News

Green SM, a taxi and ride-hailing company from Vietnam, is planning to expand into Kazakhstan. The company has already held its first presentation for local drivers, outlining the terms and conditions, bonus system and rental program for VinFast VF6 electric vehicles. However, instead of generating widespread enthusiasm, the presentation raised a number of questions among drivers about how the new service will operate.

Big promises from Green SM

According to company representatives, the service will operate a fleet of VinFast electric vehicles, with the company retaining up to 83% of trip revenue.

«We don’t...

According to Freedom Holding Corp. CEO Timur Turlov, the company relies on big data and machine learning when estimating insurance costs. By using AI, analyzing traffic camera data and parsing court decisions, it is possible to determine responsibility for accidents occurring at different times of day. This allows Freedom to offer cashback of up to 40% to low-risk drivers, giving it a competitive advantage over insurers that cannot segment risks as accurately. The businessman revealed this while speaking to students at Stanford.

Last summer, the Stanford Graduate School of Business released a case study on Freedom Holding Corp.’s digital ecosystem...

The National Bank of Kazakhstan has cut its base rate to 17% for the first time since October 2025, bringing it below 18%. The decision was made at a Monetary Policy Committee meeting on June 5, 2026.

The base rate will remain at 17% at least until the next National Bank decision scheduled for July 24, 2026.

The National Bank noted that the slowdown in inflation to 10.4% in May and an upward revision of its forecast to 9%-11% for this year, affected the decision. Household inflation expectations over the next...

On June 4, Kazakhstani Olympic figure skating champion Mikhail Shaidorov met young figure skaters at Complex Children’s and Youth Sports School No. 3 in Almaty and presented them with gift certificates to purchase sports equipment. 

The meeting was held to mark International Children’s Day, celebrated on June 1 in Kazakhstan. The athlete gifted 30 certificates, each worth about $411, for a total of roughly $12,334.

«Today I met children practicing figure skating at Complex Children’s and Youth Sports School No. 3 in Almaty and presented them with a small gift to mark...

On Wednesday, June 3, President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus arrived in Kazakhstan at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, accompanied by a delegation of government officials and representatives of the national business community. The two heads of state held bilateral talks, followed by expanded discussions with their delegations. A bilateral business forum was also held on the same day.

The Cypriot president’s visit was marked by a series of events aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. Although diplomatic relations between the two countries were established 34 years ago, the Embassy of Cyprus in Astana was officially opened only this week...

Since June 2, authorities in Fukushima, Japan, have been unable to capture a bear that has been on the loose in the area. The animal has injured four people, though none of the injuries is believed to be life-threatening. The bear was hiding at a factory but eventually escaped through a window, evading capture by authorities, Kyodo reported.

Earlier this week, media outlets circulated a video showing a bear knocking a man to the ground near a building and then running inside before it could do anything else...

South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young — head of the ministry overseeing inter-Korean relations — held talks with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on advancing dialogue on the Korean Peninsula, after delivering a speech at the 11th Ulaanbaatar Dialogue in the Mongolian capital, the ministry said in a statement.

At the meeting, Chung highlighted Mongolia’s unique position as a country maintaining friendly ties with both Koreas. With this in mind, the minister asked the Mongolian side to continue encouraging North Korea to return to the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue and to jointly explore opportunities for trilateral cooperation between the...

Kazakhstan’s central bank is preparing sweeping changes to the country’s cryptocurrency market, ranging from a crypto amnesty to loans backed by digital assets. The plans were outlined by Binur Zhalenov, deputy chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, at the Solana Summit, according to Forbes Kazakhstan.

National Bank to create crypto oversight committee

According to Zhalenov, the National Bank plans to establish a specialized committee that will serve as the central coordinating body for the country’s cryptocurrency industry.

The regulator is currently testing several new segments of the digital asset market through a

Scientists have developed a wearable ultrasound patch that can continuously monitor fetal health through the mother’s abdomen.

The device, known as UPatch, is a soft, skin-mounted sensor designed to provide real-time monitoring throughout pregnancy. It was developed by researchers at Stanford University, working in collaboration with scientists from the University of Oxford and the University of California.

Real-time monitoring beyond traditional ultrasounds

Currently, fetal health is typically assessed during periodic ultrasound examinations that provide only brief snapshots of the baby’s condition. The new patch is designed to enable longer-term, continuous monitoring, even when the fetus...

Global public health is undergoing a massive shift as cigarette use drops to historic lows in many parts of the world. A recent ranking by World Population Review highlights the diverse strategies nations use to curb tobacco dependence, ranging from aggressive taxation to cultural re-engineering. Since 2000, global smoking rates have plunged by approximately one-third, marking one of the fastest behavioral changes in modern history.

Read also: Maldives makes history with ‘lifetime’ smoking ban for new generation.

Nigeria and Ethiopia currently maintain some of the lowest smoking rates globally, aided by...

Most analysts and market experts expect the National Bank of Kazakhstan to cut its base rate for the first time in nearly eight months. Forecasts from Freedom Broker, Halyk Finance, and the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan (AFK) all point to a rate reduction.

Majority of experts expect a cut

A majority of financial market professionals (56%) surveyed by the AFK expect the National Bank to lower the base rate from the current 18% to 17.5% at its June 5 meeting, citing a moderation in annual inflation to 10.4%.

The remaining respondents expect the rate...

According to Freedom Events CEO Victoria Torgunakova, rumors of a possible Eminem concert in Kazakhstan have influenced the plans of thousands of Kazakhstanis. She also noted that booking fees for many Western artists invited to perform in Kazakhstan are significantly higher than in neighboring countries.

The power of anticipation

In April 2026, Yesset Baitassov, CEO of the Directorate of Sports Facilities, mentioned the possibility of Eminem visiting Kazakhstan as part of a broader tour. However, no agreements had been reached at the time: no contracts had been signed and no performance dates had been scheduled.

