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An American freelance journalist was abducted Tuesday in Baghdad and Iraqi security forces are actively pursuing those responsible, The Associated Press reported.

Al-Monitor later identified the journalist as Shelly Kittleson, a longtime contributor to the outlet who has reported extensively from Iraq and Syria. Iraqi officials also confirmed that a foreign journalist had been kidnapped but did not provide further details.

Authorities reported that two vehicles were involved in the abduction. One of them crashed during a pursuit near Al-Haswa in Babil province, after which the journalist was transferred to another vehicle that escaped. Iraqi forces later intercepted one...

As of Jan. 1, 2026, Kazakhstan’s external debt stood at $181.8 billion, up $17.2 billion from 2025, according to data from the National Bank of Kazakhstan. At the same time, the increase over the last quarter amounted to $10.4 billion.

The regulator attributed the increase in external debt to a $12.8 billion rise in balance of payments transactions and a $4.3 billion increase in exchange rate, valuation and other changes.

The external debt composition is as follows:

During a phone call with European Council President António Costa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran is prepared to find a path out of the conflict with the U.S. and Israel — under certain conditions, according to TASS.

«The solution to normalizing the situation is to end their [U.S. and Israeli] aggression. We have never sought tension or war, and we have the will to end this war under certain conditions, especially with the necessary guarantees that aggression will not be repeated,» Pezeshkian said, according to his press office.

Pezeshkian accused...

Samruk-Kazyna plans to cut 11% of its administrative and management staff in Astana, aiming to save about 5 billion tenge (roughly $10.5 million) in salary costs starting in 2026, the fund told Interfax-Kazakhstan.

Read also: A house divided: Kazakhstan’s government at odds with its own wealth fund reform.

The reduction will affect 729 employees, or about 11% of administrative and management personnel. The average monthly salary for those roles was about $1,500.

Samruk-Kazyna oversees several of Kazakhstan’s major state-linked companies, including Kazakhtelecom, Kazatomprom, KazMunayGas and KEGOC.

Read...

KazMunayGas (KMG), Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, is advancing 22 exploration projects with a combined resource base of 4.7 billion tons of hydrocarbons, CEO Askhat Khassenov said.

Read also: How $100 oil could pay for Kazakhstan’s nuclear future.

Khassenov said the company is pursuing a strategy focused on deep and underexplored regions to expand its resource base and sustain long-term production.

Reserve outlook and production plans

Remaining recoverable oil reserves at KMG’s operating assets total about 445 million tons, with more than half classified as hard to recover.

A man in Sweden is set to stand trial on accusations that he sexually exploited his wife over several years, according to SVT.

Allegations span multiple years

Prosecutors say the alleged abuse took place in the Ängermanland region between August 2022 and October 2025. During that time, authorities claim, the woman was under her husband’s complete control.

Investigators allege he restricted her freedom, monitored her through cameras installed in their home and exercised extensive control over her daily life.

Claims of coercion and control

According to the prosecution, the man also supplied his wife with drugs...

A recent social media post spotlighted an unexpected cinematic link: years before playing the Dark Knight and Saruman, Christian Bale and Christopher Lee starred together in the ambitious Soviet-era co-production “Mio in the Land of Faraway” (“Mio min Mio”).

Directed by Russian filmmaker Vladimir Grammatikov and released in 1987, this fantasy epic was a Soviet, Swedish, and Norwegian joint venture. It remains a fascinating “hidden gem” in both actors’ filmographies.

The plot: A journey to the Land of Faraway

Based on Astrid Lindgren’s novel, the story follows a neglected Swedish boy, Bosse, who discovers he is the prince...

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned of potential attacks targeting facilities linked to several American companies operating in the Middle East.

In a statement cited by Tasnim news agency, the IRGC described divisions of major IT companies as «legitimate targets.» Companies referenced include Apple, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Intel, HP, IBM, Nvidia, Tesla, General Electric, Boeing and Oracle.

The statement alleges the firms are involved in identifying and tracking targets for attacks, though it did not provide evidence to support the claim.

«We recommend that all employees of these companies leave...

Tokyo Skytree, the iconic observation tower in Japan’s capital, is set to reopen its elevator, which malfunctioned in late February, on April 1, the tower operator, Tobu Tower Skytree Co., Ltd., said in a press release.

The company stated that all safety measures have been implemented and that it will conduct a test run on March 31. The work included replacing the damaged moving cable.

The incident involving the elevator occurred on Feb. 22, 2026, when it was carrying 20 passengers and unexpectedly stopped while descending, trapping them for around five hours...

NASA is preparing for its first crewed lunar mission in more than five decades, with the Artemis II launch scheduled for Wednesday evening, The Associated Press reported.

The 32-story Space Launch System rocket will carry four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule on a roughly 10-day journey that includes orbiting Earth, traveling to the moon, looping around it, and returning for a Pacific Ocean splashdown.

According to Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the launch director for NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program, the team is in «excellent shape,» with both the technical systems and the weather currently favorable. The mission had previously been...

In downtown Moscow, Russia, teenagers found a bag containing about $88,000 in cash.

The teenagers were walking in the Meshchansky district when they accidentally came across the bag filled with $100 bills. They decided to split the money among themselves and burn the rest in a fire.

The teenagers later told their parents about the find. The adults then reported the situation to the relevant services, and law enforcement authorities stepped in.

A search for the remaining money is underway. It remains unclear how a bag containing such a large sum ended up on the street...

Driverless cars and delivery drones will be tested in Kazakhstan this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev said.

«A pilot project for driverless cars involving international tech companies is planned. The project is scheduled for the second quarter of 2026,» Madiyev said during the Cabinet meeting.

