News

There is a pharmacy in Uralsk that has been operating for almost 200 years and remains a popular destination for visitors. Curious about how the pharmacy has managed to stay afloat for so long, Kursiv LifeStyle prepared a short report about the building that reflects the history of the city in every corner.

Uralsk has long been a meeting point where Europe and Asia intersect. This is why many of its old buildings still preserve traces of history. One such monument, made of brick and mortar, is the oldest pharmacy in Kazakhstan that opened in the 19th century and is...

Kazakhstan’s aircraft fleet is set to receive 103 new planes by 2030. With these additions, the total number of aircraft in the country will exceed 200, according to Primeminister.kz.

The current fleet consists of 104 aircraft, including six new Airbus A320s and one Boeing 737 MAX 8, delivered in the first half of 2025.

«This year, 36 new international routes have been established and eight international air carriers have entered the market. The number of active domestic routes in the country now stands at 61, with 850 flights operated per week,» said Vice Minister of...

Tajikistan’s economy reported 8.1% growth over the first six months of 2025, supported by steady increases in industry and agriculture. The ongoing strengthening of the somoni — the national currency in Tajikistan — may widen the trade deficit but it is also boosting consumer demand.
 
GDP and its components
 
At the end of the first half of the year, Tajikistan’s Ministry of Economic Development and Trade reported GDP growth of 8.1%. «Despite global challenges, we have managed to ensure steady economic growth, proving that Tajikistan’s economy is capable of adapting to new conditions and sustaining a positive trend,» the agency said in...

Almaty has faced high levels of air pollution over the past 10 years. Monitoring data show that in nine out of 10 years between 2015 and 2024, the city’s air quality was assessed as «high» for pollution, except in 2017, when it was graded as «elevated.» In a separate assessment, on Jan. 14, IQAir, a Swiss company specializing in air quality monitoring and solutions, ranked Kazakhstan’s largest city at the top of its real-time list of the most polluted large cities in the world. More than 2.3 million residents breathe daily air containing amounts of toxic substances exceeding the...

World Folklore Day, observed annually on Aug. 22, celebrates oral traditions and communal practices — a body of expressive culture that forms the foundation of societies. It marks the anniversary of the 1846 publication in London of an article by British scholar William Thoms in The Athenaeum magazine, in which he used the word «folklore» for the first time.

Among folklore’s most enduring expressions are proverbs and idioms — short, memorable phrases that condense generations of experience, values and social norms into the distilled wisdom of a nation.

Based on personal experience and observation, I have explored the distinctive...

KazMunayGas (KMG), Kazakhstan’s national oil company, reported revenue of 4.5 trillion tenge for the first six months of 2025 (about $8.8 billion at the period’s average exchange rate), up 6.2% year-on-year (YoY). Growth was driven by higher processing volumes at KMG International refineries and the weakening of the tenge, which offset falling global oil prices and lower production at the Kashagan field, the company said in its financial results.

At the same time, the company’s net profit fell by 2.8% to 534 billion tenge ($1.04 billion), hit by lower oil prices, higher depreciation expenses, foreign exchange losses and the...

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov insists that American and British sanctions against two Kyrgyz financial institutions, Keremet Bank and Kapital Bank, are groundless and politically motivated. He made this statement in an interview with the Kabar news agency.

As Japarov noted, neither the U.S. nor the U.K. has provided any evidence of Kyrgyz banks’ involvement in circumventing sanctions against Russia. He also emphasized that there are 21 banks operating in the country, and to minimize risks for the national banking system, all ruble transactions are concentrated in two state banks – Keremet and Kapital. These banks, the president stressed, handle...

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan, the Chinese company International Castle, which planned to build a «City of Craftsmen» in the special economic zone (SEZ) Khorgos for 7 billion tenge ($13 million), faced mistreatment. As a result, the investor was unable to obtain registration in the SEZ once its contract expired.

Furthermore, because the customs procedure for importing construction materials was not completed, and the investor was later excluded from the official register of the SEZ, International Castle was charged additional customs duties of 1.4 billion tenge ($2.6 million). Prosecutors said the project was blocked.

However, after the...

