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The official representative of Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry, Aibek Smadiyarov, elaborated on how the visa regime with the EU is set to be facilitated for Kazakhstan. According to him, entry will be cheaper, and the list of required documents will be shorter.

The official recalled that Kazakhstan and the EU have been in talks on facilitating the regime, with the first round of negotiations taking place on Dec. 2. The next round is planned for 2026 in Astana.

«First of all, this step will make travel, business and cultural exchange easier for citizens...

Rising taxes, high interest rates and increased competition from gray imports are putting organized retail and medium-sized businesses in Kazakhstan in an extremely difficult position, according to Freedom Holding Corp. CEO and majority shareholder Timur Turlov, who met with the media today in Almaty.

The high base rate most strongly affects the corporate segment, especially companies that depend on market loans, such as retailers.

«Retailers who financed sales with market loans are facing a zugzwang. Paying market rates is objectively very expensive for them. They cannot adequately shift this burden onto their margins,» Turlov said.

Ivan Toney, forward for Al-Ahli and England’s national team, was arrested after an alleged assault on a visitor at London bar, The Sun reported.

The incident took place last weekend. According to the outlet, the conflict broke out when a fan grabbed Toney around the neck in an attempt to take a selfie. The player told the man to let go, and reportedly Toney struck the person with his head.

«He walked past a table of a group of lads. One of them recognized him and said, ‘Oh, it’s Ivan Toney’ and...

According to Freedom Holding Corp. CEO and majority shareholder Timur Turlov, the company is exploring entry into the Turkish market. During a media briefing in Almaty, he said Turkey is a logical next step for the company’s development, though no deals have been signed yet.

«I don’t want to spoil the deal or make any announcements before a deal is finalized. We haven’t signed any agreements yet, but overall, we are definitely interested in regional expansion,» Turlov said.

No major acquisitions planned

As Turlov noted, Freedom has no intention of making any significant acquisitions in...

Kazakhstan’s National Bank is introducing amendments to the rules governing the opening and maintenance of bank accounts, as well as noncash payments and transfers. The changes will allow self-employed individuals to open special accounts.

The proposed updates include:

According to the National Bank, the first measure is intended to strengthen oversight of how grants for the commercialization of scientific and technical research...

Kazakhstan’s net international reserves reached $58.3 billion in October 2025, marking the third consecutive record high, according to data from the National Bank.

The figure rose 5.47% month-on-month, or by $3 billion. Since the start of the year, reserves have increased by $14.7 billion, or 33.76%.

Net international reserves represent gross reserves minus the National Bank’s international liabilities.

Gross international reserves also rose in October, increasing 5.79%, or $3.3 billion. The total consists of two components: freely convertible currency (FCC) assets and monetary gold.

FCC assets reached $18.8 billion, up 6.13% — or $1.1 billion — for...

Beijing-based tour agency Koryo Tours, which operates trips to North Korea, announced that tickets for the country’s 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon, scheduled for April 5, have sold out, Yonhap reported.

The company wrote on social media that all 500 slots were filled in under five hours. It added that it is working to secure additional places and invited those interested to join a waiting list.

The Pyongyang International Marathon was established in 1981 under the name Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, with a women’s division introduced in 1984. The...

China plans to launch its first domestically produced passenger airship, the Xiangyun AS700, in 2026. The aircraft — unofficially nicknamed the «sky beluga» for its streamlined shape and pale exterior — has become a milestone in China’s airship development, according to the Global Times.

The AS700 is 50 meters long and has a range of up to 700 kilometers. It can carry up to 10 people and is designed to operate at altitudes between 100 and 300 meters. China expects the aircraft to be used for tourism flights, rescue missions, and aerial advertising.

The airship is undergoing...

Major online marketplaces no longer need third-party sellers on their platforms, according to marketing analyst Chingiz Musin. In a post on Instagram, he said major e-commerce platforms relied on outside sellers only to build out their infrastructure.

Musin, a marketing expert who previously worked for several large Russian retail chains, believes major marketplaces will soon begin phasing out independent sellers.

He said sellers were essential in the early stages, when platforms used their capital to develop logistics networks, expand delivery services, and open warehouses and distribution hubs. Sellers also helped e-commerce companies gather valuable data on...

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan at 11:15 p.m. on Dec. 8. The quake occurred 54 kilometers deep off the Pacific coast of Aomori Prefecture. It initially triggered a tsunami warning that was later lifted, though authorities issued a potential megaquake advisory, NHK World reported.

According to the Associated Press, citing the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, 33 people were injured, including one seriously, with most injuries caused by falling objects. NHK World, citing Tokyo Electric Power Company, reported that no injuries or abnormalities had been reported at the Fukushima Daiichi and...

Kazakhstan plans to deliver 50,000 tons of oil to China in December 2025 directly from the Kashagan field, following damage to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal caused by a Ukrainian drone strike in November, according to Reuters.

The shipment will move through the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline. The oil is produced at Kashagan by the North Caspian Operating Company, a consortium that includes China’s CNPC and Japan’s Inpex. CNPC expects to ship about 30,000 tons via this route, while Inpex plans to send roughly 20,000 tons.

The Atasu-Alashankou pipeline runs from Kazakhstan to China’s Xinjiang

Eight works by Henri Matisse and at least five by Cândido Portinari were stolen from the Biblioteca Mário de Andrade in São Paulo on Sunday, the BBC reported, citing local authorities.

On Sunday, two armed men restrained a security guard and an elderly couple visiting the library. The men then left the building on foot with the artwork. The pieces were taken from a joint exhibition with the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art, titled «From Book to Museum,» on its final day.

Thanks to extensive surveillance systems, including facial recognition cameras in the area surrounding the library...

In the 1973 film «The Exorcist,» a mother seeking help for her supposedly possessed daughter is instructed to first obtain medical proof that the girl has no underlying mental illness before church authorities will consider an exorcism.

In Kazakhstan, some people assert they can expel jinns (spirits) without first examining those who seek their services and offer such services for profit, according to Daniyar Zhumabekov, imam of the Kaskelen mosque in the Almaty region. He made these comments in a recent interview with the Baisemiz Life podcast.

Imam warns against profit-driven «exorcists»

Zhumabekov — known nationwide as...

Under the instruction of Kazakhstan’s president, the awarding ceremony for figures active in various spheres and making significant contributions to the country’s public and economic life, originally arranged for Republic Day (Oct. 25), took place at the Ministry of Culture for awardees who could not receive their awards on time.

Among them was Imanbek Zeikenov — better known as Imanbek — the first Kazakhstani artist to be recognized with a Grammy Award. He was presented with the Order of Kurmet (Honor) for his contributions to the development of the music industry and the popularization of Kazakhstan’s culture worldwide.

According to El Mundo, Real Madrid’s leadership has issued an ultimatum to head coach Xabi Alonso, reportedly linking his future at the club to the upcoming Champions League match against Manchester City. The report suggests Alonso would be dismissed if the Spanish side suffers defeat.

The decision was allegedly reached during an emergency meeting of club executives on Monday night, amid growing frustration over recent results. Real Madrid are said to be under pressure following yesterday’s loss to Celta and their trailing position behind Barcelona in La Liga. So far this season, Madrid have 36 points, compared with...

Kazakh Senator Gennadiy Shipovskih has proposed banning microloans for young adults under age 21. He outlined the idea on a Dec. 4 parliamentary inquiry addressed to Madina Abylkassymova, head of the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM).

Concerns about youth debt and easy access to loans

Shipovskih said that during meetings with the public and from monitoring social media, lawmakers have seen a growing number of young people facing blocked bank accounts and rising debts.

«This situation is driven by the excessively easy and fast process for obtaining loans...

