Home - The Astana Times

Semipalatinsk Legacy 35 Years On: Can Research Translate Into Care?

By Nagima Abuova in Nation on 28 August 2026

ASTANA — Thirty-five years after Kazakhstan closed the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, researchers and community advocates say its legacy still shapes health, science and policy. As evidence becomes more precise, experts say the focus is shifting toward how that knowledge can better support affected communities. The Aug. 29, 1991, closure ended …

Why Data Is Becoming Next Fuel-Saving Tool for Central Asian Airlines

By Dana Omirgazy in Business on 28 August 2026

Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai Takes on Legislative Modernization and Institutional Reform

By Dana Omirgazy in Editor’s Picks,Nation on 28 August 2026

News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Global Ties, Economic Outlook, Abai’s Legacy and More

By Dana Omirgazy in Editor’s Picks,International on 28 August 2026

Summer Takes Final Bow With Music, Theater and More

By Fatima Kemelova in Editor’s Picks,Tourism on 28 August 2026

Experts Say Kazakhstan’s New Kurultai Leadership Reflects Diversity, Faces Heavy Legislative Agenda

By Dana Omirgazy in Nation on 28 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

News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Global Ties, Economic Outlook, Abai’s Legacy and More

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers...

Summer Takes Final Bow With Music, Theater and More

BY Fatima Kemelova

ASTANA – Summer is slipping away, but the cultural calendar is not going quietly. Across Astana and Almaty, the final...

Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai Takes on Legislative Modernization and Institutional Reform

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has outlined a broad legislative and institutional agenda for Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai, calling on deputies...

Singapore’s Lee: Nations Must Keep Reinventing to Stay Competitive

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – Singapore’s experience shows that countries seeking long-term economic competitiveness must be prepared to adapt their policies and institutions...

Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai Session Begins in Astana

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – The first session of Kazakhstan’s Kurultai of the first convocation began on Aug. 28, marking the start of...

35 Years After Semipalatinsk: From Nuclear Tragedy to Global Responsibility

On Aug. 29, 1991, Kazakhstan made a decision that would shape not only its own history, but also its place...

Key Appointments, New Government: What Comes After Kazakhstan’s Kurultai Vote

BY Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – With Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai election concluded and the new unicameral Parliament set to convene for its inaugural session...

Experts: Political Trust Sets Stage for Next Phase of Kazakhstan-Singapore Partnership

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Singapore need to translate strong political ties and mutual trust into tangible economic outcomes, including more...

Resources Are Not Enough: How Energy Routes Are Becoming Geopolitical Battleground in Eurasia

ASTANA — For decades, the geopolitics of energy was largely understood through a familiar map of resource abundance: the Persian...

Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai: New Chapter for Parliamentary Institutions

BY Arifeen Yama

The election of August 23 should be understood as more than just the beginning of a new parliamentary term. It...

Experts: Kazakhstan’s Oil Export Strategy Faces Growing Need for Diversification

BY Ayana Birbayeva

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s decision to cut its 2026 oil production target from 98 million tonnes to 96 million tonnes after...

AqylSu: Turning Kazakhstan’s Shanghai AI Vision Into Working Water Platform

BY Jansultan Syrymbet, Jamila Syrymbet

Kazakhstan boasts to have an AI diplomacy and a digital-government track record. What it is missing is a platform that...

More stories

Editor's Picks

News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Global Ties, Economic Outlook, Abai’s Legacy and More

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers...

Summer Takes Final Bow With Music, Theater and More

BY Fatima Kemelova

ASTANA – Summer is slipping away, but the cultural calendar is not going quietly. Across Astana and Almaty, the final...

Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai Takes on Legislative Modernization and Institutional Reform

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has outlined a broad legislative and institutional agenda for Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai, calling on deputies...

Singapore’s Lee: Nations Must Keep Reinventing to Stay Competitive

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – Singapore’s experience shows that countries seeking long-term economic competitiveness must be prepared to adapt their policies and institutions...

More stories

Opinions

35 Years After Semipalatinsk: From Nuclear Tragedy to Global Responsibility

On Aug. 29, 1991, Kazakhstan made a decision that would shape not only its own history, but also its place...

Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai: New Chapter for Parliamentary Institutions

BY Arifeen Yama

The election of August 23 should be understood as more than just the beginning of a new parliamentary term. It...

AqylSu: Turning Kazakhstan’s Shanghai AI Vision Into Working Water Platform

BY Jansultan Syrymbet, Jamila Syrymbet

Kazakhstan boasts to have an AI diplomacy and a digital-government track record. What it is missing is a platform that...

State Visit of King Philippe to Kazakhstan: Historic First and Mirror of Strategic Partnership between Brussels and Astana

BY

This fall, King Philippe of Belgium will pay his first-ever state visit to Kazakhstan, at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart...

At 25, Shanghai Cooperation Organization Is More Relevant Than Ever

BY Aliya Mussabekova

By almost any measure, multilateralism is under pressure. Major powers are increasingly divided, conflicts are multiplying, and international institutions struggle...

Beyond Oil: Why New Resources Will Decide Global Power

BY Syed Hamzah Rifaat

While the prevalent discourse in the 20th century centered on the importance of oil pipelines, gaining access to oil reserves...

China’s Bid for an AI World Order: What’s Behind WAICO

BY Alexander Dergay

Trump locks Europe out of AI models; China presents the counter-proposal — a global AI platform, and everyone’s invited. What...

Kazakhstan’s Higher Education Drive: From Importing Universities to Producing Knowledge at Home

At a July 1 government session, Science and Higher Education Minister Sayasat Nurbek laid out a reform model built around...

Investment Outlook for Kazakhstan Equities: Strategic Allocation to Eurasia’s Hidden Blue-Chip Market

BY Rainer Michael Preiss

In life and on the investment journey, it is often said that it is the journey that counts, or it...

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...

More stories

Opinions

35 Years After Semipalatinsk: From Nuclear Tragedy to Global Responsibility

On Aug. 29, 1991, Kazakhstan made a decision that would shape not only its own history, but also its place...

Kazakhstan’s First Kurultai: New Chapter for Parliamentary Institutions

BY Arifeen Yama

The election of August 23 should be understood as more than just the beginning of a new parliamentary term. It...

AqylSu: Turning Kazakhstan’s Shanghai AI Vision Into Working Water Platform

BY Jansultan Syrymbet, Jamila Syrymbet

Kazakhstan boasts to have an AI diplomacy and a digital-government track record. What it is missing is a platform that...

State Visit of King Philippe to Kazakhstan: Historic First and Mirror of Strategic Partnership between Brussels and Astana

BY

This fall, King Philippe of Belgium will pay his first-ever state visit to Kazakhstan, at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart...

More stories

Infographics