The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

New Year remains one of the most significant holidays in Central Asia. While its scale and prominence have gradually declined due to rising religiosity, many residents still regard it as the foremost secular and ideology-free celebration of the year. Across the region, households prepare their most beloved dishes to ring...

Darvaza Gas Crater

Turkmen Scientists Develop Plan to Extinguish the Darvaza Gas Crater

Kazakh Diaspora

NoMad Nights: Celebrating Kazakh Identity at New Year in New York

Geopolitics

2025: The Year Central Asia Stepped Onto the Global Stage

Tax Reform

Are Kazakhstan’s Small Businesses Really Leaving Over Taxes?

As Kazakhstan prepares for tax reforms set to take effect in 2026, a new wave of panic has surfaced in the national discourse, one suggesting that small businesses are facing a stark choice: shut down or relocate to neighboring countries promising more favorable tax environments. This narrative has gained traction...

Sports

Kazakhstan vs. Uzbekistan: A Footballing Derby with an Uncertain Outcome

The Uzbekistan national football team has qualified for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place across three North American countries: the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Meanwhile, one of Kazakhstan’s leading clubs, FC Kairat Almaty, continues to gain experience competing in the UEFA Champions League. Football in Central Asia has...

Podcast

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

As Managing Editor of The Times of Central Asia, I’m delighted that, in partnership with the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, from October 19, we are the home of the Spotlight on Central Asia podcast. Chaired by seasoned broadcasters Bruce Pannier of RFE/RL’s long-running Majlis podcast and Michael Hillard...

Sunkar Podcast

Central Asia and the Troubled Southern Route

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Opinions

Opinion: Is Uzbekistan Importing a Future Crisis?

William Cui

Opinion: Kazakhstan Bets Big on AI to Power Local and Global Growth

Altair Akhmetov

Opinion: After the UN Gaza Resolution – Kazakhstan’s Potential Role

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: Abraham Accords Can Help Kazakhstan Reshape Its Energy Future

Dr. Robert M. Cutler

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Electoral Reforms – Why Officials and Experts Are Reconsidering Local Democracy

Andrei Matveev

Opinion: Central Asia Is Consolidating Its Role as a Full-Fledged Actor in Global Processes

Mavlon Bobokhonov

Opinion: Multi-Vectorism 2.0 – Kazakhstan Seeks Balance in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: The Integration of Afghanistan into Central Asia

Dr. M. Assem Mayar

Opinion: Kazakhstan Joins Abraham Accords – More Than a Symbolic Gesture

Uzma Parveen

Opinion: A Trump Visit to Central Asia Would Deliver Results and Anchor a Corridor Strategy

Dr. Robert M. Cutler

Opinion: China’s Diplomatic Power Play Unfolds in Tianjin

Andrei Matveev

Opinion: Gas, Geopolitics, and Realism: U.S.–Turkmenistan Talks Signal Shift

Javier M. Piedra

Business & Economy

Labor Market

Kazakhstan Sets 2026 Quota for Foreign Workers

Kazakhstan has set its 2026 quota for the employment of foreign workers at 0.25% of the country’s total labor force, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The annual quota is part of the government’s policy to regulate labor migration and safeguard the domestic job market. The 2026 quota includes specific allocations across several categories of foreign workers: 726 permits for senior managers and their deputies (first category), 3,402 for heads of structural divisions (second category), 5,893 for specialists (third category), and 3,131 for skilled workers (fourth category). An additional 4,994 permits have been allocated for seasonal labor....

Money

Kazakhstan Accelerates Shift Away from Cash Payments

Kurultai

Japarov Outlines Development Priorities at Fourth People’s Kurultai

Tax Reform

Are Kazakhstan’s Small Businesses Really Leaving Over Taxes?

Migrant Workers

More Than a Third of Migrant Workers in Kazakhstan Are Chinese Citizens

Energy Sector

Tajikistan Plans $6.5 Billion Investment in Energy Sector

Tajikistan will require approximately $6.5 billion to implement its 2026-2030 Energy Sector Development Program, with funding expected from a combination of external and internal sources, including international partners and the state budget. Planned funding sources include: Development partners: $3.94 billion Private investment: $2.56 billion The state budget, primarily to finance the ongoing construction of the Rogun Hydropower Plant (HPP), which is supported annually through a dedicated budget line. In 2025 alone, more than $970 million was allocated from the state budget to the Rogun project, accounting for roughly 20% of all approved treasury expenditures. Support for Tajikistan’s fuel and energy...

