Two American attorneys who represented actor Johnny Depp in his libel case against former wife Amber Heard have visited Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court and spoken to Kazakh university students this week.

Attorneys Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew work for Brown Rudnick, an international law firm that has a client in Kazakhstan: the Ministry of Justice. The firm, whose primary address is in Boston, has been engaged to help the Kazakh ministry in legal processes in Britain and the United States, according to a February filing with the U.S. Department of Justice.

In recent years, Kazakh authorities have pursued an international campaign to recover assets that they say were stolen and moved abroad.

Vasquez and Chew became familiar faces for many people during the Depp vs. Heard 2022 trial, which was livestreamed and set off a fresh round of debate about celebrity culture and the MeToo movement. A jury awarded $15 million to Depp, who had accused Heard of lying when she said he had abused her, though it also awarded $2 million to Heard in a separate decision. Later, Depp agreed to receive $1 million and pledged it to charity.

Vasquez in particular became something of a celebrity herself during and after the trial. She has worked as a legal analyst for NBC News and was elevated to partner at Brown Rudnick, which had helped Depp. Chew joined the firm as a partner in 2018.

Vasquez “talked about the importance of personal brand in the court of law and in the court of public opinion” in comments at the International School of Journalism of Maqsut Narikbayev University in Astana, the Kazakh capital, the school said on Wednesday. The school, which opened last year after a presidential instruction, said the lawyer offered tips about embracing identity, creating value, how to “grow” and time management.

As the attorney spoke, images appeared on the screen behind her. One showed Depp in his “Pirates of the Caribbean” garb.

Vasquez and Chew also visited the Constitutional Court in Astana and discussed gender equality and strengthening women’s rights in the judiciary, Tengri News reported, citing the court’s press service.

Bulgaria, like Kazakhstan, plays an important transit role in the growing trade between the EU, Central Asia, and China.

In his speech at the forum “Transport Connection between Kazakhstan and Bulgaria, on July 10 in Sofia organized by the Embassy of Kazakhstan to Bulgaria, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Bulgaria Viktor Temirbayev emphasized the need for both countries to intensify cooperation in transport and transit by focusing on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).

Addressing representatives of Bulgarian transport companies, Ambassador Temirbayev highlighted the fact that Kazakhstan’s location in the center of the Eurasian continent creates favorable conditions for using its transport network for transcontinental routes connecting East and West, as well as North and South.

Forum participants were briefed on ongoing efforts by Kazakhstan’s government to increase cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, as well as the development of a new automobile route for cargo transportation through Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey and on to EU countries through Bulgaria and Romania.

In support,  Yassen Ishev, Chairman of Bulgaria’s Scientific and Technical Union of Transport (STUT), stressed the importance of increasing cooperation in transport and logistics and in particular, establishing direct business contacts between the two countries’ transport companies.

According to a report by the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD), the financing of the Rogun HPP is one of the main risks for Tajikistan’s budget and debt sustainability.

The report states that the possible increase in the construction cost for the hydroelectric power plant may lead to reduction of financing to other important infrastructure projects and social spending.

Analysts emphasize that “in the face of uncertainty regarding funding sources, starting in 2025, the government of Tajikistan may have additional needs for budgetary support from international financial organizations.”

As mentioned in the report, the share of investments in electricity, gas, and water networks increased from 33.5% in the first quarter of 2023 to 42.4% in the first quarter of 2024, due to the increased activity in the construction of the Rogun HPP.

The Times of Central Asia previously reported that about 70% of the electricity will be exported to other Central Asian countries after the Rogun hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in Tajikistan reaches full capacity.

Construction of the Rogun HPP began in 1976, but it was suspended in 1991 after the collapse of the USSR. In 2016, Tajikistan continued constructing 600 MW hydroelectric power stations, as outlined in the project, using its own resources as well as support from international funds and organizations. Two of the six aggregates are working now, and the third will start working in 2025.

The law “On saving energy, its rational use and increasing energy efficiency” was approved at the plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis held in Uzbekistan on July 10. The law defines the tasks and rules for ensuring energy security, saving energy, increasing efficiency, and promoting rational use of resources, such as electric and thermal energy, fuel, and non-traditional energy resources in economic and social sectors.

The law also establishes the responsibility for excessive energy resource consumption in Uzbekistan.

Energy-saving directions and improvements in energy efficiency apply to the fields of construction and transport, buildings and structures, heat supply and utility companies, agriculture, and water management.

According to the senators, the adoption of this law will help further optimize the costs of energy resources and create a legal basis for systematic monitoring of energy consumption efficiency.

The estimated cost for the electrification of the 321.5-kilometer section of the Lugovaya-Balykchy railroad is $300 million. Tazabek.kg reports this based on a report made by the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). The railroad links Kyrgyzstan with Kazakhstan; the section is single-track, and covers 60.3km in Kazakhstan and 261.2km in Kyrgyzstan.

According to analysts, electrifying this section will increase the speed of traffic and increase the capacity of the line. Furthermore, it will allow for the railroad to access other electrified sections in Kazakhstan and Russia.

The EEC report notes that a feasibility study is needed to implement the project.

The Chinese company Henan intends to invest $400 million in developing coal deposits in Uzbekistan. There are also plans by the Turkish company Bab Energy ve Petrol Urunleri A.S. to establish facilities for the production of enriched kaolin.

On July 9th, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a report on the work and progress of investment projects in the field of geology. According to the provided data, almost 3 million tons of coal have been extracted in the country over the last six months. There are plans for the production of more than 5 million tons of coal in the second half of the year. Overall, coal production is expected to increase by 1.4 million tons this year compared to last year, while imports are expected to decrease significantly.

The coal industry is also implementing a number of investment projects. In particular, the Chinese company Henan plans to directly invest 400 million dollars towards the development of the Nishbash deposit. As a result of this project, up to 8 million tons of coal will be mined from underground and 5 million tons of coal per year will be enriched.

In addition, there are plans to produce enriched kaolin from the “Apartak-3” deposit in the Tashkent region jointly with the Turkish company Bab Energy ve Petrol Urunleri A.S. As a result of this joint venture, 40 new jobs will be created, and 70 thousand tons of enriched kaolin will be produced per year.