Articles by Dana Omirgazy

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global and regional media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to China, the growing role of the Middle Corridor in regional connectivity, and more. Xi meets Kazakh president in Shanghai Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday met with Kazakh…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for fair, inclusive and human-centered global governance of artificial intelligence at the opening of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 17, urging stronger international cooperation and proposing new initiatives to expand AI development, regulation and digital connectivity. AI governance requires global cooperation Addressing the…

ASTANA – Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has instructed government agencies to finalize an investment agreement with China Tianying Inc. within two weeks to support the construction of solid waste treatment plants in at least three major cities, advancing Kazakhstan’s waste recycling and waste-to-energy infrastructure. During a July 16 meeting with China Tianying Party Committee Secretary…

ASTANA – The 120th anniversary of the birth of composer, educator and public figure Latif Khamidi (1906-1976) is being marked on July 17. One of the leading figures in the formation of Kazakhstan’s professional musical culture, Khamidi devoted more than five decades to the development of the country’s musical life through composition, education, research and…

ASTANA – The Almaty Zoo has welcomed a Przewalski’s horse foal, marking another milestone in its efforts to conserve one of the world’s rarest wild horse species. Born on June 14, the female foal was named Zhelmaya. She is the second offspring of the mare Kurbankul. The foal’s father is Merey, reported the zoo’s press…

ASTANA – Eleven service members of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan have arrived in Lebanon to serve with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), where they will carry out peacekeeping duties in southern Lebanon as part of the Indian contingent. The Kazakh peacekeepers have begun carrying out tasks that include monitoring the ceasefire,…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed the decree on measures to stimulate and develop the digital assets industry, establishing a comprehensive framework to accelerate the country’s digital economy. Developed by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and the National Bank in cooperation with relevant government agencies and the Astana International Financial…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding its international air connectivity by launching a new route to Georgia and reaching an agreement with China to increase the number of weekly passenger flights and deepen cooperation in civil aviation. Starting July 14, Kazakh low-cost carrier FlyArystan launched a new weekly service between Atyrau and Batumi, Georgia, operated with…

ASTANA – Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways plans to launch regular cargo flights to Astana from Aug. 1 and passenger flights between Hong Kong and Almaty from January 2027, expanding air connectivity between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong. The plans were announced during a meeting between Saltanat Tompiyeva, chair of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee, and Oliver…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected a range of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media worldwide this week. Today’s foreign media digest covers the country’s cultural heritage, Euronews’ launch of Kazakh-language broadcasting, new investment and technology partnerships, and scientific research shedding new light on the Scythian elite and the Golden Man. Kazakhstan’s dombyra:…

ASTANA – British-Spanish actor Taz Skylar, best known for portraying Sanji in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “One Piece,” has been announced as the latest headlining guest of the fifth-anniversary Comic Con Astana, which will take place from Aug. 6-9. Beyond acting, Skylar is also a screenwriter, director and producer, as well as an avid extreme…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Afghanistan discussed expanding banking cooperation to facilitate bilateral trade during a July 8 meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin and Ghazanfar Bank Chairman Mohammad Ismail Ghazanfar. Zhumangarin said that for Kazakhstan, strengthening trade and economic ties with Afghanistan is important, noting that a reliable and…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan ranked first among Central Asian countries in the Global Passport Index 2026, published by Global Citizen Solutions, a migration consultancy. It ranked 109th worldwide out of 197 countries. Kazakhstan ranked between the Maldives and Belarus in the global list, ahead of Uzbekistan (123rd), the Kyrgyz Republic (127th), Tajikistan (140th) and Turkmenistan (144th).…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and Iran have signed a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement to construct a Kazakh transport and logistics terminal at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port, a move aimed at strengthening regional connectivity and expanding Kazakhstan’s export routes. The agreement was signed with the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran and provides for the transfer of a…

ASTANA – Kazakh has become the first Central Asian language to be introduced by Euronews, Chairman Pedro Vargas David said during a July 7 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who welcomed the move as a milestone in cooperation between Kazakhstan and the international broadcaster. Tokayev said the launch of Euronews broadcasting in Kazakh reflects the…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s FlyArystan airline has launched new international routes to China and the Kyrgyz Republic as part of efforts to expand flight connectivity and increase the number of international services. Starting June 26, the airline operates flights on the Aktau-Urumqi route twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, using Airbus A320 aircraft, the Transport…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is implementing measures to expand its marketable gas resource base, develop new gas fields and increase processing capacity to ensure stable energy supplies for the economy and population, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said at a July 7 government meeting. Under the Comprehensive Gas Industry Development Plan for 2025-2029 and the Plan for…

ASTANA — Mexican actor Iñaki Godoy, who gained worldwide recognition for his leading role as Monkey D. Luffy in Netflix’s live-action “One Piece”, has been announced as the second headline guest of Comic Con Astana 2026, which will take place in the Kazakh capital from Aug. 6 to 9. Earlier, organizers announced Danish actor Nikolaj…

ASTANA – The Kazakh government is implementing a package of measures to increase household incomes, reduce debt burdens, maintain macroeconomic stability and expand energy capacity, as part of the president’s instructions to transition to a new model of economic growth. Speaking at a July 1 government meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy…

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze signed a joint statement establishing a strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Georgia following the June 29 talks focused on expanding political, economic, transport and humanitarian cooperation. Strategic partnership to deepen bilateral cooperation During the meeting between members of both delegations, the officials discussed…

ASTANA – Kazakh composer and musician Dana Zulpykhar has contributed to the soundtrack of Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” recording parts for the traditional Kazakh instruments dombyra and kobyz used in the series’ musical score.   Zulpykhar shared the news on social media, saying she had recorded the instruments for the soundtrack composed by Takeshi Furukawa.…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Senate held its final session on June 29, concluding the 30-year history of the upper house ahead of the country’s transition to a unicameral parliamentary system under the new Constitution, said Senate Chair Maulen Ashimbayev. Ashimbayev said the current parliamentary session will officially end at a joint sitting of both chambers on…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan and China reaffirmed their goal of increasing bilateral trade to $100 billion during talks between Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang at the ninth China-Eurasia Expo in Urumqi. The meeting also focused on expanding investment and transport connectivity, as well as…

ASTANA – The Astana Times has made a selection of articles on Kazakhstan featured in international media worldwide this week. Today’s foreign media digest covers Kazakhstan’s efforts to deepen its strategic partnership with the European Union, advance the development of the Middle Corridor transport route, attract major European investment, and expand cooperation with China in…

ASTANA – From opera and ballet to open-air concerts and ethnocultural festivals, the last weekend of June offers something for every taste. The Astana Times editorial team rounds up some of the weekend’s highlights to make the most of your summer with your family and friends. Astana “Aida” opera, June 26-28 Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” is…