Turkmen-Tajik Diplomacy: President Serdar Berdimuhamedov met Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin in Ashgabat, with both sides stressing cooperation across politics, trade, energy, transport, communications, agriculture and culture, and signing a 2027–2028 cooperation program. Regional Connectivity: Turkmenistan’s push for smoother cross-border trade got a boost via a GIZ-backed Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor capacity project aimed at cutting border red tape, speeding cargo movement and aligning with international standards. Cybersecurity Watch: A Central Asia-focused espionage campaign dubbed “SilkParasite” is reported to use Google Drive for hidden command-and-control, with malware families targeting government bodies including in Turkmenistan. Kids Expo Tech: Ashgabat’s “Kids Expo” continues to draw attention, including the “Nowça TV” children’s multimedia platform with parental controls and a new 3D animated series, plus “Aýdyň Gijeler” showcasing a multimedia children’s dental chair and smart-lock concepts. Sports (Chess): Turkmenistan’s Lala Shohradova won gold on tiebreaks in the Asian Junior girls rapid event in Mumbai, adding to the country’s medal haul. AFC Challenge Cup Draw: Turkmenistan’s Ahal were placed in the West Zone group with Lebanon’s Al-Ansar and Syria’s Al-Ittihad as the AFC Challenge Cup draw set match dates for October.