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Kazakhstan officially transitioned to a new constitutional framework on July 1, 2026, following a nationwide referendum that significantly reshaped the country’s system of government.

Read also: Kazakhstan’s constitutional reset: Top officials facing dismissal.

The revised Constitution retains a presidential form of government while introducing a unicameral legislature and a high-level consultative body designed to decentralize authority and strengthen public representation.

Seven-year presidency and new line of succession

Under the new constitutional framework, the president of Kazakhstan remains the head of state and the country’s highest public official, responsible...

Almost 5% of Kazakhstan’s population lived below the poverty line in the first quarter of 2026. The poverty rate increased by 0.4 percentage points from a year earlier, while the number of people living in poverty rose 10%.

The Bureau of National Statistics has released data on Kazakhstanis whose incomes fell below the subsistence minimum in Q1 2026. The agency uses the actual subsistence minimum of 64,200 tenge (approximately $135) per month rather than the official benchmark. According to the data, 173,000 households, or about 1 million people, had incomes below that level, representing 4.9% of the country’s...

Forwards of Uzbekistan’s national football team, Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Eldor Shomurodov, received premium Xpeng X9 electric minivans as gifts following the team’s appearance at the World Cup, Podrobno.uz reported.

Entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan presented the footballers with the keys to new electric vehicles worth about $83,000 as a gesture of recognition for their performance at the 2026 World Cup.

Fayzullaev made history as the first Uzbekistani player to score at a FIFA World Cup, finding the net in the 60th minute of the match against Colombia. Shomurodov scored against...

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Pedro Vargas David, chairman of Euronews’ board of directors. The two discussed prospects for expanding cooperation with the media group.

Tokayev said Euronews holds a special place among the world’s media organizations thanks to its reputation for impartial coverage.

«Since opening its regional office in Astana in 2024, Euronews has been covering political, economic and cultural developments in Kazakhstan and Central Asia more extensively,» the president said.

Tokayev welcomed the launch of Euronews broadcasts in Kazakh, calling it a vivid demonstration of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Pedro Vargas David said Kazakh...

Solidcore Resources plc, a company mining gold in Kazakhstan, has agreed to establish a joint venture (JV) with Minerals Development Oman (MDO) for geological exploration and development of the Khabiyat copper-gold project in Oman, the mining company reported. The agreement allows Solidcore to gradually acquire a stake in the JV from 20% to 60% through an earn-in mechanism.

«We are pleased to partner with MDO on this JV which marks our first exploration venture outside Kazakhstan and fits into Solidcore’s strategy of disciplined growth and portfolio diversification. The Khabiyat Project represents an important entry point for...

According to Deputy Energy Minister Kaiyrkhan Tutkyshbayev, the fuel crisis in Russia will not affect fuel availability in Kazakhstan. However, the country is reluctant to export gasoline to avoid domestic shortages.

Responding to journalists’ questions about how the fuel crisis in Russia might affect Kazakhstan and gasoline availability in the country, Tutkyshbayev said Kazakhstan is not dependent on gasoline supplies from Russia and meets domestic demand through its own production.

«All the necessary fuel reserves have been formed, so we do not expect any shortages. We believe it [the fuel crisis in Russia] will not affect...

Kyrgyzstan has sent Kazakhstan a formal request for gasoline supplies, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Energy Kaiyrkhan Tutkyshbayev said. According to him, the request is currently being considered.

“We have not received any official request from the Russian Federation. We have received an official request from Kyrgyzstan, and we are currently considering it,” he told reporters in response to their questions.

Recently, media outlets reported that Ukrainian drones had attacked the Omsk oil refinery. According to reports, it was one of the few remaining Russian refineries that had not been previously targeted. Videos circulating online appeared...

U.S. President Donald Trump has unexpectedly come under the spotlight of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kursiv Lifestyle explains how FIFA’s decision following President Trump’s reported call turned into a major scandal.

According to The New York Times, FIFA suspended the one-match disqualification of the U.S. national team’s forward Folarin Balogun. The decision was backed with a call from the U.S. president to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Following Balogun’s sending-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina, lawyers working with the U.S. Soccer Federation began seeking a way to challenge the decision, even though FIFA’s...

