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Actor and stunt performer Jackie Chan has arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan, for filming. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at where in Azerbaijan the filming will take place.

Those visiting the capital’s main landmarks may catch a glimpse of Asian Hawk. These include Icherisheher (the Old City), Highland Park, the Baku Funicular, the Green Theatre and Fountain Square. Jackie Chan is expected to film in Baku for about 10 days, Kazinform reported.

Filming has already taken place in Kazakhstan’s Mangystau and Almaty regions, as well as in the city of Almaty. Jackie Chan is likely to return to Kazakhstan...

A sequel to the blockbuster film “Barbie” is in jeopardy as Warner Bros. has yet to reach new agreements with stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, as well as director Greta Gerwig, according to The Sun.

The report says the negotiations have stalled over financial terms. Robbie, Gosling and Gerwig are seeking higher salaries and a share of the sequel’s box office revenue. Gosling is reportedly willing to return as Ken for $20 million.

Negotiations have been further complicated because the cast and director did not sign sequel options following the release of the original film...

A female Amur tiger named Umit was released into the wild in the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve, becoming the first tiger to return to Kazakhstan’s natural habitat since tigers disappeared from the country more than 70 years ago. Freedom Holding Corp. sponsored the animal’s transport. Kursiv LifeStyle explains why the event is considered the beginning of the revival of Kazakhstan’s tiger population.

According to the press service of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the female Amur tiger was released on July 31. Before the release, she had spent several months in a special enclosure...

U.K.-based Ferro-Alloy Resources, which is developing the Balasausqandiq vanadium deposit in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region, has submitted applications for funding from U.S. government agencies and has begun exploring the extraction of the rare earth element yttrium as a potential byproduct. The company disclosed the plans in a strategic update published on the Astana International Exchange (AIX).

U.S. funding and strategic partnerships

The company said it is in discussions with several U.S. government agencies interested in securing supplies of critical minerals. Ferro-Alloy Resources has submitted initial applications for grant funding, as well as preferential debt financing and...

State-guaranteed deposits at Kazakhstani banks undergoing resolution with support from shareholders and, where applicable, the government will remain fully protected, according to Dauren Salimbayev, deputy chairman of the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM).

Salimbayev outlined the country’s proposed framework for resolving insolvent banks during a briefing on the new bank resolution mechanism.

“One of the key priorities of the new model is ensuring the continuity of customer service, even during a bank resolution,” he said. “Regardless of the resolution tool used — whether the transfer of assets and liabilities, the creation...

Following a lawsuit filed by a local resident, the Ust-Kamenogorsk mayor’s office in eastern Kazakhstan has agreed to adopt regulations governing public notification during man-made emergencies.

The resident sued the city mayor, alleging unlawful inaction and seeking to require authorities to ensure timely public notification in the event of industrial accidents.

The environmental conditions in Ust-Kamenogorsk have long been a source of concern for local residents. «Anyone who has been to Ust-Kamenogorsk knows the air there isn’t clean — you can taste metal,» Kazakh analyst Rassul Rysmambetov said.

During the proceedings, the parties reached...

Millennials and Generation Z are now the two most influential consumer groups, reshaping the global economy with their spending habits and financial priorities.

Understanding how each generation approaches money can help you improve your own finances — whether that means overcoming the guilt of impulse spending or finding a healthier balance between saving and enjoying life.

Who are Millennials and Gen Z?

Millennials (Generation Y) were born between 1981 and 1996. They grew up during globalization and witnessed the rise of the internet. Comfortable with technology and focused on self-expression, many also value financial stability...

Gaziz Abishev, a Kazakh political analyst, said closer cooperation among Central Asian countries strengthens the region’s ability to withstand external pressure and “gaslighting” from major powers and multinational corporations.

Abishev pointed to the recent consultative meeting in the Central Asia-Azerbaijan format, hosted by Kyrgyzstan, saying such gatherings allow participating countries to exchange views, discuss shared interests and build mutual trust.

