News

In recent years, Kazakhstan has invested about $680 million in Uzbekistan, according to the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). Companies owned by Kazakhstan’s wealthiest businessmen have accounted for a significant share of that investment, Margarita Bocharova, an author with the Shishkin_like project, wrote in a recent review.

EDB analysts say more than one-third of Kazakhstan’s investment in Uzbekistan has gone into the construction sector.

BI Group

BI Group owner Aidyn Rakhimbayev — ranked 10th on Forbes’ list of Kazakhstan’s richest people, with a net worth of $967 million — co-founded developer NRG in 2020 with Uzbek businessman Murod...

U.S. President Donald Trump presented President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with memorable gifts: symbolic keys to the White House and a baseball cap bearing his signature, according to Tokayev’s aide and press secretary, Ruslan Zheldibay.

The gifts were delivered through Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the United States, Magzhan Ilyasov. In a brief exchange, Trump recalled his November meeting with Tokayev in the Oval Office.

The U.S. president asked that warm wishes be conveyed to the president of Kazakhstan, describing him as a wonderful person and an experienced statesman with a deep and balanced understanding of international affairs.

Tokayev paid...

The world’s largest uranium supplier Kazatomprom and one of Japan’s largest electric utilities, Kansai Electric Power Company, have agreed on supplies of Kazakhstani uranium to Japan’s nuclear power plants, Kazatomprom said in a statement.

According to the statement, the agreement is important for Japan as the country gradually resumes nuclear energy in its power balance, and it is expected to secure stable and long-term fuel deliveries for its nuclear power plants.

The official signing took place during a visit of the Kazakhstani delegation, headed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to Japan from Dec. 18 to 20, within...

Six Unitree androids unexpectedly took the stage alongside Wang Leehom — an American singer of Taiwanese descent — during his concert in Chengdu, China. They effectively stole the show, captivating the audience with their impressive dance performance.

The robots moved in perfect sync not only with each other but also with the live dancers. At one point, they even performed a complex acrobatic move. For many in the audience, the scene felt like something straight out of a sci-fi movie — except it was happening in real life.

A video of the performance quickly went viral on social...

A modern five-star hotel complex, Pana Unique Semey, opened in a former steam mill built in 1890 following its renovation, while preserving its historical appearance, in Semey, eastern Kazakhstan.

According to the Abai region governor’s office, the project, valued at approximately $12.6 million, is one of the largest in the region. The hotel features 91 rooms designed to accommodate 180 guests, spans 8,300 square meters and has a total capacity of 203 people. The hotel offers four restaurants, a coffee shop, a spa and a conference hall.

Furthermore, the governor of the Abai region Berik Uali stated that every Kazakhstani...

Virtuous sayings preserved in collective memory are widely used not only in literature and everyday communication, including colloquial speech, but also in political discourse. Notably, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev frequently refers to quotations from Abai, the prominent Kazakh poet and philosopher, as well as to folk wisdom expressed through proverbs — particularly those emphasizing unity and solidarity. This practice can be observed in his addresses to both the nation and the international community.

To identify which authors the President quotes most frequently and which proverbs he most often uses to support and reinforce his views, we analyzed his...

A notable shift in global finance is underway as the Chinese yuan continues to gain traction as a currency for international settlements, according to Reuters. Kazakhstan has emerged as an active participant in this trend, gradually replacing dollar-denominated liabilities with borrowing in yuan as part of its efforts to strengthen economic stability.

Record-high offshore placements

In September, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) raised 2 billion yuan on Hong Kong’s offshore market through a dim sum bond issuance. The deal marked a significant milestone for the country’s financial sector, positioning Kazakhstan — alongside Indonesia — among leading...

Pursuing the goal of reducing litter left by café visitors taking food to go, tourism officials and shop operators in Kyoto are trialing an initiative using edible spoons, The Asahi Shimbun reported.

Three dessert restaurants in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district — popular with tourists — serve their meals with edible spoons as part of the trial. The spoons are branded «Pacoon,» after the Japanese onomatopoeia for eating and biting, and are available in five flavors, made from flour, sugar, eggs and vegetable powders.

