News

Kazakhstan’s QALAM project, dedicated to the history and culture of Kazakhstan, Central Asia and the Turkic world, has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Ibn Khaldun University in Istanbul. Under the agreement, the two sides will pursue joint research, educational and cultural initiatives.

The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the 3rd Turkic World Summer Forum «The Future of the Turkic World» held at Ibn Khaldun University in Istanbul, with the support of the Organization of Turkic States.

Through this partnership, QALAM will collaborate on research with Turkish scholars, expand its network of international experts and develop new...

Kazakhstani figure skater Mikhail Shaidorov is preparing for the new season. The 2026 Olympic champion has shared footage from his on-ice training and revealed that he had been working with acclaimed Canadian choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne on his new short program.

Shaidorov noted that this marks an important stage in his preparation and a valuable experience for him.

«Getting ready for the new season. So grateful for the chance to work on the ice with Shae-Lynn Bourne for new SP. It was an amazing experience,» the athlete wrote on...

Instagram was the leading platform for prohibited online content detected in Kazakhstan during the first half of 2026, while Threads, Meta’s text-based social media platform, recorded the fewest violations, according to Aida Balayeva, Kazakhstan’s minister of culture and information.

Responding to a parliamentary inquiry, Balayeva said the ministry identified 27,631 violations across major online platforms during the first six months of the year.

The largest categories of prohibited content were advertisements for online casinos (13,806 cases), promotion of online drug marketplaces (7,448) and pornographic content (6,034).

Instagram tops the list

According to the ministry’s monitoring...

Why do some people continue to gain weight even after eliminating fast food and sugary soft drinks from their diets? According to Roman Terushkin, an endocrinologist and nutritionist, the answer may lie in some products that are widely marketed as healthy.

In a post on Threads, Terushkin identified three popular health foods that he said he personally avoids, arguing that they often contain hidden sugars or highly processed ingredients that can undermine healthy eating habits.

Sweetened drinkable yogurt

Terushkin’s first example is flavored drinkable yogurt.

He said many varieties contain the equivalent of about five...

Global caffeine consumption has transformed from a simple morning habit into a sophisticated array of social rituals and economic drivers. A recent ranking by World Population Review highlights how various nations manage their deep-seated devotion to these natural stimulants.

Finland currently leads the world in consumption, with many adults drinking four to five cups daily, a habit supported by labor agreements that officially include coffee breaks. While Northern Europe prioritizes quantity and social connection, Southern European countries like Italy and Portugal emphasize the quality and concentration of espresso.

Cultural variations in stimulant use

Tea remains the most...

Banks’ May financial reports show that Otbasy Bank, unlike Kazakhstan’s universal lenders, has been largely unaffected by recent regulatory and tax changes. The specialized state-owned bank ranked first in loan growth, second in asset growth and third in deposit growth.

Asset growth

Total banking sector assets increased by 1.6 trillion tenge (about $3.4 billion), or 2.3%, in May (here and below, Kursiv Research estimates based on National Bank data).

Halyk Bank accounted for roughly one-quarter of the monthly increase, adding 409 billion tenge. Other major contributors included Bank RBK (+267 billion tenge), ForteBank...

The launch ceremony for the filming of «Armour of God: Ultimatum» was held in Almaty. Kursiv LifeStyle learned how the event unfolded and who congratulated Jackie Chan on the project’s official launch.

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Almaty Mayor Darkhan Satybaldy, Almaty Region Gov. Marat Sultangaziyev and film industry representatives attended the ceremony.

“I express my gratitude to you for promoting Kazakhstan’s culture on the global stage and for strengthening the cultural and humanitarian ties between our countries. I wish you new creative achievements and success in the upcoming filming,” Balayeva said.

Kazakhstan is launching an e-waste management project to reduce the risks posed by hazardous substances in discarded electronics to human health and the environment, while also recovering valuable materials from the waste. The United Nations will support the country in this effort.

Who is funding the project?

The project is being implemented with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as part of the Global Electronics Management (GEM) program, led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in partnership with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

What is the e-waste problem?

