The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

Passenger and cargo links between Central Asia and China are expanding, with 117 scheduled weekly flights now connecting Kazakhstan and China, up 52% from a year earlier. Aviation officials from China and the five Central Asian countries are meeting in Tashkent on November 3–5 to discuss opening the market further....

Reshuffle

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

Tungsten

Developer of Kazakhstan Tungsten Projects Drops Merger and Plans U.S. Listing

Cove Kaz, the U.S. company developing two major tungsten deposits in Kazakhstan, has dropped its planned merger with Skyline Builders. It now plans to list its shares directly on a U.S. stock exchange in the first half of 2027. The change comes alongside a $32 million investment commitment intended to...

Road Infrastructure

Osinovsky Pass Bypass Opens in Kazakhstan After Years of Delays

Critical Minerals

Kazakhstan’s Carbon Black: Finding Value in Mining By-Products

London-listed Ferro-Alloy Resources (FAR) is developing a large vanadium deposit in Kazakhstan, as The Times of Central Asia reported in July, and operates a smaller concentrate-processing plant that recovers vanadium, molybdenum and nickel from purchased concentrates. The project could supply growing markets for vanadium and other critical materials. Beyond its...

Podcast

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

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...

Extremism

Kazakhstan Detains Ten Over Alleged Plot to Change Constitutional Order

Defense Agreements

Russia–Azerbaijan Military Cooperation Expands Amid Baku–Ankara Tensions

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: Turkmenistan Takes to the Desert in Rally Cars

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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

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Kazakhstan Seeks to Reduce Dependence on Imported Medicines with New Pharmaceutical Plants

Kazakhstan plans to begin producing almost 500 types of medicine domestically by 2034 under eight investment projects worth approximately $862 million, the Health Ministry said on November 3. The projects are expected to create more than 1,200 jobs and reduce the country's dependence on imported medicines. Production will begin in stages, with the first 300 medicines scheduled for 2027–2030 and another 194 to follow by 2034. The projects cover medicines for cancer, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, infections, rare conditions, and diabetes. Investment agreements have been signed with eight companies, including Chimpharm, Nobel, Rompharm, Abdi Ibrahim Global Pharm, and Steppe Pharmaceuticals....

International Flights

China–Central Asia Flights Expand as Aviation Booms

Tungsten

Developer of Kazakhstan Tungsten Projects Drops Merger and Plans U.S. Listing

Alatau City

Kazakhstan Signs Alatau City Agreements With $1.3 Billion Investment Potential

Investment Funds

Kazakhstan and China Discuss $200 Million Fund for Middle Corridor

Cost of Living

Uzbekistan Inflation: Consumers’ Estimates Exceed Official Rate

People in Uzbekistan believe prices have risen considerably faster than official inflation figures show, according to a survey by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Respondents estimated annual price increases at 9.2% in September, compared with the official inflation rate of 6.4%. The survey covered 2,726 residents and measured their perceptions of price changes over the preceding 12 months. The nationwide estimate fell by 0.9 percentage points from 10.1% in August, according to survey data cited by economist Otabek Bakirov. Tashkent recorded the highest regional figure, at 11.9%, while pensioners nationwide put annual price increases at 12.5%, up...

Oil Transit

Kazakhstan Oil Exports: Talks With Azerbaijan on Higher BTC Shipments

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are discussing ways to increase shipments of Kazakh oil across the Caspian Sea and through the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. In the first nine months of 2026, shipments from Aktau through the pipeline rose 24% year on year to 1.16 million metric tons. At a meeting in Baku on November 3, Askhat Khassenov, chairman of the management board of KazMunayGas (KMG), and Rovshan Najaf, president of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), discussed increasing oil transit through Azerbaijan, according to SOCAR. KMG said the companies were studying geological data from prospective exploration areas in both...

