The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

As Managing Editor of The Times of Central Asia, I’m delighted that, in partnership with the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, from October 19, we are the home of the Spotlight on Central Asia podcast. Chaired by seasoned broadcasters Bruce Pannier of RFE/RL’s long-running Majlis podcast and Michael Hillard...

UNDP

UNDP Opinion: Central Asia – Shared Wildlife, Shared Landscapes, Shared Responsibility

UN Security Council

Opinion: Beyond Multivectorism – What Kyrgyzstan’s UN Security Council Win Really Shows

Parliamentary Elections

Kazakhstan’s August Elections: Who Will Enter the New Parliament?

Drugs Bust

Former Kazakh Nuclear Engineer Helps Federal Agents Bust $20 Million Fentanyl Operation

OTS Optimism, Afghan Ambushes, and a Deep Dive on the Next President of Tajikistan

00:00 / 00:00

Sunkar Podcast

Kazakhstan to Host 2027 Table Tennis World Championships

00:00 / 00:00

Opinions

UNDP Opinion: Central Asia – Shared Wildlife, Shared Landscapes, Shared Responsibility

UNDP Representatives in Kazakhstan, Katarzyna Wawiernia, Kyrgyzstan, Alexandra Solovieva, Tajikistan, Sudipto Mukerjee, Turkmenistan, Narine Sahakyan, Uzbekistan, Akiko Fujii.

Opinion: Beyond Multivectorism – What Kyrgyzstan’s UN Security Council Win Really Shows

Zamirbek Minbaev

Opinion: Eurasia’s New Corridors Are More Than a Transit Race

Aidar Borangaziyev

Opinion: Silk Seven or the OTS? Central Asia May Not Have to Choose

Ken Moriyasu

Opinion: How AI Is Reshaping the Global Image of Nations

Sergey Akhmetov

Opinion: Middle Powers and the “Voice of the Region” – Is Central Asia Becoming a Coordinated Actor?

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: UK’s C6 Engagement and the Opportunity for British Geostrategic Renewal

Matthew Davies

Opinion: The Southern Dimension of the Middle Corridor – Afghanistan’s Role in Eurasia’s New Logistics Landscape

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: Kazakhstan, Oil, the Iran War and Dutch Disease

Charles McLean

Opinion: The U.S. Still Doesn’t Know Where Central Asia Belongs

Ken Moriyasu

Opinion: Hormuz Crisis Pushes Afghanistan Aid Routes Toward Central Asia

Aidar Borangaziyev

Opinion: The Regional Ecological Summit and the Making of a Central Asian Voice

Ilyas Kanybek

Business & Economy

Nuclear Energy

Uzbekistan Begins Construction of First Nuclear Power Plant

Uzbekistan has started building its first nuclear power plant, turning a project discussed for nearly a decade into one of the largest energy commitments in the country's post-Soviet history. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin launched construction on June 4 by video link from Saint Petersburg. The plant site in the Forish district of the Jizzakh region was connected to the ceremony. Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, also took part. The first concrete pour began overnight from June 4 to June 5 for the foundation slab of the plant's first small modular...

Drinking Water

$60 Million Project to Bring Clean Drinking Water to 158,000 People in Southern Kyrgyzstan

Bilateral Trade

Tajikistan and Pakistan Agree to Expand Trade and Economic Cooperation

Data Centers

Financial Analyst Says Kazakhstan’s State Data Centers Are Priced Beyond Reach of Businesses

Rogun Dam

Inside Tajikistan’s Rogun Dam, the Mega-Project Built to Power a Nation

Foreign Investment

U.S. Business Delegation Discusses Investment Opportunities in Turkmenistan

Representatives of leading companies from the United States were in Turkmenistan this week, reflecting efforts to deepen the economic relationship between the two countries. Business executives and government officials from both sides met at Turkmenistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ashgabat on June 3. The discussions followed a visit by Turkmen business leaders to the U.S. last month, during which they attended the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Maryland and other events. The forum in Ashgabat included representatives from U.S. companies Climate Compass, CNH Industrial, Coca-Cola, John Deere, Palo Alto Networks, Sig Sauer, Valley Irrigation, and Westport Trading Europe Limited,...

