The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

Japan and South Korea have reached the same strategic conclusion: Central Asia matters to their economic security. Yet they are pursuing that goal through markedly different playbooks. In December 2025, Tokyo hosted the first leaders' summit of the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue, 21 years after the format was launched....

Digital Infrastructure

Kazakhstan and China Sign Deals Worth Over $15 Billion During Tokayev’s Shanghai Visit

Kazakhstan and China signed more than 70 commercial agreements worth over $15 billion during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s working visit to Shanghai on July 16. The package covers artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, transport, finance, agriculture, vehicle production, and other high-technology industries. The documents were exchanged after a roundtable with Chinese executives....

Taliban Troubles, Security Service Strife and the Deportation Divide

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Sunkar Podcast

Kazakhstan to Host 2027 Table Tennis World Championships

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Opinions

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

Opinion: The Amu Darya Stress Test – Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Politics of Agricultural Adaptation

Zamirbek Minbaev

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s New Income Growth Plan – Administrative Measures Against Market Realities

Igor Klevtsov

Opinion: Central Asia’s Shift from Silk Road Romance to Infrastructure Finance – What the June Forums Are Building

Dr. Magsud Mammadov

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

Business & Economy

Trade Barriers

Kazakhstan Wheat Ban Raises Risk of Renewed Trade Spat With Russia

A truck crossing into Kazakhstan through a northern border post can be declared as carrying 18 tonnes of wheat while hauling as much as 40 tonnes. Grain Union analyst Evgeny Karabanov described that gap as part of the country’s problem with undeclared Russian grain. Astana’s answer is a six-month ban on most wheat imports from July 27. The measure may curb grey-market loads and support domestic farmers, but it also risks reopening a trade dispute with Russia and deepening the gap between the Eurasian Economic Union’s promises and daily commerce. Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov’s order covers wheat arriving by road,...

Waste Management

Kazakhstan Waste-to-Energy Plants to Undergo Major Expansion

Electricity Shortages

Tajikistan Prepares for Another Winter Power Shortfall

Digital Infrastructure

Kazakhstan and China Sign Deals Worth Over $15 Billion During Tokayev’s Shanghai Visit

Digital Tenge

Digital Tenge Receives Official Legal Status in Kazakhstan

External Debt

The Central Asia Debt Divide: Why the Region’s Borrowing Risks Are Not the Same

Central Asia’s biggest debtor is not necessarily its most vulnerable. Kazakhstan accounts for roughly two-thirds of the region’s external liabilities, but much of that debt sits on corporate balance sheets rather than the government’s. Tajikistan owes a fraction of the amount, yet remains at high risk of debt distress. The contrast highlights the Central Asia debt divide. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan rely more heavily on sovereign and concessional borrowing, while Uzbekistan’s external liabilities are now split almost evenly between the public and corporate sectors. Based on the latest available figures from national authorities and international financial institutions, the combined external debt...

Fuel Supply

Kyrgyzstan Fuel Crisis: Bishkek Relaxes Fuel Import Rules to Ease Supply Pressures

Kyrgyzstan has relaxed fuel import rules and extended restrictions on exports as it seeks to mitigate growing pressure on its domestic fuel market amid disruption to Russia’s refining sector. Under a July 13 resolution, the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers suspended, until April 1, 2027, provisions of a 2019 government decree restricting the import of oil and petroleum products by road. The exemption had previously been due to expire on September 30, 2026. The change allows fuel to be delivered into Kyrgyzstan by road tanker, giving importers greater flexibility to obtain supplies through alternative routes. Other requirements governing fuel imports, including...

Critical Minerals

Opinion: Could Vanadium Be Kazakhstan’s Next Breakout Critical Metals Story?

Vanadium is viewed as a critical mineral by the United States, the European Union, Russia, China and many other countries because of its importance to energy storage and industrial alloys. At the Astana Metals & Metallurgy (AMM) Congress, Ferro-Alloy Resources CEO Nicholas Bridgen discussed the company’s assets, strategy, and valuation with The Times of Central Asia, noting that the company appears undervalued amid supply chain disruptions and the rising strategic importance of vanadium. The discussion highlighted vanadium’s emerging demand-supply imbalance and efforts to better align market perception with fundamentals. Of the critical metals that will define the next half-century, vanadium...

