Enforcement

Dozens of children have been found working at markets in the southern Kyrgyz city of Manas, formerly Jalal-Abad. Police officers and social workers spoke to the children’s parents and guardians and issued warnings, Turmush reported on November 2. Nationwide, 19.6% of children aged 5–17 were involved in child labor in 2023, according to a survey conducted by Kyrgyzstan’s National Statistical Committee with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund. Yet the country had just 28 labor inspectors in 2025. Manas is in the Jalal-Abad region, where the survey found one of the country’s highest rates of child labor, at 24%....

Russia's War in Ukraine

Tajik Prisoners in Russia Say They Face Pressure to Fight in Ukraine

Tajik citizens imprisoned in the Russian city of Volgograd say they are being put under pressure to sign military contracts and fight in Ukraine, allegations which the Russian prison authorities have rejected. The prisoners are asking Tajikistan to facilitate their transfer home. Two inmates contacted Radio Ozodi, the Tajik service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, on October 29. They said about 150 prisoners from Central Asia were facing pressure, including approximately 60 Tajik citizens. The outlet said it knew the men's identities but had withheld them for their safety. The men said that despite difficulties, they had obtained a mobile...

Environment

Aral Sea

Uzbekistan Announces $3.3 Billion in Aral Sea Projects

Uzbekistan has prepared 133 projects worth a combined $3.3 billion for its 2027–2029 chairmanship of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS). The initiatives include upgrading water infrastructure and establishing a regional early warning system for floods and droughts. Uzbekistan plans to obtain financing from international development banks and climate funds. The $3.3 billion represents the estimated cost of the proposed projects, rather than funding already secured. Under a separate November 5 presidential resolution, Uzbekistan plans to plant forests across 50,000 hectares of the dried Aral Sea bed in Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic of Uzbekistan heavily affected by...

Water Security

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Mineral Ambitions Depend on Water

Waste-to-Energy

Chinese Firm Proposes $95 Million Kyrgyzstan Waste-to-Energy Plant

Nature Reserve

Kazakhstan Tree Planting Drive Faces Wildfires and Low Survival Rates

National Parks

Kyrgyzstan Plans to Expand Protected Natural Areas

Caspian Sea

Shrinking Caspian Sea Challenges Kazakhstan’s Transport Ambitions, Environmentalist Warns

Kazakhstan’s plans to develop the Trans-Caspian transport route face a growing environmental challenge as the Caspian Sea shrinks. Environmentalist Vadim Ni questioned the coordination behind those plans in an interview with The Times of Central Asia. "Negotiations on the Trans-Caspian Corridor are taking place at the presidential level and among the economic ministries, while the Ministry of Ecology still does not know what its role is within this route. It only recently became involved in negotiations on the issue. But how can you develop the Trans-Caspian Corridor if the sea continues to shrink?" he emphasized. Ni, an environmental law specialist...

COP31

Opinion: What is on the agenda for Central Asia at COP31?

The 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, better known as COP31, is taking place in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20. Delegations from almost 200 countries will participate in the event, including all the Central Asian republics, but Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan will play an outsize role in coordinating their messaging and ensuring the regional environmental agenda gets the time it needs in the spotlight. The buzzword for the C5 in Türkiye is “cooperation.” Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources will host a meeting for Central Asia’s five environmental ministers at its national pavilion to discuss regional cooperation and...

Tiger Reintroduction

Kazakhstan Tiger Reintroduction: Second Amur Tiger Released into the Wild

Kazakhstan has released a second Amur tiger into the wild as part of a program to restore the big cats to Central Asia. The male, named Amur, was freed in the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve in southeastern Kazakhstan on October 31. The first tiger, a female named Umit, was released on July 31. According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, she is already hunting independently and exploring her new territory. Both animals are being tracked using satellite collars. Tigers disappeared from the wild in Kazakhstan by the middle of the 20th century. Hunting contributed to their local extinction,...

Pasture Management

Kyrgyzstan Pasture Restoration Plan Includes 7,200 Kilometers of Road Repairs

Kyrgyzstan plans to repair hundreds of bridges and more than 7,200 kilometers of roads to help livestock farmers reach remote grazing land as pastures near villages deteriorate. The Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry outlined the plans on October 29. It estimates that 184,000 hectares of pasture near settlements have been degraded and need restoration. To ease grazing pressure near villages, the ministry has identified a need to repair and restore 553 bridges and improve 7,206.3 kilometers of pasture access roads. It also plans to establish 406 livestock watering points and install 170 milk collection tanks. Plans to...

Rosatom Looking for Customers in Turkmenistan

Latest

Features

Features

New NATO Base Rumours, Organised OTS Opposition, and the Future of Kazakh-Turkish Ties

Latest

Dastan: Restoring an Ancient Buddha Head in Turkmenistan

New NATO Base Rumours, Organised OTS Opposition, and the Future of Kazakh-Turkish Ties

Dastan: Restoring an Ancient Buddha Head in Turkmenistan

Opinions

Opinions

Daniel A. Witt

Viorel Gutu

Zhandos Sabit

Eric Rudenshiold & S. Frederick Starr

Zabikhulla Saipov

Issatay Minuarov

Timur Serikuly

Javier M. Piedra

Mathieu Lemoine

Timur Serikuly

Zamirbek Minbaev

Askar Alimzhanov

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Rosatom Looking for Customers in Turkmenistan

Remittances to Uzbekistan Rise 8.9% to $15.17 Billion in Nine Months

IMF Team Evaluates Tajikistan’s Fiscal Transparency

Kazakhstan Economic Growth Reaches 4.5% in January–October 2026

Kazakhstan Telecom Investment Tops $2.2 Billion, but Rural Fiber Gaps Persist

Local Politics

Local Politics

Bishkek Homeless Shelters Prepare for Winter Amid Uncertainty Over Numbers

Uzbekistan Media: 67% Privately Owned as Survey Highlights Press Freedom Concerns

Opinion: Overcrowding on Almaty Buses – A Man-Made Transit Crisis

Rogun Hydropower Plant Accident Sparks Conflicting Injury Reports

Kazakhstan Marks Republic Day as World Leaders Send Congratulations

International Affairs

International Affairs

Kazakhstan Brings Largest Foreign Delegation to B20 as U.S. Firms Detail Industrial Expansion

Kazakhstan Tajikistan Sign Fuel Supply and Mining Agreements

Uzbekistan Offers to Host Regional UN Counterterrorism Office at Astana Summit

Middle Corridor: $55 Billion in Investment Needed to Turn a Transit Route into an Economic Corridor

U.S. Midterms Hand Democrats a Central Asia Agenda They Helped Build

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

A Social Media Like Helps Reunite Kazakh Adoptee with His Birth Family

Kazakh Race Walker Stripped of Asian Games Gold Over Shoes Receives State Award

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina Withdraws from WTA Finals

Mo Farah to Present Medals at Samarkand Marathon

Kazakhstan’s Top Three Universities Slip in QS Asia Rankings

Justice

Justice

Turkmenistan Cotton Harvest: Forced Labor Persists Amid Reform Talks