Incidents

2 - 3 magnitude earthquake hit Taraz, the press service of the Emergency Ministry of Kazakhstan informs.

Plant operators have evacuated workers from Japan's nuclear complex after grey smoke rose from from the spent fuel storage pool of the plant's Unit 3, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Death toll in Japan has topped 18,000 people, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Japan reached out Friday to the U.S. for help to stabilize its radiation-leaking nuclear complex, Kazakhstan Today reports.

The official number of dead and missing in Japan has topped 16,600 with 6,405 confirmed dead, police say, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Police announced on Wednesday one of their biggest successes in smashing a worldwide pedophile network. Over 180 arrests have been made and 230 children have been rescued from abuse, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Japan has begun cooling operation of reactors at the tsunami-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant dumping loads of seawater, trying to avoid full meltdowns, Kazakhstan Today reports.

The New York Times said Wednesday four of its journalists covering the fighting in Libya are missing, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Japan was warned more than two years ago by the international nuclear watchdog that safety rules were out of date and strong earthquakes would pose a "serious problem" for nuclear power stations, leaked diplomatic cables reveal, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Fukushima nuclear plant workers were ordered to leave the nuclear power plant on Wednesday after radiation levels increased, Kyodo news reported, Kazakhstan Today reports.