Civil Aviation

Kyrgyzstan to Launch Direct Flight Between Bishkek and Urumqi

Kyrgyzstan’s Aero Nomad Airlines will launch a new direct route between Bishkek and Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, further expanding air connectivity between the two neighboring countries. According to the airline, the inaugural flight is scheduled for August 3 and will be operated using an Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline said the route would support trade and investment and encourage tourism and cultural exchanges between Kyrgyzstan and China. Xinjiang already has established air connections with Kyrgyzstan. In November 2025, China Southern Airlines resumed direct flights between Urumqi and Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s second-largest city. Earlier this year, Airports of...

Local Politics

Public health

Kyrgyzstan Tests Public Health Emergency Response Ahead of World Nomad Games

Kyrgyzstan has carried out large-scale interagency public health emergency exercises as part of preparations for the sixth World Nomad Games, which will take place from August 31 to September 6. Authorities say health security has become one of the key components of planning for what is expected to be the country's largest international event of the year. The two-day simulation exercise was held on July 14-15 in Cholpon-Ata, in the Issyk-Kul region. It brought together representatives of the Ministry of Health, healthcare institutions, the World Health Organization (WHO), other government agencies, and international development partners. Participants rehearsed the response to...

Cardiac Surgery

Kazakhstan Joins World’s Top 30 Countries in Cardiac Surgery Development

Urban Development

Urbanization: Only One in Four Tajik Residents Lives in a City

President Tokayev

Kazakhstan Court Ruling Clears Legal Path for Tokayev to Seek Another Term

Kazakhstan Constitution

Tokayev Sets August 23 Election Date as Kazakhstan’s New Constitution Takes Effect

Election Funding

Kazakhstan Allocates $73 Million for August Kurultai Elections

Kazakhstan has allocated 34.3 billion KZT, approximately $73 million, from the government’s reserve fund to finance elections for the country’s newly established Kurultai, the unicameral parliament created under the country’s new Constitution, according to Central Election Commission (CEC) member Mikhail Bortnik. Kazakhstan’s new Constitution entered into force on July 1, replacing the previous bicameral parliament with the Kurultai. Elections for the new legislature are scheduled for August 23. A total of 145 deputies will be elected from party lists. Under the new electoral rules, at least 30% of candidates nominated by each political party must come from three combined categories:...

Women’s Empowerment

Tajikistan Develops Gender Equality Strategy and Expands Support for Women

Tajikistan is developing a new strategy to address gender-related social norms for 2027–2036 while expanding programs aimed at increasing women’s economic participation and cooperation with international organizations. The draft strategy was presented at a meeting organized jointly by the Committee for Women and Family Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Representatives of 46 international organizations, development partners, and civil society groups took part in the discussions, the committee said in its review of activities for the first half of 2026. According to the committee, the strategy is intended to serve as the country’s...

Tax Policy

Uzbekistan Bank Data Plan Sparks Privacy and Tax Debate

A draft government resolution that would establish unified rules for information sharing between banks and tax authorities has triggered widespread public debate in Uzbekistan, with supporters describing it as a necessary step to combat the shadow economy while critics warn it could weaken constitutional protections for banking privacy. The proposal, published for public discussion by Uzbekistan’s State Tax Committee, aims to regulate how banks provide information to tax authorities. According to the committee, the document does not introduce new powers for tax officials or abolish bank secrecy. Instead, it seeks to define the procedures, deadlines, formats, and electronic methods for...

Gender Quotas

Kazakhstan’s New Kurultai Elections: What the 30% Quota Could Mean for Women in Parliament

Kazakhstan’s new Constitution entered into force on July 1. On August 23, voters will elect the country’s first unicameral Kurultai, a 145-member legislature that replaces the former Mazhilis and Senate. Political parties are already submitting their lists, with nominations open from July 2 to July 13. Those lists must meet an inclusion requirement that has taken on new significance under the new electoral system: at least 30% of candidates must come from three combined categories, women, young people, and people with disabilities. How many women will actually enter the new parliament will become clear only after the votes are counted....

