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

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

Air Cargo

Kyrgyzstan Plans to Open New Jalal-Abad Airport in Fall 2027

Kyrgyzstan plans to expand its air cargo capacity with a new international airport in the Jalal-Abad region and a cargo terminal near Bishkek. The new airport is expected to open in fall 2027 near the route of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. The cargo terminal would handle goods arriving by road from China for onward flights to Europe and the Middle East. Jalal-Abad International Airport is under construction in the Bagysh area of Suzak District, near the city of Manas, formerly Jalal-Abad. On November 11, Manasbek Samidinov, chairman of the management board of Airports of Kyrgyzstan, put the preliminary construction cost at...

Nuclear Power

Rosatom Looking for Customers in Turkmenistan

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

Agricultural Technology

South Korea Expands Support for Farm Technology in Uzbekistan

South Korea is helping Uzbekistan mechanize rice planting, improve dairy cattle breeding, and grow strawberries year-round. The projects aim to raise farm output and conserve water while opening new markets for Korean equipment and technology. For farmers considering a modern greenhouse, the upfront cost remains a barrier. On September 14, 2026, South Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture signed an agreement to expand specialist training. It was one of 13 cooperation documents signed in Seoul that day. Much of the work takes place through two initiatives overseen by the RDA. The Korea Partnership for Innovation of...

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...

Local Politics

Sadyr Japarov

Kyrgyzstan Presidential Election: Sadyr Japarov Seeks Second Term

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has applied to run for a second term in the January 27, 2027, presidential election. Since he came to power in October 2020, Kyrgyzstan has shifted to a presidential system of government, recorded strong economic growth, and seen several prominent politicians and journalists face criminal prosecution. Less than 24 hours after Japarov filed on November 10, the electronic system had recorded 60,000 signatures in his support, the maximum a candidate can submit. Kyrgyzstan’s Central Commission on Elections and Referenda (CEC) must still verify the signatures. By November 11, the commission listed nine applicants, all self-nominated. Alongside...

Media Ownership

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

Public Transport

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

Rogun Hydropower Plant

Rogun Hydropower Plant Accident Sparks Conflicting Injury Reports

Republic Day

Kazakhstan Marks Republic Day as World Leaders Send Congratulations

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

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov gave the Cabinet of Ministers one month to consider a ban on the production and import of energy drinks and six months to take regulatory action. He announced the directive on Facebook on November 5, 2026. Japarov cited doctors’ warnings about excessive consumption and pointed to the cost to the state of treating illnesses he attributed to the drinks. Figures in his announcement put consumption at about 36 million liters in the first half of 2026, roughly two-thirds of the 54 million liters consumed in all of 2025. Kyrgyzstan produced about 25 million liters in 2025...

Reshuffle

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has replaced his transport minister and given the incoming officeholder the rank of deputy prime minister. The November 3 appointment puts Asel Zhanassova in charge of the ministry as Kazakhstan prepares a major infrastructure expansion. Zhanassova, previously deputy head of the Presidential Administration, succeeds Nurlan Sauranbayev. Her appointment decree formally combines the positions of deputy prime minister and transport minister, raising the portfolio’s standing within the government. Zhanassova becomes one of six deputy prime ministers, including First Deputy Prime Minister Nurlybek Nalibayev. The change comes less than a week after Tokayev announced plans to accelerate construction...

State of the Nation

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

Kazakhstan plans to spend 6.5 trillion tenge (about $14.3 billion) from its National Fund on infrastructure projects by 2029 and eliminate its electricity shortage in the same period, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced in his annual State of the Nation Address on October 28. The president also outlined plans to accelerate nuclear power plant construction, expand transport routes between China and Europe, and establish a separate court for investors in the new city of Alatau. $14 Billion for Infrastructure Tokayev proposed declaring 2027 a year of large-scale construction and launching a nationwide program covering roads, airports, railway stations, and public facilities....

International Affairs

U.S. Sanctions

U.S. Sanctions Tajik National Over Alleged Role in Iran’s Efforts to Buy Missiles

The United States has imposed sanctions on Alisher Domullodzhanov, a native of Dushanbe whom the State Department accuses of involvement in Iran’s efforts to obtain man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS). The November 4 designation falls under Executive Order 13949, which targets individuals and companies involved in Iran’s conventional arms trade. The State Department identified Domullodzhanov as based in Russia but gave no details of his alleged role. According to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Domullodzhanov was born on November 29, 1989, and is a national of both Tajikistan and Russia. His sanctions listing also gives his...

Kazakhstan-Tajikistan

Kazakhstan Tajikistan Sign Fuel Supply and Mining Agreements

Aqaba Process

Uzbekistan Offers to Host Regional UN Counterterrorism Office at Astana Summit

Middle Corridor

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

U.S.-Central Asia Engagement

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

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

Residents of Kara-Jantak village in Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region have received official property documents for 295 homes following the village’s transfer from Uzbekistan under a border agreement. The regional administration said officials handed over the documents to residents, who had previously received Kyrgyz passports. Around 1,200 people live in Kara-Jantak, which was formerly part of Uzbekistan’s Fergana region. In 2024, the village came under the jurisdiction of the city of Kadamjay in the Batken region as part of a settlement negotiated by the two countries’ intergovernmental commission on border delimitation and demarcation. Their border treaty was signed in 2022. Construction has...

Observer Status

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

Kürşad Zorlu, a senior official in Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party, has questioned Russia’s eligibility for observer status in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), citing its language requirements. At the OTS summit in Ankara on October 30, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed inviting Russia to participate through the OTS+ cooperation framework or as an observer. He argued that closer engagement with Moscow would enhance the organization’s international standing. The OTS brings together Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan as full members. Its work now covers trade, transport, energy, and political coordination alongside linguistic and cultural cooperation. Zorlu, a...

Economic Diplomacy

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

Turkmenistan and the United States are working to deepen their economic and diplomatic relationship, with a top American diplomat and a U.S. business delegation visiting Ashgabat this week. The U.S.-Turkmenistan Business Council had announced a semiannual business mission to Ashgabat on November 4–5, a trip that comes amid a wider effort by the United States and Central Asian countries to expand trade and investment ties with each other. The council is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group led by Eric Stewart, a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary for Europe/Eurasia at the Department of Commerce who has founded more than a dozen similar...

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

Kyrgyzstan Plans to Open New Jalal-Abad Airport in Fall 2027

South Korea Expands Support for Farm Technology in Uzbekistan

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

Local Politics

Local Politics

Kyrgyzstan Presidential Election: Sadyr Japarov Seeks Second Term

Bishkek Homeless Shelters Prepare for Winter Amid Uncertainty Over Numbers

Japarov Orders Cabinet to Consider Kyrgyzstan Energy Drink Ban

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

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

International Affairs

International Affairs

U.S. Sanctions Tajik National Over Alleged Role in Iran’s Efforts to Buy Missiles

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

Kyrgyzstan Border Settlements Bring Property Documents to Villagers

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

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

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