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Existing insurance companies in Kazakhstan will be able to establish «Islamic windows» without creating separate legal entities, according to the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM). The initiative is aimed at developing Islamic insurance, known as takaful.

Takaful means «providing mutual guarantees.» It is an insurance system based on profit- and loss-sharing principles and operates according to the principles of mutual assistance, solidarity and compliance with Sharia law. Participants contribute funds to a common pool, from which compensation is paid to participants who incur losses. An operating company manages the...

Scottish actor Daniel Portman, beloved by audiences for his role as the loyal Podrick Payne in the hit series “Game of Thrones” and for his appearance in “Black Mirror,” arrived in Almaty. He was one of the headline guests at AGGE Festival 2026, a pop-culture event that took place in the city on Sept. 26-27.

Read also: Beyond the wall: Inside magical ‘Game of Thrones’ wedding on world’s deepest lake.

Portman said he had been in Kazakhstan for several days and already felt very much at home, adding that...

In September 2026, the Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre in Almaty opened its 93rd season. Every performance begins long before the curtain rises: dancers and performers hone their movements in rehearsal halls, sets take shape in workshops, and artists prepare for the stage in dressing rooms.

In this photo essay, we go behind the scenes to explore the daily life of the theater and the people who bring its productions to life.

Read also: Did world opera heroine Princess Turandot live in Kazakhstan?

Where the theater takes...

Kazakhstan Chess Federation President Timur Turlov was elected president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in the second round of voting. The election took place on Sept. 26 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, during the organization’s General Assembly.

The CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. secured 110 out of 196 votes.

During his election campaign, Turlov presented a development program for FIDE. His proposals included establishing a development fund, increasing funding for international chess, advancing digitalization, strengthening marketing and communications, and supporting national federations.

«The greatest dream we all strive for is to move closer to the Olympic program...

Kazakhstan has signed an agreement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) that will allow it to attract up to $6 billion in additional loans. Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin said foreign borrowing poses no threat to the country’s economy.

During a recent briefing at the Kurultai, Kazakhstan’s new unicameral legislature, the minister was asked why the country has increasingly turned to foreign borrowing to finance major projects and how the national debt owed to foreign organizations is expected to change in the future.

This is not the first time lawmakers have raised concerns about...

Samruk-Energy, a subsidiary of Samruk-Kazyna, has reached an agreement with China Energy Overseas Investment Co., Ltd. and SANY Renewable Energy Co., Ltd. to build two 500-megawatt wind power plants. The agreement was signed at the Kazakhstan-China Investment Forum in Almaty, attended by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Samruk-Energy Chair Kairat Maksutov, China Energy Group Overseas Investment Company Vice President Li Yahong and Tang Chao from SANY Renewable Energy signed the agreement.

The project includes two 500-megawatt wind power plants, two energy storage systems, each with a power capacity of 150 MW and an energy capacity of 300 MWh, and approximately 800 kilometers...

ERG Group plans to complete the second phase of its Pavlodar aluminum smelter by 2029. The nearly $1 billion project is expected to increase the company’s finished aluminum production capacity by 400,000 tons per year.

According to Daniyar Rakhmatullaev, deputy general director for strategy and development at ERG, the company intends to build the new facility at the site of the existing Kazakhstan Electrolysis Plant. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 and be completed between 2028 and 2029, with total investment estimated at nearly $1 billion.

The new plant is expected to increase alumina processing volumes and boost the...

A 28-year-old English teacher from Russia allegedly stopped speaking Russian, his native language, for several hours after undergoing a colonoscopy under anesthesia, according to the Mash Telegram channel.

An endoscopist who spoke to the channel anonymously said this was the first time the man had undergone anesthesia. After the procedure, he took a long time to regain consciousness and, when he woke up, spoke only English. The doctors spent more than an hour trying to bring him back to normal before calling his wife.

Even after his wife arrived, the man kept speaking English, shouting, and...

Kazakhstan-based NERO Group is set to establish AI-powered robot production in the special economic zone in Almaty jointly with China’s UBTECH Robotics. The companies plan to invest $440 million in the project.