International Affairs

Black Sea Tanker Attacks

Kazakhstan Condemns Drone Attacks as CPC Oil Loadings Halt

Kazakhstan has condemned drone attacks on three tankers near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Black Sea terminal on July 17 and 19. The two latest vessels were hit while loading Kazakh oil. The Liberia-flagged ASIA and NISSOS IOS were attacked at single-point moorings SPM-1 and SPM-3 near Novorossiysk. ASIA was loading Tengizchevroil crude. The Marshall Islands-flagged NISSOS IOS was loading oil from Kashagan B.V. and Maten. A fire broke out on ASIA and was extinguished with CPC emergency support. No crew members, CPC employees, or contractors were injured. Both tankers remained afloat, no oil entered the sea, and the moorings were...

Diplomacy

Tashkent and Kabul Rush to Deny Taliban Minister’s Criticism of Uzbekistan

Central Asia + Japan

Patient Capital, Fast Deals: Japan and South Korea Take Different Paths into Central Asia

Labor Migration

Belarus Plans to Recruit 5,000 More Workers From Uzbekistan as Labor Partnership Expands

ASEAN

Turkmenistan Builds Ties with Southeast Asia

Middle East Crisis

Iran Says Trains Resume After Reported Strike on Railway Bridge to Turkmenistan

An alleged U.S. strike on a railway bridge on a northern Iranian line crossing into Turkmenistan highlighted concerns about Central Asian trade routes in the region. Iran, however, says it has repaired the tracks and trains are running again. The reported attack on the Aq Tekeh Khan bridge near Aqqala city in Golestan province on July 9 was part of a wave of U.S. military action against Iran after tensions over the disputed Strait of Hormuz, whose shipping lanes are key to global commerce, and the collapse of a shaky ceasefire. U.S. strikes were ongoing on Friday, while Iran has...

Artificial Intelligence

Tokayev Offers Astana to Host New Global AI Body’s First Meeting

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev put Astana forward at the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 17, saying that Kazakhstan is ready to host the first meeting of a new global AI organization. He also proposed placing the organization’s Central Asian office in Kazakhstan. Together, the offers set out Tokayev’s wider aim: Kazakhstan wants a role in writing AI rules as well as building the technology at home. Twenty-nine countries signed the agreement establishing the World AI Cooperation Organization on July 16. The founding states included Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, while Turkmenistan did not sign. China...

Civil Aviation

Kazakhstan and China Agree to Expand Scheduled Air Services

Kazakhstan and China have agreed to significantly expand scheduled air services between the two countries following aviation consultations held in Beijing between Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee and the Civil Aviation Administration of China. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the talks focused on bilateral cooperation in civil aviation. The two sides agreed to increase the number of scheduled passenger flights operated by airlines of both countries from 124 to 152 flights per week. They also expanded the list of major Chinese destinations available for air services with Kazakhstan to 11 cities, adding Chongqing, one of southwestern China’s largest industrial, logistics,...

Afghanistan

Central Asia Builds a Regional Track for Engagement with Afghanistan

The United States and Europe may have stepped back from Afghanistan, but the country’s instability still affects migration, security, trade, and humanitarian pressures far beyond its borders. Given their proximity, Central Asian states cannot and have not disengaged, and their efforts to keep Kabul connected to regional diplomacy and commerce serve interests that are also shared by the West. On June 16, the Center for Strategic Studies of Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs convened the first Afghanistan-Central Asia Think Tank Forum in Kabul, bringing together leaders and senior representatives from strategic research institutions across the region. Held under the theme...

Life & Culture

Podcast

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode Out Now

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 of The Red Line, each fortnightly instalment will take you on a deep dive into the latest news, developments, security issues, and social trends across an increasingly pivotal region. This week, the team covers a heatwave sweeping across Central Asia, anti-Taliban forces briefly seizing a district headquarters in a worrying...

