News

Kazakhstan plans to significantly tighten restrictions on the sale of medicines through online platforms. Prescription drugs — including widely used antibiotics — could be completely banned from sale on marketplaces, according to Bauyrzhan Jussipov, chairman of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Control Committee.

Read also: World’s top painkiller paracetamol becomes best-selling drug in Kazakhstan.

Jussipov said medications that should be available only with a doctor’s prescription are currently being sold freely online. The ministry now handles such violations on a case-by-case basis, requesting that platform owners remove the products. However...

Construction has commenced on a massive “Data Center Valley” cluster near Ekibastuz, a project intended to establish the nation as a premier Eurasian digital hub, according to a report in Kazpravda. The ambitious initiative aims to attract global hyperscalers and will eventually house 10 modern data centers with a total capacity of 1 gigawatt.

Read also: What you need to know about Kazakhstan’s new $16B AI strategy.

The first phase of the development, led by national operator Kazakhtelecom, is scheduled for completion in 2027. This initial stage...

In the digital battle for the future of journalism, the “click” might be the ultimate liar. While newsroom editors have long chased viral traffic to keep their organizations afloat, the stories that actually convince readers to open their wallets tell a far different story about what we value in our local news, according to a new study published by NBER.

Researchers examined four years of granular data from a major U.S. metropolitan newspaper, tracking 605 million article visits and millions of “paywall events” where readers were forced to subscribe to keep reading. The findings reveal a stark disconnect...

Air quality affects more than just physical health — it can also influence mental well-being.

Particulate matter, especially PM2.5, appears to have a significant impact. These microscopic pollutants are produced by vehicle exhaust, smoke, and industrial emissions. They can penetrate deep into the lungs and may even affect brain function.

According to a report by the Almaty Air Initiative, the average annual PM2.5 concentration in Almaty in 2025 was approximately six times higher than the level recommended by the World Health Organization.

Pollution and cognitive function

Air pollution has been linked not only to lung and heart...

Google employees are increasingly using the company’s internal meme board, Memegen, to voice frustration over the mandated use of artificial intelligence tools, Emanuel Maiberg of 404 Media reported. While CEO Sundar Pichai has publicly stated that 75% of new code is AI-generated, staff members are privately ridiculing the technology as “slop” that complicates their daily tasks. The volume of anti-AI memes typically surges during major product reveals, such as the I/O 2026 conference, where AI was the primary focus.

Problems with internal coding tools

A primary target for recent critique has been Jetski, Google’s internal...

Billions of tenge from Kazakhstan’s state budget have been spent on medical treatment for foreign nationals, Kazakh lawmaker Murat Abenov said on the sidelines of a recent parliamentary session. He also criticized government plans to restore remote applications for Individual Identification Numbers (IINs) for foreigners.

According to Abenov, 3.5 billion tenge (approximately $7 million) from the state budget has been spent on treating foreigners in the North Kazakhstan Region alone. He attributed the expense to insufficient digitalization and weak oversight.

“Essentially, foreigners arriving from neighboring countries are using our healthcare system for...

Electric vehicle owners in Kazakhstan will be able to obtain green license plates later than expected. The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the launch of a new type of license plate for environmentally friendly vehicles has been delayed by around six months, Informburo reported.

Plans to introduce a separate type of license plate for EVs became known in May 2026 during discussions of amendments to the road traffic law. At the time, the MIA supported the idea of distinguishing battery-powered vehicles with special plates, following the example of other countries.

In May, Cove Kaz Capital Group LLC completed the acquisition of a 70% stake in Severny Katpar LLC, a Kazakh mining company previously under the umbrella of Samruk-Kazyna, Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund. The asset includes development rights to the North Katpar field, one of the world’s largest tungsten deposits.

A report from Samruk-Kazyna confirmed the completion of the transaction involving a controlling interest in the project.

«On May 4, 2026, the group completed the sale of a 70% stake in the authorized capital of Severny Katpar LLC to Cove Kaz...

On June 11, the first matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place. In the opening game Mexico will face South Africa at the legendary Azteca Stadium, followed by the clash between Czechia and South Korea in Guadalajara.

2026 FIFA World Cup

Group A, Round 1, June 11, Mexico City, Azteca Stadium

Mexico vs. South Africa: W2 D1 L1 (10-5)

Coaches: Javier Aguirre / Hugo Broos (Belgium)

Referee: Wilton Sampaio (Brazil)

A special opening for a special tournament

Sixteen years ago, on June 11, 2010, the national teams of South Africa...

About 45-46% of Kazakhstani applicants are denied U.S. visas, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev reported.

Responding to journalists’ questions on how often Kazakhstani citizens face visa barriers, he said it is difficult to obtain accurate global data across all countries due to legal complexities.

«The decision to deny visas is a sovereign right of our partners. It is often related to access to private information and is not disclosed to us either. Therefore, it is difficult to speak about the exact number of such refusals. Some countries publish visa refusal rate data. In particular, around...

South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has fined e-commerce company Coupang more than $400 million over a data breach that exposed the personal information of approximately 37.5 million users, the BBC reported.

The penalty is the largest ever issued by the PIPC for a data breach. According to the commission, inadequate safeguards, including weaknesses in the management of authentication signing keys and access controls, contributed to the exposure of customer names, contact information, delivery details and order histories.

The investigation began after allegations of the breach emerged in November. Coupang initially reported that 4,500 customer accounts...

A working meeting to discuss the development of a master plan to preserve the Lake Balkhash ecosystem has been held in Astana. The project is being implemented jointly with Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the French Geological Survey (BRGM).

