Kazakhstan News
World Bank Recommends Kazakhstan to Raise VAT: What It Means for the Economy
Analysts suggest tax reform amid potential economic risks
Analysts suggest tax reform amid potential economic risks
Kaspi.kz co-owner gains control over one of Kazakhstan’s major banks
Harassment will no longer go unpunished: lawmakers introduce penalties for stalking
A joint project aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and supporting businesses
A new system helps tourists navigate the country and ensures their safety
Elite fighters from the Ministry of Internal Affairs dominate among special units from 80 countries
Team "Tomiris" debuts at an international competition and outperforms dozens of men's teams
Kazakhstan’s national currency strengthened by 1.33% due to internal and external factors
Air traffic controllers warned about the “Kover” plan in Grozny before the tragedy
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) website has stopped functioning in Kazakhstan. This may be linked to Donald Trump’s executive order suspending funding for international development programs. The Trump administration is freezing foreign aid and considering the complete dissolution of USAID, transferring its functions to the U.S. State Department. This decision could completely reshape the landscape of international aid, affecting media, activists, businesses, and humanitarian projects in Kazakhstan.
Kazakh special forces units Alpha Special Forces of the National Security Committee (KNB) and the State Security Service (SGO) are currently leading in the UAE SWAT Challenge-2025 in Dubai. This elite global competition brings together over 80 of the world's best special operations teams, where they compete in assault, tactical, and rescue missions. Kazakhstan's units are demonstrating exceptional skill and tactical superiority, putting them in a strong position to win.
The Anti-Fraud Center of the National Bank of Kazakhstan has detected and blocked fraudulent transactions totaling nearly 1.5 billion tenge. Over six months, authorities registered 17,802 fraud cases.
According to the U.S. State Department, the B1/B2 non-immigrant visa (tourist and business) refusal rate for Kazakhstani citizens reached 46.29% in 2024. This marks a significant increase compared to previous years.
Kazakhstan has shortlisted four companies as potential contractors for the country’s first nuclear power plant (NPP). The finalists are: Rosatom (Russia) KHNP (South Korea) CNNC (China) EDF (France) The final decision will be made in 2025, considering national interests and international obligations.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has stated that Kazakhstan urgently needs a developed cryptocurrency infrastructure to stay competitive with global financial trends. He has instructed financial regulators to draft new legislation for digital assets to ensure the market is transparent and legal.
The Astana Police Department has released an original video about cyber fraudsters, featuring criminals declaring: "Your money is my money." The video quickly gained popularity online and became part of an awareness campaign against internet scams.
A court in Aktau has sentenced the leader of a criminal group involved in large-scale tobacco smuggling. The suspect had been on an international wanted list and was extradited from Azerbaijan at the request of the Kazakh Prosecutor General's Office. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
A married couple in Shymkent set up an illegal alcohol production business using counterfeit excise stamps. Their operations earned them over 309 million tenge, which they used to buy 13 luxury cars worth a total of 234 million tenge. During a police raid, authorities seized over 9,000 liters of ethyl alcohol and 75 million tenge in cash. The court sentenced the couple to 5 and 6 years in prison.
Timur Turlov, the owner of Freedom Holding, accused Kazakhtelecom of being responsible for recent disruptions in government services and internet outages in a post on Threads. However, just 40 minutes later, he issued an apology, admitting the issue might lie with NIT (National Information Technologies) or Russian operators. He concluded his statement by saying, “I cover my head in ashes.” Kazakhtelecom CEO Bagdat Musin responded on Instagram, expressing disappointment and clarifying that Kazakhtelecom had no connection to the disruptions.
Majilis deputy Edil Zhanbyrshin has proposed a ban on LGBT propaganda in Kazakhstan, referencing recent legislation in the US recognizing only two genders — male and female. He stated that such laws have shocked the LGBT community globally. Zhanbyrshin emphasized that similar proposals in Kazakhstan face resistance and called for laws to penalize information campaigns against such initiatives.
Kazakhstan's compulsory medical insurance system (OSMS) has left hospitals short of 550 billion tenge, leading to shortages in funding for surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, and diagnostic procedures. Majilis deputy Askhat Aimagambetov pointed to calculation errors for preferential categories and the failure to fulfill the state budget as the main causes of the issue.
Electricity prices in Kazakhstan are rising, but the tariff-setting process remains opaque. The 2024 transfer of the digital energy platform from KOREM to CACTEC has stalled, exacerbating corruption risks. Without transparency, consumers face rapidly increasing costs.
In Turkestan Region, an organized criminal group exploited a fraudulent scheme to steal 1.9 billion tenge from the state budget. The group falsified documents, created fake companies, and used fictitious collaterals to secure preferential loans under the "Sybagha" program, intended to subsidize cattle purchases.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Kazakhstan-Russia State Border. This historic agreement was signed in Moscow on January 18, 2005.
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