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Voting in the 'Tatars of the Year' rating, organised by the publication Milliard.Tatar, reached 54,836 votes in its fifth week. The rating features 16 nominations, and participants can vote via Telegram, VKontakte and the project's official website in the 'Nominations' section.
Average monthly wages in Azerbaijan are approaching 1,200 manat. According to data released by the State Statistics Committee, average monthly wages across the country rose 7.2% in January to August this year compared with the same period last year, reaching 1,173 manat.
Bayte-3, an ancient sanctuary dating to the 4th-3rd centuries BC, lies in the Ustyurt steppe of West Kazakhstan, Qazinform News Agency reports. Located about 20 kilometers northeast of the village of Sai-Otes in Mangistau region, the site was investigated in 1998 by the West Kazakhstan archaeological expedition.
UN Secretary-General’s Personal Representative on Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin has called on the island’s leaders in an article written for the Politis newspaper. Politis published the piece on its front page and inside pages under the headline “Holguin’s Article-Message to the Leaders – Shows How to Open the Way”.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation, on October 17. The meeting addressed further development of Uzbekistan's productive partnership with the authoritative sports organisation.
Iran's trade turnover via the Astara border crossing has reached $395 million, the governor said, according to an exclusive Trend News Agency article published on 17 October 2026 at 20:00 (UTC +04:00). The report appeared in the Iran news section of the Trend website.
An international scientific-practical conference on the scholarly and spiritual heritage of the thinker Ahmad Yasawi, and its significance for strengthening cooperation among Turkic states, was held in Tashkent. The event was organised by the Uzbekistan International Islamic Academy, the Committee for Religious Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Yasawi Research Institute at the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi International Kazakh-Turkish University.
Kazakhstan's sunflower oil exports rose 48.5% in January–August to $672.8 million, according to the Agriculture Ministry, as cited by Qazinform News Agency. In volume terms, exports grew 35.9% to 611,400 tons.
European Council President Antonio Costa is expected to travel to Ankara in late October to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and reports suggest the two will discuss linking EU-Turkey relations to the Cyprus problem. The Greek Cypriot newspaper Fileleftheros reported that Costa would carry a message to Erdoğan that progress in EU-Turkey relations depends on developments on Cyprus and the resumption of negotiations.
Uzbekistan plans to significantly raise hot water and heat supply tariffs from 1 November 2026, and from 1 May 2028 to index them annually to inflation, capped at 10 percent. A draft government resolution on the changes has been put up for public discussion.
Economy
Fitch Ratings has affirmed Uzbekistan's Navoiyazot at BB- with a positive outlook, according to a Trend analysis article dated 17 October 2026 at 23:27 (UTC+4). The piece is illustrated with a Fitch Ratings photo and is categorised under Uzbekistan.
Society
The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of Kazakhstan has explained why families with the same number of children may need different state support. According to the ministry, from 1 January 2027, the assignment of certain state benefits in Kazakhstan will take into account the level of a family's social well-being, not only its membership in a particular social category.
Science
The National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan marked its 80th anniversary on October 17 with a solemn gathering. Attending were heads of state bodies, leaders of foreign academies of sciences, and leading Kazakhstani and foreign scientists. The report, citing the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was published by Kazinform.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a delegation led by Li Qiang, Premier of China's State Council, on October 17, according to the Uzbek presidential press service. The meeting addressed strengthening comprehensive strategic partnership and implementing agreements reached by the two leaders in Bishkek in August 2026.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — China is ready to expand trade with Uzbekistan, increase imports of Uzbek products and deepen cooperation in several sectors, including energy, artificial intelligence and modern agriculture. Chinese Premier Li Qiang made the statement during an official visit to Uzbekistan, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Yakutia's Ministry of Transport and Road Management has reported that ferry crossings across the region are beginning to close. The Yakutsk – Nizhny Bestyakh crossing on the Lena River is expected to operate until 23 October 2026, after which it will switch to an off-season timetable with higher fares. The Kachikatsy – Mokhsogollokh crossing is expected to run until 20 October 2026.
Trend has published its chronicle of the 44-day Patriotic War for 18 October. The war began on 27 September 2020, when Armenian armed forces carried out large-scale provocations along the front line, and Azerbaijan responded with a counteroffensive later named “Iron Fist”. The 44-day war ended roughly 30 years of occupation and restored Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
Uzbekistan has adopted a presidential decree on establishing the Tashkent International Academy of Fashion. Under the decree, the academy will be a state higher education institution operating within the system of the Light Industry Development Agency.
In North Macedonia, the main opposition party SDSM said in a written statement that farmers across the country face rising costs and a lack of support, while agricultural product prices have risen much more slowly. According to the party, agricultural production costs increased by 8.8 percent, while product prices rose by only 2.3 percent.
Kazakhstani citizens will be able to transfer up to 100% of their accumulated pension savings to private management. The Committee for Regulation and Control in the Sphere of Social Protection of the Population of the Ministry of Labour of Kazakhstan announced this.
In the village of Pavlovka in Nuriman district, Bashkortostan, Raziya and Rafat Ibrahimov grow more than 200 grape varieties in a large greenhouse covering their entire yard. Rafat Rafaelevich, who spent 38 years at Gazprom before retiring, says his interest in working the land dates back to childhood.
Six years have passed since the village of Khudafarin in Jabrayil district was freed from Armenian occupation. Qafqazinfo reports that on October 18, 2020, the 22nd day of the Patriotic War that began on September 27, 2020, the Azerbaijani Army liberated the historic Khudafarin bridges and Khudafarin village.
The Russian government has extended the validity of agreements on modernizing oil refining capacity until 1 July 2027. At the same time, requirements for the quality of gasoline produced have been adjusted. The decree was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held talks on 17 October with a Chinese delegation led by Premier Li Qiang of the State Council. The sides discussed strengthening their strategic partnership, joint investment projects and cooperation in key economic sectors. Li Qiang conveyed greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Today's top Turkic news: Uzbekistan-China ties, Samarkand visit, Kulubaev-Rubio talks, Northern Cyprus festival and Turkmen desertification centre.
Read today's digest →