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On Monday, Apple announced that Tim Cook will step down as chief executive officer, a role he has held since 2011, succeeding co-founder Steve Jobs. He will be replaced by John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, who is set to take over on Sept. 1, 2026.

Despite spending nearly his entire career at Apple, Ternus remains relatively unknown outside the company. A mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, he joined Apple in the late 1990s after a brief stint at a virtual reality startup. He later rose through Apple’s hardware engineering division, most recently overseeing...

The price of Kazakhstan’s CPC Blend crude has been declining on global markets.

According to the latest data, the benchmark traded at $114.47 on Friday but fell to $112.23 on Monday, April 20. The drop suggests shifting supply-and-demand dynamics and increased investor caution.

Middle East tensions weigh on market

Ongoing tensions in the Middle East continue to influence oil price stability, contributing to volatility in global energy markets.

Over the past month, CPC Blend prices have fallen significantly. About a month ago, the price peaked at $130.10 before steadily declining to around $112.

That represents a drop of...

When traveling within their home country, Kazakhstanis are increasingly opting to save on accommodations by staying with relatives or friends, according to 2025 data from the Bureau of National Statistics.

Over the past year, more than 8.45 million domestic tourists traveled within the country and stayed overnight. Of those, about 5.3 million chose free accommodations with relatives or friends.

Commercial hotels and inns hosted about 1.2 million guests. Another 973,000 travelers opted to rent private apartments or houses.

Meanwhile, about 307,000 Kazakhstanis stayed in domestic sanatoriums (or health resorts), 118,000 chose country houses, and...

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the assumption that Russia would abandon a new offensive out of fear of Donald Trump is not a sufficient security guarantee.

Zelenskyy made the remarks in an interview with ICTV, according to RBC-Ukraine.

Concerns over lack of international presence

Zelenskyy said the absence of a meaningful international partner presence along the line of contact leaves open the question of how to contain Russia.

He also addressed the U.S. position that Moscow might hesitate to escalate due to the prospect of a strong response from Trump.

«President Trump has another two and...

Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh arrived in Astana on a state visit Tuesday.

Following the signing of intergovernmental agreements, Khürelsükh and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a joint media briefing, where Tokayev said the countries had agreed to explore building a highway connecting Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Highway project under review

Tokayev said the project would require comprehensive analysis. At this stage, the two sides agreed to establish an intergovernmental task force to study its feasibility.

He said the potential launch of such a route could significantly boost trade ties.

«The integration of the transport and logistics potential...

Russia will provide Kazakhstan with an intergovernmental loan for the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) near Lake Balkhash, covering 85% of the total cost of Rosatom’s 2.4-gigawatt project, according to Almasadam Satkaliyev, head of the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

He also confirmed that the total cost of the NPP will be approximately $15 billion. Thus, Russia is expected to provide a $12.75 billion loan, while Kazakhstan will contribute the remaining $2.25 billion toward the construction of its first NPP.

«This will be an intergovernmental loan. Several agreements are currently being developed: one on the...

According to Askarbek Yertayev, minister of labor and social protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the country welcomes investors, entrepreneurs and in-demand specialists. For this reason, it has introduced simplified entry procedures for these categories of foreigners.

As the official noted, Kazakhstan’s migration policy differentiates entrants based on the purpose of their visit, separating labor migration from permanent relocation.

This approach ensures that Kazakhstan’s economy remains open to qualified specialists.

«Investors and specialists in in-demand professions can enter the country for employment under a simplified procedure. We have an order from the Ministry of Labor that...

Kazakhstan has chosen a working name for its second nuclear power plant — the «Moiynkum» NPP. Like the first plant, it is planned to be located near Lake Balkhash. This was announced by Almasadam Satkaliyev, chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Atomic Energy.

As he noted, three potential construction sites are currently being considered. The plant is expected to consist of two power units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts. Authorities are also negotiating with potential technology suppliers.

Satkaliyev added that the Chinese company CNPC is being considered as a priority partner for the...

