News

KMG International, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas (KMG), Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, reported a profit of $87 million in the first six months of 2026, compared with a $6 million loss in the same period of 2025, KMG reported.

Consolidated EBITDA reached $203 million, up 40% year over year, according to the statement.

KMG International operates two oil refineries in Romania: Petromidia and Vega, both owned by KMGI’s subsidiary Rompetrol. Petromidia, the company’s largest refinery, is located on the Black Sea coast in Constanța. The company’s refineries also process crude oil supplied through the...

Scammers in the crypto industry are increasingly using a scheme known as a «honeypot,» which allows investors to easily purchase a token but makes it impossible to sell, Binance Kazakhstan told Kursiv.media. As a result, the asset’s value appears to rise on the investor’s screen, but the investor can no longer withdraw the money.

The scheme works by embedding restrictions in a token’s smart contract in advance. While the asset can be purchased without difficulty, attempts to sell it are either blocked entirely or result in the investor losing nearly all of the funds...

Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee (KNB) detained 14 South Korean nationals who are suspected in their home country of belonging to an organized crime group involved in fraud carried out using telecommunications systems.

What is known about the detentions

According to the National Security Committee, the operation was carried out on July 23. South Korean authorities are investigating the detainees on suspicion of fraud committed as part of an organized crime group.

KNB agents seized equipment from the suspects’ residences that, according to investigators, was used to commit the crimes.

“During searches of their residences, computer...

On July 30, Japan’s Hitachi Ltd. and Toshiba Corp. said the first N700ST high-speed trainset built for export to Taiwan had been completed and shipped, according to a Hitachi press release.

According to the release, the N700ST is based on Central Japan Railway Co.’s latest N700S Shinkansen model. The 12-car trainset is about 300 meters long and has a top operating speed of 300 kilometers per hour. Passenger comfort features include a full active suspension system, power outlets at every seat, reclining seats with lowering seat cushions in standard class and wraparound seats in business class.

The Kapchagay Reservoir in Qonaev, Almaty region, may be added to the calendar of the UIM F1H2O World Championship — the prestigious powerboat racing series. The relevant agreement was signed by the Almaty region’s governor’s office, F1H2O organization representatives, the iHolding company and an official Saudi Arabian delegation.

If the project is implemented, Kazakhstan will host a stage of the World Championship for the first time, while Qonaev could become a permanent venue for the competition within the next five years.

Billions of spectators and thousands of tourists

Organizers expect the stage will attract at least 5,000 foreign tourists...

A French teenager has been fined in Singapore after admitting to a public nuisance offense stemming from a prank that went viral on social media, Euronews reported.

Nineteen-year-old Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien was ordered on Thursday to pay a €406 fine after posting a video that showed him licking a straw and placing it back into the dispenser of an orange juice vending machine.

Maximilien, who is studying in Singapore, shared the clip on Instagram with the caption, «city is not safe.» The video, filmed on March 12, quickly spread online, prompting public criticism and leading to his...

Turkish low-cost carrier SunExpress is entering Kazakhstan’s air transport market. Starting July 31, the airline will operate regular direct flights between Almaty and Izmir, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport said.

Schedule and aircraft

Flights on the new international route will operate on a regular basis:

Flight frequency: Twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Aircraft: The route will be served by Boeing 737 aircraft.

Reason for the new route

The ministry said it continues to expand the country’s route network. The launch of direct flights to İzmir is expected to strengthen trade and economic, business, tourism and cultural ties between Kazakhstan and...

In terms of assets, Kazakhstan’s banking sector is larger than those of all Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member states except Russia. Kazakh banks have 10 times the assets of banks in Kyrgyzstan and 2.5 times those of banks in Belarus, according to EEU data.

The total assets of Kazakhstan’s banks stood at $140.8 billion in 2025. Among EEU members, Kazakhstan ranked second only to Russia, whose banking sector had more than $2.7 trillion in assets.

Kazakhstan’s banking assets were 10 times larger than those of Kyrgyzstan ($13.9 billion), 2.5 times larger than...

