Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan and Jordan reaffirm commitment to strategic partnership; Who are Kairat, the Champions League team who play closer to Tokyo than Paris?

Trend News Agency: Kazakhstan and Jordan reaffirm commitment to strategic partnership

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and King Abdullah II held a one-on-one meeting during which President Tokayev thanked the King of Jordan for accepting the invitation to visit Astana and warmly recalled his own visit to Amman earlier this year, Trend.az reports.

According to the President, the sides have a number of issues on the bilateral agenda that need to be discussed.

“Yesterday, we had a constructive conversation on many aspects of our bilateral relations, as well as international issues. I was very impressed by how deeply you understand the current international situation. I am confident that today we will have an excellent opportunity to continue exchanging views. Cooperation between Jordan and Kazakhstan is developing quite successfully. Nevertheless, we have several interesting topics to discuss,” said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

In turn, King Abdullah II emphasized the importance of further strengthening bilateral relations and confirmed his readiness to support the deepening of mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation.

“Your Excellency, my dear brother! I sincerely thank you for your kind words and warm welcome. This visit is a continuation of your very successful trip to my country a few months ago. Kazakhstan is very dear to me. Every time I come here, I am impressed by how, under your leadership, the country is moving toward prosperity and well-being. As you rightly noted, yesterday we had interesting discussions on various areas of bilateral cooperation. I am confident that my visit today will open a new chapter in strengthening relations between Kazakhstan and Jordan,” said King Abdullah II.

The Times of Central Asia: French pharma giant Sanofi to localize production in Kazakhstan

According to The Times of Central Asia, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, one of the world’s largest drugmakers, will localize the production of medical products in Kazakhstan.

The agreement was reached following negotiations in Paris between Kazakh Health Ministry officials and Sanofi representatives. Sanofi ranked tenth globally by revenue in 2024, earning $44.46 billion, according to Fierce Pharma.

“During the discussions, issues related to current joint projects with Kazakhstan in the field of pharmaceuticals, the supply and production of medicines, as well as the development and implementation of innovative medical technologies were touched upon,” the ministry said in a statement.

Talks also addressed broader cooperation with the French Development Agency (AFD) and Expertise France, which have been active in Kazakhstan’s healthcare sector. AFD, which opened a representative office in Astana in April, has already provided a €945,000 grant to improve medical infrastructure planning and management. Together with its subsidiary Proparco, the agency also financed a €90 million loan for the construction of a 630-bed hospital in Kokshetau.

Arkeonews: Mystical tombs and lights: 150 unique burial mounds discovered in Kazakhstan

Archaeologists in the West Kazakhstan Region have uncovered around 150 burial mounds of unusual shapes, a find that may shed new light on the Early Iron Age in Central Asia, Arkeonews reports. The sites, possibly linked to the Sarmatians or an unknown civilization, stand out for their diversity—rectangular, circular, and double-ring formations rarely seen in steppe archaeology.

One mound has drawn particular attention with a moat nearly 140 meters wide, suggesting it may have belonged to a figure of high status. Experts note the scale and design differ sharply from typical Iron Age burials.

Local residents long regarded the area as mysterious, with legends of glowing lights and unexplained events. While such tales remain unverified, they underline the cultural significance of the site.

Authorities are preparing documentation and funding before excavations can begin. Once studied, the complex could be recognized as a protected cultural monument. Researchers believe the discovery could offer crucial insights into early nomadic societies and potentially develop into a new cultural tourism destination.

The News York Times: Explained: Who are Kairat, the Champions League team who play closer to Tokyo than Paris?

Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich — and now Kairat, according to a review article in The New York Times. The club from Almaty, Kazakhstan, stunned Celtic in a penalty shootout this week to qualify for the Champions League league phase for the first time. The win makes Kairat the easternmost club ever to feature in the competition, which began in 1955.

Founded in 1954, Kairat were the only Kazakh team to play in the Soviet top flight and have since won four national league titles. They play at Almaty’s Central Stadium, a 24,000-seat ground where Cristiano Ronaldo once scored for Portugal.

Kazakhstan, straddling Europe and Asia, joined UEFA in 2002 after leaving the Asian Football Confederation. Kairat had previously appeared in the 2021-22 Conference League but failed to progress beyond the group stage.

This summer they entered the Champions League in the very first qualifying round and became the only team from that stage to reach the main draw. Managed by former club striker Rafael Urazbakhtin, their multinational squad features players from Kazakhstan, Portugal, Belarus, Israel, Brazil and Russia.

Kairat will play eight matches in the league phase, four at home in Almaty — a city closer to Tokyo than Paris — forcing visiting fans and clubs into one of the competition’s longest journeys.

AS: Real Madrid handed brutal Champions League draw with Liverpool, Man City, Juventus and epic trip to Kazakhstan

Real Madrid has landed one of the toughest possible set of fixtures in the Champions League’s new league phase, drawing Liverpool, Manchester City, and Juventus, along with a daunting away trip to Kazakhstan — the longest journey in this year’s competition, AS reports.

Real Madrid’s longest road trip of the season will be to Kazakhstan, where Kairat Almaty is making history as the easternmost club ever to appear in the Champions League. The nearly 4,000-mile trek to the Chinese border might be as daunting as the opponent itself.

Still, Kairat is no pushover. They knocked out Celtic in the qualifying rounds, with 17-year-old prodigy Satpaev — already signed by Chelsea — the standout. The squad is packed with Brazilian and Portuguese imports like Edmilson, Elder Santana, and João Paulo, while veteran defender Aleksandr Martynovich marshals the back line. In goal, penalty-saving specialist Anarbekov is battling for the No. 1 spot despite his heroics against Celtic.

You can read last week’s weekly digest here.