Section: The Times of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan)
Kazakhstan to switch from Cyrillic to Latin alphabet
ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev has ordered the government to introduce a Latin-based alphabet for the Kazakh language by the end of 2017, marking a major shift after nearly 80 years of using a Cyrillic-based alphabet, RFE/RL reported. The order is part of a new “strategic plan” for the country that was...
Uzbekistan ups exports of textile and light-industry products
TASHKENT (TCA) — A new foreign trade organization, Uztuqimachilikexport, is being established in Uzbekistan for expansion of exports of Uzbek light-industry products and technological upgrade of domestic textile enterprises, the Jahon information agency reported. Manufacturers of cotton, mixed and silk fabrics, textile, knitwear products, hats,...
Making sense of the attack in St. Petersburg
BISHKEK (TCA) — Russian media reported that police suspect the bombing in a subway train in St. Petersburg on April 3 was carried out by a man from Central Asia with ties to radical Islamic groups. Here below we are republishing an article originally published by Stratfor, which looks into different theories to explain who staged the attack, and...
With tensions high, Kazakhstan plays mediator in Syria peace talks
ASTANA (TCA) — As the Syria peace talks in Astana have given more international exposure to Kazakhstan as a player in the region wider than Central Asia, we are republishing this article by George Voloshin, originally published by The Jamestown Foundation’s Eurasia Daily Monitor: As the Syrian civil war enters its seventh year (the conflict...
Kyrgyzstan struggling with consequences of illegal construction instead of preventing it
BISHKEK (TCA) — Several illegally constructed facilities have recently been demolished in the Kyrgyz capital including a 4-storey office building in downtown Bishkek (at the intersection of Toktogul Street and Manas Avenue). The building was built illegally because the company had no permits, so construction supervision was not conducted and the...
Fugitive Kazakh banker Ablyazov faces new charge in Kazakhstan
ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan’s Anticorruption Bureau on February 2 said that fugitive Kazakh tycoon Mukhtar Ablyazov has been charged with the creation of an international criminal community and summoned to the bureau’s headquarters in Astana by February 10, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. The 53-year-old former head of...
Tajikistan plans to produce 179 thousand tons of aluminum in 2017
DUSHANBE (TCA) — This year Tajikistan plans to produce around 179 thousand tons of aluminum compared to 129.3 thousand tons last year, Avesta news agency reported with reference to Tajik Minister of Economic Development and Trade Negmatullo Hikmatullozoda. In 2015, Tajikistan produced 139.1 thousand tons of primary aluminum.Aluminum, along with...
Uzbekistan lifts ban on 12 export items
TASHKENT (TCA) — Uzbekistan has lifted a ban on the export of 12 types of products starting from January 1, 2017. The ban was lifted by the decree of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan Today news agency reports.The export ban was lifted for grain (wheat, rye, oats, rice, corn, buckwheat), bakery products, flour and...
Cyber security workshop held in Tashkent
TASHKENT (TCA) — On January 9 and 10, the United States and German Embassies in Uzbekistan supported a two-day workshop in Tashkent focused on cyber security strategy and best practices. The event was organized by the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies and featured subject matter experts from Azerbaijan, Germany, Portugal,...
Kazakhstan, Russia sign new cooperation agreement for Baikonur spaceport
ASTANA (TCA) — Kazakhstan and Russia signed a concept of cooperation at Kazakhstan’s Baikonur space launch complex following talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in St. Petersburg on December 26, TASS news agency reported. The document was signed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry...