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev held a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, discussing bilateral issues within the framework of an expanded strategic partnership, including the situation surrounding the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC).

The two sides also discussed preparations for President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s upcoming visit to the U.S. for the G20 summit.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not disclosed any further details of the conversation.

Why the U.S. is interested in the CPC

The CPC remains the primary export route for Kazakhstan’s oil, accounting for approximately 80% of the country’s total oil exports.

Furthermore...

Negotiations to sell Brazilian mining company Bahia Mineração (Bamin), part of Kazakh mining group Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), to Portugal’s Mota-Engil are in the final stages. An agreement could be signed within the next few weeks, according to BNamericas.

Read also: China enters talks for Kazakhstan’s stalled Brazilian mega-project.

The publication reported that Mota-Engil has already signed a preliminary agreement to acquire Bamin from ERG and has begun the due diligence process. The parties had initially expected to reach an agreement by the end of the first half of the year...

The first stills from “Flesh Impact,” a short film about Marilyn Monroe, have been released online. According to Vanity Fair, Maggie Gyllenhaal wrote and directed the film. The title character is portrayed at different stages of her life by Dakota Johnson and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn.

Gyllenhaal said she was fascinated by the question of what Monroe’s career and life might have looked like had she lived to an old age. That idea ultimately inspired the film, featuring Johnson as the younger Monroe and Burstyn as the star in her twilight years.

Gyllenhaal described the film as a...

Kazakhstan-based Resurs 2018 plans to develop the Bayan tungsten deposit in the Aiyrtau district of the North Kazakhstan region, with production of up to 1 million tons of tungsten ore per year expected to begin in 2027.

The project’s ultimate beneficial owners include several individuals, including Mukadaskhan Ibragimova and billionaire Patokh Chodiev.

In late June, North Kazakhstan region officials, the founder of China’s Shandong Xinhai Technology and a representative of Resurs 2018 discussed plans to develop the deposit, including construction of a mining and processing plant. The project is expected to require an investment of about 100 billion...

Kazakhstan will host the inaugural FIA Central Asia Drifting Cup. Kursiv Cars learned that the international event will take place from Sept. 25 to 27 at the Sokol International Circuit near Almaty.

Region’s first FIA drifting cup

The sporting regulations of FIA Central Asia Drifting Cup have already been approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. This will be the first official regional drifting cup in Central Asia held under the authority of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

«It is a great honor for the Sokol sports and tourism complex to host a...

American Eagle is rolling out two major fashion initiatives at once: a new clothing collection created in collaboration with Spanish soccer star Lamine Yamal and a new advertising campaign starring Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney.

Lamine Yamal collection

Following Yamal’s breakout success on the international football stage, American Eagle is launching its first exclusive apparel collection with the 19-year-old FC Barcelona and Spain star. Yamal signed a five-year partnership with American Eagle as the brand’s global ambassador in January, with the deal covering campaigns and limited-edition product collaborations.

WhatsApp has expanded the functionality of its web version. Users can now make audio and video calls directly from a browser without installing a separate desktop app. Kursiv LifeStyle takes a look at the changes.

Both private and group calls are now available in the web version. According to the developers, all conversations are protected by end-to-end encryption.

In addition, users can switch a call between smartphones, tablets, PCs and WhatsApp Web without interrupting it. For example, a call can start on a phone and then continue on a laptop.

The web version has also received...

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has praised Dastan Satpayev’s performance following the Kazakhstani forward’s first goal for the London club. The Spanish coach highlighted the 17-year-old’s speed, physicality and movement.

«I knew Dastan from last year, from Almaty, and you see that he is a different player. He is a goal threat, he attacks very well this inner channel, close to the striker, coming from outside,» Football.London cited Alonso as saying.

Satpayev stood out in Chelsea’s first pre-season friendly under Spanish coach. The Kazakh player was included...