E-waste is one of the fastest-growing...

Hundreds of seals found dead on the Caspian Sea coast could have died outside Kazakhstan, said Serik Sermagambetov, chairman of the Fisheries Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture, at a briefing at the Central Communications Service.

What causes seal deaths in the Caspian Sea

According to him, a mass seal die-off is occurring across the entire Caspian Sea, with carcasses washing ashore in all the countries bordering the sea.

“This may be happening in Azerbaijan or Iran. Westerly storm winds carry them toward Aktau,” Sermagambetov said.

He added that specialists...

Kazakhstan is gradually expanding its automotive component production. The country already manufactures batteries, tires and multimedia systems, with more components expected to be added in the coming years.

What Kazakhstan already produces

According to AutoReport, citing Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction, the country’s manufacturers produced the following in 2025:

Notably, car mat production was established in Almaty.

Expanding domestic production

Over the next three years, the government plans to launch...

Kazakhstan’s financial regulators have decided against further tightening of debt-burden ratio requirements for individual borrowers. After assessing the impact of previously introduced measures, regulators concluded that the current slowdown in retail lending reflects their intended policy outcome. They also shifted their focus to supporting the real economy.

The National Bank’s stance on the issue

During a cabinet meeting, National Bank Chairman Timur Suleimenov said the current macroeconomic situation does not require any additional restrictions on individual borrowers.

«At this stage, based on our assessment of measures already introduced, we have made a joint decision...

Kazakhstan’s top-ranked tennis player Elena Rybakina ranked among the world’s 10 highest-paid tennis players in 2026, according to Sportico.

Rybakina ranked 10th with total earnings of $16.3 million, comprising $11.3 million in prize money and $5 million from endorsements and sponsorships.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz topped the ranking with annual earnings of $62.9 million, followed by Italian Jannik Sinner with $59 million and American Coco Gauff with $40.3 million.

Top 10 highest-paid tennis players in 2026:

With official long-term entry bans for fraudulent documents, visa refusals for wealthy applicants with strong credentials and automated bots exploiting a shortage of consular appointment slots, obtaining a Western visa has become far more challenging for Kazakhstanis than it once was.

As demand has surged, an entire industry of visa consulting services has emerged to help applicants navigate the increasingly complex process.

Aigerim Valiyeva, founder of Okey Visa, told Kursiv.media how the business works, why wealth and professional status no longer impress many visa officers, and how a simple social media post evolved into a successful...

An anonymous letter purportedly written by employees of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Education has circulated on social media, calling for the immediate resignation of Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova and alleging that she has lost the confidence of ministry staff.

The authors claim the ministry’s workplace environment has deteriorated significantly since Suleimenova took office.

“Instead of a stable professional environment based on respect, cooperation and trust, an atmosphere of tension, emotional pressure, uncertainty and fear for one’s professional future has emerged,” the letter states.

Allegations of workplace pressure

The letter lists more than...

On June 5, 2026, Kazakhstan adopted the Constitutional Law on the People’s Council of Kazakhstan, creating a new constitutional body that replaces the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, whose governing law has been repealed.

What is the People’s Council?

The People’s Council (Halyk Kenesi) of Kazakhstan is the country’s highest constitutional consultative body representing the interests of the people. It is not part of the executive or legislative branches of government but holds a prominent political and legal status.

The Council serves as the government’s primary institutional platform for dialogue with society, providing a...

For several months, Gen Z horror films “Obsession” and “Backrooms” have dominated the global box office, outperforming many big-budget Hollywood blockbusters.

According to Variety, “Obsession” has grossed approximately $403 million worldwide just two months after its theatrical debut. Of that total, $245 million came from North America, while international markets contributed another $157 million. “Backrooms” has also become a major commercial success, earning $347 million globally.

What makes “Obsession’s” performance especially remarkable is its tiny production budget. According to the filmmakers, the movie cost just $750,000 to produce, meaning it has generated more than 500 times its production...

