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The International Testing Agency (ITA) has provisionally suspended 2024 Olympic champion Lazizbek Mullajonov after he tested positive for a banned substance. The 26-year-old Uzbek boxer failed a doping test conducted a month and a half ago.

A sample collected on June 11, during an out-of-competition period, tested positive for methasterone, a synthetic steroid known for promoting rapid muscle growth and strength.

The ITA has notified Mullajonov of the positive test result. He has the right to request an analysis of his B sample. If he does not request the follow-up test, the doping violation will be considered confirmed.

A...

KMF, the largest microfinance organization (MFO) in Kazakhstan, is set to launch banking services this August, the company said in a statement. The decision followed the receipt of permission to convert into a bank from Kazakhstan’s Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) in March.

On July 30, KMF temporarily suspended its operations, including:

The company announced that all scheduled payments falling within the suspension period may be...

In international diplomacy, the exchange of high-level state decorations — such as orders and medals — between heads of state is a longstanding tradition. In contrast, or perhaps as a complement, a newer practice that has lately attracted media attention is the gifting of symbolic documents, often in the form of personally significant certificates.

Traditional decorations

One of the most notable moments during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s recent official visit to Turkey was his receipt of the country’s highest state honor, Devlet Nişanı, the Order of the State of the Republic of Turkey.

At the official ceremony in Ankara...

Foreign teachers at Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) — a well-known network promoting an international-oriented curriculum for children — receive salaries that are 4.5 times higher than those of their local colleagues, according to the Supreme Audit Chamber (SAC) of Kazakhstan.

«In 2023, the average salary of domestic teachers was 508,100 tenge (approx. $934), while foreign teachers earned 2,281,500 tenge (approx. $4,195),» the SAC reported in its review of the government’s execution of the 2024 state budget.

The audit also noted that NIS covers a broad range of additional expenses for foreign teachers, including accommodation and...

Tour packages for the Backstreet Boys concert in Astana, scheduled for Sept. 21, are now available from Kazakh tour operators, starting at 48,400 tenge (approximately $82).

According to Kazakh Tourism, local tour companies Kompas, Skyway LTD and Sanat are offering various concert packages.

Kursiv.media reached out to the tour operators to inquire about the tour prices and what packages include.

Basic ticket options — no flight or accommodation

The most affordable option includes only concert tickets.

Sanat is offering tickets priced between $82 (sector E5, row 52) and $167 (sector N5, row 4). A ticket to the Silver Standing zone...

A trip to Charyn — a unique canyon near Almaty — feels like a short journey to Mars, thanks to its stunning and otherworldly landscape. It’s not that far from Almaty and a day trip without an overnight stay might not seem expensive. However, the price can rival that of a night in a luxury hotel. This is just one example of why many Kazakhstanis and foreign tourists are so surprised by how expensive tourism in Kazakhstan can be.

Daniyel Serzhanuly, vice chairman of Kazakh Tourism, calls things by their proper names: it is not just about overcharging driven by...

Kazakhstan’s men’s epee team has stormed into the semi-finals of the 2025 FIE Senior World Fencing Championships, pulling off a series of impressive victories in Tbilisi, Georgia. The Kazakh squad edged out Italy 45-43 in a tense quarterfinal showdown to secure a spot in the final four.

En route to the quarterfinals, Kazakhstan defeated fencing powerhouses Russia (45-35) and China (38-37). In the match against Italy, the Kazakhs led from the opening bout and surrendered the lead only once, after Matteo Galassi’s bout with Vadim Sharlaimov temporarily swung momentum in Italy’s favor.

However, as they did against China...

Kazakhstani scientists have discovered a previously unknown bacterium during their research in the West Kazakhstan region. The new species has been named Aeromonas oralensis, after the city of Uralsk, where it was found.

According to the newspaper Nadezhda, the discovery was made at a local fish farm specializing in Siberian sturgeon, which had been suffering from an unidentified disease. Initially, experts suspected the common bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila, but further testing revealed a new strain.

Serik Bakiyev, one of the scientists involved in the discovery, explained that such outbreaks are not uncommon on fish farms, as factors like hypothermia, contaminated water...

