Kazakh Chess Player Bibisara Assaubayeva Wins Silver at Belt and Road 2022 World Chess Woman’s Summit Tournament in China

ASTANA – Kazakh chess player Bibisara Assaubayeva, 18, took second place at the Belt and Road 2022 World Chess Woman’s Summit tournament in China’s Xi’an, Assaubayeva wrote on her...


Kazakhstan to Introduce Roadmap to Increase Efficiency in SEZs

ASTANA – The Kazakh Industrial Development Committee may introduce the differentiated approach to providing investment preferences in special economic zones (SEZs), as Head of Special Economic and Industrial Zones...


Kazakh Carriers Increase Share in Global Transportation Market

ASTANA – Kazakh carriers increased their share in the international transportation market by 7 percent, reported the Transport Committee’s press service on Jan. 3. “In 11 months of 2022,...


Kazakh Invest Records Increase in Investment Results in 2022

ASTANA – Zhandos Temirgali, the Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakh Invest National Company, discussed the country’s investment projects and partnerships in a recent interview with The...


“Windows” Exhibition Seeks to Capture Old Semei’s History Through Graphic Art

ASTANA – Semei hosts the “Windows” exhibition of journalist Ruslan Shakabayev featuring graphic works on the ancient houses of the city. The artist’s work seeks to preserve the city’s...


Orteke Kazakh Art: Strings That Tie Music and Puppetry Together (Video)

ASTANA – An interplay of musical performance and a tiny bit of puppetry magic is unveiled in the ancient Kazakh traditional orteke art form, which last month was included...


Young, Progressive Voices Surge in Kazakh Government

The past week in Kazakhstan witnessed several important appointments, signaling one significant and positive trend in the government – more young voices are rising to the highest ranks of...


Kazakhstan to Approve List of Professions For Foreign Labor Employment

ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to approve the list of professions in healthcare, education, science, engineering, and IT sectors that will be allowed to attract foreign labor, as the Ministry...


Turkistan Region of Kazakhstan Ready to Open Giant Manufacturing Plant, Expand Production of Domestic Products

ASTANA – The Turkistan Region’s production sector is set to expand its range of manufactured domestic products, as the construction of another manufacturing giant Sastobe Innovation Complex worth 122.8...


One Year On from the January Tragedy in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office and the Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs delivered their reports on Jan. 5 on the investigation into the tragic January events that...


Kazakhstan’s National Fund Assets Reach $61 Billion

ASTANA – As of January 2023, the assets of the National Fund reached 28.6 trillion tenge (US$61 billion), 613 billion tenge (US$1.3 billion) more than last year’s figures, reported...


Kazakhstan Extends Open Sky Policy Through to 2027

ASTANA – The Civil Aviation Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development extended the open sky aviation policy for five years through to Dec. 26, 2027,...


Kazakhstan Launches Digital Family Map for Social Support

ASTANA – The Digital Family Map (DFM) to facilitate social support for citizens started its operation on Jan. 1, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Labor and Social Protection on...


Astana Hub Welcomes Its 1,000th Participant, Continues to Promote Export of IT Products

ASTANA – The Astana Hub International Technopark of IT startups registered 200 foreign IT companies in 2022, bringing the total number of Astana Hub residents to 1,000 with an...


Kazakhstan Sees Growth in Passenger Traffic, Expands International Destinations

ASTANA – Almost three years after the lockdown, passenger traffic by air shows stable growth compared to 2021 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019. According to the results of...


First Kazakhstan-Vietnam Freight Rail Route Starts Operations

ASTANA – The first-ever freight rail route between Kazakhstan and Vietnam was launched on Dec. 31, reported the Chinese Xinhua News Agency.  A train containing electronic parts made in...


Five Unique Experiences to Try in Astana This Weekend

ASTANA – The past week may have seemed tedious and simply too long for the residents of Kazakhstan after having four days off from work, however, the upcoming weekend...


