News

Central Asia — and Kazakhstan in particular — is quickly gaining popularity among travelers from both the West and Asia. But like any destination, Kazakhstan has its quirks that might feel unusual or even a bit surprising to first-time visitors.

Dim evening lighting

Some travelers, especially those who visited Almaty (Kazakhstan’s largest city), have remarked that the streets can feel quite dark at night. While that doesn’t mean the city is pitch-black, the lack of strong street lighting can make evening strolls feel a little unfamiliar. That said, many locals are perfectly used to it, and some visitors barely notice...

Kazakhstan reported the discovery of 38 new deposits of copper, nickel, coal, gold and rare earth metals in the first quarter of 2025, according to a government statement.

The discoveries followed extensive geological studies, including aerial photograph analysis, route surveys, drilling, geochemical testing, radiation and water sampling, and desk research.

The newly identified deposits are estimated to contain:

The total area of geological and geophysical exploration in Kazakhstan is expected to expand to 2.2 million square...

Ay Yola, an ethnic music band from the Republic of Bashkortostan — a republic within the Russian Federation — has released a music video for their song «Yola,» a portion of which was filmed in Kazakhstan.

The band revealed that the video was filmed across three countries; however, fans have recognized landscapes from Kazakhstan and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

«‘Yola’ means traditions on which the world rests. This song was the starting point for us and has become the heart of our trio,» Ay Yola shared on social media.

Kazakhstani viewers spotted many familiar...

In 15 years, the Kyrgyz may begin speaking and writing in Kazakh, warned Kyrgyz Wikipedian Chorobek Saadanbekov, as reported by the Qaz365.kz news portal.

Sister languages

According to Saadanbekov, when users make requests in the Kyrgyz language on ChatGPT, the system sometimes inserts Kazakh words in its responses. This happens because the ChatGPT training database contains significantly more text and vocabulary in Kazakh than in Kyrgyz. As a result, when the system cannot find the necessary data in Kyrgyz, it automatically substitutes Kazakh words.

«If we don’t pay enough attention to developing the Kyrgyz language...

On June 11, the U.K. government announced it would allocate up to £750 million (approximately $1 billion) toward a supercomputing project based in Edinburgh, Scotland, as part of the latest Spending Review. The move marks a turnaround from last August, when an £800 million initiative proposed by the then-governing Conservatives was dismissed by the current Labour administration, citing a lack of allocated funding, Sky News reported.

According to the document, the project’s goal is to build the most powerful supercomputer in the U.K. The government press release stated that the new machine will be integrated into the...

Roca Group, a Barcelona-based global company specializing in bathroom space solutions, will build a sanitaryware manufacturing facility in the Kyzylorda region of Kazakhstan. The company plans to invest €70 million in the project over the next two years.

Once fully operational, the plant will have a capacity of 500,000 sanitaryware pieces per year, serving both the domestic market and neighboring Central Asian countries. The project, located in the Ondiris industrial zone, is expected to create 300 new jobs.

Roca Group is one of the world’s leading companies in the industry. It operates 78 plants worldwide and employs over 20,000 people...

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has expressed his condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the air crash in Ahmedabad.

According to his press service, the president sent his words of support to the victims’ families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the crash.

On June 12, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operated by Air India, carrying 242 people, crashed a few minutes after takeoff while en route from Ahmedabad Airport to London. Preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft crashed into a doctors’ hostel near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

A flight operated by Air India has crashed near Ahmedabad airport on June 12 with a death toll of at least 133 lives, as reported by News18.com.
 
The aircraft crashed into a doctors’ hostel shortly after takeoff, while en route to London, local media reported.
 
Authorities stated that Air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport received a “Mayday” call from the aircraft, indicating an emergency, but there was no further communication later.
 
There were 242 people on board, including two pilots and 12 flight attendants. The passengers comprised 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese and one Canadian.
 
Indian authorities have not yet released...

