News

Kazakhstan’s government securities have moved closer to global financial markets. Following a review of the 2026 classification, J.P. Morgan placed Kazakhstan’s bonds on Index Watch-Positive.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Finance highlighted that this development paves the way for the potential inclusion of Kazakhstani government securities in the leading emerging-market bond index, the Government Bond Index – Emerging Markets (GBI-EM).

Over the next 12 months, J.P. Morgan experts will assess Kazakhstan’s market accessibility for foreign investors, including access to international clearing and settlement infrastructure and the liquidity of bonds that meet the relevant criteria.

The ministry highlighted that...

Aktau Airport plans to compete as a cargo transit hub between China and Europe. According to Ahmet Hamdi Güvenç, a board member of Turkish YDA Group, which manages the airport, Aktau could play an important role in air cargo transportation. The group, for instance, aims to increase the volume of cargo handled at the airport to 100,000 tons per year by 2030.

Speaking at the «MRO Central Asia: Kazakhstan 2026» conference, Güvenç pointed out that Aktau Airport is located within a special economic zone. As a result, companies operating through Aktau could benefit from tax incentives and access to local...

This year’s Nobel Prize in Literature laureate will be announced in a couple of hours. We will only find out exactly who nominated whom — and how many times — in 2077, when the Nobel Committee opens its nomination archives for 2026 after the mandatory 50-year waiting period.

Chinese writer Can Xue, Japanese author Haruki Murakami and Australian writer Gerald Murnane are among the favorites and likely contenders. However, our analysis — at least regarding the Peace Prize — shows that strong signals of a candidate’s chances, or even a lead in the number...

Artificial intelligence is coming to Kazakhstan’s outpatient clinics: testing has begun for a smart system that detects the risk of heart failure at an early stage. Most importantly, it requires only an electrocardiogram.

According to the Ministry of Healthcare, a neural network analyzes the data and alerts doctors to patients who require an emergency heart ultrasound scan. The main advantage is that clinics do not need to acquire expensive equipment, as the system easily connects to existing machines.

«Our goal is to detect the disease as early as possible, before it leads to complications and hospitalization...

According to the Laboratory of Solar Activity, a geomagnetic storm is expected to hit Earth this Friday, Oct. 9. The storm is expected to be relatively moderate and will not exceed the G2 level.

Astronomers forecast the storm to occur during the first half of the day.

«Overall solar activity has already begun to subside, and the intensity of new flares has dropped sharply. Therefore, a prolonged or extreme storm is not expected this weekend. Nevertheless, elevated geomagnetic activity may persist into Saturday, Oct. 10,» the scientists reported.

Scientists believe that some people...

The rare earth metals processing plant in Stepnogorsk, formerly owned by Kazatomprom and Japan’s Sumitomo, is set to expand production under its Australian owner. Lindian Resources plans to modernize the existing facility and build a new workshop through its subsidiary Silkway Metals.

According to the Akmola region’s governor’s office, the project is scheduled for 2026-2028. Preparatory work has already begun. Around $50 million will be allocated to upgrading the existing facility, with another $100 million going toward the construction of a new workshop.

The new facility is expected to produce mixed rare earth carbonate, an intermediate...

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy and Dunga Operating GmbH have resolved a long-running dispute over nonrecoverable historical costs at the Dunga oil field. The investors will provide agreed financial compensation to the state and invest in a new phase of development, the ministry reported.

An agreement settling disputes related to the production sharing agreement (PSA) was signed by Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov and Dunga Operating GmbH CEO Nurzhan Abdirakhmanov, with representatives of the PSA, a government-created Kazakh entity, and national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG) participating. The document will subsequently be submitted to the consortium’s foreign...

Altyn Bank, a subsidiary of China CITIC Bank Corp. Ltd., has begun accepting retail deposits in Chinese yuan. Starting Oct. 5, 2026, individuals can open term and savings deposits denominated in yuan at the bank.

