FBRK.KZ

In the Akmola Region, the activities of a group of individuals suspected of illegally extracting precious metals in the Shortandy District have been disrupted. During operational measures, an illicit workshop for processing gold-bearing ore was discovered, and the alleged organiser has been placed in custody.

In Astana, police officers uncovered an illegal meat processing workshop operating in a private house. During the inspection, over three tonnes of meat products of unknown origin and quality were seized, and the owners of the enterprise were held accountable in accordance with current legislation.

Residents of the village of Perevalnoye in the East Kazakhstan Region (EKR) have reported that there has been no drinking water on several streets for 10 days. The district administration stated that the water supply has been restored, however, some villagers claim that there is still no water in their homes.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai and delivered a speech on international cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). The head of state emphasised the need for joint governance of AI development, supported the creation of global cooperation mechanisms, and presented Kazakhstan’s approaches to the development of the digital economy.

Pensioners and citizens of pre-retirement age in Kazakhstan will only be issued loans upon visiting a bank in person. If a bank employee suspects that a person is acting under the influence of fraudsters and cannot explain the purpose of the loan, the bank will be obliged to refuse to issue the loan.

A single interbank QR code for paying for purchases and services became available to customers of some banks in Kazakhstan on 17 July. The official launch of the service is scheduled for 19 July, but some banks have already enabled early access.

In Kazakhstan, a ban on the import of wheat has been introduced for a period of six months. The restriction applies to supplies from third countries and states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) by road, water and rail transport. The order comes into force on 27 July 2026.

In the Ulytau region, 22 alimony debtors have been identified who, despite owing money to their children, continued to top up accounts on betting platforms, place bets, and receive winnings. Pre-trial investigations have been launched into the identified cases.

Since the beginning of 2026, 387 dead Caspian seals have been found on the coast of the Mangystau region. Specialists continue to investigate the causes of their deaths, and the results of studies on this year's findings are expected in the autumn.

In the state forest nature reserve "Semey Ormany" in the Abai region, the liquidation of a forest fire is ongoing. As of the morning of 17 July, no open flames are observed, and specialists continue to extinguish isolated pockets of smouldering.