Commentary Leaders of Central Asia’s five independent states will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a critical summit on May 18–19 in China’s Xi’an city. The five states are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It is critical because Xi recognizes that Central Asia holds the key to the survival of China and the…

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a two-day visit to Central Asia after meeting the leaders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. He also met with his counterparts from the C5+1 group of nations, comprising Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the United States. Blinken’s visit was widely seen as an effort to woo Central…

NEW DELHI—Uzbekistan’s health ministry has said at least 18 children have died after consuming a medicinal syrup manufactured by Indian drugmaker Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd. The ministry said 18 out of 21 children who took the Doc-1 Max syrup while suffering from an acute respiratory disease died after consuming it. It is marketed on the…

ANKARA, Turkey—A western region of Uzbekistan remains under a state of emergency on July 11  following violent clashes early this month that left at least 18 people dead. Sparked by government proposals to curtail its autonomy, Karakalpakstan underwent the worst bout of violence to be seen in the former Soviet republic in 17 years. “Plans…

Uzbekistan declared a month-long state of emergency in Karakalpakstan province after 18 people were killed in protests against proposed constitutional amendments regarding an Uzbek province’s autonomous status. Protests erupted in Nukus, the capital of the autonomous republic of Kakalpakstan, between July 1 and July 2, killing 18 people and injuring at least 243 others, including…

A neighboring country of Kazakhstan has cancelled its exports of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to China. It comes after demonstrations over steep price rises of LPG in the west of Kazakhstan spread across the country, propelling Kazakh President Kassym-Jokmart Tokayev to call on allies from the Russian-backed Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to send in…

MOSCOW—An Afghan military plane crashed in Uzbekistan over the weekend, and Uzbek authorities on Monday issued conflicting reports on the cause. The wreckage came as dozens of Afghan military aircraft carrying hundreds of servicemen reportedly reached Uzbekistan, among the thousands fleeing the country after the Taliban terrorist group recaptured the Afghan capital of Kabul. The…

TASHKENT—Hundreds of Afghan soldiers fled to Uzbekistan in 22 military planes and 24 helicopters over the weekend, including one aircraft that collided with an escorting Uzbek fighter jet causing both to crash, Uzbek prosecutors said on Monday. A total of 585 Afghan soldiers have arrived by aircraft and 158 more crossed the border on foot…