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The new Central Asian trade corridor is being set up to avoid transportation bottlenecks, such as this traffic jam at the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border in August 2023.

Central Asia in Focus: New Russian Trade Corridors Through Central Asia

In this week’s edition: a new Russian trade corridor in Central Asia, an Uzbek citizen was sent to prison for fighting in Ukraine, how foreign wars are affecting governments and…

Alsu Kurmasheva stands in an office.

Journalists in Trouble: Russia Detains RFE/RL Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva

Russia detains RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva; RFE/RL event draws attention to incommunicado detention in Belarus; and more.

Stephen Capus Headshot

RFE/RL Appoints Stephen Capus as Acting President

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Board of Directors has named Stephen Capus as the company’s Acting President, effective January 1, 2024.

An image of the logo for the Majlis Podcast, which focus on Central Asian issues

How Distant Wars Impact Central Asia

Geographically, Central Asia is located a comfortable distance away from the wars in the Caucasus, Ukraine, and the Middle East, but these conflicts affect the region.

Funerals for miners killed in a coal mine explosion in coal mine named after Ivan Kostenko of ArcelorMittal Temirtau company. Al Mashani Mosque in Karaganda, Kazakhstan on Oct. 30, 2023. Nurgul Tapaeva (RFE/RL).

Central Asia in Focus: Kyrgyzstan Falling Deeper in Debt to China

In this week’s edition: Kyrgyzstan is falling deeper in debt to China, Kazakhstan’s latest mining accident, the UN presses Tajikistan on imprisoned rights defenders, and more.

An image of the logo for the Majlis Podcast, which focus on Central Asian issues

Kyrgyzstan’s Draft Laws Push Independent Media, Civil Society To The Edge

On October 25, Kyrgyzstan’s draft law on noncommercial organizations was adopted by parliament in its first reading.

A Central Asian labor migrant filling out a military registration card in Russia. (Social media).

Central Asia in Focus: Russia Wants Central Asian Migrants to Serve in Ukraine

In this week’s edition: Russia wants Central Asian migrants to serve in Ukraine, a debate on morality in the Kyrgyz Parliament, the challenge of kleptocracy in Central Asia, and more.

Briefly… Rikard Jozwiak on Covering the EU, NATO, and Russia’s War on Ukraine

Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak talks about what Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine means for his coverage of the EU, NATO, and more.

An image of the logo for the Majlis Podcast, which focus on Central Asian issues

Can Sanctions Work Against Central Asian Kleptocracies?

It’s no secret that kleptocracy is a problem in every Central Asian country.

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