News

A major explosion at Qatar’s principal energy complex has left at least 54 people injured and 18 others unaccounted for, according to Euronews, citing the country’s Interior Ministry, which said search and rescue teams remain at the scene.

The incident occurred Sunday night at the Ras Laffan industrial area, Qatar’s main natural gas export hub, where workers had been attempting to restore operations following damage caused during the conflict between the U.S. and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other.

Authorities said the explosion and resulting fire broke out at the Barzan gas supply facility...

In just four recent months, nearly 100,000 babies were born in Kazakhstan, with official statistics recording a record number of multiple births, according to the Bureau of National Statistics.

From January through April 2026, 1,926 sets of twins and 54 sets of triplets were registered across the country.

Twin and triplet births reach record levels

“The Turkestan region was the clear leader in the number of twin births, with 263 cases. Almaty ranked second with 245 cases, followed by the Almaty region with 175,” the report said.

The Turkestan region, the Atyrau...

Japan has decided to increase the entry visa fee, marking the first revision since 1978, the BBC reported.

The fivefold hike affects single- and multiple-entry visas, raising the fees from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen (from around $19 to $93) and from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen (from around $37 to $186), respectively, starting July 1.

According to the BBC, in May Japan’s Upper House approved higher residence-related fees, including a jump in permanent residency applications from 10,000 yen to 300,000 yen (from around $62 to $1,856), and increases of up to 100,000 yen for changing...

Kazakhstani figure skater and Olympic champion Mikhail Shaidorov is set to launch his own ice show. The premiere is expected in December, and he plans to continue developing the project after retiring from competitive skating.

Shaidorov shared his plans during a conversation with former Kazakhstani tennis player Zarina Diyas.

«I’d like to help develop our sport. There’s so much potential and so many opportunities,» Shaidorov said.

Earlier, the figure skater found himself at the center of a controversy over delayed salary payments and a contract dispute. After...

China has launched weekend “cruises to nowhere” from Shanghai aboard the nine-deck Adora Magic City. Unlike traditional cruise itineraries, these voyages do not include stops at foreign ports. Instead, the ship sails into international waters before returning to its departure port.

A weekend at sea

The short cruises are designed for weekend travelers, with the ship returning to port early Monday morning. The format allows passengers to enjoy a getaway without the rush of a longer vacation or the need to follow excursion schedules.

To emphasize the onboard experience, operators have expanded the entertainment lineup. Guests can...

Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) commented on reports of mass layoffs that had previously circulated publicly. One employee who contacted Kursiv.media’s editorial office said he had been told that he “didn’t have to come to work anymore.” Reports also claimed that the company planned to cut 20% of its workforce and leave affected employees without benefits.

While the scale of the layoffs appears to have been overstated, the company confirmed that its workforce will be reduced.

ERG denied the reported 20% figure, stating that the changes affect fewer than 3% of the group’s total workforce in Kazakhstan and involve only...

The issue of interracial marriage remains a subject of debate and continues to generate differing opinions across society.

The discussion recently resurfaced in Kazakhstan following reports that Altynay Jakisheva, the daughter of former Kazatomprom chief Mukhtar Dzhakishev, had married a Nigerian man.

In an interview with the Zhas Alash newspaper, renowned ethnographer and historian Zhambyl Artykbayev said there is no reason to fear interracial marriage.

“After all, we are an open society. We all interact and mix with one another. Interracial marriages are inevitable. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: we want only the...

Reports have previously suggested that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wears shoes that are noticeably too large for him.

Photos from the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his Telegram channel, appear to show Rubio wearing oversized dress shoes.

In these images, the back of the shoe looks like it extends beyond his heel, while his pant leg appears to have bunched up and gotten caught in the gap between his heel and the heel counter.

The origin of the oversized footwear

Insiders trace back that stylistic anomaly...

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović in Astana, marking the first such visit in the 20 years since the establishment of bilateral relations between the two countries. At the conclusion of the meeting, they issued a joint statement outlining key areas of cooperation.

During the talks, Milatović praised the political reforms and economic modernization carried out in Kazakhstan through constitutional changes. In turn, Tokayev reaffirmed Astana’s support for Montenegro’s aspiration to join the EU as a full member and expressed confidence in the successful completion of the accession process.

Transport corridors, tourism and artificial...

Former Kyrgyz presidents Askar Akayev and Sooronbay Jeenbekov took part in the Issyk-Kul International Forum in Cholpon-Ata alongside current President Sadyr Japarov and foreign guests.

In his speech, Akayev noted that the forum, established at the initiative of renowned Kyrgyz writer Chinghiz Aitmatov in the 1980s, has become an important platform for discussing issues of peace and security. He also expressed concern about growing tensions between some Eastern countries and the U.S.

«Some irresponsible political leaders are talking about the possibility of using nuclear weapons, now supplemented by powerful artificial intelligence, which once again puts humanity...

On June 19, at the 2026 World Cup, the following matches will be played: Brazil vs Haiti and Scotland vs Morocco in Group C, and the U.S. vs Australia and Turkey vs Paraguay in Group D.

    2026 FIFA World Cup 

    Group D, Round 2, June 19, Seattle, Lumen Field

    The U.S. vs. Australia W2 D1 L1, (5-3)

    Coaches: Mauricio Pochettino (Argentina) / Tony Popovic

    Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany)

On the eigth day of the tournament, in Group A, Mexico secured a spot in the round of...

Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin spoke about two route options Kazakhstan is developing to get access to Pakistan’s ports.

Iran

The first route runs through Iran; however, the railway infrastructure on the Zahedan-Pakistan section does not yet meet the required standards. As a result, the most efficient option is considered to be shipment via Iran’s ports, followed by transshipment and onward delivery to the Port of Karachi in Pakistan, located on the Arabian Sea, which handles around 60% of the country’s cargo throughput.

Afghanistan

The second option is linked to the...

Chinese scientists have discovered a new species of bumblebee goby fish and named it after South Korean singer Jennie of the BLACKPINK group.

A new species discovered by researchers at Sun Yat-sen University in the mangroves of the Pearl River estuary was named Brachygobius jennie. It represents the first recorded member of the bumblebee goby genus in China.

Jiangyan Tian, a postgraduate student, noticed unusual fish during field research. Their coloration differed from that of all known local species, and subsequent genetic analysis confirmed that scientists had indeed discovered a species previously unknown to science.

Brachygobius...

One of China’s largest mining companies, Zijin Mining Group, has registered a new company, Tianshan Resources Co. Ltd., at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). The development was reported by economist Arman Batayev on his Telegram channel, Finmentor.kz.

The new entity was registered with an authorized capital of 5 million tenge ($10,000). Its founder is Zijin Mining Group Northwest Geological Exploration Co. Ltd., a specialized subsidiary focused on geological exploration, resource assessment, and engineering support for mining projects.

According to Batayev, the subsidiary operates in northwestern China, including the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, as well as...

The average salary of oil and gas workers in Kazakhstan reached 1.8 million tenge ($3,600) in the first quarter of 2026, making the sector one of the country’s highest-paying industries. Among all sectors, only the tobacco industry reported a higher average salary, at nearly 2 million tenge, according to data from the Bureau of National Statistics (BNS) highlighted by expert Nurlan Zhumagulov.

Oil and gas workers earn nearly four times the national average salary, which stood at 461,000 tenge ($925) in Q1 2026.

Salaries in the oil and gas industry continue to significantly exceed those in other extractive...

A sophisticated real-time video deepfake software, currently circulating within Chinese-language criminal underground networks, allows even non-technical fraudsters to impersonate targets during live video calls on platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and WhatsApp. The tool, known as Haotian AI, represents a significant escalation in digital fraud, enabling criminals to “shapeshift” into anyone in real time to facilitate romance scams, tax fraud, and virtual kidnappings, 404 Media reported.

The acquisition process

The investigation into Haotian AI required weeks of persistent negotiation with scammers on Telegram. Joseph Cox of 404 Media notes that the initial outreach was...

During an ongoing high-profile murder trial in Atyrau, defendant Sultan Sarsemaliyev, who is accused of murdering an entire family, told the court what he did after the killings. According to his testimony, he traveled to Mecca via Turkey in November 2025.

“I was disappointed in life. I asked God for forgiveness and said that I would die. I was in Mecca for 10 days. If God does not understand me, no one else will. I did not commit the crime lightly. They pushed me to this point themselves. Yes, I made a...

On June 17, on the sidelines of a parliamentary session, journalists asked Kazakhstan’s Deputy Defense Minister Askar Mustabekov whether sexual orientation or religious beliefs could serve as grounds for exemption from compulsory military service.

Mustabekov said Kazakhstan’s laws do not provide deferments or exemptions from conscription on either basis.

According to him, Kazakh law does not prohibit people of any sexual orientation from serving in the military. He also said no service members identifying as sexual minorities have been recorded in the Kazakh armed forces.

Mustabekov also said conscripts cannot refuse military service on religious grounds...

The eighth day of the 2026 World Cup marks the start of the second round of the group stage. Groups A and B continue their campaign: Czechia faces South Africa, Switzerland meets Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada takes on Qatar, while Mexico and South Korea close the day in a clash for the provisional group lead.

The main peculiarity of the day lies in the contrasting tournament situations. Group A already shows a clear split: Mexico and South Korea started with wins, while Czechia and South Africa have no room for another mistake. Group B, by contrast, saw all four teams...

According to Talgat Adilov, head of the Digital Asset Administration Department at Kazakhstan’s State Revenue Committee, the so-called «Google Tax» — a value-added tax (VAT) imposed on foreign internet platforms operating in the country — has produced positive results.

Introduced in 2022, the tax applies to foreign companies that sell goods and services online directly to individuals in Kazakhstan.

How many companies are paying?

There are currently 131 foreign internet companies officially registered in Kazakhstan. Last year, 20 companies joined the registry, while another 13 have registered so far this year.

Major taxpayers

Apple is the largest...

Vietnam is expanding the coverage of its Pre-Arrival service for foreign travelers. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at which popular resort destinations are affected.

Travelers arriving in Hanoi and Da Nang now need to complete an electronic pre-arrival declaration and obtain a QR code in advance. Without one, they may experience delays at border control.

The form must be completed 72 hours before departure. It requires personal details, passport information, flight details and information about accommodation in Vietnam. After submission, the system automatically generates a QR code, which should be printed out or saved on a phone.

The...

A human leg was found at a recycling facility in Incheon, South Korea, The Korea Times reported, citing police.

The incident occurred on June 10 when a worker at the Southern Regional Resource Recovery Center in Songdo, Yeonsu District, reportedly discovered a human left leg wrapped in material while sorting recyclables and reported it to authorities. Facility representatives said it was initially mistaken for part of a mannequin, but bloodstains later prompted staff to notify police.

Investigators said the remains may belong to an adult patient approximately 161-165 centimeters tall who had been treated at a...

Thailand is considering reviving its long-discussed Landbridge Project, a proposed $30 billion transport corridor linking the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, Reuters reported.

The proposal calls for the construction of two deep-sea ports in Chumphon and Ranong, connected by a 90-kilometer standard-gauge railway. If completed, the project could provide an alternative route for cargo moving between the Pacific and Indian oceans, reducing reliance on the congested Strait of Malacca.

According to Reuters, the corridor would also include highways, local roads and connections to Thailand’s existing rail network. The government estimates the project could reduce logistics costs...

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law ratifying an agreement with the United Nations to establish a UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan, the Akorda press service reported.

The legislation provides for the official establishment of the regional organization to address issues related to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Central Asian countries and Afghanistan.

Tokayev also signed the law ratifying the memorandum of understanding between the government and the UN regarding the institution’s operation. 

Both laws enter into force after...