Middle Corridor

Kazakhstan Eyes Cyprus as Middle Corridor Link to Mediterranean

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has invited Cyprus to participate in the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, seeking to strengthen trade links between Central Asia and the Mediterranean through one of Eurasia’s fastest-growing trade routes. The proposal was made during talks with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who paid an official visit to Kazakhstan. The TITR, also known as the Middle Corridor, connects China and Europe through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Turkey. The route is approximately 3,000 kilometers shorter than the traditional northern route through Russia and currently allows cargo to travel from China to Europe...

Middle Corridor

Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Boosts Kazakhstan’s Middle Corridor Role

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway entered full-scale operation on June 2, a development expected to increase freight transport along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and support Kazakhstan’s role as a key transit hub between China and Europe. The railway is a joint strategic project of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey and serves as one of the main overland links connecting Central Asia with European markets through the South Caucasus. The 827-kilometer line has been operating at limited capacity since 2017. Full commercial operation became possible following the completion of rehabilitation and construction work on the Marabda-Kartsakhi section in Georgia. According to Georgia’s Ministry...

Rail Travel

Dushanbe-Moscow Train Service Resumes After Pandemic Suspension

Tajikistan and Russia will reopen a direct passenger train route between Dushanbe and Moscow, restoring the service after it was suspended during the pandemic six years ago. The Dushanbe-Moscow service, a trip of several thousand kilometers that takes four days and passes through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, will start again on June 21. The service will run every two weeks, leaving Dushanbe on Sunday and arriving at Moscow’s Paveletsky Station on Wednesday, and leaving Moscow on Thursday and arriving in Tajikistan’s capital on Monday. “At the request of the Railway Administration of the Republic of Tajikistan and in coordination with the...

Local Politics

Parliamentary Elections

Kazakhstan’s August Elections: Who Will Enter the New Parliament?

On July 1, Kazakhstan’s new Constitution will come into force, triggering the dissolution of the current bicameral parliament. According to political observers, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is expected to sign a decree in early July calling elections to a new unicameral legislature, to be known as the Kurultai. No date has yet been formally announced, but analysts expect the vote to take place in the second half of August, most likely on either August 16 or August 23. On June 1, Kazakhstan officially registered a new political party, Adilet, meaning “Justice,” led by Aybek Dadebay, the former head of Tokayev’s presidential...

Law and Order

Tokayev Criticizes Lawmakers Over “Penaltystan” Label for Kazakhstan

Border Security

Kyrgyzstan Opens New Border Post Near Uzbekistan in Batken Region

AI in Education

Turkmenistan Looks to OpenAI as it Modernizes Education

Education Reform

Kazakhstan Reshapes Education System to Meet Industrial and Labor Market Needs

Armed Forces

Kyrgyzstan’s Armed Forces Double in Size Amid Rising Defense Spending

Kyrgyzstan’s armed forces have roughly doubled in size since 2018 amid a sharp increase in defense spending, military rearmament, and improved social benefits for service personnel, according to General Staff chief Tariel Otonbaev. On May 29, Kyrgyzstan marked the 34th anniversary of the establishment of its national armed forces. Speaking at the anniversary event, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev said the development of the country’s modern military had been shaped by the armed incursions in the Batken region in 1999-2000 and the border conflict with Tajikistan in 2022. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia,...

Tourism

Turkmenistan Eases Restrictions for Foreign Tourists

Turkmenistan has begun gradually easing restrictions on foreign visitors and tourists, though local residents and human rights advocates say the changes have had little impact on the daily lives of the country’s citizens. Reports of a more accommodating approach toward foreign travelers have emerged from both tourists and representatives of the international tourism industry. Canadian traveler Elise Williams said that before visiting Turkmenistan in early 2026, her tour operator advised her not to stray far from her hotel and to avoid taking photographs independently in public places. Upon arrival, however, she found the situation less restrictive than expected. “I felt...

National Identity

Kazakhstan Reclaims the Golden Horde

Kazakhstan’s symposium on the Golden Horde opens, in formal institutional terms, the question of where the country locates its statehood. Held in Astana on May 19–20 under UNESCO patronage, it brought together more than 300 scholars and experts, including 120 foreign researchers from more than 20 countries. Its title was “The Golden Horde as a Model of Steppe Civilization,” with history, archaeology, culture, and identity named as focal points of inquiry. The initiative places Kazakhstan’s history outside the narrow frame of post-Soviet chronology, treating the medieval past as a problem in the formation of Central Eurasia. Kazakhstan’s turn to the...

