Almaty has been recognized as the top-performing city in Central Asia in the newly published Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2025, ranking 258th out of 1,000 cities globally.
Trailing Almaty, Astana claimed the second spot in the region with a 276th place global ranking, while Shymkent came in at 534th.
Almaty stood out in the human capital category, securing an impressive 64th position worldwide, signaling strong performance in education, workforce capabilities, and innovation potential.
At the global level, New York, London, and Paris led the rankings as the top three cities in the 2025 index.
The Global Cities Index, compiled by Oxford Economics, evaluates urban performance across five key dimensions: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance. The rankings are based on a blend of economic forecasts and qualitative assessments.
Almaty's high score reflects its growing importance as a regional hub for talent, culture, and commerce in Central Asia.
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Trade routes through Afghanistan took centre stage in Almaty as the European Union, Central Asian states and the United Nations discussed the country's role in shaping regional security and economic connectivity.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for talks on trade, infrastructure and preparations for Putin’s state visit to Kazakhstan later this month.
Almaty is hosting GITEX AI Kazakhstan 2026 two-day event, drawing global tech firms and investors as Central Asia gains attention as a fast developing digital market. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus exhibition in Almaty on 4 May.
Tourism across Central Asia is expanding rapidly, with millions of visitors arriving each year as the region becomes an increasingly competitive global travel destination, though growth rates vary significantly between countries.
A train driver has been killed and nine people remain in a critical condition in hospital, after two trains collided near Beford in the east of England on Friday. The passenger trains heading to London collided at around 17:15 local time (1615 GMT). Â
Morocco captain and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi will face trial in France after an appeals court ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed.
Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye, but the celebrations were tempered by a costly red card for veteran forward Miguel Almirón.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck southwest of Greece’s island of Crete on Saturday, with no immediate reports of damage.
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, a senior U.S. official has said. Hezbollah has released a statement saying Israel must leave southern Lebanon. Israel has said it agrees to the ceasefire, but has said its armed forces won't leave Lebanon and will resume hostilities if attacked.
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At least seven people were killed and several others injured after two roadside bombs exploded in quick succession in northwest Pakistan on Saturday (20 June), according to local police.
Russia is seeking to expand cooperation with Central Asian countries in the exploration, extraction and processing of rare earth metals, underlining the region's growing importance in the global race for critical raw materials.
Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary in U.S.-Iran diplomacy after months of shuttle talks, draft revisions and regional coordination involving Gulf states and China. An interim understanding has been reached, but officials warn the most difficult phase of negotiations still lies ahead.
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