Nevertheless, speculation about...

In China’s Xinjiang region, a robot performer kicked a child during a show at a tourist attraction. The incident was caught on video and quickly spread across social media.

The footage shows the robot kicking a boy during a martial arts demonstration. After the blow, the child clutched his stomach, doubled over in pain, and began to cry.

The boy’s mother said that she reported the incident to the police. According to her, park employees did not respond promptly to the situation. Allegedly, the robot was controlled by the park administration.

A...

Enrique Iglesias addressed his fans in Kazakhstan and Slovakia — countries on the tour following Poland — on Threads. The artist pinned a video of himself performing a suggestive dance to the post. Notably, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture had previously said it imposed restrictions on inappropriate content in his performance and prohibited lip-syncing. The reference is likely to be one of the hallmarks of his shows: kissing female fans on stage.

«Coming to Kazakhstan and Slovakia next!!! Can’t wait to see all of you!!!» the post read.

Freedom Travel has launched a hotel booking platform featuring more than 3 million properties worldwide. Freedom Travel CEO Igor Boyko unveiled the new service during the Freedom Impressions Talk on June 3 and outlined the company’s plans for expansion into the European market.

Features and pricing

Unlike the package tours already available within the Freedom ecosystem, the new platform is aimed at independent travelers who prefer to plan their own trips.

«These are fundamentally different products. Tours are organized packages that include a predetermined hotel, flight and transfer, with a relatively limited selection of destinations...

In the Zhetysu district in Almaty, a road collision occurred during the detention of a suspect. A driver passing by got distracted by the proceedings and rammed the taxi, the city’s Police Department reported.

During the patrol, a Kia pulled up to the police crew, and a foreign-national driver got out and asked for help.

The taxi driver claimed that a passenger in the back seat threatened him with a pistol and demanded to be driven to a settlement outside the city. Police officers blocked the hatchback and detained the suspect.

During the inspection, a toy...

Israel and Lebanon agreed on a ceasefire through the mediation of the U.S. The parties also agreed to continue direct negotiations and to begin preparations for a broader agreement on safety and conflict regulation.

The U.S. Department of State released a joint statement following the trilateral meeting held on June 2-3 between the representatives of the U.S., Israel and Lebanon.

The statement said that the ceasefire will take effect provided there is a complete halt to Hezbollah’s attacks and the withdrawal of all its personnel from the area south of the Litani River.

Cocaine was found in a vehicle belonging to Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church, who was previously detained in the Czech Republic, according to local media reports citing police sources.

Read also: Independent priest and peace advocate hit with drug den case.

According to Deník N, Czech law enforcement officials confirmed to journalists that the Russian cleric serving in the Czech Republic was transporting containers holding a white narcotic substance in his vehicle. After being questioned, the cleric was released and later returned to Moscow.

Subsequently,

Kazakh MP Murat Abenov has backed the position of Nurlan Imam regarding religious sermons on social media, arguing that all “preachers” who are not affiliated with Kazakhstan’s official Muslim authority should be investigated.

Read also: Faith under fire? Kazakhstan to punish religious propaganda on social media.

According to Abenov, only representatives of officially registered religious organizations have the right to preach. In Kazakhstan, the sole officially registered Muslim organization is the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, commonly known as the Muftiate. He said only...

Digital platforms now function as the primary engine for international economic activity. A recent ranking by World Population Review highlights the growing tension between national autonomy and the efficiency of globalized tech infrastructure. From hospital records to financial transactions, the modern digital landscape is largely rented from a handful of American giants.

The challenge of structural dependence

Europe currently faces a significant hurdle, as roughly 70 percent of its cloud market is dominated by U.S. companies. While Germany integrates these tools into its manufacturing sector, it remains tethered to foreign strategic choices. This structural reliance suggests...

The magnetic click of a lockable pouch is becoming the new sound of the American school morning, promising a refuge from digital distraction but delivering a complicated reality of initial rebellion followed by long-term adjustment, according to a new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).

Read also: South Korea to ban smartphones in classrooms.

The research highlights a dramatic shift in the classroom environment following the adoption of magnetically sealed pouches, which require students to secure their devices upon arrival and only unlock them at dismissal. While...

British artist Anouska Samms is not the only creative experimenting with unconventional materials. While her work incorporates real human hair, fashion history offers plenty of even more surprising examples — from spider silk and algae to milk protein and bacteria-grown textiles.

Spider silk: The fabric made from 1.2 million spiders

Spider silk is one of nature’s strongest materials — and one of its most difficult to obtain. Unlike silkworms, spiders cannot be farmed on an industrial scale because they tend to cannibalize one another when housed together.

In Madagascar, however, a team of enthusiasts found...

A controversy has erupted in the Netherlands over human remains that may belong to the legendary French musketeer d’Artagnan, the historical figure who inspired a central character in Alexandre Dumas’ novel “The Three Musketeers.”

The bones were discovered during renovation work at a church in Maastricht. Shortly after the find, however, a dispute broke out between local authorities and archaeologist Wim Dijkman, who participated in the research.

Authorities question excavation procedures

Officials in Maastricht said the excavation was carried out without the required permits and is therefore considered unauthorized. The municipality also alleges that professional...

Kazakhstan ranked first among Central Asian countries in the number of users of the consumer version of ChatGPT. At the same time, 70% of users are no older than 34 years old, OpenAI revealed at a meeting with Kazakhstan’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev.

In particular, users aged 18-24 account for 36.2% of the product’s audience, while Kazakhstanis aged 25-34 represent a comparable share at 35.8%. The user base is evenly split between men and women.

Kazakhstan ranks among the top 30 countries worldwide...