Articles by Ayana Birbayeva

ALMATY – Europe’s oil market is tightening sharply, defying expectations of a global surplus, as reduced shipments from Kazakhstan via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) emerge as the single most significant short-term disruption to regional supply, according to Bloomberg.  “Smaller flows of Kazakhstan’s CPC Blend, as well as disruptions in Libya and some North Sea…

ALMATY – The International Olympic Committee has released the full competition schedule for athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will take place on Feb. 6-22 in Milan and several other cities in northern Italy.  According to preliminary data, 35 Kazakh athletes will compete across 10 sports, with the national team entering medal competition from…

ALMATY – The United States will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Kazakhstan, starting Jan. 21, the U.S. State Department announced on Jan. 14.  The measure is said to apply to countries whose citizens are considered by the administration to have high rates of reliance on public assistance after…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan plans to fully cover its domestic electricity demand by early 2027 and move toward a stable power surplus by 2029 as the government accelerates large-scale energy projects worth more than 13 trillion tenge (US$27.7 billion), officials said during a Jan. 14 meeting chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. According to the Ministry…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan saw an increase in entrepreneurial activity in 2025, with the net growth in registered businesses rising more than sevenfold compared to the previous year, according to data released by the Committee of State Revenues under the Ministry of Finance on Jan. 13.  In 2024, 414,000 legal entities and individual entrepreneurs were registered…

ALMATY – Air Astana announced changes to several regular and charter flights’ routes following the closure of Iran’s airspace, the airline’s press service reported on Jan. 15. According to the carrier, flights to Sharm El Sheikh, Dubai, Doha and Medina will now be operated through alternative routes bypassing Iranian airspace. The airline emphasized that it…

ALMATY — Winters in Almaty are often milder than in much of Kazakhstan, and long stretches without heavy snowfall are nothing unusual for the city. Yet even by local standards, the start of 2026 has stood out. Instead of the usual winter chill and occasional snowfalls that mark the beginning of January, the city has…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan ranks fourth among Uzbekistan’s foreign investors, following China, Russia and Türkiye, with 1,199 enterprises with Kazakh capital operating in the country as of Dec. 1, 2025, according to data released by the Uzbek National Statistics Committee on Jan. 9. Trade remains the leading sector for Kazakh businesses, accounting for 492 companies. A…

ALMATY — KazMunayGas (KMG) reports that its chartered oil tanker Matilda did not sustain serious damage following a drone attack near the Black Sea loading terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). According to KMG, the tanker Matilda, chartered by its subsidiary Kazmortransflot, was scheduled to load Kazakh crude at the CPC terminal on Jan.…

ALMATY – Mukhtar Auezov Kazakh National Drama Theater celebrates its 100th anniversary on Jan. 13, marking a century-long contribution to the country’s cultural and spiritual life. The Auezov theater was founded in Kyzylorda in 1925, then the capital of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The theater officially opened on Jan. 13, 1926, with a…

ALMATY — Kazakhstan has provided all populated areas with access to drinking water by the end of 2025, Vice Minister of Industry and Construction Kuandyk Kazhkenov reported at a Jan. 13 government meeting on water supply and sanitation. According to Kazhkenov, 835 billion tenge (approximately US$1.78 billion) was allocated from the budget to finance more…

ALMATY — Kazakhstan is intensifying efforts to digitalize water management and expand water-saving technologies to ensure sustainable water use amid rising demand and climate pressures, as Vice Minister of Industry and Construction Kuandyk Kazhkenov addressed the current plans at a Jan. 13 government meeting.  Kazhkenov also emphasized that between 2026 and 2028, the country plans…

ASTANA — Law enforcement dismantled 15 criminal groups and shut down 29 illegal cash-out platforms with a combined turnover exceeding 128 billion tenge (approximately US$270 million) in 2025, as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was informed during a Jan. 12 meeting with Chairman of the Agency for Financial Monitoring Zhanat Elimanov.  During the meeting, Elimanov reported that…

ALMATY — Kazakhstan’s Mangystau Region is again in the international spotlight after The Washington Post published a feature on Jan. 8, describing the area’s dramatic natural scenery as “lunar landscapes of the Silk Road,” drawing the attention of global travelers to one of the country’s most striking destinations. In the article, the author recounts a…

ALMATY — Kazakh Counter-Strike prodigy Daniil Golubenko, known by his in-game alias molodoy, has earned his first-ever place in HLTV Top 20 Players of the Year, finishing sixth after a meteoric debut season that exceeded expectations and delivered two MVP awards. Entering tier-one Counter-Strike in April 2025, Golubenko quickly adapted to elite competition, winning four…

ALMATY — Kazakhstan is considering the creation of a large-scale industrial park valued at $15 billion, as First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar met on Jan. 8 with Zhao Tingyun, vice chairman of the board of China’s Xinfa Group, to discuss investment cooperation and the practical aspects of project implementation. The talks focused on plans…

ALMATY — Tickets are now on sale for the UEFA Champions League match between FC Kairat and Belgium’s Club Brugge, which will take place on Jan. 20 at 8:30 p.m. at Astana Arena, reported the club’s press service on Jan. 8.  Tickets are available exclusively through the official Qairat SuperApp and Freedom SuperApp mobile applications.…

ALMATY — Kazakhstan is stepping up trade, investment, and industrial cooperation with member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), as officials and business leaders gathered in Astana on Jan. 8 for the third General Assembly of the Union of Turkic Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Speaking at the assembly, Vice Minister of National…

ALMATY — More than 232,800 stationary sources of pollution were operating nationwide in 2024, releasing 2.27 million tons of harmful substances, a 0.6% increase compared to 2023, according to data released by the Bureau of National Statistics on June 30.  The largest volumes of emissions were recorded in the Pavlodar and Karagandy Regions, although both…

ALMATY — The 2026 year is shaping up to be a landmark one for Kazakh sports, with major international competitions, long-awaited athlete comebacks, and high-profile global events involving Kazakhstan’s top contenders. From the Winter Olympics in Italy to title defenses in world championships and rising UFC stars, fans will have plenty to watch in the…

ALMATY — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a loan of up to 25 million euros (approximately US$27 million) to support the expansion of Sarens Kazakhstan, strengthening the country’s capacity in renewable energy development and logistics infrastructure. The financing will enable Sarens Kazakhstan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Belgium-based Sarens Group,…

ASTANA — In a Jan. 5 interview with the Turkistan newspaper, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined the key outcomes of 2025 and set priorities for the year ahead, stressing that Kazakhstan has entered a new stage of modernization marked by irreversible reforms, economic resilience, and an accelerated push toward digital transformation. According to Tokayev, Kazakhstan’s economy grew…

ALMATY — Kazakhstan has launched a new information platform to improve transparency and access to its bond market for both international and local investors, as foreign interest in the country’s sovereign debt continues to grow. The Central Securities Depository (KCSD), together with the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), unveiled the Capital Markets Kazakhstan information portal, which…

ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s athletes delivered another successful year in the country’s sporting history in 2025, achieving breakthroughs across football, boxing, tennis and winter sports. From historic firsts to record medal hauls, Kazakhstan’s presence on the world sports map grew stronger than ever. Football: A breakthrough year and growing international recognition The defining moment of the…

ALMATY — Japan will provide more than 1.087 billion yen (approximately US$7 million) in grant assistance to support the development of healthcare infrastructure in Kazakhstan’s Abai Region, strengthening bilateral cooperation in medicine and public health. Kazakh Minister of Healthcare Akmaral Alnazarova and Japan’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Iijima Yasumasa signed the document to implement an intergovernmental…