News

On Dec. 11, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) announced that the Korea-Mongolia Rare Metals Cooperation Center would be officially opened on Dec. 12 in Ulaanbaatar, Yonhap reported.

The center, located within the University of Science and Technology will study critical metals, such as tungsten, molybdenum, lithium and other rare earths found in Mongolia. The cooperation also includes training in mineral processing, refining and smelting, according to the ministry.

The center operates under a grant-based Official Development Assistance program and will receive roughly $6.7 million in support for its...

Pavel Durov has turned out to be quite different from the stereotypical tech bro he once seemed to be, says Russian journalist Nikolay Kononov. His new book, The Populist: The Untold Story of Pavel Durov and Telegram, has just come out. It follows his 2012 bestseller The Durov Code and draws on years spent observing Durov and Telegram as political phenomena.

Telegram’s global reach and controversy

Durov leads Telegram, a messaging service and vast media ecosystem boasting more than a billion users. Kononov notes it is now one of the world’s most controversial platforms, in part...

Japan-based advanced mobility and automotive components supplier Astemo said it has developed an electric vehicle motor that notably reduces the use of rare-earth metals, thereby cutting dependence on these materials, NHK World reported.

According to the company, the new motor uses a synchronous reluctance architecture with rare-earth-free magnets in the main drive to achieve competitive output, enabling reduced reliance on neodymium-based permanent magnets.

Astemo aims to begin commercial production and market release of its new motor around 2030.

China is the world’s largest supplier and producer of critical materials. In October, the...

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado made her first public appearance in months after arriving in Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, despite a travel ban and threats of arrest in her home country, the BBC reported.

Machado appeared on a hotel balcony after arriving at night, greeting supporters who had gathered outside. It was her first public appearance since January. Her daughter accepted the prize earlier in the day, while Machado traveled covertly to Norway under conditions she described as highly dangerous.

The Nobel Committee recognized Machado for her efforts to promote a democratic...

A post on Threads is drawing wide attention in Kazakhstan after an Almaty resident shared photos of a paid feminine hygiene product dispenser in a shopping center’s public restroom. The woman praised the installation, saying it showed that Kazakhstan is beginning to prioritize women’s comfort.

Mixed reactions from users

Most commenters supported the initiative, calling it a necessary step toward improving public amenities for women. Others argued that the dispenser was primarily a marketing move by the brand behind it. Some users said that even if the products cost money, having them available in restrooms is still...

Real Madrid players expressed support for their coach Xabi Alonso after suffering a 1-2 defeat to Manchester City. Notably, Spanish media reported that the coach could have been sacked in the event of a loss.

Champions League 2025-26

Matchday 6, Dec. 10

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City: 1-2

Goals: Rodrygo 28’; Nico O’Reilly 35’, Erling Haaland 43’(P)

According to AS, «the locker room closed ranks in the most delicate moment» and as a group expressed support for Alonso. The first to speak was Brazilian forward Rodrygo, who rushed to hug Alonso...

The Trump administration has introduced a new program, the «Trump Gold Card,» designed to fast-track U.S. residency for foreign nationals and company-sponsored workers. The initiative is one of the administration’s most significant recent immigration policies. Qualified applicants pay a $1 million fee, or $2 million for company sponsorship, with processing handled through trumpcard.gov and requiring a $15,000 processing fee and background check, CNN reported.

The website explains that applicants who complete the requirements — including an interview and any additional State Department fees — could receive permanent residency within weeks. Successful applicants would be placed in the EB...

The American restaurant franchise Papa John’s is closing all its locations in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Franchisee cites revenue decline, rising costs

Restaurateur Daniyar Monolbai announced on social media that his company is ending its role as the master franchisee for Papa John’s in both countries. He said the decision was necessary due to a prolonged drop in revenue and increasing operating costs.

«All available funds were directed toward the most important payments: salaries, taxes, rental obligations and partial debt repayment. In Kazakhstan, we also managed to help most of our employees continue working at...

Renowned American actor Johnny Depp is set to join the cast of the first English-language movie adaptation of the Russian literary classic «The Master and Margarita» by Mikhail Bulgakov.