Children's Rights

Kazakhstan Leads Central Asia with 24th Place in KidsRights Index

Marriage Age

Average Marriage Age Rises in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan

Religion

Opinion: Christian Missions in Central Asia: Religious Freedom and Social Tensions

Healthcare

Kazakhstan’s Al-Farabi University Joins Central Asia’s First Flying Hospital Project

Games of the Future

From Controllers to Courts: Kazakhstan Prepares for Games of the Future

When the basketball begins in Astana on July 29, two players from each team will sit at screens and chase 19 digital points. After that stage, they will take the score onto a real 2-on-2 court. The physical game continues until one side reaches 39, meaning a lead earned with a controller can disappear beneath the rim. That switch gives the Games of the Future its human appeal. The format asks athletes to handle screen timing, then contact and fatigue on the court. It also creates an unfamiliar training problem. A gifted basketball player can fall behind before reaching the...

Astronomy

Two Asteroids Named After Uzbek Astronomers

Two Uzbek astronomers have received an unusual form of international recognition: their names have been assigned to minor planets orbiting the Sun. The International Astronomical Union’s Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature approved (121339) Otabekburkhonov and (131358) Kamolergashev in its July 9 bulletin. The names will now be used in scientific catalogues and research. Both asteroids were discovered at the Ondřejov Observatory in the Czech Republic by astronomers Petr Pravec and Peter Kušnirák. Otabekburkhonov, first known as 1999 TO15, was found on October 13, 1999. Kamolergashev, previously 2001 KA2, was discovered on May 19, 2001. Otabek Burkhonov, born in 1975,...

Cultural Heritage

Rain Festival: How Ancient Tirgon Became an Official Holiday in Tajikistan

Until recently, Tirgon was remembered mainly through medieval poetry and scholarly references. In 2023, an apricot festival and dried-fruit exhibition were held in its honor in Dushanbe. Now, the ancient agricultural holiday is listed in Tajikistan’s official calendar of festive dates. In 2026, it was celebrated for the first time under its new official status. A Holiday Rooted in Antiquity Tirgon belongs to the ancient seasonal traditions of Iranian peoples and is mentioned in sources including Ferdowsi’s epic poem Shahnameh. Tajik sources trace these seasonal holidays back several millennia. Tirgon was traditionally associated with the 13th day of the month...

Music Festivals

How OYU Fest Became a Portrait of Kazakhstan’s New Music Scene

OYU Fest returned to Almaty’s Pervomaysky Ponds for its fifth-anniversary edition, marking another step in its rise as one of Kazakhstan’s leading contemporary music festivals. Since its launch in 2022, OYU has grown from a local initiative into an important platform for Kazakhstan’s music scene, drawing a wider audience across Central Asia. Kazakhstan has welcomed more international performers in recent years, including Jennifer Lopez, the Backstreet Boys, and Enrique Iglesias. OYU has taken a different approach. It has remained a festival without foreign headliners, keeping contemporary Kazakh music at the center of its program. Instead of competing with large international...

Justice

Internet Restrictions

A Signal from Uzbekistan: How Turkmen Border Villages Reach the Outside World

In Diýýar, a village in northern Turkmenistan close enough to catch Uzbekistan’s mobile signal, a foreign SIM card inserted into a small Wi-Fi router can turn a barely functioning 2G connection into usable home internet. In early July, police reportedly entered around ten households in the village, identified Uzbek-connected routers, and confiscated the SIM cards. Similar inspections have been under way across close to 60 settlements in Dashoguz Province, according to Radio Azatlyk, the Turkmen Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The campaign covers parts of Shabat and Görogly districts, including Kirov, Diýýar, Bedirkent, Aýlak, and Nyýazow, in areas where...

