Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus
Legendary singer Sherali Jo’rayev encapsulated Uzbekistan’s traditional music and poetry
His legacy endures, a reminder of the enduring spirit of artistic expression and the importance of protecting the freedom to create and perform.
Nagorno-Karabakh surrenders but what of the future?
Over the last three years, mutual accusations of ceasefire violations continued unabated. So did, mutual hostile rhetoric throwing any prospects for peace out of the window.
Why does Sinophobia remain strong in Kazakhstan?
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by Xi Jinping 10 years ago has intensified Sinophobia associated with the activities of Chinese companies.
In Azerbaijan, one young queer activist is defying boundaries
Existing legislation in Azerbaijan does not address hate crimes based on gender identity or sexual orientation. There is also no law on bullying despite advocacy efforts of activists.
In Central Asia, the concerts of pro-war Russian celebrities are canceled in solidarity with Ukraine
In contrast to the governments in Central Asia, which maintain an ambiguous position, ordinary people in the region have expressed their political stance more clearly by expressing solidarity with Ukraine.
Central Asian people's path to the American dream is full of dangers
Among the dangers of traveling this route are being robbed or taken hostage by cartels in transit countries, being attacked by wild animals, and drowning in the Caribbean Sea.
Shifting tides: Do Kazakhs still like Russia?
Public opinion is split: for some, Russia is an unavoidable, yet dangerous partner, but a lesser evil compared to others.
Azerbaijan continues to keep its land borders closed, citing COVID-19 as a concern
Three years on, while the world, including Azerbaijan, lifted most, if not all, pandemic-related restrictions, Azerbaijan continues to keep its land borders closed for passenger traffic, citing the pandemic as a threat.
FC Barcelona opens its first academy in Central Asia and commits to build more
The academy in Jalalabad was FC Barcelona's 29th in the world and first in Central Asia.
The Taliban's devastating effect on journalists and press freedom in Afghanistan grows worse
Over half of 600 media outlets have ceased operations. A significant number of journalists and media personnel, particularly women, have either lost their jobs or been coerced into leaving the country.
Prioritizing disability employment in Azerbaijan
A January 2023 survey, found out that a striking 80 percent of respondents were unemployed at the time of the survey and were actively seeking employment as of January 2023.
Central Asian presidents cannot stop appointing their relatives to high-level posts
The most glaring example of this practice is the current president of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimukhamedov, who succeeded his father Gurbanguly Berdimukhamedov in 2022.
If adopted, Tajikistan’s draft law on bloggers will do more harm than good
In the last few years, the country has recorded significant backsliding with regards to freedom of expression as well as overall political freedoms.
Kyrgyzstan's national game, kok-boru, continues to attract new fans around the world
The turning point for kok-boru’s popularity beyond Central Asia came with the first World Nomad Games (WNG) hosted by Kyrgyzstan in 2014.
Musicians in Afghanistan live in fear and despair amid the Taliban ban on music
"Taliban have transformed Afghanistan into a place deprived of music and art. They transformed it into a quiet, dumb country."
US band The Killers had a rough crash-course in Georgian politics
The American band, The Killers, was booed off the stage during their much-anticipated concert Georgia after they invited a Russian drummer to join them onstage.
Karakalpakstan is the most obscure and unique tourism destination in Uzbekistan
There are many positive things in Karakalpakstan – people do not want to be known only for an ecological disaster.
In Azerbaijan, couriers are facing intimidation and arrests at the hands of the state
The recent wave of arrests and persecution are linked to the changes adopted to Article 27 of the Law on Traffic in December 2022.
A podcast in Kazakhstan is under controversy for inviting a friend of the Boston Marathon bomber
Critics viewed the episode as an attempt to whitewash a criminal by providing him with a platform and not asking tough questions.
Uzbekistan's list of foreign policy challenges grows larger
Undoubtedly, the war in Ukraine is the most serious foreign policy challenge. In the event of a Russian victory, Uzbekistan would face unprecedented pressure to participate in Putin's geopolitical initiatives.
Zere's new album is a continuation of her fight against gender inequality in Kyrgyzstan
It continues discussing gender inequality while exploring other social and political problems in Kyrgyzstan against the background of her intimate and personal experiences and stories from childhood.