Kazakhstan Ranks 49th in Happiness and Life Satisfaction
ASTANA – Kazakhstan has secured 49th place out of 165 countries in the 2022 Happiness and Life Satisfaction study, conducted by analysts from Our World in Data. The study utilized the Cantril Ladder, a straightforward 0-to-10 point scale, which was applied across 165 countries. The research was led by Esteban Ortiz-Ospina, an economist and professor…
Kazakhstan Unites 30 Constitutional Courts Worldwide in International Conference
ASTANA – The Constitutional Court of Kazakhstan hosted an international conference titled Constitutional Justice: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All, bringing together judges from the constitutional courts of 30 countries, the Court’s press office reported on Sept. 7. The conference, dedicated to Kazakhstan’s Constitution Day and the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human…
Astana to Host Nobel Fest in October
ASTANA – Nobel Fest: Digital Upgrade will unite Nobel laureates and world science stars of IT, economics, and innovation on Oct. 5-6 in Astana, reported the festival’s press office. Participants are expected to examine cutting-edge theories and practices in scientific and technological progress, covering topics ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change to the…
Hollywood’s Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker “Can’t Wait” to Visit Astana’s Comic Con
ASTANA – Two Hollywood stars, Sean Gunn and Michael Rooker, the headliners of Comic Con Astana addressed Kazakh residents in a video message, saying that they “can’t wait” to meet all the festival goers, the festival’s press service reported on Sept. 6. Comic Con Astana, an international festival celebrating comics, cinema, video games, anime, and…
Kazakhstan Ranks 78th in National Cyber Security Index
ASTANA – Kazakhstan achieved a cybersecurity index score of 48.05%, ranking 78th out of 176 countries, according to the National Cyber Security Index, as reported by Ranking.kz on Aug. 31. The country’s level of digital development reached 60.18%. The National Cyber Security Index is a real-time global metric that assesses a country’s readiness to prevent…
BAIQONYR International Film Festival Kicks Off in Almaty
ASTANA – The eighth BAIQONYR International Film Festival kicked off in Almaty on Sept. 6 and will run until Sept. 10, the festival announced on its Instagram page. With a mission to support young, talented filmmakers, the festival has sustained itself without state financial support. Over the years, BAIQONYR has celebrated 85 filmmakers from Kazakhstan…
President Tokayev Visits Almaty Region to Review Military, Food, Construction, Sports Facilities
ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the Almaty Region on Sept. 5 to review military, food, construction, sports, education, and agriculture facilities, reported the Akorda press service. Tokayev, also Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan, chaired a meeting of the General Staff and checked its forward command post as he visited…
Kazakhstan Set to Increase Exports to Italy Across 110 Commodity Items
ASTANA – Kazakhstan is poised to expand exports to Italy in 110 commodity items valued over $900 million, according to Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov. The statement was made during a Sept. 6 meeting with Antonio Tajani, the Italian Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, who was…
Guardians of the Galaxy Star to Headline Upcoming Comic Con Astana
ASTANA – The eagerly anticipated Comic Con Astana has announced Hollywood actor Michael Rooker as its latest star headliner, according to a press statement released on September 4. Rooker is best known for his roles as Yondu in James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy and as Merle Dixon, a character with a prosthetic hand,…
Kazakhstan Ships First 1,300 Tons of Grain to Eastern China
ASTANA – Kazakhstan dispatched its first 1,300-ton shipment of grain from Almaty to Jinan, China, on a new freight container train on September 3, according to an announcement made during a meeting between Kazakh Agriculture Minister Yerbol Karashukeyev and Communist Party Secretary of Shandong Province, Lin Wu. The ministry’s press service reported the news. This…
Mangystau Region Begins Construction of New Desalination Plant
ASTANA – Nurlan Nogayev, the akim (Governor) of Mangystau Region, and Magzum Mirzagaliyev, сhairman of KazMunayGas (KMG), the national oil and gas company, initiated the construction of a new desalination plant, the press service of the Akimat (governor’s office) reported on Sept. 4. The project aims to address the growing demand for drinking water in…
Energy Week Central Asia and Mongolia 2023 to Advance Clean Energy Transition
ASTANA – The Energy Week Central Asia and Mongolia 2023 to take place in Astana on Sept. 19-20 will focus on advancing clean and renewable energy initiatives in the regions, reported the conference’s press office. Transforming into a clean energy hub The conference highlights the region’s significant potential in solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, and…
President Sets Ambitious Yet Achievable Goals, Says Kazakh PM
