Award-Winning Big Cities Producers to Create TV Programme Promoting Ethno-Tourism

ASTANA – Big Cities, winners of last year’s Presidential Award for the highest–rated television programme aired on 24KZ, has announced plans to launch a new programme popularising ethno-tourism. Created...


Transport Officials Discuss Trans-Caspian Int’l Route at Eurasia Rail 2016 Conference

Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company Chairman Askar Mamin, Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of Turkey Binali Yildirim and President of Turkish railway company TCDD Omer Yildiz discussed transport...


Women Run About 700,000 Kazakh Enterprises

ASTANA – Atameken Council of Business Women of Kazakhstan Chairperson Lyazzat Ramazanova recently spoke about women’s entrepreneurship in the nation, as well as the possible financing of women’s business...


Opening of Kazakhstan’s First McDonald’s Draws Big Crowds, High Officials

ASTANA – While the opening of a fast-food restaurant is not normally a big deal for most countries, in Kazakhstan, it became quite an event. The launch of the...


Kazakhstan Provides Free Military Armaments, Equipment to Kyrgyzstan

ASTANA – Kazakh Senate members approved the bill “On ratification of the agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic for the provision of free military-technical assistance”...


It’s Now or Never to Make the World Gender Equal

Achieving gender equality and eliminating poverty are part of the same battle. As we mark International Women’s Day, let us remember that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development needs...


Astana Arlans Win in Baku Following Defeat in Tashkent

World Series of Boxing (WSB) reigning champions the Astana Arlans continue to defend their title in the league’s sixth season. Last week the Kazakh roster won an important away...


Kazakh Actress Calls for Contributions to Help Return Tugai Deer to Balkhash Lake

ASTANA – Kazakh actress and ambassador for Russia’s World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Kazakhstan Bibigul Aktan has called upon residents of Kazakhstan to take part in a...


Baritone Yevgeny Chainikov Debuts as King of Ethiopia in Verdi’s ‘Aida’

ASTANA – Yevgeny Chainikov, who has a master’s degree in opera singing from Arizona State University and is a laureate of international contests, debuted as Amonasro, King of Ethiopia...


Kazakh Entrepreneurs Use Liquid Nitrogen to Make Ice Cream

Two Almaty businessmen have jumped into the food industry with the idea of making ice cream using liquid nitrogen. Scoopers is the first company in the Commonwealth of Independent...


Kazakh Restaurant in Paris Included in City’s 2016 Michelin Guide

ASTANA – Chez Mademoiselle, a restaurant in the centre of Paris featuring Kazakh, Russian and Central Asian cuisine, has been included in the city’s 2016 Michelin Guide. Fewer than...


Kazakh Parliament Considers Rent Increase for Russian Rented Land

ASTANA – Members of the lower chamber of the Parliament (MPs), the Mazhilis, are discussing ways to raise the yearly rent for Russian military test sites in Kazakhstan, reported...


Nur Otan Party is Most Active in the Media, Election Commission Says

ASTANA – The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Kazakhstan recently summed up the intermediate results of monitoring the activeness of political parties in the media. The Nur Otan Democratic...


Poland Is Ready to Demonstrate its Innovative Technologies at EXPO 2017

Poland expressed readiness to present its technologies in renewable and alternative energy sources during an official visit of EXPO 2017 Commissioner and Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Rapil Zhoshybayev...


Women are Important Partners in ‘Family, Community and Country’

In today’s knowledge economy, the most important resource and main driver of prosperity is the talent and energy of a country’s people. So the better a society can maximise...


Kazakh Think Tank Gathers Int’l Experts to Discuss Terrorism, Relations among Powers

ASTANA – New global challenges were discussed by foreign experts March 2 at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KAZISS). Growing strains in relations between world powers and strengthening...


City of Eggs, Buckets, Dollars and Flying Saucers

ASTANA – “Let’s meet near the Egg!” or “I’m in the Lighter!” or “I need a ride to Chupa Chups!” If you ever hear those phrases, don’t worry, you’re...


