France’s Ruée des Arts Presents “Costard” Play in Astana

ASTANA – French dance group Ruée des Arts debuted their performance “Costard” at the Astana Ballet Theater on April 9 as part of the Francophone Spring hosted by the...


Kazakh Foreign Minister Pays Official Visit to Moscow

ASTANA – Foreign ministries of Kazakhstan and Russia signed a cooperation plan for 2023-2024 during the official visit of Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat...


Kazakhstan’s Measures to Accelerate Tourism Development in Spotlight in South Korea

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s state support measures for tourism sector entrepreneurs and the eQonaq information system presented by the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports attracted significant interest among the...


Kazakhstan Urges to Preserve Status Quo Following Tensions at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is concerned about the increasing tensions in the Middle East and urged to maintain the status quo, said Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov during an...


Second Game in Chess Championship Turns Bitter for Ding after Nepomniachtchi Seizes His First Win

ASTANA – Ian Nepomniachtchi defeated Ding Liren in 29 moves with black in the second game of the 2023 FIDE World Chess Championship on April 10 in Astana, seizing...


Heydar Aliyev Street Opens in Astana During Azerbaijan President’s Visit to Kazakhstan

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev opened Heydar Aliyev Street in Astana during Aliyev’s official visit to Kazakhstan on April 10, reported...


Kazakhstan’s Leading Think Tank Outlines Its Achievements Over Three Decades

ASTANA — The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS), the country’s leading think tank, celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2023. In the run-up to this milestone, The Astana Times...


Microsoft to Open Multi-Regional Hub for Innovation in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – American tech giant Microsoft is ready to open a multi-regional hub based in Kazakhstan, the country’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry reported on April...


Kazakhstan Temir Zholy to Deliver Humanitarian Aid from China to Türkiye via Middle Corridor

ASTANA – Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway company will deliver China’s humanitarian aid to Türkiye by shuttle trains via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, known as the Middle...


Kazakh Wrestler Wins Gold at Asian Wrestling Championship

ASTANA – Kazakh wrestler Ibragim Magomadov won gold in the 72-kilogram weight category in Greco-Roman wrestling and became the first Asian champion from Kazakhstan, reported the National Olympic Committee...


The Korea Times Signs Partnership Agreement with The Astana Times

ASTANA – The Astana Times has signed a partnership agreement with The Korea Times, one of the leading English-language media outlets in South Korea, to exchange exclusive content between...


Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan Reiterate Commitment to Strengthen Ties

ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a joint statement to strengthen cooperation and agreed to establish the Supreme Interstate Council following...


Freight Volume via Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Grows 7 Percent in 2023

ASTANA – Freight turnover via Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the nation’s railway and logistics company, increased by 7 percent in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same...


Kazakhstan Seeks to Cooperate with Netflix and Promote Its Movies

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is seeking to cooperate with the Netflix streaming service to promote domestic movies on the platform, announced Kazakh Minister of Information and Social Development Darkhan Kydyrali...


United Nations Annual Report Highlights Kazakhstan’s Key Developments in 2022

ASTANA – The United Nations Country Team in Kazakhstan published the UN Kazakhstan Annual Report 2022 on April 1, which outlined the country’s progress in strengthening human rights and...


PwC: Kazakhstan’s Retail E-Commerce Sales Reach Almost $3 Billion in 2022

ASTANA – The retail e-commerce market in Kazakhstan continued its moderate growth and reached 1.3 trillion tenge ($2.9 billion) in 2022, 30 percent more than in the previous year,...


Malaysian Education Agency Seeks to Strengthen Ties with Kazakhstan in Academic Sphere

ASTANA – The Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) took a step towards establishing stronger ties with Kazakhstan in higher education by embarking on a four-day visit to the country...


Battle of Minds: First Game in World Chess Championship between Nepomniachtchi and Ding Ends in Draw

ASTANA – The first game of the 2023 World Chess Championship on April 9 between two chess titans, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren, ended in a draw in what...


Kazakh Wrestlers Win Four Medals at Asian Wrestling Championships

ASTANA – Kazakh Greco-Roman wrestlers won four medals in four out of five weight categories at the Asian Wrestling Championships on April 9, reported Qazsport. In the 87-kilogram weight...


President Tokayev Calls for Unity, Harmony to Promote National Development During Iftar Reception

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will be able to reach goals and become a truly progressive, creative, and advanced country with unity and harmony in society,  President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during...


Kazakhstan’s Maritime Academy Marks 10th Anniversary, Seeks to Enhance Professional Development

ASTANA – The Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) hosted an event to mark the 10th anniversary of the Kazakhstan Maritime Academy (KMA) in Almaty on April 7, reported the university’s...


Kazakh National Bank Keeps Base Rate at 16.75 Percent

ASTANA – The National Bank of Kazakhstan announced plans on April 7 to keep the base rate at 16.75 percent for the third time since December last year, according...


Naval Forces of Kazakhstan Mark 30th Anniversary

ASTANA – This month marks an important date for the Naval Forces of Kazakhstan. They were established exactly thirty years ago as part of the Armed Forces to protect...


Number of Argalis Booms in Kazakhstan’s Nature Reserve

ASTANA — When a specially protected natural area was created at the Karatau Nature Reserve in the Turkestan region back in 2004, there were only approximately 40 Karatau argalis,...


Here’s How Beautiful Kazakh Lake Balkhash Looks from Space (Video)

ASTANA — Russian cosmonaut and flight engineer of the International Space Station Oleg Artemyev surprised his followers on TikTok on April 3 with a new video from space of...


