efficient and climate resilient connectivity along the Karagandy-Zhezkazgan corridor and improve road sector management practices The Project aims to upgrade a selected section of the Middle Corridor between Jezkazgan and Karagandy focusing on improving road conditions and implementing climate-resilient standards It will pioneer the use of integrated design and maintenance contracts through the Output and Performance-Based Road Contracts (OPBRC) format to optimize value for money and encourage private sector participation the Project will enhance last mile connectivity with rural areas along the road corridor improve road sustainability and safety measures review national road design standards with a focus on climate resilience and road safety and provide institutional capacity building support The estimated total Project cost is USD1.53 billion and will be co-financed by the World Bank Group (WB) and AIIB Both financiers plan to contribute USD650 million each The remaining 15 percent of the Project cost will be covered by counterpart funding Applicable Policy and Categorization: The Project will be co-financed with the WB as the lead co-financier To support a harmonized approach to addressing the environmental and social (ES) risks and impacts of the Project and as permitted under AIIB’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) WB’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and relevant Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) are applicable for this Project in lieu of AIIB’s ESP The Bank has reviewed WB’s ESF and ESSs and is satisfied that (i) the ESF and ESSs are consistent with the Bank’s Articles of Agreement and materially consistent with the provisions of AIIB’s ESP including the relevant ES Standards (ESS) and the Environmental and Social Exclusion List (ESEL) and (ii) the monitoring procedures that are in place are appropriate for the Project WB has assigned substantial risk rating (equivalent to Category B as per AIIB’s ESP) to this Project due to the scale and magnitude of ES impacts of this Project that can be avoided or mitigated by adhering to relevant ESSs Environmental and Social Instruments: A preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) have been prepared and will be finalized as the detailed designs are completed during early project implementation a preliminary Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) has been prepared based on available preliminary technical designs A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) has identified potentially affected and interested stakeholders including a project level grievance redress mechanism (GRM) with designated national and regional focal points Labor Management Procedures (LMP) have been developed informed by the proposed road upgrading works and workforce estimates drawn from past and ongoing projects Additional ES staff will be recruited as needed before the civil works commence Environment Aspects: The Project’s potential environmental risks and impacts are associated with infrastructure activities (i.e. highway upgrading and supporting infrastructure) and potential capacity constraints within QAJ in terms of ensuring ES compliance due to the large geographic scope of the proposed operations Although the Project could potentially affect a small part of Saiga’s winter migration range the preliminary biodiversity assessment indicates that the A17 highway will not impact the antelope's primary habitat The Project will not affect natural or critical habitats and species of ecological and conservation significance as the A17 corridor does not pass through known legally protected areas of high value and sensitivity although previously classified as an endangered species is no longer classified as a 'threatened' species by the Government Other potential risks typical to road upgrading works include (i) increased pollution due to construction waste and vibration due to the movement of construction vehicles and machinery (iii) operational or accidental spills of fuel and lubricants from the construction machinery (iv) traffic and road safety risks to workers affected communities and road users as well as occupational health and safety (OHS) issues and (v) improper reinstatement of construction sites upon completion of works The anticipated road upgrading works impacts are largely temporary Social and Gender Aspects: The social risks and potential impacts are associated with land acquisition and restrictions on land use during construction as well as community health and safety associated with potential labor influx The Project does not anticipate major land acquisition since no greenfield road construction will be financed route alignment and establishment of ancillary facilities (both temporary and permanent) may require acquisition of land beyond the existing Right of Way (RoW) The Project expects to affect around 260 private and state-owned land parcels along the proposed corridor Two potential displacement impacts affecting local businesses are currently envisaged the communities or villages connected to the A17 road may be exposed to health and safety risks from Project construction activities and labor influx may result in spreading communicable diseases due to overcrowding and poor living conditions that may affect the host communities if such risks are not contained These risks are expected to be mitigated through implementation of relevant measures incorporated in the RAP ESMP and cascaded to the Contractors’ ESMPs the potential impact of Project activities on sexual exploitation and abuse/sexual harassment (SEA/SH) risks in the community have been assessed as part of the ESIA and measures are identified to prevent the potential negative impacts caused by the influx of migrant workers in the community and the risk of gender-based violence (GBV) and included in the ESMP The PIU will include a Social Development Specialist to manage GBV/ SEA/SH risks and impacts at the project level Labor and Working