ASTANA – In the state-of-the-nation address, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set ambitious yet achievable goals, Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said at a Sept. 2 government meeting, noting that the country has all necessary tools and resources for this purpose, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The government discussed various measures to implement the President’s…
Comic Con Astana Announces Star Headliner
ASTANA – The highly anticipated Comic Con Astana, scheduled for September 15-17, has revealed its star headliner: Hollywood actor, producer, and scriptwriter Sean Gunn, according to an announcement by the Comic Con Astana press service on Aug. 31. Sean Gunn, brother to DC Studios head and “Guardians of the Galaxy” creator James Gunn, is celebrated…
Hydrocarbon Subsoil Use Investments Surge to $8.6 Billion in First Half of 2023
ASTANA – Investments in hydrocarbon subsoil use soared by 110% to four trillion tenge ($8.6 billion) in the first half of this year, according to Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev. He announced these figures at a government meeting on Aug. 29, as reported by the Prime Minister’s press service. Of this amount, 187 billion tenge…
Digital Bridge 2023 to Present Best IT Projects at Startup Alley
ASTANA – Innovators and promising entrepreneurs have the chance to present their IT projects at Startup Alley during the Digital Bridge 2023 international forum in Astana on Oct. 12-13, the press office of the Astana Hub International Technopark of IT Startups reported on Aug. 28. Digital Bridge 2023, a premier digital innovation event in Central…
Kazakh Capital to Host Astana Marathon This Weekend
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital will host the annual international Astana Marathon 2023 on Sept. 3, reported the marathon’s official website. Marathon participants aged 18 and above are offered a 42.2-kilometer distance, while those aged 16 and above are expected to run 10 kilometers. The deadline for submitting online applications on the official website is…
Kazakhstan Plans to Cooperate With Chinese Companies for Deep Processing of Tungsten
ASTANA – Jiaxin International Resources Investment Limited (Jiaxin International) has announced plans to collaborate with Kazakh Invest on a deep processing tungsten project in the Almaty Region. The news was reported by Kazakh Invest following a meeting on August 24. Liu LiQiang, Chairman of Jiaxin International, detailed the project’s two-stage plan. Initially, the company will…
President Tokayev Outlines Priority Tasks for Human Rights Protection in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined several priority tasks for the human rights protection system at an Aug. 29 meeting with commissioners for human and children’s rights, reported the Akorda press service. Constitution Day The meeting took place on the eve of Constitution Day on Aug. 30, a significant occasion for Kazakhstan. “The Constitution is…
Security Agencies Neutralize Radical Group Planning Terrorist Attacks in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Security agencies neutralized a radical group whose members planned terrorist attacks in Kazakhstan, said National Security Committee (NSC) Chairman Yermek Sagimbayev at an Aug. 28 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the Akorda press service. Sagimbayev informed Tokayev about initiating seven pre-trial investigations related to terrorist crimes and the conviction of three extremists.…
Kazakhstan Projects Economy’s Average Annual Growth at 5.8%
ASTANA – The average annual growth of Kazakhstan’s economy in the next five years is projected at 5.8%, Minister of National Economy Alibek Kuantyrov said at an Aug. 29 government meeting dedicated to the forecast for the country’s socio-economic development, reported the Prime Minister’s press service. The forecast considered the expectations of international financial organizations…
Kazakhstan Introduces New Rules for Foreign Tourist Taxes
ASTANA – Kazakhstan introduced tourist fees at fixed rates ranging from 0.2 ($1.49) to 0.5 ($3.72) monthly calculation index (MCI), determined by local maslikhats (local representative bodies), following the order of the Kazakh Minister of Culture and Sports Askhat Oralov dated July 14, the ministry’s press service reported on Aug. 28. As of Aug. 1,…
Kazakhstan, Chile Hold Third Round of Political Consultations
ASTANA – The third round of Kazakh-Chilean political consultations took place in Santiago on Aug. 23. The meeting was chaired by Kairat Umarov, Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Gloria de la Fuente, Chile’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry. The consultation coincided with the 30th anniversary of…
Kazakh People Change Their Eating Habits
ASTANA – JD Expert marketing agency conducted a survey about the eating habits and preferences of Kazakhs across the country, offering information on factors that changed their food choices. Traditional nutrition or snacks According to the results published in June, 41% of respondents have shifted from three meals per day, preferring to snack in small…
Kazakh Capital Hosts NEXT Astana 2023 Summit
ASTANA – The Kazakh capital hosted the NEXT Astana 2023 summit, a platform for discussing paths towards innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development, Kazakh Invest national company reported on Aug. 23. Organized by the NEXT Federation, the Chinese Economic Information Service of Xinhua News Agency, and the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration, the event brought…