The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

Kazakh protective amulets incorporating family photographs are among the works on display at HIMOYA: Matrilineal Energies, Oracular Kin at the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture in Almaty. Elsewhere, a pregnant bird-woman stands at the boundary between life and death. Artists from Central Asia and beyond explore how inherited beliefs and...

Russia's War in Ukraine

Ukraine Says More Than 20,400 Central Asians Signed Russian Army Contracts

Middle Corridor

Kazakhstan Expands Middle Corridor Fleet as Caspian Sea Levels Fall

Economic Growth

Kyrgyzstan Economic Growth: Government Targets 8% Annually

Kyrgyzstan has set a target of average annual real GDP growth of at least 8% and a 20% annual increase in foreign direct investment inflows through the end of 2030. Bishkek aims to achieve these goals by developing export-oriented industries, expanding transport routes, and attracting international capital. While recent international...

Start-ups

Maksim Stepanenko’s Path from Kyrgyzstan to Silicon Valley

Art and Culture

Threading a New Canon: Interview with Batima Zaurbekova

U.S.-Uzbekistan Relations

Uzbekistan’s U.S. Package: What Supports the $12 Billion Figure?

Uzbekistan announced a package of 54 agreements and prospective initiatives that it valued at about $12 billion during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Samarkand on October 19. The Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade lists engine supplies from GE Aerospace for new Uzbekistan Airways aircraft as part...

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

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Dastan
Short Stories from the Region

Dastan: Turkmenistan Takes to the Desert in Rally Cars

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Opinions

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

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

Business & Economy

Huang Backs Kazakhstan’s AI Plans as NVIDIA Expands Partnerships

NVIDIA is expanding its partnerships in Kazakhstan as the country draws on its energy resources, engineering talent, and industrial base to develop AI computing facilities and deploy advanced technology in mining, manufacturing, robotics, and other industries. Kazakhtelecom has already installed NVIDIA processors, while much larger projects involving Firebird and Freedom Holding are under development. On October 23, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang made his first visit to Kazakhstan, at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister Zhaslan Madiyev. Huang met President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and discussed computing investment, robotics, and technology development with government and business leaders. “I commend you for...

Logistics

Kazakhstan and China Plan Cross-Border Driverless Truck Trials

Economic Growth

Kyrgyzstan Economic Growth: Government Targets 8% Annually

Nuclear Energy

U.S. Promotes Small Nuclear Reactors in Uzbekistan

Taxi Competition

Yandex Go Outage Boosts Rival Taxi Services in Uzbekistan

Gas Exports

At Ashgabat Conference, Turkmenistan Seeks Wider Gas Export Markets

About 700 foreign participants attended an annual oil and gas conference in Turkmenistan, a 40% increase over the previous year, according to one of the organizers. Chinese and Malaysian firms had an especially strong presence. The three-day conference, titled Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan 2026, ended on Friday. It came as the global energy industry faced volatility and supply disruptions linked to conflict in the Middle East and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit corridor for international energy markets. The number of foreign participants at the conference in Ashgabat was a “record,” according to Nazar...

Middle Corridor

Kazakhstan Expands Middle Corridor Fleet as Caspian Sea Levels Fall

Containers are piling up on Kazakhstan's Caspian coast as they await shipment to Azerbaijan. A shortage of vessels and weather-related restrictions are delaying cargo along the Middle Corridor, a trade route connecting China and Europe while bypassing Russia. Kazakhstan plans to acquire five vessels and has ordered another six to expand maritime freight capacity. At the same time, falling Caspian Sea levels are limiting how much cargo existing ships can carry and complicating port operations. Yerkin Nygmetov, CEO of KTZ Express Shipping, described the container backlog at the New Silk Way international transport forum, held in Astana on October 15–16....

Start-ups

Maksim Stepanenko’s Path from Kyrgyzstan to Silicon Valley

Maksim Stepanenko’s career has taken him from Aydarken in southern Kyrgyzstan to Silicon Valley. After co-founding Operator, an artificial intelligence startup acquired by OpenAI, he chose to step away rather than join the buyer. Stepanenko told The Times of Central Asia that he is now taking time off and working on new projects. From Aydarken to MIT Stepanenko was born in Aydarken, in Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region. Before entering university, he represented the country at the International Physics Olympiad. He received an honorable mention in Singapore in 2006, a silver medal in Iran in 2007, and a bronze in Vietnam in...

