The decision by Spain's high court to extradite an asylum-seeker to Kazakhstan, despite compelling evidence that it would place him at risk of torture, violates international law and must be reversed immediately, Amnesty International said. Spain's high court (Audiencia Nacional) today approved the extradition request for Aleksandr Pavlov, 37, the former head of security for the Kazakhstani opposition figure Mukhtar Ablyazov, who fled the Central Asian country in 2009.

The spurned ex-wife of a Kazakh fertilizer tycoon says her former hubby is full of it. In new court papers, Maira Nazarbayeva asked a Manhattan judge to toss her hubby's lawsuit against her – in which he accuses her of swiping almost $100 million of his fortune to pay for jewelry and a Plaza apartment — because she believes he's faking an illness to duck depositions.

Kazakhstan is interested in British defense experience, Tengrinews reports referring to the press office of the Defense Ministry of Kazakhstan. "Kazakhstan is moving towards establishing a professional army, and Britain possesses valuable experience in this realm. Kazakhstan is interested in studying the methods of recruitment into the Armed Forces, personnel policies, combat training, budget planning specifics and social security. The heads of the Defense Ministries (of Kazakhstan and UK) have expressed readiness to cooperate in this areas," says the statement posted after the meeting of Kazakhstan Defense Minister Adilbek Dzhaksybekov and UK Minister of Defense Phillip Hammond.

Kazakhstan is planning to reduce the number of cases heard by jury trials, Tengrinews reports. The initiative is driven by the country's national specifics. "There are areas where selection of juries is impossible, because they are all relatives. According to the Article 14 of our Constitution, everyone is equal under the law. But in practice, one can ask for a jury trial here in Astana, but one cannot ask for one in Shymkent and a range of other large regions, because everyone around are relatives," Iogan Merkel, First Deputy Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan, explained at today's presentation of the new edition of the Criminal Procedures Code in the Majilis (Lower Chamber of the Parliament).

Tony Blair was last night accused of helping to secure a plum job for Alastair Campbell's firm on a 'dictator's payroll'. The claim was made after US Government documents revealed the extent of links between the former Prime Minister and the lobbying company that employs his former spin doctor. According to US Justice Department papers, the authoritarian Kazakhstan regime in central Asia is represented in the US 'through Windrush Ventures Limited, through Portland PR Limited'.

Turkey has not received an official offer to join the Customs Union, which comprises Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, Turkish media reported on October 26 citing sources in the Foreign Ministry. According to the report, a year ago Ankara was invited to join the Customs Union and the organization held negotiations with Turkey in this regard. However, currently the talks have lost their relevance.