A farewell ceremony for prominent Kazakh poet Mukhtar Shakhanov was held April 21 in Almaty.

Among those attending was Dimash Qudaibergen, who came to pay his respects at the city’s National Opera and Ballet Theatre.

During the ceremony, Dimash met with Shakhanov’s family, offering condolences and sharing in their grief.

His presence drew appreciation from attendees and social media users, with some commenting that «the true...

According to a Demoscope survey, 71% of Kazakhstanis say they need large-scale changes in their lives, while another 13% believe minor adjustments would be enough to improve their situation. Only 10% of residents are satisfied with everything in the country and would not change anything.

Interestingly, despite strong demand for change, trust in the authorities remains relatively high. Since 2023, respondents’ trust in the government has risen by 20%. Currently, 61% of Kazakhstanis trust the president, about half trust local administrations, and 47% trust the cabinet. At the same time, 17% do not trust the president and about a...

The administration of the Pavlodar region signed a memorandum with China’s Snow Valley Agricultural Group Co. Ltd. to launch a large agro-industrial project with total investments of up to $200 million.

Under the agreement signed by Gov. Assain Baikhanov, Snow Valley Agricultural Group Chairman Wang Dengshe, and CEO Zhang Fan, the Chinese investor will build a deep-processing potato complex with a capacity of 100,000 to 200,000 tons per year. The facility will focus on producing high-value-added products, including French fries.

The project will cover the entire production cycle, from breeding to processing. Plans include building a breeding and research...

Péter Magyar, Hungary’s soon-to-be prime minister, said it is possible that Benjamin Netanyahu could be detained if he visits Hungary.

Magyar made the remarks during a press conference in Budapest, responding to a journalist’s question, according to TASS.

Hungary’s ICC obligations

Magyar said his party, Tisza, supports maintaining Hungary’s membership in the International Criminal Court, a position he said has been consistent since June 2020.

«If a country is a member of the International Criminal Court and a wanted person enters Hungary, that person must be detained,» Magyar said.

Kazakhtelecom, Kazakhstan’s largest telecommunications operator and part of the Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund, plans to replace some employees with artificial intelligence as early as 2026.

The changes will primarily affect call center staff, whose functions will be partially automated, CEO Bagdat Mussin said during a meeting of Samruk-Kazyna’s public council, according to Bes.media.

Automation to replace call center roles

Mussin said AI systems could replace more than half of the company’s call center operators — about 230 positions. The project is expected to be implemented this year.

«We’re creating...

Tau-Ken Samruk, Kazakhstan’s national mining company and a subsidiary of sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna, has agreed to sell a 70% stake in the North Katpar tungsten deposit to U.S.-based Cove Kaz Capital Group LLC.

The company said it approved the transaction on April 16. The share purchase agreement for a 70% stake in Severny Katpar LLP — the project operator — was reportedly signed on Feb. 13, 2026.

Project scope and resource base

Severny Katpar LLP is engaged in the exploration and production of tungsten-molybdenum ores at the North Katpar and Upper...

Kaspi.kz, Kazakhstan’s leading fintech company, said it has completed the purchase of 6 million American depositary receipts (ADRs) from Baring Fintech Venture Funds. Tencent is among the buyers.

Following the transaction, Tencent has become one of Kaspi.kz’s largest shareholders, according to company disclosures.

New investors and deal advisers

In addition to Tencent, new shareholders include investment firm Spice Expeditions, as well as the endowments of Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Wisconsin Foundation (WISIMCO). Morgan Stanley served as financial adviser on the transaction.

Business overview and expansion

Kaspi.kz operates a «super app» that...

Tajikistan is interested in importing Kazakh grain, flour and sunflower oil, said Nurmahmad Akhmadzoda, director of the Agency for State Material Reserves of Tajikistan. The Ministry of Agriculture quoted him following a meeting with the leadership of Kazakhstan’s Food Contract Corporation (FCC), a state-owned company that regulates the grain market.