KazGUU Academic Diplomatic Club Hosts Farewell to UAE, Japanese Ambassadors

ASTANA – The South African Embassy to the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway together with the KazGUU Academic Diplomatic Club hosted a farewell...


Historical Photo and Documentary Exhibit Marks 24 Years of Kazakhstan’s UN Membership

ASTANA­ – Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry opened an exhibition of unique archival materials from the Archives of the President of Kazakhstan and historic photographs reflecting the country’s cooperation with the...


Nazarbayev Congratulates Kazakh People on Day of Gratitude, Recalls Country’s Historic Past

ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev congratulated the people of Kazakhstan with the Day of Gratitude celebrated in the nation for the first time on March 1. He explained how...


Shymkent Police Adopt Drone Technology to Patrol Streets

ASTANA – Shymkent Police have launched a pilot project to use quadcopter air drones to monitor and improve road safety, according to the press service of the Shymkent city...


Kazakh President Says Crisis Provides New Development Opportunities

ASTANA – Emphasising that the global economic turbulence continues to generate social and political upheaval in the world, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said this situation creates opportunities both for...


Water Use Key to Launch of Kazakhstan’s Transition to Green Economy

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Green Economy Concept policy, adopted in May 2013, aims to diversify the economy through the careful use of natural resources. The effective use of water, identified...


Kazakhstan’s First UN Representative Reflects on almost a Quarter Century of Membership

Kazakhstan was admitted to membership in the United Nations (UN) on March 2, 1992. On the eve of the 24th anniversary of such an important event in the country’s...


Human Rights Protection Work On-going in Kazakhstan, Ambassador Says

Ahead of the high-level segment of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held each March, The Astana Times discussed cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UN and bilateral relations with...


Soyle.kz Director Utilises Internet to Bring Kazakh Language to the World

ASTANA – Soyle.kz is using the Internet and mobile technology to bring Kazakh language, culture and history to Russian and English speakers across the globe. “Soyle” means “speak.” “The...


Kazakh Senate Speaker Calls for Spirit of Dialogue in OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

ASTANA – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) should act in “a spirit of a common political project” and seek understanding, rather...


Alstom Now Holds 50 Percent of Electric Locomotive Production Joint Venture

ASTANA – Alstom and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), Kazakhstan’s national railway company, completed the process of Alstom’s acquisition of an additional 25 percent of the Electrovoz Kurastyru Zauyty (EKZ)...


Kazakh, Egyptian Presidents Discuss Trade, Cooperation in Astana

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nazarbayev discussed bilateral cooperation in the trade, economic, agricultural, pharmaceutical, space and atomic spheres, as well as infrastructure construction and transport with Arab Republic of...


Kazakhstan Can Be Incubator for Public Service Innovation, Says UNDP’s Innovation Specialist

ASTANA – “Train on the job” and “learn by doing” were the ideas conveyed to Kazakh public employees during a Feb. 22 seminar about innovative trends and approaches. The...


Relations with Egypt Set to Strengthen Further, Kazakh Ambassador in Cairo Says

In advance of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s visit to Astana on Feb. 26-27, Kazakh Ambassador in Cairo Berik Aryn answered a number of questions for The Astana Times...


EXPO 2017 is a ‘Dialogue of the International Community,’ Says BIE Chief

ASTANA – EXPO 2017 preparations are well on track in terms of construction of facilities, lining up participation and removing hurdles for travel, while the event’s success will also...


Competition Leaves No Time for Boredom, Says Kazakh Quartet’s Cellist

ASTANA – A quartet is often considered to perform elitist music for the intelligentsia and casual listeners might not be attracted. The audience that desires chamber music or a...


