News

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will take part in the 2026 G20 summit, scheduled for December in Miami, following an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry reported.

Details

Tokayev’s upcoming participation in the summit became known following a meeting between Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S. Paul Kapur in Astana.

«The meeting also included an exchange of views on preparations for the G20 Summit, scheduled to take place in Miami in December 2026, which the Head of State will attend at the...

Kazakhstan’s top-ranked tennis player Elena Rybakina (World No. 2) beat American Coco Gauff (World No. 4) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals of the Canadian Open.

Rybakina had faced Gauff only once before — also in Toronto, in 2022. In their second-round meeting, Rybakina lost to the then-18-year-old American 4-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-7 (3-7).

Rybakina avanged that loss against the now-22-year-old Gauff. The Kazakhstani won the first three points of the match, all on her opponent’s serve but Gauff fought back from 0-40 to hold. The first break of the match did not come until the 12th game, when Rybakina...

The Gornyak Artel, a gold mining company operating in Kazakhstan’s Abay region, reported 8 billion tenge ($15.4 million) in profit in 2025, up 2.3% from the previous year. The company is owned by Liechtenstein citizen Adrian Roman Rheinberger.

Gornyak is a subsidiary of gold mining company Akzhal Gold Resources. Its revenue from sales of its primary products totaled 37.6 billion tenge, a 47% increase from the previous year.

The company generates revenue by selling gold-bearing flotation concentrate and sulfide gold ore to Kazakhmys Corporation at a fixed price. At the same time, the cost of sales...

Chinese companies are considering establishing production facilities in Stepnogorsk, Akmola region, for drones, light two-seat helicopters and renewable energy equipment. The projects are part of a package of joint Kazakhstan-China initiatives involving a total of $70 million in investment.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by the Akmola region administration, Kazakh holding company TauKen Group, owned by businessman Adil Abay, and Changzhou Chenwei International Trade Co., Ltd. (Chenwei Group), a Chinese company coordinating a group of investors from Changzhou. National investment promotion company Kazakh Invest is overseeing the implementation of the projects.

Eight...

«Do you love your phone more than me?» A clinical psychologist’s daughter once asked her mother that question. Stories of children feeling overlooked while their parents use their phones are not uncommon.

Researchers in the U.S. examined whether parents’ frequent smartphone use is associated with adolescents’ emotional well-being. Their findings were published in Frontiers in Psychology.

The researchers described situations in which parents turn to smartphones or other devices while interacting with their children as «device attachment interference.» They sought to determine whether such behavior is associated with patterns of emotional attachment among adolescents.

Study...

In mid-July, renowned Russian writer Boris Akunin announced the release of an English translation of “The Jade Rosary,” or, more precisely, the first part of the substantial collection.

A British publisher had declined to publish the book, saying short story collections do not sell well. Akunin subsequently decided to translate the work himself with the help of artificial intelligence, with the final translation reviewed and verified by the author.

Akunin shared excerpts with English-language writers and translators he knew. He said the writers were impressed by the quality of the translation, while the translators were less enthusiastic.

Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG) has aquired a 50% stake in Shygys Operating LLP. The new company was established on Aug. 6, 2026, to develop the Shygys oil and gas project in the Aktobe region.

According to data from the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), KMG holds 50% stake in Shygys Operating. The remaining 50%, according to Adata, is owned by the Croatian company Geoenergija Razvoj d.o.o.

Shygys Operating’s primary business activity is listed as geological exploration and surveying, without scientific research and development.

Development on the Shygys project began several months ago. In April, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of...

Kazakhstan has announced the initial results of its digital «single window» system for the pharmaceutical market. Medicines for diabetes, obesity and cancer are currently undergoing accelerated review, according to the Ministry of Health.

As of early August, 63 agreements had been signed under the accelerated review process, while 20 applications had been submitted for registration, the ministry said. Six applications are currently undergoing preliminary review, while 14 have advanced to the next stage.

«Among the medicines undergoing registration procedures are Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Wegovy (semaglutide) and the anticancer drug...

