Renting in Astana: What to Look For, Where to Go

ASTANA – So you’re foreign and new in town. The first thing you want to do is find a good, comfortable place to live, with all the amenities in...


Betel KZ Gives Second Chance to Addicts

ASTANA – For alcoholics, addicts and disadvantaged persons, Betel KZ offers a chance to return to a normal life. The organisation provides opportunities through a kind, home-like environment and...


Kazakh Children Rejoice as Country’s Schools Set to Move to Five-Day Week

ASTANA – Beginning in September, Kazakhstan will change from a six to a five-day school week. The school year for first graders will last from Sept. 1 to June...


Skolkovo Startup Tour 2016 Winners Announced in Almaty

ASTANA – The Eurasian stage of Skolkovo Startup Tour 2016 has completed in Almaty, with Maxim Sanitskiy named the winner of the Almaty Tech Garden contest with his project...


Kazakh President Pays First Ever Visit to Cuba, Cooperation in Oil, Trade on Agenda

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Cuban President Raul Castro had a productive meeting during the first ever visit by a Kazakh leader on the Freedom Island on...


Mayors for Peace Call for Abolishing Nuclear Weapons

ASTANA – Thore Vestby, co-founder of Bike for Peace and mayor of Frogn, Norway, gave Kazakhstan high marks for its activities aimed at nuclear disarmament during his recent visit...


Entrepreneur Family Launches Kazakhstan’s First Production of Eco-Fabric Bags

ASTANA – Dmitry and Laura Sevostyanov are young entrepreneurs who have created a whole new production line of environmentally friendly shopping bags. They officially launched their business last August;...


Record 64 Countries Register for Almaty 2017 Winter Universiade

ASTANA – Student athletes from a record 64 countries have signed on to participate in the Almaty 2017 Winter Universiade, the Universiade’ s organising committee announced April 5. National...


Oil Production at Kashagan Field “to Resume in Fall”

ASTANA – Production at Kazakhstan’s massive Kashagan oil field will resume in the fall after being halted in 2013 because of a gas leak, the Novosti-Kazakhstan news agency reported...


New EU Project Aims to Enhance Criminal Justice in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Should every offender really be jailed, or are there alternatives that could better help people change and become productive citizens? Local heads of the EU project “Enhancing...


New Kostanay Sci-Fi Park Shares Wonders of Physics with Children

Eureka, a new interactive sci-fi park for children with more than 60 exhibits showcasing the laws of physics, has opened in Kostanay, Kazpravda.kz reported. All items are available to...


Manifest by Kazakh President Calls for Global Nuclear Disarmament, Steps to End Global Conflicts

You don’t have to be a wide-eyed optimist to believe that, despite the many and serious challenges our world faces, time remains on the side of progress. In recent...


Riga Conference Focuses on EU–Central Asia Cooperation

RIGA – The Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA), in cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung,...


Nuclear Security Summits Bring Positive Results, Should Continue, Nazarbayev Says

WASHINGTON, DC – Although four nuclear security summits held at U.S. President Barack Obama’s initiative since 2010 have produced a remarkable legacy in strengthening the security of dangerous materials...


Nazarbayev: Constructing World without Nuclear Weapons Would be Act of Supreme Wisdom

ASTANA – “Construction of a world without nuclear weapons must be the main goal of humanity in the twenty-first century,” said Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Carnegie Endowment...


Nazarbayev Discusses EU-Kazakhstan Partnership and Cooperation With Senior European Officials on Visit in Brussels

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev paid a working visit to Brussels March 30, meeting President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and President of the European Council...


Iranian, Russian Companies Seek Cooperation with Kazakh Gold Affinage Plants

ASTANA – A trial delivery of gold from Iran and Russia has been delivered for refining to Kazakhstan. It is expected to increase supplies if the parties reach an...


Zhambyl Farmer Offers Unique Kumys Tours, Promotes Regional Tourism

ASTANA – Sauranbai Donenbayev, a resident of the Zhambyl region, has introduced kumys (mare milk) tours as a new tourist attraction. The new wellness tour includes a special treatment...


Samruk Kazyna Buys Shares of KMG Kashagan B.V.

ASTANA – A deal worth $5.5 million was struck March 9 between Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund and KMG Kashagan B.V. The action followed a corresponding decision made in...


New Speaker of Mazhilis Elected, Reshuffle in Executive

ASTANA – Former Akim (Governor) of Atyrau region, member of Mazhilis elected from the Nur Otan Party list Baktykozha Izmukhambetov was elected Chairman of a new convocation of the...


EXPO 2017 Tourism Products Presented at Russia’s Leading Tourism Industry Event

ASTANA – The Astana EXPO 2017 National Company presented to major Russian travel agencies a portfolio of EXPO 2017 tourism products at the March 23-26 XXII International Exhibition MITT...


Kazakh Steppe Once Again Calls Brave Knights to Battle

ASTANA – Knights wearing ancient armour and holding heavy swords and shields walk in the centre of the city. Is it a dream? No, it is the Blade of...


116 Passengers Survive Controlled Crash Landing at Astana International Airport

ASTANA – A Bek Air Fokker-100 plane with 116 passengers en route from Kyzylorda (South Kazakhstan) to Astana made an emergency landing at the Astana International Airport on March...


Cuban Ambassador: Kazakh President’s First Official Visit to Havana will Strengthen Ties

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Cuba are about to witness a historic moment: Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev will pay his first official visit to Havana on April 2-3. “We will...


Central Asia Fashion Show Spring 2016 Showcases 150 Brands from 16 Countries

ALMATY – More than 150 brands from 16 countries, including Germany, Italy, France and Spain, were presented at the recent Central Asia Fashion Spring 2016 international fashion exhibition at...