Kazakh Human Rights Office Received 1,340 Requests for Assistance in 2015, Says New Report

ASTANA – Kazakh Commissioner for Human Rights Askar Shakirov presented a report of the National Ombudsman’s work in 2015 to President Nursultan Nazarbayev Feb.24, reported the press service of...


Nazarbayev, EEC Chairman Examine EAEU Strategy Given Global Economic Challenges

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Tigran Sargsyan discussed the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) development strategy in the framework of the...


EXPO Preparations, Participant Privileges Discussed at Int’l Participants Meeting in Astana

ASTANA – More than 270 representatives of expo working groups from more than 100 countries took part in the second International Participants Meeting (IPM) in Astana Feb. 24–25, where...


KTZ President, Iranian Transportation Officials Discuss Development of Eurasian Transcontinental Corridor

Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company Chairman Askar Mamin and a company delegation met with the heads of Iranian transportation companies in Tehran on Feb. 22 to discuss Kazakhstan’s integration...


Kazakh Poet Presents New Collection of Poems in Astana

ASTANA – Kazakh poet Tamara Salimova and 40A Studio, supported by Marriot Hotel, held a presentation of a new book of poems in Astana on Feb. 11. The book...


Hungarian Envoy: Foreign Trade, Cultural Expansion Among Priorities in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The Hungarian economy has seen constant growth since leaving behind the echo of the 2008 financial crisis, and the country’s embassy in Kazakhstan is now ready to...


Barys Fails to Reach Gagarin Cup Playoffs for First Time in Eight Years

The Barys Astana hockey club has missed the Continental Hockey League (KHL) Gagarin Cup playoffs for the first time in eight years despite a Feb. 18 shootout victory over...


Kazakh Journalists Promote 2017 Winter Universiade at Congress of International Sports Journalists in Qatar

DOHA – Qatar’s capital recently hosted the 79th congress of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). The latest annual event gathered more than 200 delegates from more than 100...


Mazhilis Election Registration Closes, Six Parties and 234 Candidates Approved by CEC

ASTANA – The political party registration process for the March 20 parliamentary elections ended Feb. 20 with a six-party list that includes 234 candidates approved by the Central Election...


Experts Want More Kazakh Products Exported to China

ASTANA – Chairman of the KAZNEX INVEST National Agency for Export and Investment Borisbiy Zhangurazov called on enterprises to develop promising export destinations during a recent press conference at...


Moscow Commemorates 170th Anniversary of Birth of Zhambyl Zhabayev

The Union of Kazakh Youth together with the Kazakh Embassy in Moscow organised a musical evening to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the birth of Kazakh poet Zhambyl Zhabayev...


Bulgarians ‘Sprinkled Kazakh Steppes with Sweat and Blood’, Community Leader Says

ASTANA – Although Bulgaria and Kazakhstan might seem to have little but the Soviet Union to link them, Bulgarians actually first arrived on the territory of modern Kazakhstan more...


Kazakh Epee Team Wins Silver at World Cup

Kazakhstan’s national men’s fencing team won silver medals at the recent Epee World Cup held in Vancouver, Canada. The Kazakh epeeists started the tournament with a confident victory over...


Kazakhstan, China to Cooperate on JAC Vehicle Production, Other Industrial Projects

Kostanai region Akim (Governor) Arkhimed Mukhambetov announced plans to implement nine projects to attract foreign direct investments to the region during 2016. He noted the main inflow of foreign...


British Superb Films to Shoot Genghis Khan Movie in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Sports and British company Superb Films have agreed to cooperate in the field of culture and film arts, according to a Feb....


Astana Opera Dedicates Project to 25th Anniversary of Kazakhstan’s Independence

ASTANA – The Astana Opera Theatre will release an anthology of symphonic music by Kazakh composers of the 20th century to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence. The...


Domestic Oncology Not Perfect But Developing, Expert Says

ASTANA – While Kazakh cancer care is not yet delivered in five-star surroundings, the quality of treatment has improved by leaps and bounds in the last few years, thanks...