Excise Tax Revenues

Alcohol and Tobacco Lead Kyrgyzstan’s Excise Tax Revenues

Alcohol and tobacco products continue to be the primary sources of excise tax revenue for Kyrgyzstan’s state budget, according to the Ministry of Finance’s final report on budget revenues for the first 11 months of 2025. The report highlights excise taxes as one of the most stable and predictable sources of state income. From January through November 2025, total excise tax revenues exceeded $222 million. Alcohol producers remain the top contributors. During the reporting period, they transferred $38 million to the budget. Vodka producers accounted for the largest share at $25.5 million, while breweries contributed approximately $9.4 million. Producers of...

Transportation

Drone Delivery Pilot Project to Launch in Almaty

A pilot project for drone-based goods delivery is set to launch in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty. The initiative follows the signing of a memorandum between the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan and the private company Freedom Lifestyle. According to the ministry, the agreement outlines plans to jointly test drone delivery services in urban settings, with an emphasis on safety, regulatory compliance, and public convenience. Freedom Lifestyle will finance and implement the project, integrating unmanned delivery into its digital platforms. Since early 2025, the company has been building a team of drone operators and testing technology at...

Meat Exports

Kazakhstan Meat Exports Surge in 2025

Kazakh meat producers surpassed their total 2024 export figures within the first 10 months of 2025, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2024, Kazakhstan boosted exports of processed beef by 1.4 times to more than 22,000 tons, and lamb by 2.2 times to 18,000 tons. These milestones were exceeded in 2025. Between January and October, beef exports rose 1.7 times year-on-year to reach 30,200 tons, while lamb exports increased 1.9 times to 25,500 tons. “This growth is due to high demand for high-quality Kazakh meat from foreign partners,” the ministry stated. In 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture implemented several...

Local Politics

Transport

Astana Plans to Launch Driverless Taxis in 2026

Kazakhstan plans to launch pilot projects for autonomous taxi services in Astana as early as 2026. Memorandums of cooperation have been signed between the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the Ministry of Transport, the capital’s akimat, and private companies inDrive and Yandex Qazaqstan. According to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Astana will be among the first cities in Kazakhstan to test driverless urban transport in real-world conditions. The initiative is part of the country’s broader “smart city” strategy and includes a phased rollout from the creation of a testing ground and a “regulatory sandbox” to...

IT sector

Kazakhstan’s IT Exports Grew by Almost a Third in 2025

Suicide

Kazakh Authorities Open Investigation After Temir Mayor Found Dead

Migration Policy

Kazakhstan Drafts New Migration Policy Concept Through 2030

Energy Deficit

Alisher Sultanov Leaves Office After a Decade of Declining Gas Production in Uzbekistan

Economic Growth

Development Spending in Kyrgyzstan Surpasses Social Spending for the First Time

The Kyrgyz government has reported strong economic performance in 2025, highlighting robust GDP growth and strengthened public finances. At a year-end meeting, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev announced that all state objectives had been met despite challenging conditions. According to Kasymaliev, gross domestic product is expected to grow by more than 10% by year’s end, positioning Kyrgyzstan among the global leaders in economic growth. The country’s GDP reached $20.5 billion, and for the first time in its history, the consolidated budget surpassed $11.5 billion. A budget surplus of $392 million was recorded, which Kasymaliev described as a...

Party Politics

Japarov Signs Decree Stripping Ex-Leader Atambayev of State Honors

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed a decree revoking state awards previously granted to former President Almazbek Atambayev, including the title Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Order of Manas (Second Class), the Order of Danaker, and the Dank medal. The order follows a decision by Bishkek’s Pervomaisky District Court, and authorities have been instructed to confiscate the medals and transfer them to the state awards fund, according to reports citing the presidential press service. Atambayev, who led Kyrgyzstan from 2011 to 2017, has been at the center of long-running criminal and political disputes since leaving office. His fallout with...

Car Insurance

Kazakhstan Proposes Doubling Insurance Payments for Traffic Accident Victims

Kazakhstan is considering major changes to its compulsory motor insurance legislation, with members of parliament proposing to double compensation payments for victims of traffic accidents. Presenting the bill in the Mazhilis, MP Nartay Sarsengaliyev said the initiative aims to restore social justice and strengthen financial protection for citizens. He said current compensation levels no longer reflect the country’s actual economic conditions. At present, in the event of a fatal traffic accident, the dependents of an adult victim receive approximately $13,600. Under the proposed amendments, this amount would rise to around $29,100. The bill also outlines a similar twofold increase in...

Politics

Kazakh MP Sarym Proposes Legal Measures Over Social Media Posts on Pipeline Strike

A Kazakhstani lawmaker has proposed criminal liability for social media posts that express support for attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. During a recent session of the Mazhilis (lower house of parliament), MP Aidos Sarym called for posts endorsing Ukrainian military strikes on oil infrastructure to be examined under existing laws on terrorism and high treason. The proposal follows a November 29 incident in which Ukraine’s armed forces reportedly targeted the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in Novorossiysk, Russia. The attack damaged the CPC’s VPU-2 offshore loading terminal and temporarily halted operations. Addressing Prosecutor General Berik Asylov and Deputy Prime...

International Affairs

Tajik-Afghan Border

Deadly Clashes and Gold Mines Fuel Tensions on the Tajik-Afghan Border

Along a short strip of the Tajik-Afghan border, there has been a lot of activity in recent months, including the most serious incidents of cross-border violence in decades. Most of this activity has involved Tajikistan’s Shamsiddin Shohin district, a sparsely inhabited area where the population ekes out a living farming and herding in the foothills of the Pamir Mountains. Why the situation changed so suddenly is not entirely clear, but it is clear that the district is now the hot spot along the Tajik-Afghan frontier. A Dubious Post-Independence Reputation The Shamsiddin Shohin district is in Tajikistan’s southwestern Khatlon region. The...

G20 Summit

Trump’s G20 Invitations: Why Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Matter

AZAL Plane Crash

Kazakhstan Releases Interim Findings on Azerbaijan Airlines Crash

Multimodal Transport Corrdior

Can the New Multimodal Route Become a Sustainable Corridor for Central Asia?

G20 Summit

After Leaders’ Calls with Trump, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan’s G20 Invitations Are a Signal to Central Asia

Geopolitics

2025: The Year Central Asia Stepped Onto the Global Stage

For much of the post-Soviet era, Central Asia occupied a peripheral place in global affairs. It mattered to its immediate neighbors, but rarely shaped wider debates. In 2025, that changed in visible ways. The region became harder to ignore, largely not because of ideology or alignments, but because of assets that the world increasingly needs: energy, minerals, transit routes, and political access across Eurasia. One of the clearest signs came in April, when the European Union and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan met in Samarkand for their first summit at the head-of-state level. The meeting concluded...

Tajik-Afghan Border

Rising Border Insecurity Puts Chinese Interests at Risk in Tajikistan

Mounting insecurity along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border is increasingly threatening Chinese interests and heightening Beijing’s concerns about regional stability, Al Jazeera has reported, citing recent incidents and official statements from Dushanbe. According to the report, the Tajik authorities have recorded multiple armed infiltrations from Afghan territory in recent months, resulting in more than a dozen deaths. Among the victims were five Chinese nationals working on infrastructure and mining projects in remote areas of Tajikistan. The attacks reportedly targeted Chinese companies and personnel specifically, prompting alarm in Beijing. Al Jazeera noted that China is Tajikistan’s largest creditor and one of its most...

Border Security

Two Tajik Border Guards Killed in Attack Along Afghan Border

Tajikistan’s border troops have reported an armed incident along the country’s southern border with Afghanistan. While the attackers were neutralized during the confrontation, Tajikistan suffered casualties among its personnel. According to the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of the Republic of Tajikistan, the incident occurred late on December 23, 2025. Three armed individuals described as “members of a terrorist organization” attempted to launch an attack on border post No. 5 “Bo” of the 0341 “Sarchashma” detachment in the Shamsiddin Shohin district. The intruders illegally crossed the state border at approximately 11:30 p.m. and entered Tajik territory. The following morning,...

