Kazakh ex-uranium boss released early after 10 years in jail for corruption A court in Kazakhstan on Tuesday (Mar. 3) freed the former head of the world's largest uranium producer, who is one of the country's best-known political prisoners, after a decade behind bars. Mukhtar Djakishev, 56, who led the state uranium giant Kazatomprom for over 10 years prior to his arrest on embezzlement charges in 2009, was considered a political prisoner by international rights groups. The decision of a court in the northeastern city of Semey to release Djakishev with less than four years of his 14-year sentence remaining came after appeals for early release were rejected last year and in 2018. (AFP Mar. 3, 2020) Kazakhstan may reclaim some uranium mining assets from Joint Ventures with foreign companies Kazakhstan, the world's largest uranium producer, may take back some assets from the joint ventures it has set up in the nuclear sector, President Nursultan Nazarbayev said on Tuesday (Mar. 15). Some joint venture partners of state nuclear firm Kazatomprom "are not meeting their obligations", Nazarbayev said at a meeting with Kazatomprom Chief Executive Askar Zhumagaliyev, the president's office said in a statement. "In this regard it is necessary to either ensure that they (partners) meet their obligations or look into reclaiming those assets in the interests of our state," Nazarbayev's office quoted him as saying. It provided no details and Kazatomprom could not be reached for comment. Kazatomprom has joint ventures with French firm Areva, Canada's Cameco, Japan's Sumitomo Corp and Kansai Electric Power, several Russian firms including Rosatom and a few Chinese companies. Kazakhstan produced 23,800 tonnes of uranium last year. Kazatomprom's share of total output was 13,000 while its joint venture partners accounted for the remainder. (Reuters Mar. 15, 2016)