This week, Central Asia strengthened its presence on the world stage through technology, culture, and sport. Uzbekistan expanded international cooperation with Hungary, Japan and Coursera, advancing healthcare and digital education. Kyrgyzstan celebrated major wins in dance, chess and cinema, while Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan earned historic results in tennis, weightlifting, volleyball and figure skating, marking another dynamic week for the region.
Azerbaijan
Mamagama Nominated for the Eurovision Song Contest Award 2026
The Eurovision Song Contest has launched a new international award — the Eurovision Song Contest Award 2026 — and officially revealed its list of nominees.
Among the contenders is Mamagama, the group that represented Azerbaijan at this year’s Eurovision. They are nominated in the category Certified Banger for their performance of “Run with You” at the 2026 contest.
Source: 1news.az
Azerbaijan presents its literary heritage at the Vienna International Book Fair
Azerbaijan is taking part in Buch Wien 2025, presenting 130 contemporary publications that highlight the nation’s culture and history. The country’s delegation joined the official opening ceremony, and the exhibition will remain open until November 16.
Source: azertag.az
Azerbaijan and Botswana establish diplomatic relations
Azerbaijan and Botswana have officially established diplomatic ties after their UN representatives, Tofiq Musayev and Charles Masole, signed a Joint Communiqué in New York. The document affirms cooperation based on the UN Charter and international law principles, and has been submitted to the UN Secretary-General for circulation.
Source: 1news.az
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan conducts its first robot-assisted heart surgery
Kazakhstan has completed its first robot-assisted heart surgery, a breakthrough for both the country and Central Asia. The procedure was performed in Astana with the support of Chinese specialists during an international medical conference, and the patient is reported to be in stable condition. The event also brought together experts from several countries to discuss advances in cardiology, oncology, neurosurgery, and digital healthcare.
Source: astanatimes.com
Samodelkina shines and reaches the podium at the Japan Grand Prix
Kazakhstan’s Sofia Samodelkina delivered a standout performance at the Japan Grand Prix in Osaka, finishing second overall. She opened the competition with a strong short program, placing her above many higher-ranked skaters. Despite small errors in the free skate, she maintained her silver position behind Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto.
Source: zakon.kz
Elena Rybakina enters the Guinness World Records for the second time in her career
Elena Rybakina’s victory at the WTA Finals in Riyadh has been officially added to the Guinness World Records after she earned the largest prize money payout in tennis history — 5 235 million dollars. This new achievement surpasses the previous record held by Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz, who each received 5 million dollars for their US Open wins.
Source: zakon.kz
Kazakh weightlifter wins gold at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games
Kazakh weightlifter Nurgisa Adiletuly claimed the gold medal on November 11 at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh. Competing in the 94 kg category, he secured first place in the snatch with a successful lift of 175 kg, ahead of Iran’s Moeini and Türkiye’s Hakan Kurnaz. Adiletuly will continue competing in the clean and jerk and in the overall total.
Source: zakon.kz
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz player wins first place at the FIDE Amateur World Chess Championship
Medet Japаrov from Karakol took first place at the FIDE Amateur World Chess Championship, held in the Serbian resort town of Vrnjačka Banja. Competing in the under-1700 category, he scored 8 points across nine rounds to secure the title, continuing a lifelong passion for chess that he now teaches to children in his hometown.
Source: 24.kg
Kyrgyz film “Kurak” to screen at the Bogotá International Film Festival
The Kyrgyz film “Kurak” has been invited to the program of the 42nd BOGOCINE-2025 International Film Festival, which will take place from November 20-26 in Bogotá, Colombia. Bogotá Cine BOGOCINE, founded in 1984, is one of Latin America’s oldest film festivals and is recognized worldwide as a platform for emerging directors and debut feature films, with past honorees including Pedro Almodóvar, Bong Joon-ho, Isabel Coixet, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Rodrigo García.
Source: kyrgyzcinema.com
Kyrgyz dancers win gold in France
Kyrgyz dancers Vladimir Vyrleev and Maria Proshletsova won gold at the annual WDSF international ballroom dance tournament held on November 9 in Pontault-Combault near Paris. The event brought together top competitors from across Europe, including France, Italy, Romania, Latvia and the Czech Republic, marking a strong showing for the Kyrgyz team.
Source: 24.kg
Uzbekistan
Japan allocates $5.6 million to Uzbekistan for mammography equipment
Japan is providing Uzbekistan with $5.6 million to purchase modern mammography equipment aimed at improving early detection of breast cancer. The funding will support healthcare facilities across the country, strengthening diagnostic capacity and expanding access to essential screenings.
Source: uzdaily.uz
Uzbekistan and Hungary agree to expand cooperation in the IT sector
Uzbekistan’s Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov, met with the head of Hungary’s 4iG company to discuss deeper collaboration in the digital economy, IT outsourcing, telecommunications infrastructure, and data centers. The sides also highlighted the upcoming “Uzbekistan Outsourcing Conference” in Budapest as a key platform for showcasing Uzbekistan’s IT sector to European partners and agreed to advance joint projects, develop green energy data centers, and attract European companies to the country’s tech ecosystem.
Source: uzdaily.uz
Uzbekistan and Coursera launch new digital education initiatives
During a working visit to the United States, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov, met with Coursera’s leadership to expand cooperation in IT education and digital learning. Coursera plans to translate 3 000 courses into Uzbek by the end of 2025, a move that will broaden access to global educational resources for more than 1.5 million Uzbek users and strengthen the country’s digital skills ecosystem.
Source: uzdaily.uz