National Identity

Kazakhstan Looks to the Golden Horde for a Deeper National Narrative

A major international symposium dedicated to the Golden Horde opened this week in Kazakhstan’s capital, underscoring the country’s growing effort to redefine its historical narrative and national identity through the legacy of the Great Steppe. The symposium, held under the patronage of UNESCO and titled “The Golden Horde as a Model of Steppe Civilization: History, Archaeology, Culture and Identity,” brought together more than 300 scholars, including 120 foreign researchers from over 20 countries. The event reflects Kazakhstan’s effort to align its national narrative with a growing body of scholarship that treats nomadic societies not as a “backward” alternative to sedentary...

International Affairs

Termez Dialogue 2026

Opinion: Building Bridges Across Eurasia – Termez Dialogue 2026 Opens in Tashkent

The second meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia opened on June 4 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, bringing together senior representatives from Central Asia, South Asia, China, Russia, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran and Afghanistan for a high-level exchange on the future of regional connectivity and cooperation under the theme: “Peace, Connectivity, and Resilience: Shaping the Foundation for Shared Prosperity”. Eldor Aripov, director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, opened the forum and highlighted its role in strengthening Central–South Asia connectivity. Under his leadership, it has become a respected...

United Nations

Kyrgyzstan Wins First-Ever Seat on UN Security Council

Middle Powers

Kazakhstan’s Middle Power Moment: From Balancer to Regional Organizer

EAEU

As Armenia Looks West, Could Uzbekistan Move Closer to the EAEU?

EAEU

Putin’s Astana Visit Shows What Russia Still Wants From Kazakhstan

UN Security Council

Opinion: Beyond Multivectorism – What Kyrgyzstan’s UN Security Council Win Really Shows

Kyrgyzstan's election to the United Nations Security Council for the 2027-2028 term is more than a diplomatic milestone. It is a case study in how a small state can create political weight without possessing a large economy, military power, or a dominant regional position. On June 3, Kyrgyzstan won its first-ever seat on the Security Council after a competitive four-round contest with the Philippines for the Asia-Pacific Group vacancy. Bishkek led from the first round, with 105 votes against Manila's 85, and increased its support through each subsequent ballot. It finished with 142 votes to 49. The result is significant...

U.S.-Central Asia Engagement

Washington Links TRIPP and Jackson-Vanik Repeal in Push Toward Central Asia

A notable strategic shift is taking place in U.S. foreign policy, one that could have a long-term impact on the economic architecture of Eurasia. After decades in which Central Asia and the South Caucasus were viewed largely through the lens of security, counterterrorism, and competition with Russia and China, Washington is increasingly emphasizing trade, investment, transport routes, and access to critical minerals. One of the clearest signs of this shift came during a recent hearing before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where Senator Steve Daines and Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the implementation of the U.S.-backed Trump Route...

Counter-Terrorism

Turkmenistan Seeks Bigger Counter-Terrorism Role in Central Asia

Turkmenistan wants to host a United Nations counter-terrorism facility that would contribute to cooperation among Central Asian countries, whose security concerns have included online radicalization, instability in Afghanistan, and the repatriation of citizens from Syria and Iraq. Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov discussed the initiative with Alexandre Zouev, a Russian diplomat who is acting under-secretary-general of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), during a visit by Turkmenistan’s top diplomat to the United States last week. In the May 28 meeting, the Turkmen delegation provided details about the plan to establish a program office of UNOCT in Ashgabat, according to the...

Nuclear Diplomacy

Kazakhstan Offers the IAEA a Practical Option on Iran

On May 26, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Astana. The meeting pointed beyond bilateral nuclear cooperation toward Kazakhstan’s possible role in wider nuclear-security problems. Tokayev welcomed a roadmap for deepening Kazakhstan’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency through 2036, alongside documents on nuclear medicine and science. Grossi’s visit also followed Kazakhstan’s referendum on its first post-independence nuclear power plant, which has widened the civilian side of the country’s nuclear profile. Iran was not the subject around which the meeting was organized, but it is the issue that gives the meeting strategic weight. In particular,...

Life & Culture

Venice Biennale

The Aural Sea: Uzbekistan’s Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale

No other edition of the Venice Biennale has seen Central Asia so well represented. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan all have their own national pavilions, and there are also two exhibitions featuring Central Asian artists at the Palazzo Franchetti – “Instruments of the Mind” by the Uzbek conceptual artist Vyacheslav Akhunov, and the show “TURANDOT: To the Daughters of the East”. All three national pavilions have nailed the theme for the 61st Biennale: “In Minor Keys”. Conceived by the late curator Koyo Kouoh, this edition of the Biennale aims to showcase subjects that might not be the major issues of our...