The “Gold Reserve” yuan deposit is already available among the bank’s products. Customers can add funds to the deposit and make partial withdrawals, while interest is paid monthly. Both the nominal interest rate and annual effective interest rate (AEIR) are 0.1%.

Altyn Bank’s Asset and Liability Committee made the decision to add the yuan to the list of currencies available for retail deposits...

Mobile operators are usually praised for providing reliable connections, but it’s a different story when it comes to signal strength inside prisons.

Three major mobile operators in Kazakhstan — Beeline, Kcell and Tele2 — have been fined for excessively strong mobile signals at correctional facilities in the Kostanay region, the regional prosecutor’s office reported.

Prosecutors, working with radio-frequency specialists and prison officials, measured mobile signal strength at several correctional facilities in the region. The inspection found that signals from Beeline, Kcell and Tele2/Altel were excessively strong at three separate institutions, significantly exceeding permissible limits.

NASA has published new photographs of Mars taken by the Perseverance rover. The images show a hilly landscape with reddish-brown soil along the inner rim of Jezero Crater. They depict part of an ancient Martian lakebed, with hills and soil varying in depth and texture.

NASA noted that studying Martian rocks helps scientists understand how water once existed on the planet and whether the area could...

A satellite created by students from the Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Astana lifted off Oct. 1, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Tatler Kazakhstan reported. It is hard to resist the urge to ask the famous question: “How do you like that, Elon Musk?”

The students worked on the project largely on their own, handling everything from blueprints and prototypes to testing and launch preparations. A total of 17 students participated in the development, working on 3D modeling, electronics, microcontroller programming and data processing. The project began in 2019. In 2020, the school opened the “NIS...

An unusual open-air museum, long rumored to be inaccessible to the public, is gaining popularity on social media. The place is real, and ordinary tourists can visit it. Kursiv LifeStyle explains where it is located and how to get in.

The museum, called Ush Qiyan (“Three Expanses”), was founded by independent researcher Nurbol Baimukhan. It is located near the village of Akshi in the Enbekshikazakh district, about 70 kilometers from Almaty.

Kazakhstani manufacturers of energy equipment aim to secure up to 52% of the construction costs of solar power plants in the country.

Sergey Agafonov, chairman of the Kazakhstan Association of Energy Repair, Design and Engineering Companies, made the proposal in a letter to Ryskhan Nugurbekov, managing director of Baiterek, a state-owned development institution and one of Kazakhstan’s largest financial holding companies.

Agafonov asked Baiterek to ensure that its subsidiaries comply with local-content requirements when financing renewable energy projects. He said the use of loans and other financial instruments provided by Baiterek subsidiaries for renewable...

According to Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev, a direct, non-stop flight from Kazakhstan to New York could launch in the second half of 2027.

Previously, Kazakhstani officials said the launch would begin in early next year. Moreover, it is still unclear which city — Astana or Almaty — would be the main departure point for the flight.

Commenting on the matter on the sidelines of the «MRO Central Asia: Kazakhstan 2026» forum, Lastayev said the two sides had already signed an Open Skies agreement. A technical audit is underway, as is the process of obtaining flight permits. He also...

French researcher Henri B. Kagan and Japanese researcher Kenso Soai have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discoveries that showed how chemical reactions can be steered towards homochirality, a phenomenon with important implications for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

According to the Nobel Prize press release, the researchers were recognized «for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.» Their work helped explain how chemical asymmetry can emerge, addressing the scientific question of how homochirality could arise spontaneously. Amino acids, for example, exist in two mirrored variants, while living organisms predominantly use only...

Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Timur Turlov and congratulated him on his election as head of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). According to the president, Kazakhstan must intensify training for its chess players.

He also said Turlov’s election as FIDE president shows Kazakhstan’s growing prestige and the strength of its national chess school on the global stage.

As Tokayev noted, chess holds special significance for the country, as it is not merely a sport but also a vital tool for developing young people’s intellectual potential.

