Tajikistan

The first face-to-face meeting which took place between senior Turkish and Russian officials in Belgrade on Dec. 3 has proven the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who suggested Moscow's reaction to Turkey's downing its warplane would not be a short-term act. 

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sought on Nov. 3 to reassure the rulers of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan that Washington remained committed to Central Asia's security, even though it is withdrawing troops from neighboring Afghanistan. 

Former Turkish consul-general Öztürk Y?lmaz, who was among 49 people kidnapped by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) for 101 days in Iraq's Mosul and released in September 2014, has become a member of parliament on the Republican People's Party (CHP) ticket, while also helping the party to increase its votes in the Nov. 1 polls. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and business leaders are due to return on Oct. 28 evening from a week-long tour of Central Asia after striking business deals worth more than $26 billion.

Iran will be invited to participate in talks in Vienna on Oct. 30 to discuss ending the conflict in Syria, a dialogue aimed at finding a framework for political transition in Damascus, the U.S. State Department said on Oct. 27. 

The death toll from the powerful earthquake, which hit South Asia on Monday, has reached nearly 300 people.

At least 275 people are known to have died and up to 2000 were injured in the 7.5-magnitude earthquake.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 200 kilometres and was centred in the mountainous Hindu Kush region, hitting northern Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India.

Dozens of ISIS-connected suspects, including 24 aged under 18 years, were being trained in Turkey for the Islamic State in preparation for operations in Syria and Iraq.

The deputy prosecutor has said asked the seizure of all wealth of Babek Zanjani, an Iranian businessman currently imprisoned in Iran on corruption charges who is also connected to Turkey?s massive 2013 graft case, claiming that Zanjani committed swindling and money laundering crimes in Turkey, Malaysia, Tajikistan and the UAE.

Babek Zanjani, an Iranian businessman currently imprisoned in Iran on corruption charges and a figure connected to Turkey's massive graft case from 2013, has confessed to having 15 billion euros worth of assets abroad, the case's deputy prosecutor has said.

The deputy prosecutor added that Zanjani made banking and money transactions in Turkey, Iraq, Tajikistan and Malaysia. 

Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry has revealed a new support program to overcome sector losses mainly due to economic problems in Russia and neighboring countries.