News: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 -- Issue 1764 
Article of the Day
Grace church pastor arrested in Astana
Bakhytzhan Kashkymbayev, Pastor of Grace Church in Astana, has been arrested, a news release from Astana Interior Department said
The former leader of Grace Mission of Astana and currently its pastor was arrested on Friday, May 17, on suspicion of committing a crime worded as "intended infliction of severe harm to human health" in the Article 103 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan, the news release wrote.
The police reminded reporters the criminal case was opened in October 2012, “after severe damage was caused to the mental health of one of the members of the Grace mission congregation”. The “suspect” is currently kept at a temporary detention facility of the Astana Interior Department. The investigation is ongoing, officials claim, according to www.tengrinews.kz.
Earlier Astana police had found that the pastor of Grace church offered a red-colored drink “causing hallucinations” during his services. After one such service, a 34-y.o. member of the church from Astana was taken to a psychiatric hospital and was diagnosed with “paranoid schizophrenia with high risk of suicide”.
“The pastor of the Blagodat religious union gives his parish a red-colored drink during the services. According to the statement from the Medications Testing Center, this drink contained hallucinogenic ingredients that lead to euphoria and relaxation,” Botagoz Akhmanova, an inspector from the Astana Interior Department's said.
Police seized samples of the drink and books supposedly inspiring religious hatred. A Umit-Nadezhda publishing office was also found in the building. The printing house was being used to produce religious literature without obtaining a permit from the Religious Affairs Agency, officials state.
The pastor denies the accusations. Speaking on the incident he said the church member was led to a state of mental breakdown by her mother and sister.
"That woman was treated at a psychiatric hospital. I saw her three months ago. Her relatives brought her to that condition. We never offered her any psychotropic agents, as I walk before God. I could not possibly do any such thing. We use either juice or karkade tea for the Lord's Supper."
Eurasinet reports the actual charges were vague and were related to how he said his prayers. Forum 18, the Oslo-based religiorus freedom watchdog, reports that Kashkumbayev was questioned on May 17 and two days later remanded for two months' pre-trial detention on “unclear charges, apparently including praying and singing.”
Members of the church who attended his arraignment told Forum 18 he was detained, not for the wine, “but for praying in tongues and singing.”
In an unrelated case, in early May Baptist leader Aleksey Asetov from Ekibastuz in northeastern Kazakhstan spent three days in jail for failing to pay a fine imposed for holding a worship meeting without state permission. In 2011, Astana introduced legislation vastly curbing the activities of unregistered religious groups in the country, Eurasianet said.
A year ago, Korean pastor and founder of the Grace Church in Kazakhstan Dr. Kim Sam Seong was arrested in Almaty for trying to illegally export $130 thousand from Kazakhstan without declaring it at the airport.
He later explained to the police the money was church donations, www.tengrinews.kz.
In another test of religious freedom in Kazakhstan, supporters of journalist Alexander Kharlamov, who was detained in March on charges of inciting religious hatred by publishing his atheist views, have drafted an online petition demanding his release.
Kharlamov is undergoing forced psychiatric evaluation in Almaty to see if he is fit to stand trial. Supporters believe he was targeted for writing about corruption and abuse of power in his hometown of Ridder, in eastern Kazakhstan. Eurasianet said.
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Kazakhstan General
Dzhakishev suspects Russian machinations
By Joanna Lillis
The jailed former boss of Kazakhstan’s nuclear industry has marked the fourth anniversary of his arrest by voicing suspicions from his prison cell that ...
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Eight suspected terrorists go on trial
Eight local men have gone on trial in Kazakhstan's western city of Atyrau on terrorism charges.
The trial started on May 21 and is being held ...
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RIOU and Kazakhstan sign memorandum of Cooperation
RIOU Rector Professor Lev Belousov and Chairman of the Agency for Sport and Physical Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan Erlan Kozhagapanov have signed a Memorandum ...
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Fireworks dumped by Kazakh students may have nothing to do with bombs
The bombs used in the terrorist attack on the Boston marathon could be made from any material and not necessarily from the fireworks that Kazakhstan students ...