According to Variety, the Hollywood star might take one of the key roles, though it is unknown whether it will be Woland or the Master. Furthermore, Depp will serve as a producer on the movie.

Depp’s IN.2 Film is producing the project with Svetlana Dali, an executive producer of «Jeanne du Barry,» and Grace Loh. No director is attached.

The project was initially announced at the Red...

The U.S. has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking one of the most aggressive steps yet in Washington’s campaign to pressure President Nicolás Maduro, whom the U.S. is seeking to push from office. President Donald Trump confirmed the operation but offered few details, saying only that the vessel was sanctioned and taken «for a very good reason,» the Associated Press reported.

The seizure is part of a broader U.S. effort to weaken Maduro’s grip on power and disrupt Venezuela’s oil exports, a crucial source of revenue for the country, which has the world’s...

A Kazakh-language production of the classic musical «Notre-Dame de Paris» has gone viral on social media in Kazakhstan.

Archived clip resurfaces

A Threads user shared an archived video of the performance, featuring actors Zharkynai Shalkar and Yerbol Narimanuly in the roles of Esmeralda and Frollo.

The 2018 staging in Astana is based on the 1998 musical of the same name, first performed in Paris — the setting of Victor Hugo’s novel «The Hunchback of Notre Dame.» The Kazakh version retained the structure of the original musical but adapted the lyrics and overall presentation.

The production was directed by...

Japanese major truck and diesel engine manufacturer Isuzu Motors Ltd. said it is set to conduct public highway tests of its autonomous truck between January and the spring of 2026, The Asahi Shimbun reported.

The trial will involve a heavy-duty truck developed by Isuzu in cooperation with Applied Intuition, a U.S.-based provider of software tools for autonomous-vehicle development and validation. The vehicle will operate along a portion of the inter-prefectural route connecting the cities of Tochigi and Ichinomiya, transporting spare parts between the company’s operational bases. A human driver will remain on board to assume control...

Kazakhstan’s copper-mining giant Kazakhmys is preparing for a change in shareholders, the company announced.

Agreement reached between current leaders

According to the statement, Kazakhmys President Vladimir Kim and Chairman of the Board of Directors Eduard Ogay have mutually agreed to transfer ownership. The formal sale and purchase agreement is expected to be signed soon.

The company noted that the ownership change will require approval from the Ministry of Industry as well as the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition.

Prospective buyer reported

In late November, reports surfaced that businessman Nurlan Artykbayev — the...

Mexico plans to increase water deliveries to the U.S. Still, not immediately, President Claudia Sheinbaum said, as U.S. President Donald Trump renewed pressure on Mexico over transboundary water resources and threatened new trade penalties, the Associated Press reported.

Mexico has proposed sending an initial amount of water to the U.S. later this month, with additional deliveries scheduled over the next several years, Sheinbaum said. The proposal is expected to be discussed during a virtual meeting with U.S. officials.

Under the 1944 water-sharing treaty, Mexico is required to provide its northern neighbor with water from tributaries of the Rio Grande...

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Nurlan Sauranbayev, said that the launch of direct flights between Kazakhstan and the U.S. has been delayed due to a long waiting list for the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. According to him, an alternative route with an intermediate stop is currently under consideration.

During a briefing at the Central Communications Service, the minister was asked why there is still no direct flight between Kazakhstan and the U.S., and what stage the preparations are at. Sauranbayev explained that the route passes over the North Pole and Russia, which requires a special long-haul aircraft...

If discussions of Uzbekistan’s colonial past are viewed from inside the country rather than from the West, the «problem of decolonial critique» largely disappears, according to Uzbek digital creator Javokhir Nematov.

In a recent social media post, Nematov highlighted an article by prominent historian Adeeb Khalid, who offered a brief overview of the state of Central Asian studies in 2025.

Decolonial discourse in Uzbekistan

Among other points, Khalid writes that, unlike in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, «scholars in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan seem far less interested in a decolonial critique of their history.» Indeed, Nematov notes, decolonial discourse has...

