- Tuesday, 21 April, 2026
- Almaty 59 °F / 15 °C
- Astana 54 °F / 12 °C
ASTANA – The Monetary Policy Committee of the National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) decided on July 11 to keep the base rate at 16.5%. NBK Governor Timur...
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu paid a working visit to Afghanistan on July 10, where he met with senior Afghan officials...
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers Kazakhstan’s foreign policy, the launch of a...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has positioned itself as Central Asia’s frontrunner in sustainable finance, according to a June 16 report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development...
ASTANA – The Kazakh government discussed how to step up efforts to implement the digital tenge as a tool to improve control over public spending at a...
Astana – Experience the pulse of the city through exhibitions, performances and music festivals. The Astana Times editorial team has curated a special list of events perfect...
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosted the presentation of the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development’s (EFSD) regional economic report, which outlined mixed economic trends across the...
From June 16 to 26, 2025, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Bodies met in Bonn to lay the groundwork for the 30th...
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set an ambitious national goal: to bring the level of Kazakhstan’s subsoil exploration to 2.2 million square kilometers. To put that...
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s airline SCAT will launch direct passenger flights on the Almaty–Minsk route twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, starting from Aug. 10. Currently, flights...
ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a response letter to U.S. President Donald Trump on July 10 regarding the introduction of duties on imports of Kazakh...
ASTANA – By 2025, Kazakhstan has emerged as a regional frontrunner in digital transformation – not only in fintech and IT exports, but also in the delivery...
ASTANA – The first freight train from Shanxi Province to Azerbaijan via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, known as the Middle Corridor, departed from China’s Jinzhong city...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s new national supercomputer can perform in just one second as many calculations as the entire world’s population – all 8 billion people – could...
ASTANA — President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the official launch of Kazakhstan’s new national supercomputer on July 9. The new supercomputing cluster is powered by NVIDIA...
Kazakhstan is often described as a “transitional” state, neither a poor nor a wealthy society, neither Eastern nor Western in culture, but rather a blend of codes,...
ASTANA – Fifteen startups from Central Eurasia have become finalists of the sixth cohort of the Silkway Accelerator, an international joint program of Astana Hub and Google...
ASTANA – Uzbek airline Centrum Air began operating a new regular flight on the Nukus-Aktau route on July 3, reported the Dunyo agency of Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry....
ASTANA – The legendary American band Backstreet Boys will give concerts in Kazakhstan this fall, performing in Almaty on Sept. 19 and in Astana on Sept. 21,...
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s ambition to address water security as a priority in the nation’s development, as he spoke at a July 9 ceremony,...
ASTANA – The Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) presented a new illustrated book for children, “Steppe Eagle Kiyeh,” on July 8 in Astana,...
ASTANA – Comic Con Astana 2025 launched in the capital of Kazakhstan on July 9, promising to be the biggest edition by welcoming 75,000 guests, including 10,000...
ASTANA – In just the first five months of 2025, over 300 billion tenge (US$576.9 million) has been invested in Kazakhstan’s tourism sector, Kazinform reported on July...
ASTANA – As of 2025, Kazakhstan has ensured inclusive education in 70% of preschool institutions, 90% of general secondary schools, and 81% of technical and vocational institutions,...
ASTANA – The First National Urban Forum of Kazakhstan (NUF2025), held on July 8 in Kyzylorda, marked the beginning of developing a national urban policy, reported the...
ASTANA – Wiebke Schloemer, a regional director for Türkiye and Central Asia at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), explores key milestones in more than 30 years of...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Situational and Analytical Complex (SAC) project has secured first place in its category at the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes...
ASTANA – The Development Bank of Kazakhstan has placed two tranches of Eurobonds on international capital markets, including a $200 million tap of its April-issued dollar bonds...
ASTANA – Kazakh star Dimash Qudaibergen performed at the prestigious A Night with the Stars concert at the Ho Guom Opera House in Vietnam’s capital on July...
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) President Salvatore Sciacchitano on July 8 to discuss ongoing developments and prospects for deeper cooperation...
ASTANA – United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on July 7 extending certain tariff rates until Aug. 1. Under the order, Kazakhstan will face...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s actor Bakhyt Khajibayev won the best actor award at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival on July 6 in the Chinese city of...
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on July 5 in Rio de Janeiro as part...
ASTANA – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu represented Kazakhstan for the first time as a partner country at the 17th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in...
When we think of Astana, the first thing that comes to mind is the high-level visits of politicians and international summits. It’s a city of strategy, diplomacy,...
ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s strategic position in the Middle Corridor makes it a game-changer for regional logistics and innovation, said Vice president of the European Investment Bank (EIB)...
When we think of Astana, the first thing that comes to mind is high-level visits of politicians and international summits. It’s a city of strategy, diplomacy, and...
ALMATY – The Italian Institute of Culture in Almaty hosts “Thin Walls / Aitys / Lost in Translation,” a solo installation by Kazakh contemporary artist Syrlybek Bekbotayev,...
ASTANA – The World Boxing Cup stage concluded in Astana on July 6, with more than 400 boxers representing 31 countries battling it out for medals. Host...
Editor’s Note: The Astana Times continues its Forgotten Cities of the Silk Road series, exploring Kazakhstan’s tentative UNESCO World Heritage sites. This edition highlights three major archaeological...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has celebrated National Dombra Day on the first Sunday of July since 2018. Dombra, the national musical instrument, embodies the country’s rich history, culture,...
When we think of Astana, the first thing that comes to mind is high-level visits of politicians and international summits. It’s a city of strategy, diplomacy, and...
ASTANA — Kazakhstan is ready to invest in Afghanistan’s Turghundi-Herat railway to strengthen regional connectivity, said Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov at the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit...
ALMATY – Some places demand silence the moment you arrive. Not out of fear but reverence. Charyn Canyon is one of those places. And as I learned...
ALMATY – The Embassy of Spain in Kazakhstan and Esentai Gallery have announced the launch of the 2025 Art Residency Program, featuring Spanish contemporary artist Juan Saliquet...
ASTANA – A photo taken at the festival in Aktau has been featured in The Guardian’s July 2 Photos of the Day section, showcasing a model presenting...
ASTANA – Astana, Kazakhstan’s lively and ever-evolving capital, is turning 27, and the celebration promises to be as bold as the city itself with open-air concerts, dazzling...
ASTANA – The Astana Times has curated a selection of articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest includes topics such as relations...
ASTANA – North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), the operator of the North Caspian project, has produced one billion barrels of oil since the Kashagan field start-up. The...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has established the Khorgos – Eastern Gate Special Economic Zone (SEZ), with its regulations and target indicators approved, according to a government resolution dated...
ASTANA – The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its growing strategic interest in the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor, a...
ASTANA – Two hundred and thirty power plants are operating in Kazakhstan, including 156 renewable energy facilities with a total installed capacity of over three gigawatts (GW),...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Association of Regional Environmental Initiatives ECOJER has been granted special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the ECOJER press service...
ASTANA — What if the key to fighting disease, aging well, and managing the effects of climate change was not a miracle drug, but microbes? At Nazarbayev...
ASTANA – Azerenergy, Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC), and National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan have jointly established a new venture, the Green Corridor Union, which will...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan exported nine million tons of new crop grain from September 2024 to June 2025, which is 60% more than for the same period in...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s flagship carrier Air Astana will begin operating direct flights from Astana to Bodrum (Türkiye) on July 19, the airline’s press service announced. Flights will...
ASTANA — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has raised 200 million UAE dirhams (US$54 million) through a private bond placement in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is currently implementing 45 large industrial projects with a total investment of over 2.3 trillion tenge (approximately US$4.4 billion) and creating up to 20,000...
ASTANA – The Kazakh Ministry of National Economy has identified the country’s regions with the highest and lowest levels of comfort for living, based on the System...
ASTANA – In the first quarter of 2025, the gross inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Kazakhstan reached $6.6 billion, up 6.2% compared to the same...
ASTANA – The final stage of the Kazakhstan Without Domestic Violence national campaign took place in Astana on June 28, as part of the Year of Crime...
ASTANA – Kazakh technology company Gen2B has launched HyGPT, the first large language model (LLM) designed for the Eastern Armenian language, reported the company’s press service on...
ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took part in the official opening ceremony of the new headquarters of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in...
ASTANA – British actor and martial artist Scott Adkins has been announced as the third headliner for Comic Con Astana, Central Asia’s largest geek culture festival. Renowned...
ASTANA – Astana hosted a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) forum on July 1, which explored challenges and opportunities around digital diplomacy. The event discussed key areas of...
ASTANA – The International Arbitration Centre (IAC) Eurasia Arbitration Week 2025 (EAW25) officially opened on July 1, bringing together the international arbitration community to discuss key developments...
