Turkmenistan

1. “Turkmenistan” Airlines announced the suspension of flights on the route Ashgabat - Moscow - Ashgabat from August 08 to October 28, 2023. Instead of Moscow, the carrier will fly to Kazan according to the same schedule. Passengers who have bought tickets to Moscow can either reissue them for flights to Kazan or return the money.

2. The Central Bank of Turkmenistan approved the procedure for granting loans to citizens of the country for the purchase of apartments in new buildings of the “smart city” Arkadag. According to the document published on the website minjust.gov.tm, citizens of Turkmenistan are provided with a mortgage loan for the purchase of an apartment in residential buildings for a period of 30 years at 1% per annum with a grace period of up to 5 years.

3. Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Mahri Bashimova met with the representative of the Committee of the Communist Party of China in Gansu Province Zhang Yongxia. The meeting touched upon the development of the Turkmen-Chinese comprehensive strategic partnership in various fields, including the cultural and humanitarian fields. Zhang Yongxia invited Turkmenistan to take part in the 6th “Silk Road” International Cultural EXPO, which will be held on September 6-8, 2023 in Dunhuang, Gansu Province.

4. In Germany, the chamber orchestra conducted by Rasul Klychev, which takes part in the 74th International Festival of Young Performers, is touring with great success. Turkmen concerts are held under the thematic name “Music of the winds of the Karakum”. In total, within the framework of their stay in Germany, Turkmen artists will give several concerts, each of which will open the musical culture of Turkmenistan to foreign music lovers, introduce them to the original traditions and customs of the country.

5. Famous Lebanese chef Abir El Saghir showed on her TikTok page how she cooked the Turkmen national dish dograma on her own. The 24 years old star from Lebanon is known for cooking dishes of various nations and posting videos on Tik-Tok.

World

6. In 2029, new euro banknotes with an updated design will enter circulation. The European Central Bank has unveiled themes for the updated banknote design. The list of possible themes included images of European rivers, birds living in the region, portraits of famous European cultural figures, famous paintings or architectural structures. Residents of European countries will be able to vote for their favorite option until August 31.

7. Toyota is partnering with startup Pony.ai to mass-produce fully self-driving taxis. The project to launch production will be implemented within a year, about 140 million USD will be invested in it. At present time, two hundred robot taxis based on Toyota and Lexus are being tested on the roads of China. Soon it is planned that fully unmanned taxis will become available to the mass consumer.

Sport

8. A film crew of MTRK “Mir” arrived in Turkmenistan to shoot a documentary film about the outstanding Turkmen weightlifter - Altymurad Orazdurdyev. The film tells about the life and career of an athlete who has achieved great success in the international arena and brought glory to his country. Altymurad Orazdurdyev - Honored Master of Sports in weightlifting, three-time world and European champion, champion of Asia and the Asian Games.

9. “Arkadag” at the training camp in Bulgaria held a friendly match against the youth team of the Israeli team “Bnei Sakhnin”. The meeting ended with the victory of the team from the “smart city” Arkadag with a score of 2:0. Goals among the winners were scored by midfielder Orazberdy Muradov and forward Didar Durdyev.

10. Yulduz Jumabayeva won the first medal in the history of Turkmenistan at the Games of the CIS countries, taking second place in the weight category up to 49 kg. Jumabayeva scored 161 kg in the biathlon, losing 10 kg to the Russian athlete Elizaveta Zhatkina. The third place on the podium was taken by an athlete from Vietnam Thi Ngoc Anh Do, gaining 148 kg in the combined event.