Although Kazakhstan pursues an independent foreign policy, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev supports further development of the CA5 + Azerbaijan format.

“As a middle power, Kazakhstan has extensive diplomatic expertise in its relations with major global...

Kazatomprom (KAP), a Samruk-Kazyna subsidiary, reported sales of 6,083 tons of uranium oxide (U3O8) in January-June, down 13% year-on-year, according to the company’s second-quarter results. The reported sales include only final external sales by Kazatomprom and TH Kazakatom AG (THK), excluding intercompany transactions.

Meanwhile, in the second quarter of 2026, the company reported sales of 4,548 tons of uranium, up 3% year-on-year.

Uranium production totaled 7,054 tons in the first half of the year, up 10% year-on-year. The average realized price for Kazatomprom’s transactions increased by 13% year-on-year, while the average spot price at the end of June stood at...

Satyress has unveiled the Threehalves robot, a 2-meter-tall, centaur-inspired machine with four legs, a goat’s head and interchangeable tool modules in place of arms. The company says the robot is designed to carry out dangerous tasks in hazardous environments instead of humans.

According to the developers, Threehalves is intended for operations where there is a risk of death or serious injury, including firefighting, search-and-rescue missions, disaster response following structural collapses, and work in extreme heat, extreme cold or complete darkness. The robot can be operated remotely with a joystick.

Instead of conventional arms, the robot uses interchangeable tool...

China and Kazakhstan are expanding cooperation in the financial sector. Representatives of Kazakhstan’s National Bank, Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) and National Payment Corporation of Kazakhstan held a series of meetings with representatives of the People’s Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), the China Banking Association and the country’s major commercial banks.

Binur Zhalenov, deputy governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, outlined the results of the negotiations.

One of the key outcomes was the signing of a new three-year bilateral currency swap...

In July 2026, the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for Kazakhstan’s manufacturing sector by Freedom Holding Corp. fell to 47, marking the sharpest deterioration in business conditions since March 2022. The key factors behind the production downturn were a shortage of new orders, working capital problems and logistics disruptions.

In July, the PMI fell from June’s 48.5, confirming the sector’s negative trend recorded every month throughout 2026.

The decline in new orders was the sharpest since November 2023. Due to a lack of financing for new projects, manufacturers have been forced to cut production volumes for seven consecutive months. Because of...

Kazakhstani airlines are preparing to introduce onboard satellite internet. The first aircraft equipped with internet access could enter service by the end of 2026.

The government had previously announced plans to equip aircraft with satellite internet. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was named as the first aircraft to receive the technology.

According to Freedom Cloud CEO Temirlan Zinalabdin, the development of onboard internet had long been hindered by the high cost of equipment and the limitations of satellite communications. The emergence of low-orbit satellite constellations, which provide higher connection speeds and lower latency, changed the situation.

He said that major international...

Filming of “Armour of God: Ultimatum” has concluded in Aktau. Salem Entertainment shared behind-the-scenes footage.

The company said that the film was shot on water, on land and from the air.

«A heartfelt thank you to the people of Aktau for your hospitality, warm welcome and incredible support throughout our production,» the company said.

Residents of Aktau shared footage on social...

In the opening six months of 2026, retail deposit volumes in Kazakh banks exceeded 30 trillion tenge, equivalent to nearly $64 billion, for the first time on record. Against that backdrop, the Kazakhstan Deposit Insurance Fund (KDIF) increased its special reserve by 10% to 1.73 trillion tenge.

The KDIF reported that household deposits at banks participating in the deposit guarantee system grew 7% during the first six months of the year. Most of the increase came from deposits denominated in the national currency, which rose 9.5%. Foreign currency deposits, meanwhile, declined 3.4%.

Term deposits drive growth

The...

Kazakh blogger Amir Tazhibayev shared a story about a minor parking lot accident that resonated with social media users. After he posted a video about the incident, many commenters praised the blogger for his respectful treatment of an elderly man.

According to Tazhibayev, a retired man accidentally hit his Porsche and was deeply upset by what had happened. The blogger said he decided not to call police or seek compensation for the damage.

«I’m not trying to profit from you. Don’t worry, it happens,» Tazhibayev said in describing his conversation with the man.

A social media controversy has erupted in Kazakhstan over the search for a missing 15-year-old girl in Astana after a self-proclaimed «clairvoyant» claimed the teenager was dead while her family and volunteers were still hoping to find her alive.

Read also: Psychic services a booming business in Kazakhstan — corporations among top clients.

Aruzhan Utegen went missing in Astana on July 23, 2026. During the search, the Instagram account yasnovidenie_astana reposted a missing-person poster and claimed that the teenager was no longer alive.

«Unfortunately, I don’t see...

Kazakhstan is set to elect a new unicameral legislature, the Kurultai (Quryltai) this month. Historically, the word referred primarily to steppe assemblies convened to resolve major state affairs. In modern Kazakhstan, it was also associated with the National Kurultai, an advisory body to the president. Now, the name has been adopted for the country’s permanent legislative body.

Here’s how the meaning and format of the kurultai have evolved over the centuries in Kazakhstan.

Origin of the word “kurultai”

Kurultai means “assembly” or “council.” The word is of Turkic origin and originally...

Although the trademark dispute between Chinese tea chain Molly Tea and French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton was decided June 29, the debate surrounding the case continues. Support for the local brand has spread across Chinese social media, with videos and posts drawing millions of views.

Louis Vuitton won 10.3 million yuan in damages from Molly Tea, The Washington Post reported. The case centered on a four-petal flower design used on the tea chain’s cups and other materials. Louis Vuitton argued that the design was too similar to its registered four-petal floral trademarks.

The Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court...

Specialists from the UAE are training their Kazakhstani counterparts to induce artificial rainfall in the Turkestan region. The technology is expected to expand across Kazakhstan in the future, with plans to later share the expertise with other Central Asian countries, the Digital Government Support Center told Kursiv.media in response to an inquiry.

Building local expertise

The center, operating under Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, said the artificial rainfall project is currently in its pilot phase. However, once Kazakhstani specialists complete their training, the country will have its own independent infrastructure in this...

Apple has warned investors that it may face more severe supply constraints for the iPhone, iPad and Mac in the coming months. The issue is not due to supplier disruptions but to unexpectedly strong demand for the devices. Kursiv LifeStyle takes a look at the details.

Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed the issue during Apple’s third-quarter 2026 earnings call. He said demand for the iPhone and Mac had significantly exceeded forecasts, pushing the company’s supply chain close to its capacity. Availability of advanced manufacturing process nodes used to produce Apple’s chips also remains constrained.

Renowned Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen has released a music video for his song «Aqerke.» The video is available on the artist’s official YouTube channel. Kursiv LifeStyle watched it and shares what may impress viewers.

Although the song is about love for a woman and parting with her, the video portrays Kazakhstan and its people across different generations, including an older man and woman, children and football fans. In other words, the protagonist in the video appears to be expressing his love not for a woman, but for his homeland. Notably, some scenes were filmed in Aktobe...

A supercar with a boxing past is set to go under the hammer. A 1995 Ferrari F50 has been listed for auction by RM Sotheby’s, owned by one of history’s most famous boxers, Mike Tyson, at an estimated cost of $7 to 9 million.

Road to the auction

According to the auction house, the Ferrari F50 bearing chassis number 104220 was built more than 30 years ago to U.S. specifications. It is finished in the signature Rosso Corsa paint, while the interior is trimmed in black Nero with red seat inserts.

The supercar was delivered...

Work has begun on laying a fiber-optic cable along the seabed of the Caspian Sea from Baku to Aktau. The cable is expected to connect Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan within 20 days, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development said.

Completed work

In 2025, preparatory work for the project was completed. Specialists conducted marine surveys and charted a safe route around military zones and anchorage areas.

The armored cable was manufactured and tested in China, while the Mangystau region authorities granted an environmental permit for its use, after which work at sea began.