Kazakhstan’s future is closely linked to Russia and China. Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists. Belarus, Kazakhstan agree defence industry co-operation

Tengri News - Kazakhstan’s future is closely linked to Russia and China: Kazakhstan’s Central Bank Governor - “Given the geographic coverage of Kazakhstan’s exports, there’s no room for the US Dollar in the basket. Europe is responsible or 50% of Kazakhstan’s exports, followed by Russia and China”

Deutsche Welle - Syrian chemical weapons likely from Assad regime, says Westerwelle - Germany's assessment of the chemical weapons attack in Syria has shifted more into line with those of other Western nations such as France and the US. Russia, meanwhile, rejects the UN's finding on last month's attack.

BBC - Costa Concordia: Stricken ship set upright in Italy - Engineers in Italy have succeeded in setting the cruise ship Costa Concordia upright, 20 months after it ran aground off the island of Giglio.

Platts - Kazakhstan to expand section of China oil line to 400,000 b/d by year-end: minister - Kazakhstan will expand the Atasu-Alashankou section of the Kazakhstan-China pipeline to 20 million mt/year from the current 12 million mt/year by year-end, ahead of the previous schedule, Kazakhstan's oil and gas minister Uzakbay Karabalin said Wednesday.

Bakhtar News - Kazakhstan Helps Afghanistan In Different Fields - Kazakhstan cooperates Afghanistan in the fields of education, mines extraction, ground and air transportation, transit facilities, help in emergency situation and the ministry of information and culture.

IHS Janes - Belarus, Kazakhstan agree defence industry co-operation - The signing of a MoU would formalise a process of steadily deepening defence links. KERI already collaborates with Belarusian defence companies Beltecheksport, Midivisana, and Peleng. In May 2012, IHS Janes reported that KERI had agreed a long-term co-operation agreement with Belarus' AGAT Control Systems on automated control systems.

PhantomReport - Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists - The new study by IHS Jane’s, a defence consultancy, estimates there are around 10,000 jihadists – who would include foreign fighters – fighting for powerful factions linked to al-Qaeda.

The Diplomat - Can the Chinese Communist Party Still Reform? - Expectations are that the Communist Party plenum will see major policy announcements. Does the Party still have its reforming prowess?