By 2025, the wealth of billionaires reached a historic record of 18.3 trillion dollars

According to Oxfam's calculations, the total wealth of billionaires has increased by 81% since March 2020, reaching 18.3 trillion dollars (or 15.8 trillion euros). Elon Musk, recognized as the richest person on the planet, earns an amount equivalent to the average annual income on Earth in just 4 seconds. At the same time, as noted in the report, nearly 50% of the world's population lives in poverty, possessing only 0.52% of the total global wealth, while the top 1% controls 43.8% of

The World Ice Hockey Championship has started in Bishkek.

On January 18, a grand opening of the World Championship in ice hockey for youth teams under 20 years old (U20) took place in Bishkek.

Replacement of driver's licenses. Everything that is known as of today.

In Kyrgyzstan, a phased program has started for replacing indefinite driver's licenses of the old format. In this article, we will explain why this is necessary, how the replacement process works, and what consequences await those who do not update their documents in time, according to information from 24. kg. 1 Is it necessary to change old licenses? Yes, the replacement is mandatory. Although old driver's licenses are still valid, they must be replaced in the near future. 2 What is

Satisfactory. The air quality in Bishkek at 17:00 is 87 AQI (smog map)

As of 5:00 PM on January 17, 2026, the air quality in Bishkek is 87 AQI. This figure indicates a satisfactory state of the air.

The Committee of the Jogorku Kenesh approved the bill on amendments to the law on personalized (individual) accounting of citizens in the first reading.

The First Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Innovative Technologies, Nursultan Kubanov, emphasized that this draft law is aimed at eliminating internal contradictions and simplifying the procedure for issuing personal identification numbers to citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic, foreigners, and stateless persons. During the discussion, Deputy Seyidbek Atambaev highlighted the mechanisms for correcting possible technical errors in assigning the personalized identification number. Deputy

"50 million soms will be allocated for animated cartoons in 2026, - Ministry of Culture"

The Deputy Minister of Culture Marat Tagaev announced that 30 million soms will be allocated for the production of animated cartoons in 2026. This was stated at a meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh dedicated to science, education, innovation, information technology, culture, sports, and youth affairs. According to Tagaev, a meeting will be organized with representatives of the animation industry to discuss issues related to production. He noted that despite the small number of such products, the use

Senegal Celebrates Dramatic Victory in Africa Cup of Nations Final

The Senegal national team won the title of African Cup of Nations champion, defeating the host team, Morocco, 1-0 in extra time. The final, held in Rabat, was a true test for both teams.

"All pawnshops must issue loans no higher than 30%." Tashiev instructed the GKNB to check the activities of pawnshops during a meeting with citizens.

During a meeting with citizens recognized as victims in a criminal case, Kamchybek Tashiev, who holds the position of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet and heads the State Committee for National Security (GKNB), noted that the limit on loans in pawnshops should not exceed 30%. Tashiev also instructed to hold accountable those pawnshops that violate the usury legislation in Kyrgyzstan. The GKNB reported on an ongoing investigation into a large fraud scheme related to construction and collateral

After the inspection by the Minister of Construction, the company "Palladium Group" was fined 200,000 soms.

The Ministry of Transport has opened all passes and roads for traffic

Restrictions for vehicles were introduced on January 17 due to heavy snowfall. According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the companies "Kyrgyzavtozhol-Tushtuk" and "Kyrgyzavtozhol-Tunduk" are actively engaged in road clearing and the application of a sand-salt mixture to improve road conditions.

Construction company "Palladium Group" fined for violations during the construction of the medical center

- On January 18, a series of raid activities took place at several construction sites in Bishkek, as reported by the Ministry of Construction, Architecture, and Housing and Communal Services of Kyrgyzstan. During the inspection, a review was conducted of a 4-story medical center under construction, located at: Bishkek, Tabaldieva St., 29.

The National Bank fined a commercial bank

As a result of the inspection, the National Bank imposed a fine on one of the commercial banks in the country. According to the regulator, the amount of the fine was 55,000 soms. This penalty was imposed due to violations of the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic and the regulatory acts of the National Bank.

The State Agency named the key sporting events of 2026 — from the Nomad Games to the Asian Games

On January 19, at a meeting of the committee of the Jogorku Kenesh dedicated to science, education, and sports, the director of the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports, Kazybek Moldazhiyev, announced plans for 2026. He noted that the agency aims to organize sporting events that meet high standards, including events at the level of ayils. The list of planned events includes the 6th World Nomad Games, the Asian Games, the Beach Asian Games, the 20th Summer Asian Games, the 4th Junior

Kamchybek Tashiev demanded to check pawnshops, their interest rates, and the conditions for providing loans.

