Complaints from residents of Turkmenistan’s Mary Region over widespread power outages have led to inspections and the dismissal of several local officials, but electricity disruptions continue, Turkmen.news reported . The outages began in mid-June during extreme heat, with temperatures in the region
Uzbekistan’s football team takes to the global stage on June 17 in Mexico City, when it faces Colombia in its first round-robin match of the World Cup. Other countries in Central Asia that didn’t qualify for the event aren’t just cheering from afar; they’re training and competing in hopes of one day
Mutual trade between Central Asian countries reached $12.3 billion in 2025, nearly doubling compared to 2020, according to analysts at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). The figure underlines how Central Asia is increasingly emerging as a more interconnected regional market after years of relative
Conference-related events began in Dushanbe on Monday, May 25, as Tajikistan hosts the Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development,” 2018-2028 . The week gives Tajikistan a fresh stage for a role it has built for years: using w
Turkmenistan has held talks with Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group about increasing their collaboration at the Turkmenbashi port on the Caspian Sea. The talks come as Turkmenistan seeks a larger role in the Middle Corridor , a trade network linking Asia and Europe via Central Asia and the Cauc
In most Central Asian countries, checking the average salary is as simple as visiting the national statistics agency’s website. In Turkmenistan, however, wage data remain largely inaccessible. The State Statistics Committee does not publish salary figures online, and its annual statistical yearbooks
Authorities in Turkmenistan have tightened control over citizens’ online activity, with district courts in Ashgabat reportedly hearing administrative cases daily against people accused of liking or commenting on posts critical of the government on TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms. T
Only two people in Turkmenistan, the chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council) and the president, have what could be considered job security. Everyone else is expendable, at a moment’s notice, and that extends to the country’s top clergy. Turkmenistan has replaced the country’s top mufti, an
Air Belgium will start cargo flights through Ashgabat International Airport in early August, reflecting Turkmenistan’s hopes of becoming an air cargo hub between Asia and Europe despite its traditional restrictions on the aviation market. Sapar Palvanov, Turkmenistan’s ambassador in Brussels, discus
Residents of the town of Kaka in Turkmenistan’s Ahal region are facing a shortage of cash. Queues at ATMs stretch for dozens of people, but many residents are unable to withdraw money because the machines quickly run out of banknotes. As a result, some are turning to intermediar i es who help them o
In 2020, Turkmenistan’s schools banned the use of mobile phones during classes. Now the government has introduced new rules regulating the use of portable devices in academic settings, seeking to use them as learning tools while addressing concerns about distraction and other potentially negative ef
Turkmenistan and the United Nations are encouraging Turkmen mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children in the first six months of life, following a decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates in the Central Asian country in recent years. UNICEF said its survey data showed that 84.7% of infants in
Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov has been awarded the title of professor in economic and political sciences and elected as an academician of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan. The announcement was made by the state-run Golden Age . The award ceremony took place at the Academy of
Turkmenistan and the World Health Organization went through a delicate period during the pandemic, when the Turkmen government said there had been no COVID-19 cases in the country . The global health agency didn’t publicly challenge the claim, which was met with widespread international skepticism.
Officials from Turkmenistan have met with OpenAI to discuss the use of artificial intelligence in the country’s education system. The London meeting between a delegation from Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Education and OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, took place during the Education World Forum 2026
As Turkmenistan works to modernize food production, representatives from dozens of foreign companies were in the country this week for meetings on the agricultural and food industries as well as the packaging of goods. The Agro Pack Turkmenistan-2026 event reflected the Central Asian country’s effor
Payments to World War II veterans ahead of Victory Day continue to vary significantly across Central Asia, with Turkmenistan offering one of the lowest levels of support in the region. At a government meeting on April 24, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, discussing traditional commemorative events f
The government of Turkmenistan has begun developing its first National Program on Child Protection and Child-Friendly Justice, with technical support from UNICEF, according to a report published on April 15. Officials described the initiative as a major step toward strengthening systems that safegua
The European Union used its latest human rights dialogue with Turkmenistan to press Ashgabat on the gap between outward engagement and domestic control. The 18th annual EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue was held in Ashgabat on June 22. It came during a period of slightly more visible contact bet
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Turkmenistan on June 18 for an official visit focused on energy cooperation, with the two countries signing a new strategic partnership involving Petronas and Turkmenistan’s energy authorities the following day. Anwar and Turkmen President Serdar Ber