Podcast

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode Coming Sunday

TEDxMarvila

Love Takes Center Stage at TEDxMarvila in Lisbon

TCA Interviews

“Don’t Try to Please the West” – Screenwriter Kazybek Orazbek on Kazakh Cinema

TCA Interviews

Uzbekistan’s New Visual Language: How OZBE Reimagines Culture Through Streetwear

Archaeology

Bronze Age Trepanation in Uzbekistan May Be Central Asia’s Oldest Evidence of Surgery

Archaeologists working in southern Uzbekistan have uncovered what may be the earliest known evidence of surgery in Central Asia. The discovery involves the remains of a Bronze Age child whose skull bears signs of trepanation, a procedure involving the deliberate opening of the skull. The discovery was reported by the Turkish archaeology magazine Arkeofili, citing research conducted by a joint Italian-Uzbek archaeological team in the historic region of Northern Bactria, near the present-day border with Afghanistan. Researchers found the skeleton of a child who died at about age five in a shared grave with another child believed to have been about...

Venice Biennale

A Polyphonic Process: Kazakhstan at the 2026 Venice Biennale

"There is a Kazakh proverb that says: a foolish person arrives with noise, sweeping everything away in their path, while a wise person arrives quietly, carefully observing the world around them." Syrlybek Bekbota, the curator of the Kazakhstan Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale – the most important art event in the world – offers me this thought at the dawn of the exhibition's opening, and it feels like both a manifesto and an omen. The theme of the pavilion is perfectly in line with the overarching curatorial theme, In Minor Keys, conceived by the late Cameroonian-Swiss curator Koyo Kouoh,...

Film Festival

Eurasian Film Festival in London Showcases Cinema from Central Asia and Beyond

The ninth edition of the ECG Eurasian Film Festival has concluded in London, bringing together films from Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the wider post-Soviet space. The festival, held in partnership with the Romford Film Festival, was created to promote Eurasian cinema in the English-speaking world and connect filmmakers from the region with international audiences and industry professionals. It is also listed by FestivalFinder, the European Festivals Association’s platform for film festivals. The festival still gives filmmakers from smaller Eurasian film industries access to London audiences and industry professionals. Too often, movies from across Eurasia are framed through a narrow...

Cultural Heritage

From Golden Treasures to Looted Burial Mounds: How “Black Diggers” Are Destroying Eastern Kazakhstan’s History

Eastern Kazakhstan has gained international recognition for its extraordinary archaeological discoveries, but alongside that fame has come a growing threat: illegal treasure hunters, known locally as “black diggers,” are destroying historical monuments and depriving future generations of access to invaluable artifacts. Eastern Kazakhstan’s Archaeological Treasures In recent years, the Eastern Kazakhstan has become one of the most important archaeological regions in Central Asia. Researchers have uncovered ancient burial complexes belonging to the Saka, nomadic peoples of the early Iron Age whose sophisticated culture has challenged long-standing assumptions about the civilizations of the Eurasian steppe. Excavations at the Shilikty, Eleke Sazy,...

Justice

Product Safety

Uzbekistan Withdraws Several Chinese-Made Toys Over Safety Concerns

Several Chinese-made children’s toys have been removed from sale in Uzbekistan after laboratory tests found that they failed to meet safety requirements, according to the Inspection for Control in the Field of Technical Regulation. The violations were discovered during a test purchase at a retail outlet in the city of Jizzakh. Specialists from the inspection agency’s regional branch, together with experts from the sanitary and epidemiological service, collected samples of several products, including an elastic spiral ball toy, a cat paw toy sold under the Pinch brand, and an Avengers Superhero toy. According to the inspection agency, laboratory testing revealed...

