Comic Con Astana 2026: How Kazakhstan Turns Pop Culture into Creative Industries

By Aida Temerkhan in Culture,Editor’s Picks on 10 August 2026

ASTANA — Comic Con Astana 2026 drew more than 76,000 visitors from 40 countries over four days, underscoring the growing popularity of pop culture in Kazakhstan and the festival’s expanding international profile. Held from Aug. 6 to 9, the festival brought together fans of films, TV series, comics, gaming and cosplay …

Fewer Births, Better Chances: Kazakhstan Advances in Newborn Care

By Nagima Abuova in Nation on 11 August 2026

eGov GPT Expansion Advances Kazakhstan’s Digital Government Push

By Nagima Abuova in Nation on 11 August 2026

Kazakhstan Household Deposits Near $54 Billion as Savings Rise 20.9%

By Ayana Birbayeva in Business on 10 August 2026

What Lies Behind Kazakhstan’s External Debt

By Assel Satubaldina in Editor’s Picks,Nation on 11 August 2026

New Security Architecture: Future of Abraham Accords and Emerging Strategic Landscape for Kazakhstan

By Sapargali Shalgimbayev in Editor’s Picks,Opinions on 11 August 2026

Most Popular Stories
Day | Week | Month

Videos

Tokayev in Brussels, China Ties & Eurasia’s Future | Kazakhstan News Digest

After Strait of Hormuz — Who Controls Next Supply Chains?

Exploring Tashkent: History, Food, Markets and Modern Life

Why World Depends on Kazakhstan for Uranium | Explainer

Climate Crisis Is Here: Central Asia Sounds the Alarm

Samarkand Blew Our Mind: Journey to Silk Road Jewel

AI Will Break Capitalism — And No One Is Ready

Japan Eyes Kazakh Oil, Dubai Flights Suspended & Turkic Trade Push | Kazakhstan News Digest

More videos

Videos

Tokayev in Brussels, China Ties & Eurasia’s Future | Kazakhstan News Digest

After Strait of Hormuz — Who Controls Next Supply Chains?

Exploring Tashkent: History, Food, Markets and Modern Life

Why World Depends on Kazakhstan for Uranium | Explainer

Climate Crisis Is Here: Central Asia Sounds the Alarm

Samarkand Blew Our Mind: Journey to Silk Road Jewel

AI Will Break Capitalism — And No One Is Ready

Japan Eyes Kazakh Oil, Dubai Flights Suspended & Turkic Trade Push | Kazakhstan News Digest

More videos

Editor's Picks

What Lies Behind Kazakhstan’s External Debt

BY Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s external debt rose 7.5% year on year to $182.8 billion as of April 1. External liabilities of...

New Security Architecture: Future of Abraham Accords and Emerging Strategic Landscape for Kazakhstan

BY Sapargali Shalgimbayev

On July 22, Washington hosted an important hearing of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and...

Sport’s Next Generation Won’t Choose Sides, Says Phygital International CEO

BY Nagima Abuova

ASTANA — Phygital sport’s future will depend on building lasting local ecosystems, developing a new generation of athletes skilled in...

Campaign Week in Review: Education Debate Leads Kazakhstan’s Election Race

BY Aiman Nakispekova

ASTANA – A nationally televised debate on education dominated Kazakhstan’s election campaign during the week of Aug. 3-9. Representatives of...

Comic Con Astana 2026: How Kazakhstan Turns Pop Culture into Creative Industries

BY Aida Temerkhan

ASTANA — Comic Con Astana 2026 drew more than 76,000 visitors from 40 countries over four days, underscoring the growing...

Kazakhstan Emerges as Firebird AI Market With Data Center Valley Project in Ekibastuz

BY

ALMATY – Kazakhstan has emerged as the second market for US-based AI infrastructure company Firebird, which is developing a 125-megawatt...

AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov on How AIFC is Preparing for Next Era of Finance

BY Aida Haidar

ASTANA — When Renat Bekturov first joined what would become the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the institution existed only...

How PSG Academy’s Arrival Reflects Kazakhstan’s Rise as Football Talent Hub

BY Ayana Birbayeva 

ALMATY – Paris Saint-Germain's decision to open its first football academy in Kazakhstan this September is more than another international...

Back Where They Belong: Mangystau Helps Wild Birds Take Flight Again

BY Alina Zhalmaganbetova

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s first temporary rehabilitation center for injured birds of prey and endangered wild birds has opened in the...

Five Doctors, One Race and Life Beyond the Hospital

BY Nagima Abuova

ASTANA — When former patients line up for the Jüregımnıñ Jeñımpazy (a champion of my heart) charity run in Astana...