Unraveling Colorful Art and Tradition of Kazakh Carpet Weaving

ASTANA – Discovering Kazakh carpets can take one on a highly patterned journey through the centuries-old aesthetic tradition of nomadic people, their symbolism in design, and the simple practicalities...


Astana Hosts Opening Ceremony of 2023 FIDE World Championship

ASTANA – The opening ceremony of the 2023 FIDE World Chess Championship Match featuring art performances and AI technology took place at the Astana Ballet theater on April 7. ...


Endangered Greig Tulips Bloom Again in Turkistan Region, Require Preservation

ASTANA – Rare and beautiful Greig tulips bloom again in Kazakhstan’s Turkistan Region. Yet, these stunning flowers are in need of protection, reported the press service of the Kazakh...


Mangystau Region Most Sought-After Destination Among Tourists

ASTANA – The Mangystau Region is the most sought-after destination in Kazakhstan, with more than 41,000 foreign visitors staying for seven to twelve days on average in 2022, the...


World Bank Projects 3.5 Percent Growth for Kazakhstan’s Economy

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s economy is expected to grow by 3.5 percent in 2023 and 4 percent in 2024, led by the hydrocarbons sector as oil production rises due to...


Tengiz: Behind the Scenes of The Deal of the Century

Kazakhstan marked an important anniversary on April 6. The American oil company Chevron entered the former Soviet country and signed a 40-year contract to develop the Tengiz oil field,...


Shymkent Oil Refinery Completes Maintenance Work Ahead of Schedule

ASTANA – The Shymkent oil refinery completed its maintenance work on April 7 ahead of schedule and launched production for the domestic market, reported the Kazakh Energy Ministry’s press...


Basel Institute on Governance to Assist Kazakhstan in Recovering Illicit Assets

ASTANA – The Basel Institute on Governance signed a cooperation agreement with the Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office to assist the country in recovering illegally obtained assets, the office’s press...


Astana to Host 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships

ASTANA – More than 300 athletes from 24 countries will take part in the Asian Wrestling Championships in Astana April 9-14, Deputy Chair of Sports and Physical Culture Committee...


Kazakh President Reiterates Commitment to Equitable Healthcare on WHO’s 75th Anniversary

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated the World Health Organization (WHO) on its 75th anniversary on Twitter, stating that Kazakhstan remains committed to providing affordable and equitable access to...


Astana Opera to Present “Dreams Come True” Ballet to Mark Debut of Young Artists

ASTANA – The Astana Opera will premiere “Dreams Come True” ballet presenting several pas de deux from classical ballets and miniatures by the theater’s debutants and principal soloists on...


Kazakh, British Experts Discuss Critical Mineral Exploration and Development

LONDON – The U.K.-based companies are expanding their mining and metallurgical operations in Kazakhstan, as the country’s strong potential in critical minerals exploration and development aligns with the United...


Ambassador-at-Large Murat Mukushev Appointed Kazakhstan’s National Coordinator for SCO

ASTANA – Ambassador-at-Large of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry Murat Mukushev has been appointed Kazakhstan’s National Coordinator for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s decree signed on...


Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to Pay Official Visit to Kazakhstan

ASTANA – President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will pay an official visit to Kazakhstan on April 10 at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Akorda press service reported...


Kazakh Astrophysicists Make Breakthrough Observation of Gamma-Ray Bursts

ASTANA – The Nazarbayev University’s telescope, located at the Assy-Turgen Astrophysical Observatory in the Almaty Region, made a unique and innovative observation of a cosmic event called a gamma-ray...


Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan Sign $55 Million in Contracts During Trade Mission to Baku

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan business leaders signed export contracts worth $55 million to supply batteries, sheet steel, and food products during an April 5 trade and economic mission...


France Fully Supports Political Reforms in Kazakhstan, Says Diplomatic Adviser to French President

ASTANA – France fully supports Kazakhstan’s political reforms, said Isabelle Dumont, Diplomatic Adviser on Continental Europe and Türkiye to the French President, during an April 6 meeting with Kazakh...


Exciting Events in Astana This Weekend

ASTANA — As the days get longer in spring, people are eager to attend more interesting events. The Astana Times has picked the top things to see and do...


Immersive Digital Exhibition Unlocks Beauty of Italian Renaissance

ASTANA – The Kazakh National Museum hosts the immersive digital exhibition titled Italian Renaissance – Eternal Beauty, allowing visitors to explore the beauty of Italian art and culture on...


Kazakh Air Carriers to Expand Fleet by 50 Percent Through 2025

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s air carriers will expand its fleet by 42 aircraft to 132 units by 2025, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Almaz Idyrysov said during an April...


Kazatomprom Exports Uranium to Romania via Trans-Caspian International Transport Route

ASTANA – Kazatomprom national atomic company delivered uranium for Romania’s nuclear power plant via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), reported the company’s press service on April 5. In...


Kazakh Chess Player Bibisara Assaubayeva Ranks Among Top Three at Women’s Grand Prix in New Delhi

ASTANA – Kazakh two-time women’s world blitz chess champion Bibisara Assaubayeva, 19, won the second place after tiebreaks at the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix (WGP) in New Delhi, reported...


Political Expert: Kazakhstan’s Renewal Concerns Institutions

ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s course towards renewing its political system focuses more on changing the institutions and their work, political expert Daniyar Ashimbayev wrote in his Telegram post on April...


Kazakh National Commission for UNESCO and ISESCO Summarizes Achievements of 30 Years

ASTANA – The National Commission of Kazakhstan for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) summed up...


Kazakhstan’s Anti-Corruption Agency Recovers $241 Million After Investigation Probes

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Anti-Corruption Agency has recovered 108 billion tenge ($241 million) as a result of investigations, announced President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at an April 5 video conference meeting with...