News

PwC, one of the world’s largest audit firms, has established a new entity within the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) to serve the entire Eurasia region. The firm will focus on providing businesses with consulting services and development strategies.

The newly registered entity, PwC Strategy& Consulting, will specialize in management consulting. Its services range from developing corporate strategies to designing operational models.

The firm will serve clients not only in Kazakhstan but also across Eurasia, including Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.

PwC Strategy& Consulting is part of the global PwC network of audit and consulting firms, headquartered in...

A Kazakh-Korean rare metals technology center has opened in Almaty. Scientists and engineers from the two countries will develop technologies for the downstream processing of mineral raw materials, the extraction of rare metals and the production of new materials, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education said.

The center was inaugurated on Oct. 21 at the Metallurgy and Enrichment Institute at Satbayev University. Its main objective is to promote the production of high-value-added products in Kazakhstan and strengthen the technological capabilities of the country’s industrial sector.

Technologies to be developed

The project is being implemented by the Korea Institute...

Childhood obesity was a key topic at the Salamatty Mektep («Healthy School») forum in Astana, amid growing concerns about children’s health in Kazakhstan. According to reported figures, 23.2% of children ages 5-9 in the country are overweight.

The Ministry of Health reported that more than 1,100 cases of Type 2 diabetes were recorded among children and adolescents under age 18 last year, including 237 newly diagnosed cases.

Why early intervention matters

Health care professionals emphasize the importance of identifying and addressing excess weight during childhood. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes...

Chinese investors have reduced their planned investment in a copper processing project near Aktobe Airport in Kazakhstan from $100 million to $35 million following concerns raised by local residents and environmental activists. According to local media reports, the plant could potentially generate up to 500 tons of harmful emissions annually. The figures were cited by the author of the Metals & ESG Trends.KZ channel.

Mining industry expert Telman Shuriyev reported on his channel that Chinese company Phoenix Industrial Group had revised its plans to build a copper plant near the airport. The changes follow public concerns about the...

Sometimes, people begin to stammer or take longer to formulate answers. Such changes do not necessarily indicate an illness, but speech can reveal important clues about brain health.

A new study by scientists in Latin America found that people with Alzheimer’s disease and certain forms of dementia are more likely to have speech patterns that sound older than their chronological age.

The researchers developed an automated tool called a «speech clock.» It analyzes speech characteristics and estimates a person’s so-called speech age.

How does the speech clock work?

The scientists analyzed audio recordings from nearly 3,000 Spanish-speaking...

Tansar Islamic Bank Ltd. has been registered at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) with stated share capital of $12 million. Its sole shareholder is Tansar Group, which also owns investment firm Tansar Capital. As of mid-2026, Tansar Capital has been managing a portion of Kazakhstanis’ pension savings.

According to registration records, the new entity was established on Oct. 16. It plans to provide Islamic banking services, including financing for businesses and individuals in accordance with Sharia principles. Its planned activities also include payment services, money transfers, currency exchange and the management of investment accounts based...

Between January and August, Kazakhstan’s game console exports rose 5.5-fold year-on-year to $2.1 million. According to trade analyst Yernar Serik, who runs the TradeReport channel on Telegram, most of these shipments went to Russia and Belarus.

The foreign trade expert noted that in the first eight months of the year, Kazakhstan exported more consoles than in all of 2025. As a result, Kazakhstan’s console exports totaled 31,100 units ($2.1 million), compared with 12,700 units ($380,000) a year earlier.

Russia accounted for 85% of shipments ($1.77 million), while Belarus received another 11%. The bulk of these exports occurred during the...

A camera trap in Buiratau National Park in central Kazakhstan captured an unusual scene: a wild boar chasing wolves and forcing the predators to flee. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at the details.

The video, posted by the Ministry of Ecology shows a wild boar chasing wolves — an unusual reversal of roles, with the predators fleeing instead of the prey.

Although the scene may look funny, a wild boar is actually a fairly dangerous animal. It can run at high speeds and inflict serious injuries, so it’s no surprise that the wolves chose to back off.

«Wildlife...