Conditions (LWC): The road construction of this magnitude would require a substantial amount of workforce The potential OHS risks due to construction activities are being assessed Relevant project specific policies related to OHS and LWC have been reviewed and the necessary mitigation measures are reflected in the ESMP The LMP address LWC related risks involving and affecting the significant labor force contracted for the Project Project Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM): The Project will utilize the existing national and regional channels to file the complaints who believe they have been or are likely to be adversely affected by the Project respectively for project-affected people and workers will be established in accordance with the requirements of the relevant WB’s ESSs including requirements on public consultations and disclosure of the GRM and WB’s Independent Accountability Mechanism (IAM) to Project stakeholders The Borrower will be responsible for coordination and monitoring of Project and will submit semi-annual monitoring reports based on the agreed format close supervision will be conducted during the first two years to support the Borrower in finalizing the ES package and ensuring that all relevant mitigation measures are in place before any civil works commerce The AIIB will retain its right to conduct field supervisions awei@aiib.org nvaliyev@worldbank.org Raikhan.sagindikova@qaj.kz qajchief.engineer@gmail.com KARAGANDA: RED MAFIA is set for its highly anticipated Russian Federation release in over 100 cinemas in 58 cities throughout the Russian Federation This follows the film’s premiere in Russia at the 46th Moscow International Film Festival in 2024 which Max Weissberg attended and also served as a member of the short film jury Kazakhstan discovered its largest deposit of rare earth metals, containing around one million tonnes of the elements that are seen as vital for the future economy, the Central Asian country said Wednesday Rare earths comprise 17 raw materials that are essential for the green energy transition and highly sought by the likes of China this is the largest rare earths deposit" in Kazakhstan a spokesperson for the industry ministry told AFP The deposit – in central Kazakhstan's Karaganda region – contains cerium The announcement of the find comes on the eve of the first EU-Central Asia summit China and Turkey are among those vying for influence in the resource-rich region The summit will bring together the leaders of the five Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council Antonio Costa The prospective amount of resources at the new site – dubbed "New Kazakhstan" – could rise to more than 20 million tonnes subject to verification and additional research "This could put Kazakhstan among the world's top countries with rare earth deposits in the future," the ministry added which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 is interested in rare metals and natural resources in the region Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, does not have the technology required to exploit its rare earth deposits and is also courting foreign investment © Agence France-Presse The report evaluates global air quality for 2024 presenting PM2.5 air pollution data collected from 8,954 cities across 138 countries is measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) and is a key indicator of air pollution Karaganda recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 104.8 µg/m³ in 2024 had an average PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 µg/m³ Central Asian Cities in the Global Ranking Central Asia’s major cities ranked as follows: Kazakhstan’s Regional Air Quality Standing In the ranking of the world’s most polluted countries Kazakhstan had the best air quality in Central Asia only 17% of global cities met the World Health Organization (WHO) air pollution guideline for PM2.5 The seven countries that met the WHO’s annual average PM2.5 guideline of 5 µg/m³ were: The five most polluted countries in 2024 were: A total of 126 out of 138 countries (91.3%) exceeded the WHO’s annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 µg/m³ The report underscores that air pollution remains the greatest environmental threat to human health 99% of the global population lives in areas that do not meet recommended air quality levels Air pollution is the second leading global risk factor for death and the second leading cause of death among children under five The health effects of air pollution include respiratory diseases 8.1 million deaths were attributed to air pollution with 58% of those deaths caused by ambient PM2.5 pollution Tajikistan is the poorest country in Central Asia according to a recent survey of global air quality The 2024 World Air Quality Report, compiled by Swiss-based firm IQAir, measured air quality at almost 9,000 locations in 138 countries worldwide. Tajikistan ranked as the sixth most polluted country, in terms of the measured volume of harmful, air-borne particles known as PM2.5 Bangladesh and Pakistan were the top three states with the worst air pollution in the survey “Air pollution remains the greatest environmental threat to human health,” the report states “According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 99 percent of the global population lives in areas that do not meet recommended air quality guideline levels.” Tajikistan’s air quality showed slight improvement in 2024 over the previous year. A study published by Tajikistan’s State Statistics Agency published in early 2024 found that harmful emissions in the country increased by almost two times during the past decade with a PM2.5 measurement exceeding WHO guidelines by over 10 times has made the most progress in reducing the volume of PM2.5 in the air over the past five years Armenia (34th) was found to have the dirtiest air trailed by Azerbaijan (49th) and Georgia (75th) There has been comparatively little fluctuation in air quality in the three Caucasus states over the seven years that IQAir has produced its annual report.  