Turkmen-Uzbek Diplomacy: In Ashgabat, Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov met Uzbek counterpart Bakhtiyor Saidov as political consultations and talks on trade, transport, logistics, energy, industry, and cultural ties continued, with both sides also flagging preparations for major CIS events in Avaza. Border Communications Crackdown: Turkmen authorities have launched raids in Dashoguz Province targeting residents using Uzbek SIM cards, confiscating devices and warning that foreign telecom use could be treated as espionage, as locals say Turkmen mobile internet is weak or unreliable near the border. Regional Connectivity Push: China’s Belt and Road momentum is building westward with Central Asia, while freight volumes rise along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. High-Level SDG Work: Turkmenistan is participating in the UN ECOSOC High-level Political Forum in New York, stressing SDG implementation progress and peace as a prerequisite for sustainable development, alongside a UN-backed technical meeting to close SDG reporting gaps. Energy Corridor Funding: The U.S. State Department’s TRIPP+ fund—aimed at investing over $200m in transport, energy infrastructure, and critical minerals across South Caucasus and Central Asia—has a new chair, Konstantin Sokolov, a donor with no prior public office. International Engagement: President Serdar Berdimuhamedov will visit Georgia on July 16 for talks with Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili. Education Abroad: A Turkmen student, Chynar Garlyyeva, is taking part in a DAAD summer program in Germany focused on intensive language training and engineering-focused study.