The current tariffs for biogas power plants in Kazakhstan are discouraging investment and delaying the launch of new projects, according to Evgeny Churdalev, CIS sales director at Jenbacher & Waukesha Gas Engines.

According to Churdalev, the maximum auction price for electricity generated by biogas power plants is 32.23 tenge ($0.068) per kilowatt-hour, compared with as much as 130 tenge ($0.28) per kilowatt-hour for waste-to-energy plants.

How biogas plants work

Biogas plants generate electricity and heat from organic waste, including manure, food scraps, sewage sludge and landfill gas. In sealed anaerobic digesters, the waste decomposes without...

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a comprehensive new law regulating psychological activities, marking a historic shift in how mental health services are managed and monitored in the Central Asian nation. The “Law on Psychological Activity,” enacted July 2, 2026, establishes the first rigorous legal framework for the profession, ranging from mandatory state registration to strict ethical boundaries for online practitioners.

The legislation arrives as part of a broader state effort to ensure “psychological well-being” — defined by the law as a state of emotional stability and the ability to overcome difficult life situations

After a robust 2025, Tajikistan’s economic growth eased slightly in the first quarter of 2026, with GDP expanding 8.0% year over year, down from 8.4% in 2025. Strong industrial output and investment continued to drive the economy, while construction related to the Rogun Hydropower Plant and higher public-sector wages supported domestic demand. However, the country’s growth model remains vulnerable to external risks.

In Q1 2026, Tajikistan remained one of the fastest-growing economies in Central Asia. The services sector contributed 4.4 percentage points to GDP growth, while manufacturing added another 2.5 p.p.

Manufacturing offsets...

When the famous work “Let’s Be Scared Together!” by Kazakh artist Pasha Kas disappeared from the wall of a building in downtown Almaty in January 2025, residents reacted as though they had suffered a personal loss.

Outraged comments flooded social media:

“Who could have been bothered by a kitten named Gav?” “Gray walls for a gray city.” “Make Almaty Grey Again.”

Some people even recalled bringing out-of-town visitors specifically to see the mural.

Twenty years ago, such a reaction would have been difficult to imagine. At the time, graffiti was widely regarded as...

After nearly two years on the international film festival circuit, where it won several awards, Yelzat Yeskendir’s “Abel” has finally premiered in Kazakhstan — and gone straight into theatrical release.

Whether the film will find a broad audience remains an open question. “Abel” is a demanding work, particularly because its story is set in the early 1990s. Yet the issues it explores remain strikingly relevant today.

The film had its world premiere in the fall of 2024 at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival in South Korea, one of Asia’s leading film festivals.

A slow-burning...

The European Union is officially moving ahead with large-scale financing for the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. Brussels has announced up to €2 billion in strategic investments to strengthen connectivity between Europe and Central Asia.

The European Commission has launched the Connectivity Agenda Platform. Agreements with international financial institutions were signed in Brussels.

The strategic meeting was attended by European Commissioners Marta Kos, Jozef Síkela and Apostolos Tzitzikostas, as well as transport ministers and senior representatives from the G7 countries, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Armenia and Moldova.

The platform will coordinate investments and regulatory activities...

Kazakhstanis planning to study or relocate to South Korea will no longer need to travel abroad to prove their Korean language proficiency. The country’s first official center for the Sejong Korean Language Assessment (SKA) has opened in Kostanay.

Where can you take the Korean language exam in Kazakhstan?

The King Sejong Institute of Korean Language and Culture at Akhmet Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University has been designated an official testing center for the Sejong Korean Language Assessment (SKA), an internationally recognized Korean language proficiency exam.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the King Sejong Institute Foundation selected...

Iñaki Godoy, the rising star best known for his role in Netflix’s adaptation of “One Piece,” is set to arrive at Astana Comic Con 2026 as the festival’s guest. Kursiv LifeStyle explains where fans can see the actor.

According to event organizers, the Mexican actor will be the second headliner and will take the main stage to answer questions. He will also take part in the photo and autograph sessions.

Godoy became famous after taking on the role of Monkey D. Luffy, the charismatic pirate captain in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of «One Piece,» based on the famous manga of the...

