Potatoes "boil" in the ground as record heatwave sweeps across swathes of Asia
South Korean farmers are struggling with record-breaking heat that is causing potatoes to "cook" underground as extreme temperatures sweep across much of Asia, The Guardian reported.
At a potato field in Yanggu County, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) northeast of Seoul, farmer Lee Sang-hyeok dug into the soil but found nothing worth salvaging, according to The Guardian.
Just a week earlier, the potato crop in Gangwon Province had looked healthy. Now, the potatoes have been ruined by the heat, with soaring temperatures turning the soil into an oven.
On Aug. 2, the southeastern city of Yangsan recorded a temperature of 42.5 degrees Celsius (108.5 Fahrenheit), the highest in South Korea since modern weather observations began in 1904.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the heat has caused at least 31 deaths nationwide. More than 900,000 livestock animals and 1.4 million farmed fish have also died.
Authorities issued a heat warning, urging people to "immediately stop all outdoor activities."
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Turkistan Music and Drama Theatre Performs in Batumi
Images | MFA RK
On September 2-3, the Turkistan Music and Drama Theatre held guest performances at the Ilia Chavchavadze Batumi State Drama Theatre, presenting the plastic theatre production "Abai. Qara Soz" to the Georgian audience.
Based on the philosophical and literary legacy of the great Kazakh poet and thinker Abai Kunanbaiuly, the production explores his reflections on morality, knowledge, spiritual development, and universal human values.
Through movement, music and expressive stage imagery, the creators of the performance presented Abai’s philosophical ideas in a contemporary artistic form. The production attracted considerable interest among residents and visitors of Batumi and received a warm response from the Georgian audience.
As part of the tour, an exhibition showcasing Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage was also organized. The exhibition featured traditional Kazakh clothing and national jewellery, household items and tableware, folk musical instruments, as well as works by Kazakhstani artists. The exhibition offered visitors an opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the distinctive culture, traditions and art of the Kazakh people.
The event was attended by representatives of local authorities, Georgia’s cultural and public circles, members of the Kazakh diaspora, as well as residents and visitors of Adjara.
The tour became another significant event in the cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Kazakhstan and Georgia. Such projects contribute to promoting Kazakh culture abroad, expanding direct contacts between cultural institutions of the two countries, and strengthening the traditional bonds of friendship between the Kazakh and Georgian peoples.
The tour was organized with the support of the Akimat of the Turkistan Region, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Georgia, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Batumi, and Art Fest Group.
Kazakhstan and Georgia continue to consistently develop cooperation in the fields of culture and the arts. Guest performances by Kazakhstani creative groups and the implementation of joint cultural projects constitute an important part of further strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties between the two countries.
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Hundreds of Thousands Rally in Spain Over Ceuta Migration Crisis
Images | Videoframe
Hundreds of thousands of people across Spain joined rallies in solidarity with Ceuta amid a migration crisis and called for the government’s resignation, a Kazakhstan Today correspondent reported.
Large demonstrations in support of Ceuta residents were held in 260 Spanish cities on Sept. 2. Three rallies took place simultaneously in Madrid because no single square in the capital could accommodate all the participants. Organized by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities, the demonstrations drew hundreds of thousands of people, Deutsche Welle reported.
Protesters called for emergency measures to address the situation in Ceuta, which saw an influx of 80,000 Moroccan nationals in late July, according to official figures. Tensions remain extremely high in the semi-enclave because of the presence of undocumented migrants.
Demonstrators also called for the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government, which they said was unable to manage the crisis.
Tensions remain high in Ceuta. According to the Spanish police press service, the city has seen robberies, attacks on municipal buildings, clashes between migrants and police and local residents, and violence against women.
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Kazakhstan Showcases Its Literature at Major Guangzhou Book Fair
Images | gov.kz
Around 100 books and cultural products from Kazakhstan were presented at the 30th South China Book Fair in Guangzhou, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information.
A special session focusing on contemporary Kazakh literature was held as part of the event. Chinese audiences were introduced to works by Kazakh authors across various genres and learned about a new generation of writers.
The books featured included Maksat Malik’s novel Abyl men Qabyl (Abel and Cain), Aisulu Almasbai’s children’s book Zhel Terbegen Auen (The Melody Swayed by the Wind), Alisher Rakhat’s detective novel Iesiz Kolenke (Ownerless Shadow) and Nuraina Satpayeva’s Mukhit Goes Towards the Light.
Participants also discussed translating and promoting Kazakh literature abroad, protecting copyright and strengthening cooperation between publishers in Kazakhstan and China.
The Kazakh pavilion features contemporary and children’s literature, publications on cultural heritage and creative industry products.
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Belgium and Tajikistan commemorate victims of nuclear testing
Images | MFA RK
Events marking the International Day against Nuclear Tests and the 35th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site have been held in Belgium and Tajikistan, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said.
In the Belgian city of Ypres, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador Roman Vassilenko and Mayor Katrien Desomer laid flowers at a monument presented by Kazakhstan to the city in 2010 and observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of nuclear testing and man-made disasters.
"The experiences of Semey and Ypres remind us of a simple but important truth: peace cannot be taken for granted. It must be preserved through our common efforts and passed on to future generations," Vassilenko said.
Ypres and Semey are twin cities. The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation through cultural, educational and youth projects.
In Tajikistan, the Kazakh embassy held a briefing for journalists and experts. Participants were reminded of three significant anniversaries in 2026: 35 years since the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, 30 years since the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty opened for signature, and 20 years since the signing of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia.
A total of 456 nuclear tests were conducted at the Semipalatinsk test site over more than four decades, affecting around 1.5 million people. The site was closed on 29 August 1991.
The United Nations General Assembly later designated 29 August as the International Day against Nuclear Tests at Kazakhstan’s initiative.
Today, Kazakhstan’s president and foreign minister called on countries around the world to maintain the moratorium on nuclear testing.
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Kyrgyzstan renames Pioneer Peak in honour of SCO
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Pioneer Peak, a 4,050-metre mountain in a nature park in northern Kyrgyzstan, has been renamed SCO Peak to mark the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Mir 24 reported.
Kyrgyzstan’s Tourism Development Agency confirmed the renaming. Footage released by the agency shows the old "Pioneer Peak" sign being removed and replaced with a new plaque reading "Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Peak".
The agency’s director, Eduard Kubatov, took part in the ascent.
"Friends, I congratulate all of us on this historic event. SCO Peak, standing at 4,050 metres, has been named in honour of the organisation’s 25th anniversary. The SCO has made an enormous contribution to peace, security and the resolution of cross-border issues. It is the SCO that has helped make this region a place of peace, prosperity and good-neighbourly relations," Kubatov said.
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Bulgarian parliament hosts exhibition marking 35 years since closure of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site
Images | gov.kz
A photo exhibition marking the International Day against Nuclear Tests and the 35th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site has opened at the Bulgarian parliament, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said.
The exhibition features photographs from the former nuclear testing site, archival documents relating to its closure and images dedicated to the Nevada-Semipalatinsk anti-nuclear movement.
Members of Bulgaria’s National Assembly, including representatives of the parliamentary friendship group with Kazakhstan, as well as members of the public and the media, attended the event.
Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, Viktor Temirbayev, spoke about the significance of closing the Semipalatinsk site and Kazakhstan’s international nuclear disarmament initiatives.
He noted that, at Kazakhstan’s initiative, the United Nations General Assembly designated 29 August as the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
Bulgarian lawmakers recognised Kazakhstan’s contribution to nuclear disarmament and efforts to strengthen the non-proliferation regime for weapons of mass destruction. The parties also expressed their readiness to expand interparliamentary cooperation.
Thirty-five years ago, Kazakhstan voluntarily renounced the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal and closed the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
In a statement marking the International Day against Nuclear Tests, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan would continue advocating for an end to nuclear testing and called on nuclear powers to engage in negotiations.
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Thieves steal €1.7m Bronze Age treasure from Spanish museum in four-minute raid
Images | Vilenna Turismo
The collection, known as the Treasure of Villena, is regarded as one of the region’s most important archaeological finds.
VILLENA, 28 August. KAZAKHSTAN TODAY - A unique collection of Bronze Age artefacts valued at €1.7 million has been stolen from the Villena Museum in Spain’s Alicante province, Spanish news agency EFE reported.
The thieves took more than 50 objects, including gold, silver, iron and amber jewellery, as well as ancient vessels dating from around 1000 BC.
The collection, known as the Treasure of Villena, is considered one of the region’s most significant archaeological treasures.
Law enforcement officials said the raid had been carefully planned and involved a diversion. At 5:16 a.m., an alarm was triggered at a sports centre on the outskirts of the city.
As police units responded to the call, the museum’s alarm went off at 5:20 a.m. The thieves needed just four minutes to enter the building and seize the artefacts. By the time police arrived at 5:24 a.m., they had already escaped.
Experts often compare the historical significance of Spain’s Treasure of Villena with the Saka gold of the early nomadic period discovered in Kazakhstan.
False alarms used as diversions remain among the most dangerous tactics in museum thefts and are particularly difficult for mobile security teams to counter.
Artefacts from similar historical periods continue to reveal new information to researchers. Scientists previously completed the first full genomic analysis of Kazakhstan’s "Golden Man", discovered in the Issyk burial mound alongside thousands of unique gold ornaments, confirming that the Saka warrior was male.
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Nepal floods: Two Kazakh citizens among those missing
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The death toll from the devastating floods in Nepal has risen to 469, while another 977 people remain missing, RBC reported, citing local sources.
Two Kazakh citizens are among those missing and are believed to have been in the disaster zone along the Nepal-China border, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said. One of the women had reportedly crossed the border as part of a tourist group.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry is working with local authorities and remains in contact with the women’s relatives.
Bodies have been recovered in eight districts. The highest death tolls were recorded in Chitwan, where 178 people were found dead, and East Nawalparasi, where 110 bodies were recovered.
Another 44 people were found dead in Gorkha, 37 in Nuwakot, 33 in Dhading, 28 in Tanahun, 27 in West Nawalparasi and 12 in Rasuwa.
Search-and-rescue operations are continuing. Rescue workers are using heavy machinery to clear debris, while helicopters are delivering aid to areas cut off from the outside world.
The threat of further flooding remains, Reuters reported. Debris blocking rivers on both sides of the Nepal-China border has created dammed lakes that could burst.
Chinese authorities said around 3 million cubic metres of water could flow into one such lake over the next three days - an amount equivalent to roughly 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The inflow is expected to peak around 1 September.
Forecast rainfall over the coming week poses an additional threat. Chinese authorities warned that the volume of water in the lake was continuing to rise, increasing the risk of a breach.
Authorities in Nepal have also warned that a lake formed after debris blocked a river in the disaster area could burst. Residents living downstream and rescue workers have been urged to stay away from riverbanks and other high-risk areas.
Following the warning, some rescue teams moved to higher ground. Search-and-rescue operations are continuing across the affected areas.
The devastating floods struck border regions of Nepal and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region on 26 August.
Citizens of more than 20 countries, including Kazakhstan, are among those reported missing.
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