New course available to teach spelling rules of Kazakh Latin script

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh linguists presented March 26 a course available in the capital to teach the systematic spelling rules of Kazakh Latin script. The course takes 72 hours and...


Turkestan Region entrepreneur starts Paulownia business

NUR-SULTAN – Dauren Baltabaiuly, an entrepreneur from the Saryagash district in Turkestan region, has aroused the interest of locals since planting 40,000 paulownia trees on two hectares. One of...


Kazakhstan experiences industrial growth, takes efforts to continue growth

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s industrial sector is growing and the government is taking measures to keep that momentum going, according to a recent report. Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development...


Kazakh capital name change to be gradual, existing legal documents remain valid

NUR-SULTAN – The country will keep Astana name as world known brand and renaming process will be gradual and not expensive. The capital residents don’t need to change their...


Kazakh filmmaker directs videos for US hip-hop artists

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh filmmaker Aisultan Seitov has entered the American hip-hop market. He recently directed “Red Room,” a music video for Migos member Offset, reported Kazinform. Seitov shared his...


Kazakhstan to double domestic vehicle production, build three vehicle manufacturing plants

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan plans to double domestic production of automobiles to meet demand within the Eurasian Economic Union, according to the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development. The country...


Astana Kazakh Drama theatre premieres Abai Jan

NUR-SULTAN – Astana Kazakh Drama Theatre recently staged “Abai Jan,” a one-person show starring Nurken Oteuil. Directed by Farkhad Moldagali, the play tracks a young man reflecting and trying...


Kazakh NB, government set directions for economic growth, price level stability

NUR-SULTAN – The National Bank and Government of Kazakhstan signed an agreement to coordinate macroeconomic policy measures. The agreement will attract investment in fixed assets at a level of...


Russian artist to open exhibition at Kulanshi Art Centre

NUR-SULTAN – Russian artist Tatiana Vavrzhina will open her exhibition “Endless Love” April 2 at the capital’s Kulanshi Art Centre. The show will continue through May 10. The organisers...


Kazakh light industries focus on local market, face shortage of high-quality raw materials

NUR-SULTAN – Light industry is one of the priorities for the Kazakh economy. Product exports were $108.5 million for January-August 2018, 21 percent lower compared to the previous year....


Denis Ten exhibition attracted 35,000 visitors in Japan

NUR-SULTAN – The Denis Ten Foundation organised the D10 world exhibition, dedicated to the memory of the Kazakh figure skater and bronze medallist at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, during...


Petropavlovsk-made socks in demand by domestic market

NUR-SULTAN – Matex recently opened the first and only facility in the North Kazakhstan region that manufactures socks. The company represents the economy of simple things in action, as...


Podcasts find growing audience, become new social opinion platform for creative Kazakhs

NUR-SULTAN – Why do creative individuals launch podcasts in a period of YouTube domination? What topics do they explore? Is podcasting becoming more popular in Kazakhstan? The Astana Times...


Calendar to feature photos of Kazakh athletes outside of sports

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh National Olympic Committee will release a calendar with photos of Kazakh athletes dedicated to Nauryz holiday. The athletes’ fans can win the calendar with their...


Volunteer programme, eagle hunting centres added to Kazakh Year of Youth initiatives

NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh government recently added eagle hunting centres, volunteer coordination and self-defence courses to its Year of Youth initiatives. The programmes were added to the Year of...


Kazakhstan to set up cancer molecular genetic laboratories, gears support towards cancer diagnosis, treatment

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan will establish molecular genetic laboratories in its effort to boost support for early cancer diagnosis and treatment, said Minister of Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov at the recent...


Twenty percent of Kazakh schoolchildren suffer from excess weight

ASTANA – Nearly 20 percent of Kazakh youngsters in grades three-four are overweight and 1.1 percent of them suffer from extreme obesity, a situation which poses a public health...


Elizabet Tursynbayeva wins silver medal at World Championship, completes history-making quadruple salchow

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh figure skater Elizabet Tursynbayeva, who won the silver medal at the 2019 World Figure Skating Championship in Saitama, Japan March 22, made history in the process....


Two dead, 27 injured in rush-hour bus accident

NUR-SULTAN – Two people were killed and 27 were injured March 26 when three metropolitan buses, two passenger cars and an ambulance collided at the intersection of Kabanbai Batyr...


Renaming capital an appropriate way to honour Kazakhstan’s founding president

On March 23, new  President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree and a law approving an amendment to Constitution renaming Astana to Nur-Sultan. A bill to rename Astana...


Kazakh university gets nation’s first ASIIN international accreditation

ASTANA – The International Information Technologies University (IITU) in Almaty obtained March 5 international accreditation of the ASIIN (Accreditation Agency for Degree Programmes in Engineering, Informatics, Natural Sciences and...


Dimash Kudaibergen wins audience vote at World’s Best competition, voluntarily leaves competition

ASTANA – Young Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen voluntarily left the World’s Best competition and won the audience vote for the best performance singing French song “SOS d’un terrien en...


Economic News in Brief

Kazakhstan’s government and its National Bank announced in a joint statement March 20 that they “will carry out the instructions and announced initiatives of the First President,” referring to...


Business news in brief

Businesses in Kazakhstan must switch to using cash registers with online-transmission functions by the end of 2019 as a result of tax changes taking effect this year. As of...


External News in Brief

Kazakh Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev participated in the March 17 meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries in Baku. OPEC+, a...