The Financial Monitoring Agency of Kazakhstan has uncovered the illegal activities of a group that traded vapes, vape flavors and liquids in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. To sell vape products, the perpetrators used the Telegram channel Escobar Optom, delivering orders via courier.

During the sting operation, law enforcement officials identified illegal warehouses and points of sale, seizing over 150,000 vapes worth around $1.8 million.

«The products were actively distributed among minors, including high school students. The organizers of the illegal business deliberately supplied e-cigarettes to teenagers, putting their health at serious risk,» the agency...

Airbus, a well-known European aircraft manufacturer, is weighing its expansion in Central Asia as First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar discussed the possibility of establishing an aircraft maintenance center in Kazakhstan with Airbus President for the Europe Region Johan Pelissier on July 29.

The parties discussed prospects for expanding mutual cooperation and implementing new joint projects in the aviation sector. During the meeting, Sklyar highlighted the government’s focus on developing the aviation industry, including fleet modernization. Particular attention was given to the initiative to establish a maintenance facility for both civil and state aircraft.

The official thanked...

The share of foreign currency assets in Kazakhstan’s National Fund — a sovereign wealth fund financed by oil revenues — declined to approximately 89% by the end of 2024, according to Kursiv Research, which analyzed data from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Finance and the National Bank. This development marks a significant shift, driven by increased domestic financing of the state budget and infrastructure projects led by national companies.

Fund assets

Fund portfolio

Foreign currency assets

Fund assets

The performance of Kazakhstan’s National Fund in 2024 was mixed. On the one hand, the fund’s assets...

Sine Midas Stroy, a Kazakhstani construction company with Turkish roots, and Fabe Agro, a Polish company promoting sustainable agriculture in Eurasia, will jointly build a greenhouse complex in Shymkent. The total cost of the project is estimated at $120 million.

The news followed negotiations between Agriculture Minister of Kazakhstan Aidarbek Saparov and Ahmet Budan, head of Sine Midas Stroy. During the meeting, Budan revealed that his company is working on launching a large-scale project to build a modern industrial greenhouse in Shymkent in conjunction with Fabe Agro. Once the project is fully implemented, the greenhouse will produce 36,000 tons of...

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed a bill banning the online distribution of pornography into law, restricting access to websites with adult content within the country.

Internet service providers and website owners in Kyrgyzstan will be obliged to block access to pornographic content within 24 hours after receiving a request from an authorized agency. If ignored, access to the website may be completely banned.

In June, the Jogorku Kenesh — the country’s unicameral parliament — adopted the law in its second and third readings. The legislation aims to protect society’s moral and ethical values, according to the media outlet...

The Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of the Atyrau region has fined Tengizchevroil (TCO) $1.1 million for illegal emissions.

According to law enforcement officials, in the third and fourth quarters of 2023, as well as the first and second quarters of 2024, TCO emitted 49.3 tons of pollutants into the atmosphere — 4.9 tons above the permitted level.

As a result, prosecutors opened an administrative case against TCO. The court found the company guilty and imposed a fine of $1.1 million. The ruling has entered into legal force.

The prosecutor’s office noted that the region continues to struggle with air pollution, which...

Kazakhstan will keep track of tourist flows using mobile data. Statistics will be collected based on anonymized information from telecom operators, authorities said.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, the move will allow the government to better understand how many people actually travel within the country, including one-day trips without overnight stays. Until now, the main tool for tracking foreign tourists was the eQonaq.kz system.

As Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerbol Myrzabosynov noted, the new system will help not only to understand the real load on resorts, but also to improve infrastructure development planning.

«Keeping...

Kazpost, the national postal operator in Kazakhstan, has established a joint venture at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) in conjunction with Sistem Yatirim Lojistik Ltd., a company owned by Hüseyin Barlin, a Turkish citizen.

The joint company, Qazpost – Sistem Ltd., was registered at the AIFC on July 24. It will be engaged in warehouse leasing and management, as well as transport and forwarding services.

The company is headed by Barlin, whose company, Sistem Yatirim Lojistik Ltd., has also been registered with the AIFC since 2024. The Turkish businessman also serves as chairman of the board and owner...

Lake Tavolzhan (Tobylzhan), a salt lake in Kazakhstan’s Pavlodar region, Uspensky district, turns a soft shade of pink each summer — a natural phenomenon increasingly drawing travelers and photographers.

The lake is divided into two sections, Small Tavolzhan and Big Tavolzhan, and becomes especially vibrant in the warmer months. The lake’s blush-pink hue is caused by high salinity and microalgae that flourish in the intense summer heat.

Located about...

The European Union has created an exemption in its 18th sanctions package allowing Kazakh coal to transit through certain Russian ports, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration announced.

According to the ministry, the exemption applies only to coal of Kazakh origin. Additionally, the cargo must be owned by entities not based in countries subject to EU sanctions. The Russian ports may serve only as transit hubs — for loading, unloading or dispatch — and not for the sale or production of goods on Russian territory.

The EU’s 16th sanctions package, implemented in February 2025, had previously banned all transactions...

Photo: Global.supcon.com, photo editor: Dastan Shanay

Kazakhstan is exploring cooperation with Supcon Technology, a China-based company recognized as one of the world’s leaders in automation and digital solutions. Representatives of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, KazService and several oilfield service companies visited China on a business trip at Supcon’s invitation, according to the Ministry of Energy.

Alongside top managers of Kazakhstani national and private companies, the delegation also included Torekhan Kazhenov, a representative of the Ministry of Energy. During the visit, the delegation toured the production sites of Supcon and Dahua Technology, where they viewed advanced technologies in automation, digital...

Kazakhstan’s National Bank has launched a «regulatory sandbox» for digital assets, a controlled environment allowing companies to test new services using blockchain-based technologies, according to the regulator’s press office.

The first round of pilot projects has been launched in four key areas:

Real estate tokenization

Digital tokens will be issued to certify rights to real estate. This system enables developers to raise funds and allows individual investors to purchase shares in commercial properties.

A token is a digital asset that exists on a blockchain and represents a certain value or right. In real estate, it serves as an...

The Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) will allocate $17.4 million to finance the construction of a fruit and vegetable processing plant in the Almaty region. The announcement follows the signing of an agreement between the development institution and Qazaq Global Food JV LLP, a fruit and vegetable juice producer in Kazakhstan.

The project, described as «the construction of a plant for processing fruits and vegetables, producing fruit juice concentrates, and fruit and vegetable purees with storage and packaging infrastructure,» has been marked as approved on the DBK website.

Once fully operational, the plant is expected to reduce Kazakhstan’s dependence on...

Jack Sim, founder and head of the World Toilet Organization (WTO), has arrived in Shymkent to assess the city’s public restrooms. Judging by his reaction, Sim appeared impressed.  

Sim’s visit aimed to highlight a joint project between the city administration and Miras University aimed at developing a network of public restrooms. Sim, also known as Mr. Toilet, specializes in the proper arrangement of sanitary facilities and provides consultations to governments in various countries on these issues. He was also received by Miras University Rector Nurken Khalykbergen.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised its inflation forecast for Kazakhstan in 2025, revising its earlier estimate of 8.2% to 10.2%, according to the bank’s July 2025 Asian Economic Outlook.

The adjustment comes amid higher-than-expected inflationary pressure in Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In Kazakhstan, despite the National Bank’s tight monetary policy, inflation reached 10.1% in the first five months of 2025 — up from 9.0% during the same period last year — largely due to rising utility costs.

ADB also raised its inflation forecast for Kazakhstan in 2026 from 6.5% to 8.4%.

Despite the worsening inflation outlook, ADB...

Halyk Finance has expressed concern over the growing role of the government as a source of long-term investment in infrastructure and the capacity of Kazakhstani enterprises. The share of budget funding in the structure of capital investment reached 21.9% in the first half of the year.

Over the first six months of 2025, investments in capital assets in Kazakhstan grew by 19.3% year-on-year. This growth was driven both by the low base of the first half of the previous year and by increased investment in the public sector, including expanded government spending on infrastructure. Without budget funds and contributions...