Household Spending

Food Spending in Kazakhstan Tops Half of Consumer Budgets

Kazakhstan, Central Asia's largest economy, ranks among the ten countries with the highest shares of consumer spending devoted to food in an international comparison. National figures show that food purchases continue to consume more than half of household consumer budgets despite rising cash incomes. According to international statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), residents of Kazakhstan spent approximately 42% of their consumer budgets on food in 2025. The USDA measure covers food and nonalcoholic beverages purchased for consumption at home, excluding restaurant meals, alcohol, and tobacco. Higher shares were recorded in Nigeria, Myanmar, and Laos, as well...

Road Infrastructure

Osinovsky Pass Bypass Opens in Kazakhstan After Years of Delays

A new road bypassing the Osinovsky Pass in eastern Kazakhstan opened to traffic on October 30, offering motorists an alternative to a route frequently subject to winter travel restrictions. The bypass's centerpiece is a 175-meter bridge across the Pikhtovka River, rising up to 45 meters above a gorge. The construction and reconstruction project is valued at 20.9 billion tenge, approximately $46 million. The new bypass, approximately 12 kilometers long, allows motorists to avoid a dangerous winding section of the highway from Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), the administrative center of the East Kazakhstan region, toward Altai and Katon-Karagay. It forms part of a...

Local Politics

Reshuffle

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has replaced his transport minister and given the incoming officeholder the rank of deputy prime minister. The November 3 appointment puts Asel Zhanassova in charge of the ministry as Kazakhstan prepares a major infrastructure expansion. Zhanassova, previously deputy head of the Presidential Administration, succeeds Nurlan Sauranbayev. Her appointment decree formally combines the positions of deputy prime minister and transport minister, raising the portfolio’s standing within the government. Zhanassova becomes one of six deputy prime ministers, including First Deputy Prime Minister Nurlybek Nalibayev. The change comes less than a week after Tokayev announced plans to accelerate construction...

State of the Nation

Tokayev Unveils $14 Billion Construction Plan in Kazakhstan State of the Nation Address

Public Service

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

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

Rogun Hydropower Plant

Rogun Hydropower Plant Accident Sparks Conflicting Injury Reports

A water tank ruptured in a construction tunnel at Tajikistan’s Rogun Hydropower Plant on October 21, sending water rushing toward workers below. While the authorities maintain no one was injured, witnesses have reported that more than five workers were hurt. The accident occurred inside the plant’s tunnel system, Asia-Plus reported, citing Tajikistan’s industrial safety regulator. An upper tank used to collect water ruptured, damaging a second drainage tank below it. Water from both tanks then flowed into the lower section of the tunnel, where workers from the Chinese subcontracting company Sinohydro were carrying out construction work. The regulator said none...

Republic Day

Kazakhstan Marks Republic Day as World Leaders Send Congratulations

Kazakhstan marked Republic Day on October 25 with a flag-raising ceremony in Astana and congratulations from its international partners. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used the occasion to describe bilateral relations as the “strongest” in their history. “Our countries are working together to strengthen regional security, expand economic cooperation, and create new commercial opportunities which will pair Kazakh ambition with American innovation to benefit both of our nations,” Rubio said in his October 24 statement. He praised Kazakhstan’s diplomatic role and support for President Donald Trump’s “peace initiatives,” and said the U.S. looks forward to further cooperation in the...

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...

International Affairs

Oil Exports

Kazakhstan Resumes Oil Exports Through Russian Pipeline After Drone Attack

Kazakhstan resumed oil shipments through the Atyrau-Samara pipeline on November 3, a day after a drone attack on a Russian transit hub forced pumping to stop. The disruption again exposed the vulnerability of Kazakh exports to attacks on infrastructure beyond the country’s borders. The attack targeted facilities at the Samara Production and Dispatch Centre in Russia. Oil transportation stopped at 6:09 a.m. Astana time on November 2. “As of November 3, 2026, oil transportation through the Atyrau-Samara trunk pipeline is operating normally,” Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry spokesperson Assel Serikpayeva said. Pumping resumed after a technical inspection. The ministry reported no injuries....