IQAir is an air-quality technology company that bills itself as operating the “world’s largest free real-time air-quality information platform.” PM2.5 is defined as fine particulate aerosol particles measuring up to 2.5 microns in diameter Common man-made sources of PM2.5 are vehicle exhaust Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all Did you know that the Kazakh steppes in spring seem like a living and yellow dandelions interweave to create intricate relief patterns that gently sway in duo with the fresh wind Just as tightly interlaced are the cultures of different peoples of Central Kazakhstan whose generations have lived here hand in hand over the past centuries who arrived here involuntarily from various corners of the USSR like the mighty karagach trees1 near the famous atmospheric Summer Theater in the heart of Karaganda2 which was built without a single nail by Japanese prisoners This is how the morning roll call used to start in my class The school list abounds with different surnames—German While the teacher unhurriedly chooses a victim to read Sergei Yesenin's3 "White Birch" poem at the blackboard Tatar boy Gainullin teases Kazakh girl Assel and along the way threatens with his fist the gap-toothed German Andrey Freier while Korean girl Lilya Kim gazes thoughtfully out the window where plump pigeons have started a playful scuffle over a hefty crust of bread in the schoolyard We all share the same interests and hobbies and we have no idea why and how our ancestors ended up on this land fell victim to Stalin's political repressions; others came to develop virgin lands and some arrived from poor remote villages seeking a better life in this industrial region but memory preserves the history of these places Where today the vertical shafts of coal mines rise like steampunk artifacts and the walls of Brezhnev-era panel buildings are covered with the eternally relevant graffiti "Tsoi Lives"4 in 1934 there was just a modest settlement Its fate was predetermined by the rich coal deposits discovered in the 19th century the city transformed into a true forge of industrialization but behind its industrial growth facade lies another bitter page of history: masses of people were deported here by the hundreds of thousands—Germans from the Volga region Chechens and Ingush from the North Caucasus Poles from the western regions of the USSR and Poland as well as kulak families during the collectivization period who made their way here from various corners of the Soviet Union cut off from the mainland by hundreds of kilometers became an ideal location for establishing Karlag—one of the largest islands in the infamous GULAG archipelago How did these people manage to preserve their unique multinational heritage formed over decades of migrations and historical trials I want to share the recipe of this experience: A sweet spoonful of various peoples' holidays The last component is worth writing about in more detail and here's why: the peoples living in this region celebrate not only their national holidays but also their neighbors' celebrations—be it Kurban Bayram generous dastarkhans (traditional feast tables) become meeting places for relatives Only here do Kazakhs take cold water dips during Orthodox Epiphany alongside their Slavic friends and you might hear Ukrainians exclaim the typically Kazakh "oy-bay" in surprise reflecting off the gilded domes of Orthodox churches gently intertwine with the gleaming crescents atop the minarets of Muslim mosques while the small but bright hall of the Barefoot Carmelites Monastery converted from a former Soviet kindergarten accommodates the Catholics wishing to pray in peace and solitude the wave of repatriation divided the fates of Karaganda's residents: some returned to their historical homeland (I still remember how while others stayed here forever— for many Karaganda had already become their only home with their former homeland existing only in the stories of the older generation walking with baby strollers through the square near the newly built Orthodox church where once lay the burial ground of political repression victims no longer pay attention to the dark stone memorial in the center of this small which seems to have crashed like a meteorite into the steppe soil Inscribed in Russian and Kazakh are the words: "This land is soaked with the blood of the innocently slain." like that colorful mosaic my grandfather patiently laid on the marble floor of the city Miners' Palace have merged into a unique portrait of the city It is symbolic that the new cathedral bears the name of Saint Sebastian who spent 7 years in Karlag's confines and chose to remain in Kazakhstan after his release when religion was banned and churches were closed or destroyed the elder would rise at three in the morning and walk with his disciples through the sleeping city streets to secretly serve the liturgy in the small adobe houses of local believers Only in 1944 did Sebastian and several sisters manage to acquire a low-ceilinged house on Zapadnaya Street parallel to Moskvina Street—where the blue roof of my grandparents' adobe house faithfully served as a haven for mischievous sparrows His words ring as relevant as ever: "I ask you all for one thing: live in peace Peace and love are the most important things!" The effects of this accident were most deeply felt in Karaganda which has long stood as the center of coal mining in the country Coal and Repression: The History of Karaganda Located in the center of Kazakhstan, the city of Karaganda from which Karaganda region gets its name is deeply intertwined with the coal and metallurgical industries coal was first discovered in the area in 1833 by a local shepherd boy named Appak Baizhanov a mining settlement would appear in the region owned by the Russian merchant The mines would then be sold to British investors in 1905 who controlled them until the Red Army entered the region in 1920 Due to