Aviation Ban

Kyrgyzstan Signals Possible End to EU Aviation Ban

Kyrgyzstan says it is close to ending a near two-decade ban that has kept its airlines off European routes, after President Sadyr Japarov said the country has reached a “critical point” in efforts to leave the European Union’s air safety blacklist. The comments come as Kyrgyz officials push for international recognition of reforms in aviation oversight and airport infrastructure. Japarov said Kyrgyzstan has been developing civil aviation “on its own initiative,” investing “billions of soms,” buying aircraft for domestic and international routes, and building new airports. He described the effort as a state priority and added: “Kyrgyzstan has reached a...

Life & Culture

Kazakh Culture

Eco-Friendly Quraq-Korpe Christmas Tree Installed in Astana

An unconventional art installation has appeared in Astana’s new administrative center: an eco-friendly Christmas tree styled after quraq-korpe, the traditional Kazakh patchwork quilt. Created by local volunteers, the project is part of the city's broader initiative to incorporate national cultural heritage into contemporary public spaces. Quraq-korpe, made from multi-colored fabric scraps, symbolizes warmth, family, and hospitality. The New Year’s tree, hand-assembled from textile elements and installed on the left bank of the Ishim River, reflects these values in a striking urban art form. A similar eco-tree was first introduced in the capital in 2020 and proved popular with both residents...

Food

Beshbarmak, Pilaf, and Olivier Salad: What Will Be Served on New Year’s Eve Tables in Central Asia

Sports

Kazakhstan vs. Uzbekistan: A Footballing Derby with an Uncertain Outcome

Podcast

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

Gender Equality

New Report Highlights Persistent Gender Equality Gaps in Kyrgyzstan

Chess

Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva Wins Third World Blitz Chess Championship

Kazakh chess star Bibisara Assaubayeva has claimed her third women’s world blitz title, emerging victorious at the 2025 World Blitz Championship in Doha. The win secures her a direct place in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, set to take place in Cyprus in April. Assaubayeva reaffirmed her dominance in women’s chess by defeating Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk 2.5-1.5 in the final. After three consecutive draws, she clinched the title in the decisive fourth game by capitalizing on a strategic advantage. The 21-year-old first rose to prominence in 2021, when she won the blitz title in Warsaw at just 17, becoming the youngest...

Kazakh Diaspora

NoMad Nights: Celebrating Kazakh Identity at New Year in New York

There’s no party like a New Year NoMad Kazakh Party. Staged slightly ahead of New Year’s Eve to align with the weekend, the glamorous event marked a welcome to the incoming 2026 as well as a celebration of Kazakh culture in New York City. The Sky Wise Lounge, a fashionable Asian fusion venue with regular live entertainment, is located in Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay. The neighborhood has a sizable Central Asian population rooted in the former Soviet diaspora and sustained by post-Soviet migration. Events like this one are part of an expanding series of multi-city gatherings across the United States hosted...

Heating

EBRD to Allocate $6 Million for Modernization of Dushanbe’s Heat Supply System

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will provide $6 million to Tajikistan for the implementation of the “Heat Supply in Dushanbe” project. The decision was approved by parliament on December 12. According to MP Nigina Sharifzoda, the financing will comprise a $3 million grant and a $3 million loan. The funds will be used to reconstruct and expand the capital’s central heating infrastructure. The project includes the modernization of Dushanbe’s heating networks, with the aim of ensuring reliable heat supply during the winter months. By 2028, over 500,000 residents are expected to benefit from stable heating services. This...

Cultural Heritage

Kazakhstan’s Tazy: The Ancient Hunting Dog of the Steppe

For centuries, nomadic tribes across the steppe that now forms modern Kazakhstan absorbed outside influences and adapted them to local conditions, creating something uniquely Kazakh. This adaptability is evident in many aspects of steppe life, including the development of the Tazy, the Kazakh greyhound. Bred over generations to protect what nomads valued most, their livestock, the Tazy is now considered one of the seven national treasures of Kazakhstan. “If we look at history, we can say that the progenitor of the Kazakh breed, the Tazy, was the Arabian greyhound saluki,” said breeder Abzal Dosyman in an interview with The Times...

Justice

Marriage Law

Uzbekistan Proposes Ban on Marriages Between Relatives

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Justice has drafted legislation that would ban marriages between distant blood relatives, including unions between uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, and cousins up to the third degree, UzNews.uz reported. The proposed penalties for violating the ban include fines or correctional labor of up to two years. Exceptions would apply only in cases where one of the prospective spouses is an adopted child and no biological relationship exists. Under current law, Uzbekistan’s Family Code prohibits marriages between close blood relatives in a direct ascending or descending line, as well as between full and half-siblings and between adoptive...