One of China’s largest online marketplaces, JD.com, is set to launch in Kazakhstan with Kazakh- and Russian-language versions. The project will be implemented in partnership with Kazpost, the country’s national postal operator, the company told Kursiv.media in response to an inquiry.

For this purpose, Kazpost has registered the joint venture Qazpost-JD Tech Co. at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). A pilot launch is scheduled for October, with a full rollout expected in the fourth quarter of the year.

Kazpost will handle the logistical and financial aspects of the service, while its Chinese partner — the state investment fund...

Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska, whose fortune is estimated by Forbes at $4.1 billion, commented on the latest estimates from the IMF. Earlier this year, the fund shared its forecast that Kazakhstan would surpass Russia in GDP per capita in 2025. As the tycoon wrote on Telegram, the news «didn’t come as a surprise.»

Deripaska identified the main drivers of Kazakhstan’s economic growth, crediting the country’s success to a proven set of measures, including strengthening property rights protection, actively attracting foreign investment, ensuring the rule of law, and combating corruption. He also pointed to the importance of the government gradually reducing...

FlyOne Asia, an Uzbek air carrier, plans to transform into a low-cost airline and begin flights to Central Asian countries by the end of 2025. This announcement was made by the company’s CEO Aziz Mukhamadaminov, in an interview with CentralAsia+ Aero.

FlyOne Asia was created in July 2025, when Uzbek Asia Union Airlines merged with the Moldovan aviation group FlyOne and was rebranded. (The company’s website still uses the old name.) As a result of the deal, the airline gained access to a common fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, unified service standards and centralized maintenance.

Now, FlyOne Asia...

Kazakhstan’s Agency for Atomic Energy has responded to a proposal by marketing specialist Alimzhan Bissembayev to lease the name of the nuclear power plant (NPP) currently under construction to a large company similar to how the government sells «nice» license plates for cars. The initiative was perceived as «creative from a marketing perspective,» though unsuitable.

«The nuclear power plant is a facility of strategic importance for Kazakhstan. Its name should reflect historical, cultural and national values and symbolize trust and unity among citizens,» the agency emphasized.

Authorities also noted that, unlike commercial projects, nuclear...

A new article of the Criminal Code establishing liability for forced marriage has officially come into effect in Kazakhstan, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.

Article 125-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan was introduced as part of the implementation of the Law-and-Order Concept and the policy of zero tolerance for offenses. According to the supervisory authority, the law was signed by the head of state on July 16, 2025, as part of broader reforms to strengthen criminal legislation.

«According to family law, a marriage concluded under duress is recognized as invalid. Marriage is...

In July 2025, Kazakhstan produced 11,800 vehicles worth about $306.3 million, up 50.1% from a year earlier. Passenger cars drove the main growth, while truck production declined.

According to Kazakhstan’s Bureau of National Statistics, the country’s automotive industry continues to show steady growth: in July last year, output stood at 7,839 units worth about $187.4 million.

From January to July 2025, Kazakhstan produced 83,300 vehicles worth a total of $2.15 billion, a 16.7% increase year-on-year. Car production accounted for 40.7% of the total output in the country’s machine-building industry.

Production profile

Passenger cars traditionally make up the largest share...

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have agreed to develop joint response mechanisms for emergencies at nuclear power plants (NPPs). The countries also plan to monitor the nuclear and environmental situation in the region, as reported by Uzbekistan’s nuclear agency Uzatom.

The Kazakhstani delegation met with Uzbek officials on Aug. 18 at Uzatom headquarters. Kazakhstan was represented by Zhomart Aliyev, vice minister of ecology and natural resources, while the Uzbek delegation included managers and specialists from Uzatom, the Directorate for the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants as well as representatives of authorized ministries.

The parties discussed key areas of cooperation in the...

About 300 ethnic Kazakhs living in Pakistan have appealed to Kazakh authorities for help returning to their historical homeland. They claim that Pakistani authorities intend to deport them back to Afghanistan, from where they fled two years ago, according to ZTB.kz.

According to Khamit Zhorabay, the Kazakh community in Pakistan has already contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, but has not received any assistance so far. Currently, about 40 Kazakh families with roughly 100 children live in Karachi. Their main challenge is the lack of official IDs. Without passports and birth certificates, children cannot attend school and adults...