ASTANA — The first international passenger flight in six years departed from Petropavl International Airport on July 2. Operated by SCAT Airlines, the charter flight connected Petropavl...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is making progress in developing five major cross-border hubs aimed at boosting trade, logistics, and industrial cooperation with neighboring countries, according to updates shared...
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with his Moldovan counterpart, Mihai Popșoi, on July 1. The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment...
ASTANA – The Kazakh Foreign Ministry announced the opening of applications for the 10th edition of Kazakhstan through the Eyes of Foreign Media contest on July 1. The...
ASTANA – The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Kazakhstan 2024 program, which has become a significant milestone in the development of women-led businesses in the country, was...
ASTANA – As global climate talks grow increasingly fractured, Mukhtar Babayev, the president of the COP29, or the 29th United Nations Climate Change conference, discussed climate goals,...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative took part in London Climate Action Week from June 23 to 27, joining global leaders and changemakers to advance climate...
ASTANA – China Eastern Airlines will launch the Shanghai-Almaty flight on July 4, the Almaty city administration’s press service reported. This marks the airline’s first destination in...
ASTANA – The first Trans-Caspian train set off from Beijing’s Fangshan district on June 30, carrying 104 standard containers filled with auto parts and mechanical equipment valued...
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law on June 30 that will allow the scaling of the pilot Invataxi project for people with disabilities in Kazakhstan,...
ASTANA – The Kazakh government will allocate 5.9 billion tenge (US$11.3 million) from illegally withdrawn assets returned to the country to complete the construction of 51 medical...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is hosting the World Boxing Cup: Kazakhstan – Astana 2025 from June 30 to July 6, bringing together more than 400 boxers from 31...
ASTANA – International experts have commended Kazakhstan’s efforts in human rights following the country’s presentation of its third periodic report on implementing its obligations under the International...
ASTANA – The first graduation of Canadian International School – Astana (CIS) took place at the National Museum on June 20. Kazakh students graduated with government-certified diplomas...
AKTAU — Generative artificial intelligence has quickly become a part of our everyday life, replacing traditional search engines for many people. Need a new meal plan? You...
ASTANA – Social media has become the leading source of news for Kazakh citizens, outpacing television and online media platforms, the Institute of Public Policy reported on...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan will address multilateralism, financial relations, and artificial intelligence (AI) at the upcoming BRICS Summit on July 6–7 in Rio de Janeiro, said Aibek Smadiyarov,...
ASTANA – Comic Con Astana continues to unveil the lineup for Central Asia’s largest geek culture festival. Joining Andy Serkis on the list of headliners is Esai...
ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu participated in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization...
ASTANA — Six Kazakhstan’s athletes are set to compete at Wimbledon 2025, one of the most prestigious tournaments in world tennis, which kicks off on June 30...
ASTANA – This year, 20 universities from Kazakhstan have been included in the QS World University Rankings 2026, published on June 19. Among them are three institutions...
ASTANA – Kazakh opera singer Aigerim Altynbek performed with Andrea Bocelli on June 27-28 at a concert of the legendary tenor in the amphitheater in Pompeii. The...
ASTANA – Seven international university branches will be established across Kazakhstan in the 2025-2026 academic year. According to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, in Astana,...
ASTANA – Religious reasons were found to be relatively weakly linked to vaccine refusal in Kazakhstan. Public distrust in the healthcare system plays a much larger role,...
ASTANA – Almaty will host the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) Asia on Aug. 20-23, 2026, drawing more than 300 renowned travel experts, journalists, and bloggers worldwide. The...
ASTANA – New archaeological discoveries across Kazakhstan have revealed centuries-old civilizations, highlighting the region’s pivotal role as a cultural and trade hub between East and West. From...
ASTANA – Kazakh national dance has long stood out for its grace, fluidity and charisma, characterized by expressive gestures and rich symbolism. For centuries, Kazakhs used dance...
ASTANA – The capital hosted the “My Astana: From the Past to the Future” exhibition featuring more than 300 rare pictures captured by photojournalist and local historian...
ASTANA – Creative industries are a rapidly expanding sector of the global economy, generating added value and new jobs. Globally, the sector contributes more than 3% to...
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s artwork highlighting climate change and cultural identity has been featured at the Berlin Biennale of Contemporary Art. The Artcom Platform, a collective of female...
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated in the meetings of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on June 27 in Minsk, Belarus, reported Akorda. The expanded meeting focused...
Eighty years ago this month, the Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco, turning the page on decades of war and offering hope for...
ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest covers Kazakh-Chinese cultural ties, Turkic states, the Middle...