the destruction caused by the Russian Civil War the early Soviet Government left the coal reserves of the Karaganda Basin untouched for nearly a decade a directive from Moscow about the creation of trust to exploit the coal reserves of Kazakhstan would bring renewed interest to the region A subsequent decree in 1931 established a separated trust for Karaganda which was to become the “third coal base” of the Soviet Union The previous coal bases were located in Donets in the Ukrainian SSR Karaganda was given the status of a city and would serve as the administrative center for mining in the region Administrative building of Karlag; image: TCA The Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp better known as Karlag was one of the largest GULAG camps; the famous author and dissident and Ingush were forcibly deported to the region during World War II These deportations as well as imprisoned intellectuals at Karlag would have a lasting impact on the city making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the Kazakh SSR in addition to having very well staffed universities miners in Karaganda had produced one billion tons of coal which secured its place as the industrial center of the Kazakh SSR and the third coal base of the Soviet Union economic conditions in the region went down drastically and contributed to the mass migration away from the region and city This period also saw the closure of many mines which left many miners with fewer and fewer opportunities each year miners went on strike to demand better working conditions as well as pay raises The striking miners were joined by metallurgists in Temirtau who also worked for AMT Personnel changes occurred at AMT following the incident with the General Director of AMT and the Executive Director of AMT’s coal department being replaced The miners also voted to remove Vyacheslav Sidorov from his position due to perceptions that he was too close to the management The new director’s first move was to increase the salary of miners by 29%; however the exact terms of the increase got rid of previous bonus and resulted in miner’s actually receiving a lower salary Two years later, another industrial accident occurred at the AMT owned Abay mine, killing 30 miners. This accident caused the Prosecutor General’s office to open an investigation into safety violations at all AMT owned mines Speaking about the conditions in AMT mines the equipment in many mines is dilapidated and has not been changed since Soviet times Mittal is pursuing a policy of saving money on updating equipment and ensuring labor safety This is a fairly expensive process; special equipment is required and Mittal has taken the path of reducing financial costs and degassing is not carried out.” Others blamed local corruption rather than lack of funds invested by AMT as the cause for such incidents, with Natalya Tomilova head of the Committee for Miners’ Families telling EurasiaNet that “Lakshmi Mittal is fulfilling his commitments to us; he allocates huge sums but it’s being stolen here Now we’ll see how the commitments are fulfilled at Abay mine.” Karaganda Independence Monument; image: TCA “I have ordered to stop investment cooperation with AMT The company turned out to be the worst in our history in terms of collaboration between the government and the enterprise.” The nationalization of AMT – which was renamed Qarmet – did little to quell the majority of the public especially those most deeply affected by the tragedy A monument to the victims of this tragedy was erected on the territory of the mine on August 20 The opening was attended by families and colleagues of the victims gave a breakfast briefing for journalists on the Pope's upcoming apostolic journey according to our abilities and sensibilities With his intervention at the meeting promoted online this morning by the ISCOM Association (about thirty correspondents were present), Msgr. Adelio Dell'OroBishop of Karaganda (Kazakhstan) helped shed light on a number of issues related to Pope Francis' upcoming trip: the origin and intentions of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions (the event that brings together various religious leaders from around the world) and the presence of the Catholic Church in the former Soviet country Born in Milan in 1948, Dell'Oro was curate for 25 years in two parishes of the diocese of the Lombard capital. In 1997, he left as a fidei donum missionary to Kazakhstanwhere he remained until 2009 Pro-rector of the Guastalla College in Monza and resident in the parish of Cambiago at the end of 2012 he was appointed bishop with the office of apostolic administrator of Atyrau He has been bishop of Karaganda since January 31 "Accepting the invitation of the civil and ecclesial authorities Pope Francis will make the announced apostolic journey to Kazakhstan from September 13 to 15." This is how a communiqué from the director of the Holy See Press Office formalized the visit of the Holy Father to the city of Nur-Sultan on the occasion of the VII Congress of leaders of world and traditional religions convened to discuss the socio-spiritual development of humanity in the post-pandemic era and in the context of the convulsive geopolitical situation A Congress - explains Dell'Oro - organized for the first time in 2003 coinciding with the second anniversary of the apostolic journey of John Paul II (September 22-27 by the then President of the Republic Nursultan Abievich Nazarbaev had invited Muslims and Christians to build a "civilization based on love" and to make Kazakhstan "a noble country The "Day of Prayer for World Peace" convened in Assisi by John Paul II in January 2002 with the aim of reaffirming the positive contribution of different religious traditions to confrontation and harmony among peoples and nations in the wake of the tensions that followed the attacks of September 11 the Congress has been held regularly every three years which was postponed for a year due to the pandemic and will be held