Your Guide to Mid-May Cultural Highlights

By Fatima Kemelova in Editor’s Picks,Tourism on 22 May 2026

ASTANA – The upcoming weekend features a mix of classical stage productions, major sporting events and contemporary gatherings, offering something for every interest. Explore the curated list of engaging events compiled by The Astana Times to make sure you have an enjoyable weekend ahead. “Bolero” performance, May 23-24 Inspired by the iconic …

News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Turkic Diplomacy, Kenya Partnership, and Golden Horde Legacy

in Editor’s Picks,International on 22 May 2026

Kazakhstan Strengthens Caspian Emergency Response Infrastructure

By Dana Omirgazy in Nation on 23 May 2026

Almaty Conference Marks Century Since Landmark Turkological Congress

By Dana Omirgazy in International on 23 May 2026

Kazakhstan, Japan Foster Smart Technology and Green Energy Cooperation

By Dana Omirgazy in Editor’s Picks,International on 22 May 2026

Government Reports on National Budget Implementation

By Dana Omirgazy in Business on 22 May 2026

Most Popular Stories
Day | Week | Month

Videos

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

Were Kazakh Women More Free Before?

Tokayev’s Deals with Pakistan, Rybakina’s Australian Open Triumph, and more | Kazakhstan News Digest

Winter in Astana: How the World’s Second Coldest Capital Stays Active

Development Bank of Kazakhstan on Financing Growth and Strategic Priorities

More videos

Videos

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

Were Kazakh Women More Free Before?

Tokayev’s Deals with Pakistan, Rybakina’s Australian Open Triumph, and more | Kazakhstan News Digest

Winter in Astana: How the World’s Second Coldest Capital Stays Active

Development Bank of Kazakhstan on Financing Growth and Strategic Priorities

More videos

Editor's Picks

Kazakhstan, Japan Foster Smart Technology and Green Energy Cooperation

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Japan are expanding cooperation in digitalization, green technologies, and urban development following Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike’s...

News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Turkic Diplomacy, Kenya Partnership, and Golden Horde Legacy

BY

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected a roundup of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media this week. Today’s...

Your Guide to Mid-May Cultural Highlights

BY Fatima Kemelova

ASTANA – The upcoming weekend features a mix of classical stage productions, major sporting events and contemporary gatherings, offering something...

Kazakhstan-Norway Business Relations Gain Momentum Amid Rising Trade

BY Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Norway took a step toward deepening economic cooperation on May 21 as government officials and business...

Kazakhstan Targets $4.5 Billion in Local Content Ahead of Nuclear Plant Construction

BY Ayana Birbayeva

ALMATY – Kazakhstan aims to increase domestic participation in its future nuclear power industry to 30% before construction begins on...

Kazakhstan, Kenya Seek Direct Flights and New Trade Corridor Linking Central Asia and East Africa

BY Ayana Birbayeva 

ALMATY – Nearly 85% of all overland cargo traffic between China and Europe passes through Kazakhstan, and now Astana is...

NPT Nuclear Talks Enter Final Stretch in New York

BY Nagima Abuova

ASTANA — Delegates from from more than 190 countries gathered at the United Nations headquarters in New York on April...

Kazakhstan and Kenya Chart New Path for Interregional Cooperation 

BY Dana Omirgazy 

ASTANA — Kazakhstan and Kenya have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation across political, economic, and humanitarian areas during  talks between...

Kazakhstan Deploys Third Peacekeeping Contingent to UN Mission on Golan Heights

BY Dana Omirgazy 

ASTANA – Kazakhstan has deployed its third national peacekeeping contingent to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) mission on...

Tokayev Urges New Look at Golden Horde’s Role in Shaping Eurasia

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described the Golden Horde as one of the largest political powers in Eurasian history and...

Balanced Vision of Turkic Cooperation

BY Dávid Biró

Kazakhstan’s hosting of the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Turkistan signalled that Kazakhstan is not...

Kazakhstan Targets Direct Flights to New York and Tokyo as Aviation Sector Expands

BY Ayana Birbayeva

ALMATY – Kazakhstan plans to launch direct flights from Astana to Tokyo by the end of 2026 and to New...