Sanazar Kadyr, a Ph.D. candidate at Nazarbayev University, is researching a new approach to treating intestinal and colon cancer. The young scientist spoke about his work in an interview with Jibek Joly TV channel, Kazinform reported.

Chemotherapy drugs can affect healthy cells as well as cancer cells. Researchers are therefore looking for ways to deliver drugs directly to tumors without affecting healthy tissue.

How the new method works

Kadyr’s system involves incorporating a drug into a special formulation containing nanoparticles. The formulation remains liquid at room temperature but turns into a gel at body temperature...

The Khorgos International Border Cooperation Center is introducing an electronic screening system called QGate. Once fully operational, it will reduce border crossing time to just 10 seconds. Authorities expect this will help shorten queues, as approximately 5,000 people cross the border to the center every day, Channel Seven reported.

Khorgos remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Zhetysu region, which welcomed over 2 million tourists over the first 10 months of the year. Within the region, people usually travel to Lake Alakol, Lake Balkhash, Altyn-Emel National Park and the border cooperation center.

According to Murat Madiyev...

Kazakhstan’s diplomatic missions abroad have begun notifying foreign nationals of changes to the country’s immigration procedures. The country is launching the QazETA digital platform, which will require travelers to obtain an electronic entry permit.

Citizens of other Eurasian Economic Union member states will not be exempt, and the new requirements will apply to all foreign nationals entering Kazakhstan under a visa-free regime.

Launch phases and transition period

The transition period will begin on Nov. 1, 2026, ahead of the platform’s full-scale launch. In the first phase, the system will be tested at Aktau International Airport and four road border...

Oil exports through the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline rose 26% year-on-year to 983,000 tons in January-September, KazTransOil, Kazakhstan’s national oil pipeline operator and a subsidiary of KazMunayGas, said.

Kazakhstan-China Pipeline LLP transported 14.8 million tons of oil through its main pipeline system in the first nine months of 2026, up 2% year-on-year. Most of the volume was transited through Kazakhstan to China. Meanwhile, exports of Kazakh oil to China rose 26%.

«A total of 8.517 million tons of oil was transported via the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline, an increase of 255,000 tons compared with the same period last year. Of...

Two Bangladeshi nationals have been executed in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of an «immoral act» inside a mosque in Mecca. Bangladeshi diplomats have requested an explanation, saying they received no prior notification of the executions, bdnews24.com reported.

The death sentences of Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir (Bashir) and Siti Akhtar (Sweety Akter) were carried out on Oct. 14 in the Mecca region.

Details of the charges

According to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior, the court imposed the death penalty, citing the gravity of the offense and the violation of the mosque’s sanctity. After the verdict was upheld...

U.S.-based National Airlines has added Aktobe to its network in Kazakhstan. On Oct. 20, the carrier’s Boeing 747-400F freighter operating on the Kuala Lumpur-Aktobe-Jakarta route made its first refueling stop at Aktobe International Airport, the Aktobe region administration reported.

The refueling was carried out by KazMunayGas-Aero, a KazMunayGas subsidiary. The company had previously signed an agreement with National Airlines to provide into-plane refueling services.

The first flight under the agreement was handled on Oct. 16 at Turkestan International Airport. The Boeing 777 freighter was operating on the Hong Kong-Turkestan-Amsterdam route.

With Aktobe included, the agreement covers six airports in Kazakhstan...

Sex remains a topic many people feel uncomfortable discussing — much like menstruation. Talking about sex during a period can feel especially awkward, even though many couples have sex during menstruation.

Kursiv Health spoke with Vera Yazar, an obstetrician-gynecologist, to find out whether sex during menstruation is safe, whether pregnancy is possible and whether any special hygiene measures are necessary.

Is it OK to have sex during menstruation?

Menstruation is not a medical contraindication to sexual activity.

«If a woman feels comfortable — meaning she has no pain, unusual discharge or...

Colleges in Kazakhstan may begin offering formal training for cleaning professionals, Education Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova said in response to a parliamentary inquiry.

