The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

Transit shipments of Kazakh coal through Russia toward European markets fell by 97% in two months, from 1 million metric tons in August to 30,000 in October 2026, according to figures cited by economist Yernar Serik. Russian Railways approved no requests to ship Kazakh coal to Baltic ports for October...

Cove Kaz

U.S. Financing Uncertainty Emerges for Kazakhstan Tungsten Project

Corruption

Kazakhstan Detains Heads of Samruk-Kazyna and National Railways in Corruption Probe

Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB) has confirmed the detention of the heads of the state-owned Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund and the national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ). Nurlan Zhakupov and Yelzhas Otynshiyev are suspected of involvement in a corruption-related offense. Both organizations play a central role in Kazakhstan's economy:...

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

Solar Power Plant

Kyrgyzstan Floating Solar Plant Planned Amid Energy Shortages

Kyrgyzstan plans to build a 15 MW floating solar power plant on the reservoir at Hydropower Plant No. 5 (HPP-5), about 10 kilometers northeast of Bishkek, as the country seeks to reduce its dependence on electricity imports. Kyrgyzstan expects to import 4.1 billion kWh of electricity in 2026, about one-fifth of its projected consumption of 19.6 billion kWh. The country relies heavily on hydropower, leaving electricity supplies vulnerable to low reservoir levels. Energy officials have warned that shortages could occur during peak demand this winter. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) describes the proposed plant as Kyrgyzstan’s first utility-scale floating solar...

Precious Metals

Solidcore Tajikistan Agreement Targets Precious Metals Exploration

Livestock Farming

ADB Approves $60 Million Loan for Livestock Farming in Uzbekistan

Coal Transit

Russian Rail Curbs Put Up to $470 Million in Kazakh Coal Exports at Risk

Critical Minerals

Kazakhstan Highlights Mining and Processing Strengths at Washington B20 Summit

Credit Ratings

Karakalpakstan Credit Rating: Fitch Assigns BB- With Stable Outlook

Fitch Ratings has assigned Uzbekistan’s Republic of Karakalpakstan a long-term credit rating of BB- with a stable outlook. In its first assessment of the republic, Fitch cited Karakalpakstan’s reliance on central government transfers and its limited power to raise revenue or borrow. The November 11 rating is below investment grade and applies to borrowing in both foreign and local currencies. The agency also assigned the republic a short-term rating of B. Within Uzbekistan, the Jizzakh and Fergana regions both have BB- ratings with stable outlooks. Outside the country, Yerevan in Armenia and Konya Metropolitan Municipality in Türkiye share the same...

Energy Security

What Berlin Can Offer to Finance Kazakhstan’s Oil Routes

Kazakhstan has formally asked Russia to restore oil deliveries to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline after a six-month suspension. Russia suspended transit on May 1, citing unspecified technical constraints. Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said on November 4 that he had delivered the request personally. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chancellor Friedrich Merz had discussed increasing Kazakhstan’s oil supplies to Germany at their September 29 meeting in Berlin. Merz described Kazakhstani crude as a means of diversifying supplies after Germany stopped buying Russian oil. On November 6, Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said no deliveries to Germany were planned via Druzhba for November or...

Science Funding

Kazakhstan Science Funding Audit Finds 103 of 141 Projects Missed Sales Targets

Kazakhstan’s science ministry plans to revise how it measures the commercial success of publicly funded research. The Supreme Audit Chamber found that only 38 of 141 completed projects generated steady sales over the past three years. The other 103, worth a combined 22 billion tenge (about USD 49 million), missed their production and sales targets. Alikhan Smailov, the chamber’s chairman, presented the findings at a November 11 session of the Kurultai, Kazakhstan’s unicameral parliament. He said research institutions often cite publications, patents, and reports that a technology has been put to use as evidence of success. Auditors found no record...

Cove Kaz

U.S. Financing Uncertainty Emerges for Kazakhstan Tungsten Project

Two U.S. government lenders are not currently pursuing up to $1.6 billion in financing for a major tungsten project in Kazakhstan, raising questions about construction funding for a venture intended to supply critical minerals to American industry and defense. The U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) and U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) have no current plans to finance the project, according to a November 10 Reuters report. Developer Cove Kaz Capital Group maintains that work is proceeding on schedule and that it has not yet formally applied for construction financing. The proposed financing comprised up to $900 million from EXIM and...

Local Politics

Presidential Election

Japarov Warns of Ethnic Unrest Ahead of Kyrgyzstan’s Presidential Election

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov warned on November 12 that politicians were discussing ways to provoke violence between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan to disrupt the presidential election. In his Facebook post, he did not identify those allegedly involved or provide evidence for the claim. Two days earlier, Japarov filed an application to seek a second term with Kyrgyzstan’s Central Commission on Elections and Referenda. The election is scheduled for January 27, 2027. The warning comes amid growing restrictions on the opposition and independent media under Japarov, who has consolidated presidential power since taking office in 2021. Ahead of...

Corruption

Kazakhstan Detains Heads of Samruk-Kazyna and National Railways in Corruption Probe

Homelessness

Bishkek Homeless Shelters Prepare for Winter Amid Uncertainty Over Numbers

Energy Drinks

Japarov Orders Cabinet to Consider Kyrgyzstan Energy Drink Ban

Reshuffle

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

Teacher Shortages

Teachers in Tajikistan Get Pay Raises, but Schools Still Struggle to Staff Classrooms

In February 2026, parents at School No. 54 in Dushanbe told Asia-Plus that upper-grade classes taught in Russian had no mathematics teacher. One parent described a day when only two of five scheduled lessons took place. Less than two weeks earlier, Deputy Education Minister Ravshan Karimzoda had declared Tajikistan’s teacher shortage over. Between September 2025 and September 2026, the authorities raised teachers’ base salaries by a combined 62.5%. Despite a national recruitment drive, schools still reported shortages in key subjects. Dushanbe took part in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) for the first time in 2025. In each subject...

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

Privately owned outlets now account for 67% of Uzbekistan’s media, presidential press secretary Sherzod Asadov said at the third Uzbekistan-Russia Media Forum in Tashkent on November 9. He said internet coverage had reached 94% and discussed the development of digital content and the launch of what he described as Central Asia’s first national media bank, an online collection of photographs and videos. The forum was organized by the Uzbekistan National News Agency and Russia’s TASS news agency. Asadov identified journalist training, joint fact-checking, and the use of AI as areas for cooperation between the two countries. "Information attacks and fake...

Public Transport

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

The Kazakh authorities' grand plans to turn Almaty and its picturesque surroundings into Central Asia's next tourist mecca have run headlong into a public transportation crisis this fall. Almaty residents have been flooding social media with photos and videos of overcrowded buses and trolleybuses, saying they have not seen anything like this since the 1990s. But a closer look at the problem suggests that the current chaos is largely man-made. Almaty is a university city, so residents have long been accustomed to several months of crowded conditions each year. Public spaces, inexpensive cafés, and public transportation all become noticeably busier....

International Affairs

CSTO

CSTO Without Armenia: What Keeps Yerevan From Leaving and What the Summit Means for Central Asia

Armenia has effectively stopped participating in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) but has not formally withdrawn from the military alliance. At the November 11, 2026, summit in Moscow, Armenia lost its voting rights because of unpaid membership dues, while the CSTO's five other members — Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Belarus — agreed to develop collective aviation forces and mobile air defense units. Kazakh political analyst Maksim Kaznacheyev explained to The Times of Central Asia why Armenia's leadership is reluctant to sever ties with the CSTO and what the new military agreements could mean for Central Asian countries. Why...

CSTO

Russia Tries to Keep the CSTO Relevant in Central Asia

U.S.-Kazakh Partnership

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

Property Rights

Kyrgyzstan Border Settlements Bring Property Documents to Villagers

Observer Status

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

Cyber Espionage

Kazakhstan-Linked Hackers Used AI to Steal Tajik Defense Documents, Researchers Say

Hackers used AI to steal more than 2,000 documents that passed through Tajikistan’s Defense Ministry, according to cybersecurity firm CloudSEK. The company traced the theft to Silent Lynx, a group researchers have linked to Kazakhstan. The stolen documents included flight clearance requests, records of military personnel transfers, and reports on construction in border areas. In its November 11 report, the Singapore-based company said it had pieced together the operation from records on a server the hackers inadvertently left open to the public. Around mid-August, the group began using Hermes Agent, an open-source AI tool, to scout potential targets. A few...