Proposal for local infrastructure investment

Akhmadzoda also suggested that Kazakhstan consider building milling facilities and grain elevators in Tajikistan. He invited representatives of the FCC to visit Dushanbe to review existing grain storage infrastructure and explore potential participation in new elevator and processing facility projects.

Import needs and...

A submerged city with streets, buildings and even a cemetery has been discovered at the bottom of Lake Issyk-Kul.

Archaeologists and divers explored a site near the village of Toru-Aygyr and identified several areas with preserved walls, beams and pottery. According to the researchers, these are not random finds but evidence of a fully developed settlement.

The city lies at a depth of one to four meters. Despite this, traces of the people who lived there before the area was submerged remain beneath a layer of sand.

Underwater, researchers found the remains of brick buildings, ovens, animal bones and...

The birth rate in Kazakhstan continues to decline. In 2025, approximately 335,000 children were born in the country, which is 8% to 10% fewer than the previous year. This is the lowest figure in the past 11 years.

According to Nurzhamal Iminova, an expert at the Qazaq Expert Club, the average age at childbearing has risen to 29.9 years, while women have their first child at an average age of 25.3 years.

«This is a global trend: women are increasingly choosing education, careers and financial security, postponing childbearing,» Iminova explained.

However, career considerations are not...

Australia and Japan have signed agreements to deliver the first three Japanese-designed warships as part of a $6.5 billion defense deal, The Asahi Shimbun reported.

The vessels, based on the Mogami-class frigate design, will be built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, with delivery of the first ship expected within three years. Australia plans to construct an additional eight frigates at a shipyard in Western Australia.

The signing ceremony was attended by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles aboard the JS Kumano, a Mogami-class frigate of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, docked near Melbourne.

A humanoid robot completed a half-marathon in Beijing faster than the current human world record, highlighting recent advances in China’s robotics technology, The Associated Press reported.

The robot, developed by Honor, a Chinese consumer electronics company, finished the 21-kilometer race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, according to the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (Beijing E-Town), where the event took place. This was faster than the human record set by Jacob Kiplimo, who ran the distance in about 57 minutes in March.

The performance marked a major improvement from the previous year, when the winning robot completed the race in...

An unusual item — a life jacket from the legendary Titanic — was sold at auction in the U.K. An unknown buyer paid $906,000 for it, The Associated Press reported.

The price was twice what experts had expected.

Whose jacket was it?

This jacket was worn by Laura Mabel Francatelli. She was the secretary of a famous fashion designer and was traveling first class. Francatelli was one of the few who survived that fateful night in 1912. She was on Boat No. 1, which had only 12 survivors, although there was enough room for 40.

The jacket’s main...

In March 2025, Kazakhstani banks reported a combined profit of $432.5 million, while the sector’s total profit for the first quarter reached $1.2 billion. Monthly profit fell by 5.8% year-on-year, while cumulative profit for the entire first quarter declined by 12%, according to the National Bank.

The decline in profit can be partially explained by higher corporate income tax payments, as the rate for banks rose to 25%. As a result, tax payments increased by 28.7% to $114.7 million. In the first quarter, banks paid $314.5 million in taxes, a 22% increase compared with the previous year.

Since the beginning...

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology said a court in Astana has upheld a 2.4 trillion tenge environmental fine imposed on a consortium of major international oil companies. The entities, which are part of the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), are continuing to appeal the ruling, Bloomberg reported.

Supreme Court rejects appeal

The ministry told Bloomberg that the Supreme Court rejected an appeal involving 2.356 trillion tenge (approximately $5 billion) in fines levied against NCOC, the operator of the Kashagan oil field. The penalty stems from the alleged storage of excessive amounts of sulfur at the...

A batch of baby food produced by HiPP has been recalled in Austria after rat poison was found in one of the jars, authorities said. The case is under investigation, according to Deutsche Welle.

What was recalled

Police said the affected products were 190-gram jars of carrot and potato puree sold through the SPAR network. The items have been pulled from more than 1,000 stores.

Authorities in the Austrian region of Burgenland reported that suspicious jars were also identified in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Laboratory testing confirmed the presence of rat poison in at least one sample.