China-Tajik Summit: Xi Jinping met Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Beijing and, alongside a new “permanent good-neighborliness” treaty, pushed deeper Belt and Road cooperation in trade, green energy, digital economy, smart cities and AI, while China’s top legislator Zhao Leji also pledged parliamentary ties and legal support for the relationship. Joint Governance Links: Beijing and Dushanbe issued a joint statement to deepen cooperation across governments, legislatures and political parties, including a foreign-minister strategic dialogue mechanism. Afghan Deportations: Tajik security services say several Afghan nationals were deported for alleged legal and security violations, while rights voices argue authorities should separate criminals from genuine refugees. Food Security Pressure: At the FAO Europe conference in Dushanbe, the Holy See warned that wars, climate shocks and instability are “lethal” to agrifood systems, calling for stronger local food resilience. Islamic Finance Watch: Fitch says Central Asia’s Islamic finance could grow with reforms and Gulf interest, but remains small—market shares likely under 1.5% by end-2026. UFO Files Noise: Separately, the Pentagon’s latest UAP release—featuring NASA-era accounts like Buzz Aldrin’s—keeps the spotlight on unexplained sightings.