Joint Investment Projects

Uzbekistan’s Mirziyoyev Proposes 100 Joint Projects for Turkic States

Organization of Turkic States (OTS)

Uzbek Diplomat Mirvokhid Azimov Appointed Secretary General of Organization of Turkic States

Border Demarcation

Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Border Fencing Complete in Batken, Demarcation Continues

OTS summit

OTS Summit in Ankara: Türkiye Looks to Strengthen Its Position as Central Asia Competes for Transit Routes

Defense Agreements

Russia–Azerbaijan Military Cooperation Expands Amid Baku–Ankara Tensions

Russia and Azerbaijan have signed a program to build and modernize facilities for repairing armored vehicles used by the Azerbaijani military. The agreement was announced on November 1, two days after the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) summit in Ankara, which Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev did not attend amid growing tensions with Turkey. "An entire program has been signed that provides for the modernization and construction of facilities to repair armored vehicles in service with the Azerbaijani army," Dmitry Shugayev, director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, told Zvezda television. Shugayev also mentioned the possibility of future deliveries of...

Trade Routes

Iranian Foreign Minister to Visit Turkmenistan, Seeking Closer Ties

Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi is leading a diplomatic and economic delegation on a visit to Turkmenistan this week, according to Iranian state media. Araghchi will travel to Ashgabat on Monday for talks with Turkmen officials on “areas of mutual interest,” reported the Islamic Republic News Agency, or IRNA. The report didn’t specify the areas, but Iran has been working to develop its relationships in Central Asia as it faces pressure because of conflict in the Middle East, Western sanctions, and disruption to its trade routes. On October 26, Araghchi and Turkmen counterpart Rashid Meredov spoke by phone about “continuing...

Organization of Turkic States (OTS)

Tokayev Proposes Russian Role in OTS as Aliyev Skips Ankara Summit

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed inviting Russia to cooperate with the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) or granting it observer status. He made the proposal on October 30 at the summit in Ankara, where Türkiye assumed the organization's rotating chairmanship from Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev did not attend, despite a personal invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The participants adopted the Ankara Declaration and appointed Uzbekistan's Mirvokhid Azimov as the new OTS secretary-general. Azerbaijan was represented by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. Has Russia Expressed Interest in the OTS? Tokayev proposed two options for Russia's participation: cooperation through...

Water Management

Water Projects in Tajikistan: Japan Learns from a Troubled Grant

Residents of Moskva in Tajikistan’s Khatlon region reported receiving water for an average of just 10.9 hours a day in a 2017 survey, nearly four years after a Japanese-funded supply system was completed in June 2013. An external evaluation commissioned by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) gave the project a D rating, the lowest possible. Japan is now financing a new water supply system in Abdurahmoni Jomi district, also in the Khatlon region. The two projects illustrate how its approach to water supply assistance has developed, particularly in metering, utility management, and infrastructure maintenance. A Project That Met Its...

Life & Culture

Food Poisoning

Kazakhstan’s Youth Soccer Players Hospitalized After Suspected Food Poisoning in Tashkent

Six children and two adults in a youth soccer delegation from Kazakhstan remained hospitalized in Tashkent on November 4 after a suspected food poisoning outbreak during an international tournament. Kazakhstan’s embassy in Uzbekistan said they were in stable condition and that 10 other patients had been discharged. The group had traveled from the Karaganda region for the Dostlik Cup 2026. Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health said members of the group ate eggs with partially cooked yolks and sausages for breakfast at their hotel on November 1. Thirteen people developed vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever later that day, and seven others...

News Consumption

Telegram Leads News Consumption in Uzbekistan, but Television Remains Most Trusted

Podcast

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

Public Apology

Sacha Baron Cohen Apologizes to Kazakhstan After Reviving Borat

Glass Bridges

Kyrgyzstan Plans Ala-Archa Glass Bridge That Could Set World Record

Football

Asian Cup Postponement Delays Central Asian Football Hopes

Tajikistan’s football team planned to be “fully prepared” for the Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia in early 2027, coach Igor Angelovski of North Macedonia said months ago. But the Tajik footballers and the rest of the competition will have to wait. On Tuesday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said the region’s top football tournament, which had been scheduled for January 7 to February 5 next year, will instead take place from December 23, 2027 to January 21, 2028. Amid conflict in the Middle East, the Asian Cup’s organizing committee cited “the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the...

