Latest news with #Kyrgyzstan
Reuters
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Kyrgyzstan bans online porn in crackdown on internet freedoms
BISHKEK, July 29 (Reuters) - Kyrgyzstan has banned access to online pornography and imposed state control over internet traffic under new laws signed by President Sadyr Japarov, his office said on Tuesday. Japarov's office said the ban on pornography is to "protect moral and ethical values" in mostly Muslim Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous Central Asian country of 7 million people which gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The legislation requires internet providers to block websites based on decisions by the ministry of culture. Violators will face fines. Once Central Asia's most democratic country, Kyrgyzstan has seen increasing pressure on opposition groups and independent media since Japarov, a populist and nationalist, swept to power on a wave of protests in 2020. He has made the protection of what he calls traditional Kyrgyz values a centrepiece of his agenda. Also on Tuesday, Japarov signed a decree imposing a state monopoly on international internet traffic. Under the decree, state-owned telecoms company ElCat will become Kyrgyzstan's sole provider of international internet traffic for a year-long trial period, starting on August 15. All other Kyrgyz telecom operators will be required to transfer their contracts for international bandwidth to ElCat within two months. Bishkek-based political analyst Emil Juraev told Reuters: 'This decision only adds to the growing role of the state at the expense of market freedom in Kyrgyzstan.' The move comes ahead of a parliamentary election due in 2026, and a presidential poll due in 2027. Japarov, whose allies dominate the legislature, has indicated he will run again.
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan sign multiple MoUs to deepen cooperation, enhance trade to $100 million
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan have signed multiple protocols and memorandums of understanding to deepen their economic and technical cooperation and take the bilateral trade volume to $100 million, Pakistan's Press Information Department said on Monday. The statement came after the 5th session of the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Islamabad. The meeting marked a significant advancement in the bilateral relationship between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, reflecting a shared commitment to expand cooperation in diverse sectors of mutual interest. Both sides held in-depth discussions at the session, co-chaired by Pakistan's Energy Minister Awais Leghari and Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers' deputy chairman Edil Baisalov, and reviewed progress made since their last meeting, with a renewed focus on strengthening economic and technical collaboration. During the talks, Leghari said the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan bilateral trade volume had declined from $11.2 million in 2022-23 to $5.18 million in 2024-25, stressing the need to revitalize trade engagement between the two countries. 'The two sides reaffirmed their resolve to boost bilateral trade, setting a target to raise trade volume to USD 100 million,' the PID said in a statement. 'They agreed to work on diversification of exports and imports, revive the Pakistan-Kyrgyz Joint Business Council, and organize business forums, trade fairs, and B2B (business-to-business) exchanges.' The development comes at a time when Pakistan, faced with an economic slowdown, is trying to leverage its strategic geopolitical position to enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting landlocked Central Asia with the rest of the world, with a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity taking place between officials from Pakistan and the Central Asian nations in recent months. Both sides signed a number of MoUs to deepen their cooperation in key sectors. An agreement was signed between the Kyrgyz National Investments Agency and the Board of Investment of Pakistan to foster investment cooperation, while another MoU, signed between the Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) and Kyrgyzstan's Center for Development of Halal Industry, focused on Halal trade cooperation, according to the PID. In the energy and environment domain, the Kyrgyz side proposed joint participation in a power transmission line project connecting Kyrgyzstan, China and northern Pakistan. Both countries agreed to explore electricity imports, collaboration in renewable energy, mining, hydrocarbons, and technical partnerships between institutions like the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan and the Kyrgyz State Technical University. 'Discussions also focused on enhancing regional connectivity through logistics and transportation. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in postal services, cargo and rail transport, and civil aviation,' the PID said. 'Both countries underscored the importance of strengthening financial cooperation. The central banks of both countries agreed to collaborate on the development of Islamic banking and financial instruments, including training programs through Pakistan's National Institute of Banking and Finance.' The discussions also featured education and scientific collaboration. 'The parties agreed to promote joint training programs, academic exchanges, and institutional linkages,' the PID said. 'Pakistan reiterated its support to Kyrgyz students under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program (PTAP). Both sides also agreed to explore labor cooperation and establish a Joint Working Group to discuss its modalities.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Transfers with rouble-backed crypto coin pass $40 billion after July spike, researchers say
By Alexander Marrow and Elizabeth Howcroft LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) -A rouble-backed stablecoin that could help Russia circumvent Western restrictions on payments has seen a jump in transaction volumes in July, with funds moved through the coin surging past $40 billion in total, blockchain research firm Elliptic said on Monday. Sweeping Western sanctions since Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, particularly the exclusion of Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, have sorely hampered Moscow's trading options and left Russia seeking alternative routes for cross-border payments. Russian defence sector lender Promsvyazbank and payments firm A7, both of which are under Western sanctions, announced the launch of the new Kyrgyzstan-based stablecoin A7A5 in January, promoting its potential as a tool for foreign trade. Elliptic, whose data and intelligence was used by the U.S. Secret Service in taking down the online infrastructure used by Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex in March, said in a report that A7A5 was becoming increasingly effective in helping Russian businesses and individuals avoid sanctions by bypassing the traditional financial system. TRM Labs, another blockchain research firm, has identified A7A5 as being part of a new nexus of Kyrgyzstan-registered entities with cryptocurrency connections to sanctions evasion that is also likely tied to the import of dual-use goods from China to Russia through Central Asia. A7A5, Promsvyazbank