Logistics

Kazakhstan’s Warehouse Market Faces Mismatch Between Supply and Demand

Central Asia is seeking a larger role in trade between China and Europe by offering alternative shipping routes that bypass Russia. However, growing interest in transit has not been matched by balanced development of warehouse infrastructure. Some transport hubs face shortages of modern facilities, while others have vacant space. For international freight operators and retailers, this means additional costs. For investors, it raises the risk of financing warehouses that may struggle to attract tenants. These contradictions were discussed on October 15 in Almaty at the Central Asia Warehouse Summit 2026, organized by consulting firm IBC Global. The summit brought together...

Local Politics

Public Service

Opinion: I Spent 15 Years in Government. Here Is What the State Can Learn Next

Zhandos Sabit spent more than 15 years in Kazakhstan’s public service, including the Ministry of National Economy, a regional akimat, and the Prosecutor General’s Office. He now works in the private sector. In March 2014, I went to a meeting in Astana on the development of the machine-building industry. It was held at the then Ministry of Industry and New Technologies. Officials from central and local bodies came, along with the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs and several business owners. I was there as a representative of a state body. When the entrepreneurs began to talk about problems in the industry...

Children’s Health

International Network Launched to Support Childhood Cancer Care in Uzbekistan

LRT

Almaty Builds New Tram Line as Residents Question Costs and Delays

Public Transport

Bishkek Metro Plans Resurface Despite High Costs and Low Demand

Agricultural Trade

Kyrgyzstan Proposes Apple and Potato Import Ban to Protect Domestic Farmers

Military Training

Kazakhstan Military Training Overhauled with New Drone Forces Planned

Less than a month after 14 service members died during military exercises in the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan has approved plans to overhaul conscript training and introduce new safeguards against abuse in the armed forces. The reform plan was approved at a Security Council meeting on October 21, with the main changes scheduled for 2027. The September 24 tragedy prompted an investigation that uncovered serious failures in the planning of the exercises and measures to protect soldiers. A wider inspection of the Defense Ministry has since led to 13 criminal cases involving suspected embezzlement, abuse of authority, and other violations. New...

Language Politics

Rubio’s Remarks Reignite Debate on Russian Language in Uzbekistan

A brief exchange between United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a Bloomberg journalist in Samarkand has revived debate over the status of the Russian language in Uzbekistan. Speaking to reporters at Registan Square on October 19, Rubio asked Bloomberg correspondent Eric Martin whether he spoke Uzbek. Martin replied that he spoke Russian fluently. "Oh, okay. That's no longer the official language here, but it's good. A lot of people speak it. I understand," Rubio said. The exchange circulated on Uzbek social media, with some foreign outlets identifying Rubio's interlocutor as a local journalist. However, a Daryo correspondent at...

Delivery Couriers

Uzbekistan Delivery Drivers Under Police Scrutiny: Why Tashkent Lacks Space for Mopeds

A delivery courier in Tashkent says police confiscated the electric bicycle he used to deliver orders after demanding a driver's license, leaving him unable to work. In an early October video appeal, the man said his bicycle could not exceed 25 kilometers per hour and that he did not ride on roads used by cars. Economist Otabek Bakirov published the video amid increasingly frequent police inspections of moped and scooter riders, including delivery workers. Police have justified the inspections by pointing to traffic accidents. Figures released in early October put the number of accidents involving mopeds and scooters in Uzbekistan...

political parties

Tokayev Dissolves Kazakhstan Local Councils Ruling Party Merger

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on October 12 terminating the powers of maslikhats, the country’s local representative assemblies. Snap elections must now be held by December 12. The move follows a decision in June 2026 to merge the Amanat party into the newly established pro-presidential Adilet party, which won August’s parliamentary elections. Most incumbent local deputies, however, were elected in 2023 under the Amanat banner, raising questions about their mandates as the party is absorbed into Adilet. Why Questions About Legitimacy Arose Tokayev first raised the prospect of early elections on September 24, speaking at the inaugural session...

