Kazakhstani director Aisultan Seitov co-directed American rapper A$AP Rocky’s new music video for «Shroom Clouds,» alongside Pietro Biz Biasia. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at what makes the video stand out.
Seitov shared a photo with the artist on Instagram to mark the collaboration.
The official music video was released on A$AP Rocky’s YouTube channel on Oct. 19. The closing credits and video description list the rapper, Aisultan Seitov and Pietro Biz Biasia as directors.
Kyrgyzstan aims to achieve the lowest inflation rate in Central Asia by the end of 2027. The government plans to achieve this through a state program designed to curb price increases starting Jan. 1, according to Askat Alagozov, official spokesperson for Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.
«God willing, we will finish 2027 with the lowest inflation rate in Central Asia. We are hopeful for that,» Alagozov wrote on Facebook.
Overall, Kyrgyzstan plans to allocate roughly $419 million to a two-year program aimed at stabilizing prices and curbing inflation in 2026 and 2027. The primary goal...
All five Russian citizens hospitalized in St. Petersburg have tested positive for mpox, RIA Novosti reported, citing Botkin Hospital.
Doctors treating the patients at the infectious diseases center said the illness ranged from mild to moderate and that all patients were stable.
According to RIA Novosti, Russia’s consumer protection and public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, continues to monitor the mpox situation and take measures to identify cases promptly. The agency also said Russia has sufficient testing capacity to diagnose mpox, including new variants.
Earlier reports said five Russian citizens were hospitalized in St...
Kyrgyzstan’s economy and inflation are expanding at rapid double-digit rates as a massive construction boom and fiscal spending drive gross domestic product growth. In the first half of 2026, real GDP surged 11.3% year-over-year to 960 billion soms, or roughly $11 billion. This rapid expansion reflects a post-pandemic economic shift powered by sanctions-related re-exports to Russia, government formalization efforts, and rapid domestic credit expansion. S&P Global Ratings classified the national growth rate as very high while noting frequent upward historical revisions in official national accounts data.
The construction...
A new assessment published in The Lancet has identified 17 major threats to human health and survival between 2025 and 2100. Two of them — the malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI) and nuclear conflict — carry the potential to cause human extinction.
The assessment was conducted by the Lancet Commission on 21st Century Global Threats to Health. Rather than focusing solely on individual diseases, the researchers examined a broad range of interconnected risks, from climate change and air pollution to military conflict, economic inequality and the dangerous use of emerging technologies.
The commission evaluated hundreds...
In his new open-access book, “Microhistories of Technology: Making the World,” historian Mikael Hård challenges the Eurocentric assumption that modern innovation flowed in one direction — from Western industrial centers to the rest of the world.
Drawing on archival records, field observations and oral histories from Asia, Africa and Latin America, Hård shows how local communities actively selected, adapted or rejected Western technologies to maintain their autonomy and preserve distinct material cultures.
By examining technology through the broader lens of material culture, Hård places hand tools on an equal footing with complex industrial machinery. He argues...
The causes of childhood cancer remain poorly understood. Unlike adults, children have had less time to accumulate DNA damage from environmental exposures and aging. Researchers in Norway may have identified a possible explanation involving the immune system. Their findings were published in the Frontiers in Immunology journal.
The researchers analyzed blood samples from 175 adult and pediatric cancer patients and compared them with samples from healthy individuals. They found unusually high levels of abnormal antibodies targeting proteins involved in DNA repair in children with cancer ages 2 to 19.
Read also: What...
Researchers in Kazakhstan are developing guidelines on proper greeting etiquette for students, Education Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova said in response to a parliamentary inquiry.
According to Suleimenova, the Ybyrai Altynsarin National Academy of Education has established a task force comprising scholars, experts and civil society representatives.
The guidelines will be developed with input from participants in the education process, other stakeholders and government agencies.
«The document will also be subject to further discussion with members of parliament,» Suleimenova said.
