News
Could Lake Mead end up drying out like the ill-fated Aral Sea?
The Aral Sea, which used to be the fourth-largest lake in the world, has slowly shrunk to a mere fraction of its size due to poor water management.
Putin ally calls to annex countries along Russia's border
In response, the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Malginov.
Video shows Russian mob ambush man they think is Jewish
The man was surrounded as hundreds of rioters stormed an airport in Russia's Dagestan, reportedly hunting for Israeli passengers.
Videos show colossal fireball after explosion at customs warehouse
The Tashkent blast reportedly damaged houses 20 miles away.
Scientists decode ancient script that has puzzled scholars for 70 years
The decipherment of the mysterious writing system, which was in use from around 200 B.C. and 700 A.D., has revealed a previously unknown language.
China winning new central Asia foothold, edging U.S. out of Russian bastion
"The Central Asian countries have made up their mind...that the fate of the region is in the hands of Russia and China," Niva Yau tells Newsweek.
U.S. and Russia tussle for "neutrals" with dueling visits
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Central Asia as Russia's Ukraine invasion shakes Moscow's traditional dominance in the region.
Chinese State Media Warns Russia-Ukraine War 'Spiraling Out of Control'
The destructiveness of the war, "which was fought only in Ukraine before, now…extends to the Baltic Sea," Hu Xijin wrote in China's Global Times newspaper.
Russia's Neighbors Threaten Jail for Those Who Fight in Ukraine
The Kyrgyzstan embassy in Russia warned citizens that they could face 10 years in prison as punishment for fighting in the war.
Putin Won't Change War Strategy Despite Falling Short Of Own Goals
"The plan is not subject to adjustment," Putin said Friday.
Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin Could Be Meeting for First Time Since War Began
China's leader is due in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan next week, both Central Asian nations have confirmed.
Casualties Feared in Uzbekistan as Mass Protests Turn Violent
Thousands came out to protest constitutional reform plans that would have weakened the status of the autonomous Karakalpakstan province.
Video Shows Woman 'Drop' Toddler In Bear Enclosure at Zoo
A shocked crowd watch a bear approach the toddler after the mother dropped her into the enclosure.
China, Russia Bring Iran, Pakistan Into Fold to Face Afghanistan Crisis
Russia's top diplomat says he and his Chinese, Iranian and Pakistani counterparts "can make a difference in the region in helping the Afghan people to get out of the crisis created after the 20 years of the war, launched by the United States and NATO."
What Afghanistan's Neighbors Have to Say About New Taliban Government
The most senior working diplomats of China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan took part in their first-ever virtual summit to discuss a common approach to Afghanistan's new Islamic Emirate.
Uzbekistan Sends Afghan Refugees Back Home, States Taliban Won't Persecute
The Uzbek Foreign Ministry said they contacted the Taliban for "security guarantees" for citizens of Afghanistan who fled into neighboring Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan Declining Afghan Visa Requests, Warns About Illegal Crossings
"My visa expires in one month, and I don't know what I will do next. I have no plan. I left everything behind," Afghan businessman Sami Elbigi said.
Plane Fleeing Afghanistan Shot Down, Uzbek Officials Say In Disputed Report
Uzbekistan's air defense system confirmed that it downed an Afghan military plane on Sunday that was attempting to enter its airspace illegally.
Russia to Conduct Mock Air Raids by Afghan Border, Says No Strikes Planned
"You are confusing us with the Americans or the experience that we 'carried over' from the Soviet times," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
U.S., Russia Compete Among Afghanistan's Central Asia Neighbors
"Afghanistan and the wider Central Asian region constitute part of Russia's 'southern underbelly,' a term that underscores the sense of vulnerability it feels along its southern border," Tracey German of the Defence Studies Department at King's College London told Newsweek.
Mass Brawl Breaks Out Between Over 50 People Outside Subway Station
Police in Moscow broke up the fight outside Kuzminki metro station, southeast of the Russian capital, with "most participants" from "Central Asian countries."
The U.S. Must Remain Engaged with Central Asia
The people of Uzbekistan, as do the American people, want to live in a world where our families are safe.
Religious Freedom in a Changing World
The United States remains irrevocably committed to securing international religious freedom for all.
The U.S. Can't Afford to Drop the Ball on Peace in Afghanistan
The coronavirus epidemic has created the temptation to forgo the complicated peace process and to simply withdraw our troops. This is the very last thing America should be doing.
Trump Hosts Historic Meeting With Leader of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent has been floated as a potential location for a meeting between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban.
Punitive Psychiatry Returns to Ex-Soviet States
From Crimea to Uzbekistan, human rights groups say dissidents are being subject to "treatment" at psychiatric facilities for opposing the government.
Why Extremism Is on the Rise in Central Asia
The St. Petersburg and Sweden attacks are two of the latest with suspects from Central Asia.
Uzbekistan Proposes Dropping Soviet-Era Travel Rules
After less than a year in office Mirziyoyev has called for dropping entry and exit visas.
New Uzbek President Steps in As Critic Calls for Change
The businessman jailed by the late Islam Karimov calls on his successor to introduce reforms.