at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation the initiative has become a catalyst for interfaith and intercultural dialogue around the world to foster the resolution of religious and political conflicts the last Congress was attended by delegations from 45 countries "it is necessary for religious leaders to establish stronger and closer relationships of proximity at a time when religions themselves are being challenged: the great issue of the exclusion of God from modern societies is significantly affecting religions which must rediscover the ability to be credible in this time Then there is the question of the interest of the new generations who are less and less attracted to the religious element and the traditions that religions represent The question of the credibility of religions therefore arises from the fundamental assumption: how does one experience God How can one appreciate the value of religions A peace that is also built through direct and personal encounters between leaders the Bishop of Karaganda does not hide his regret - "it grieves me" - for the non-participation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow in the Congress of Kazakhstan: "it would have been a remarkable contribution to put an end to what the Pontiff himself has described as "a war of particular gravity both for the violation of international law and for the strong economic and social consequences in order to consolidate relations between China and the Holy See "the news that President Xi Jinping will visit Kazakhstan on the same day that Pope Francis will be in the Central Asian country next week is to be welcomed," according to Dell'Oro.  The visit of Pope Francis to Kazakhstan arouses great expectation from the point of view of the Catholic community for some 60 years was communicated with the almost total absence of priests and which was mostly administered clandestinely "During the Soviet era," Dell'Oro stresses with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the emergence of Kazakhstan as an independent state the Catholic Church was also able to come out of hiding; priests and nuns were invited from Poland and ecclesiastical buildings could be constructed." The logo for Pope Francis' trip to Kazakhstan looks like this while the motto is "Messengers of peace and unity".  "I believe that the Pope" - is Dell'Oro's final reflection - "will highlight the origin of peace by underlining the importance of recognizing that we all depend on God and that we are all his sons and daughters and beyond different political visions and ethnic affiliations (in Kazakhstan people belonging to more than 130 ethnic groups live together)." Subscribe to Omnes magazine and enjoy exclusive content for subscribers Source:  SA Context: Kazakhstan has discovered a major rare earth element (REE) deposit at the Kuirektykol site in the Karaganda Region signalling a potential boost to global clean tech supply chains About Karaganda Region: About Rare Earth Elements (REEs): Google Map+ Google Map+ Google Map+ Google Map+ Google Map+ Google Map+ Insights IAS: Simplifying UPSC IAS Exam Preparation Contact Us: Call us at 080 69405205 (toll-free) Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to participate in the Scholarship Test This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Kazakhstan has amended its immigration and naturalization framework imposing a history and language test as a condition for obtaining citizenship The changes are part of a broader government effort to promote the use of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev placed his signature on the amendments in May Anyone wishing to become a naturalized citizen will now have to demonstrate proficiency in the Kazakh language as well as have a basic understanding of the country’s history and constitution The amendments also outline criteria for prohibiting an individual from obtaining citizenship The new rules additionally discourage dual citizenship by stipulating that an individual can be stripped of Kazakh citizenship if it is determined that he or she is also a citizen of another state Officials, including Interior Ministry spokesman Shyngys Alekeshev, contend the amendments will facilitate the rapid integration of newcomers into Kazakh society. “Knowledge of the language is necessary,” Alekeshev told journalists adding that the legislation conforms with generally accepted international practice He asserted the new Kazakh framework was similar to those existing in such countries as Germany the naturalization amendments can be seen as an effort to bolster Kazakh sovereignty against potential encroachment by the country’s northern neighbor Not surprisingly some bloggers in Russia have assailed the amendments as a manifestation of anti-Russian nationalism have countered that Russia itself has long had similar requirements for obtaining Russian citizenship “Logic dictates that ‘horrible nationalist stories’ about Kazakhstan are created exclusively for internal consumption in Russia itself – that is, for the average person there,” one analyst, Anton Yarovoi, wrote in a commentary published by the news website 365info.kz when the atmosphere is constantly whipped up and almost everyone is branded as an enemy according to the old principle ‘those who are not with us are against us.’” Since gaining independence, Kazakhstan’s demographic makeup has changed significantly. Kazakhs were a minority in their own state in 1991, but now, according to official government statistics, they comprise 70 percent of the country’s estimated population of over 20 million About 80 percent of citizens over five years of age can speak at least some Kazakh.  Nevertheless, the Russian language continues to exert tremendous influence over daily life for many Kazakhs, especially in urban centers. Russian remains the primary means of communication within the business community and in governmental offices it is possible for residents to rely on Russian exclusively.  