Technology
NASA sharpens Roman telescope optics to a 63-nanometre error
The Wide Field Instrument is performing better than its image-quality requirement after a tiny mirror adjustment.
Technology
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Technology
Economy
New resort complex opens at 2,140 metres in Kazakhstan’s Oi-Qaragai
Almaty Region has opened a hotel, restaurant and conference complex on Aktas peak while extending ski runs.
Society
WHO tackles a blind spot in TB research during pregnancy
WHO has launched a research toolkit to help include pregnant and breastfeeding women in tuberculosis drug and vaccine studies earlier and appropriately. Their historical exclusion has left gaps on safety and dosing. This is a resource for researchers and ethics bodies, not a new treatment instruction for patients.
Society
Homes bear the disaster burden: UN estimates $228bn in expected annual losses
UNDRR says modelled average annual residential-building losses from four hazards are about $228 billion. Housing also accounts for 43% of direct losses reported by countries. These figures measure different things; we explain the distinction and the practical steps that make a home safer.
Economy
Kazakhstan budget revenue reaches 20.2 trillion tenge: what is driving the increase?
State-budget revenue excluding transfers reached 20.2 trillion tenge in nine months, up 16.3%, the finance ministry said. Tax receipts rose by 3 trillion tenge. We explain why more nominal revenue does not automatically translate into the same increase in spending power or better public services.
Society
Kazakhstan home sales ease to 35,406: why fewer deals do not prove falling prices
Kazakhstan recorded 35,406 home-sale transactions in September, 1.1% fewer than in August. Almaty and Astana still led, while apartments and detached houses moved in opposite directions. We unpack the statistics and explain why transaction volume alone cannot establish a price trend.
Economy
Kazakhstan transit rises 13.1% to 32.6 million tonnes: what the headline misses
Transit freight crossing Kazakhstan reached 32.6 million tonnes in nine months, up 13.1%, according to the government. Rail and road freight volumes also grew. We explain why the flow matters and why tonnage alone does not reveal a corridor’s speed, reliability or economic return.
Society
UNDP warns of an 800 million youth jobs challenge — a risk, not today’s unemployment count
UNDP warned that roughly 800 million young people entering labour markets in developing economies could struggle to find jobs unless countries act. The figure is a conditional warning about future entrants, not a count of people currently unemployed. We examine what would change that path.
Economy
Kazakhstan generates 91.7 billion kWh: does higher output guarantee winter supply?
Power generation reached 91.7 billion kWh in the first nine months of 2026, 2% above a year earlier. Renewables supplied 7.8 billion kWh. The government reported new capacity and further plans, but annual energy output alone cannot tell households whether peak winter demand will be met reliably.
World
EU and Ukraine open new accession talks: what the internal-market step means
On October 13 the EU and Ukraine opened negotiations on the internal market and on competitiveness and inclusive growth. The clusters cover trade, workers, capital, digital policy, education and taxation. Opening talks is an important step, but it does not confer EU membership or immediate single-market rights.
Economy
More room for Kazakh products: what changes on supermarket shelves on October 20
Kazakhstan says additional requirements to expand the presence of domestic goods in retail chains will take effect on October 20. Nine-month trade reached 61 trillion tenge. We separate the announced measure from outcomes that can be assessed only after stores implement it.
Economy
IMF sees 3.1% global growth but a widening divide: who benefits?
The IMF’s October outlook projects global growth of 3.1% in 2026 and 3.4% in 2027. Gains from AI investment remain uneven, while inflation pressure persists. We examine why energy importers and lower-income countries face a harder outlook than the headline average suggests.
Politics
UN proposes a $3.302bn 2027 budget: why two headline totals differ
Secretary-General António Guterres proposed a $3.302 billion UN programme budget for 2027. Including major capital projects takes the total to $3.408 billion, $40.8 million below the approved 2026 budget. The two figures cover different items; neither means the proposal has already been adopted.
Economy
Kazakhstan expects over 5 million tonnes of oilseeds: what has actually been harvested?
The government forecasts a record oilseed crop above 5 million tonnes. As of October 13, farmers had harvested 3.7 million tonnes of oilseeds and 23 million tonnes of grain. The distinction between an achieved harvest and a forecast matters, as do storage, processing and transport after the fields are cleared.
Economy
Kazakhstan Targets $1.5 Billion in Oilseed Exports: The Raw-Material Test
Kazakhstan’s agriculture ministry has set a $1.5 billion export target for oilseed products by 2028. Revenue rose from $247 million to $1.232 billion over five seasons. The key test is whether raw materials and processing capacity can support the next step.
IT
Kazakhstan Ratifies Cybercrime Convention: What Is Confirmed
Akorda reported on October 12 that Kazakhstan’s president signed a law ratifying the Convention on Cybercrime. It is a legal step toward cross-border cooperation against digital crime, but the brief announcement does not spell out every operational or privacy detail.
World
Nepal Flash Flood Damages Bridges: WMO Warns of Cascading Mountain Risks
The World Meteorological Organization reported on October 12 that a flash flood struck central Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki river system. A landslide-created temporary river blockage may have failed, according to preliminary accounts. People are missing and infrastructure is damaged; the cause is still being investigated.
World
Child Marriage Has Fallen in Ethiopia, but UNICEF Says the Work Is Far From Done
UNICEF says the share of young Ethiopian women married before 18 fell from 40% in 2016 to 32% in 2025. Announcing the figures on October 12, it called for continued investment in girls’ education and protection. The improvement still leaves many girls at risk.
Society
Antarctic Sea Ice Reached Its Third-Lowest Winter Peak in 2026
NASA reported on October 12 that Antarctic sea ice peaked on September 14 at about 17.59 million square kilometers. That is the third-lowest winter maximum in the satellite record. What exactly do satellites measure, and what can one season tell us?
Society
Kazakhstan Puts 45 of 49 Labor Ministry Services Online: What It Means
Kazakhstan’s Labor Ministry says 91.8% of its public services have an electronic route and 28 can begin proactively. Here is where people can apply, what a proactive notification means and why online availability is not the same as automatic approval.
Society
Eleven Wins, Fourth Overall: Kazakhstan Pupils Shine at Global Robotics Contest
Kazakhstan finished fourth at FIRST Global Challenge 2026 in Incheon after winning all 11 qualifying matches, its education ministry says. Teams from 185 countries took part. The result offers a concrete view of what hands-on school engineering can achieve.