Is Kazakhstan’s Middle Class Expanding? New Survey Reveals More Than Just Income Trends

BY Aida Haidar

ASTANA — More than 93% of Kazakh citizens describe their household’s financial position as middle income or above, according to...

Kazakhstan’s Services Exports Near $13 Billion as Digital Sector Gains Momentum

BY Aida Haidar

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s services exports approached $13 billion in 2025, with transport remaining the backbone of the sector. But while...

More stories

Editor's Picks

What Lies Behind Kazakhstan’s External Debt

BY Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s external debt rose 7.5% year on year to $182.8 billion as of April 1. External liabilities of...

New Security Architecture: Future of Abraham Accords and Emerging Strategic Landscape for Kazakhstan

BY Sapargali Shalgimbayev

On July 22, Washington hosted an important hearing of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and...

Sport’s Next Generation Won’t Choose Sides, Says Phygital International CEO

BY Nagima Abuova

ASTANA — Phygital sport’s future will depend on building lasting local ecosystems, developing a new generation of athletes skilled in...

Campaign Week in Review: Education Debate Leads Kazakhstan’s Election Race

BY Aiman Nakispekova

ASTANA – A nationally televised debate on education dominated Kazakhstan’s election campaign during the week of Aug. 3-9. Representatives of...

More stories

Opinions

New Security Architecture: Future of Abraham Accords and Emerging Strategic Landscape for Kazakhstan

BY Sapargali Shalgimbayev

On July 22, Washington hosted an important hearing of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and...

How Asia Can Reverse Rising Inequality in its Cities

BY Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Kanni Wignaraja, Fatima Yasmin

Asia and the Pacific is urbanizing faster than any other region. By 2050, its cities will be home to 3.4...

August 23: Kazakhstan’s First Vote Under New Constitution

BY Dávid Biró

Kazakhstan’s elections to the new Kurultai on Aug. 23 will give practical effect to the provisions of the new Constitution...

Türkiye and Kazakhstan Need Processing Alliance, Not Another Extraction Rush

BY Mehmet Enes Beşer

At the Astana Mining and Metallurgy Congress in June, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said Kazakhstan wanted to become a regional...

Kazakhstan’s 30-Year Education Drive: From Flagship Excellence to Nationwide Reach

BY Saqib Raza  

Less than two years after independence, Kazakhstan made a bet that education could not wait for the economy and institutions...

Shanghai and Technology Turn in Kazakhstan-China Relations

BY Alexander Dergay, Eldaniz Gusseinov 

Kazakhstan’s largest Chinese business round in years put data, computing and digital logistics at the center. The measure of it...

Why Kazakhstan Matters to Gulf After War

BY Rassul Kospanov

The war that opened on Feb. 28, with joint American and Israeli strikes on Iran taught the Arab monarchies of...

When Events Become Engines of Tourism 

BY Nagima Abuova

From Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to rural Somerset, festivals have long shown how a temporary event can place an overlooked...

Italy-Central Asia Schools of Policy: Successful Example of 5+1 Cooperation

BY Filippo Costa Buranelli

Starting in the final weeks of May 2026, and lasting until mid-July, the Schools of Policy for civil servants and...

Uzbekistan at Crossroads: Why WTO Should Come Before EAEU

BY Sobir Kurbanov

Nearly 10 years after launching one of the most ambitious economic reform programs in the post-Soviet space, Uzbekistan stands at...

Kazakhstan’s Pragmatic Path in Afghanistan

BY Yerkin Tukumov, Eldaniz Gusseinov

There is no doubt that Afghanistan will shape Eurasia’s future. The question is whether that future will be defined by...

From Global Advocacy to Regional Cooperation: UAE and Kazakhstan Advancing Water Security

BY UAE Embassy - Astana

Water security has emerged as one of the defining challenges of the twenty-first century, with increasing pressures from climate change,...

More stories

Opinions

New Security Architecture: Future of Abraham Accords and Emerging Strategic Landscape for Kazakhstan

BY Sapargali Shalgimbayev

On July 22, Washington hosted an important hearing of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and...

How Asia Can Reverse Rising Inequality in its Cities

BY Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Kanni Wignaraja, Fatima Yasmin

Asia and the Pacific is urbanizing faster than any other region. By 2050, its cities will be home to 3.4...

August 23: Kazakhstan’s First Vote Under New Constitution

BY Dávid Biró

Kazakhstan’s elections to the new Kurultai on Aug. 23 will give practical effect to the provisions of the new Constitution...

Türkiye and Kazakhstan Need Processing Alliance, Not Another Extraction Rush

BY Mehmet Enes Beşer

At the Astana Mining and Metallurgy Congress in June, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said Kazakhstan wanted to become a regional...

More stories

Infographics