The percentage would increase to 60 percent in 2027 all labeling on goods is already in Kazakh the use of Russian predominates in northern regions of the country while Kazakh is the preferred language in western and southern regions One legacy of the Soviet experience is that a significant share of ethnic Kazakhs is unable to speak the titular language “The Russian language has a much wider geography of use – it’s not only Kazakhstan Russian-speaking people live in every corner of the world,” one such exclusive Russian speaker Some ethnic Kazakh Russian speakers report feeling bullied when they are unable to switch to Kazakh The expression ‘Qazaqsha soyle’ (Speak Kazakh) now can often be heard in Almaty on the streets It has also become a popular Internet meme One such meme slide depicts a man in a boat at sea who addresses him in Russian: “Give me your hand.” The flailing man reacts angrily Almaz Kumenov is an Almaty-based journalist Kazakhstan’s low-cost carrier FlyArystan has announced a promo campaign for tickets on its new international route Karaganda – Istanbul – Karaganda for flights in June 2025. The inaugural flight on this route is scheduled for June 4, 2025. Flights will operate twice a week – on Wednesdays and Fridays, DKnews.kz reports Promotional prices for the standard fare package (without checked baggage) start from 55,000 tenge for flights from Karaganda to Istanbul and from 53,000 tenge for flights from Istanbul to Karaganda passengers can also purchase discounted baggage-inclusive fare packages with savings of up to 65%: More information about what is included in the “Comfort” and “Comfort+” fare bundles can be found on the airline’s website in the “Fare Bundles” section.Passengers planning to use additional services are advised to book them in advance Promotional tickets are now available for purchase via the FlyArystan mobile app, on the official website at www.flyarystan.com and through other authorized sales channels Ticket availability under the promotion is limited FlyArystan will be the first airline to operate flights on this route DKNews International News Agency is registered with the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan has uncovered its largest-ever reserve of rare earth metals at the Kuirektykol site in the Karaganda region marking a transformative moment for the country’s mining industry and its position on the global resource map With nearly one million tons of rare earth elements (REEs) and potential reserves exceeding 20 million tons in the broader Zhana Kazakhstan zone this discovery could position Kazakhstan as a major player in the critical minerals sector As the world races toward green technology and reduced dependence on dominant suppliers like China Kazakhstan’s find could not be more timely Welcome to the Current Affairs Section of Adda247 If you are preparing for Government Job Exams then it is very important for you to read the Daily Current Affairs All the important updates based on current affairs are included in this Daily Current Affairs 2024 article Kazakhstan: An underground collapse at a copper mine in central Kazakhstan on Monday trapped seven workers adding that rescue operations were underway The incident occurred at a depth of around 640 metres (2,100 feet) there is no communication with the workers," the mine operator It did not say when the incident took place but noted it was at the company's "Zhomart" facility -- opened in 2006 in the central Ulytau region including from the neighbouring Karaganda region the Central Asian country's emergencies ministry said Kazakhmys is Kazakhstan's largest copper producer Mining incidents are common in the ex-Soviet country despite government attempts to improve safety a fire at an ArcelorMittal mine in the Karaganda region killed 46 people in the worst mining disaster in Kazakhstan's history Accessibility option changes are applied instantly a delegation from Karaganda city and region in Kazakhstan The delegation was welcomed at the Tallinn City Office by Deputy Mayor Viljar Jaamu The delegation of Kazakhstan’s fifth-largest city also included the Deputy Mayor of Karaganda the Chief of Staff of the regional governor's office digitalization leaders from the regional administration and the Deputy Chief of the regional police The visitors met with Tallinn’s Digital Director Martin Männil Head of the Engagement Department at the Urban Environment and Public Works Department the delegation has meetings scheduled with the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board and the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Tallinn A training seminar held this week by feminists and LGBT activists in a mining city in central Kazakhstan might have ended in violence but for the intervention of police The Almaty-based group, Feminita, had struggled to find a venue before their arrival. When the hotel housing the conference room that they had initially booked learned that the talk was due to focus in part on LGBT issues, the reservation was cancelled, Feminita organizer Zhanar Sekerbayeva wrote on Facebook The business center hall was a last-minute booking. Even though only around 14 people arrived to participate, many dozens of aggressive men mustered outside, banging the windows, demanding to be allowed in, shouting “Allah hu Akbar” and calling for the activists to leave the city Police were called to the scene and later formed a human chain to enable the activists to flee the premises unharmed “The activists have now left the Karaganda region,” the police said in their statement While the police in this instance provided the activists with some basic safety A similar episode occurred in May when Feminita activists Sekerbayeva and Gulzada Serzhan tried to hold a training seminar in the southern city of Shymkent on women’s rights When groups of indignant local men turned up to protest who were subjected to an eight-hour interrogation and then forcibly removed to Almaty.  