International Affairs

Russia's War in Ukraine

Ukraine Says More Than 20,400 Central Asians Signed Russian Army Contracts

More than 20,400 Central Asian citizens have signed contracts with Russia’s armed forces since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, according to the Ukrainian government’s “I Want to Live” project. The new figures come as families in Kazakhstan secure the return of young men who say they went to Russia for civilian work and were forced into military service. The project’s October figures identify 8,207 Uzbek citizens and 5,308 Tajiks, together accounting for about two-thirds of the regional total. Kazakhstan accounts for 3,819. A further 2,219 are from Kyrgyzstan, and 884 from Turkmenistan. The count covers identified contract signers as...

Rare Earth Metals

Kazakhstan Opens $15 Million Rare Metals Research Center with South Korea

U.S.-Uzbekistan Relations

Uzbekistan’s U.S. Package: What Supports the $12 Billion Figure?

Regional Security

China Seeks Closer Intelligence Cooperation with Tajikistan

C5+1

Central Asian States Set Out Priorities After Rubio Talks in Samarkand

Regional Security

The Taliban’s Road Reaches China, but the Border is Closed

After several years of slow progress, the road connecting Afghanistan to China is finally ready. On October 4, Taliban officials inaugurated the 121-kilometer road through Afghanistan’s remote and arid northeastern Wakhan Corridor. China, however, has not been too keen on the project, and, according to one report, when the Taliban reached the Chinese border, the way was barred, with Chinese border guards ordering the Taliban to leave the area. The Hard Road The Wakhan Corridor was part of ancient trade routes through Asia, but was clearly only used by hardy merchants. The area is one of the most isolated regions...

Migration

Russia Expels 32 Uzbek Migrants as Deportations Rise in Novosibirsk

Russian authorities expelled 32 Uzbek citizens from the Novosibirsk region on October 16 for violating migration regulations. Court bailiffs escorted a reported total of 47 foreign nationals out of the country that day, including citizens of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan. Over the course of the week, 91 people were expelled from the region. The migrants were identified during police raids in two districts of Novosibirsk and the surrounding Novosibirsky district. Those expelled paid for their own tickets home. Violations of Russia's entry and residence regulations can result in fines ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 rubles (approximately $25–62), as well...

CICA

Kazakhstan Proposes a Preventive Diplomacy Mechanism for CICA

Kazakhstan’s proposal to establish a preventive diplomacy mechanism presents the Asian forum with a specific task: determining who, with whose consent, and through what procedures can help reduce tensions before they escalate into open conflict. On October 15, 2026, at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed launching a preventive diplomacy mechanism. The initiative came amid efforts to transform CICA into a full-fledged international organization and make its activities more practical. However, the proposed mechanism’s process for requesting assistance, powers, funding, and operating procedures were...

Regional Security

Central Asia’s Afghan Engagement Faces Persistent Security Risks

Central Asian countries are expanding their trade with Kabul despite concerns about armed groups operating from Afghanistan. Russia has renewed warnings about militants seeking to infiltrate the region and is advocating cooperation with the Taliban authorities to contain them. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are interested in trade, energy, and transport projects connecting the region with South Asia. Tajikistan has traditionally taken a more critical position toward the Taliban and places particular emphasis on securing its lengthy border with Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Russia and China are seeking guarantees from the Afghan authorities against the activities of armed organizations that threaten their security. Speaking...

Life & Culture

Kazakh Cinema

Kazakh Director Daulet Zhumabayev on New Film Kesu and Pursuing a Career in Hollywood

Kazakh director Daulet Zhumabayev hopes to bring his new action film, Kesu, featuring South Korean actors, to South Korean theaters. The film was released in Kazakhstan on October 15. It follows a Kazakh taekwondo practitioner and a South Korean champion as they travel to Seoul in search of their missing mentor. The film is Zhumabayev’s second feature, following the sports drama Arlan: The Final Round. Zhumabayev focuses on mainstream genre films and sees international collaboration as an opportunity to reach audiences beyond Kazakhstan. His debut feature became available on Amazon Prime Video, although he does not consider a streaming release...

Tselinny Center

Tselliny HIMOYA Exhibition: Women’s Memory, Protective Amulets, and Colonial Legacies

Tobacco

Kazakhstan Vape Ban Faces a Test Under Eurasian Economic Union Rules

Education

Kyrgyz Parliament Backs Foreign Teacher Tax Breaks at First Reading

Petroglyphs

1856 Sketches Lead to Rediscovery of Petroglyphs in Kazakhstan

Art and Literature

Memoirs of East Turkestan Republic’s First Leader Published in France

A French edition of Turkiston Qayg‘usi (The Sorrow of Turkestan), written by Alihan Tora Saghuni, an Uzbek religious leader who headed the East Turkestan Republic established in 1944 in what is now China's Xinjiang region, has been published in France under the title Amer Turkestan (Bitter Turkestan). The 448-page volume, published by Bleu Autour on October 23, brings the memoirs of a leading figure in the region's independence movement to French readers. The book examines the political upheavals of the 20th century through Saghuni's experiences of persecution by Soviet and Chinese authorities and his involvement in the East Turkestan independence...

Art and Culture

Threading a New Canon: Interview with Batima Zaurbekova

How does an artist born in a remote village in Kazakhstan become one of the country’s most recognized artists? “I realised that if I put in the work, I can achieve everything,” says Batima Zaurbekova, a pioneer of Kazakh tapestry, as she walks through Threads of Heritage at the Abylkhan Kasteyev National Museum of Arts in Almaty. The exhibition runs from September 25 to November 8, 2026. An energetic lady with a strong personality and a playful attitude, Zaurbekova is the subject of a retrospective marking her 80th birthday and consecrating a lifetime of artistic production, at a time when...

Chess

Turkmenistan Pushes to Develop Chess Talent

Turkmenistan is hosting a national chess tournament this month amid signs that efforts to develop young chess players are gaining momentum. The Turkmenistan Chess Federation Cup runs from October 22 to November 1 in Ashgabat, featuring the disciplines of classical, rapid, and blitz chess. Young prospects and grandmasters are among those expected to participate. Top performers will qualify for the 2027 Turkmenistan Premier League, while the strongest rapid and blitz players will earn the opportunity to represent Turkmenistan in international competitions, according to state media. A powerhouse of Central Asian chess is Uzbekistan, whose open team, including Javokhir Sindarov and...

Futsal

Kazakhstan Joins Race to Host UEFA Futsal Euro 2030

Kazakhstan is among a record seven countries to have expressed interest in hosting UEFA Futsal Euro 2030. If UEFA selects Kazakhstan, it would mark the first time the senior European futsal championship has been held in Central Asia. The host will be selected in September 2027. Futsal is a five-a-side form of indoor football played on a hard court with a smaller, less bouncy ball. According to UEFA, the other prospective hosts are Croatia, Finland, France, Georgia, Poland, and Spain. Final bid dossiers must be submitted by June 8, 2027. UEFA also allows the tournament to be co-hosted by multiple...

Justice

Sexual Violence

Kazakh Women Share Stories of Sexual Violence Under #IAmJaneDoe Hashtag

Women in Kazakhstan have joined the international #IAmJaneDoe social media campaign, sharing accounts of sexual violence they experienced as children and teenagers. The posts include allegations of abuse by relatives, acquaintances, and strangers. Many participants say they remained silent because they feared being judged and did not trust law enforcement authorities. Denis Dzhivaga, director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, told The Times of Central Asia why speaking out publicly sometimes becomes the only way for survivors to draw attention to their experiences, despite tougher legislation. How #IAmJaneDoe Began The international #IAmJaneDoe campaign emerged...

Child Protection Laws

Uzbekistan Introduces Life Imprisonment for Rape of Children Under 14

Victim Compensation

Most Compensation for Uzbekistan’s Dok-1 Max Victims Remains Unpaid

Espionage

German Spy Scandal Puts Central Asian and Caucasus Espionage Cases in Focus

Military Deaths

Kazakhstan Defense Ministry Inspection Leads to 13 Criminal Cases in Wake of Soldiers’ Deaths

Harassment Laws

Sexual Harassment in Kazakhstan: Why Are Such Cases Difficult to Track?