Reportedly, customers have responded positively to the idea, and the amount of garbage outside...

Jim Beam, owned by Japanese Suntory Global Spirits, will stop production at its main Kentucky distillery for all of next year due to planned upgrades of the site, as reported by the BBC.

The company said the decision was made after reviewing production needs based on expected demand for 2026. Other Jim Beam sites in Kentucky, including a second distillery and bottling and warehousing facilities, will keep running, though. The visitor center will also stay open.

Meanwhile, Jim Beam is figuring out how to assign employees during the shutdown and is in discussions with labor representatives.

According to the...

Prince William and his 12-year-old son, Prince George, volunteered at The Passage in London to help staff and volunteers prepare for the charity’s annual Christmas lunch. William’s visit with George echoed his own childhood experience, when Princess Diana brought him to the same organization at a similar age, according to CNN.

During the visit, the father and son spoke with people who have experienced homelessness and learned about the charity’s support, according to a Kensington Palace source. Prince George also signed The Passage’s visitors’ book, adding his name to the same page previously signed by his father and...

A little-noticed file from the Epstein case materials released by the U.S. Department of Justice late last week was identified by journalist and photographer Evgeny Feldman. The document had largely escaped the attention of English-language researchers, in part because it references Russian cultural material that requires specific contextual knowledge.

A Russian lullaby in Epstein’s notebook

An online archive known as the Epstein Library includes a photograph taken during the search of Jeffrey Epstein’s residence on Little St. James Island. The file, labeled «EFTA00002897.pdf,» shows an open notebook with handwritten notes.

Inside the notebook’s left flap is a sheet...

Chairman of the Migration Service Committee of Kazakhstan Aslan Atalykov has summarized the body’s work in 2025. He reported that the oldest residents to receive passports this year were born in 1915, according to Polisia.kz.

Centenarians from the Kostanay and Aktobe regions accessed the mobile civil-registration service.

«We provide a mobile civil-registration service. A specialist comes to a person’s home with a computer, camera and styluses for signatures and completes the registration on site. This service is most commonly used by senior citizens. The oldest citizen of Kazakhstan registered this year is...

The International Nightlife Association has released its annual ranking of the world’s 100 best nightclubs, with European venues dominating the list. Spain emerged as the clear leader this year, securing the top positions.

Ibiza leads the way

Three clubs in Ibiza claimed the highest spots in the ranking. The Mediterranean island has long been regarded as the global capital of electronic music and club culture, home to venues that set trends across the international nightlife industry.

Ushuaïa Ibiza takes third place

Third place went to Ushuaïa Ibiza, a renowned open-air club that has become one of the island’s...

The fight between former world boxing champion Anthony Joshua and blogger and online entrepreneur Jake Paul was announced in November and finally took place in Miami on Dec. 19.

For Joshua, the bout marked a comeback following a painful knockout loss in the fall of 2024, while for Paul it represented another high-profile challenge. The YouTuber-turned-boxer has managed to defeat several well-known opponents over the past few years, proving that his appearances in the ring are not just about hype, but also about genuine competition.

The early rounds resembled a cautious cat-and-mouse game, with Paul keeping his distance and clearly...

Yevgeniy Kochetov, Kazakhstan’s deputy minister of culture and information, said the government is considering introducing age restrictions on social media for children under 16, citing Australia’s recent move as a possible model.

Social media platforms regulate themselves

Kochetov noted that Australia’s regulations took effect Dec. 10, 2025, prompting an immediate response from online platforms, which introduced age-verification mechanisms.

«We will see and discuss with online platforms whether it would be difficult to regulate this in Kazakhstan,» he said.

Login through eGov

Kochetov also highlighted that Kazakhstan has an alternative option for age verification...

Popular Kazakh blogger and fitness record holder Aitym Zhakupov — often described by fans as the country’s strongest man — has transformed his athletic background into a platform for combating obesity. His social reality show, JanaMen («New Men» or «A Better Version of Myself»), documents dramatic weight-loss journeys and regularly draws millions of views online.