Although same-sex relationships are not illegal in Kazakhstan, LGBT activists regularly complain of harassment and pressure from a public among which adherence to what are described as traditional values is strong. As the head of the Kazakhstan Bureau for Human Rights, Yevgeny Zhovtis, has told news website Vlast in Kazakhstan “there is a common problem of discrimination and it concerns not only LGBT people The sense of a prevailing mood of discrimination in May prompted a group of ambassadors including those representing the United States to issue a joint video statement calling for observance of the international day against homophobia “We remain concerned about continued discrimination, harassment and violence faced by the members of the LGBTI community in Kazakhstan. All, including LGBTI people, should be able to play a full and active part in society,” text accompanying the video read You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baibazarov reported on the results of socio-economic development of Kazakhstan for 11 months of 2024 at the Government session The country's economic growth was 4.4% production in the services sector increased by 4.5% the main contribution was made by the non-oil sector with growth of 5.1% Improved dynamics is observed in agriculture agriculture and construction showed the highest growth agriculture and construction accounted for more than 70 per cent of GDP growth "Fixed capital investment grew by 3.1 per cent The largest investment growth is observed in non-resource industries The volume of investments increased in education by 2.2 times scientific and technical activities - by 42.1% The best indicators are noted in Karaganda Almaty regions and Zhetisu," Deputy Prime Minister said a significant decrease in investment is observed in Atyrau Nurlan Baybazarov also added that in January-October this year foreign trade turnover totalled $116.9 billion including exports of processed goods - $23.3 billion Imports of goods amounted to $48.4 billion Positive trade balance increased by 33.4% to $20.1 billion "The manufacturing industry maintained positive growth rates Manufacturing output accelerated to 5.3 per cent The largest increase is noted in Kyzylorda Growth in the manufacturing industry was mainly due to the growth of production in metallurgy by 7.2% and mechanical engineering by 6.9% production in the chemical industry increased by 8.4% metal products by 29.5% and furniture by 12.8%," the Minister of National Economy announced the data output growth in the mining industry slowed to 0.1 per cent This was due to a decrease in oil production by 2% and natural gas production by 0.3% metal ore production increased by 7.9 per cent and coal production by 1.9 per cent "Construction shows a high growth rate of 10.3% High indicators are provided due to the implementation of four large-scale initiatives of the Head of State on housing construction construction of transport and social infrastructure as well as modernisation of engineering networks Positive dynamics was recorded in 18 regions with the greatest growth in construction and installation work in Kyzylorda Decrease in construction is noted in Atyrau and Mangystau regions," Nurlan Baybazarov reported 16.3 million square metres were commissioned in January-November this year which is 8.3% more than the same period last year The highest indicators are observed in the city of Shymkent Gross output of agricultural products increased by 13.4 per cent The main factor of growth was crop production Thanks to the completion of the main harvest Pavlodar and Kostanay regions are in the lead central and local executive bodies need to focus on the following measures: Stay updated about the events of the Prime minister and the Government of Kazakhstan - subscribe to the official Telegram channel FILE - In this photo released by Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Office expresses condolences to the families and friends of the miners who died in the fire in Karaganda (Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Office via AP In this photo released by Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Office people listen to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as he expresses condolences to the families and friends of the miners who died in the fire in Karaganda A coal mine fire in central Kazakhstan has killed at least 21 workers while another 25 remained unaccounted for the operating company ArcelorMittal Temirtau said in a statement ArcelorMittal Temirtau is the local representative for Luxembourg-based multinational ArcelorMittal (Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Office via AP) a woman speaks to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev after he expressed condolences to the families and friends of the miners who died in the fire in Karaganda In this photo taken from video released by Kazakhstan’s Presidential Press Office a sign of the coal mine named after Kostenko Families and friends of the miners who died in the fire gather at the coal mine people listens to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as he expresses condolences to the families and friends of the miners who died in the fire in Karaganda LONDON (AP) — Kazakhstan confirmed the nationalization of ArcelorMittal Temirtau which operates the country’s largest steel plants and several coal and ore mines following a coal mine fire that killed on Saturday at least 32 workers while another 14 remained unaccounted for Some 252 people were working at the Kostenko coal mine in the Karaganda region at the time of the blaze It said the fire was believed to have been caused by a pocket of methane gas The fire is the latest in a string of workplace deaths at sites operated by ArcelorMittal Temirtau four miners were killed after a fire erupted at the same mine while five people died following a methane leak at another site in November 2022 The company confirmed Saturday that it was finalizing a deal with the Kazakh government to nationalize the firm amid growing discontent from