Scientists of Ancient Central Asia Still Relevant in the Modern World; The Idea of the Averaged Turkic Language
There is a debate on social media between Uzbek and Tajik communities about the medieval scholar Ibn Sina. The discussion revolves around the question of nationality — was Ibn Sina Tajik, Uzbek, or something else? Similar debates have emerged about other medieval scholars, including Al-Farabi. Ibn Sina (commonly known in...
Segiz: Exploring Kazakhstan’s Beauty on the Road Less Traveled
The Times of Central Asia’s cinematographer for the World Nomad Games, Ilyas Otan, is on a mission to put Kazakhstan's tourism on the map. An independent film producer and fixer, Otan took a bold step to showcase his vision, producing Segiz with director Almas Maksut, a captivating short documentary that...
Kazakhstan’s Altyn-Emel Named Among World’s Most Incredible National Parks
Kazakhstan’s Altyn-Emel National Park has been ranked in the world's top 10 most impressive national parks outside the United States, according to a recent article in the American travel magazine Travel + Leisure. The article praised the park’s natural diversity, rich wildlife, and distinctive landscapes. Among the standout attractions highlighted...
Opinion – Not Ready for Democracy? Come See Our Street
In March 2025, the first round results of Uzbekistan’s Open Budget vote were announced. Among the thousands of approved projects, one quietly transformed the life of my neighborhood: our village street was getting asphalt. To many, that might not sound like much. But for us, it was everything. After decades...
Kyrgyz Startup Yessa Helping Women to Reclaim Pleasure
When Begaiym Zamirbek left her job at the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), where everything was stable and predictable, she dove into the significantly riskier world of startups with her new venture, Yessa. That’s how her path of entrepreneurship began, which led her to Vietnam. Yessa supplies audio...
Kazakhstan Senate Approves Ban on Budget Funding for Foreign Athletes
The Senate, Kazakhstan’s upper house of parliament, has passed amendments to the Law on Physical Culture and Sports that ban the use of state funds to finance foreign athletes, commonly known as "legionnaires." The bill is now awaiting President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s signature to become law. Ending State Support and Introducing...
Kazakhstan Cracks Down on Crimes Against Children and Women
Kazakhstan’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Dinara Zakiyeva, has outlined the scale of sexual violence against minors and the state’s efforts to combat it by strengthening legislation and support systems. Legislative Changes In April 2024, Kazakhstan introduced sweeping amendments to its criminal legislation, significantly increasing penalties for crimes against women and...
Kazakhstan: Alexander Mashkevich, Business and Jewish Community Leader, Dies
Alexander Mashkevich was a prominent figure in Central Asian business for many years: a founder of Eurasian Resources Group, a major mining company that is partly owned by Kazakhstan’s government and has operations in Africa and Brazil, and chairman of the board of directors of the Almaty-based Eurasian Bank. He...
Sunkar Podcast
Repatriating Islamic State Fighters and Families: Balancing Security and Humanity
