It seem Amazon has decided to jump out of the payments business less than a year after first jumping in.Amazon has announced its intention to discontinue the Amazon Wallet beta program earlier today (January 21). Source: http://www.pymnts.com

Russia’s answer to Amazon, Ulmart, has confirmed that it plans to IPO in the next year. Source: http://www.pymnts.com

While B2C payments players often snap up most of the headlines, B2B players are often lurking in the background, gaining ground, making moves and quietly innovating away, though often is in a less flashy manner. Source: http://www.pymnts.com

ASTANA: A mysterious “sleeping illness” has gripped a small village in Kazakhstan, causing its sufferers to fall asleep for no apparent reason and stay so for Source: http://www.thenewstribe.com

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are among the world’s dictatorships benefiting from the services of lobbyists in Europe’s corridors of power, a new report alleges. “Repressive regimes outsourcing the Source: http://www.eurasianet.org

Kazakhstan is introducing new ecological standards for engine fuel. But experts have some doubts about the effectiveness of this measure. Source: en.tengrinews.kz

Astana is slashing growth expectations and cutting its budget revenue forecasts as Kazakhstan eyes its gloomiest economic outlook for years, sources in parliament report. The government intends Source: http://www.eurasianet.org

Rafael Nadal has not played since the 2014 Wimbledon Championships, but he will reportedly play in an exhibition match in Kazakhstan on Sept. 24. Source: au.ibtimes.com

The Euroasia Business Forum will be held on 23-24th April 2015 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Source: http://www.alfran.co.uk

Price has become both an ethical and an existential issue for the IOC Source: http://www.bloombergview.com