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Expo-2017
GE Transportation to be a partner in EXPO-2017 preparations
Kazakhstan will cooperate with General Electric Transportation in the production of passenger locomotives and engines as well as oil and gas, a president’s press statement said.
“As ...
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Oil and Gas Sector
Zhaikmunai begins buyback after decent 1Q results
Zhaikmunai on Monday released its 1Q2013 results and simultaneously began a previously announced US $50m buyback programme.
In line with the already announced operating numbers, production ...
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Manas expects news on new Tajik acquisition by end of 2Q
Manas Petroleum reported its 1Q2013 results this week.
The net loss for the period amounted to US $8.9m, on the back of the US $7.1m non-cash ...
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CNPC, Tajikistan sign framework agreement
The Ministry of Energy and Industry of Tajikistan has signed a framework agreement with the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (CPNC) on Monday in Beijing.
The document ...
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Booming oil and gas industry fuels emergence of “Frackwear”
By Meg Handley
As thousands of workers have poured into the oil and gas business, demand for appropriate work wear has skyrocketed
With the advent of the nation's ...
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Oil Pipelines to drive Canadian economy like 1800s railway track
By Jeremy van Loon and Rebecca Penty
Canada, which depended on railroads to build the nation in the 1880s, is counting on pipelines to drive future economic ...
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Canadian Pacific spills most oil in three months in Saskatchewan
By Edward Welsch
Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (CP) rail cars spilled 545 barrels of crude oil near Jansen, Saskatchewan, in the company’s third and largest oil spill ...
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Finance and Investment
First major Hong Kong business mission in Kazakhstan
Some 30 companies and 36 businesspeople from Hong Kong are in Kazakhstan looking for trade, investment and partnership opportunities with Kazakhstan companies.
The five-day business mission, which ...
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BTA to sell Ablyazov’s luxury UK homes
By Kirstin Ridley
Creditors in a Kazakh bank are poised to see the first proceeds from a four-year court battle against its former chairman, a fugitive oligarch ...
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Halyk Bank approves KZT1.12/sh dividend, a 4% yield
Yesterday Halyk Bank (HSBK LI)(HSBK KZ) announced resolutions adopted at the Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting held on 15 May 2013.
According to the AGM, part of ...
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Tsesnabank plans to issue KZT 5bn in common shares
Yesterday, Tsesnabank announced that, as per the bank’s Board of Directors’ decision, the bank will increase its capital by 14.5% by issuing additional shares totaling KZT5.0bn ...
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KazAgro raises $1 bln in Eurobond issue
KazAgro has raised $1 billion in a debut Eurobond issue as part of its $2 billion borrowing programme, the company said on Monday, reported Reuters.
The 10-year ...
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Metals and Minerals
Kazakhmys Plc says Simon Hill appointed Chairman of Board
Kazakhmys Plc has provided the KASE a press-release of May 17, 2013:
Simon Hill was appointed the chairman of Kazakhmys PLC Board of Directors in accordance with ...
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Communications and Transportation
One third of Kazakhstan’s roads in poor condition - Zhumagaliyev
33% of big national and roads in Kazakhstan are in poor condition, Minister of Transport and Communications of Kazakhstan Askar Zhumagaliyev said at a government meeting ...
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Nazarbayev, EADS and AirBus discuss aerospace collaboration prospects
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has held a meeting with the participants in the upcoming meeting of the Foreign Investors Council, reports Kazinform.
The meeting was attended ...
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Almaty subway to get new station every year
The construction firm working on the Almaty subway promise to build two stations every two years, reported Tengrinews.kz.
Two new subway stations -- Sairan and Moscow should ...
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Company News
Press conference on the presentation of investment opportunities in Kyzylorda region is hold within the VI Astana Economic Forum
Within the VI Astana Economic Forum a press conference on the presentation of investment opportunities in Kyzylorda region: "Baikonur. New investment horizons” was held on May ...
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Global innovators will report how to improve lives of everyone using "smart" technologies
On May 21, 2013, in the Palace of Peace and Accordance as a part of the VI Astana Economic Forum opened the first International Exhibition and ...
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Astana Economic Forum 2013 Personal Mobile Guide!
3D mobile application has been developed this year by Open Technologies Group for navigation in the Independence Palace building.