Research focus

French experts presented preliminary results of their study. They assessed the condition of agriculture in the basin, hydrological conditions, the contribution of glacier runoff, interactions between surface water and groundwater, and water-resource allocation modeling. They also developed water-management scenarios for Lake Balkhash through 2040.

Next steps

At the meeting, the sides integrated the results of the...

Member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are considering sanctions against Armenia over its long-term failure to pay dues to the organization’s budget. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the move following a meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers in Kazan, according to TASS.

Read also: Lavrov counters Kazakhstan’s stance on territorial integrity.

Lavrov said Yerevan has failed to make its mandatory contributions for more than two years. As a result, CSTO member states plan to examine the possibility of invoking Article...

The head of the local branch of the WarnerBros. Ponzi scheme has been sentenced to five years in prison in Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan. Participants were promised earnings for watching videos and films. The court also confiscated 3 million USDT, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, from the convicted woman, according to Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA).

Additionally, the civil claims of 24 victims were fully satisfied as part of the criminal proceedings. The verdict has entered into force.

How the scheme worked

The scheme’s organizers told Kazakhstanis they could earn money by watching short videos and films...

During a major measles outbreak in the U.S., some parents began giving their children vitamin A supplements after following advice shared online. As a result, calls to poison control centers related to vitamin A overdoses increased by nearly 39%.

Study finds increase in overdose reports

A study published in JAMA found that U.S. poison control centers received 86 reports of children exposed to potentially dangerous doses of vitamin A between January and March 2025. That represents a 38.7% increase compared with the same period in 2024.

Researchers believe the increase began after discussions on social...

Kazakhstan’s Human Rights Ombudsman Artur Lastayev said the country’s new law criminalizing forced marriage is not aimed at the traditional practice of alyp kashu (bride kidnapping), arguing that the key distinction is consent.

Read also: Kazakhstan to crack down on bride kidnapping with serious punishments.

According to Lastayev, the law targets the abduction of women against their will and should not be confused with cases in which two adults mutually agree to marry despite family opposition.

Consent is the key difference

Lastayev said alyp kashu has historically referred...

Vendors at Almaty’s famous flea market — known locally as the «Devil’s Bazaar» — say they have become wary of filmmakers after a crew allegedly borrowed Soviet-era artifacts for a movie and never returned them.

As a result, sellers are often skeptical of buyers looking for props, especially when they try to negotiate rock-bottom prices.

«We don’t really like dealing with singers or actors,» vendor Aspandiyar said with a smile. «They always want things for next to nothing. Even filmmakers try to drive the price down.»

A correspondent for Kursiv.media visited...

Kazakhstan has unveiled a sweeping national roadmap to transform itself into a premier digital hub by 2029, placing artificial intelligence at the center of its economic and social development. The “Digital Qazaqstan” initiative seeks to transition the nation from a service-based digital model to a “platform state” where AI drives productivity across all sectors. According to the strategy, signed by President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev on June 9, the government expects these AI-driven efficiencies to contribute an additional 1.5 percentage points to the annual GDP growth rate by the end of the decade.

Economic and industrial overhaul

The...

Civil servants in Afghanistan have started disposing of their smartphones after the Taliban introduced new restrictions.

On June 8, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered a ban on smartphone use for members of the movement and government employees. According to Afghanistan International, the directive was issued verbally but has already been communicated to police and intelligence agencies across different regions of the country.

Breaches of the ban may lead to proceedings in military courts. Authorities have already compiled lists of employees affected by the restrictions. According to Afghanistan International, these include job positions, workplaces, mobile network operators...

U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and conveyed greetings from U.S. President Donald Trump.

«I can assure you that you have a friend in the White House. President Trump holds your work in high regard. We are committed to finding mutually beneficial solutions that serve the interests of both our countries. This is reflected in the growing engagement between the United States and countries across the region. Over the past year alone, agreements worth more than $20 billion have been reached, and I am confident this...

English rock band Muse has recently released a music video for their track «Nightshift Superstar,» shot in Almaty. The city’s two iconic locations made an appearance in the video: the Almaty Museum of Arts and the House of the Army (formerly House of Officers) in the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park. Kursiv LifeStyle explains what these places are and what could attract the music video creators.

The track is set to feature on the band’s tenth studio album, «The Wow! Signal,» releasing June 26. The video was directed and written by Lado Kvataniya, with filming in Almaty...

Hong Kong authorities have charged two companies and seven individuals in connection with the fatal fire at the Wang Fuk housing complex last November, the BBC reported.

The defendants face 25 charges, including manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, attempting to pervert the course of justice and tax evasion.

The blaze claimed 168 lives, making it the deadliest fire in Hong Kong in more than seven decades.

According to authorities, those charged include the project consultancy firm, the main contractor and several people involved in renovation work at the complex, including company directors and a registered inspector. The names of...

Kazakhstani dancer Sofia Mukasheva appeared in «Confession II – The Film,» an iconic 14-minute music short film by Madonna, released on YouTube. Kursiv LifeStyle explains how she made it onto the Queen of Pop’s team.

Mukasheva posted about her participation on Instagram, sharing a still from the credits listing her name.

According to the post, Madonna personally approved her particiption. One of the photos shows a...

Anti-immigrant unrest broke out across Belfast on Tuesday night after a Sudanese man was charged in connection with a stabbing that left a man seriously injured, Reuters reported.

Properties were damaged, and some families were forced to leave their homes in several parts of Northern Ireland as masked protesters clashed with police, set vehicles on fire, and targeted residential areas.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill condemned the violence, describing the attacks as unacceptable and calling the actions of those involved «disgusting cowardice.»

The unrest followed a stabbing in north Belfast on Monday night. The victim, a man in...