Amnesty

Kazakhstan Amnesty Bill Could Free 1,500 Inmates, Excludes Violent Offenders

Tajik Migrants

Tajik Migrant in Russia Receives Nearly $15,000 in Unpaid Wages After Government Intervention

Human Rights

Rights Groups Urge EU to Tie Turkmenistan Relations to Human Rights Progress

Rule of law

American Professor and Longtime Central Asia Researcher Denied Entry to Kyrgyzstan

Drugs Bust

Former Kazakh Nuclear Engineer Helps Federal Agents Bust $20 Million Fentanyl Operation

A routine vehicle delivery across the United States turned into a federal drug operation after a former Kazakh nuclear industry engineer spotted warning signs in the behavior of a customer. Serik Jaxybayev, who now works in logistics in the United States, was transporting a vehicle from Los Angeles to Minneapolis in March 2026 when the intended recipient gave him cause for alarm. According to Jaxybayev, the customer repeatedly demanded location updates, and then insisted on meeting in a parking lot rather than at the address provided for delivery. Instead of ignoring his suspicions, Jaxybayev contacted Trooper Cody Parr of the...

Citizenship Revocation

Russia Cancels Citizenship of Eight People Originally From Central Asia

Russia’s Federal Security Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs have revoked the citizenship of eight naturalized people originally from Central Asia, citing alleged threats to national security, Interfax reported. The Federal Security Service (FSB) said the citizenship cancellations were carried out under Russia’s 2023 citizenship law, which allows authorities to strip naturalized citizens of Russian nationality in certain cases related to national security and public safety. Among those affected is a resident of Russia’s Tver region who had previously been convicted several times of arranging fictitious registrations and residency permits for foreign nationals and Russian citizens. According to the FSB,...

Kazzinc

Kazakhstan Says Violation of Production Procedures Preliminary Cause of Deadly Kazzinc Blast

A fatal explosion at a Kazzinc plant in eastern Kazakhstan was preliminarily caused by a violation of technological procedures, Emergency Situations Minister Chingis Arinov said on Monday, as authorities continue to investigate the incident that killed three workers. The blast occurred on May 5 at a processing workshop in Ust-Kamenogorsk, where a dust-collection unit exploded, triggering a fire and the partial collapse of the facility. Two employees were killed at the scene, while a third later died in hospital from injuries sustained in the accident. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov placed the investigation under his personal supervision following the incident. “The...

Prisons

Uzbek Diplomats Visit Prisoners in Russia’s Sakhalin Region

Officials from Uzbekistan’s Consulate General have visited Uzbek nationals serving prison sentences in Russia’s Sakhalin region to discuss their living conditions, health, and requests for transfer back to Uzbekistan, according to Uzbekistan’s state-run news agency Dunyo. The meeting took place at Correctional Institution No. 1 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk during a working visit by consular staff. Dunyo reported that eleven Uzbek citizens are currently incarcerated at the facility after being convicted under various articles of Russia’s Criminal Code. During the visit, consular representatives inspected residential quarters, dining areas, and recreation facilities before holding a group meeting with the prisoners. Discussions focused on...

Environment

UNDP

UNDP Opinion: Central Asia – Shared Wildlife, Shared Landscapes, Shared Responsibility

As global leaders gather for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly in Samarkand, Central Asia has an opportunity to send a clear message to the world: protecting biodiversity is not only about saving species — it is about securing water, livelihoods, resilience and long-term stability for millions of people across our region. From the glaciers of the Tien Shan and Pamir mountains to the deserts, steppes and river basins downstream, Central Asia’s ecosystems are deeply interconnected across borders. Rivers flow between countries. Wildlife migrates through shared landscapes. Mountain ecosystems regulate water systems that sustain agriculture, energy production and communities far...

Eco Expo

Eco Expo Opens in Samarkand as Uzbekistan Pushes Green Investment

Wildlife Restoration

Kazakhstan Releases New Group of Przewalski’s Horses Into the Wild

Irrigation Water

Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan Agree on Summer Water Releases from Bahri Tojik Reservoir

Water Supply

Tajikistan Announces Water Infrastructure Drive, Urges Central Asia Cooperation

El Niño

El Niño Could Bring Unusually Heavy Summer Rains to Central Asia, WMO Warns

Central Asia could face unusually heavy rainfall during the summer of 2026 as the climate phenomenon known as El Niño is expected to return in the coming months, according to forecasts from the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO estimates there is an 80% chance that El Niño conditions will develop between June and August and a near or above 90% chance that they will persist until at least November. The organization says the event could contribute to a rise in extreme weather around the world, including heatwaves, droughts, and intense rainfall. According to the WMO, temperatures in...

