The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

For Ikhtiyor Alimov, finding foreign buyers was only part of the challenge. His dried-fruit business in northern Tajikistan also needed enough equipment to fill its orders. Alimov founded Mevai Zarrin in Isfara with eight workers and handmade machinery. Its processing capacity eventually reached 200 kilograms a day, but manual production...

Religious Freedom

Why Central Asian Governments Are Regulating Religious Life

CAMCA

At CAMCA, Uzbekistan Revives Push for a Stronger Regional Body

Uzbekistan has renewed its call for a stronger regional institution, with senior senator Sodiq Safoev urging Central Asian leaders to move beyond their consultative meeting format. His remarks in Baku return attention to a proposal President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined last November, when he called for a Community of Central Asia....

CAMCA

Opinion: Central Asia’s Wider Future: The CAMCA Network Brings Regional Cooperation to Baku

Central Asia is helping shape a wider regional agenda, one that connects trade and investment with technology, education, and security. In Baku, the CAMCA Regional Forum is bringing together the people who can carry that agenda forward, with the CAMCA Network helping turn shared interests into opportunities for cooperation. Taking...

Kashagan Oil Field

Kazakhstan Resumes Collection of $5.2 Billion Kashagan Fine

Kazakhstan has restarted enforcement proceedings to collect a 2.3 trillion tenge ($5.22 billion) environmental fine from North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), operator of the Kashagan oil field, ending a three-week procedural pause. The proceedings resumed on September 29, according to the Justice Ministry’s online enforcement database. NCOC continues to reject...

Religious Regulations, Russian Rehearsals, and the TCTC’s Regional Roadblocks

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Dastan
Short Stories from the Region

Dastan: Why Are Uzbekistan’s Snipers So Good?

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Opinions

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

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

Business & Economy

AI Adoption

Industrial AI Reaches Kazakhstan’s Factories, but Many Projects Remain Experimental

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already monitoring mining trucks, production lines, and workplace safety at industrial sites in Kazakhstan. Yet a gap remains between a successful experiment and technology that works every day at a factory or mine. Closing it was one of the main issues discussed at the third meeting of Kazakhstan’s Council for the Development of Artificial Intelligence. A study by the British Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan, with contributions from Narxoz University and the Kazakh-British Technical University, found that 58.8% of AI projects among the industrial companies surveyed remained at the pilot stage, with none reaching full-scale deployment....

Telecommunications

M360 Eurasia Mobile Industry Forum Set for Astana in 2027

UNDP

How Central Asian Small Businesses Are Earning More From Local Products

Trans-Afghan Rail Corridor

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and UAE Study CASA Rail Route to Indian Ocean

Galkynysh Gas Field

Turkmenistan Expands Galkynysh Gas Field With $5.1 Billion Fourth Phase

Foreign Investment

China Accounts for Nearly Half of Foreign Direct Investment in Kyrgyzstan in 2025

Kyrgyzstan received $1.31 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025, up 27.3% from the previous year. Nearly half came from China, according to a new report from the country's National Statistical Committee entitled Investments in the Kyrgyz Republic 2021-2025. The figures are for gross FDI inflows, meaning they measure investment entering Kyrgyzstan without subtracting money flowing back out. China accounted for 47.5% of gross FDI, followed by Russia with 13.9%, Kazakhstan with 9.3%, Turkey with 9.1%, and the Netherlands with 5.4%. Together, these five countries accounted for more than 85% of the total. The sources of foreign capital shifted...

Trade Logistics

World Bank Says Middle Corridor Needs More Than $55 Billion by 2040

Developing a transport corridor linking China and Central Asia with Europe across the Caspian Sea will require more than $55 billion in investment through 2040. But the World Bank’s recent report, Integration: World-Class Trade Logistics Along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, argues that infrastructure alone will not resolve the difficulties of moving freight across borders and between rail and ships. The route is the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, better known as the Middle Corridor. Trains typically travel from China through Kazakhstan to the Caspian ports of Aktau and Kuryk, where containers are transferred to ships. In Azerbaijan, they return to rail and...

Oil Refining

Kazakhstan Plans Fourth Major Oil Refinery by 2033

Kazakhstan plans to commission a fourth major oil refinery by 2033 and choose its location by the end of 2026. Daulet Arykbayev, director of the Oil Transportation and Refining Department at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, announced the plans at the Kazakhstan International Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference (KIOGE 2026) in Almaty. The new refinery is expected to process up to 10 million tons of oil per year. Potential sites are being assessed in Ulytau, Atyrau, Mangystau, and Turkestan regions. “We have decided to accelerate the implementation of the new refinery project. By the end of this year, the assessment...

Railway Digitalization

EBRD Provides €38.4 Million for Digital Transformation of Uzbekistan Railways

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will provide a loan of up to €38.4 million to O’zbekiston temir yo’llari (UTY), the country’s national railway operator, to digitalize transport management and improve cybersecurity. According to the EBRD, UTY owns and operates a 6,950-kilometer railway network and is responsible for up to 40% of freight transported in Uzbekistan. Some dispatching and scheduling work remains manual, as do parts of operational control. The financing will allow UTY to introduce modern digital traffic and transportation management systems and upgrade cybersecurity protections for its IT infrastructure. The EBRD said the changes should improve...

Local Politics

Population

Kyrgyzstan Aging Population Puts Growing Pressure on Pension System

The number of people above working age in Kyrgyzstan has increased by more than 146,000, or 25%, over the past five years. The country still has a relatively young population, but the growing number of older people is nevertheless raising questions about the long-term sustainability of its pension system. At the beginning of 2026, Kyrgyzstan had a population of 7.4 million, including 737,000 people above the standard retirement age – 63 for men and 58 for women – accounting for about 10% of the population. Women outnumber men in this group by roughly two to one, as they not only...

Saida Mirziyoyeva

Opinion: Why Uzbekistan’s Presidential Administration Was Given Sweeping Powers and Broad Immunity

Opposition

Tajikistan’s Islamic Opposition Changes Leader After 20 Years

Secularism

Kazakhstan Hijab Debate Exposes Divide Over Secularism

Education

Kazakhstan Tests AI After Finding 700 Errors in School Textbooks

Independence Day

Turkmenistan Marks 35 Years of Independence Amid Reports of Shortages

Turkmenistan marked 35 years of independence on September 27 with a military parade and mass celebrations in Ashgabat. The festivities followed independent reports of food shortages and disrupted public transport in the capital. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov attended the parade at the State Tribune complex, where military units and armored vehicles passed before the country’s leaders. The official account described mounted formations and a simultaneous naval display on the Caspian Sea. A civilian procession followed, with decorated floats representing the country’s regions and economic sectors. Performers in traditional dress joined the celebrations, while the government presented Berdimuhamedov with an Akhal-Teke horse...

Military Deaths

Kazakhstan Orders Military Overhaul After 14 Die in Caspian Drills

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has replaced the country’s defense minister, three days after 14 servicemen were killed during military exercises in the Caspian Sea. Tokayev appointed Aidos Myrzakhmetov to lead the ministry, ordered a broad inspection of the Defense Ministry, and gave officials ten days to prepare a military reform plan. Dauren Kosanov, who had held the role since June 2025, was dismissed on September 27. On the same day, Tokayev appointed Myrzakhmetov and introduced him at a meeting of senior Defense Ministry officials. Myrzakhmetov, 45, is a career officer who spent much of his career in the State Guard...

Education Policy

Kazakhstan Education Reform Puts 12th Grade Under Review

Kazakhstan is considering whether to eliminate the 12th grade at Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS), as some families transfer their children to regular schools after the 10th grade so they can graduate a year earlier. Established in 2008, NIS is a state-funded network of elite schools specializing in science, mathematics, and languages. It operates its own 12-year curriculum. Education Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova said 88% of NIS graduates finish school at age 18, while about 300 received their diplomas at age 19 last year. A commission is examining whether the curriculum can be compressed into 11 grades, with conclusions expected by January...

Latin Alphabet Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s Senate Approves Latin Alphabet Changes

Uzbekistan’s Senate has approved changes to the country’s Latin-based alphabet, replacing four existing forms with individual letters: Oʻ will become Ö, Gʻ will become Ğ, Sh will become Ş, and Ch will become Ç. The revised alphabet will contain 28 letters and one apostrophe instead of the current 26 letters and three letter combinations. The law was approved at the Senate’s 19th plenary session on September 10 and sent to the president for consideration. The changes are expected to affect schools, official documents, media, publishing, and digital technologies. The reform follows years of debate over Uzbekistan’s transition from Cyrillic to...

International Affairs

Arms Trade

India Says It Exported Akash Missile System to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan

India says Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are customers of its Akash surface-to-air missile system, which can be used to counter threats including drones, missiles, and fighter aircraft. The two Central Asian countries have not commented publicly on the Akash exports, and Indian officials have not provided details about the transactions. But Indian Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has told Asian News International (ANI) that there is growing international interest in the Akash system, which Indian officials regard as a success of their indigenous defense industry. "Akash, I would say that it is one of our success stories. It shows the maturing...

Avaza Summit

Central Asia and Azerbaijan Head to Avaza for First Formal Summit

CAMCA

Opinion: CAMCA: From Regional Connectivity to Cross-Border Innovation

Cyber Security

U.S. Commits $5 Million for Cybersecurity in Central Asia

Labor Migration to Russia

Uzbekistan Proposes One-Stop Center for Migrant Workers Heading to Russia

Latvia-Uzbekistan relations

Latvia Proposes Temporary Visa Suspension for Uzbek Citizens

Latvia’s Interior Ministry has proposed temporarily suspending visa issuance to Uzbek citizens after several Uzbek nationals were accused of committing crimes shortly after arriving in the country, including offenses against minors. Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava said the measure was necessary to protect public order and give Latvian authorities time to work with Uzbekistan on tighter screening procedures. Latvian law allows the government to temporarily restrict visa applications and entry for citizens of a particular third country if authorities identify risks to internal security or public order. The proposal has not yet been approved – the Interior Ministry wanted the Cabinet...

CAMCA

Opinion: Building Bridges, Backing the Future: Why Entrepreneurs Must Connect Across Borders

In the age of AI, capital and code travel fast. Trust does not. That is why the most valuable infrastructure our region can build right now is human: entrepreneurs who know each other across borders. This week in Baku, at the CAMCA Forum 2026, two moments stayed with me. The first was a conversation on stage with investor Lucy Chow about what it means to back the future when artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of business. The second happened a day earlier, quietly, at a signing table. The CAMCA network signed a Memorandum of Understanding with YEGAP, the Young...

Donald Trump

Tokayev Seeks to Take Trump’s AI ‘Washington Model’ Global

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has embraced the voluntary artificial intelligence accord signed by President Donald Trump and leaders of major U.S. technology companies as a model for wider international adoption. Tokayev has termed this approach the “Washington Model,” arguing that it could eventually form the basis of a treaty under the auspices of the United Nations. Tokayev made the proposal at the third meeting of Kazakhstan’s Artificial Intelligence Development Council on October 2, a presidential body that brings together senior Kazakh officials with international technology and AI experts to help shape the country’s AI strategy. He said the risks associated...

Transporter-18 Mission

Two Central Asian Satellites Reach Orbit on SpaceX Rocket

A single SpaceX rocket carried two Central Asian spacecraft into orbit: Kyrgyzstan’s first national satellite and a spacecraft developed with the participation of students in Kazakhstan. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on October 1 as part of the Transporter-18 rideshare mission. The flight carried 130 payloads into low Earth orbit. Kyrgyzstan’s satellite weighs about five kilograms and is designed for Earth observation, with its data intended to help monitor agriculture, water resources, and environmental change. A team of about 10 engineers worked on the spacecraft for roughly two and a half years. Kazakhstan’s...

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, 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 looks at Kyrgyzstan unveiling plans that would require religious bloggers to be licensed and subjected to greater state oversight; further...

Live Music

Shakira Will Bring World Tour to Kyrgyzstan

Nobel Prize in Literature

Uzbek Writer Hamid Ismailov Appears in Bookmakers’ Odds for 2026 Nobel Prize

Central Asian Music

Put the Needle on the Record: Anvar Kalandarov on Rescuing Soviet Central Asia’s Lost Sounds

Stand-Up Comedy

Interview: Kazakhstan’s Dinara Kerey on Borat, the Boundaries of Humor, and International Stand-Up

Asian Games

Central Asia Wins 186 Asian Games Medals as Uzbekistan Finishes Fifth

Athletes from Central Asia’s five countries won 186 medals at the Asian Games in Japan, where Uzbekistan finished fifth overall and Kazakhstan claimed the region’s largest medal haul. The 20th Summer Asian Games were held from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. China once again topped the medal table, followed by Japan and South Korea. Uzbekistan won 70 medals, including 21 golds, matching its fifth-place finish at the previous Games in Hangzhou. The result follows a 13th-place finish in the medal table at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kazakhstan won 84 medals, including 12 golds, and finished eighth in...

antidoping

WADA Executive Committee to Meet in Astana Ahead of 2027 Anti-Doping Code

The Executive Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will meet in Astana on November 23-27, around five weeks before a revised World Anti-Doping Code comes into force on January 1, 2027. WADA is an independent international organization established in 1999 to coordinate and monitor anti-doping rules and policies across global sport. The meeting also comes ahead of a busy year for international sport in Kazakhstan. Six world championships are scheduled to take place in Astana in 2027: junior short track speed skating, boxing, table tennis, judo, taekwondo, and esports. The packed calendar puts added focus on Kazakhstan’s anti-doping preparations,...

Korean Heritage

K-PARK: A Space for Memory, Gratitude, and Cooperation

In the history of every nation, some places come to mean more than their architecture, squares, or parks. They become part of a country’s collective memory, preserving the experiences of previous generations while looking toward the future. K-PARK, an international cultural and business center under development in Alatau City, is designed to be such a space. The foundation stone was laid on September 12, 2025. The project was initiated by the Association of Koreans of Kazakhstan and is timed to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the Korean presence in Kazakhstan, marked in 2027. K-PARK is the first investment project...

Archaeological Heritage

Paleolithic Sites and Pamir Petroglyphs Added to Tajikistan UNESCO Tentative List

Tajikistan has added two groups of archaeological sites to UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List: Paleolithic sites in southern Tajikistan documenting early human occupation, and petroglyph complexes in the high-altitude Pamirs. Tajik authorities announced the additions on September 21, although both entries were submitted to UNESCO on June 19, 2026. The first group comprises Kuldara, Lohuti, Obi Mazor, and Khonakho in the Khovaling district of southern Tajikistan’s Khatlon region. UNESCO describes the archaeological complex as one of the most significant Paleolithic heritage areas in Central Asia. The sites provide evidence of early human occupation and adaptation to mountainous and semi-arid environments...

Justice

Ukrainian Childen

Ukrainian Woman Detained in Astana at Russia’s Request

Ukrainian citizen Lyubov Rozhanska has been detained at Astana airport at Russia’s request in connection with a criminal case over an alleged attempt to abduct a child, Deutsche Welle (DW) reported. She had flown from Istanbul to collect her grandson. Ukraine has called for her release and opposed her possible transfer to Russia. Rozhanska was detained on October 1 while passing through border control. She is currently being held in a pretrial detention facility in Astana, her Kazakhstan-based lawyer Riza Nurbayeva told DW. A court is expected to consider whether she should remain in custody. According to Nurbayeva and Russian...

Kashagan Oil Field

Kazakhstan Resumes Collection of $5.2 Billion Kashagan Fine

Counter-Terrorism

Uzbek-U.S. Citizen Extradited from Georgia on Charges of Supporting ISIS and al-Nusrah Front

Child Protection

Uzbekistan Kindergarten Case Over Alleged Assault Prompts Calls for Tougher Penalties

Caspian Sea

At Least Nine Kazakh Servicemen Killed During Caspian Sea Exercises

Religious Freedom

Why Central Asian Governments Are Regulating Religious Life

Kyrgyzstan is requiring bloggers and other social media users who publicly preach religion online to obtain a special certificate. The website of the National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations includes an application form for registration as a “religious preacher.” Nurgazy Kyrgyzbaev, a chief specialist at the agency, announced the measure on local radio. He said the requirement stems from the country’s new religion law, which introduced the legal category of “religious preacher.” “People who want to publicly call others to religion must obtain a special certificate. Their religious education will be considered first and foremost. Recently, people have...

Child Protection

Uzbekistan Considers Life Imprisonment for Child Sexual Offenses

Uzbekistan is considering life imprisonment for rape and certain other violent sexual offenses involving children under the age of 14. A bill introducing this penalty and other measures to protect minors has passed its first reading in the lower house of parliament. The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis approved the bill on September 29. It proposes lengthy prison terms or life imprisonment for these offenses. Under current law, the rape of a child under 14 is punishable by 15 to 20 years in prison. The proposed amendments would also eliminate certain limitation periods for sexual offenses against children, preventing...

Rule of Law

Uzbekistan Strikes Down Ten-Day Border Detention Without Court Approval

Uzbekistan’s Constitutional Court has struck down provisions allowing people accused of breaking border rules to be held for up to ten days without a judge’s approval. The decision followed complaints about detention beyond the constitution’s 48-hour limit. The court adopted its ruling on September 22. It took effect on September 25, removing the legal basis for extended detention periods. The case reached the court through parliamentary ombudsman Feruza Eshmatova. Her office received six complaints in 2025–2026 concerning alleged unlawful administrative detention lasting more than 48 hours, according to the court’s account of the case. The challenged provisions were part of...

Military Deaths

Deaths During Caspian Military Drills: Kazakhstan Investigates Commanders’ Actions

Fourteen servicemen in Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces were killed during military exercises on the Caspian Sea on September 24, and five Armed Forces officials were detained. On the same evening, around 100 relatives and Aktau residents gathered outside the city morgue as a serviceman read out the names of the dead. People demanded the chance to identify the bodies, and screams and crying could be heard after some names. September 25 was declared a day of national mourning in Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Defense later reported that 17 had been swept into the sea; three were rescued, one of whom was...

Environment

Rogun Dam

Tajikistan Ratifies $300 Million World Bank Grant for Rogun Dam

Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament has ratified a $300 million World Bank grant for the Rogun Hydropower Plant, providing fresh financing for the country’s largest infrastructure project. The agreement was approved on October 1. The funding comes from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s concessional financing arm for low-income countries. It will support continued construction and equipment installation, alongside safety and environmental safeguards and support for communities affected by resettlement. The World Bank approved the grant in June. Together with an earlier package, its approved financing for Rogun now totals $650 million. Tajikistan is also raising money from...

Chemical Safety

22 Uzbek Pupils Hospitalized After Cotton Field Spraying Near School

Water Security

Opinion: Chinese Firms Expand Their Role in Kyrgyzstan’s Water Infrastructure

Nature Investment

Opinion: Financing Nature: Why Biodiversity Investment Matters for Central Asia

Nuclear Waste

Central Asia Makes Progress on Uranium Cleanup, but Major Risks Remain

Water Governance

“Water Insecurity Is Not Experienced Equally”: Why Scarcity Is Also a Social Problem

A water crisis begins long before a river runs dry. Across Central and South Asia, retreating glaciers and the overuse of groundwater are putting supplies under growing pressure. Environmental sociologist Devendraraj Madhanagopal argues that the more revealing question is often who gets the water that remains. An assistant professor at XIM University’s School of Sustainability, Madhanagopal has studied climate adaptation among fishing communities on India’s southern coast. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia, he draws on that research to discuss why water scarcity can deepen social inequalities in the Aral Sea region. Giving local people more responsibility...