officials Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said in a statement on the Kazakh president’s website the government had reached a preliminary agreement with the company’s shareholders and was now in the process of “formalizing” the nationalization Speculation around the company’s future had been growing since September when Kazakhstan’s first deputy prime minister told journalists that the government had started talks with potential investors to buy out ArcelorMittal after becoming increasingly unhappy with its failure to meet investment obligations and repeated worker safety violations Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced Oct 29 as a national day of mourning in Kazakhstan The office of the country’s Prosecutor General has also said it was starting an investigation into potential safety violations in the coal mine ArcelorMittal Temirtau said that work had been halted at all of their coal mining sites in Kazakhstan It also conveyed “pain” at the lives lost and said its efforts “are now aimed at ensuring that affected employees receive comprehensive care and rehabilitation as well as close cooperation with government authorities.” ArcelorMittal Temirtau has also fallen under scrutiny in recent years for its environmental violations The Kazakh city of Temirtau — the company’s namesake and home of its steel plant — made global headlines in 2018 after being blanketed in black snow a phenomenon that the company attributed to a lack of wind local residents also shared videos of the town carpeted in fine Tokayev said that more than 100 workers had died at ArcelorMittal sites in Kazakhstan since 2006 becoming the first Englishman to play club football in Kazakhstan Read moreOn the pitch Aiyegbusi is adept at adjusting to situations but during his time in Karaganda he became the centre of attention in the city “It’s very rare for them to see someone with black skin In Astana and Almaty they see it but not so often and even then they’ll give you a good look,” Aiyegbusi says Karaganda is the fourth or fifth biggest city in Kazakhstan so it’s quite small so when they see a black person They would want a photo or a selfie as it’s something they think they won’t see for the rest of their life Korede Aiyegbusi playing for Sporting Kansas City in 2012 since when the London-born full-back’s career has taken some interesting turns Photograph: Ed Zurga/Getty ImagesAiyegbusi’s family run a successful business so he knows the value of money and the realisation that a year in Kazakhstan would be better for his long-term ambitions “I’ve played in Finland and Sweden where you get a good salary but it’s on the other end of the spectrum of what someone would expect for a footballer’s wage I’ve always had a business mind about life after football so going to Kazakhstan was an opportunity to get a much better salary than in second leagues over here [in England] and in Europe I could make some money and get good savings so I could set up my own thing when I’m done with football.” there are worries for someone moving into the unknown but Aiyegbusi was open to anything his new home could confront him with was maybe not receiving all I was meant to receive It was just a matter of making sure I got the money they said they’d pay me When you leave mainland Europe it gets like that there’s a deal on the table and sometimes you don’t get all your money and that becomes a problem.” Korede Aiyegbusi says his biggest concern is making sure he is paid what he is owed Photograph: Jill Mead/The GuardianThe closest Aiyegbusi came to playing in his homeland was being offered a four-month contract by the Brentford manager Uwe Rösler but he turned it down in favour of moving to Finland Since then he has moved around a year at a time in order to find a new place to play The weather and culture in Kazakhstan made him take a step back after spending his first six weeks with the club in pre-season training in the warmth of Turkey “I was hit by cold and winter blizzard weather which I had experienced in Sweden but I hadn’t lived so long through those moments as in Sweden you would get the last two weeks of winter In Kazakhstan it was weather like I’d never experienced before in terms of the infrastructure and town planning of the city but in the first three or four weeks we stayed in Astana It’s basically a cold Dubai; the buildings are new It was only two hours or so away from where I was so it was good to know I had an escape if I wanted to go and feel like I was in Europe.” Shakhter Karagandy qualified for the Champions League as recently as 2013 when they lost in dramatic fashion to Celtic in a qualifying play-off but their facilities cannot compare with what is on offer at other leading sides They still reside in the Kazakh top flight Aiyegbusi scored the winner in the fourth minute of injury time – his only goal in 20 appearances – against Akzhayik to ensure survival Read moreIn a 10-month period in Kazakhstan Aiyegbusi had a lot to take in – from the slaughtering of a lamb before each game to the attitude of the club’s hierarchy towards its staff He became a spokesman for the dressing room refusing to suffer at the hands of those above him “I come from a different culture and I don’t understand their culture so when I’m there it’s about adapting and understanding They do things I don’t agree with and I think it’s their culture that whoever is at the top they can say what they want and treat you how they want and it’s a type of bullying “They do it so easily that they do it with foreign players and some foreign players can brush it off but sometimes you need to put them back in check you’re a man and if I speak to you with respect then you better do the same to me I was there to play for them but I am a slave to no one making them remember they can’t say what they want and do what they want.” Aiyegbusi has seen more of the footballing world than most but he is still hungry as he contemplates his next move but he will have to go some way to top the last one.