
Jihadist Networks Dig In on Social Media Across Central Asia
Almost 500 extremist channels on Telegram, VKontakte, and other networks spread propaganda and vie for recruits. Most of them have ties to the Islamic State.

Kyrgyzstan’s Protests Won’t Keep Corrupt Criminals Out of Politics
Members of the criminal underworld have long turned to politics to avoid prosecution. Ousting one set of corrupt leaders in favor of another won’t end the country’s crisis.

Is This the Beginning of Kyrgyzstan’s Next Revolution?
The Central Asian state is the latest post-Soviet republic jolted by an electoral crisis. But the ongoing protests are driven by internal dynamics, not international ones.

Putin Is Ruling Russia Like a Central Asian Dictator
The Kremlin didn’t invent term limit resets and constitutional referendums. The autocratic leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan blazed the trail.

COVID-19 Heats Up the New Great Game in Central Asia
Washington has a golden opportunity to counter China’s gains.

Why India and Russia Are Going to Stay Friends
Conventional wisdom holds that New Delhi will turn to Washington as it increases competition with Beijing. But Moscow’s importance cannot be ignored.

It’s Not Time to End the Uzbek Cotton Boycott Yet
Companies should not buy Uzbekistan’s cotton until labor protections and responsible sourcing are guaranteed.

For the Taliban, the Pandemic Is a Ladder
The Islamist group is using the coronavirus crisis for propaganda—with potentially dire consequences for those living under its control.

The Pandemic Could Tighten China’s Grip on Eurasia
Despite border closures, Russia and others may be pushed even closer to Beijing.

The Boycott on Uzbek Cotton Needs to End
It could help modernize the country’s economy.

Central Asian States Can’t Hide the Coronavirus Any Longer
Authoritarian states have been downplaying numbers. That won’t last.

Xinjiang’s Hui Muslims Were Swept Into Camps Alongside Uighurs
Testimonies and eyewitness accounts suggest the mass incarceration of ethnic Hui in China’s northwest.

Behind Pompeo’s Big ‘We Care’ Trip to Ukraine
Hobbled by the impeachment trial, the U.S. secretary of state faces the tricky task of explaining a Trump administration policy that has often looked two-faced.

China’s Central Asian Plans Are Unnerving Moscow
On the Kazakh border, a new city grows.

China’s Surveillance State Has Eyes on Central Asia
Autocrats are handing their citizens’ data to Beijing under so-called smart city programs.

U.S. Terrorism Policy Paved the Way for China’s Repression
U.S.-favored policies in Central Asia must be rolled back to help save the Uighur people.

Let a Thousand Mulans Bloom
The upcoming Disney film is already a cultural battleground. But China’s most famous heroine thrives in many tellings.

There Will Be No Peace for Afghanistan
Despite optimistic signs from U.S.-led peace talks in Qatar, Afghanistan’s future looks bleak.

Kazakhstan’s Second-Ever President Can’t Tolerate Protest
Nazarbayev’s successor has an impressive foreign profile but a raft of domestic problems.