Kazakhstani brand strategist Yrysty Yerden has won bronze at the 2026 Pentawards, an international packaging design competition. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at how she reimagined packaging for kumys, a traditional Kazakh drink made from fermented mare’s milk, and what other awards the project has received.
Yerden received the award for SAF Qymyz, her conceptual packaging design. The Pentawards winners were announced at a ceremony in London on Oct. 16. The kumys comes in aluminum cans, while two kese — traditional Kazakh drinking bowls — on the packaging reference the custom of sharing kumys.
«SAF» comes from the Kazakh word for «pure...
Altaris Holding Ltd, a holding company owned by Kazakhstani businessman Kenes Rakishev, has completed the acquisition of oil and gas assets operated in Kazakhstan by U.K.-registered firm Nostrum Oil & Gas. The $304.6 million deal ends Nostrum’s nearly 30-year presence in the country. The company has used proceeds from the sale to pay down debt and will phase out its remaining business operations.
According to Nostrum, on Oct. 15, 2026, Altaris Holding Ltd acquired its participating interests in the charter capital of Zhaikmunai LLP and POSITIV Invest LLP, together with its rights under...
Thirteen Chinese nationals have been detained in Kazakhstan on suspicion of organizing an international online fraud scheme. Authorities discovered computers, mobile phones, Starlink equipment and large amounts of cryptocurrency in their possession.
Authorities identified the individuals during a routine migration inspection. All 13 were found to be in the country illegally. Moreover, the National Security Committee (KNB) determined that they were likely involved in online fraud.
«The group’s activities were directed against the interests of foreign nationals — non-residents of the Republic of Kazakhstan — and were coordinated from abroad,» the KNB stated.
Chinese law...
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Healthcare considers the risk of a widespread mpox outbreak in the country to be low but does not rule out imported cases. Health screening and quarantine measures have therefore been strengthened at border checkpoints.
«Given the reported cases in several countries around the world … the possibility of the infection being imported into Kazakhstan cannot be ruled out. The risk of widespread mpox transmission among the population is considered low, taking into account the characteristics of pathogen transmission,» the ministry said in a statement.
To prevent imported cases and further transmission, Kazakhstan...
Elena Rybakina remained world No. 1 in the latest WTA rankings despite failing to defend 500 ranking points in Wuhan, while Yulia Putintseva climbed to No. 66.
Rybakina, who reached the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open last year, opted to skip the tournament this time, sacrificing ranking points to focus on recovering from a lingering injury. Her main competitor, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, also failed to impress in Wuhan, losing her opening match to American Ann Li, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (5-7).
After coming through qualifying, Putintseva defeated Turkey’s Zeynep Sönmez (No. 59) 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 7-5 before losing to Russia’s
The number of registered media outlets in Kazakhstan has grown from 2,900 to more than 5,400 over the past decade, while nearly 40% of the population now gets news through social media and messaging apps.
Kanat Iskakov, first vice minister of culture and information, shared the figures during a panel discussion at Astana Media Week, held on Oct. 14-16.
According to Iskakov, 10 years ago, 73% of Kazakhstan’s population used the internet, while television was the primary source of news. Today, internet access has reached 93.4%.
News consumption habits have also changed...
Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG) plans to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital twins for 12 oil fields by the end of 2028, using the technology to optimize extraction and improve operational efficiency. The project is expected to generate an estimated 326 billion tenge (about $722 million) in economic benefits.
The digital twins will combine data on geological formations, wells and production to identify development strategies that offer the best economic returns. By processing large volumes of field data, the AI system can generate recommendations in hours rather than the months traditionally required.
YouTube could expand beyond video and music to become a destination for audiobooks. The company is reportedly in talks with book publishers about licensing titles for a dedicated audiobook offering, which could be added to its YouTube Premium subscription as early as 2027, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move would put YouTube in more direct competition with Spotify and Amazon-owned Audible.
Audiobooks are not entirely new to YouTube. Recordings of books are already available on the platform, but they are typically uploaded as standard videos. A dedicated audiobook section...