Asset Recovery

Kazakhstan Claims Success in Asset Recovery, But Transparency Questions Linger

Medical Workers

Kazakhstan Increases Criminal Penalties for Attacks on Medical Workers

Corruption

In Turkmenistan, Government Offices Charge Citizens for Blank Sheets of Paper

Human Trafficking

Dozens of Human Trafficking Attempts Prevented in Kazakhstan

Legal Technology

Dushanbe Teen Develops Tajikistan’s First AI Legal Assistant

Tajikistan has launched its first AI-powered legal assistant, designed to simplify access to legal information by explaining laws in plain language. The project, called Moni, was developed by 15-year-old Foteh Azizov, a tenth-grade student at School No. 6 in Dushanbe. Already, the platform is being used not only by the general public but also by practicing lawyers. Azizov said the idea for Moni came from his own experience. While helping with content and promotion at his uncle’s law firm, he noticed how difficult it was for ordinary people and even himself, to understand the complex language used in legal documents....

Shooting

Thousands Donate in Name of Uzbek-American Student Killed at Brown University

A fundraising campaign dedicated to an 18-year-old Uzbek-American student who was killed in a shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island has collected more than half a million U.S. dollars. MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, who went to high school in Virginia, and another Brown student, 19-year-old Ella Cook of Alabama, died in the attack in a university building on December 13. Nine other students were injured. Law enforcement agencies are searching for the suspect and have not publicly commented on a possible motive. One of Umurzokov’s sisters, Samira Umurzokova, set up a GoFundMe page that had drawn more than 10,000 donations totaling...

Ethnic Violence

Tajikistan Condemns Fatal Stabbing of Boy in Russia Citing Ethnic Hatred

Tajikistan has condemned what it called an “ethnic hatred” attack in Russia after a 10-year-old boy from a Tajik family was stabbed to death at a school near Moscow, in a rare public rebuke aimed at a key partner for labor migration and security ties. The killing happened on December 16 in the village of Gorki-2 in the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee, which said a minor attacked people at an educational institution, killing one child and injuring a school security guard. A video of the attack circulated on Russian social media after the...

Shooting

“I Miss Everything:” Friends, Officials Mourn Uzbek Student Slain in the U.S.

MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, one of two students killed by a gunman at Brown University on Dec. 13, seemed to be making the most of life after moving to the United States from Uzbekistan with his family some years ago. He hoped to become a neurosurgeon, according to a sister, and his acceptance into the elite university in Rhode Island signaled that he was on the way to achieving his goals. So, the killing of Umurzokov, along with that of student Ella Cook of Alabama, hit hard for some people who, though accustomed to periodic news of mass shootings in the United...

Environment

Darvaza Gas Crater

Turkmen Scientists Develop Plan to Extinguish the Darvaza Gas Crater

Scientists from the Scientific Research Institute of Natural Gas, under the state concern Turkmengaz, have proposed a method to extinguish the Darvaza gas crater, an uncontrolled fire that has been burning for decades in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert. The development was reported by Nebit-Gaz. The proposed solution involves drilling a new well to divert natural gas away from the crater. Researchers believe this strategy could significantly reduce, and eventually halt, the gas flow fueling the fire. If successful, the plan would allow Turkmenistan to mitigate environmental damage and conserve valuable energy resources. Turkmen officials have increasingly framed the Darvaza fire as...

Solar Energy

Kyrgyzstan Launches Its First Solar Power Plant

Wildlife

Kazakhstan to Permit Limited Saiga Horn Exports Under Strict Controls

Waste Recycling

Kazakhstan Boosts Solid Waste Recycling and Environmental Oversight

Water-Saving Technologies

Kyrgyz Farmers Encouraged to Adopt Water-Saving Irrigation Methods

Waste-to-Energy

Bishkek Officially Inaugurates Central Asia’s First Waste-to-Energy Plant

Bishkek marked a major environmental milestone on December 27 with the official inauguration of Central Asia’s first waste-to-energy plant. President Sadyr Japarov attended the ceremony, underscoring the project’s strategic and environmental importance. The facility received its first pilot batch of municipal solid waste on November 14 and has since become the region’s first operational plant generating electricity through waste incineration. Located at Bishkek’s primary landfill, the plant was constructed by China’s Hunan Junxin Environmental Protection Co. Ltd., which invested $95 million in the project. Initially, the facility will process 1,000 tons of waste per day, with future expansion plans to...