Museum Conservation

Central Asian Museum Experts Visit U.S. to Study Heritage Preservation

A group of museum workers and other cultural heritage specialists from Central Asia are currently in the United States to study preservation practices and exchange experiences with counterparts at the Getty Museum and other American institutions. Experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are participating in the tour, which began on October 17 and will end on November 7, according to Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Culture. It said the goal is to learn more about cultural heritage preservation, the planning and designing of exhibitions, and how to ensure the safety of museum facilities. The trip is occurring under the auspices...

Asian Film Festival

Central Asian Cinema Showcased at Asian Film Festival Barcelona

A young Kazakh couple who fake a terminal illness to raise money online are at the center of Sicko, one of several Central Asian films screened at this year's Asian Film Festival Barcelona. The festival, which concluded on November 1, also featured the award-winning Kyrgyz drama Kurak and other productions from across the region. Organized by the Spanish cultural institution Casa Asia, the festival ran from October 22 to November 1. Its program included more than 100 films from 25 countries across Asia and the Pacific. Although India was the main focus, organizers also highlighted Central Asian cinema, with productions...

Kazakh Cinema

Kazakh–Korean Action Film KESU Sets Sights on South Korean Cinemas

A Kazakh former special forces officer and a South Korean taekwondo champion find themselves on the same side when their shared mentor disappears. Their search takes them from Kazakhstan to Seoul, where they become entangled in a dangerous conflict rooted in their teacher's past. This is the story of KESU, a Kazakhstan–South Korea action film directed by Daulet Zhumabayev that opened in Kazakhstan on October 15. The film topped the country's box office during its opening weekend, earning approximately 77 million tenge ($160,000), according to Forbes Kazakhstan. The film was commissioned by the Kazakhstan Taekwondo Federation, whose president, Kudret Shamiyev,...

Justice

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...

School Violence

School Bullying in Kazakhstan: Prosecutors Propose New Deputies to Protect Students from Violence

Sexual Violence

Kazakh Women Share Stories of Sexual Violence Under #IAmJaneDoe Hashtag

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

Russia's War in Ukraine

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

Tajik citizens imprisoned in the Russian city of Volgograd say they are being put under pressure to sign military contracts and fight in Ukraine, allegations which the Russian prison authorities have rejected. The prisoners are asking Tajikistan to facilitate their transfer home. Two inmates contacted Radio Ozodi, the Tajik service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, on October 29. They said about 150 prisoners from Central Asia were facing pressure, including approximately 60 Tajik citizens. The outlet said it knew the men's identities but had withheld them for their safety. The men said that despite difficulties, they had obtained a mobile...

Oil Arbitration

Kashagan Arbitration: Tribunal Rejects $12 Billion in Kazakhstan’s Claims

An international arbitration tribunal has rejected approximately $12 billion in claims brought by Kazakhstan against investors in the Kashagan oil field, Bloomberg reported on October 22. Citing sources familiar with the confidential proceedings, the report said the claims concerned field development costs incurred between 2011 and 2015 and were filed after the applicable deadline. Claims concerning another $8 billion in disputed costs have been allowed to proceed. Kazakhstan had sought to exclude approximately $20 billion from the costs investors are entitled to recover through oil production. The arbitrators did not examine whether the expenses covered by the rejected claims were...

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...

Environment

Waste-to-Energy

Chinese Firm Proposes $95 Million Kyrgyzstan Waste-to-Energy Plant

A subsidiary of the state-owned China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group (CECEP) is considering a $95 million waste-to-energy plant in southern Kyrgyzstan. CECEP Environmental Protection’s proposal comes as Chinese companies play a growing role in turning municipal waste into electricity and heat in the country. Company representatives discussed the proposal on November 3 with Ravshanbek Sabirov, director of the National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. The proposed complex would initially process 800 metric tons of waste per day, equivalent to 292,000 tons annually if operated continuously. Capacity could eventually rise to 2,000 tons per day....