Waste Management

Dushanbe Considers Waste-to-Energy Plant as Part of Green Development Strategy

Authorities in Tajikistan’s capital are considering the construction of a modern waste-to-energy facility that would process municipal solid waste while generating electricity, as part of efforts to develop more sustainable urban infrastructure. The proposal was discussed during talks between Tajikistan’s minister of energy and water resources, Daler Juma, and Environmental Protection Committee chairman Bahodur Sheralizoda, and representatives of the Chinese company Wangneng Environment, which specializes in waste treatment and energy recovery technologies. The parties explored the possibility of introducing municipal waste-processing technologies, including electricity generation through waste incineration and other forms of energy recovery. Such systems are used in a...

Water Security

Opinion: Water Without a Guarantor – Central Asia’s Next Security Test

The Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development,“ taking place in Dushanbe on May 25-28, comes at a difficult moment. Central Asia's water problem is no longer only about environmental management; it is moving into the field of regional security. The conference agenda is familiar and necessary: climate, investment, innovation, transboundary cooperation, and the implementation of the Water Action Decade. The harder question is what happens outside the conference hall. Does Central Asia still have a credible way to stop water stress from becoming an interstate crisis? For decades, the region operated in...

Compensation Mechanisms

Kyrgyzstan Calls for Compensation Mechanisms to Maintain Regional Water Infrastructure

Kyrgyzstan is calling for compensation mechanisms with neighboring countries to help finance the maintenance of water infrastructure and glacier preservation. Officials warn that shrinking glaciers and declining precipitation already pose serious risks for Central Asia. The issue was raised by Erlist Akunbekov, Kyrgyzstan’s deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and minister of water resources, agriculture, and processing industry, during the opening of the Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development,” 2018-2028, in Dushanbe on May 26. Akunbekov described the melting of glaciers as a regional challenge, not solely a national problem. “Without...

Kyrgyzstan Wins First-Ever Seat on UN Security Council

Latest

Features

Features

OTS Optimism, Afghan Ambushes, and a Deep Dive on the Next President of Tajikistan

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

OTS Optimism, Afghan Ambushes, and a Deep Dive on the Next President of Tajikistan

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

UNDP Representatives in Kazakhstan, Katarzyna Wawiernia, Kyrgyzstan, Alexandra Solovieva, Tajikistan, Sudipto Mukerjee, Turkmenistan, Narine Sahakyan, Uzbekistan, Akiko Fujii.

Zamirbek Minbaev

Aidar Borangaziyev

Ken Moriyasu

Sergey Akhmetov

Timur Serikuly

Matthew Davies

Timur Serikuly

Charles McLean

Ken Moriyasu

Aidar Borangaziyev

Ilyas Kanybek

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Uzbekistan Begins Construction of First Nuclear Power Plant

U.S. Business Delegation Discusses Investment Opportunities in Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan Eyes Cyprus as Middle Corridor Link to Mediterranean

Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Boosts Kazakhstan’s Middle Corridor Role

Dushanbe-Moscow Train Service Resumes After Pandemic Suspension

Local Politics

Local Politics

Kazakhstan’s August Elections: Who Will Enter the New Parliament?

Kyrgyzstan’s Armed Forces Double in Size Amid Rising Defense Spending

Turkmenistan Eases Restrictions for Foreign Tourists

Kazakhstan Reclaims the Golden Horde

Kazakhstan Looks to the Golden Horde for a Deeper National Narrative

International Affairs

International Affairs

Opinion: Building Bridges Across Eurasia – Termez Dialogue 2026 Opens in Tashkent

Opinion: Beyond Multivectorism – What Kyrgyzstan’s UN Security Council Win Really Shows

Washington Links TRIPP and Jackson-Vanik Repeal in Push Toward Central Asia

Turkmenistan Seeks Bigger Counter-Terrorism Role in Central Asia

Kazakhstan Offers the IAEA a Practical Option on Iran

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

The Aural Sea: Uzbekistan’s Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale

Bronze Age Trepanation in Uzbekistan May Be Central Asia’s Oldest Evidence of Surgery

A Polyphonic Process: Kazakhstan at the 2026 Venice Biennale

Eurasian Film Festival in London Showcases Cinema from Central Asia and Beyond

From Golden Treasures to Looted Burial Mounds: How “Black Diggers” Are Destroying Eastern Kazakhstan’s History

Justice

Justice

Uzbekistan Withdraws Several Chinese-Made Toys Over Safety Concerns