UNESCO says Uzbekistan broke promises over Bukhara development The government in Tashkent appears to be ignoring appeals from the international agency. Mar 21, 2024
Kazakhstan: Gender violence-themed horror breaks box office records Dastur, which means tradition in Kazakh, grossed $2.2 million in the first week of its release. Joanna Lillis Jan 17, 2024
Kazakhstan: Magic realism meets socialist realism on the Almaty stage Shahmardan Comes Out of the Well addresses a topic still harrowing for Kazakhstan a century on: the famine unleashed when the Soviets embarked on the collectivization of agriculture. Joanna Lillis Dec 22, 2023
Uzbekistan: Documentary seeks to bring Jadidist history to a new audience Critics worry, though, that the surge in interest for this period is an attempt by Uzbekistan's ruling authorities to legitimize themselves. Nov 22, 2023
Kazakhstan: Speculation swirls around Bloody January movie The way the filmmakers and authorities are working so closely has given rise to questions about who exactly is backing this movie, and why. Almaz Kumenov Feb 9, 2023
Uzbekistan: Storied rave to skip Karakalpakstan after violence Organizers say the move to Bukhara is not political, but Tashkent is keeping a close eye on Karakalpakstan after unrest last summer. Joanna Lillis Feb 7, 2023
Kazakh-language film content makes progress against Russian headwinds One explanation for the continued dominance of Russian lies in Kazakhstan’s rural-urban divide. Almaz Kumenov Jun 23, 2022
Afghanistan: The Taliban’s first fall and an opening for Tajik journalists Journalists from Tajikistan played vital roles for many foreign news agencies. Text by a Tajik journalist, Photos by Parviz Amirjonov May 20, 2022
Ancient Central Asia key to domesticated chicken spread – study The bird’s cultural significance may have aided its rapid dispersal. Eshel Rosen Apr 29, 2022
Uzbekistan: $355m in artifacts stolen over three decades Around 3,000 items of unique cultural value may have been stolen from 14 museums. Apr 27, 2022
After the Patriarch: Almaty theater seeks post-shock therapy in García Márquez Nazarbayev was everywhere, but never mentioned by name. Daniyar Moldabekov Feb 8, 2022
Uzbekistan’s traditional wordsmiths seek legacy in a changing world Changing tastes threaten askiya, a centuries-old Uzbek tradition that prizes wit, improvisation, and mastery of language. Dec 16, 2021
Uzbekistan pulls the plug on ‘negative influence’ TikTok festival Tashkent is regretting its early embrace of the Chinese app. Dec 8, 2021
Kazakh TikTokers conquer the world, incite suspicion at home The world’s most popular TikTok house is in Almaty. Not all locals are happy about it. Almaz Kumenov Dec 7, 2021
Kazakhstan’s stand-up comedians try to find their feet It's a niche scene, but comics have plenty of local material to work with. Almaz Kumenov Oct 8, 2021