TAV Airports, a Turkish airport operator and a member of the French Groupe ADP, will acquire the remaining 15% stake in Almaty International Airport for $133 million. Once the deal is completed, the company will become the sole owner of Kazakhstan’s largest airport.

In its annual report, TAV Airports described Almaty Airport as one of Central Asia’s leading aviation hubs. The company noted that the airport continues to deliver strong operating results and is becoming increasingly important to the group’s overall strategy.

According to TAV Airports CEO Serkan Kaptan, international passenger traffic continued to grow steadily in the first half...

Japanese radio station Kiryu FM will once again air a special broadcast of its «Music Forever» program dedicated to the work of People’s Artist of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Dimash Qudaibergen.

According to the singer’s official website, the broadcast is scheduled for July 30. The program’s highlight will be Kiryu FM’s first radio broadcast of Qudaibergen’s new song «Aqerke.»

The radio station has introduced Japanese listeners to Dimash’s music since 2020, broadcasting his latest releases and airing special broadcasts dedicated to his work.

Members of the Dimash Japan Fan Club will join the upcoming «Dimash Special» program...

Halit Ergenç, the Turkish actor best known for his portrayal of Suleiman the Magnificent in the historical drama «Magnificent Century,» will visit Kazakhstan this fall.

A meet-and-greet with the actor is scheduled for Sept. 14 in Almaty.

Ergenç has already released a video invitation on Instagram, personally inviting his Kazakhstani fans to attend. Judging by the enthusiastic response in the comments, many are eager for the chance to meet him in person.

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born billionaire and founder of Telegram, has been placed on Russia’s international wanted list by the Federal Security Service (FSB). He is accused of aiding terrorism by failing to remove channels and bots used for illegal activity on the messaging app.

What is Durov accused of?

According to the FSB, Telegram’s management failed to remove channels, chats and bots that Russian intelligence says were used by Ukrainian intelligence services to plan acts of sabotage, organize «mass killings,» and carry out cyber fraud within Russia.

The agency claims these channels were linked to human casualties, including women...

The death toll from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture has risen to at least 13. Rescuers continue to search for people trapped under the rubble, Reuters reported.

The earthquake struck on July 28. Its epicenter was located about 20 kilometers south of the city of Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu. The earthquake damaged buildings, roads and bridges, leaving tens of thousands of households without electricity.

Rescuers search for people under shopping mall rubble

One of the hardest-hit buildings was the Aeon Mall Kumamoto shopping center. About an hour after the earthquake...

Almaty has been included in the first Intelligent Cities Index 2026, prepared by the international consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

The study examined how cities use artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to improve quality of life, economic development and urban governance. In addition to overall digitalization, experts assessed the extent to which these technologies deliver tangible benefits to residents.

Almaty in the top 40

The Kazakhstani city ranked 38th among the world’s 61 largest cities. With 62 points, Almaty ranks alongside Tokyo, Hong Kong and Jakarta, outperforming Istanbul (52nd place, 55 points), Delhi (43rd place, 59 points...

The Airbus A350-1000ULR, designed for Qantas’ ultra-long-haul Project Sunrise flights, has completed a nonstop test flight from Australia to France lasting more than 24 hours. The aircraft flew 24 hours and 24 minutes from Melbourne to Toulouse, France, in a major milestone for the program.

Record-breaking test flight

The test flight began July 27, when the aircraft departed Melbourne and flew 23,075 kilometers nonstop to Toulouse. Four Airbus test pilots and five flight-test engineers were aboard, evaluating the aircraft’s systems during the ultra-long-range journey.

The Project Sunrise @Airbus A350-1000ULR has touched down in...

A wave of criticism erupted on Threads after a Karaganda resident said she was denied a job at a dental clinic because she wears a hijab. Kazakh users sharply criticized the clinic in the comments and accused its management of discrimination.

A Threads user shared a screenshot of a conversation with a representative of a dental clinic in Karaganda. The woman had initially been invited to interview for an administrator position, but the invitation was withdrawn after the clinic viewed her profile and learned that she wears a hijab, a headscarf worn by some...