Traffic Offenses

Kazakhstan Olympic Boxing Champion Jailed for Drunk Driving After Multiple Crashes

Kamchybek Tashiyev

Kyrgyz Court Convicts Former Security Chief Tashiyev, Parliamentary Speaker, and Six Others

Road Accidents

Highway Crash in Tajikistan Kills Eleven

Child Online Safety

Uzbekistan Weighs Social Media Restrictions for Children Under 16

Labor Migration

Nearly 160,000 Citizens of Tajikistan Listed in Russia’s Controlled Persons Register

Nearly 160,000 citizens of Tajikistan, including about 25,000 minors, have been listed in Russia’s register of controlled persons, a senior official from Tajikistan’s migration service said. The figure reflects the impact of tighter Russian migration rules on one of Central Asia’s largest sources of migrant labor. Sharif Norzoda, Tajikistan’s deputy minister of labor, migration, and employment, said around 160,000 citizens of Tajikistan are currently listed in the register, with children included because they accompanied family members who had moved to Russia. The register, maintained by Russia’s Interior Ministry, is updated every four hours and contains information on foreign nationals who...

Fraud

Uzbekistan Busts Scam Call Centers Targeting Europe and North America

Uzbek law enforcement authorities have dismantled two illegal call centers in Tashkent that were part of a transnational fraud network targeting victims across Europe and North America, according to the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. The operation, carried out jointly by the Interior Ministry’s Cybercrime Department and the State Security Service, targeted offices located in the Yashnabad and Yakkasaray districts of the Uzbek capital. Authorities found 97 people, including five foreign nationals, at the first location, while 34 more, including three foreigners, were apprehended at the second site. According to investigators, the call centers conducted fraudulent phone calls and mass...

Iran Espionage

Israel Arrests Man From Tajikistan Suspected of Spying for Iran

Israeli police said Thursday that a suspect from Tajikistan who holds a Russian passport had been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran during the recent war. The suspect, identified as Behrouz Sobirgon, was arrested last month “on suspicion of security offenses involving contact with Iranian intelligence agencies and carrying out security missions under their direction,” police said on Telegram. “The investigation revealed that the suspect maintained contact with an Iranian foreign agent, with most of his security activity taking place during the 'Roaring Lion' war, when he sought to assist Iran in achieving operational gains and advancing its goals...

Digital Rights

Turkmenistan Fines Citizens Over Social Media Likes as Digital Controls Tighten

Authorities in Turkmenistan have tightened control over citizens’ online activity, with district courts in Ashgabat reportedly hearing administrative cases daily against people accused of liking or commenting on posts critical of the government on TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms. The cases were reported by Chronicles of Turkmenistan. The platforms in question remain inaccessible in Turkmenistan without VPN services, which the government has systematically tried to block. According to available information, security services are identifying citizens who regularly visit banned online resources. Those individuals are then summoned to police stations, where they are interrogated and warned about the consequences...

Environment

Plastic Recycling

From Waste to Design: How UpKel Is Rethinking Plastic Recycling in Kyrgyzstan

In Kyrgyzstan, much of the country’s plastic waste remains unsorted and ends up in landfills, while recycling infrastructure is limited. A growing number of local initiatives are treating discarded plastic as a usable material. One of them is UpKel, a circular design project that turns plastic waste into custom accessories and home decor. The Times of Central Asia spoke with UpKel founder Chinara Sultanalieva about plastic recycling in Kyrgyzstan and how design and local production can support a circular economy. She also discussed the obstacles holding back the sector. TCA: Tell us a bit about UpKel. How did the project...

Forestry

Tajikistan Turns to Satellites to Discover How Much Forest It Has Left

Extreme Heat

Uzbekistan Braces for Extreme Heat as Temperatures Could Reach 46°C

Climate Policy

Kyrgyzstan Adopts Central Asia’s First Framework Climate Law

Water Management

UN: Uzbekistan Makes Major Progress in Reducing Water Stress, but Challenges Remain

Wildfire

Open Flames Extinguished at Semey Ormany as Crews Tackle Hotspots

Open flames at a 60-hectare forest fire in Kazakhstan’s Semey Ormany reserve had been extinguished by early July 17, although hundreds of personnel remained at the site tackling isolated smouldering hotspots. The fire prompted the evacuation of 190 children and 20 adults from a nearby summer camp. Police officers carried some of the youngest children to waiting vehicles as staff tried to prevent panic and move everyone out quickly. The blaze was reported on the morning of July 16 in the Kamyshenka forestry area of the reserve’s Borodulikha branch. By that afternoon, it had spread across an estimated 60 hectares....