According to Suleimenova, the rapid growth of the service sector has created an urgent need to identify and train qualified cleaning professionals. However, she noted that the Ministry of Labor is responsible for assessing workforce needs in the short, medium and long term.

«If a demand for workers in the cleaning sector is identified, the possibility of training such specialists will be considered,» Suleimenova said.

Read also...

In China, Lu Shizeng, a centenarian from eastern Zhejiang province, has become a social media sensation for his unusual dietary habits. While many people carefully monitor their sugar and calorie intake, Lu stocks up on fatty foods and soft drinks and rounds off his meals with sweet fruit.

Lu lives in a rural area and heads to the local market about once every five days to buy fresh fish, shrimp, crabs, pork and vegetables. He used to make the trip on his own three-wheeled bicycle, but after a fall, his family stopped him from riding it. He now...

The annual Inktober challenge is coming to a close. Running from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31, the monthlong celebration of ink-based art encourages artists of all skill levels to create and share one drawing each day, fostering practice, creativity and a sense of community.

Kursiv.media presents its selection of the most striking illustrations from this year’s challenge.

Started in 2009 by illustrator Jake Parker, the idea follows a simple format: each day brings a single-word prompt from Inktober organizers.

This year’s official list has no theme, but the first prompts were «Apple» on...

Mass protests have swept France and other European countries over the past week, with some demonstrations giving way to clashes with police, arson and looting. Groups of masked individuals have smashed storefronts and stolen merchandise, targeting luxury boutiques, supermarkets and smaller retailers.

Among the businesses hit were stores belonging to Celine, Burberry, Dior and Louis Vuitton. Videos of the looting spread rapidly across social media.

The second season of the anime series «Cyberpunk: Edgerunners» has premiered on Netflix, with all 10 episodes now available to stream. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at the main characters and Hideo Kojima‘s role in the new season.

Japanese studio TRIGGER, which produced the first season in 2022, returned to work on “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2.” Screenwriter Bartosz Sztybor returned as the showrunner, while Kai Ikarashi, known for his work on the anime series “Little Witch Academia,” took on the role of director.

The story moves away from David Martinez and his crew, focusing on new characters while keeping...

A simple balloon caused a power outage in several districts of Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at the details.

The incident occurred on the evening of Oct. 19 at the Aksa Tashkent thermal power plant. Following the disruption, the plant’s power output fell sharply from 460 megawatts to 185 megawatts, leaving parts of several city districts without electricity.

Parts of four of Tashkent’s most populous districts — Yunusabad, Almazar, Mirzo Ulugbek and Shaikhantakhur — were temporarily left without power. Energy workers quickly switched to backup power sources, partially restoring electricity in Yunusabad and Almazar districts...

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan repeatedly referred to Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov as Kazakhstan’s president. The mix-up occurred at an official event in Yerevan and led to the dismissal of the head of the Armenian government’s protocol service, 24.kg reported.

On Oct. 17, Japarov arrived in Yerevan to attend the COP17 climate conference. While welcoming his guest — and reading from a prepared text — Pashinyan confused the two countries.

«First of all, I would like to welcome President of Kazakhstan Sadyr Japarov back to Armenia,» the prime minister said.

The confusion did not...

On Oct. 19, the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and the U.S. secretary of state gathered in Samarkand, Uzbekistan for the C5+1 Ministerial. The U.S. Department of State published a joint statement released by the governments of all six participating countries.

The document outlined plans to deepen cooperation across several areas, more than a decade after the first C5+1 Ministerial in Washington, D.C. All the participating countries reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation on nuclear, cyber and border security, including efforts to secure nuclear materials, strengthen safeguards and support the peaceful use of...

The vast majority of Alberta voters have rejected a proposal that could have put the oil-rich province on a path toward independence from Canada, the Associated Press reported.

With ballots still being counted, about 76% of voters have rejected a move toward independence from Canada. Nearly a quarter supported beginning the process, with separatist leaders arguing that the federal government has not treated the province fairly.

Technically, the referendum was not an independence vote. Initiated by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith amid pressure from separatists, the plebiscite aimed to decide whether the province should start moving in that direction. Approval...