Russian rooftoppers Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, known as Ivan Beerkus, who climbed to the top of the Empire State Building to get engaged, were released following their first court hearing in New York City. Nevertheless, the criminal case against the couple is still underway. Kursiv LifeStyle explains how the couple is connected to Kazakhstan.

The court ordered the newlyweds’ release until the next hearing, scheduled for Aug. 24. They are facing accusations of burglary, criminal trespass and reckless endangerment. They left the courthouse holding hands and briefly told reporters, “We love New York.”

Nikolau and Beerkus have long been...

In Kyrgyzstan, the high-profile «Case of 75» has concluded. The main defendants in the case were Kamchybek Tashiev, former chairman of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) of Kyrgyzstan, Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu, former speaker of Parliament, and Kurmankul Zulushev, former prosecutor general.

All three were sentenced to four years in prison, with their property ordered confiscated. However, the court placed them on probation. The other five defendants who had been in custody since February: Aaly Karashev, Bekbolot Talgarbekov, Kurmanbek Dyikanbaev, Kursan Asanov and Emilbek Uzakbaev — were released in the courtroom immediately after the verdict was announced.

It’s worth...

A large-scale, world-class artificial intelligence cluster is set to be built in Kazakhstan. The project will be developed by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the international corporation Citi and Freedom Holding Corp. The parties signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of a Foreign Investors’ Council meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

New infrastructure: Transition to GPU computing

The key objective of the partnership will be the construction of a data center equipped with advanced technologies that will serve as a «computing hub» for the public sector, business and science. The project is...

Kazakhstan plans to establish a Data Center Valley, with Amazon and G42 already planning to participate. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the initiative during a meeting of the Foreign Investors Council.

The president said the Digital Code, the Law on Artificial Intelligence, adopted by Parliament, and the Digital Qazaqstan strategy create favorable conditions for foreign investors.

Tokayev also said modern research laboratories are being established in partnership with Telegram and Presight, while artificial intelligence is being integrated across Kazakhstan’s education system.

“I recently signed a decree under which AI will become a central...

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, the Akorda press service reported.

During the meeting, President Tokayev noted that, over the years of cooperation, the IsDB has become a reliable partner in supporting Kazakhstan’s national development priorities.

According to Akorda, the IsDB Group has provided more than $4.2 billion in financing to Kazakhstan to date, while its portfolio of ongoing and planned projects exceeds $3 billion.

In this context, Tokayev expressed gratitude to the financial institution’s management for supporting strategically important projects in water infrastructure, transport connectivity and industrial...

As the artificial intelligence revolution accelerates, the tech industry is witnessing an unexpected shift in hiring priorities. While coding was once considered the essential skill of the digital age, The Economist reports that philosophy graduates are increasingly outperforming computer science majors in the job market. Many are being recruited by AI labs to provide the ethical and logical foundations for emerging AI models.

This “haemorrhaging” of philosophy departments into Silicon Valley is driven by the need to address fundamental problems associated with AI’s “immaturity,” including overconfidence and a lack of humility.

Ancient philosophy shapes modern AI

Philosophers...

Wisdom teeth are often considered the most troublesome teeth because they erupt later than the rest, can be difficult to treat and frequently cause discomfort. Aralbek Tasbulatov, a dentist and prosthodontist, explained why the jaw is not always prepared for the eruption of third molars and what risks they can pose.

Why wisdom teeth erupt later

Tasbulatov said teeth play a vital role in the digestive system because their primary function is to chew food. They are also essential for speech, while aesthetics are a secondary consideration.

Read also: Why millionaires...

Nine-year-old Kaisar Akhmetov has unexpectedly become a social media sensation in Kazakhstan after posting a humorous video about undergoing emergency surgery for testicular torsion. The clip has attracted more than 8 million views and 375,000 likes.

A painful ordeal told with humor

In the video, Kaisar calmly recounts how he developed severe pain after spending time relaxing at the beach.

At first, he assumed the problem was simply that his underwear was too tight and joked that he had complained to his mother because she hadn’t bought him new underwear in a long time.

By the following...