German automotive giant Volkswagen has announced plans to begin car production in Uzbekistan in partnership with UzAvtosanoat, the state-owned holding company that oversees the country’s car manufacturing sector. The news was shared by Martin Sander, a member of Volkswagen’s management board responsible for sales and service, via his LinkedIn page.

Sander noted that rising incomes in Uzbekistan have made the country ripe for growth in the automotive industry. He said the Volkswagen brand is particularly appealing to middle-class consumers seeking high-quality, reliable vehicles. As part of the plan, the company also intends to establish vehicle deliveries from China.

SpaceX, the company that developed and operates the Starlink satellite internet constellation, has signed an agreement with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, promising to comply with local legislation when providing satellite internet.

Beginning in the third quarter of 2025, Kazakhstanis will be able to purchase Starlink terminals officially. According to Digital Minister Zhaslan Madiyev, the project will provide high-speed internet to users in remote regions, including rural schools and medical institutions.

«Kazakhstan is a country with a large territory and a dispersed population. To provide high-quality internet to all segments of the...

After a successful streak of four victories in the group stage of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Nations Cup in Hanoi, Vietnam, Kazakhstan’s national women’s volleyball team was swept by the Philippines with a 0-3 scoreline (21-25, 15-25, 19-25).

Yesterday, the Kazakh team performed well in a match against Iran (winning 3-1), securing a spot in the semifinals before the end of the group stage — but losing the team’s leader Sana Anarkulova to injury.

Even though Kazakhstani athletes did their best, it wasn’t enough to win a single set. As in the previous match, Tatyana Nikitina delivered the most...

A neural network-generated reimagining of the «Harry Potter» saga has surfaced, offering a fresh perspective on what the characters might look like if they were Kazakh. The images have sparked buzz online, with some commenters saying the new cast looks even better than the original movie characters.

The project gained traction after Kazakh blogger Damir Murzagulov shared a video on Instagram featuring AI-rendered versions of the beloved characters. While Murzagulov is no stranger to experimenting with neural networks, this particular video quickly went viral, racking up more than 120,000 views in a single day.

Dmitry Dubovitsky, a popular Kazakhstani blogger and owner of the «Chto po dengam?» (What about the money?) podcast, recently explored why some Kazakhstanis like current U.S. President Donald Trump, whether he might run for a third term and what the potential consequences of that move could be.

Together with his guest economist Eldar Shamsutdinov, he broke down Trump’s domestic and international policy and the kind of impact it could have on Kazakhstan. The podcasters suggested that the U.S. president has earned respect among some Kazakhstanis, especially those born and raised in the Soviet Union, who often believe that charismatic...

British singer Robbie Williams, the headliner on the first day of the Park Live Almaty 2025 festival, addressed his Kazakh audience in a short video. The artist shared that he’s looking forward to performing in Kazakhstan this fall.

«Salam, Kazakhstan! Robbie Williams here. I can’t wait to entertain you in Kazakhstan on September 4th. And, strictly between us, I think, when I’m there, I might try kumis,» said Williams, who released his album “Britpop” and the single “Rocket” this year.

The recently concluded U.S.-China trade talks, which resumed on June 9 in London, focused on easing tensions over rare earth elements and advanced technology. These developments could place Kazakhstan and Ukraine at the forefront of the search for alternative sources of critical minerals.

President Donald Trump has authorized his trade team, led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, to relax certain export restrictions on U.S. goods to China that were originally imposed over national security concerns. In exchange for easing or halting some of those restrictions, the U.S. wants China to release high volumes of rare earth materials, as...

The new World Bank (WB) forecast for Kazakhstan’s GDP growth is 0.2 percentage points lower than the January estimate. The decline was the most significant among Central Asian countries, according to the organization’s report. More generally, the WB expects Kazakhstan’s GDP growth in 2025 to reach 4.5%.

Nevertheless, expectations for GDP growth this year increased by 0.1 percentage points, reaching 3.6%. In 2027, the WB expects the country’s key economic indicator to grow by 3.5%. The bank’s estimates for 2027 were published for the first time.

On the other hand, the 2025 GDP forecast for Uzbekistan increased by 0.1 percentage...

