site.news_by_theme CIS
Last Soviet boss standing, Kazakh leader still lacks heir
76-year-old Nazarbayev is now the last surviving Soviet-era leader to still be in charge of one of the countries that emerged from the USSR.
23 September 2016
Turkmenistan changes constitution to extend leader's rule
Turkmenistan passed constitutional changes to prolong the presidential term of office.
14 September 2016
Strongman's death stirs uncertainty in Uzbekistan and region
The death of Uzbek leader Islam Karimov after 27 years in charge with no clear successor lined up plunges his homeland into uncertainty.
05 September 2016
Kazakhstan arrests 21 suspected of plotting terrorist attacks
Kazakhstan has arrested 21 members of radical groups plotting terror attacks in public places.
31 August 2016
Goat polo, tug-of-war as Central Asia readies for Nomad Games
In a melee of hooves and hands, a scrum of horseriders on the plains of Central Asia wrestle to get control of the ball.
29 August 2016
Olympics: Kazakh boxing golden boy has scar to show for it
The fourth Kazakh boxer in a row to win Olympic welterweight gold says a deep cut that will scar him for life will be a satisfying reminder of his Rio exploits.
18 August 2016
Olympics: Kazakh Yeleussinov wins welterweight gold
Kazakhstan's Daniyar Yeleussinov defeated Uzbekistan's Shakhram Giyasov to win welterweight Olympic boxing gold in Rio.
18 August 2016
Russia announces first Syria strikes from Iran base
Russian warplanes on Tuesday flew a bombing run from an Iranian airstrip against jihadist groups in war-torn Syria.
16 August 2016
Russia-Turkey feud: from jet downing to making up
Turkish President Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin hold their first meeting after Ankara's downing of a Russian warplane.
09 August 2016
Shifting from Russia, Ukraine strikes US nuclear fuel deal
Ukraine said Thursday it had reached an agreement with the US-based electric giant Westinghouse to build a nuclear fuel production unit.
05 August 2016
Olympics: Weightlifting's doping crackdown for Rio
Overshadowed by the Russian Olympic doping scandal, the sport of weightlifting has been waging its own battle against drug cheats.
02 August 2016
Kyrgyzstan's president backs referendum on constitution
Ex-Soviet Kyrgyzstan's President Almazbek Atambayev supported proposed constitutional changes that would limit the power of his office while expanding the mandate of the prime minister.
01 August 2016
Police, cyber firms tackle 'ransomware' hacking threat
Dutch police, Europol and a coalition of cyber security firms launched a new website Monday to fight a surge in "ransomware".
27 July 2016
Kazakhstan, Sweden, Bolivia, Ethiopia win UN council seats
Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrissov said 'we are very proud to be the first Central Asian country to serve on the council'.
01 July 2016
Kazakhstan weightlifting team facing Rio ban over doping
Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus are to be suspended for one year by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).
23 June 2016
Kazakhstan jails international expo organiser for corruption
Kazakhstan sentenced a former minister to 14 years in prison for embezzling millions while heading Kazakhstan's preparations for EXPO-2017.
13 June 2016
Xinjiang residents must submit DNA for passports
Residents of a border district in China's mostly Muslim region of Xinjiang must now provide DNA samples when applying for passports.
07 June 2016
Tennis: Putintseva makes first Grand Slam quarter-final
Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final at the French Open.
01 June 2016
No work, no trade on empty Silk Road in northern Afghanistan
Hairatan, the only crossing between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, is an ominous bellwether of economic activity in northern Afghanistan.
25 May 2016
Kyrgyz parliament confirms new PM, government
Kyrgyzstan's parliament unanimously endorsed a new government led by the country's sixth prime minister.
13 April 2016