Author: Carlos Moore

Planning on traveling around Kyrgyzstan? If you are, you’ll undoubtedly be conversing with a large number of locals during your stay, especially if your goal is to travel independently in Kyrgyzstan. If you’re not planning to do any independent travel in Kyrgyzstan, but instead employ the services of a travel company within the country, you’ll be surprised at how often you end up rubbing shoulders with locals during your stay. The people of Kyrgyzstan are extremely hospitable and have a tendency to invite foreigners into their homes to drink tea or share a meal; you never know what adventures you’ll end up having! To…

CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov’s visits to Bishkek and Dushanbe marked the Russian-led military organisations’ attempt to play a prominent role in resolving the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border dispute and, therefore, stabilising the region. In the last few days, Imangali Tasmagambetov, the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), visited Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to exchange views on regional security and stability and analyse the current situation of the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border dispute. On March 13th, 2023, in Dushanbe, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon received the CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov and discussed the tasks facing the organisation today and some…

The term “brother nation” has traditionally been very popular within the foreign policies of the countries of the former USSR. The Kyrgyz Republic and other countries of Central Asia have also often used this phrase given their common Turkic and Soviet history, Russia included. After February 2022, however, the countries’ relationships with Russia started to take a different form, far from “the spirit of allied relations”. Before the invasion of Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and other countries used the concepts of “cooperation between brother nations” or “aid to the nation with a common history” as core parts of their foreign policies. These…

ISLAMABAD: Qatar will help Pakistan during the current economic crisis and contribute to the country’s progress and development, its emir said on Sunday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the 5th UN Least Developed Countries (LDC) Conference. The premier is on a two-day official visit to Qatar to attend the conference. According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the emir reiterated his resolve to continue Qatar’s complete cooperation and support in the “development and progress agenda of Pakistan”. He welcomed the prime…

Babel Finance, the crypto financial service provider, has decided to introduce a decentralized stablecoin, called “Babel Recovery Coin”, arguing that the new stablecoin could help resolve the debts of almost $766 million the crypto lender owes to creditors resulting from 2022’s crypto winter. Yang Zhou, the co-founder of Babel Finance filed a petition for protection with the Singapore court, requesting the creditors to be patient, without taking further legal procedures against the company, for at least six months, a period the company seeks its approval from the court for a restructuring plan. The global financial markets news reporter, Bloomberg Markets, shared a…

The number of people expecting house prices will decrease is close to the levels last seen during the global financial crisis. The ASB Housing Confidence Survey for the three months to January showed a net 43 percent of respondents expected house prices to decrease in the coming year, compared to net 31 percent last quarter. That compared to a net 55 percent of respondents expecting house price decreases at the height of the global financial crisis in 2008. The quarterly survey spoke to 2962 people. ASB senior economist Kim Mundy said compared to the 2008 crisis however, rapidly-rising interest rates…

Kazakhstan rose from 88th to 79th place out of 121 countries in the 2023 Global Soft Power Index by Brand Finance, the world’s leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy, according to the company’s report The ranking was announced on March 2 at Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Summit in London, where delegates discussed the role of soft power in international politics and business. “This annual report into Soft Power covers the ability to influence others through attraction or persuasion rather than coercion. It encompasses a wide range of tools, including business and trade, governance, international relations, culture and heritage, media and…

On February 14, the South China Sea Museum of China (Hainan) held the unveiling ceremony of the “National Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Project Ancient Ceramic Restoration Technique” and “Ancient Ceramic Restoration Master Jiang Daoyin Studio”. Xin Lixue, curator of the South China Sea Museum of China (Hainan), Jiang Daoyin, a famous expert in ancient ceramic restoration, Li Qi, deputy director of the Hubei Provincial Cultural Relics Exchange and Information Center, Feng Tianshu, deputy director of the Beijing Cultural Relics Exchange Center, Xie Junbo, deputy general manager of Hubei Changjiang Media Digital Publishing Co., Ltd., etc. Attend the ceremony. The ceremony was presided…

The country’s defense white paper referred to North Korea as “our enemy” for the first time in six years. South Korea called North Korea “our enemy” in its biennial defense document published Thursday, reviving the label for its rival for the first time in six years, as tensions worsen between the two countries. North Korea conducted an unprecedented number of missile tests in 2022, including simulated nuclear attacks on South Korea. In response, South Korea’s conservative government led by President Yoon Suk-yeol has been seeking a stronger U.S. security commitment and boosting its own military capabilities. Descriptions of North Korea…

Key Apple supplier Foxconn wants to move the production of smartphone components from China to Vietnam. The company announced a major investment in Vietnamese factories, as well as a desire to diversify its supply chain, reports Quartz. Foxconn announced the establishment of a large new plant in Vietnam and a $300 million investment to expand existing facilities located in the country. The decision was made after Apple announced that it would move part of its production from China. The new plant will be located on 111 acres of land near Saigon. Foxconn signed a 35-year lease for $62.5 million. The…