Uzbekistan’s Defense Modernization: A researcher says he has a clear photo of an Uzbekistan Air Force J-10CE fighter jet, amid unconfirmed reports that Tashkent agreed to buy 24 J-10CEs from China for about $1 billion—an upgrade from Soviet-era fleets. Regional Diplomacy & Trade: Afghanistan’s commerce minister Nooruddin Azizi told a Termez forum that Kabul is ready to attract Uzbek and Chinese investment, pushing new transit corridors and deeper economic cooperation. Central Asia Integration: Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan advanced land-exchange implementation in Batken, setting up a joint working group to handle citizenship, resettlement, property rights, land use, and social protection. Afghanistan Under the Taliban: Reuters marks five years since the Taliban took Kabul, with officials staging a “victory day” parade while UN and aid groups warn of worsening humanitarian conditions and restrictions on women. Cultural & Heritage Cooperation: Turkic archaeologists agreed to build a unified digital database of archaeological heritage through ARICA, including joint research on Silk Road and early Turkic sites. Science & Education Spotlight (Tashkent): The 38th International Olympiad in Informatics in Tashkent crowned China top in team standings; Saudi won the first IOI silver in its history, while Kyrgyzstan, Taiwan, and Thailand also reported medal hauls. Humanitarian/Policy Watch: A report says Russia plans to overhaul migrant recruitment from 2027 by tying workers to specific employers, jobs, and regions—raising concerns for Central Asian laborers.