He said the necessary infrastructure is being put in place in Kazakhstan for such technologies. Moreover, a pilot project introducing delivery drones is underway as part of a private initiative.

«This will allow us to test new...

The world’s longest-running international music contest, the Eurovision Song Contest, which has been held since 1956, has announced its Asian edition, Eurovision Song Contest Asia, set to debut in 2026, the BBC reported.

According to a statement on the contest’s official website, the grand final event will take place on Nov. 14 in Bangkok, Thailand. Broadcasters from 10 countries in the region have already confirmed their participation — Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The organizers pledge that more participating broadcasters will be announced later.

Following...

Israel’s parliament has passed a controversial law establishing the death penalty by hanging for certain terrorism offenses. The measure reportedly applies only to Palestinians convicted of carrying out attacks or bombings against Israelis.

Restrictions and detention procedures

Under the law, those convicted would be held in a designated detention facility. Access would be limited to authorized personnel, and communication with attorneys would take place remotely via video link.

Execution requirements

The law requires that a sentence be carried out within 90 days of conviction. Four individuals must be present during the execution: the prison warden, a...

Four-legged robots, often called quadrupeds, are gaining traction among AI companies. These robotic «dogs» are now being deployed to guard and patrol sprawling data centers across the U.S., according to a Fortune report.

Growing demand for robotic security

Tech firms are investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure, with spending approaching $700 billion — a figure comparable to the gross domestic product of countries such as Sweden. Many of these data centers cover vast areas, sometimes stretching across multiple football fields. One example, Meta’s Hyperion facility, is expected to span roughly four times the size of...

On March 30, the Grammy-winning Canadian singer Celine Dion, on her 58th birthday, shared video messages in English and French announcing a series of concerts in Paris, France, this fall. According to The Associated Press, the upcoming performances will mark her first full concert performances since Dion revealed that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.

CELINE DION PARIS 2026
10 unforgettable shows starting this September.
Presale begins April 7. Register for access until April 2 at https://t.co/oKjPk76odC pic.twitter.com/44Dhd9OAqK

— Celine Dion...

According to the Russian Ministry of Finance, the purchase and sale of foreign currency and gold in Russia have been suspended until July 1, 2026.

The move follows expectations of changes to the base price of oil, aimed at increasing the stability of public finances and strengthening the country’s financial system.

Before these transactions are resumed, the agency will determine the settlement method based on the volume of deferred purchases and sales of foreign currency and gold since March.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has instructed the Ministry of Energy to ban gasoline exports starting April...

On March 30, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired a meeting of the Security Council focused on reviewing the current national security strategy and discussing a new framework for 2026-2030.

Read also: Tokayev on Iran: Why a president without full power invites chaos.

Tokayev highlighted several areas requiring further development in light of the global geopolitical environment, including economic, water and food security.

He also emphasized the importance of strengthening cybersecurity, protecting the information space and reducing socioeconomic risks.

In a separate directive, the president called for accelerating the development of a...

Kazakhstan ranked first among Commonwealth of Independent States countries and fourth in the European region for the maturity of its national medicines regulatory system, according to the World Health Organization.

Read also: World’s top painkiller paracetamol becomes best-selling drug in Kazakhstan.

A Level 3 maturity rating indicates that Kazakhstan’s regulatory system meets international standards for drug registration, quality control, safety and production oversight. It reflects a stable, well-functioning framework for ensuring that medicines are safe, effective and manufactured to global standards.

«This increases the trust...

Starting March 30, new rules on alcoholic beverage sales took effect in Thailand, requiring bartenders and sellers to check how intoxicated customers are, The Pattaya News reported.

The person will not be served another portion of drink if they are too drunk.

How the checks work

The country’s authorities revealed guidelines in the Royal Gazette. To avoid fines, sellers must assess a customer’s condition — when there are doubts, they can be asked to pass a small sobriety test right at the cash desk or bar counter.

There are three sobriety tests:

In some parts of the world, eye contact is a sign of confidence and trust. In others, it can be seen as intrusive or even disrespectful.

A recent ranking by World Population Review highlights how attitudes toward eye contact differ across countries, noting that avoiding direct gaze is more common in parts of Asia and Africa, while it is generally expected in Western societies.

Respect and hierarchy shape behavior

In Japan, prolonged eye contact may be interpreted as confrontational, particularly in formal or professional settings. Similar expectations exist in South Korea, where avoiding...

Members of the Saudi Falcon Club are helping restore the saker falcon population in Kazakhstan. The latest release took place in the Altyn-Emel National Nature Park in the Almaty region.

Remote setting for conservation event

The village of Basshi lies more than a four-hour drive from Almaty, set amid mountains and semi-desert terrain. A large gathering filled the local cultural center, where district officials and a delegation from Saudi Arabia convened for the event.

Read also: Birdwatcher’s delight: Long-tailed tit is a must-see in Almaty mountains.

Two falcons were...

Russia’s Security Council said relations with Kazakhstan remain a top priority for Moscow, with particular emphasis on cooperation in security and defense, according to TASS.

Officials said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Kazakhstan, scheduled for May 2026, is expected to give «an additional boost» to bilateral ties.

Putin has also confirmed his participation in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. The state visit will take place alongside the summit.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development believes that autonomous vehicles can significantly reduce the number of road accidents. According to Gizzat Baitursynov, сhairman of the Committee on Digital Assets and Breakthrough Technologies, safety is the main argument in favor of launching robotaxis in Almaty, Astana and Kosshy.

Robotaxi safety statistics

As Baitursynov noted, driverless taxi technology has already proven reliable in several countries. He stated that, according to Waymo’s statistics, after covering 56 million miles, the company’s robotaxis reduced accident rates by 96%.

«In Moscow, Yandex launched a pilot driverless taxi project in...