Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

DOJ Blocks Largest Global Healthcare Fraud in U.S. History
The Department of Justice announced the arrests of more than 300 people who they say were involved in a nearly $15 billion fraud scheme, the largest healthcare criminal pact in U.S. history. Investigators found that many of the fraudsters were...

Kazakhstan to Build 51 Medical Institutions in Karagandy Region by Year-End
ASTANA – The Kazakh government will allocate 5.9 billion tenge (US$11.3 million) from illegally withdrawn assets returned to the country to complete the construction of 51 medical facilities in the Karagandy Region by the end of this year, the...

Kazakhstan law bans face coverings in public places
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a law to ban face coverings in public places and jointed a trend in several Central Asian countries to restrict forms of Islamic dress. The text of the law which was signed by the president on...

Kazakhstan bans face covering in public spaces: 10 countries with similar laws
Kazakhstan has banned face-covering garments in public, joining a list of nations citing security and cultural identity. Here's a look at 10 countries with similar laws and their reasons In a move that might surprise many, Kazakhstan has banned...

A journalist shot dead, a state cloaked in silence: when will Kazakhstan respond to the murder of Aydos Sadykov?
Longstanding, ongoing pressure With over one million subscribers and nearly 100 million views, BASE is a pillar of independent Kazakh media. The outlet’s investigations into abuses committed by the elite stand out in a media environment dominated...
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Kazakhstan bans face coverings in public, new law endorses 'national' clothing
Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a law to ban people from wearing clothing that covers their faces in public, joining a list of central asian, Muslim-dominated countries to restrict forms of Islamic dress. The law says...

Four arrested in Estonia over US healthcare scam suspicions
The Washington Post reported that U.S. authorities have foiled a €8.5 billion healthcare fraud scheme. U.S. officials announced that, in cooperation with local law enforcement, four suspects were apprehended in Estonia. U.S. authorities uncovered...

Evaluation of Medical Device Aging and Replacement Decisions within Hospital Environments: A User-Centered Approach
Introduction Medical devices based on cutting-edge technologies areas essential for human health and are promising high-value-added industries with expected continuous growth. East Asia remains one of the technologically most advanced regions in...

How Operation Gold Rush was planned and executed, which busted the largest health care fraud in US history
US federal agents launched Operation Gold Rush in the early months of 2023, a top-secret crackdown that would ultimately dismantle the largest health care fraud scheme in American history. Over two years of silent tracking and coordinated stings...

International Experts Praise Kazakhstan’s Reforms in Human Rights Protection
ASTANA – International experts have commended Kazakhstan’s efforts in human rights following the country’s presentation of its third periodic report on implementing its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights...

Where are Indian medical aspirants heading? Top countries and FMGE realities
Every year on International Doctors’ Day, celebrated globally on July 1, the spotlight returns to the critical role of doctors in society. In India, where the number of NEET UG aspirants crossed over 24 lakh in 2025, this day is also a reminder of...

Kazakhstan to Address Multilateralism, Financial Relations, AI at BRICS Summit
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will address multilateralism, financial relations, and artificial intelligence (AI) at the upcoming BRICS Summit on July 6–7 in Rio de Janeiro, said Aibek Smadiyarov, a spokesperson for the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, during a...

Kazakhstan Moves To Ban Niqab, Face Coverings In Public Places Amid Rising Radicalisation
Last Updated:June 30, 2025, 19:45 IST The Parliament of Kazakhstan has passed a bill seeking a ban on face-covering clothes in public, citing security concerns. Kazakhstan Niqab ban: Parliament passes bill to ban face coverings (AP Image)Amid...
Kazakhstan Becomes Latest Country To Ban Face-Covering Garments In Public
Kazakhstan has become the latest nation to enact a new law banning the wearing of clothing that obscures a person's face in public, with limited exceptions. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the legislation into law, making the Central Asian...

Running Dry: Kazakhstan’s Water Crisis, Explained With Data
Kazakhstan has lost 21% of its per capita water availability since 1999. But what are the main forces behind the country’s rapidly worsening water crisis? — Only 42% of Kazakhstan’s water is available for consumption due to outdated infrastructure...
Kazakhstan bans face coverings in public places
ALMATY (Reuters) -Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law on Monday prohibiting individuals from wearing clothing in public places that covers their faces, joining a trend in several Central Asian countries to restrict forms of Islamic...

Federal officials claim to have cracked the biggest health care fraud schemes in history
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our...

Kazakhstan to Raise Minimum Wage in 2026
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Svetlana Zhakupova, has announced that the government plans to raise the minimum wage starting January 1, 2026. While the exact amount was not disclosed, Finance Minister Madi Takiev suggested...

Inside Operation Gold Rush, largest health care fraud bust in U.S. history
Gerald Quindry was facing a quandary. The 73-year-old retired engineer received a statement last year that Medicare, his health insurance provider, had been billed $15,500 for urinary catheters - but his doctor had never ordered them, and Quindry...

Inside Operation Gold Rush, the largest healthcare fraud bust in US history
Quindry was one of more than one million Americans whose personal information was compromised in an alleged US$10.6 billion ($17.3b) fraud scheme, the details of which were unsealed last week and announced by federal officials today. The two-year...