More stories

Editor's Picks

Kazakhstan, Japan Foster Smart Technology and Green Energy Cooperation

BY Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Japan are expanding cooperation in digitalization, green technologies, and urban development following Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike’s...

News Digest: Foreign Media on Kazakhstan’s Turkic Diplomacy, Kenya Partnership, and Golden Horde Legacy

BY

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected a roundup of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media this week. Today’s...

Your Guide to Mid-May Cultural Highlights

BY Fatima Kemelova

ASTANA – The upcoming weekend features a mix of classical stage productions, major sporting events and contemporary gatherings, offering something...

Kazakhstan-Norway Business Relations Gain Momentum Amid Rising Trade

BY Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Norway took a step toward deepening economic cooperation on May 21 as government officials and business...

More stories

Opinions

Balanced Vision of Turkic Cooperation

BY Dávid Biró

Kazakhstan’s hosting of the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Turkistan signalled that Kazakhstan is not...

Kazakhstan and Türkiye Recast Their Eurasian Role

BY Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – When Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Astana this week, the language of brotherhood between Kazakhstan and Türkiye sounded...

Kazakhstan’s New Social Formula: Balance Over Sacrifice

BY Aigul Zabirova

More and more Kazakhs say that everything matters. This is not an inability to choose, but evidence of a structural...

‘Going Green’ is Not Western Conception: Ecology is Part of Kazakh Cultural Heritage 

BY

What does it mean to be in harmony with nature? The recent Regional Ecological Summit, which took place April 22-24...

In the Rhythm of Samskara: Middle Powers’ Values for Values-Based World Order 

BY Miras Zhiyenbayev

The crisis of the world order is usually described as a crisis of rules. That is only half true. It...

OSCE, Kazakhstan, and Central Asia: a Partnership for Ecological Resilience

BY Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu

I am delighted to be back in Astana this week. At the kind invitation of President Tokayev, I’m pleased to...

Tashkent Int’l Financial Center Advances Investment Reform with Legal Certainty and Enforceability

BY Sobir Kurbanov

Uzbekistan’s launch of the Tashkent International Financial Center (TIFC) marks an ambitious and strategically important step in its ongoing economic...

Progress Isn’t Perfect, And That’s What Makes It Human

BY Ayana Birbayeva 

There is a certain expectation we carry when we think about technological progress. It is often imagined as a straight...

From Tradition to Transformation: Rethinking Volunteering in Central Asia

BY Haoliang Xu, Toily Kurbanov

There is a word in Kazakhstan—Asar. It describes a simple but powerful idea: when someone is in need, the community...

Kazakhstan’s Day of Lovers Highlights Love, Tradition and Identity

BY Aiman Nakispekova

ASTANA – Kazakhstan celebrates the Day of Lovers on April 15, known as Kozy Korpesh – Bayan Sulu Day, in...

Kazakhstan Was Launchpad for First Human in Space, What Comes Next?

BY Aida Haidar 

ASTANA – When Yuri Gagarin lifted off on April 12, 1961, from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan became the starting point of...

My Summer Memories From Peak Komsomolsky

BY Aizhan Arshabayeva

This summer I was in the mountains of the Zailiysky Alatau on a multi-day trek to Komsomolsky Peak. The air...

More stories

Opinions

Balanced Vision of Turkic Cooperation

BY Dávid Biró

Kazakhstan’s hosting of the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Turkistan signalled that Kazakhstan is not...

Kazakhstan and Türkiye Recast Their Eurasian Role

BY Assel Satubaldina

ASTANA – When Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Astana this week, the language of brotherhood between Kazakhstan and Türkiye sounded...

Kazakhstan’s New Social Formula: Balance Over Sacrifice

BY Aigul Zabirova

More and more Kazakhs say that everything matters. This is not an inability to choose, but evidence of a structural...

‘Going Green’ is Not Western Conception: Ecology is Part of Kazakh Cultural Heritage 

BY

What does it mean to be in harmony with nature? The recent Regional Ecological Summit, which took place April 22-24...

More stories

Infographics