Nature Reserve

Kazakhstan Tree Planting Drive Faces Wildfires and Low Survival Rates

National Parks

Kyrgyzstan Plans to Expand Protected Natural Areas

Snow Leopard Conservation

Kyrgyzstan Opens Snow Leopard Research and Rehabilitation Center

Air Pollution

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

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,...

Pasture Management

Kyrgyzstan Pasture Restoration Plan Includes 7,200 Kilometers of Road Repairs

Kyrgyzstan plans to repair hundreds of bridges and more than 7,200 kilometers of roads to help livestock farmers reach remote grazing land as pastures near villages deteriorate. The Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry outlined the plans on October 29. It estimates that 184,000 hectares of pasture near settlements have been degraded and need restoration. To ease grazing pressure near villages, the ministry has identified a need to repair and restore 553 bridges and improve 7,206.3 kilometers of pasture access roads. It also plans to establish 406 livestock watering points and install 170 milk collection tanks. Plans to...

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

Around 100 grants will be made available to local conservation groups under a new five-year program to protect threatened wildlife in the Pamir and Tien Shan mountains. The initiative will cover mountain ecosystems across five Central Asian countries, running from 2026 to 2031. The program has a budget of up to $8 million, with the European Union providing the majority of funding through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). The British conservation organization Fauna & Flora will coordinate activities in the region, overseeing grants, providing technical assistance, and helping local organizations develop and manage conservation projects. The Pamir and Tien...

Kazakhstan Resumes Oil Exports Through Russian Pipeline After Drone Attack

Latest

Features

Features

New NATO Base Rumours, Organised OTS Opposition, and the Future of Kazakh-Turkish Ties

Latest

Dastan: Turkmenistan Takes to the Desert in Rally Cars

New NATO Base Rumours, Organised OTS Opposition, and the Future of Kazakh-Turkish Ties

Dastan: Turkmenistan Takes to the Desert in Rally Cars

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

Kazakhstan Seeks to Reduce Dependence on Imported Medicines with New Pharmaceutical Plants

Uzbekistan Inflation: Consumers’ Estimates Exceed Official Rate

Kazakhstan Oil Exports: Talks With Azerbaijan on Higher BTC Shipments

Food Spending in Kazakhstan Tops Half of Consumer Budgets

Osinovsky Pass Bypass Opens in Kazakhstan After Years of Delays

Local Politics

Local Politics

Tokayev Names Zhanassova Deputy Prime Minister in Transport Shake-Up

Rogun Hydropower Plant Accident Sparks Conflicting Injury Reports

Kazakhstan Marks Republic Day as World Leaders Send Congratulations

Kazakhstan Military Training Overhauled with New Drone Forces Planned

Rubio’s Remarks Reignite Debate on Russian Language in Uzbekistan

International Affairs

International Affairs

Kazakhstan Resumes Oil Exports Through Russian Pipeline After Drone Attack

Russia–Azerbaijan Military Cooperation Expands Amid Baku–Ankara Tensions

Iranian Foreign Minister to Visit Turkmenistan, Seeking Closer Ties

Tokayev Proposes Russian Role in OTS as Aliyev Skips Ankara Summit

Water Projects in Tajikistan: Japan Learns from a Troubled Grant

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Kazakhstan’s Youth Soccer Players Hospitalized After Suspected Food Poisoning in Tashkent

Asian Cup Postponement Delays Central Asian Football Hopes

Central Asian Museum Experts Visit U.S. to Study Heritage Preservation

Central Asian Cinema Showcased at Asian Film Festival Barcelona

Kazakh–Korean Action Film KESU Sets Sights on South Korean Cinemas

Justice

Justice

Kazakhstan Detains Ten Over Alleged Plot to Change Constitutional Order