TASHKENT (TCA) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved an $80 million loan for the electrification of 145 kilometers (km) of railway in Uzbekistan, linking the cities of Pap, Namangan, and Andijan. The electrified track is part of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Corridor 2, a critical transport link in the region, ADB’s country office in Uzbekistan said on April 24.

Continue reading

KABUL (TCA) — A top U.S. Army general has suggested during a visit to Afghanistan by U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that Russia is arming Taliban militants, RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan reported.

Continue reading

DUSHANBE (TCA) — As Tajikistan is being hit hard by decreased remittances from Tajik labor migrants in Russia and the weakening national currency, the somoni, against the US dollar, we are republishing this article, originally published by EurasiaNet.org:

Continue reading

ASHGABAT (TCA) — Cigarettes have again disappeared from state-owned stores in Turkmenistan in April, as the “Month of Health” is being held in the country, the Chronicles of Turkmenistan independent website reports.

Continue reading

KABUL (TCA) — Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister for political affairs Hekmat Khalil Karzai said the Japanese aid package will be invested in education, procurement and infrastructure projects, Afghanistan’s TOLOnews agency reported.

Continue reading

BISHKEK (TCA) — During the World Book Day celebration in Bishkek on April 21, U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Sheila Gwaltney announced a donation of over 130,000 books to 80 children’s libraries across the country. The United States will contribute the books through its USAID Reading Together project, which improves the reading skills of early grade students, the US Embassy in Bishkek said.

Continue reading