EU-Turkmenistan Talks: Deputy FM Myahri Byashimova met EU Ambassador Luc Devigne at the MFA to review bilateral cooperation and UN General Assembly priorities, agreeing to keep regular contacts. Ashgabat Mobility & Safety: City authorities installed a convex mirror at a blind residential intersection to improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians as part of wider neighborhood road-safety upgrades. Central Asia Trade Snapshot: In Jan–July 2026, intra-regional trade rose 25.4% to $8.1bn; Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan drove most growth, while Turkmenistan’s exports to the region climbed 10.4% to $844m. Culture in Seoul: Turkmenistan’s Days of Turkmen Culture in South Korea highlighted national music and crafts alongside summit diplomacy. Infrastructure Oversight: National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov inspected modernization work around the Akhal-Teke Equestrian Complex, including upgraded highways and new road features. UN Foresight Pilot: Turkmenistan’s UN Country Team became the first to pilot the G-PESTLE strategic foresight framework, aiming to help the wider UN system plan for emerging risks and opportunities. Cotton Harvest Coercion Claims: Reports say public employees in Turkmenistan pay monthly fees to avoid forced cotton-field work, with quotas and “voluntary” paperwork used to pressure staff.