Projecting its military might, Kazakhstan hosts a military parade for the first time since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

May 7 is also a new bank hoilday celebrating the Armed Forces — Defenders of the Fatherland Day.

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Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev has appointed Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, one of his main political advisers, as ambassador to Georgia.

When advising the president, Mr Yertysbayev had often floated potential policy ideas to test public reaction to them.

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A gold medal win by an ethnic Chinese weightlifter competing under the Kazakh flag has stirred controversy in China, CNN reports

Kazakhstan sends humanitarian aid to Tajikistan — Asia Plus

Central Asia: Censorship 3.0 and the struggle for online free speech (EurasiaNet)

Moscow offers Customs Union-lite to Bishkek (EurasiaNet)

China offers to help Eurasia group with swaps, settlement (Reuters)

Moscow strives to clarify vision for Central Asian alliance (EurasiaNet)

In post-Soviet Central Asia, Russian takes a backseat (RFE/RL)

Obama, Uzbek leader discuss Afghan supply route (Reuters)

Praise or pander: Kyrgyzstan honors the neighbors (Reuters)

Obama congratulates Uzbek President on independence (AFP)

Kyrgyz presidential candidates refuse to sign election code (Reuters)

Azerbaijan furious over boxing bribery claims (AFP)

Twenty candidates to vie for Kyrgyz presidency (Reuters)

Mongolia wants to speed up raising its stake in copper (Reuters)

Mongolia’s high plains herders warily eye coal truck (Reuters)

New ‘Silk Road’ eyed for Afghanistan (AFP)