World / Exclusive

A passenger plane crashed in Colombia

A passenger plane crashed in Colombia as a result of an aviation accident, with 15 people on board. All of them died, according to the Xinhua news agency. As reported by the Colombian television channel RTVC Noticias, the wreckage of the Beechcraft 1900 plane, which belonged to the state airline Satena, was discovered by local residents in cooperation with national police officers in the northeastern region of Norte de Santander.

29.01.2026, 12:05

Politics

Appointed Director of the State Enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacy"

Bolot Tologonovich Junusov is now the director of the state enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacy," which is subordinate to the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic. The appointment was approved by the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Adylbek Kasymaliev.

29.01.2026, 12:04

Society

The Foreign Ministry has been negotiating with Kazakhstan for two years to abolish the "90/180" stay regime.

Over the past two years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been actively negotiating with Kazakhstan to abolish the "90/180" residency regime. This became known from the statement of the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Almaz Imangaziyev, at a meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh. Deputy Dastan Bekeshev expressed concern that some citizens of Kazakhstan are unable to visit Kyrgyzstan due to changes in legislation.

29.01.2026, 12:03

Incidents

In Bishkek, two children aged 6 and 9 drowned

A tragedy occurred in one of the residential areas of the city A tragic incident took place in Bishkek, resulting in the drowning of two children. This was reported by the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES). The incident happened in the "Bakay-Ata" area, where a 6-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl lost their lives. Rescuers promptly arrived at the scene, retrieved the bodies of the children, and handed them over to law enforcement authorities. Photo www

29.01.2026, 12:00

Exclusive

The Jogorku Kenesh approved the OPEC Fund loan of 30 million dollars in the second reading

At the plenary session of the Jogorku Kenesh, held on January 29, 2026, the deputies supported the bill concerning the ratification of the Loan Agreement. This agreement was signed on September 23, 2025, in Bishkek and is related to the program "Universal Access to Water Supply and Sanitation (Phase 1)", which aims to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation. This program covers 126 rural settlements in the Osh, Chui, and Issyk-Kul regions, providing clean water to over

29.01.2026, 11:59

Society

Organic products from Kyrgyzstan are set to be promoted in the Chinese market

Today, a presentation of the acceleration program organized by the National Association of Cooperatives and Other Forms of Economic Community of Kazakhstan (NACOFEC) took place at the building of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This initiative, aimed at developing export corridors, was presented for the first time in Bishkek, where Kyrgyz entrepreneurs were offered the opportunity to enter the largest trading network in China — China Co-op. This was reported by the Chamber of Commerce

29.01.2026, 11:58

Politics

Iskender Sydygaliev on how digitalization is eradicating bureaucracy in the country

Digitalization is no longer just a trendy topic; it is an important aspect of state policy that affects efficiency, trust, and fairness. The Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic recognizes this, and here digital technologies are becoming a tool to reduce bureaucracy for both citizens and the system itself. Deputy Minister of Justice Iskender Sydygaliev spoke to VB.KG about how technology is transforming the legal sphere.

29.01.2026, 11:57

Society / Exclusive

Residents of Bishkek can submit their proposals for the development of the territories annexed to the city.

The city hall reminded residents of the opportunity to submit their proposals regarding the draft resolution concerning the development of the recently annexed territories to Bishkek. It is worth recalling that on January 19, 2026, a draft resolution titled "On the Approval of the Action Plan for the Development of Territories Annexed to the City of Bishkek as Part of the Administrative-Territorial Reform for 2026-2030" was published. According to information from the city hall, in

29.01.2026, 11:57

Society / Exclusive

Children under 16 in Kyrgyzstan no longer need registration to obtain a passport

As of January 23, 2026, changes regarding the submission of documents for a civil passport for citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic who have not reached the age of 16 will come into effect. According to the State Enterprise "Kyzmat," it is no longer required to have a registration, which was previously a mandatory condition for obtaining a passport. In the absence of one of the parents at the time of application submission, it is possible to use a notarized consent, available in the

29.01.2026, 11:55

Economy

A new high-voltage substation "Suu-Bashi" has been put into operation in Batken

Photo by the Ministry of Energy. Substation 'Suu-Bashi' A new high-voltage substation 'Suu-Bashi' has recently been put into operation in Batken, operating at voltages of 110/35/10 kilovolts. The press service of the Ministry of Energy reported this event. The launch of the new energy facility was marked by the words of Minister Talaybek Ibraev, who emphasized the need for rapid capacity increases due to the growing number of consumers. Photo by the Ministry of Energy.

29.01.2026, 11:54

Economy

The Antimonopoly Service denied the resale of goods from social stores

- Social stores do not serve as wholesale bases and operate solely to provide for citizens. This information was announced on the radio by Muratbek Imankulov, Deputy Chairman of the Antimonopoly Regulation Service under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce. According to him, "social stores are not intended for purchases with the aim of subsequent resale. They work directly with the population and keep records of their customers."

29.01.2026, 11:53

Economy

Talant Nazarbekov Appointed Deputy Director of the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture at the Ministry of Construction

On January 29, the Ministry of Construction, Architecture, and Housing and Communal Services announced the appointment of Talant Nazarbekov as the Deputy Director of the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture. This decision was made by the Minister of Construction and Architecture, Nurdana Oruntaev, who signed the corresponding order. Previously, this position was held by Almazbek Majitov, who left his post at his own request. The new deputy director was introduced to the department

29.01.2026, 11:51

Education

In Bishkek, the kindergarten "Balastan" No. 69 was inspected

An inspection of the kindergarten "Balastan" No. 69 took place in Bishkek. According to the information from the press service of the city administration, during the visit, the institution was inspected by the chairman of the Bishkek City Council Bekzhan Usenaliev and vice-mayor Victoria Mozgacheva.