A $122 million auto plant will be launched in Uzbekistan’s Sirdaryo region, bordering Kazakhstan, next year. The project is being implemented jointly with Chinese companies, the government said in a statement.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the project during a speech at a regional assembly session. However, he did not provide details such as the models of Chinese auto brands expected to be produced at the plant.

He said the region would attract $3 billion in investment and increase export volumes to $500 million. The president also mentioned the Central Asian International Industrial Cooperation Center, which was opened in...

The Men’s Choir of the Song and Dance Ensemble of Kazakhstan’s National Guard of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has performed an unusual cover of Linkin Park’s legendary hit «Numb,» which is now going viral on social media.

The song was accompanied by the dombra — a two-stringed plucked musical instrument central to Kazakhstan’s folk music — giving the rock classic a new feeling through the prism of the traditional instrument’s sound.

The cover carries a touch of the steppe’s lyrical atmosphere while preserving the spirit and power of the original.

The popular gaming platform Steam is preparing to offer users a new simulator in which players control a sperm cell.

The game, titled «Become,» is being developed by indie creator Valentin Wirth. It is a short, third-person adventure in which players follow the journey of a single sperm cell through a microscopic race for survival.

Players are challenged to navigate the human body, avoiding acid traps, immune cells and powerful currents, while collecting resources and gradually strengthening their character’s abilities.

The project description presents the game as a two- to three-hour cinematic mini-odyssey built around the idea...

Last weekend, the 2025 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Nagoya, Japan concluded. Kazakhstani figure skater Mikhail Shaidorov ranked sixth, finishing last.

The athlete stood sixth after the short program, and the gap between him and the leaders remained too large, leaving him in sixth place overall. The judges awarded Shaidorov 170.89 points in the free skate, bringing his total to 242.19 points.

American Ilia Malinin celebrated his third consecutive victory at the ISU Grand Prix Final, scoring 332.29 points. After completing the short program, he trailed the leader by...

Any correspondence involving the purchase of goods or services — including WhatsApp messages — will now be considered part of a legally binding contract in Kazakhstan, according to MP Murat Abenov. He announced the change during a live broadcast on the parliament’s official Instagram page.

«Any conversation or message is part of the contract»

«We are now stipulating that any conversation we have — any video recording, any WhatsApp correspondence, any advertisement — is an integral part of the contract,» Abenov said. «If we corresponded, if I sent the money through Kaspi, if...

Clashes erupted along Thailand’s disputed border with Cambodia on Monday morning, killing at least one Thai soldier and injuring four others, Thailand’s military said. Later that day, the Thai air force launched airstrikes against Cambodian military positions in several locations, accusing Cambodia of deploying heavy weapons and repositioning combat units near the border, The Guardian reported.

Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense, however, placed responsibility for the escalation on Thailand. It said Thai forces had attacked Cambodian troops earlier in the day and claimed that Cambodia had so far refrained from striking back, despite what it called «provocative actions...

Kazakhstani singer Dimash Qudaibergen participated in the international project Grammy Global Spin.

His live performance of the original song «Fire» was uploaded to the Recording Academy / Grammys’ official YouTube channel.

The release emerged as a successful continuation of the year. In October, Qudaibergen drew full houses at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York, and he now works with Grammy.com and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences — the U.S.-based organization that promotes the interests of musicians and annually presents prestigious awards.

Launched in...

The newly released 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS) marks a sharp pivot toward the Western Hemisphere and “America First” economics, leaving Central Asia largely on the periphery, according to an initial review of the document.

Unlike its predecessors, the document does not explicitly prioritize the region, omitting specific strategic frameworks for Central Asian republics.

This absence stems from the strategy’s core focus: retrenchment to the “Trump Corollary” (securing the Americas), re-industrialization, and viewing global engagement primarily through the lens of direct economic competition with China rather than global security architecture.

Comparison with previous strategies: