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...

Afghanistan

From Electricity to Fuel, Central Asia is Doing More Business with Afghanistan

Caspian Green Energy Corridor

Kazakh Parliament Backs Caspian Green Energy Corridor Linking Central Asia to Europe

Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament, has ratified a strategic partnership agreement with Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan on cooperation in green energy production and transmission. The agreement involved the construction of a high-voltage power cable along the seabed of the Caspian Sea. Speaking at a plenary session, Energy Minister Yerlan...

EAEU

Growing Trade Disputes Test the Eurasian Economic Union

Trade disputes within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) are as old as its creation. Restrictions on the import and export of certain goods have long been common practice. However, analysts increasingly warn that tensions have reached a point at which the organization risks losing its core function, ensuring the free...

Sunkar Podcast

Central Asia and the Troubled Southern Route

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Opinions

Opinion: Islamic State Khorasan Province and the Strategic Risks for Central Asia

Aidar Borangaziyev

Opinion: Mirziyoyev in Washington – New Deals Expected Amidst Peace Diplomacy

Javier M. Piedra

Opinion – The “Board of Peace” and Afghan Diplomacy: A View from Kabul

Dr. Bismillah Mangal

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Referendum – Strategic Reset or Institutional Consolidation?

Raza Syed

Opinion: Afghanistan and Central Asia – Security Without Illusions

Aidar Borangaziyev

Opinion: The New Silk Road to the Sea – Connecting Central Asia to Karachi and Gwadar

Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo & Engineer Arshad H. Abbasi

Breaking into Project Vault: A U.S. Role for Central Asia’s Strategic Minerals

Dr. Eric Rudenshiold

Opinion: Tokayev’s National Kurultai Address: A Moral Message, Not a Political One

Javier M. Piedra

Opinion: Central Asia–Japan Summit Signals Shift in Eurasian Geoeconomics — and Russia’s Waning Role

Anvar Nazirov

Opinion: Iranian Unrest Creates Opening for U.S., Partners in Central Asia

Nilaya Magidish

Opinion: Prospects for Central Asia’s Access to Persian Gulf Infrastructure

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: Is Uzbekistan Importing a Future Crisis?

William Cui

Business & Economy

agriculture

Spring Sowing Begins in Kyrgyzstan as Officials Stress Food Security

Spring sowing has begun in Kyrgyzstan, where agricultural crops are expected to be planted on a total of 1.25 million hectares in 2026, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry. Of this area, about 818,000 hectares are irrigated land and 432,000 hectares are rainfed. As of March 12, sowing was underway in the southern regions of Osh, Jalal-Abad, and Batken, as well as in the Chui Valley. Fieldwork has not yet started in the colder regions of Talas, Issyk-Kul, and Naryn. Farmers have so far planted grain crops, including wheat and barley, along with potatoes and...

Economy

Tokayev: Kazakhstan’s GDP Could Reach $320 Billion by End of 2026

Crypto assets

Timur Suleimenov Advances Tokayev Crypto Reserve Plan with $350M Portfolio

Caspian Green Energy Corridor

Kazakh Parliament Backs Caspian Green Energy Corridor Linking Central Asia to Europe

Oil Production

Kazakhstan May Miss Record Oil Output Target in 2026 Amid Infrastructure Disruptions

Nuclear Power Plant

IAEA to Review Uzbekistan Nuclear Power Project in 2026

A mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to visit Uzbekistan in the second half of 2026 to assess progress on the country’s nuclear power plant project, according to Uzbekistan’s Atomic Energy Agency (Uzatom). Preparations for the visit were discussed during a meeting between Uzatom Director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. Uzbek officials said the talks focused on expanding cooperation in nuclear energy and reviewing progress under a joint roadmap aimed at deepening collaboration. According to Uzatom, Grossi noted Uzbekistan’s efforts to develop nuclear energy in line with international standards and IAEA recommendations. He...

Employment

Kazakhstan Authorities Acknowledge Gap Between Real Scale of Shadow Employment and Official Data

Kazakhstan’s authorities have acknowledged a significant discrepancy between official estimates of informal employment and administrative data, highlighting the scale of the country’s shadow labor market. Minister of Labor and Social Protection Askarbek Yertaev said the actual number of people working outside the formal economy could be almost three times higher than indicated by official statistics. He made the statement during a Senate meeting devoted to regional development issues. Presenting the ministry’s assessment of informal employment, Yertaev noted that out of a workforce of 9.7 million people, only 6.7 million made mandatory pension contributions at least once in 2025. Of these,...

Afghanistan

From Electricity to Fuel, Central Asia is Doing More Business with Afghanistan

Central Asia is becoming even more important to Afghanistan. After the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, most of the countries of Central Asia established a dialogue with its leadership that focused on business potential, backed up by security promises. This understanding is more important than ever to the Taliban government, as events along Afghanistan’s eastern and western borders have left Central Asia as the only reliable import-export route for Afghanistan at the moment. Booming Trade At the start of March, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce released figures for 2025 that showed trade with Central Asia increased from...

electricity

Kyrgyzstan Plans Gradual Electricity Tariff Increases to Address Energy Sector Deficit

Kyrgyzstan will raise household electricity tariffs starting May 1, as part of a broader reform program aimed at reducing subsidies and bringing tariffs closer to the actual cost of power generation. Under the new policy, the household tariff will increase by approximately $0.003 per kilowatt-hour, reaching $0.018 per kWh. According to the Ministry of Energy, tariffs are expected to continue rising each May until at least 2030, when they are projected to fully cover production costs. The government has outlined a tentative schedule for further increases: 2027: rise of about $0.004 per kWh 2028: rise of about $0.0045 per kWh...

Local Politics

Constitution

Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Referendum Opens the Door to Major Institutional Reform

Kazakhstan will hold its constitutional referendum on March 15 on a draft that would replace the current bicameral parliamentary structure, restore the vice presidency, and reset the legal framework for the country’s post-2022 political order. The Central Referendum Commission has presented the vote as procedurally ready. On February 20, Qazinform reported that the commission had briefed the OSCE/ODIHR mission on preparations, saying infrastructure upgrades at all polling stations were complete, that voter lists included 12,416,759 eligible citizens, and that online services would allow voters to check their registration status. The same report said that public information efforts were underway across...

Deportation

Deportation Flight from U.S. Returns 65 Nationals to Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan Referendum

Kazakhstan Reduces Number of Overseas Polling Stations for Referendum

Criminal Code

Kazakh Politician Proposes Softer Punishment for Citizens Who Join Foreign Military Conflicts

Agriculture

Farmers, Courts, and Investors: Examining Recent Land Disputes in Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan Referendum

Kazakhstan Faces Landmark Constitutional Referendum

On March 15, citizens will vote in a nationwide referendum on sweeping constitutional amendments that could significantly reshape Kazakhstan’s political system. Kazakhstan’s Constitution has undergone periodic revision since independence, with changes adopted in 1998, 2007, 2011, 2017, 2019, and most recently in 2022, when 56 amendments to the basic law were approved in a national referendum. According to official statements, the proposed draft would affect about 84% of the Constitution, making it the most extensive revision in the country’s modern history. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has described the proposed document as “essentially a new Constitution.” At the same time, the draft...

Children's Rights

The Children of Kazakhstan Concept: Reality and Barriers to Implementation

The 2026-2030 Children of Kazakhstan Concept, approved by the Kazakh government, introduces new standards for the protection of children’s rights. The document is largely based on modern international approaches to social policy. However, its implementation may face a number of systemic barriers characteristic of Kazakhstan’s institutional environment. Honest Acknowledgment of Problems The authors of the concept do not attempt to downplay existing challenges. The document openly recognises serious issues in the field of child protection. In 2024, 2,693 crimes against minors were registered. In 2025, the figure stood at 2,603. Of these, nearly 900 cases involved sexual abuse. Particularly alarming...

Senate Central Asia Caucus

Daines Retirement Leaves Uncertainty for Senate Central Asia Caucus

Senator Steve Daines has announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026, a decision that could have implications for congressional initiatives focused specifically on Central Asia. Daines has been among the most active advocates in Congress for strengthening U.S. engagement with the region, particularly on trade policy and economic cooperation with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2024, Daines partnered with Democratic Senator Gary Peters to launch the U.S. Senate Central Asia Caucus, a bipartisan forum intended to raise the region’s profile in Washington and encourage cooperation on trade, investment, and security. The initiative reflected growing interest in...

Pink Tax

Gender Pricing and Tax Policy in Kazakhstan: Does a “Pink Tax” Exist?

Women often pay more for everyday goods, from hygiene products to personal care services. In public discourse in Kazakhstan, this phenomenon is often referred to as the “pink tax.” But does such a tax exist, or are these differences the result of market pricing strategies? Is a “Pink Tax” Recognized Under Kazakhstan’s Tax Code? If understood literally as a separate levy established in the Tax Code, the so-called “pink tax” does not exist in Kazakhstan. The country’s tax system includes corporate and individual income taxes, value-added tax (VAT), excise duties, social tax, property taxes, and other mandatory payments. There is...

International Affairs

Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov

Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov’s U.S. and Germany Trip Draws Attention to Diplomatic Reshuffle

In mid-February, Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, former president of Turkmenistan and current chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (the People's Council of Turkmenistan), visited the United States. State media reported extensively on the trip, although some details of the visit and its outcomes were not publicly clarified. Shortly after Berdymuhamedov’s return, President Serdar Berdymuhamedov, his son, dismissed Turkmenistan’s ambassador to the United States and the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations. No official explanation for the change was provided. According to official reports, Berdymuhamedov held meetings with executives of Nicklaus Companies, including its leadership, as well as representatives of the Turkmenistan-U.S. Business...

EAEU

Growing Trade Disputes Test the Eurasian Economic Union

Tajik-Afghan Border

China to Fund Construction of Nine Border Facilities in Tajikistan Near Afghanistan

Middle East Crisis

Kazakhstan Condemns Missile, Drone Strikes from Iran on UAE

Middle East Crisis

Uzbekistan Repatriates Over 21,700 Citizens from Middle East

Uzbek Diaspora

Uzbek Woman Killed in Traffic Accident in New York

A citizen of Uzbekistan has died following a traffic accident in New York City. The incident occurred on March 10 and resulted in the death of 31-year-old Nilufar Komilova, according to Uzbekistan’s state news agency Dunyo. Preliminary information cited by the agency indicates that the accident involved a dump truck operated by the New York City Department of Transportation. The crash took place in the Kew Gardens neighborhood in the borough of Queens. Police told the New York Daily News that Komilova was struck by a yellow Mack dump truck as it made a right turn from Metropolitan Avenue onto...

Israel

Uzbekistan-Born Israeli Citizen Killed in Rocket Strike Near Tel Aviv

A 62-year-old man born in Uzbekistan was killed in a rocket strike at a construction site in the Israeli city of Yehud on March 9, according to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Israel. The victim, Rustam Gulomov, had been living in Israel for the past 14 years. The embassy stated that he renounced his Uzbek citizenship in 2017 and subsequently obtained Israeli citizenship. Information about the incident first appeared in several media reports and on social media following the rocket attack on the construction site where Gulomov was working. The embassy later confirmed his identity and expressed condolences to his...

Kyrgyz-Chinese Border

Kyrgyzstan Launches Electronic Queuing System for Trucks at China Border

Kyrgyzstan’s State Customs Service has launched a pilot electronic queuing system for trucks at the Torugart border crossing in the Naryn region on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border. According to the Customs Service, the system is designed to streamline truck flows and reduce congestion that previously formed near the crossing. Queues of heavy vehicles sometimes stretched for up to 25 kilometres, placing significant strain on road infrastructure and negatively affecting the environment around Lake Chatyr-Kul. The new system allows transport operators to pre-register trucks for border clearance. Vehicles are directed to the checkpoint from a designated waiting area in accordance with their...

Organization of Turkic States (OTS)

Informal OTS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Tests Limits of Turkic Coordination

Escalating tensions linked to the widening conflict in the Middle East have tested the political cohesion of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), according to Kazakh political commentator Dzhanibek Suleyev. Recent incidents affecting both Azerbaijan and Turkey — including drone strikes in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and a missile intercepted by Turkish air defenses — have raised security concerns across the wider region. Suleyev argues that developments of this scale might normally prompt an urgent summit of heads of state. Instead, Turkey convened an informal meeting of foreign ministers and senior diplomatic representatives from OTS member states. The gathering took...

Life & Culture

Labor Migration

Private Employment Agencies Expand Overseas Recruitment of Kyrgyz Migrants

Private recruitment agencies that arrange overseas employment for Kyrgyz citizens contributed about $230,000 in tax payments to the state budget last year, according to data published on the Open Budget portal. At the same time, some migrants say that working conditions abroad do not always match the promises made by intermediaries. Kyrgyz media report that 159 companies in the country currently hold official licences to facilitate employment abroad. While Russia remains the main destination for labor migration, interest in jobs in Europe and Southeast Asia has increased in recent years. Kyrgyz citizens can seek employment abroad through the Ministry of...

Podcast

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

Turkic languages

Uzbek Scholar Proposes Unified Writing System for Turkic Languages

Kyrgyz Art

Munara Abdukakharova: Stories of Art, Identity, and Political Memory from Kyrgyzstan

Chess

Uzbek Grandmaster Abdusattorov Wins in Prague: “I Was Always in Control.”

Tennis

Old Bublik? Classic Bublik? Kazakhstani Tennis Player Loses in California

It wasn’t so much the loss that alarmed some tennis fans, but the racket smash. After stellar results since mid-2025 that propelled him into the top 10, Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik went out in the round of 32 at the Indian Wells tennis tournament to Rinky Hijikata, who is ranked outside the top 100. Bublik faded in the third after two tiebreaks, losing 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 6-3 to the Australian qualifier in the southern California desert on Monday. But a moment that distracted from the shot-making came when Hijikata tied the match at the end of the second set, hitting a smash...

Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity Rising in Tajikistan and Across Central Asia, Report Warns

The number of overweight and obese children in Tajikistan is increasing, raising concerns among international researchers who warn that the trend could lead to serious health problems at an early age and requires urgent preventive action. According to the World Obesity Atlas 2026, around 12,000 children aged 5-9 in Tajikistan are overweight or obese. Among adolescents aged 10-19, the figure is estimated at approximately 20,000. Researchers note that the consequences of an elevated body mass index can emerge early in life. Among affected children and adolescents, about 2,000 are estimated to show signs of hypertension, roughly 1,000 may have elevated blood...

Frankfurt Book Fair

Frankfurt Book Fair Director: Kazakhstan Could Become Future Guest of Honor

In recent years, Kazakhstan has become increasingly active at the Frankfurter Buchmesse, the Frankfurt Book Fair. Each year, a national stand brings together publishers and literary institutions that engage with international partners and expand professional networks. Participation in this global event has supported a range of initiatives aimed at introducing Kazakh literature and culture to a broader international audience. On this occasion, we spoke with Juergen Boos, Director of the Frankfurter Buchmesse, about opportunities for entering the global publishing market and the significance of becoming a Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair. TCA: As the world’s largest book...

Sports

Kazakh Boxer Alimkhanuly Stripped of One of His Two Championship Titles

Kazakh boxer Zhanibek Alimkhanuly has been stripped of one of his two middleweight world championship titles following a doping case but has retained his second belt. The athlete will be eligible to return to the ring at the end of 2026 after serving a one-year suspension. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, in December last year Alimkhanuly found himself at the center of a doping controversy less than a week before one of the most important fights of his career, a unification bout for three middleweight (up to 72.6 kg) titles against Cuban boxer Erislandi Lara. At...

Justice

Police

Tajik Police to Patrol Dushanbe on Electric Scooters

Police officers in Dushanbe have been equipped with electric scooters to patrol the streets of the Tajik capital. The Ministry of Internal Affairs said the initiative is intended to improve police efficiency and strengthen public safety. “In order to enhance security and maintain public order, police officers in the capital have been provided with electric patrol scooters,” the ministry said in an official statement. The new scooters are fitted with special equipment required for law enforcement duties, including signal beacons and sound systems. According to the ministry, the scooters can travel up to 100 kilometers on a single charge, making...

FLEX Exchange Program

Uzbek FLEX Finalist Returns Home After Alleged Harassment by Host Father in Indiana

India

Delhi Police Arrest Man After Large Theft Targeting Uzbek Visitor

Legal System

Why Tajikistan’s Courts Rarely Hand Down Acquittals

Crime

Uzbekistan’s 2026 Reform Program Introduces Life Imprisonment for Pedophilia

Justice

Mirziyoyev: Violence Against Women and Children Will Not Be Tolerated in Uzbekistan

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced tougher measures against violence toward women and children, and unveiled new economic and education programs aimed at expanding opportunities for women across Uzbekistan. Speaking on March 6 at a ceremony in Tashkent marking International Women’s Day, the president referred to a decree he signed on March 3 that strengthens the country’s response to domestic violence. According to remarks reported by Uzbek media and the presidential press service, the decree introduces a stricter system for addressing harassment and violence against women and minors. Mirziyoyev said Uzbekistan has adopted the creation of an uncompromising environment against violence...

Extradition

Kazakhstan Suspends Extradition of Navalny Associate as Courts Weigh Asylum Claim

Kazakhstan has suspended the extradition of Yulia Yemelyanova, a former staff member of Alexei Navalny’s St. Petersburg office, to Russia. Yemelyanova was detained in Almaty in August 2025 after the Russian authorities requested her transfer. The Prosecutor General’s Office halted the extradition after her lawyers filed appeals linked to her asylum claim. Earlier this month, authorities approved Russia’s request despite her pending asylum application. Her lawyer subsequently stated that he would challenge that approval before the Supreme Court. Russian investigators have accused Yemelyanova of theft linked to a 2021 case. Her defense rejects the charge and argues that the prosecution...

U.S. Sanctions

U.S. Sanctions Uzbek Citizen Over Alleged Cybercrime Links

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on an Uzbek citizen over alleged involvement in cybercrime activities linked to Russian actors, according to an official press release published on the agency’s website. OFAC reported that Azizjon Mamashoyev, a citizen of Uzbekistan born in 1987, was added to the sanctions list under regulations related to Russia-linked activities. U.S. authorities allege that he participated in cyber operations and maintained connections with individuals suspected of conducting malicious cyber activities. The announcement included identifying details, listing Mamashoyev’s date of birth as February 20, 1987, and confirming...

Social Media

Opinion: Tajikistan Narrows Online Extremism Liability — Debate Intensifies in Uzbekistan

Tajikistan’s Prosecutor General has reported a decrease in terrorist and extremist crimes. Officials attributed the decrease to the easing of penalties for “likes” and shares on the internet, which came into force in early May 2025, when the authorities stated that “liking” certain types of online materials and sharing them on social networks would no longer, in themselves, constitute a criminal offense. From 2018 onward, criminal liability was applied to the distribution, storage, or public endorsement of materials deemed extremist or prohibited. According to human rights groups, more than 1,500 Tajiks were imprisoned under the policy. Following recent changes, however, Prosecutor...

Environment

“Acid clouds” from Iran? Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Weather Agencies Say There is No Threat to Central Asia

Social media has been flooded with claims that a toxic cloud could drift from Iran toward Central Asia following strikes on oil facilities. However, the meteorological services of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan say those fears are not supported by scientific data. In recent days, posts online have warned of so-called “acid clouds” allegedly forming over Iran after attacks on oil depots and other energy infrastructure. Some of these posts claimed the pollution could be carried by atmospheric currents toward Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and China. Others cited reports of “black rain” in Tehran and elevated concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and...

Nature Reserves

Kazakhstan Plans to Expand Nature Reserves by Two Million Hectares by 2035

Nature Reserve

What Is Happening to Tajikistan’s Main Nature Reserve?

Water Scarcity

Central Asia and the Global Water Crisis: A Test of Governance and Cooperation

Earthquakes

New Earthquake Jolts Almaty, Highlighting Central Asia’s Seismic Threat

Water Management

Uzbekistan Allocates $49 Million to Prevent Water Shortages and Upgrade Canals

Uzbekistan will allocate 600 billion UZS (about $49 million) this year to improve water management and reduce the risk of shortages, according to a presidential decision issued on March 5. The funding will support additional measures aimed at using water resources more efficiently and preparing for potential water scarcity during the irrigation season. Under the plan, most of the funds will be directed toward modernizing irrigation infrastructure. The government intends to reconstruct and concrete 389 kilometers of irrigation canals that currently experience high levels of water loss. Officials say these improvements could help save an average of 206 million cubic...

Environmental Pollution

Uzbekistan Introduces Incentives for Major Industrial Polluters to Reduce Environmental Impact

Uzbekistan’s government has approved new measures aimed at encouraging large industrial enterprises to reduce their environmental footprint. Resolution No. 85 establishes regulations to incentivize environmental impact reduction efforts by industrial enterprises classified as Category I and Category II facilities based on their level of environmental impact. These categories include enterprises considered to have significant or moderate effects on the natural environment. Under the new framework, incentives will be introduced in two stages. At the first stage, an enterprise that installs a background air pollution monitoring station will be eligible for relief from previously assessed outstanding compensation payments for environmental damage....

Environment

Environmental Damage Assessed at Ritz-Carlton Tashkent Construction Site

More than a dozen valuable trees have been cut down at the construction site of the Ritz-Carlton Tashkent in central Tashkent, according to Rasul Kusherbayev, adviser to the chairman of Uzbekistan’s Ecology and Climate Change Committee. Kusherbayev stated that the trees were removed from an area adjacent to the National Park in Tashkent. According to preliminary information, the felling was carried out in violation of the existing moratorium on cutting valuable tree species. He added that authorities are still determining whether additional trees were cut at the site. The land plot was reportedly allocated to Azerbaijani investors for the project....

Wildlife Conservation

Uzbekistan Strengthens Protection of Argali Sheep and Other Rare Species

Uzbekistan is intensifying conservation efforts in its protected areas, with new data indicating a stable population of its endangered wild sheep, the Kyzylkum argali, in the Nurata State Nature Reserve. According to the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, the reserve is currently home to approximately 1,700-1,800 argali, also known as Severtsov’s wild sheep. Monitoring data collected in recent years show that the population has remained stable, highlighting the effectiveness of ongoing conservation and protection measures. The Kyzylkum argali is classified as an endangered species. It is listed in the national Red Book, included in the International Union for...

Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Referendum Opens the Door to Major Institutional Reform

Latest

Features

Features

Iran, Air Strikes and Central Asia’s Strategic Dilemma

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

Aidar Borangaziyev

Javier M. Piedra

Dr. Bismillah Mangal

Raza Syed

Aidar Borangaziyev

Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo & Engineer Arshad H. Abbasi

Dr. Eric Rudenshiold

Javier M. Piedra

Anvar Nazirov

Nilaya Magidish

Timur Serikuly

William Cui

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Spring Sowing Begins in Kyrgyzstan as Officials Stress Food Security

IAEA to Review Uzbekistan Nuclear Power Project in 2026

Kazakhstan Authorities Acknowledge Gap Between Real Scale of Shadow Employment and Official Data

From Electricity to Fuel, Central Asia is Doing More Business with Afghanistan

Kyrgyzstan Plans Gradual Electricity Tariff Increases to Address Energy Sector Deficit

Local Politics

Local Politics

Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Referendum Opens the Door to Major Institutional Reform

Kazakhstan Faces Landmark Constitutional Referendum

The Children of Kazakhstan Concept: Reality and Barriers to Implementation

Daines Retirement Leaves Uncertainty for Senate Central Asia Caucus

Gender Pricing and Tax Policy in Kazakhstan: Does a “Pink Tax” Exist?

International Affairs

International Affairs

Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov’s U.S. and Germany Trip Draws Attention to Diplomatic Reshuffle

Uzbek Woman Killed in Traffic Accident in New York

Uzbekistan-Born Israeli Citizen Killed in Rocket Strike Near Tel Aviv

Kyrgyzstan Launches Electronic Queuing System for Trucks at China Border

Informal OTS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Tests Limits of Turkic Coordination

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Private Employment Agencies Expand Overseas Recruitment of Kyrgyz Migrants

Old Bublik? Classic Bublik? Kazakhstani Tennis Player Loses in California

Childhood Obesity Rising in Tajikistan and Across Central Asia, Report Warns

Frankfurt Book Fair Director: Kazakhstan Could Become Future Guest of Honor

Kazakh Boxer Alimkhanuly Stripped of One of His Two Championship Titles

Justice

Justice

Tajik Police to Patrol Dushanbe on Electric Scooters