Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Move Forward with $4.2 Billion Kambarata-1 Hydropower Project

By Sadokat Jalolova The Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP), a landmark energy project jointly developed by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, is gaining international momentum, with strong backing from global financial institutions. Uzbek Minister of Energy Jorabek Mirzamahmudov announced that the plant’s projected construction cost stands at $4.2 billion, while pledged financing has already reached $5.6 billion. […]

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China Opens Market to Kazakhstan Pork Exports

By Sergey Kwan Kazakhstan has secured approval to begin exporting pork to China following the signing of a bilateral protocol on inspection, quarantine, and food safety standards. The agreement was formalized on October 15 in Shanghai by Kazakh Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov and Sun Meijun, Head of the General Administration of Customs of China. […]

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South Korea, US edge closer to US$350 billion trade deal breakthrough: ‘gap has narrowed’

BY Park Chan-kyong Top Seoul officials are visiting Washington amid signs of major progress in tough trade negotiations, although analysts warn that a coerced deal could severely damage South Korea’s economy. Kim Yong-bum, policy chief of the presidential staff, and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan left for Washington on Thursday to join Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol […]

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World ‘dangerously dependent’ on US stock market, former IMF economist Gita Gopinath warns

The world has become “dangerously dependent” on the American stock market, and a correction could trigger global economic fallout far worse than the dotcom crash, former IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath has warned. In an opinion piece published in The Economist, Gopinath argues that both US and international investors have become deeply exposed to American […]

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Will Indonesia’s plan to join Brics bank lead to heavier debt burden?

By Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s plan to join the Brics-led New Development Bank (NDB) and fulfil a payment requirement for membership has spurred a debate on whether the move is feasible given the country’s strained finances to fund President Prabowo Subianto’s priority projects. Earlier this year, Prabowo announced that Indonesia was planning to join the […]

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Malaysia to discuss sectoral tariffs with US at ASEAN summit: state media

Malaysia will hold talks with the US secretary of commerce on sectoral tariffs, including on semiconductors, during a meeting of the ASEAN regional bloc next week, Malaysian state media reported on Wednesday, citing the trade minister. President Donald Trump’s administration in August imposed a tariff of 19% on Malaysian exports to the United States, though […]

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IMF lifts growth outlook on more benign tariffs as revived US-China trade war looms

The International Monetary Fund edged up its 2025 global growth forecast on Tuesday as tariff shocks and financial conditions have proven more benign than expected, but warned that a renewed US-China trade war threatened by President Donald Trump could slow output significantly. The IMF said in its World Economic Outlook that recent trade deals between […]

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Tourism at Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk-Kul Shows Steady Growth

By Sergey Kwan Tourism remains a vital sector of Kyrgyzstan’s economy, contributing significantly to regional development and employment. The Issyk-Kul region continues to serve as the country’s premier tourism hub, anchored by Lake Issyk-Kul, its most popular destination for both domestic and international visitors. According to data from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and […]

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