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp made an emotional comment about Lionel Messi following Argentina’s round-of-16 match against Egypt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

After the final whistle, Messi couldn’t hold back his tears. Klopp thinks the striker’s emotions stemmed not only from Argentina’s advance to the next round but also from realizing the magnitude of what had just happened.

«He’s looking at the magical thing he has done again for the Argentine national team, he didn’t just cry because they won the game but because he created a historic comeback for...

Kazakhstan could exempt individuals from paying taxes on income generated from digital asset transactions on regulated platforms. The measure is intended to bring the purchase and sale of digital assets into a regulated legal framework, the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development said.

On July 7, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on measures to stimulate and develop the digital asset industry. The document was jointly drafted by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the National Bank of Kazakhstan and the Astana International Financial Centre. The ministry said the decree lays the groundwork for developing a regulated...

In the first quarter of 2026, Tajikistan’s banking sector demonstrated strong growth. Financial institutions successfully weathered the short-term shock caused by European sanctions imposed last fall. Despite an initial surge in liquidity pressure at two sanctioned banks, the situation stabilized quickly, and external pressure ultimately pushed the sector toward stronger compliance and greater transparency.

Total assets of Tajikistan’s second-tier banks increased 27.6% year over year, reaching 56.8 billion somoni as of April 1. According to the National Bank of Tajikistan, banking sector assets were equivalent to 31.2% of GDP, up from 28.2% a year earlier.

Liquid...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a multi-billion-yuan loan to Kazakhstan, but the decision was not unanimous. The U.S. voted against the loan.

The board of directors approved a 3.4 billion yuan (about $500 million) loan to Kazakhstan to finance the second phase of the fiscal governance and financial sector reform program.

At the same time, the U.S. voted against the decision, according to the board meeting minutes.

According to the document, the loan will have a 15-year term, including a three-year grace period. The interest rate will be determined under the ADB’s Flexible Loan...

Eurasia Invest LTD, LLP, an agricultural company based in Kazakhstan’s Karaganda region, plans to begin domestic production of sprinkler irrigation systems developed by Valley Irrigation, a U.S. manufacturer ofirrigation systems.

Eurasia Invest is owned by Ivan Georgiadi, a prominent public figure in the region and a member of the Karaganda Regional Maslikhat, a local legislative body. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture, the initiative is part of a larger investment push to expand irrigated agriculture in the country. Eurasia Invest has already signed agreements with Valley and with Imstalkon, a Kazakhstani manufacturer of steel structures.

This year, the company...

Despite BMW’s exit from the Russian market in 2022, new BMW crossovers are still being assembled in the country, according to Autoblog. However, the company says it has no connection to these vehicles.

According to Autoblog, citing Russian media outlet Kommersant, the Kaliningrad-based Avtotor plant, BMW’s former contract assembly partner in Russia, has begun producing the X5, X6 and X7 using components left over after the brand exited the market. Externally, they look like the 2022 pre-facelift models but are registered as 2025- and 2026-model-year vehicles.

As supplies of genuine parts run...

The Kyrgyz presidential administration has urged residents of Bishkek to temporarily leave the capital at the end of August to minimize disruptions caused by two major international events.

Askat Alagozov, press secretary to the president, encouraged residents to spend Aug. 30 through Sept. 1 at Issyk-Kul Lake or other vacation destinations to avoid logistical disruptions.

During that period, Bishkek will simultaneously host the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games.

According to Alagozov, the leaders of 21 countries are expected to arrive in the capital...

Vyacheslav Kim, Kazakhstan’s richest businessman, co-owner of Kaspi.kz and the sole owner of Alatau City Bank, has registered a new holding company, United Group Alatau, at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC).

The registration may signal plans to restructure the ownership of Alatau City Bank, according to Arman Batayev, a financier and author of the Telegram channel Finmentor.kz.

Batayev suggested that Kim could transfer the bank’s holding structure to the AIFC, following a model previously adopted by several other prominent Kazakhstani financiers.

Among them are Timur Kulibayev and Dinara Kulibayeva...