Water Crisis

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Launch Study to Revise Irrigation Regimes in Syr Darya River Basin

With grant funding from the French Development Agency (AFD), Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have launched a joint initiative to revise irrigation regimes in the Syr Darya River basin. The project, coordinated by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, aims to optimize agricultural water use and improve environmental outcomes, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. In Kazakhstan, the study covers 550,000 hectares of irrigated farmland in the Turkestan Region and 254,000 hectares in the Kyzylorda Region. Ground-level measurements are underway alongside satellite-based remote sensing to collect precise and comprehensive data. The findings will...

Forests

Kyrgyzstan to Launch State Nurseries as Part of National Afforestation Campaign

Four institutions in Kyrgyzstan have been awarded a total of $534,000 in grant funding to establish and develop state-owned nurseries for growing tree saplings, as part of a nationwide effort to restore forests, improve sapling quality, and support environmental sustainability. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, the funding was allocated through a competitive selection process to Osh Forestry, Chon-Kemin State Nature Park, Kara-Kulja Forestry, and the Kyrgyz National Agrarian University. Applicants were required to submit a business plan and have access to at least five hectares of land to qualify. The grants were approved by...

Glacier Monitoring

ADB Approves $3M for Glacier Monitoring in Tajikistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $3 million grant to enhance Tajikistan’s glacier monitoring and natural disaster warning capabilities. The initiative aims to reduce risks linked to accelerated snow and ice melt, particularly in the country’s mountainous regions, and improve public safety. The grant is financed by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Sustainable Asia and the Pacific (JFSB), which is supported by the Government of Japan through the ADB. Ko Sakamoto, ADB’s Permanent Representative in Tajikistan, emphasized the project's importance for the country. “Glaciers and snow are important for water supply, agriculture, and hydropower, but their rapid...

Deadly Clashes and Gold Mines Fuel Tensions on the Tajik-Afghan Border

Latest

Features

Features

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

William Cui

Altair Akhmetov

Timur Serikuly

Dr. Robert M. Cutler

Andrei Matveev

Mavlon Bobokhonov

Timur Serikuly

Dr. M. Assem Mayar

Uzma Parveen

Dr. Robert M. Cutler

Andrei Matveev

Javier M. Piedra

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Kazakhstan Sets 2026 Quota for Foreign Workers

Tajikistan Plans $6.5 Billion Investment in Energy Sector

Alcohol and Tobacco Lead Kyrgyzstan’s Excise Tax Revenues

Drone Delivery Pilot Project to Launch in Almaty

Kazakhstan Meat Exports Surge in 2025

Local Politics

Local Politics

Astana Plans to Launch Driverless Taxis in 2026

Development Spending in Kyrgyzstan Surpasses Social Spending for the First Time

Japarov Signs Decree Stripping Ex-Leader Atambayev of State Honors

Kazakhstan Proposes Doubling Insurance Payments for Traffic Accident Victims

Kazakh MP Sarym Proposes Legal Measures Over Social Media Posts on Pipeline Strike

International Affairs

International Affairs

Deadly Clashes and Gold Mines Fuel Tensions on the Tajik-Afghan Border

2025: The Year Central Asia Stepped Onto the Global Stage

Rising Border Insecurity Puts Chinese Interests at Risk in Tajikistan

Two Tajik Border Guards Killed in Attack Along Afghan Border

Kyrgyzstan Signals Possible End to EU Aviation Ban

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Eco-Friendly Quraq-Korpe Christmas Tree Installed in Astana

Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva Wins Third World Blitz Chess Championship

NoMad Nights: Celebrating Kazakh Identity at New Year in New York

EBRD to Allocate $6 Million for Modernization of Dushanbe’s Heat Supply System

Kazakhstan’s Tazy: The Ancient Hunting Dog of the Steppe

Justice

Justice

Uzbekistan Proposes Ban on Marriages Between Relatives