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

Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have signed a framework agreement on fuel supplies as part of wider plans to expand cooperation in mining and manufacturing. Following talks between Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Emomali Rahmon in Astana on November 7, Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry reported that 20 cooperation documents were signed, while businesses from the two countries concluded 25 agreements worth a total of $2.5 billion. It is fuel supplies that are particularly important for Tajikistan. The country has substantial hydropower resources but depends on imported petroleum products, primarily from Russia. As The Times of Central Asia previously reported, Russia accounted for 72.3% of...

Aqaba Process

Uzbekistan Offers to Host Regional UN Counterterrorism Office at Astana Summit

Central Asian leaders and Jordan’s King Abdullah II met on November 6 to discuss how terrorist groups could use artificial intelligence to recruit members, coordinate their activities, and spread propaganda. At the Aqaba Process summit, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev offered to host a Central Asian office of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism. The proposed office would help Central Asian countries set up channels for reporting terrorist content and detect terrorist financing, according to the Uzbek presidential press service. Co-hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Abdullah II, it is the first time Central Asia has hosted the Aqaba Process....

Life & Culture

Podcast

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

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 the role of clusters in Uzbekistan's farming sector, which is key to understanding what Mirziyoyev's comments about farmers...

Central Asian Music

Meirambek Besbayev and the Dombra: Music That Connects Generations

Adoption

A Social Media Like Helps Reunite Kazakh Adoptee with His Birth Family

Uzbek Crafts

Uzbekistan Showcases Traditional Crafts at Design Doha

Samarkand Marathon

Petrov Leads Uzbekistan’s Athletes in Samarkand Marathon

Kazakhstan Tourism

Kazakhstan’s Charyn Canyon Ranks Among World’s Top 20 as Tourist Numbers Surge Fifteenfold

Charyn Canyon in southeastern Kazakhstan has ranked 17th in the Worldworthy 100: Canyons & Gorges 2026 international ranking. It was the only destination in Central Asia to make the list of 100 canyons and gorges across 46 countries. The Grand Canyon in the United States ranked fourth, while Letchworth Gorge in New York State took first place. Visitor numbers at Charyn Canyon have increased more than fifteenfold over the past five years, rising from 16,105 in 2020 to 249,928 in 2025. The number of visitors more than doubled from 117,793 in 2024. Charyn is located approximately 200 kilometers east of...

Kyrgyz Art

Bishkek’s Vanishing Spaces Through the Eyes of Artist Sonata Raiymkulova

On Abdymomunov Street in Bishkek, a café serves Qurt Mocha, a drink based on coffee, hot chocolate, and qurt, the local extra-salty Kyrgyz cheese. It’s easy to get addicted to it, and the presentation is aesthetic enough to make a captivating Instagram story. Perhaps it’s still a long way before this will become the next matcha latte, coveted by ‘it girls’ around the world, but certainly not for lack of trying on my part. “I always wanted to try this coffee shop,” artist Sonata Raiymkulova tells me. Elegant and slightly coy, she is certainly an ‘it girl’ of the Central...

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....

Justice

Anti-Corruption

Tokayev Moves to Tackle Corruption After Samruk-Kazyna and KTZ Arrests

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has described the detention of the heads of the Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund and the national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) as evidence of serious corruption problems within state-owned enterprises. Speaking at a Security Council meeting on November 13, he warned that such cases threaten Kazakhstan's international reputation and foreign partners' confidence in its largest companies. "This is an extremely serious signal of large-scale corruption in state-owned companies," Tokayev said. He emphasized that the inquiry had only just begun and that it was premature to disclose details. On November 11, the Anti-Corruption Service of Kazakhstan's...

Gas Safety

18 Dead in Suspected Carbon Monoxide Poisonings in Uzbekistan

Data Breaches

Hackers Walk Back Claim of Uzbekistan Data Leak Affecting 27 Million

Child Labor

Child Labor in Kyrgyzstan: Poverty and Gaps in Enforcement

Russia's War in Ukraine

Tajik Prisoners in Russia Say They Face Pressure to Fight in Ukraine

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

Kazakhstan’s Victims Compensation Fund has collected more than 9.3 billion tenge ($20.6 million) over eight years but paid out only about 9% of that amount to crime victims. Snezhanna Imasheva, a member of the Kurultai, Kazakhstan’s unicameral parliament, has proposed increasing compensation payments or expanding eligibility. On November 4, Imasheva submitted a parliamentary inquiry to the prosecutor general and the ministers of internal affairs and finance. She cited Finance Ministry figures showing that around 5,500 victims had received just over 855 million tenge ($1.9 million) by July 2026, while approximately 8.5 billion tenge ($18.8 million) remained in the fund. The...

Cybercrime

Kazakhstan Proposes UN Cybercrime Center in Astana

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has proposed establishing a regional center of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Astana to combat cybercrime across Eurasia. The proposal includes specialist training and the sharing of information on cyber threats and investigative practices. Interior Minister Yerzhan Sadenov presented the plans at a cybercrime conference in Astana on November 4. The ministry said delegates from 27 other countries attended and that United Nations leadership had supported the initiative in principle. Sadenov cited online fraud, in which a suspect and a victim can be in different countries while stolen money passes through accounts in...

Extremism

Kazakhstan Detains Ten Over Alleged Plot to Change Constitutional Order

Kazakhstan's security service has detained ten people in the western city of Atyrau over an alleged plan to change the constitutional order by force. Investigators also say the suspects operated three underground educational centers for children and teenagers. The National Security Committee (KNB) announced on November 2 that the arrests took place on October 30. The operation was coordinated with the prosecutor's office, and all ten suspects were detained simultaneously. Investigators suspect the detainees of creating, leading, or participating in an extremist group. The allegations also include promoting terrorism and inciting religious discord. According to the KNB, the group sought...

Environment

Air Pollution

Kyrgyzstan’s Junda Oil Refinery Faces Pollution Complaints During $194 Million Upgrade

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said his government would consider relocating residents of Kara-Balta if living near the Junda oil refinery was harming their health. A resident had asked him to close the Chinese-owned plant or require better pollution controls. At the November 8 meeting in Kara-Balta, about 60 kilometers west of Bishkek, the woman described cases of allergies, hair loss, and high blood pressure that residents associated with the refinery. Japarov defended keeping the plant open, saying Kyrgyzstan needed to develop its industries and produce more of its own fuel. In a November 11 response, Junda said its modernization project...

Aral Sea

Uzbekistan Announces $3.3 Billion in Aral Sea Projects

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

COP31

Uzbekistan Proposes Regional Disaster Warning System at COP31

Uzbekistan has proposed establishing a joint early warning system for natural disasters in Central Asia. The plan also calls for greater climate data sharing and coordinated efforts to fund land restoration. The initiative was presented by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on November 11 at the COP31 leaders' summit, part of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Antalya, Türkiye. “No country can address the challenges of climate change on its own,” Mirziyoyev said. Mirziyoyev proposed beginning with the exchange of information on climate risks, supported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The next step would be to establish common indicators for...

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,...

Tokayev Moves to Tackle Corruption After Samruk-Kazyna and KTZ Arrests

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 Floating Solar Plant Planned Amid Energy Shortages

Karakalpakstan Credit Rating: Fitch Assigns BB- With Stable Outlook

What Berlin Can Offer to Finance Kazakhstan’s Oil Routes

Kazakhstan Science Funding Audit Finds 103 of 141 Projects Missed Sales Targets

U.S. Financing Uncertainty Emerges for Kazakhstan Tungsten Project

Local Politics

Local Politics

Japarov Warns of Ethnic Unrest Ahead of Kyrgyzstan’s Presidential Election

Teachers in Tajikistan Get Pay Raises, but Schools Still Struggle to Staff Classrooms

Kyrgyzstan Presidential Election: Sadyr Japarov Seeks Second Term

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

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

International Affairs

International Affairs

CSTO Without Armenia: What Keeps Yerevan From Leaving and What the Summit Means for Central Asia

Kazakhstan-Linked Hackers Used AI to Steal Tajik Defense Documents, Researchers Say

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

Kazakhstan Tajikistan Sign Fuel Supply and Mining Agreements

Uzbekistan Offers to Host Regional UN Counterterrorism Office at Astana Summit

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

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

Kazakhstan’s Charyn Canyon Ranks Among World’s Top 20 as Tourist Numbers Surge Fifteenfold

Bishkek’s Vanishing Spaces Through the Eyes of Artist Sonata Raiymkulova

Kazakh Race Walker Stripped of Asian Games Gold Over Shoes Receives State Award

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina Withdraws from WTA Finals

Justice

Justice

Tokayev Moves to Tackle Corruption After Samruk-Kazyna and KTZ Arrests