Romanian company Rompetrol Rafinare reported a loss of $53.2 million in the first half of 2025, according to the company’s statement. Rompetrol is controlled by KazMunayGas (KMG), the national oil company of Kazakhstan, through its subsidiary KMG International N.V.

Given that the oil company’s loss decreased by 29% year-on-year (in the first half of 2024, it was $75.1 million), Rompetrol itself considers these results to reflect operational growth and an improvement in financial performance.

Rompetrol Rafinare’s gross turnover increased by 32% compared to the same period last year, reaching $2.8 billion. EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) rose...

The pilot project to test ultra-fast 10G wired broadband internet has been launched in Astana. An agreement to launch the 10G internet pilot project was signed between the Astana city administration and Huawei Technologies Kazakhstan in June.

According to Astana authorities, the service can transfer data at speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, enough to support 8K video streaming and cloud gaming.

The project is being implemented in partnership with Huawei Technologies Kazakhstan, Beeline and Astana Innovations, with the support of the capital city administration. The venue for the demonstration was provided by ForteBank.

At the presentation...

The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has announced the expansion of its investment tax residency program. Foreign investors can now invest in the share capital of companies registered in the AIFC. If the investment exceeds $300,000, the investor becomes eligible for a residence permit in Kazakhstan.

This approach isn’t unique — more than 80 similar programs exist worldwide to attract foreign investment and stimulate economic growth.

The AIFC program also aims to create more favorable conditions for international investors and ensure the inflow of high-quality capital into Kazakhstan.

What investors will receive:

Kazakh marketing specialist Alimzhan Bissembayev has suggested an unusual way to generate revenue from the nuclear power plant (NPP) currently under construction in Kazakhstan. He believes the facility’s name could be leased to a large company for 10 years.

«It could be Siemens, ABB or Samsung. The money would go toward repaying the loan, and after that the name could be sold again or, if there is no buyer, another name could be chosen,» Bissembayev wrote on Telegram.

He compared the idea to the sale of «nice» car license plates, which have long generated income...

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry has launched a pilot project to provide internet access via Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service on the Astana–Borovoe Resort train route.

According to Digital Minister Zhaslan Madiyev, the possibility of scaling up will be considered based on the results of the pilot project.

Moreover, the ministry has been implementing initiatives in five areas of railway digitalization: transitioning public services to digital format, reengineering business processes, creating an innovation ecosystem, equipping trains with satellite internet and introducing an online system to track transit traffic.

As part of efforts to expand internet...

The Specialized Interdistrict Court of Aktobe has found SNPS Aktobemunaigaz, a subsidiary of China’s CNPC operating in Kazakhstan, guilty of violating antitrust laws, according to the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition (APDC). Under the court ruling, the company was fined 36.7 million tenge ($68,123).

«The Specialized Interdistrict Court of Aktobe found SNPS Aktobemunaigaz guilty of violating antitrust laws. The decision was based on the results of an investigation conducted by the APDC Department for the Aktobe region… The court imposed a fine of 36.7 million tenge,» the agency said in a statement.

A Kia vehicle plant with an annual capacity of 70,000 cars, originally scheduled to begin operations in October 2025, is now ready to launch, according to Kumar Aksakalov, the governor of the Kostanay region. He made the announcement during a meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Akorda, the official residence and workplace of the president.

«The president received Governor of the Kostanay region Kumar Aksakalov… Among the major projects in the region is the Kia plant with an annual capacity of 70,000 cars and 1,500 new jobs once launched, as well as the KamlitKZ truck...

About 50% of regular deposits are under $27,000, according to the Kazakhstan Deposit Insurance Fund (KDIF).

According to the fund’s methodology, there are three types of retail deposits denominated in tenge: mass (up to 15 million tenge), medium (from 15 million to 50 million tenge) and large (over 50 million tenge). The mass segment accounted for 49.6% of all deposits as of July 1. In the first half of the year, its volume grew by 3.3%, while the number of accounts increased by 24%. The shares of the medium and large segments reached 18.4% and 32%, respectively.

KDIF has...