29.01.2026, 11:50

Society

In the village of Ichke-Bulun in the Jeti-Oguz district, the opening of two social facilities took place.

In the Jeti-Oguz district, in the village of Ichke-Bulun, a ceremony was held to open two social facilities. This information was provided to the Turmush correspondent by Urmat Dokoev, the head of the village council.

29.01.2026, 11:49

World

Aibek Smadiyarov has become an advisor and press secretary to the President of Kazakhstan

The document states: "Aibek Smadiyarov has been appointed as the advisor to the president and press secretary, while being relieved of his previous position." Smadiyarov is a graduate of the Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages named after Ablai Khan. He holds the rank of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Envoy of the II class and is proficient in several languages, including English and Turkish. Prior to his new appointment, which takes effect until

29.01.2026, 11:49

Society

Restrictions on the Import of Animals from India Introduced in Kyrgyzstan

In order to ensure the veterinary and sanitary safety of the country, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced the introduction of temporary measures concerning animals susceptible to the Nipah virus, as well as animal products from the Republic of India. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture.

29.01.2026, 11:49

Society

The Cabinet will address the Jogorku Kenesh on issues of driver's licenses and price increases

At the parliamentary meeting held earlier, the deputies discussed the situation with driver's licenses as well as the rise in prices for goods and services. They emphasized the need for representatives of the Cabinet to address the pressing questions of citizens. Toraga supported their appeals, noting that there is discontent among the population regarding many social issues. "There are many questions concerning social topics. The government must be prepared for this," he said,

29.01.2026, 11:48

Economy

In 2025, payments totaling 908.6 billion soms were made via QR code

In 2025, Kyrgyzstan recorded a record volume of QR payments amounting to 908.6 billion soms. The main operator processed 525.1 million transactions, which corresponds to an increase of 8 to 10 times compared to the previous year. This data was provided by Kaktus.media from the National Bank of the country. In particular, the volume of incoming payments for legal entities amounted to 165 million, which in turn led to a total of 159.2 billion soms, increasing 5 to 6 times compared to 2024.

29.01.2026, 11:45

Society

Foreigners entering Kyrgyzstan for the first time may be assigned a PIN at the border.

Foreigners and stateless persons arriving in Kyrgyzstan for the first time will be able to receive a PIN at the border. The draft government resolution, developed by the Presidential Administration, is currently undergoing public discussion. The initiative is supported by its author, who believes that automating the process of assigning a PIN through a unified system for accounting external migration will:

29.01.2026, 11:44

Sports

Yarygin Cup: Three Kyrgyzstani wrestlers lost, Jumanzarova did not compete. Results

At the Ivan Yarygin Cup in freestyle wrestling, taking place in Krasnoyarsk (Russia), the female athletes from Kyrgyzstan were unable to demonstrate the expected results. According to the Russian Wrestling Federation, four wrestlers from Kyrgyzstan were scheduled to compete on the first day of the tournament.

29.01.2026, 11:43

Economy

150,000 soms under the Social Contract is not enough to lift people out of poverty; the starting capital needs to be increased, - MP

At the meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh held on January 29, 2026, Deputy Kamila Talieva proposed increasing the amount of the Social Contract, noting that the starting capital of 150,000 soms is insufficient to support aspiring entrepreneurs. She reminded that previously the amount of the Social Contract was 100,000 soms, and now it has increased to 150,000 soms. This statement was responded to by Deputy Minister of Finance Nurbek Akzholov, who noted that the Social Contract program has been

29.01.2026, 11:42

Society

Kokulov on the building on Chuy Avenue: Kamchybek Tashiev stopped the construction. Is there no one else?

At a meeting of the Jogorku Kenesh, Erlan Kokulov raised the question of why government agencies and officials are failing to fulfill their tasks, and emphasized that any decision requires the involvement of the president or the head of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB). Addressing President Sadyr Japarov, Kokulov noted that only 4-5 people in his team are genuinely working, while the others merely pretend to be busy. He cited the example of the construction of a three-story

29.01.2026, 11:40

Society

What's Wrong with Second Graders' Backpacks? Let's Weigh Them Together

With Kyrgyzstan's transition to a 12-year educational system, many parents are beginning to worry about their children's health. While officials claim that this aligns with global standards, moms and dads observe their children struggling with the new curriculum and the heavy burden of their backpacks. Kaktus.media spoke with Nazira Aytalievna, the mother of a second grader, who showed how much strain her seven-year-old son is under. "He should be in first grade, but he ended up

29.01.2026, 11:39

Incidents

Information about the death of the crime boss Karyshkyr in the colony has been denied

The Penitentiary Service of Kyrgyzstan has denied information that Mursalym Umyrzakov, known by the nickname Karyshkyr, has died in prison. This message was conveyed to the editorial office of Kaktus.media. The agency noted that the rumors circulating on social media about his death are false. Umyrzakov, convicted on several charges, continues to serve his sentence in a correctional facility and is in good health. He continues to serve his sentence, he is healthy.

29.01.2026, 11:39