Torture Cannot Be Justified Even in Times of Chaos, Says Prosecutor General During Parliamentary Hearing on January Events

ASTANA – Several law enforcement officers treated their detainees with cruelty during the riots, which cannot be justified, said Prosecutor General Berik Asylov at a Jan. 5 Mazhilis meeting. ...


January Events Were Attempted Coup, Says Kazakh Prosecutor General

ASTANA – The operation to remove the country’s leaders was carefully planned, said Prosecutor General Berik Asylov during a Jan. 5 Mazhilis meeting on the results of an ongoing...


Kazakhstan Allocates Nearly $67 Million For Restoration Efforts After January Riots

ASTANA – The Kazakh government allocated 31 billion tenge (US$66.7 million) for restoring administrative and commercial facilities destroyed during the January riots, said First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar...


Law Enforcement Officials Prevent Worst-Case Scenario During Riots, Says Kazakh Minister of Internal Affairs

ASTANA – The tragedy could have been considerably worse if law enforcement had not followed the set of actions mandated by the law, said Minister of Internal Affairs Marat...


Kazakh Mazhilis Holds Parliamentary Hearing on Results of Ongoing Investigation Into January Events

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General Berik Asylov presented a detailed timeline of the January events, summarized the investigation’s findings and provided evidence at a Jan. 5 Mazhilis meeting.  “The...


President Tokayev Meets with Newly Appointed Judges of Constitutional Court

ASTANA – The Constitutional Court will play a major role in the national human rights protection system, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his meeting with the judges, reported the...


Zulfiya Suleimenova Becomes Kazakhstan’s Youngest Minister at Only 32 Years-of-Age

ASTANA – The first working day of 2023 in Kazakhstan on Jan. 4 featured some significant reshuffles in the government, sending a strong message from the government that they...


S&P Global Ratings Assigns Kazatomprom ESG Assessment

ASTANA – The S&P Global Ratings international rating agency assigned the Kazatomprom national atomic company, the world’s largest uranium producer, an above average environmental, social, and governance (ESG) evaluation...


Kazakhstan to Continue Political Modernization This Year, Says State Counselor Karin

ASTANA – Kazakhstan will continue implementing the political modernization program this year, State Counselor Erlan Karin wrote on his Telegram channel on Jan. 3, reporting on fundamental changes coming...


Kazakhstan to Increase International Flights in 2023

ASTANA – In 2023, Kazakhstan is set to launch more direct international flights and continue implementing the open skies policy to attract new foreign air carriers, reported the Prime...


Harry Grey’s “The Hoods” Bestseller Translated into Kazakh Language

ASTANA – Karagandy Region’s language teaching center translated the world-famous bestseller “The Hoods” by Harry Grey into Kazakh as part of the project aimed at translating world literature into...


Kazakhstan’s Nomad Stunts to Participate in “Tamerlan” Movie Shooting for Netflix

ASTANA  – Kazakhstan’s Nomad Stunts team will perform stunts for the full-length historical film “Tamerlan” to be released on the Netflix streaming service platform, announced the team’s press service....


Legendary Medeu Ice Skating Rink in Almaty Celebrates 50th Anniversary

ASTANA – The Medeu open-air ice skating rink, which bears the status of the world’s largest high-mountain complex for winter sports, hosted many festive events to celebrate its 50th...


2022 in Review: Major International Highlights of Kazakhstan Over Last Year

Welcoming 2022, the people of Kazakhstan hoped it would bring more good to the world, which is still reeling from two years of uncertainty and the pandemic that took...


Kazakh Athletes Set Impressive Records, Receive Recognition for Achievements in 2022

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s athletes have demonstrated remarkable sports skills,  power of spirit, resilience, and extreme self-discipline this year and received numerous prestigious awards, upgrading the country’s status on the...


Kazakhstan’s Cultural Overview 2022: Highlights of Outgoing Year

ASTANA – This year has provided a solid impetus to expanding Kazakhstan’s cultural potential. The country held a plethora of large-scale events in art, music, history, literature, and cinematography,...