As part of the fraud case involving citizen S.M., the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) found that he, having a criminal background, had long been engaged in illegal activities in the pawnshop and lending sectors. S.M. provided money under extremely unfavorable conditions, which allowed him to subsequently seize the property of debtors without hindrance. The investigation established that he used fictitious transactions to re-register real estate and land plots, resorting to the

More than 15,000 liters of kumys from Russia were not allowed into Kyrgyzstan

At the border veterinary control point "Ak-Tilek," located in the Chuy region, attempts to illegally import 15,600 liters of kumis from Russia were recorded. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic. During the inspection carried out by veterinary control inspectors, it was established that the packaging of the product lacked a production date. This is a violation of veterinary and sanitary standards in effect in Kyrgyzstan.

Trump invited Tokayev and Kazakhstan to the World Council on Gaza

The World Council on Gaza, which is expected to be established at the initiative of Washington, will focus on strategic oversight and attracting international resources to promote peaceful development in the Gaza Strip. Several other countries have also received invitations, and some have already expressed their willingness to participate. In Akorda, it was noted that this information had not been published earlier for ethical reasons, awaiting official statements from the U.S. administration.

In three years, the budget of Kyrgyz cinema has nearly tripled – statistics

Marat Tagaev, Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, presented statistics on funding and production in the film industry during his speech at the Jogorku Kenesh. According to him, there has been a noticeable increase in state support for cinema over the past three years: 2023: 354 million soms; 2024: 377 million soms; 2025: 1 billion 20 million soms; 2026: 988 million soms (allocated funds). In 2023, the following were released: 3 feature

At Issyk-Kul, the police tested an underwater drone

The new device will assist in monitoring the lake's bottom The tourist police conducted tests of an underwater drone at Issyk-Kul, as reported by the Internal Affairs Department of the Issyk-Kul region. The Chasing M2 PRO MAX model drone is capable of diving to depths of up to 200 meters. With its help, it will be possible to more effectively monitor the lake's bottom, identifying and removing illegal fishing nets. Photo www

The historical novel "Syngan Kylch" is being adapted into a film in Kyrgyzstan

The Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, Marat Tagaev, announced the start of work on the screen adaptation of the famous historical novel "Syngan Kylch," written by Tologon Kasymbekov. According to Tagaev, the National Council has approved the decision to launch the film production, and it is planned to complete the script and approve the project budget in 2026. The well-known playwright and people's writer Sultan Raev has

In Kyrgyzstan, a man became a woman and the State Institution "Kyzmat" is considering a PIN change

The State Institution "Kyzmat" has begun to consider a request for a gender change from a man who declared his transformation into a woman and submitted an application for a change of his PIN code. This became known thanks to the Deputy Director Ernes Dosaliev, who shared the information at a meeting of the relevant parliamentary committee. On the agenda of the Jogorku Kenesh Committee on Science, Education, Innovative Development, Information Technologies, Culture, Sports, and Youth

In the center of Osh, a privatized bus depot with broken buses was found — it is valued at 2 billion soms and there are plans to return it to the state.

In the Osh municipality, a morning inspection took place on January 16, during which local authorities familiarized themselves with the progress of the construction of a recreation area along the Kayyrma canal and then visited the old bus depot on Monueva Street. According to the city hall, during the visit, it was revealed that the bus depot had previously been privatized and is now in private hands. In this regard, relevant services were instructed to check the legal status of the property

Illegal Attempt to Import Kumys from Russia to Kyrgyzstan

At the veterinary control checkpoint "Ak-Tilek," located in the Chuy region, an attempt to illegally import 15,600 liters of kumis from the Russian Federation was discovered. The cargo was sent back. Inspectors conducting the inspection noticed that the product packaging lacked a production date, which violates the veterinary and sanitary standards of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Bishkek City Police Department spoke about the work of the "102" service and digital monitoring

On the air of Birinchi Radio, the head of the situational center of the public safety service of the Bishkek City Police Department, Turatbek Jakshylykov, shared information on how the digitalization of internal affairs helps reduce crime rates and improve response times to citizens' requests. According to him, the "102" service operates continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, ensuring prompt reception and handling of all incoming calls. Jakshylykov also debunked myths

The Ministry of Labor reported 5,500 job vacancies

The Ministry of Labor, Social Protection, and Migration of Kyrgyzstan reports that as of January 1, 2026, there are 5,547 open vacancies in the country. As noted by the agency, the greatest interest from employers is recorded in skilled trades.