National news in brief

The capital’s new main mosque will be built in the park area next to EXPO town, the Akorda press service reports. It will accommodate up to 30,000 people in...


Kazakhstan ranks fourth in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying Group I after first round

NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan’s national football team ranked fourth in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Euro 2020 qualifying’s Group I after Belgium, Cyprus and Russia, but ahead of...


Nauryz celebrated throughout the country

NUR-SULTAN – Nauryz, a holiday marking the coming of spring and the beginning of a new year, was celebrated March 21-25 throughout the capital with outdoor concerts, sports competitions...


Kazakhstan, Egypt trade $84 million in 2018, emphasise huge untapped potential

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Egypt, celebrating 27 years of diplomatic relations, recorded $83.9 million in trade turnover in 2018, a 29-percent increase compared to the previous year. The countries...


Nur Otan party launches project to help public gain access to public services

NUR-SULTAN – The Nur Otan party has responded to recent calls for more public services with the launch of the Khalyqqa Komek (Assistance to the People) project. “The head...


ADB to loan Baikonur Solar $11.5 million to build solar power plant in Kyzylorda Region

ASTANA – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently signed a $11.5 million loan agreement with Baikonur Solar to provide the loan in tenge to build a 50 MW solar...


Hilton plans to open DoubleTree hotel in Almaty in 2020

NUR-SULTAN – Hilton Group plans to expand its presence in Kazakhstan with the first DoubleTree by Hilton hotel opening its doors in Almaty in 2020. The new 112-room hotel...


State support for entrepreneurial youth to enable new businesses, job creation

ASTANA – State support will enable entrepreneurial youth to start their own businesses and create new jobs, said Kazakh Ministry of Information and Social Development’s Youth and Family Affairs...


Nazarbayev University strategic partnerships offer path to global rankings, says Duke University representative

NUR-SULTAN – Nazarbayev University’s model for strategic development, based on partnerships with top research universities, has proven valuable for fast-paced growth and will likely be emulated in other...


Implementing action plan to improve social welfare among top priorities for Kyzylorda Region, says governor

NUR-SULTAN – In an exclusive interview to this newspaper, Akim (Governor) of Kyzylorda Region Krymbek Kusherbayev discusses major developments in the region to develop industry based on the...


Astana renamed as Nur-Sultan

NUR-SULTAN  – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree allowing the capital city of Astana to be renamed Nur-Sultan in honour of the country’s founding President Nursultan Nazarbayev,...


Kazakhstan to export 2.2 million tonnes of wheat in 2019

ASTANA – Kazakhstan recorded a record high wheat harvest in 2018 and exported 4.9 million tonnes of wheat. The country plans to export 2.2 million tonnes of wheat this...


Almaty activists to establish new women’s aid, advocacy organisation

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will soon have a new women’s assembly, Aruana, the leaders of nongovernmental organisations in the country announced March 19. The domestic violence crisis and information centre...


Kazakh Parliament, Astana City Assembly approve renaming capital city, additional actions necessary to change name

ASTANA – The Kazakh Parliament and Astana Maslikhat (city assembly) have taken the first steps to change the name of the capital city from Astana to Nur-Sultan in honour...


Former Kazakh President has prepared the country for its next stage of development

Whenever a long-standing national leader announces they are to step down, there are always shock waves, particularly if the announcement comes as a surprise. But when the leader has...


Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome, connects with ISS

ASTANA – The Soyuz-FG launch vehicle sent the Soyuz MS-12 manned spacecraft March 15 at 12.14 a.m. local time from the Site no. 1, also known as the Gagarin’s...


Kazakh actress named best actress at Asian Film Awards

ASTANA – Kazakh actress Samal Yeslyamova received the best actress award for her role in “Ayka” March 18 at the 13th Asian Film Awards. Her recognition was congratulated by...


Botai horses in North Kazakhstan were first to be domesticated, says UK professor

ASTANA – Alan Outram, a professor of archaeological science at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom has studied the Botai culture in North Kazakhstan over the last...


Kazakh start-up makes staying online abroad cheap and easy

ASTANA – A Kazakh start-up has launched Nommi, an innovative product combining an LTE hotspot, virtual SIM technology and dual Wi-Fi, using a crowdfunding campaign that exceeded its target...


School for children with hearing impairments opens in Astana

ASTANA – A special school for children with hearing loss recently opened in Astana based on the city children’s hospital No. 2. The main tasks of the school are...


Young people should move with times, remember their traditions, says Tatar community leader

ASTANA – Assembly of People of Kazakhstan (APK) Mother’s Council and Duslyk Tatar Educational Cultural Centre head Yannat Nizamutdinova is a person who seeks constant development. She thinks young...


National aerospace competition opens registration for young innovators

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s secondary school students will soon face off in the national aerospace-themed competition Nazarbayev Fund Schools Challenge – 2019 organised by Air Astana, Cranfield University, the Foundation...


Gas pipeline construction in Astana to start in May

ASTANA – The construction of a central gas pipeline will start this May in the capital, reported the department for the fuel and energy complex and utilities. The pipeline,...


Kazakhs react to resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev

ASTANA – Following the resignation of the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, on March 19, many citizens of Kazakhstan were shocked and turned to social media to share...


Experts praise former Kazakh President’s decision, note stability he passes to new leaders

ASTANA – In the wake of the surprise March 19 resignation of Kazakhstan’s founding President Nursultan Nazarbayev, experts on the country and region praised the former President and noted...