Headlines in 2022: Kazakhstan, Central Asia Remain in Spotlight with Key Events in Various Fields

ASTANA – 2022 has been an intense year packed with unprecedented and significant events. The news agenda included tragic riots, high-profile visits and celebrations in Kazakhstan. The Astana Times...


Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva Wins 2022 FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship

ASTANA – Bibisara Assaubayeva, 18, won the 2022 FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship on Dec. 30 in Almaty. The Kazakh chess player defended her title. On Aug. 5, International...


2022 Becomes One of Most Challenging, Significant Years for Kazakhstan, Says Kazakh State Counselor

ASTANA – 2022 has become one of the most challenging but also significant years in the entire modern history of Kazakhstan, State Counselor Erlan Karin wrote on his Telegram...


Kazakhstan’s FDI Inflow Reaches $22.1 Billion in Nine Months This Year

ASTANA – The gross inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Kazakhstan increased by 17.8 percent and reached $22.1 billion in nine months of 2022, reported the Foreign Ministry’s...


Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Set to Boost Cooperation Following Presidents’ Agreements

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov met with Deputy Prime Ministers of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev and Jurabek Mirzamahmudov on Dec. 29, who arrived in Astana on a working...


Astana’s Long Weekend Break: Where to Go During the New Year Holidays

ASTANA  – With the New Year fast approaching, it is important to finish work up, take a breath and recharge your batteries as the holiday night is likely to...


Ankara Opens Park, Erects Monument to Honor Great Kazakh Poet, Scholar Akhmet Baitursynov

ASTANA – Ankara opened a park and erected a monument in it to honor prominent Kazakh scholar, statesman, linguist, and poet Akhmet Baitursynov, known in Kazakhstan as the Ult...


Kazakhstan Wraps Up 2022 with Packed Diplomatic Schedule

ASTANA – Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov wrapped up the results of the ministry’s work in 2022 at a press briefing on Dec. 28, highlighting a packed diplomatic...


Kazakh President Appoints Elvira Azimova to Serve as Chair of Constitutional Court

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev appointed Elvira Azimova as the Chair of the Constitutional Court from Jan. 1, 2023. Azimova previously served as the Commissioner for Human Rights. On...


Kazakh Armed Forces Prepare Troops For New Potential Threats Arising From Unstable Geopolitical Situation

ASTANA – The Kazakh Armed Forces trained its troops this year amid possible risks of the geopolitical situation, considering the experience of combat operations in modern armed conflicts, said...


Dimash Kudaibergen Wins State Scholarship to Study Directing at New York Film Academy

ASTANA – Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen has become a recipient of the Bolashak (future) scholarship to study directing at the New York Film Academy branch in Los Angeles. The...


Kazakhstan Transitions to System of Presidential State with Strong Parliament, Says President Tokayev

ASTANA – Kazakhstan transitioned to the system of the presidential state with a strong parliament, said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at a Dec. 29 session of the Senate summing...


Mazhilis Move to Repeal Law on First President of Kazakhstan

ASTANA – The Mazhilis of the Kazakh Parliament started working on the draft law on declaring the Law on the First President of Kazakhstan invalid, reported Mazhilis’ press service...


Kazakh Chess Player Dinara Saduakassova Wins Silver at World Championship

ASTANA – Kazakh chess player Dinara Saduakassova became the Women’s Rapid section runner-up at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2022, taking place in Almaty on Dec. 25-30,...


United Nations Square Set to Open in Kazakh Capital

ASTANA – The United Nations (UN) Square will open in the Kazakh capital, reported the official Instagram account of the UN in Kazakhstan on Dec. 28. Deputies of the...


President Tokayev Signs Law on Women’s Retirement Age, Extension of Childcare Benefits and Other Social Support Measures

ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law on Dec. 26 to amend the country’s legislative acts on youth policy and social security, reported the Akorda press service. The...


Marubeni Corporation Sees Investment Opportunities in Central Asia, Continues to Expand Projects in Kazakhstan

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s investment attractiveness is increasing due to the shift in the geopolitical landscape, says Ichiro Takahara, the Vice Chairman of Marubeni Corporation, in a recent interview for...