Articles by Zhazira Dyussembekova

ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev delivered his annual State of the Nation address Nov. 30 in the capital’s Palace of Independence. In his speech, the head of state focused on measures to overcome global crises and outlined changes in the financial system and fiscal and social policy, adding that Kazakhs will have access to…

ASTANA – Sergey Makagonov and Alibek Datbayev work for Ipsy, one of the most successful American start-ups in Silicon Valley. The company recently raised $100 million in investment and has had its value assessed at $500 million by some publications. The friends shared their thoughts and plans with The Astana Times. Makagonov, 26, an information…

ASTANA – Saspens, Kazakhstan’s biggest YouTube channel, is the creation of Andrey Burnyakov. The 23-year-old from Karaganda launched his channel in November 2014 and now has more than 840,000 subscribers, mainly children and teenagers from Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Derived from the English word “suspense,” Saspens was initially described as a video blog about science,…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s largest transport and logistics centre (TLC) was launched with an official presentation Nov. 12 attended by city Akim (Mayor) Adilbek Dzhaksybekov, Minister for Investment and Development Asset Issekeshev and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) President Askar Mamin. The event was also attended by representatives of government bodies, distribution and brokerage companies and Kazakh…

ASTANA – A meeting of the council of international experts held Nov. 2-3 at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva served as an opportunity to discuss the World Health Assembly resolution on the use of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) for universal health coverage and reimbursement systems. Kazakh Centre for Healthcare Standardisation deputy head…

ASTANA – Chairman of Astana LRT (Light Rail Transportation) Talgat Ardan and Deputy Secretary General of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) Mohamed Mezghani signed an agreement during the Oct. 30 Astana Invest Forum to establish a UITP liaison office in Astana. “I’m extremely glad that the UITP office has been opened in Astana.…

ASTANA – The Kazakh Senate passed a draft constitutional law Oct. 5 “On International Financial Centre Astana.” The bill is focused on establishing the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), which will be designed to provide a favourable and attractive environment for those entities working there and to turn Astana into a major financial hub in the…

ASTANA – As the number of Internet users rises, online publications are becoming more and more popular. In the age of new technologies, any kind of information is available with one click. In Kazakhstan, bloggers are becoming an additional source of news and informed opinion in a developing media sphere. Kazakhstan has several popular blog…

ASTANA – Kazakhstan provides a number of allowances and social benefits to different groups within society. The State Centre for Pension Payment released information this year indicating the amount in both categories increased by 9 percent. The difference between allowances and social benefits is based on the payment source. According to egov.kz, the Kazakh government’s…

ASTANA – The second Polifonia International Literary Festival will take place Oct. 29 – Nov. 1 in Almaty. Kazakh authors and foreign guests will participate in lectures, roundtables and master classes, as well as perform for professional writers and for those who are interested in literature. One of the guests will be Bakhytgul Zarkumar, an…

ASTANA – Every nation has its superstitions, which people follow in different ways. Some still believe in them, some think they are old and best left to history. From a young age, children are taught by their elders about signs of good or bad luck. Most superstitions can be traced to ancient times and at…

ASTANA – Akim (Mayor) of Astana Adilbek Dzhaksybekov launched a series of “Smart” projects in July. Smart Astana project includes several directions, such as Smart Clinics, Smart Schools, Smart Street Lighting and Smart Payments. A Smart Clinic has been already implemented in Public Health Clinic No. 4, but there is now also one working in Clinic…

ASTANA – Fifty-five of Astana’s bus stops will be heated by the end of the year, according to the city akimat (administration). The first heated bus stop will be located at the intersection of Kabanbai Batyr Avenue and Dostyk Street. “This is a place with alarge flow of urban, suburban and express routes,” according to…

ASTANA – Nikolai Chernikov, also known as Killa Kolya, won the Eastern Europe final of the Red Bull BC One breakdancing competition held in Tbilisi, Georgia on Sept. 5. He will represent Kazakhstan at the world final in Rome on Nov. 14. “When I arrived in Tbilisi, the only thought I had was about winning.…

ASTANA – The fitness industry in Kazakhstan is constantly growing, offering an ever-increasing range of activities. Residents and tourists can now find almost any type of sport they want and go to any gym or fitness club they can afford. A group of local entrepreneurs decided to quit their careers in big companies and follow…

ASTANA – As Astana expands, traffic jams are becoming routine and trips through the small but growing capital are taking longer and longer. With the city’s population increasing, a number of new systems are being put in place to alleviate road traffic, provide alternatives to travelling by car or by bus and keep people comfortable on public…

ASTANA – Almaty and Astana have been among the top 10 most visited cities by Russian tourists this year, according to a survey by Russian website Travel.ru. Minsk, Kiev, Baku, Yerevan, Vitebsk, Bishkek, Tashkent and Chisinau were also among the top 10, according to online bookings made without the aid of a travel agent. The…

ASTANA – The unique surgical methodology to implant Heart Mate 3, a left ventricular assist device, was shown Sept. 2-3 during master classes at the National Research Cardiac Surgery Centre (NRCSC). Kazakhstan was the first country to perform such operations, reported the centre’s press service. Similar master classes have been organised for more than a…

ASTANA – The streets of Astana served as the course Sept. 13 for a charity marathon organised by the British-Kazakh Society (BKS) and Air Astana. Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov, Minister of Culture and Sport Arystanbek Mukhamediuly and Akim (Mayor) Adilbek Dzhaksybekov participated in the race. “This is a great event for our athletes and…

ASTANA – Astana’s Kazakh Eli Square was the site of most of the Sept. 11–13 celebrations of the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate. More than 1,500 representatives from across the country came to the capital to participate in the celebration, according to the website of the Astana Akimat (city administration). Fifty yurts were positioned…

ASTANA – Although men’s grooming is usually considered to be a modern fashion wave, its origins trace to ancient Egypt where it became an inherent part of hygiene and health. Men’s salons and barber shops have succeeded in western countries and Kazakhstan’s entrepreneurs have decided to embark on a new direction of the country’s beauty…

ASTANA – In late August, Kazakhstan transitioned to a free-floating exchange rate and the government announced a shift to inflation targeting. As a result, the National Bank no longer regulates the exchange rate and the tenge fell almost 30 percent against the dollar. That situation affected various fields, with the tourism industry remaining one of…

ASTANA – Students throughout the country gathered for a traditional ceremony Sept. 1 to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. Approximately 336,000 children went to their schools for the first time. Each of the first graders received a copy of “Menin Otanym – Kazakhstan” (“My Motherland – Kazakhstan”), a gift presented on behalf…

ASTANA – Runners endurance will be tested Sept. 13 during the marathon organised in the capital by the British-Kazakh Society (BKS) and Air Astana. BKS has been developing races in the parks of the cities, Almaty and London with the support of Kazakhstan’s largest aviation company since 2009. “This is the very first full-length marathon…

ASTANA – New greenhouses and vegetable storehouses are being built in Kazakhstan’s capital to ensure food security, according to astana.gov.kz, the city administration’s official website. Tselinselmash and Astana Food Storage, with capacities of 2,500 tonnes each, as well as the new Astyk Logistics Class A warehouse complex, were put into operation this year. Construction of…