and A7 did not immediately respond to requests for comment. VOLUME SPIKE Promsvyazbank, when launching A7 in late 2024, said the platform would help Russian companies make smooth cross-border settlements and said firms could pay for services and supplies in China without using SWIFT. A stablecoin, A7A5 enables cross-border payments that most Russian banks cannot offer. Reuters could not independently determine the source of funds in A7A5 or the reasons for the transfers. Elliptic's analysis showed that over $1 billion was now being transferred through A7A5 each day, with an aggregate value to date of $41.2 billion, noting a spike in volumes, liquidity and tokens in circulation in July. TRM Labs observed a similar aggregate volume. Surging A7A5 demand has seen the stablecoin's market capitalisation triple to $521 million in less than two weeks, Elliptic said. A7A5 on Monday wrote on Telegram that it had injected $100 million of fresh liquidity in the stablecoin Tether (USDT) into the A7A5 DEX, a decentralised exchange. "Demand for A7A5 to USDT at the best rates remains high, liquidity is gone in minutes," A7A5 said. Tether, which regularly works with global law enforcement in helping to seize illicit funds across various jurisdictions, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Transfers with rouble-backed crypto coin pass $40 billion after July spike, researchers say
LONDON/PARIS, July 28 (Reuters) - A rouble-backed stablecoin that could help Russia circumvent Western restrictions on payments has seen a jump in transaction volumes in July, with funds moved through the coin surging past $40 billion in total, blockchain research firm Elliptic said on Monday. Sweeping Western sanctions since Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, particularly the exclusion of Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, have sorely hampered Moscow's trading options and left Russia seeking alternative routes for cross-border payments. Russian defence sector lender Promsvyazbank and payments firm A7, both of which are under Western sanctions, announced the launch of the new Kyrgyzstan-based stablecoin A7A5 in January, promoting its potential as a tool for foreign trade. Elliptic, whose data and intelligence was used by the U.S. Secret Service in taking down the online infrastructure used by Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex in March, said in a report that A7A5 was becoming increasingly effective in helping Russian businesses and individuals avoid sanctions by bypassing the traditional financial system. TRM Labs, another blockchain research firm, has identified A7A5 as being part of a new nexus of Kyrgyzstan-registered entities with cryptocurrency connections to sanctions evasion that is also likely tied to the import of dual-use goods from China to Russia through Central Asia. A7A5, Promsvyazbank and A7 did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Promsvyazbank, when launching A7 in late 2024, said the platform would help Russian companies make smooth cross-border settlements and said firms could pay for services and supplies in China without using SWIFT. A stablecoin, A7A5 enables cross-border payments that most Russian banks cannot offer. Reuters could not independently determine the source of funds in A7A5 or the reasons for the transfers. Elliptic's analysis showed that over $1 billion was now being transferred through A7A5 each day, with an aggregate value to date of $41.2 billion, noting a spike in volumes, liquidity and tokens in circulation in July. TRM Labs observed a similar aggregate volume. Surging A7A5 demand has seen the stablecoin's market capitalisation triple to $521 million in less than two weeks, Elliptic said. A7A5 on Monday wrote on Telegram that it had injected $100 million of fresh liquidity in the stablecoin Tether (USDT) into the A7A5 DEX, a decentralised exchange. "Demand for A7A5 to USDT at the best rates remains high, liquidity is gone in minutes," A7A5 said. Tether, which regularly works with global law enforcement in helping to seize illicit funds across various jurisdictions, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
100 Days to 8th CIIE: Preps Harden as Global Exhibitors Eye Business Potential in China
SHANGHAI, China, July 27, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- Facing the complex international landscape and mounting challenges, China International Import Expo (CIIE), opens new tab consistently acts as a platform for global business exchange. With only 100 days to go, the 8th CIIE is set to take place in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. As of now, over 50 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in the Country Pavilion. Sweden and the United Arab Emirates will serve as guest countries of honor at the 8th CIIE, while Kyrgyzstan will make its debut. To help global enterprises across sectors better integrate into the Chinese market, the Corporate Pavilion features six major exhibition areas — encompassing Medical Equipment and Healthcare Products, Automobile and Smart Mobility, Intelligent Industry & Information Technology, Consumer Goods, Food and Agriculture Products, and Trade in Services — and will continue hosting its Innovation Incubation Special Section. Driven by strong interest and participation from overseas companies, total booked exhibition space has surpassed 330,000 square meters, with 170 companies and 26 institutions becoming eight-time full-attendance exhibitors. Notably, this year's Corporate Pavilion introduces four fresh innovations, demonstrating its vibrant energy and vast collaboration opportunities for participants. l A special section for the least-developed countries products will launch alongside an upgraded Africa products section, helping 53 diplomatic African partners leverage zero-tariff treatment to enter the Chinese market. The 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum (HQF) will convene under the theme 'Opening-up for New Opportunities, Cooperation for a Shared Future'. Alongside the release of the World Openness Report 2025 and the latest World Openness Index, the HQF will host over 20 parallel sessions on revitalizing multilateral cooperation, empowering digital intelligence, green and sustainable development, and a more open China. Side events will retain previous categories, while people-to-people exchange activities will add a new 'Charming Friends of City' zone, inviting international friendly provinces and cities to set up their booths. Stay tuned for the 8th CIIE — secure your spot now! Sign up as an exhibitor: opens new tab Sign up as a professional visitor: opens new tab About China International Import Expo (CIIE) The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is a trade fair held in autumn annually since 2018 in Shanghai, China. It is the world's first import-themed national-level expo, featuring exhibitions of multiple countries and businesses and the Hongqiao International Economic and Trade Forum. The expo is co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Shanghai Municipal Government. Its partners include World Trade Organization, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and United Nations Industrial Development Organization. For more information, visit Media Contact Cui Yancuiyan@ ### SOURCE: China International Import Expo (CIIE) Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire
