Uzbekistan taps Chinese tech for deep-well exploration
Uzbekistan is pressing ahead with an ambitious drive to unlock vast hydrocarbon reserves buried deep beneath its remote Ustyurt plateau, striking a major drilling deal...
Central Asian leaders eye trade growth
The renewed push for economic integration was evident in a series of high-profile meetings in late 2024 and early 2025.
Wild horses return to Kazakh steppes
The reintroduction project, initiated by a coalition of European zoos and conservation organizations, aims to establish a self-sustaining population of Przewalski’s horses in the Altyn Dala region.
Kyrgyzstan halts Russia’s Mir payment cards amid sanctions pressure
The national payments operator of Kyrgyzstan cited the US Treasury’s decision to sanction the Russian National Card Payment System, the operator behind Mir, as a primary reason for the cessation.
Journalists detained in Kyrgyz media crackdown
The raids began on Monday, when officers from the State Committee for National Security, the country’s main intelligence agency, stormed the newsroom of 24.KG, one of the oldest and most respected online news outlets in Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan considers banning niqab, citing security concerns
The bill, which was made public for discussion by the parliament on November 14, proposes fines and community service for those who violate the ban, which it says is necessary to ensure public security and identify individuals.
45 dead in Kazakhstan mine fire disaster
Kazakhstan was in national mourning on Sunday after a fire at an ArcelorMittal mine killed 45 people, the worst accident in the Central Asian country’s post-Soviet history.
Kyrgyz authorities pledge ‘all-out war’ on criminal networks
n a sweeping crackdown on organized crime, Kyrgyzstan’s security services have arrested dozens of suspected gangsters, seized millions of dollars’ worth of illicit assets, and killed the country’s most notorious crime boss.
Kazakhstan replaces central bank chief
Kazakhstan appointed a new central bank governor on Monday, as the oil-rich Central Asian nation faces economic headwinds.
Kyrgyzstan passes controversial bill shielding children from ‘harmful information’
The Kyrgyz parliament passed a bill protecting children from online content that could undermine their moral values, critics say it is a pretext to censor dissent.