Latest posts by Nurbek Bekmurzaev
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.
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.
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.
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.
Russian diplomats react to a new law on language in Kyrgyzstan, bringing back colonial past
The Kyrgyz language is an integral part of national identity. It is vital for the survival of Kyrgyz people as a separate ethnic group and Kyrgyzstan as a nation.
Mongolia turns to its dinosaurs in an attempt to attract more tourists
Out of 400 species of dinosaurs discovered so far, 80 came from southern Mongolia, where they lived in the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era.
Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan commit to intensifying bilateral cooperation
The outcomes of the past official visits and talks show that the two countries remain friendly toward each other and ready to explore avenues for cooperation.
Turkmenistan unveils its first ‘smart’ city, named after the former president
Arkadag’s future remains unclear given the government’s authoritarian and bizarre rules for its potential residents.
Kyrgyzstan's highest court sides with a female activist and allows the use of the matronymic
People in Kyrgyzstan can now add an appendage to their first names that derive from their mothers’ names.
Central Asian states lead the way in the repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters’ families from Syria and Iraq
The cases of Central Asian countries can serve as a study model, and have many good practices to share with the international community.
Bloggers in Kazakhstan receive prison sentences for advertising pyramid schemes
Their cases are meant to be a lesson for other bloggers who influence public opinion.
A rapper in Uzbekistan is challenging widespread social issues through his songs
Konsta’s songs focus on Uzbek society, its problems, and the role of each individual in unfolding events.
Tajikistan's government adds another colossal building to its tally
Tajikistan building all these buildings is all the more striking given the fact that it is the poorest country in Central Asia.
Central Asian leaders sigh with relief as Erdoğan wins presidential elections in Turkey
After a cooling off in the relations in the 1990s and early 2000s, the blossoming of cooperation between Turkey and Central Asia has come under Erdoğan’s rule.
Kazakhstan is still haunted by Soviet-era political repression and famine
Kazakhstan is still grappling with the past tragedies and processing its national trauma.
Kyrgyzstan's YouTube sensation, D Billions, kicks off its global concert tour
D Billions, which stands for billion smiles, has already reached its ambitious goals of putting a smile on billion people's faces through their YouTube videos.