A project that began by chance

Zhakupov has said the idea for the project emerged unexpectedly several years ago. His cameraman at the time, 21-year-old Alisher, weighed about 140 kilograms and struggled to keep up physically during filming. Accustomed to strict training routines, Zhakupov...

On Dec. 19, Ahmed al Ahmed, who became widely known for saving lives during the Bondi Beach mass shooting after wrestling a gun from one of the attackers, received roughly $1.65 million in donations from more than 43,000 people, Reuters reported.

Zachery Dereniowski, a social media influencer and co-organizer of the GoFundMe campaign, presented Ahmed with a giant check, as shown in a posted video. The presentation took place at St. George Hospital, where Ahmed is receiving treatment after presumably being shot by one of the gunmen.

Sarah Dzafce, crowned Miss Finland in September and the country’s delegate to the 2025 Miss Universe pageant in Thailand, sparked accusations of racism in Asia, The Associated Press reported.

The controversy began when an image circulated online showing her pulling the corners of her eyes. The photo, which appeared on social media with a caption referencing «eating with a Chinese,» quickly went viral, first prompting criticism in Finland and then spreading abroad.

Dzafce apologized and denied racist intent, telling Finnish media the gesture was due to a headache. She said the photo was shared privately without her consent...

The world’s largest «Ice and Snow World» theme park has opened in China’s northern province of Heilongjiang. This year, it surprised visitors by erecting a 23.8-meter-high snowman.

Approximately 5,000 cubic meters of snow were used to create «Mister Snowman,» whose height matches that of an eight-story building. The sculpture took four days of intense work to complete.

«The height was chosen deliberately, as the pronunciation of the numbers 2, 3 and 8 in Chinese can evoke a beautiful message meaning ‘love flying in all directions,’» the snowman creators noted.

A video of the snowman being built quickly went viral...

Japanese trading and investment company Sumitomo Corporation, jointly with Kazatomprom, is developing a project in nuclear medicine, aiming to extract medical isotopes from uranium, the Akorda press service reported.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Shingo Ueno, president and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation, who reported on the joint project with Kazatomprom.

The companies are looking to extract medical radioisotopes from uranium production by-products. Tokayev acknowledged Sumitomo’s commitment to sustainable growth and responsible business practices.

During the meeting, the parties also discussed cooperation prospects, as well as the development of joint projects in transport, logistics, energy, the nuclear...

The U.S. plans to increase scrutiny of travelers’ online activity as part of new border security measures. Under a proposal announced earlier this month, visitors from countries eligible for visa-free entry under the Visa Waiver Program — including most of Europe, Australia, Japan and South Korea — may be required to provide up to five years of social media history and all email addresses used over the past 10 years, the BBC reported.

The proposal is currently open for public comment and is expected to take effect on Feb. 8 next year. While full details have not...

Social media is again abuzz with discussion of Olivier salad, one of the most recognizable dishes across the former Soviet Union. The renewed interest was sparked by a food blogger who posted a video recreating what is believed to be the original 1860s version of the dish served at the Hermitage restaurant in Moscow.

A far cry from the modern holiday staple

The original Olivier salad bore little resemblance to the familiar version made today with boiled sausage, potatoes, and carrots. Food historians widely attribute the dish to Lucien Olivier, a French chef who created it in the...

Google has launched a Kazakh-language version of its Gemini artificial intelligence model, according to an announcement from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.

Part of global language expansion

The ministry said the move is part of Google’s broader effort to expand language support for one of its most advanced AI products. Kazakh is among 23 new languages added with the rollout of Gemini 3, which Google describes as its most capable model to date. As a result, users in Kazakhstan can now access Gemini’s features in their native language, with functionality comparable to that offered...

Justice and police authorities have shut down a clandestine workshop in Shymkent where counterfeit MacCoffee 3-in-1 instant coffee was being produced in unsanitary conditions.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Justice press service, the imitation of a popular brand was made in a regular garage. Investigators report that the suspect procured raw materials of unknown origin, packed them on-site and sealed the packages with a heat sealer, labeling the product with a third-party trademark.

«The ready counterfeit products were sold through the city’s small shops and retail points. More than 4,000 MacCoffee-labeled stick packs, along with a...