Tour Agencies: Kazakhs Travelling Less Overseas, More across Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Kazakhs are tending to take fewer trips overseas due to decreased purchasing capacity due to devaluation of the national currency tenge and the fact many destinations have...


Kazakhstan Intends to Continue Strategic Partnership with US, Ambassador in Washington Says

As announced earlier by Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry press service, President Nursultan Nazarbayev this week will take part in the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC. The fourth summit of...


Francophonie Week Introduces Kazakh Audiences to French Culture

ASTANA – In Kazakhstan and across the globe, the French-speaking world marks International Francophonie Day on March 20 with events intended to cover “all the diversity of the French...


Aktobe Region Investment Opportunities Presented to Diplomatic Business Club

ASTANA – Developing Aktobe region as an investment destination was the theme of the March 28 Diplomatic Business Club meeting. The event, held in the capital’s Rixos Hotel, was...


Heat, Mobility among Challenges Facing Kazakh Military Observers in Africa

ASTANA – Seven Kazakh officers, along with representatives from more than 30 countries, are battling heat and desert conditions to serve in UN peacekeeping missions in Western Sahara and...


Nuclear Security Summits Leave Massive Legacy But Work Must Be Continued

Our world, despite the worrying increase in tensions in recent months, has come a long way from the darkest days of the Cold War. Only the most pessimistic of...


Kazakhstan Allocates Additional $4.2 Billion to Develop Transport Infrastructure

According to the Ministry for Investment and Development’s Committee on Highways, 1.5 trillion tenge (US$4.2 billion) has been allocated to support domestic transport. It has allowed Kazakhstan to enter...


Vivaldi’s Masterpieces to be Performed at Astana Opera

The masterpieces of great Venetian composer, conductor and violinist Antonio Vivaldi will be performed in the Baroque Hall of the Astana Opera Theatre on March 29. The concert is...


Kazakh National Guard Saves Nearly 100 Trapped on Snowy Roads

The soldiers of the Aktobe regiment of the Kazakhstan National Guard rescued 96 people trapped on snowy highways, reported the press service of the National Guard. Because of the...


Kazpost Opens Second Self-Serve Centre in Astana

Kazpost recently announced the opening of its second automated postal service point in Astana. This is a new self-service format to send and receive packages. According to the Kazpost...


Hazrat Sultan Mosque Launches Online, 3D Tour

The Hazrat Sultan mosque in Astana has introduced a virtual tour on its website www.muslim.kz/ru/virtual-tour. The option offers virtual guests 3D panoramas of what is inside the biggest mosque...


Arlans Secure WSB Playoff Spot with 5-0 Thrashing of Puerto Rico Hurricanes

The World Series of Boxing (WSB) title holders Astana Arlans secured a spot in the WSB playoffs on March 26 in Petropavlovsk with a 5:0 victory over the Puerto...


Kazakhstan’s National Football Team Beats Azerbaijan in Friendly Match

The Kazakh national team beat their Azerbaijani counterparts 1-0 in a friendly match played April 26 in Antalya, Turkey. Midfielder Maksat Baizhanov kicked the winning goal. The Kazakhstan Football...


Afghanistan Confirms Participation in Winter Universiade 2017

ALMATY – Athletes from Bamyan province in Afghanistan will take part in upcoming sporting event in Almaty, according to the Organising Committee for the Winter Universiade. “We expect a...


President Addresses First Joint Session of New Kazakh Parliament, Sets Priorities

ASTANA – Following the election of members of the Mazhilis in the March 20 nationwide vote, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed the first joint session of the Senate and...


Third-Year Medical Student Wins Kazakh Arui 2016 Beauty Contest

ASTANA – Twenty-year-old Almira Akhatova from the Atyrau region, who is a third-year student of the capital’s Medical University, won the final Kazakh Arui 2016 beauty contest held March...


Kazakh Pop Music Experiencing Heyday

ASTANA – Sitting at the core of mass culture, various genres of popular music attract different age groups. In Kazakhstan, pop culture depends enormously on mainstream television and radio...


Kazakh Opera Star Mukhamedkyzy Performs Concert Dedicated to Nauryz

ASTANA – A concert by Kazakh opera star Maira Mukhamedkyzy was held at the Astana Opera House on Nauryz March 22 in Astana. The singer who has performed on...


Kazakhstan Offers Plethora of Trekking Options

ASTANA – It is spring, just the right time for planning new destinations to breathe fresh air and finally spend more time outside. With its vast territory, Kazakhstan offers...


New Dating App Popular Among Kazakh Singles

ASTANA – A mobile application for online dating has exceeded the WhatsApp and Instagram applications on the number of downloads at the local branch of the app store. The...


Barsakelmes Nature Reserve Added to UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves

ASTANA – Located in the Sahara-Gobi Desert zone of the Aral Sea basin, the Barsakelmes Nature Reserve was added to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) during a...


Kazpochta Introduces Online Money Transfers

ASTANA – Kazpochta has introduced online money transfers allowing Kazakh holders of Visa payment cards to carry out money transfers through the Salem, Tenge! system to get cash in...


Kazakhstan Ready to be ‘Transit Bridge between Europe and Asia,’ Top Official Tells Asia Forum

ASTANA – First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev said during the March 24 Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) that “Asia is turning into the main platform of global...


Why Are Astana’s Fitness Clubs Premium? Are They Worth the Money They Charge?

ASTANA – People need to have a choice between essential and overly-luxurious that adds up to the value. By trying to draw the line among luxury, comfort and the...


Almaty to Host Large Tech Business Startup Marathon

ASTANA – Tech Garden’s Startup Day will be held in Almaty March 30-31 as part of the Eurasian Skolkovo Tour, the event’s organisers said. The tour will include seminars,...