Astana Hub, UNICEF launch Social Innovation Lab to solve children’s social problems
NUR-SULTAN – Astana Hub and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have launched Social Innovation Lab, which will create favourable conditions for supporting and developing projects aimed at children and their interests. “The goal of the lab is to pilot projects that will solve children’s social problems using IT innovations. We focus on this. IT…
Oil companies to launch five renewable energy projects in Kazakhstan by beginning of 2020
NUR-SULTAN – Major oil companies plan to launch five renewable energy projects by the beginning of 2020, Ministry of Energy Department of Renewable Energy Sources Head Ainur Sospanova announced recently. She pointed out a trend of oil giants developing renewable energy projects in Kazakhstan. “The oil companies such as Shell, Eni, Total and Irena are…
Kazakh MIA introduces distance learning, online shops and employment to improve convicts’ lives
NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs has improved prison conditions with distance education, online shops and employment, reported Penal System Committee Acting Chairperson Tenizzhan Dzhanibekov. “We launched a pilot project of online purchases for convicts in Almaty and the Akmola Region. The maximum weight of one package increased from 14 to 20 kilogrammes.…
Treating cancer patients abroad has become business, says Kazakh expert
NUR-SULTAN – Helping Kazakh patients to travel abroad for treatment has become an industry in the country, said Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology Board Chairperson Dilyara Kaidarova Oct. 15 at the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit in the capital. “I checked these cases (of sending patients abroad for treatment) and there are companies that…
Second International Writers Forum focuses on translation problems
NUR-SULTAN – The second International Writers Forum in Almaty Sept. 25-27 focused on translation issues through the theme “Discovering the world – opening to the world. Problems of literary translation and literary contacts.” “Today, culturally, the world has become more diverse than in the past. The number of nation states that are striving for self-determination…
Kazakh government allocates record amount for social assistance
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan increased social spending 28 percent in the first eight months of 2019 over the same period 2018, reported Ranking.kz. The country spent 2.3 trillion tenge (US$5.9 billion) on social programmes from January to August and spent 1.8 trillion tenge (US$4.6 billion) during the same months of 2018. As of August 15, 1.8…
Young runners debut at start of annual Almaty Women’s Race
NUR-SULTAN – Girls 10-14 debuted at the start line Sept. 28 of the annual Almaty Women’s Race in Atakent Park. Rima Grankina took the top spot among the 32 children in the age group, running the three-kilometre distance in 11:24. Seconds behind her were Dariya Medushenko (11:46) and Nina Gladkaya (11:51). The older participants ran…
Online document processing, soft loans, preferential lending expected to boost Kazakh domestic businesses
NUR-SULTAN – Online document processing, soft loans and preferential lending are some of the measures introduced by the government to stimulate the country’s businesses. Signing documents to subsidise and guarantee loans online started Sept. 22. Rather than the previous 40 days, processing time has been reduced to three. Since its introduction, the business process automation…
Kazakh government alters procurement processes to focus on domestic suppliers
NUR-SULTAN – Construction, IT and electronic materials for government use will only be available after a pre-selection stage, said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Alikhan Smailov on Sept. 23. The changes are designed to ensure procurement sustainability and give an edge to Kazakh domestic businesses. The amendment regarding construction materials became active…
More than 20,000 people sign petition demanding closure of Almaty Zoo
NUR-SULTAN – More than 20,000 people have signed an online petition at change.org demanding the Almaty Zoo be shut down. The petition is titled “We demand to close the zoo in Almaty. Animals are neither a thing nor a source of profit” and was launched by Batyrkhan Togaibayev. Togaibayev addressed Almaty Zoological Park officials in…
Kazakh Accounts Committee proposes reducing air, railway transportation subsidies
NUR-SULTAN – The Accounts Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of the National Budget recommends reducing the subsidisation of air and railway transportation in the draft national budget for 2020-2022, said Accounts Committee Chair Natalia Godunova during the Sept. 12 presentation of the budget in the Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament). The draft budget allocates 19…
Kazakh cattle genotyping company awarded with international quality certificate
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh company Genesis.KZ recently received an international quality certificate from the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) for using genotyping of cattle to confirm breed and breeding origin. The company had already won one of the grant programmes of the Genesis Stimulating Productive Innovation project established by the Science Committee and the World…
Young Kazakh para dancers win World Cup medals
NUR-SULTAN – Young Kazakh athletes Aknur Akzharkenova, Lestein Aslambekov, Arua Beikhari, Altynai Kazbekova and Akbota Rysbekova took the medal stand at the Sept. 12 World Para Dance Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia. “I love dancing, I want to dance all the time! For me, fourth place is a very big achievement, because this is my…