Earthquakes

Central Asia Remains Highly Vulnerable to Major Earthquakes

Earthquakes accounted for more than half of all deaths linked to natural hazards worldwide between 2000 and 2023, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency warns that millions of people across its European Region still live or receive medical treatment in buildings that may not withstand a major seismic event. WHO has focused on hospitals because they must continue treating patients when injuries rise and local infrastructure is damaged. The agency estimates that earthquake-resistant standards add less than 4% to the cost of a new hospital, while retrofitting an existing facility typically costs about 1% of its value....

Air Quality

Tajikistan Debuts Air Quality Website After Criticizing IQAir Report

Tajikistan has launched a website that monitors air quality in several cities around the country, whose capital, Dushanbe, has experienced severe pollution over the years because of vehicle emissions, fuel burning and other factors. The initiative follows objections from Tajik authorities to an international assessment that Tajikistan is among the most polluted countries in the world. The new website - https://airquality.meteo.tj – provides detailed information in Tajik, Russian and English, according to the meteorological office of the State Committee for Environmental Protection. It said on Monday that the data is based on six monitoring devices that have been installed in...

Recycling

Kazakhstan Electronic Waste Project Targets Low Recycling Rates

Discarded phones, computers, and household appliances are becoming a growing waste problem in Kazakhstan, where only a small share of old electronics is formally collected and recycled. A 2023 UN-backed report estimated that the country generated 136,100 metric tons of electronic waste in 2019. Yet company reports recorded only 1,300 metric tons, suggesting that official statistics capture only a fraction of what is thrown away. Kazakhstan has now launched a project to improve collection, recycling, and monitoring. Officially unveiled in Astana on June 30, the initiative is backed by a $5 million grant from the Global Environment Facility. It will...

Kazakhstan Condemns Drone Attacks as CPC Oil Loadings Halt

Latest

Features

Features

Taliban Troubles, Security Service Strife and the Deportation Divide

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

Taliban Troubles, Security Service Strife and the Deportation Divide

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

Timur Serikuly

Zamirbek Minbaev

Askar Alimzhanov

Zamirbek Minbaev

Igor Klevtsov

Dr. Magsud Mammadov

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

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Kazakhstan Wheat Ban Raises Risk of Renewed Trade Spat With Russia

The Central Asia Debt Divide: Why the Region’s Borrowing Risks Are Not the Same

Kyrgyzstan Fuel Crisis: Bishkek Relaxes Fuel Import Rules to Ease Supply Pressures

Opinion: Could Vanadium Be Kazakhstan’s Next Breakout Critical Metals Story?

Kyrgyzstan to Launch Direct Flight Between Bishkek and Urumqi

Local Politics

Local Politics

Kyrgyzstan Tests Public Health Emergency Response Ahead of World Nomad Games

Kazakhstan Allocates $73 Million for August Kurultai Elections

Tajikistan Develops Gender Equality Strategy and Expands Support for Women

Uzbekistan Bank Data Plan Sparks Privacy and Tax Debate

Kazakhstan’s New Kurultai Elections: What the 30% Quota Could Mean for Women in Parliament

International Affairs

International Affairs

Kazakhstan Condemns Drone Attacks as CPC Oil Loadings Halt

Iran Says Trains Resume After Reported Strike on Railway Bridge to Turkmenistan

Tokayev Offers Astana to Host New Global AI Body’s First Meeting

Kazakhstan and China Agree to Expand Scheduled Air Services

Central Asia Builds a Regional Track for Engagement with Afghanistan

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode Out Now

From Controllers to Courts: Kazakhstan Prepares for Games of the Future

Two Asteroids Named After Uzbek Astronomers

Rain Festival: How Ancient Tirgon Became an Official Holiday in Tajikistan

How OYU Fest Became a Portrait of Kazakhstan’s New Music Scene

Justice

Justice

A Signal from Uzbekistan: How Turkmen Border Villages Reach the Outside World