On Dec. 10, South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group specializing in rail systems and defense solutions, announced the shipment of the first batch of high-speed trains to Uzbekistan, marking the country’s first export of domestically developed high-speed trains, Yonhap reported.

The order consists of 42 cars forming six trains based on the EMU-260 model, which was designed for Uzbek rail conditions and climate under a contract signed last June with Uzbekistan Railways. The order is valued at roughly $184 million and includes maintenance and repair services. Notably, production...

One of the American host cities for the 2026 World Cup has found itself in an awkward position. After the Dec. 5 tournament draw, it became clear that the match scheduled in Seattle between Iran and Egypt will take place as an LGBTQ+ «Pride Match.»

The situation stems from a decision the Seattle Organizing Committee made long before the draw. City officials designated the June 26 game as a Pride-themed match without knowing which teams would play that day. A twist of fate resulted in an Iran-Egypt pairing — two countries where LGBTQ+ rights are highly restricted.

Taliban authorities in Herat briefly detained four young men for dressing like characters from the British TV show «Peaky Blinders,» wearing long coats and flat caps. Officials said their outfits promoted foreign culture and opposed Afghan and Islamic values, CBS News reported.

According to Afghanistan’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the men were not arrested but simply summoned for a conversation, or so-called «rehabilitation,» during which they were told not to repeat the behavior. Officials stressed that Afghan society should maintain its cultural and religious identity, rather than copying Western media.

The young...

In the final home match of the season at Astana Arena, Kairat Almaty struggled without Dastan Satpayev and narrowly lost to Greece’s Olympiacos in matchday six of the UEFA Champions League.

Kairat’s coaching staff changed the lineup from the FC Copenhagen match, which ended 2-3. Rafael Urazbakhtin assigned defender Aleksandr Mrynskiy to replace the suspended Dastan Satpayev. Portuguese player Luís Mata took over Mrynskiy’s usual full-back spot. Olzhas Baybek, who scored against Copenhagen, replaced Damir Kassabulat in defensive midfield and was paired with Israeli midfielder Dan Glazer.

The lineup changes did not help Kairat. The team failed to register a...

A woman in Japan has sued a man she met via a dating app, demanding around $50,000, claiming he misled her by presenting himself as single, while in reality he was a married father, NHK World reported.

A Tokyo District Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, ordering the defendant to pay 1.5 million yen (roughly $10,000) in damages. The court emphasized that the man knew the woman intended the relationship to develop into marriage, thus violating her chastity rights by repeatedly engaging in sexual relations with her while deliberately concealing his marital status.

According to...

Canadian Senator Jim Quinn of New Brunswick has called on the federal government to more clearly assert Canada’s sovereignty over Machias Seal Island, a small uninhabited island located between the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, the BBC reported.

Both the U.S. and Canada claim sovereignty over the rocky island. While it has no permanent residents, it is staffed by rotating Canadian Coast Guard crews who maintain a lighthouse built by Canada in 1832.

Quinn raised the issue after criticizing a U.S.-based boat tour operator, Bold Coast Charter Company, which describes...

Thousands of Kazakhs are in South Korea illegally, seeking what some call “easy money.” Kursiv.media spoke with citizens to learn why so many come and how much they earn.

How much do Kazakhs earn in official employment?

Kakim Danabayev, a Kazakh citizen who lived and worked in South Korea for about 10 years, says officially employed Kazakhs fill roles as IT specialists and medical translators in hospitals. Others serve as staff at international export companies, employees at cosmetics firms, or work at major conglomerates such as Hyundai or Samsung.

Danabayev states that foreign workers typically earn...

Kazakhstan’s mortgage market is likely to continue shrinking, as the cost of mortgage loans rises and becomes too high for banks, according to Freedom Holding Corp. CEO and majority shareholder Timur Turlov. He made the statement yesterday during a meeting with journalists in Almaty.

No mortgage lending outside state programs

As Turlov noted, over the past several years, the mortgage market has been sustained almost entirely by various government programs.

«In recent years, mortgage lending in our country has been driven by state support programs. At the moment, I don’t see any large-scale reduction in...