FBRK.KZ

Official imports of shisha tobacco in Kazakhstan have increased more than 12-fold over the past two years. Against this backdrop, business representatives and public activists continue to debate the current ban on smoking shisha in public catering establishments and are proposing various approaches to regulating the market.

Co-founder of the ORDA publication, Maxat Ganiyev, stated that he is not seeking a real prison sentence for the former editor-in-chief and co-founder of the publication, Gulnara Bazhkenova. According to him, the demands are related to the return of funds.

The audit of state support for businesses in Astana revealed inefficient use of budgetary funds and assets worth 2.84 billion tenge. The inspection also recorded financial violations totalling 182.1 million tenge, economic losses of 89.5 million tenge, and shortcomings in the mechanisms for providing assistance to entrepreneurs.

A citizen of Kazakhstan, suspected of embezzling more than 1.8 billion tenge, has been extradited from the Kyrgyz Republic to Kazakhstan. According to the investigation, he was part of an organised group that arranged loans known to be non-repayable.

Kazakhstan has reduced daily gas production at the Karachaganak field from 34,000 to 25,000 tonnes. This was announced by Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov, who stressed that the reduction in output has not affected the country's gas supply — deliveries to consumers are continuing in full.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a telegram of condolences to the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, following two powerful earthquakes that killed hundreds of people and injured thousands.

In Astana, police officers have commented on a video of a man being detained, which has been circulating on social media. The footage shows several officers attempting to detain a man, with one of them kicking him in the face. The police reported that the incident took place on 18 June, and the detained individual was subsequently sentenced by the court to 15 days' arrest for disturbing public order.

A resident of Shymkent is suspected of cultivating narcotic plants and storing drugs for the purpose of sale. On the grounds of his house, police officers discovered around 130 bushes and 330 kg of narcotic raw materials and finished products.

In the Pavlodar region, a Mi-8 helicopter from the Kazaviaspas airline made a hard landing during a search and rescue flight. There were no fatalities as a result of the aviation incident, and details regarding casualties are being clarified.