Kazakhstani students will be able to earn a South Korean degree through a dual-degree program offered by Almaty University of Humanities and Economics (AHEU) and Seoul Cyber University, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education has announced.

The dual-degree program will be available only to students enrolled in the bachelor’s program in Information Security and Artificial Intelligence.

«The program is aimed at expanding international educational opportunities for Kazakhstani students and provides them with the opportunity to gain academic experience at both universities,» the ministry said.

How the program will work

The program is expected...

Thai scientists have discovered a new species of lizard and named it after one of the most famous dragons in George R. R. Martin’s universe. The new species has been named Acanthosaura syrax, after Syrax, the dragon ridden by Rhaenyra Targaryen in the television series «House of the Dragon.» Kursiv LifeStyle takes a closer look.

The new species was discovered in the high-elevation evergreen forests of Mae Wong National Park in western Thailand. The lizard belongs to a group known as mountain horned dragons — small agamid lizards with spiny crests on their heads, necks and...

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung issued an official statement on X, thanking Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee (KNB) for their prompt cooperation in the detention and extradition of members of an organized crime group.

Members of the Korean organized crime group were involved in voice phishing, a form of telephone fraud targeting citizens of their home country. They traveled through Cambodia and Vietnam in an attempt to evade justice but were eventually located and detained in Kazakhstan.

Extradition in two weeks

The South Korean president noted that thanks to the coordinated efforts of Kazakh...

Kazakhstan’s international reserves showed a positive trend in July 2026. According to the National Bank’s latest statistics, gross international reserves rose by 3.05% over the month to reach $63.7 billion as of Aug. 1.

The increase followed a sharp decline a month earlier. In June, gross international reserves fell by 8.19% to $61.8 billion. Despite the recovery in July, gross international reserves were down 2.6% from the beginning of the year.

Assets in freely convertible currencies saw the most significant change in July. Their value rose by 9.02% over the month, from $14.3 billion to...

The earlier a young family obtains a home of its own, the more likely it is to have more children, according to Lyazzat Ibragimova, CEO of Otbasy Bank, the sole bank implementing housing construction savings system in Kazakhstan.

Ibragimova shared the findings of an international study at a recent government briefing. She said the study provided participants with housing without requiring a down payment — often the main barrier to homeownership — while participants were required to make regular monthly payments.

«The data revealed that the chances of having a child jumped by 32% for...

Lailo Kasymova, 41, a resident of Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region known on TikTok as «Golden Woman,» has been hospitalized at a regional mental health center, according to police.

The streamer had previously been repeatedly cited by authorities for using obscene language during live broadcasts.

Police report repeated incidents

Police said Kassymova had undergone preventive measures on numerous occasions but continued to use obscene language during her livestreams. Authorities also alleged that some of the language was directed at her minor children.

In highly polarized media landscapes, the specific television news channels households watch can fundamentally shape their economic expectations, according to a study published by the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). Investigating Turkey’s deeply divided media environment during a period of high inflation, the research reveals that political segmentation erodes the shared informational base that central banks rely on to anchor public expectations.

Volume over tone

The study, conducted by researcher Selva Demiralp and her co-authors, combined prime-time news transcripts with monthly household surveys. Demiralp notes that the sheer volume of inflation coverage has a...

In the extreme summer heat, traditional methods of staying cool may seem surprising. Hot green tea instead of ice water, a thick quilted robe instead of an open T-shirt, and a felt yurt instead of a lightweight awning — these time-tested solutions helped residents of the steppes and cities of Central Asia cope with extreme temperatures long before the advent of air conditioning. Kursiv LifeStyle, citing Qalam, explains how traditional steppe culture and the architecture of ancient cities helped people cope with the midday heat.

Kazakh culture and steppe civilization brought together two ways of life...

Scientists at the Kazakhstan Research Institute of Processing and Food Industry have patented a technology for producing marbled lamb. The new method for fattening fine-wool sheep produces meat that is twice as juicy, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture.