Qvigation allows to Astana Forum guests get ...
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Regional News
No more easy pickings in Russia's banking market
By Megan Davies
Foreign banks that once treated Russia as virgin land where easy money could be made are now finding it a cut-throat market tougher than ...
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Lawmakers going to Russia to investigate Boston bombing
A delegation of American lawmakers will travel to Russia next week in part to investigate last month’s Boston Marathon bombings, ABC News has learned.
The group, led ...
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Kyrgyzstan may not renew US lease on base
The Kyrgyz government has penned a bill that would see the closure of the US-leased Manas air base in July next year. The country will lose ...
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President: No revolutions to occur in Kyrgyzstan
By V. Zhavoronkova
Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev promised there will be no more revolutions in the country, KyrTAG reported on Tuesday.
The statement was made during the meeting ...
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IMF, Kyrgyz review regional economic progress
Kyrgyz officials participated in a May 19-20 conference on the economic transition undergone by the Caucasus and Central Asian countries in the past 20 years, the ...
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Prices and Statistics
Volume and Share Index by Visor Capital
Date: May 22, 2013; Source: Visor Capital
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Market Movers by Visor Capital
Date: May 22, 2013; Source: Visor Capital
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Commodities
Date: May 22, 2013; Source: Bloomberg.com
| Crude Oil (WTI) |
USD/bbl. |
95.75 |
-0.43 |
-0.45% |
Jul 13 |
01:55:34 |
| Crude Oil (Brent) |
USD/bbl. |
103.59 |
-0.32 |
-0.31% |
Jul 13 |
01:49:31 |
| RBOB Gasoline |
USd/gal. |
282.57 |
-2.01 |
-0.71% |
Jun 13 |
01:11:06 |
| NYMEX Natural Gas |
USD/MMBtu |
4.23 |
+0.03 |
+0.79% |
Jun 13 |
01:55:52 |
| NYMEX Heating Oil |
USd/gal. |
291.40 |
-1.50 |
-0.51% |
Jun 13 |
01:30:40 |
| COMEX Gold |
USD/t oz. |
1,376.60 |
-1.00 |
-0.07% |
Jun 13 |
01:55:34 |
| Gold Spot |
USD/t oz. |
1,378.66 |
+2.37 |
+0.17% |
N/A |
02:04:20 |
| COMEX Silver |
USD/t oz. |
22.51 |
+0.06 |
+0.24% |
Jul 13 |
01:55:45 |
| COMEX Copper |
USd/lb. |
336.65 |
+2.30 |
+0.69% |
Jul 13 |
01:55:36 |
| Platinum Spot |
USD/t oz. |
1,465.80 |
+2.55 |
+0.17% |
N/A |
02:03:17 |
| CBOT Corn |
USd/bu. |
639.25 |
-0.75 |
-0.12% |
Jul 13 |
01:51:07 |
| CBOT Wheat |
USd/bu. |
682.50 |
+2.00 |
+0.29% |
Jul 13 |
01:50:07 |
| ICE Cocoa |
USD/mt |
2,345.00 |
+44.00 |
+1.91% |
Jul 13 |
05/21/2013 |
| ICE Cotton #2 |
USd/lb. |
83.81 |
-0.05 |
-0.06% |
Jul 13 |
01:40:43 |
| CME Live Cattle |
USd/lb. |
120.50 |
+0.13 |
+0.10% |
Aug 13 |
00:21:03 |
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Exchange Rates
Date: May 22, 2013; Source: the National Bank of Kazakhstan
| 1 USD |
KZT 150.84 |
1 CHF |
KZT 155.91 |
1 CNY |
KZT 24.59 |
1 TRY |
KZT 81.60 |
1 JPY |
KZT 1.47 |
| 1 EUR |
KZT 194.09 |
1 AUD |
KZT 147.60 |
1 KGS |
KZT 3.12 |
1 UZS |
KZT 0.07 |
1 BYR |
KZT 0.02 |
| 1 GBP |
KZT 228.87 |
1 CAD |
KZT 146.86 |
1 RUB |
KZT 4.83 |
1 KRW |
KZT 13.58 |
1 UAH |
KZT 18.55 |
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