Satellites

Kyrgyzstan Prepares to Launch Its First Homegrown Satellite

Kyrgyzstan plans to launch its first domestically developed and assembled satellite in early October, according to the Agriculture Ministry. The spacecraft is intended to collect imagery of farmland, pastures, glaciers, and water resources. The Agriculture Ministry plans to use the data to assess crop conditions and yields, detect drought, and monitor water resources. The satellite has been under development for about two and a half years. Final preparations are underway in Bishkek, including assembling its main components, installing electronic equipment, and testing the system. The launch is scheduled to take place from California during the first week of October. Kyrgyz...

Japanese Investment

Japanese Investment Tackles Uzbekistan’s Aral Sea Crisis

Until recently, the rehabilitation center in Akmangit, a settlement in Karakalpakstan, relied on sewage trucks to remove wastewater. Although it receives about 3,500 patients with disabilities each year, the center had no sewer system. In March 2025, a Johkasou system, a compact Japanese unit that treats wastewater biologically, was installed at the center. The treated water can now be reused for irrigation instead of being hauled away. Similar systems were installed at a kindergarten and a specialized school. In their first four months of operation, the three units treated more than 16,400 cubic meters of wastewater. Although these installations are...

Aral Sea

From Solastalgia to Solutions: What the First Aral School Cohort Discovered in Karakalpakstan

“They are producing food in a place where people believe there is nothing,” said Martina Manterola. In Karakalpakstan, the autonomous republic in western Uzbekistan where the retreat of the Aral Sea has left large areas increasingly arid, farmers continue to grow crops, while fishing survives in pockets of water near Moynaq. The Mexican researcher and artist, whose work focuses on food systems, ecology, and feminism, spent six months in the region as one of 22 participants in the first Aral School, an interdisciplinary residency based in Nukus, the regional capital, that brought together postgraduate researchers and specialists working across architecture,...

Central Asia and Azerbaijan Head to Avaza for First Formal Summit

Latest

Features

Features

Religious Regulations, Russian Rehearsals, and the TCTC’s Regional Roadblocks

Latest

Dastan: Why Are Uzbekistan’s Snipers So Good?

Religious Regulations, Russian Rehearsals, and the TCTC’s Regional Roadblocks

Dastan: Why Are Uzbekistan’s Snipers So Good?

Opinions

Opinions

Eric Rudenshiold & S. Frederick Starr

Zabikhulla Saipov

Issatay Minuarov

Timur Serikuly

Javier M. Piedra

Mathieu Lemoine

Timur Serikuly

Zamirbek Minbaev

Askar Alimzhanov

Zamirbek Minbaev

Igor Klevtsov

Dr. Magsud Mammadov

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Industrial AI Reaches Kazakhstan’s Factories, but Many Projects Remain Experimental

China Accounts for Nearly Half of Foreign Direct Investment in Kyrgyzstan in 2025

World Bank Says Middle Corridor Needs More Than $55 Billion by 2040

Kazakhstan Plans Fourth Major Oil Refinery by 2033

EBRD Provides €38.4 Million for Digital Transformation of Uzbekistan Railways

Local Politics

Local Politics

Kyrgyzstan Aging Population Puts Growing Pressure on Pension System

Turkmenistan Marks 35 Years of Independence Amid Reports of Shortages

Kazakhstan Orders Military Overhaul After 14 Die in Caspian Drills

Kazakhstan Education Reform Puts 12th Grade Under Review

Uzbekistan’s Senate Approves Latin Alphabet Changes

International Affairs

International Affairs

India Says It Exported Akash Missile System to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan

Latvia Proposes Temporary Visa Suspension for Uzbek Citizens

Opinion: Building Bridges, Backing the Future: Why Entrepreneurs Must Connect Across Borders

Tokayev Seeks to Take Trump’s AI ‘Washington Model’ Global

Two Central Asian Satellites Reach Orbit on SpaceX Rocket

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

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

Central Asia Wins 186 Asian Games Medals as Uzbekistan Finishes Fifth

WADA Executive Committee to Meet in Astana Ahead of 2027 Anti-Doping Code

K-PARK: A Space for Memory, Gratitude, and Cooperation

Paleolithic Sites and Pamir Petroglyphs Added to Tajikistan UNESCO Tentative List

Justice

Justice

Ukrainian Woman Detained in Astana at Russia’s Request