At the Kazakhstan-China Investment Forum, NERO Group CEO Yerlan Nabiyev spoke about a project to localize robotics engineering in Kazakhstan at the Park of Innovative Technologies Special Economic Zone. In July, the company signed an agreement with UBTECH Robotics, one of China’s leading robotics manufacturers. The project’s investment is estimated at $440 million, of which $340 million is the technology transfer fee for UBTECH’s humanoid robot manufacturing technology...

The bodies of two missing servicemen who were swept out to sea during exercises in the Caspian Sea in the Mangystau region have been found, the Defense Ministry confirmed.

The search-and-rescue operation continued throughout the night. The death toll rose to 14.

The search operation has been completed.

«Today, Sept. 25, at around 9:15 a.m., during the continuous search-and-rescue operation, the bodies of two servicemen who had previously been reported missing, Sergeant Mansur Gumarov and Seaman Miras Turdybekuly, were found,» the ministry said in a statement.

The Mangystau region has designated

Russia has been paying a fixed amount to lease the Baikonur Cosmodrome since 1994, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.

The ministry said Russia pays $115 million a year (51.6 billion tenge) to use Baikonur. Because the payment is denominated in U.S. dollars, the amount received by Kazakhstan’s national budget in tenge rises or falls with exchange-rate fluctuations.

For example, in 1994, $115 million was equivalent to about 5 billion tenge. Today, the same $115 million is worth more than 52 billion tenge. In other words, the lease generates roughly...

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the inaugural session of the People’s Council of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan Halyk Kenesi) on Sept. 24, explaining why he chose the name for the new body and outlining its primary purpose.

Tokayev said he had long planned to establish a dedicated institution that would serve as a platform for openly discussing the country’s challenges, analyzing public proposals and opinions, and developing concrete solutions.

He later personally proposed the name «People’s Council of Kazakhstan» to the Constitutional Reform Commission, saying it reflects the nationwide character of the new institution.

«Under the...

Many women are familiar with an unpleasant surprise when jumping, sneezing or laughing hard. Gynecological surgeon Alexandr Kulkin explained that the cause can be excessive urethral mobility or urethral sphincter insufficiency, and that specialized tests can help determine the mechanism behind the problem.

Reason No. 1: Urethral hypermobility

«Stress urinary incontinence occurs when urine leaks during coughing, laughing, jumping or sneezing, without an ‘unbearable urge’ to urinate. This does not automatically mean the pelvic floor muscles are weak. The mechanics are simple: Coughing increases intra-abdominal pressure. Normally, the urethra should close and hold...

Key management personnel across Kazakhstan’s commercial banks saw dramatic shifts in compensation driven by corporate restructuring, deferred bonus accounting, and equity-based incentive programs.

Recognized executive compensation expenses in annual audited financial statements do not always reflect actual cash paid during the reporting period, as long-term incentive plans, deferred bonuses, and equity grants spread payments across multiple financial years.

Bank RBK leads sector in executive pay

Executive board members at Bank RBK ranked as the highest-paid in the sector, earning an average gross monthly salary of 64.2 million tenge (about $125,000). With five members on the board...

Kazakhstan has selected the film that will represent the country at the next Academy Awards: «Abel» («Әбіл»), a drama directed by Elzat Eskendir. The film is set against the backdrop of changes in Kazakhstan in the 1990s. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at what has captivated audiences about the film.

«Abel» will represent Kazakhstan at the 99th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.

The story is set in 1993, when the country is undergoing sweeping social and economic changes. The protagonist, a shepherd named Abel, faces the new reality of privatization...

A group of Turkish businessmen has registered a company called Safi Kazakh Sugar Company with the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). They plan to invest up to $200 million in a new sugar plant in Kazakhstan with an annual production capacity of up to 140,000 tons.

The new company’s activities include acquiring, owning and managing stakes in subsidiaries engaged in sugar production, trading and retail. The company was registered on Aug. 23.

The company has $100,000 in equity and three owners: Atakan Safi, who is also CEO of Safi Holding, Ümit Safi and Faruk Safi.