A woman who said she was sexually harassed on a bus in Astana decided against going to the police because she feared she would be unable to prove what had happened. Instead, she confronted the man and photographed him. "It wasn't an accidental touch because the bus was crowded. He was groping me," she wrote on Threads. Police identified the 46-year-old man after discovering her post. A court sentenced him to ten days of administrative detention for indecent behavior on public transport. On October 13, a court in the capital had imposed the same penalty on an inDrive driver who...

Drug Smuggling

Russian Rapper Navai Detained at Kazakhstan Border on Suspicion of Drug Smuggling

Russian rapper Navai Bakirov, known professionally as Navai, was detained on October 13 while entering Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan. A Kazakh court has since ordered him held in custody as police investigate suspected drug smuggling and unlawful possession of narcotics. Police in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region said officers and border guards discovered and seized a narcotic substance during a search of his vehicle at the Korday checkpoint. They have not identified the substance or disclosed the quantity seized. Navai had performed in Bishkek the previous day as part of a Central Asian concert tour. His concert scheduled for October 14 in Astana...

Political Trials

Kyrgyzstan Court Jails Kadyr Atambayev and Temirlan Sultanbekov

A court in Kyrgyzstan has sentenced Kadyr Atambayev, the son of former President Almazbek Atambayev, to four years in prison and opposition Social Democrats leader Temirlan Sultanbekov to seven years over an alleged plot to seize power following last year's parliamentary elections. The defendants denied the allegations, and Sultanbekov described the prosecution as politically motivated shortly before the October 8 verdict. The trial at Bishkek’s Pervomaisky District Court was held behind closed doors despite defense lawyers’ requests for public hearings, preventing independent scrutiny of much of the evidence. Kadyr Atambayev entered politics in 2021, when he was elected to Bishkek's...

Asset Recovery

Kazakhstan Ratifies European Legal Assistance Convention as Asset Recovery Push Expands

Kazakhstan has ratified the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, in a step that could strengthen a long-running effort to obtain evidence and pursue assets held across foreign jurisdictions. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the ratification law on October 6. The 1959 Council of Europe convention requires participating states to assist in criminal cases, including gathering evidence, transmitting records, serving judicial documents, and executing certain search and seizure requests. The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers invited Kazakhstan to join on June 18, 2025. Kazakh prosecutors have said accession would provide a common legal channel with European states where...

Environment

Cotton Harvest

Uzbekistan Cotton Harvest Reaches 4.63 Million Tons as Water Losses Persist

Uzbekistan's Ministry of Agriculture says the country had harvested 4.63 million metric tons of raw cotton as of October 22, exceeding its target by 3%. About 76% of the cotton harvested so far was harvested mechanically, reflecting the industry's shift away from manual labor. A new study, however, highlights another challenge: extensive water losses in the country's irrigation system. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, nearly 3,000 harvesting machines collected 3.52 million metric tons of cotton. Mechanized harvesting accounted for 98.5% of the crop in the Jizzakh region, 94.2% in the Syrdarya region, and 81.2% in the Tashkent region. In...

Nature protection

New $8 Million Central Asia Conservation Program to Protect Rare Wildlife

Water Shortages

Uzbekistan Rejects Claims That the Amu Darya Is Drying Up

Energy

Uzbekistan Solar Panel Program Targets 3,100 Sites in $20 Million Project

Land Restoration

Kyrgyzstan Plans to Restore Land in Syr Darya Basin

Snow Leopard Conservation

Kyrgyzstan Opens Snow Leopard Research and Rehabilitation Center

A research and rehabilitation center for snow leopards, named Ak Ilbirs, opened on October 23 in Kyrgyzstan. The facility, located in the village of Ananyevo on the shores of Issyk-Kul, will study snow leopard behavior and support efforts to increase the animals' numbers. The opening coincided with International Snow Leopard Day. Russia's Republic of Tatarstan helped establish the center; its leader, Rustam Minnikhanov, attended the ceremony alongside Kyrgyz Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliyev. Snow leopards inhabit mountainous regions across 12 Asian countries, including Kyrgyzstan. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the species as vulnerable, with their numbers threatened...