Kazakhstan’s UrbanTech company Qala AI has signed a memorandum of understanding with Nippon Koei, a prominent Japanese engineering consulting firm, to collaborate on the development and introduction of digital solutions for sustainable urban development. The partnership includes a focus on seismic risk analysis of Almaty’s infrastructure, as reported by Digitalbusiness.kz.

«This collaboration marks a strategic step toward developing and implementing digital solutions for smart city planning and seismic risk analysis in Almaty. As the city faces growing seismic risks, our joint efforts will focus on enhancing urban resilience and sustainable infrastructure development,» Dana Shukirbayeva, co-founder...

All players and coaching staff of Uzbekistan’s national football team were gifted cars following their victory in the final match against Qatar in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. The game took place in Tashkent, with the hosts winning 3-0 (Turgunboev 28’, Shomurodov 86’, Sergeev 90+2’).

One round before the end of qualification, Uzbek players secured their spot at the World Cup for the first time in history by drawing with the UAE. The achievements of the team, led by Timur Kapadze — who replaced Slovenian coach Srečko Katanec — were duly recognized. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree...

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan on June 16-17 at the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The visit will include high-level talks focused on strengthening and expanding the strategic partnership between the two countries. On June 17, Astana will host the second Central Asia-China summit, with the participation of regional leaders.

Central Asia-China vs. C5+1 platform

The first Central Asia-China summit was held on May 18, 2023, in Xi’an. The format mirrored the ministerial-level C5+1 diplomatic platform established in 2015 between the U.S. and the five Central Asian nations but included heads...

Last July, two male staff members at a mental health facility in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, were convicted of repeatedly raping two patients — one of whom was a minor incapable of resistance. Both men were sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay approximately $20,000 in damages to each victim, plus $1,180 in legal fees. The court cited a specific article of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code addressing sexual violence against minors by individuals in positions of authority.

This case is part of a broader, deeply troubling pattern of sexual abuse by medical professionals worldwide. In May, a court in Trondheim...

Freedom Broker has officially launched operations in Kyrgyzstan, marking its entry with a grand opening ceremony in Bishkek.

The event was attended by Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakyt Sydykov, Freedom Holding Corp. CEO Timur Turlov and representatives of Kyrgyz public agencies, development funds, banks, major local companies and investors.

«Freedom Broker has come to Kyrgyzstan not just as an international player, but as a reliable partner for local investors, businesses and individuals. The company aims to build long-term relationships within the Kyrgyz market and create the conditions necessary to attract investment to the country,» the...

Wearing niqabs (face veils worn by some Muslim women), burqas (veils that cover the entire face and body) and other garments that conceal the face may soon be prohibited in Kazakhstan. On June 10, the upper house of parliament, the Senate, reviewed amendments to legislation aimed at preventing legal violations.

The amendments, however, include exemptions. The prohibition will not apply in cases where face-concealing clothing is worn in compliance with the law, such as for medical reasons, civil protection, specific weather conditions or during participation in mass, sporting or cultural events.

Notably, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has expressed support for traditional...

A new container terminal called Zhetysu has opened in Almaty. The project was developed by a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) in collaboration with the dry port of Xi’an.

With an annual capacity of 115,000 twenty-foot containers, the terminal will facilitate cargo transport via rail and road between Kazakhstan and China, enhancing connectivity while reducing costs.

«Kazakhstan aims to become a key transport and logistics hub in Central Asia and the Caspian region. We are steadily moving in this direction by developing logistics along international corridors and implementing large-scale infrastructure projects, such as dry ports in...

The most expensive item of clothing ever sold from a pop star’s wardrobe was stitched from a tea towel. This fun fact was revealed by Geri Halliwell of the Spice Girls, who wore the now-iconic dress. The fashion item even earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

«It was a normal black dress. It was a Gucci dress,» Halliwell recalled during “The Scott Mills Breakfast Show” on BBC Radio 2 on April 16. It was so plain, she said, that she decided to customize it with a British flag. The solution came from the kitchen: a...