Soviet animation icon Yuri Norstein has reportedly decided to donate his archive — including sketches, storyboards and drafts for «Hedgehog in the Fog» — to the Ghibli Museum in Japan. To Hayao Miyazaki. Not to Gosfilmofond, Russia’s state film archive and not to the long-promised Moscow animation museum that has been in the works for a decade but still does not exist, wrote Andrew Volkov in a recent social media post.
Norstein is entrusting his work to a Japanese artist who admires him, quotes him and considers him a mentor. The symbolism is more powerful than...
Kazakhstan’s commercial banks recorded a record increase in lending in August despite sharp outflows of corporate deposits. Aggregate sector net profit reached 1.61 trillion tenge through August, down 13.6% year-over-year, showing a slight recovery from July as lending growth accelerated.
Corporate deposits shrank by 802 billion tenge, or 3.8%, in August, marking the second-largest monthly business withdrawal of 2026. Real capital flight was partially cushioned by foreign exchange revaluations as the tenge appreciated 2.4% against the U.S. dollar. Halyk Bank accounted for more than half of the monthly decline, losing...
Pistachios contain compounds involved in sleep regulation. Researchers from Spain and the U.S. set out to determine whether they contain enough of these compounds to have a noticeable effect.
The findings were published in the journal Nutrition Research Reviews.
Pistachios contain tryptophan, an amino acid involved in producing serotonin and melatonin. The latter helps the body regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
The review suggests that a 28.3-gram serving of pistachios contains around 71 mg of tryptophan. These nuts also contain vitamin B6 and magnesium, which contribute to the normal functioning of...
Kazakhstani scooter-sharing operator JET is considering an initial public offering (IPO) after 2028. The company is choosing between Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
JET founder Meirambek Abelkassov spoke about the plans on the Kursiv Talks podcast. At the same time, he expressed skepticism about an IPO in Kazakhstan alone but did not rule out a dual listing involving the Astana International Exchange (AIX).
Abelkassov said the team would decide where to list after the end of 2028. JET views Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) as its main potential listing venues.
The businessman...
Kendala Critical Minerals Ltd., a new private company, was registered at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) on Oct. 16, 2026.
Its sole shareholder is U.S.-based KazAmerican Critical Minerals, Inc., headquartered in New York. The new company’s share capital is $1,000, consisting of 10,000 ordinary shares worth $0.10 each.
According to the AIFC, Kendala Critical Minerals Ltd. plans to engage in geological exploration, extraction, downstream processing and wholesale trading of critical minerals, strategic metals and rare earth elements.
The company will also manage subsoil-use rights, conduct geological exploration, prepare feasibility studies for metallurgical operations and enter into physical supply agreements...
Syria’s General Intelligence Service has arrested Ali Kayali, a former militia commander accused of involvement in the killing of hundreds of civilians during the country’s civil war, as Damascus steps up efforts to hold suspects accountable for crimes committed under the former government, Euronews reported, citing state-run SANA news agency.
Kayali, also known as Mihrac Ural, commanded an armed militia that fought alongside forces loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad during the civil war. He was involved in military operations in several parts of Syria, including the coastal provinces, and is accused of playing a leading role in...
James Cameron, creator of the «Avatar» film universe and director of «Titanic,» is set to give a masterclass in Central Asia. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at the details.
Cameron will hold a masterclass titled «Creating Worlds» in Kyrgyzstan, Gamma Media CEO Islam Satarov said.
«Director, screenwriter, producer, inventor and deep-sea explorer. National Geographic Explorer at Large and Hubbard Medal laureate. In 2012, he...
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are now officially connected by a 380-kilometer fiber-optic communication line laid on the seabed of the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev took part in the official launch ceremony.
According to Akorda.kz, the subsea cable will become part of a new data transmission route linking Central Asia, China and Europe.
The project was implemented jointly by national communications operators Kazakhtelecom and AzerTelecom. According to the government, the operators financed the project with their own funds, without using the state budget.
Speaking at the...