Safi Holding is one of Turkey’s...

Nine servicemen died during exercises conducted by Kazakhstan’s naval forces on the Caspian Sea coast in the Mangystau region. A total of 19 servicemen were swept out to sea after a sharp deterioration in weather conditions. Three were rescued, while a search for the others is underway.

The tragedy occurred on Sept. 24 during combat training exercises. According to the Ministry of Defense, weather conditions deteriorated sharply and winds intensified, sweeping the servicemen out to sea.

«According to preliminary data, 19 servicemen were swept out to sea. As of now, nine of them, unfortunately, have died...

U.K.-based Ferro-Alloy Resources, which is developing the Balasausqandiq vanadium deposit in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region, has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the U.S.-based Maglut Heavy Industries for the potential supply of mixed rare earth concentrate. The separation of metals from the ore will allow the company to generate additional revenue, the company said in a statement.

The author of the Finmentor.kz Telegram channel spotlighted an announcement published by Ferro-Alloy Resources on the Astana International Exchange (AIX). Maglut Heavy Industries Inc. specializes in separating rare earth metals.

The memorandum provides for...

Singapore-based Changi Airports International (CAI) is entering the major infrastructure sector in Astana. The city’s administration, the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan and the Singaporean airport operator have signed a framework agreement on cooperation for the long-term development of the capital’s airport infrastructure.

Two areas of cooperation

The agreement formalizes cooperation in two key areas.

The first is the construction of a new airport in Astana. The project is being developed in line with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s directive to establish an international aviation hub and strengthen the capital’s transit potential. Kazakhstan’s government has previously highlighted...

Frequent overeating can increase the risk not only of excess weight gain but also of gastrointestinal disorders. About 3,000 cases of stomach cancer are diagnosed annually in Kazakhstan, with nearly 60% of patients seeking medical care at a late stage, according to the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology.

Surgical oncologist Abay Jumanov explains that regularly overloading the stomach can impair its motility and increase the risk of chronic inflammation of the stomach lining, reflux and precancerous changes. In the long term, he says, such conditions can contribute to the development of stomach cancer.

New tracts of land have been added to Kazakhstan’s state subsoil resource management program, with plans to offer them for licensing for hydrocarbon exploration and production, according to documents published on the Ministry of Energy’s website. Notably, some of the newly added tracts contain cemeteries and animal burial grounds.

Specifically, the «Aksaz West» tract, comprising 223 blocks and covering a total area of 553.3 square kilometers in the Mangystau region, has been designated for hydrocarbon exploration and production. A cemetery is located within four blocks of the tract, covering an area of 9.91 square kilometers. The...

During the busy Fashion Week season, everyone wants to stand out. However, attempts to surprise can sometimes backfire, sparking awkward reactions — even when the industry’s leading fashion magazine is behind the effort. Kursiv LifeStyle explores why the appearance of robots at Vogue World failed to impress.

The Vogue World show took place in Milan on Sept. 22. The program featured a dedicated technology segment titled “The Age of Intelligence,” which made an obvious attempt to connect artificial intelligence with haute couture. One of the highlights was a runway appearance by the same “awkward” robots from...

Restoration work on a mural depicting Dimash Qudaibergen in downtown Almaty may begin after Sept. 25, the Almaly District Akimat (mayor’s office) said in response to an inquiry from Kursiv.media.

In March, it was revealed that the mural had been painted over. The incident sparked an outcry among social media users and city residents.

Local authorities said the mural had deteriorated and announced that the wall would be redesigned with the artist’s consent. The district administration said the damaged image would be removed and a new portrait painted in its place.

New sketch still in...

Kazakhstani tennis players Anna Danilina and Zhibek Kulambayeva lost 2-6, 5-7 to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes Tormo in the quarterfinal of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Kazakhstan’s national team, without Elena Rybakina, lost the tie 2-1.

In the opening match, Sonja Zhiyenbayeva was unable to beat Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, losing 2-6, 2-6. Yulia Putintseva defeated Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to level the tie at 1-1.

The Kazakhstani pair struggled in the first set of the doubles match, losing 2-6. They raised their...