As Central Asia expands its hydropower infrastructure and high-rise construction, seismologists are examining whether large mountain reservoirs could influence earthquake activity. The question is particularly pressing in a region where major cities lie close to active tectonic faults.
Melting glaciers, recurring droughts and dust storms are putting growing pressure on Central Asia’s water resources, agriculture and public health.
Rising demand for air cargo and expanding international aviation networks are opening up new trade opportunities for Central Asia and the South Caucasus, as countries invest in airports and strengthen their roles in global supply chains.
Uzbekistan has showcased its first artificial glacier project at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye, highlighting an innovative way to store winter water for use in warmer months as Central Asia grapples with worsening water shortages.
The European Union (EU) has launched a new push to improve secure digital links between Europe and Central Asia, with the first High-Level Connectivity Platform Meeting on Digital in Chișinău, Moldova.
Trade along the Middle Corridor is accelerating, opening new opportunities for Central Asia and the South Caucasus as countries strengthen transport links between China and Europe. Cargo volumes reached around 4.7 million tonnes in 2025, up from less than one million tonnes in 2021.
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.
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.
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?
Relations between Britain and France, rooted in centuries of history, have possessed a distinctive dynamic that has helped determine Europe’s political balance: the paradox of “friendly enemies."
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.
Strengthened U.S.-Central Asia ties reflect a broader trend in international relations, with growing emphasis on developing alternative transit routes and diversifying energy and critical mineral supply networks to gain geopolitical influence.
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 could begin building its first nuclear power plant in 2027, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on 28 October, according to Azertac. But as Central Asia steps up its energy ambitions, which countries are investing in nuclear power and which are pursuing alternatives?
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.
The C5+1 ministerial meeting in Samarkand has strengthened economic ties between the U.S. and Central Asia, with Uzbekistan securing 54 agreements and initiatives worth around $12 billion with U.S. companies and institutions.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Tajikistan on Sunday for an official visit and a major regional summit, with security, trade and transport links high on the agenda as Beijing strengthens its ties with Central Asia.
More than 200 U.S. business leaders have joined Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Uzbekistan as Washington steps up efforts to turn closer diplomatic ties with Central Asia into trade and investment deals.
Tajikistan and China have launched a high-capacity digital corridor across the Pamir Mountains, creating a direct telecommunications link that could strengthen Tajikistan’s internet connectivity and turn the country into a key transit route for data between Central and South Asia.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sunday for talks with Central Asian officials, as the Trump administration seeks to strengthen ties with a resource-rich region bordering China, Russia and Iran.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will depart on Saturday (17 October) on a five-day trip to India and Uzbekistan, the State Department said, adding that he will discuss energy cooperation in India.
Russia's TASS news agency is reporting that Russia's defence and digital development ministries are in talks about how to protect data centres, after several Yandex centres were targeted in Ukrainian drone attacks.
AnewZ’s recent reporting from Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates brings audiences closer to the technologies, and the decisions, shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
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