Artificial intelligence (AI) was behind deepfakes, originated in China, about the existence of US laboratories allegedly developing biological weapons in Kazakhstan. Reuters reported citing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2024 homeland threat assessment that last year, a Chinese government-controlled news site using a generative AI platform pushed a previously circulated false claim that
In 2024, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan commemorates Europe Day and 30 years of partnership between the European Union and Uzbekistan. To mark this significant milestone, a public festival and concert celebrating “30 Years of European Union – Uzbekistan Partnership” will take place on 18 May at the Tashkent Botanical Garden, the EU
The Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on May 3 signed a landmark agreement for a new project “Procurement of health products for the control of infectious diseases in 2024-2025”. This multi-year initiative, with a budget exceeding $34 million fully financed by the Government of Turkmenistan,
Kyrgyzstan has advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia in the face of rising scrutiny of Central Asians in the country following the deadly Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow in late March, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported. The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry issued the travel advisory on May 2, warning Kyrgyz citizens of intensified checks and controls at
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on May 2 said it is contributing to the development of sustainable transport connections in Central Asia by financing the upgrade and expansion of a key transportation route in Uzbekistan. The EBRD’s sovereign loan of up to US$ 238 million (€224 million) will help rehabilitate around 81 km of
Kazakhstan’s national railways company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) has announced that the issues of organizing the launch of an international tourist passenger train from China’s Xi’an to Almaty were discussed during a working meeting of the heads of NC KTZ JSC, Passenger Transportation JSC and a delegation of the government of Xi’an (PRC). The tourist
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Swiss government are helping to address pressing water treatment and environmental issues in Tajikistan by contributing additional funds towards the completion of upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure in the city of Fayzobod and 14 neighbouring communities, the EBRD said on April 30. The EBRD is organising
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on April 30 approved a $84 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) for the Afghanistan Community Resilience and Livelihoods Project, which complements $70 million in additional financing from the Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund (ARTF). The project started in 2022 with a grant of $265 million from the
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing funds to upgrade key infrastructure and develop sustainable transportation solutions for Tajikistan’s capital. This is the third project under the Dushanbe Green City Action Plan (GCAP). The EBRD’s sovereign loan of up to €28.45 million will help finance major transportation improvements in the riverside part of
The European Union on April 25 granted EUR 6 million to the Government of Uzbekistan to help incentivize the adoption of National Food Security and Healthy Nutrition Strategy. In addition to the grant, technical assistance funded by the European Union will support the Ministry of Agriculture in planning reforms, the Delegation of the European Union
