YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, visited Tashkent on 9 October for a fan event organised by Uzbekistan’s Art and Culture Development Foundation. The visit marked his first trip to Central Asia.
Kyrgyzstan could become the first country in the world to ban energy drinks. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has instructed ministers to examine the possibility of prohibiting the production and import of the beverages, citing health concerns, state news agency Kabar has reported.
Uzbekistan has launched 145 investment projects worth $7.8 billion in its Bukhara region, aiming to create more than 14,000 jobs, boost industrial production and exports, and drive economic growth beyond the capital, Tashkent.
Kazakhstan plans to manufacture 494 types of medicines through eight major investment projects worth a combined $862 million, Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova announced on 3 November, local media reported.
Tajikistan has banned electronic cigarettes and nicotine delivery systems, becoming the latest Central Asian country to outlaw their production, import and sale as part of a wider push to protect public health.
Kyrgyzstan has emerged as Central Asia’s fastest-growing economy, fuelled by a construction boom, public investment and trade linked to Russia. But with Western sanctions tightening, can the country sustain its rapid growth?
Tajikistan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are drawing up a $900 million investment roadmap for 2026–2030, aimed at boosting economic growth, infrastructure and private-sector development.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using their usual banking apps. Central banks from the five countries are working on linking their national payment systems.
Foreign ministers from the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) gathered in Ankara on Thursday to strengthen regional cooperation and finalise preparations for Friday's leaders' summit.
Türkiye aims to increase bilateral trade with Kazakhstan to $15 billion and expand investment cooperation, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said during talks with his Kazakh counterpart, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who was on an official visit to Ankara.
Uzbekistan is launching a new fashion academy in Tashkent to help local clothing manufacturers build their own brands, sharpen design skills and compete in international markets.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has unveiled plans to modernise infrastructure, strengthen trade links and boost electricity production in his annual address to the nation, outlining his economic priorities against a backdrop of global uncertainty.
Kyrgyzstan has unveiled plans to significantly expand its protected natural areas, bringing more high-altitude glaciers, mountain landscapes and state-owned forests under environmental protection as part of a draft strategy for 2026–2035.
Uzbekistan has launched Apple Pay and Google Pay, allowing customers at several local banks to make contactless payments using their smartphones and other compatible devices.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has dismissed European criticism of a maritime agreement between Türkiye and Libya, arguing that objections to the deal have no legal basis.
Kyrgyzstan doubled its petrol and diesel production in the first nine months of 2026, as disruptions at Russian oil refineries strained fuel supplies across Central Asia, highlighting the region’s reliance on Russian energy.
A new $500 million private equity fund is being set up to support business growth across Central Asia and the Caucasus, with Uzbekistan joining five other institutions as a founding partner.
Uzbekistan summoned Iran’s ambassador following claims by several Iranian diplomatic missions that the historical and architectural heritage of Samarkand belongs to Persian or Iranian-Islamic civilisation, Tashkent's Foreign Ministry said.
Foreign ministers meeting in Istanbul on Friday warned that renewed military strikes on Iran could deepen the regional conflict, urging diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
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