«Over the past several years, the Kazakhstani chess school has demonstrated...

By 2030, Kazakhstan expects to not only fully meet domestic fuel demand but also begin exporting finished petroleum products to Central Asian countries. To achieve this, the country is expanding the capacity of existing refineries and preparing a project to build a fourth refinery.

Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov made the announcement at a session of the Kurultai, Kazakhstan’s parliament, in response to a deputy’s question about domestic refinery utilization and fuel shortages.

According to Akkenzhenov, Kazakhstan’s three largest refineries — Atyrau, Shymkent and Pavlodar — processed 18.4 million tons of crude oil...

Passengers crossing the Kazakhstan-Russia border are being screened for signs of dangerous infections. No cases of infection or people with suspicious symptoms have been identified so far, Kazakhstan’s Committee of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control said.

Checks are being carried out at border crossing points, covering all modes of transport.

«The situation in Kazakhstan is under constant monitoring, and preventive measures have been taken. Sanitary quarantine control is being carried out at state border crossing points. No people with high temperatures, signs of illness or suspected particularly dangerous infections have been identified across all modes of transport...

In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), businesses of all kinds are trying to leverage this new technology. But the other side of the coin is growing cybersecurity risks, as AI agents can be hijacked.

According to Murat Kenebayev, IT security advisor at Freedom Cloud Holding, every user and business should follow time-tested rules: use a strong password, enable two-factor authentication, and never open suspicious emails to minimize cybersecurity risks. However, this is just the bare minimum because today, the key target isn’t just the user, but the trust between users, services, applications, and AI.

This is especially challenging for...

On Oct. 6, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and Oman’s Ministry of Finance signed an Agreement on the Terms of the Bank’s Presence in the Sultanate of Oman during Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said’s state visit to Kazakhstan, the EDB’s press service reported.

Under the agreement, Oman will become the EDB’s eighth shareholder and the first member state from the Gulf region.

«This agreement reflects our shared intention to build a bridge between Central Asia and the Gulf region. We see significant potential in this partnership and are committed to deepening...

If your daily routine consists of going from home to your car, then to the office and back again, your body gradually adapts to a lack of movement. Physiotherapist and rehabilitation specialist Vladimir Karasenko explains why this lifestyle can lead to pain and discomfort.

Your leg and glute muscles “fall asleep”

“You don’t walk, you rarely climb stairs, and you don’t put weight on your legs. Your gluteal muscles stop working — they simply aren’t needed when you’re constantly sitting. Your lower back takes on the entire load. After a month, you notice...

A new handbag collection from Italian fashion house Etro has divided social media users in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan into two camps. While some marvel at seeing “our patterns on the Milan runway,” others are demanding that the brand acknowledge the intellectual property rights of an entire region. Kursiv LifeStyle explores the fine line between inspiration and appropriation in the fashion industry.

Familiar motifs in Milanese high fashion

On Sept. 20, Etro posted photos on its official Instagram account unveiling updated versions of its signature Pony Bag and Kalispera models. At least two bags in the collection triggered...

Makeup artist Alexis Stone, known for his viral transformations, has once again stunned the fashion world.

During Paris Fashion Week, Mugler — the legendary fashion house that rose to prominence in the 1990s — unveiled its Spring/Summer 2027 collection. As social media buzzed with discussion about the show and the legacy of the late Thierry Mugler, the designer himself appeared to be in the crowd.

Stone stepped out...

The recent news that marriage and motherhood after age 40 are on the rise in Kazakhstan is further evidence that the Central Asian nation, traditionally known for supporting early marriage, is not an isolated case but part of a global trend.

The age at which people choose to marry is reaching historic highs as economic pressures and cultural shifts reshape modern adulthood. A recent ranking by World Population Review highlights how rising housing costs, longer periods of higher education and demanding career paths are delaying family formation across the globe. From Southern Europe to East Asia...