Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus
Attack on pro-Palestinian activist in Taiwan undermines Israel's image on the island
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, Taiwan has seen several civic initiatives calling for an alternative discussion of events in Gaza.
In Georgia, a series of legal amendments are putting the country's EU aspirations on hold
A foreign agent bill, a ban on gender election quotas, and most recently an LGBTQ+ propaganda bill are just the latest legal amendments proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Mongolia's new electoral system results in greater representation in the parliament
It was the first time in the country’s history as many as five political parties won seats in the parliament.
Kyrgyzstan’s president’s niece undermines his efforts to remold national traditions
The over-the-top engagement ceremony delivered a blow to the authorities ongoing work to remold local traditions surrounding the celebration of major life-cycle events.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway: Between optimism and concern
The proposed route will further integrate Kyrgyzstan into Central Asian trade routes and potentially open new transport avenues to European and Gulf countries.
Wild horses return to their historic natural habitat in Kazakhstan
This initiative became a major milestone in global wildlife preservation efforts to save Przewalski’s horses from extinction and reintroduce them to their natural habitat.
Azerbaijan State Oil Company (SOCAR) is caught in the midst of Israel-Gaza war
Azerbaijan's ties with Israel have long been based on trade in military and agriculture equipment, oil supply, surveillance equipment, and more recently aerospace technology.
An Orthodox priest in Kazakhstan is trying to open a church independent from the Russian Orthodox Church
The difficulty is that according to the law in Kazakhstan, preaching and missionary activity without registration are prohibited.
Central Asia press freedom scores get worse
The bleak situation for freedom of expression in Central Asia underscores the need for renewed international pressure to respect their international obligations.
China increases gas imports from Turkmenistan for green energy transition. It's impact is unclear
To reduce carbon emissions, China is looking to transition from coal to natural gas, with much of that coming from Turkmenistan. But how will this impact its overall annual emissions?
President Zelenskyy’s first interview with Central Asian journalists warns of dangers of being in Russia’s orbit
The interview came at a time when people in Central Asia remain divided regarding their opinion on the war in Ukraine.
Azerbaijan's President Aliyev cozies up to authoritarian leaders
In all of these cases, Azerbaijani government and its leadership got away with its dubious financial transactions and deals all the while, building new friendships and cracking down on freedoms.
Riots against foreign students in Kyrgystan undermine its people-to-people ties with South Asia
The Kyrgyz government reacted strongly to the incident, condemning violence, apologizing to the students, and promising that such incidents would not happen again.
Why May 21 is a day of mourning for the Circassian people
Explaining what happened to the residents of the Northwestern Caucasus during the Caucasian War which ended on May 21, 1864. For Circassians, it was a tragedy.
Differences in tea culture in Azerbaijan and Turkey
While geographically close, Azerbaijan and Turkey have very different ways of preparing and drinking tea.
In Russia, a journalist is detained for ‘apology’ for the Taliban
Nadezhda Kevorkova’s pro-Palestinian information and human rights activities could also have been the reason for her arrest.
Turkey joins the ranks of countries considering a foreign agent law
Turkey, is muling to adopt its own version of the foreign agent law, which has been proposed within the scope of the 9th Judicial Package.
Symbolic, but distant in the future: A dam on Kyrgyzstan’s Naryn river
With a projected capacity to generate 5.6 billion kWh, the Kambar-Ata-1 HPP could improve Kyrgyzstan’s energy security and allow for increased exports.
Georgia's ruling party adopts controversial foreign agent bill despite widespread protests
As protests raged in the capital and elsewhere across the country, the ruling Georgian Dream members continued pushing the foreign agent law.
Taliban bids on sports in Afghanistan to gain legitimacy at home and abroad
The calculated strategy of the Taliban to promote specific sports is aimed at projecting a sense of normalcy and asserting their authority.
Uzbekistan’s new vehicle import regulations risk strengthening its most notorious monopoly
A major factor that puts the new restrictions under scrutiny and raises suspicions over attempts to stifle competition is the history of monopoly in Uzbekistan’s automobile industry.