100 MW capacity solar power plant launches near Kapshagai
NUR-SULTAN – ENEVERSE KUNKUAT, a subsidiary of Singapore-based companies, launched Sept. 3 a 100 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in the Almaty region near the city of Kapshagai. The power plant will annually produce approximately 160 million kilowatts (KW) of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 150,000 tonnes per year. “There is a shortage…
Ablyazov, Khrapunov cases to be sent to foreign jurisdictions, says Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office
NUR-SULTAN – Materials from the cases of former BTA Bank Board of Directors Chairperson Mukhtar Ablyazov and former Almaty Akim (Mayor) Viktor Khrapunov will be transferred to foreign jurisdictions for prosecution, said Kazakh Deputy Prosecutor General Marat Akhmetzhanov following a Mazhilis (lower house of Parliament) meeting, Zakon.kz and several news agencies reported Sept. 18. “On the two…
Kazakhstan sets 30% interest limit on short-term microloans
NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh National Bank plans to limit the maximum interest rate on microloans to 30 percent, according to the recently drafted Resolution of the Board of the National Bank of Kazakhstan “On establishing the limit value of remuneration under the agreement on the provision of microloans.” The limit applies to microloans issued up…
More than 2,700 young professionals have applied for Kazakhstan’s Presidential Personnel Reserve
NUR-SULTAN – More than 2,757 young professionals have sent in applications to be chosen for the Presidential Personnel Reserve, which matches Kazakhstan’s brightest early professionals with key positions in government agencies and companies. Young people in Kazakhstan that excel in innovative technologies, engineering, business, medicine, economics and culture will have the opportunity to be selected…
Kazakhstan to increase penalties for wildlife poaching, better protect state wildlife officials
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan is drafting a law to more harshly punish wildlife poachers and to better protect state wildlife officials, Kazakh Deputy General Prosecutor Marat Akhmetzhanov said Sept. 11 at a Central Communications Service press conference. “Compulsory confiscation of weapons of crime, vehicles and property of poachers is introduced for poaching in all formulations. Illegal…
Kazakh draft law would toughen penalties for rape, child sexual abuse
NUR-SULTAN – A draft law is being developed to make penalties more stringent for rape and child sexual abuse, Deputy Prosecutor General Murat Akhmetzhanov said at a Sept. 11 press conference. “The draft law is being prepared to further improve the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. It includes amendments to toughen liability…
Experts predict shrinking smartphone sales will recover in Kazakhstan, globally by 2020
NUR-SULTAN – Smartphone sales declined in China, Kazakhstan and the United States in the second quarter of the year, reported Finprom.kz. Experts expect a recovery in global sales in 2020. Global smartphone shipments totalled 644 million from January-June compared to 673.9 million in the same period last year, reported the International Data Corporation’s (IDC) Worldwide…
WBA restores Beibut Shumenov’s World Champion title
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh professional boxer Beibut Shumenov (18-2, 12 KOs), a multiple-time world champion in two weight classes, has regained his previous world champion standing according to the updated cruiserweight class ranking published by the World Boxing Association (WBA). He was previously considered “a champion on vacation.” Shumenov had his last fight in July 2018,…
Kazakhstan to develop New Professions Atlas
NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Ministry of Labour and Social Protection confirmed the decision to create a New Professions Atlas (NPA) during the Aug. 28 meeting of the National Council of Qualifications in the capital. The listing will create industry credentials and professional standards. Sayasat Nurbek, BTS Digital educational centre director, noted the company, a partner…
Kazakhstan must tighten its monetary policy, says National Bank head
NUR-SULTAN – Existing global economic trends dictate a tighter monetary policy in Kazakhstan, said Kazakh National Bank Head Erbolat Dossaev Aug. 27. He named lowering global demand and uncertainty in trade policies as factors affecting the policy. “The following factors will influence the decline in inflation rates. Lowering global demand and uncertainty in trade policies…
Kazakh Government provides compensation to thousands of nuclear weapons tests victims
NUR-SULTAN – Approximately 3,000 compensations have been paid to Kazakh nuclear test victims since the beginning of the year. They were provided by Government for Citizens, a single public service provider akin to Canada Service and Centrelink (Australia), which integrates all public service centres into one system. “Today, through the Government for Citizens state corporation,…
Kazakh Anti-Corruption Agency presents new logo, emblem
NUR-SULTAN – The Kazakh Anti-Corruption Agency recently presented its new logo and emblem in the capital. The agency sought to create a logo that was “simple, adaptable, universal and easily recognisable.” “We are used to the fact that all external communication products of government agencies are no different from each other. Usually, these products include…