Air Pollution

Air Pollution in Central Asia: Why Winter Smog Persists in Almaty, Bishkek, and Tashkent

Almaty is investing 325.9 billion tenge (about $720 million) in converting a coal-fired power plant to natural gas, but the plant will continue burning coal for several more years. Bishkek is restricting certain types of coal while maintaining supplies of permitted fuel for winter. Tashkent reported lower pollution over much of the year, though early October brought a sharp increase in harmful particles. Across these three Central Asian cities, winter smog remains a problem as the heating season begins. According to World Bank estimates, concentrations of fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, in major Central Asian cities frequently exceed World...

Water Security

Central Asia Agrees New Water Limits, but National Quotas Remain Unclear

Water has repeatedly caused friction between Central Asian governments. Uncoordinated releases have flooded communities downstream, while disputes over access have contributed to deadly fighting along contested borders. On October 7, the region's countries agreed on water withdrawals from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya for fall and winter 2026–2027, though published results do not reveal how much water each country will receive. The agreements were reached at the 95th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) in Avaza, on Turkmenistan's Caspian coast near Turkmenbashi. Participants agreed on national water withdrawal limits and projected reservoir operating schedules, but the...

Nuclear Safety

Kazakhstan Nuclear Emergency Center Opens With U.S. Support

Kazakhstan has opened a center to monitor radiation and coordinate responses to nuclear and radiological emergencies, with support from the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The center opened on October 2 under Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency. It will receive and analyze radiation data, facilitate information exchange between government agencies, and coordinate their actions during emergencies. The authorities also plan to train specialists and conduct practical emergency-response exercises. Kazakhstan is the world’s largest uranium producer and operates nuclear research facilities. The consequences of Soviet nuclear weapons testing at Semipalatinsk continue to require monitoring and remediation. Between 1949...

Huang Backs Kazakhstan’s AI Plans as NVIDIA Expands Partnerships

Latest

Features

Features

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

Latest

Dastan: Turkmenistan Takes to the Desert in Rally Cars

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

Dastan: Turkmenistan Takes to the Desert in Rally Cars

Opinions

Opinions

Zhandos Sabit

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

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Huang Backs Kazakhstan’s AI Plans as NVIDIA Expands Partnerships

At Ashgabat Conference, Turkmenistan Seeks Wider Gas Export Markets

Kazakhstan Expands Middle Corridor Fleet as Caspian Sea Levels Fall

Maksim Stepanenko’s Path from Kyrgyzstan to Silicon Valley

Kazakhstan’s Warehouse Market Faces Mismatch Between Supply and Demand

Local Politics

Local Politics

Opinion: I Spent 15 Years in Government. Here Is What the State Can Learn Next

Kazakhstan Military Training Overhauled with New Drone Forces Planned

Rubio’s Remarks Reignite Debate on Russian Language in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan Delivery Drivers Under Police Scrutiny: Why Tashkent Lacks Space for Mopeds

Tokayev Dissolves Kazakhstan Local Councils Ruling Party Merger

International Affairs

International Affairs

Ukraine Says More Than 20,400 Central Asians Signed Russian Army Contracts

The Taliban’s Road Reaches China, but the Border is Closed

Russia Expels 32 Uzbek Migrants as Deportations Rise in Novosibirsk

Kazakhstan Proposes a Preventive Diplomacy Mechanism for CICA

Central Asia’s Afghan Engagement Faces Persistent Security Risks

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Kazakh Director Daulet Zhumabayev on New Film Kesu and Pursuing a Career in Hollywood

Memoirs of East Turkestan Republic’s First Leader Published in France

Threading a New Canon: Interview with Batima Zaurbekova

Turkmenistan Pushes to Develop Chess Talent

Kazakhstan Joins Race to Host UEFA Futsal Euro 2030

Justice

Justice

Kazakh Women Share Stories of Sexual Violence Under #IAmJaneDoe Hashtag