Read also: Meat prices in Kazakhstan skyrocket by 28.6%.

The technology is based on a scientifically developed system for intensive lamb rearing and fattening, combined with a specially formulated, balanced grain-based feed. The feed contains grain and protein components, probiotics, plant-based supplements, premixes and minerals.

According to the ministry, the feeding system...

Energiya Semirechya, the company operating the Shelek-1 wind farm in the Almaty region, posted a net profit for the first time since it began operations. In 2025, it earned 2.22 billion tenge (around $4.76 million), compared with a loss of 3.28 billion tenge ($7.04 million) a year earlier.

According to the audited financial statements, the company’s revenue increased to 6.43 billion tenge from 6.28 billion tenge in 2024. Gross profit rose from 3.87 billion tenge to 4.09 billion tenge.

The main driver of the improved financial performance was the foreign exchange rate difference. In 2024, the company reported a loss...

Tickets for Air Astana flights are now available on Ctrip, China’s largest travel and tourism platform. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at the results of the move.

Almaty’s Department of Tourism said that a campaign to promote the city to Chinese tourists reached more than 75.3 million users. Over two months, ticket sales from Chinese cities to Almaty increased 20-fold compared with the same period in 2025.

Chinese tourists currently prefer independent travel and active recreation. The most popular destinations include Shymbulak, Kolsai Lakes and Big Almaty Lake.

Most travelers arrive in Almaty from cities with direct flights, including Beijing, Shanghai, Urumqi...

One of the most anticipated WhatsApp features is finally becoming available to users. The messenger is gradually rolling out usernames that allow users to communicate with new people without revealing their phone numbers. Kursiv LifeStyle takes a look at what has changed.

Some users have already received notifications that their previously reserved usernames have become active. Once activated, it can be used instead of a phone number when communicating with new contacts. The feature is being rolled out gradually and is not yet available to everyone.

When the update becomes available on your account, simply go...

Freedom Holding Corp. reported an increase in revenue and its customer base for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, ended June 30, 2026.

The holding’s total revenue reached $732.9 million, compared with $524 million in the same period a year earlier. The growth was driven by higher interest and commission income, as well as higher income from transactions in trading securities.

Profit before tax reached $40.8 million, while net profit was more than $31.7 million. Earnings per ordinary share were $0.52.

As of June 30, 2026, the holding’s cash, restricted funds and investment securities totaled $7 billion. Total assets increased...

Kazakhstan-China Pipeline (KCP), which operates the Atasu-Alashankou and Kenkiyak-Kumkol oil pipelines, reported a 26% decline in net profit in 2025, according to its financial statements.

The company’s net profit fell to 27 billion tenge (approximately $52 million) from 36.5 billion tenge a year earlier. Revenue declined 13.3%, from 87.9 billion to 76.2 billion tenge.

KCP’s operating profit fell from 43.4 billion to 29.2 billion tenge. At the same time, financial income more than doubled to 6.4 billion tenge from 3.2 billion tenge a year earlier.

Dispute over oil transit tariffs

KCP is owned equally by...

A company that rents stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) is introducing an unusually romantic summer tradition in Aktau: concerts on the Caspian Sea.

The concerts take place at dawn, at 6 a.m. The performer sits on a special floating platform while the audience listens from SUP boards. Four concerts have already been held during the two-week experiment, featuring a violinist, guitarist and kobyz player performing for the Aktau community.

On social media...

What if Homer’s epic “Odyssey” — or, rather, Christopher Nolan’s latest screen adaptation of it — were reframed as a cautionary tale of disastrous leadership, toxic communication and extreme schedule slippage?

Kazakh project manager Aitzhan Iskakov used an AI agent to create a satirical take on the theme «How I brought the project to completion,» imagining what kind of project manager Odysseus might have been.

The satirical post-mortem chronicles the decade-long struggle of a project manager named Odysseus as he attempts to deliver a seemingly simple transit initiative. Originally planned as a brief, two-week coastal...