Author: Harvey Rogers

A Saskatoon teen who escaped Afghanistan is now in the running for a $100,000 scholarship to a Canadian university. Banin Arjmand was selected as a finalist for the Loran Scholar award. Over 4,800 people applied for the award, which includes 36 scholarships that are set to be handed out. Arjmand said she couldn’t believe the news once she heard. “It is very big and I never ever thought that I could make it this far.” The youngest of eight siblings, Arjmand came to Canada with her parents in 2021. “You need to fight for your life for that journey. It…

Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Committee are kicking off their investigation into the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan Friday, sending letters requesting information to the White House, Pentagon, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, USAID and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  This investigation is one Republicans tried to start in August 2021 while they were in the minority, but they say they didn’t receive substantive responses. Now in the majority, House Republicans on the committee, led by Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, are giving the various agencies until March 3 to respond. Holding the House majority also gives…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has long seen Central Asia as Russia’s “most stable region.” He has regularly exerted influence and political pressure over its leaders. However, after decades of stability, the last year has seen Russia’s influence in Central Asia deteriorate at an unprecedented pace. Putin’s view of Central Asia as part of Russia’s sphere of influence was not unjustified. During his first twenty-one years in power, Russian relations remained relatively unchanged with all five of the former Soviet Central Asian states: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. While the period was not without times of tension—Kyrgyzstan’s 2005 Tulip Revolution…

Washington (AFP) – The top US diplomat to Afghanistan on Thursday apologized for tweets that suggested struggling Afghan women might find inspiration in African American history and culture — particularly the #BlackGirlMagic social media movement. US envoy Karen Decker tweeted that several of her posts earlier in the week went “awry” despite her “best intentions” when she suggested Afghan women could learn from examples such as pop culture icons Beyonce and Lizzo. Her comments sparked online indignation from users who objected to the seemingly tone deaf comments about the plight of Afghan women, who have seen their rights severely curtailed since…

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan allows foreign businesses to use crypto trading funds and deposit the same in domestic bank accounts. The authorities have also allowed the transfer of these funds outside the country. However, other operations will be restricted in the country. UZBEKISTAN CHANGES RULES FOR CRYPTO EXCHANGE. The Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan has recently revised its regulations regarding foreign exchange transactions related to non-resident legal entities, including those dealing with cryptocurrencies. The updated rules now permit such entities to open accounts at local banks. However, the scope of activities for utilising funds derived from cryptocurrency…

BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 17. The worth of commerce turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan amounted to $1.1 billion in 2022, which is a rise from $1 billion in 2021, Trend stories by way of the National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan. The worth of export from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan amounted to $438 million in 2022, growing from $382 million in 2021. At the identical time, the worth of import from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan made up $749 million final 12 months, which is a rise from $661 million in 2021. Last 12 months, Kazakhstan was the second-largest commerce accomplice of Kyrgyzstan among the many…

The state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Kyrgyz Republic, which took place on 26-27 January this year, will undoubtedly go down in the history of bilateral relations, writes Javokhir Badalov. Following the summit, the parties brought relations to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership. 25 documents were signed, including a protocol on the exchange of instruments of ratification of an agreement on certain sections of the Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan state border, the Intergovernmental Program for Strategic Trade and Economic Partnership for 2023-2025, and others. In my opinion, one of the key events of…