Baritone Yevgeny Chainikov Debuts as King of Ethiopia in Verdi’s ‘Aida’
ASTANA – Yevgeny Chainikov, who has a master’s degree in opera singing from Arizona State University and is a laureate of international contests, debuted as Amonasro, King of Ethiopia in the “Aida” opera of Giuseppe Verdi in Astana Opera’s big hall stage Feb. 21, the press service of the State Opera and Ballet Theatre reported.…
Soyle.kz Director Utilises Internet to Bring Kazakh Language to the World
ASTANA – Soyle.kz is using the Internet and mobile technology to bring Kazakh language, culture and history to Russian and English speakers across the globe. “Soyle” means “speak.” “The project ended up being highly efficient. Soyle.kz is the first online website that teaches Kazakh language for free. Oralmans [returnees] and residents of Mongolia, Uzbekistan and…
Kazakhstan Can Be Incubator for Public Service Innovation, Says UNDP’s Innovation Specialist
ASTANA – “Train on the job” and “learn by doing” were the ideas conveyed to Kazakh public employees during a Feb. 22 seminar about innovative trends and approaches. The meeting, which showed examples of the way innovation labs have been established within the public administration of various countries, was sponsored by The Regional Hub of…
Competition Leaves No Time for Boredom, Says Kazakh Quartet’s Cellist
ASTANA – A quartet is often considered to perform elitist music for the intelligentsia and casual listeners might not be attracted. The audience that desires chamber music or a performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven or Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich, however, will come to a concert by Gaziza Zhubanova State String Quartet, or…
Astana Opera Dedicates Project to 25th Anniversary of Kazakhstan’s Independence
ASTANA – The Astana Opera Theatre will release an anthology of symphonic music by Kazakh composers of the 20th century to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence. The management noted that the theatre dedicates the symphonic music anthology to Kazakhstan’s independence through which national awareness, interest in the past, national music and culture was…
Domestic Oncology Not Perfect But Developing, Expert Says
ASTANA – While Kazakh cancer care is not yet delivered in five-star surroundings, the quality of treatment has improved by leaps and bounds in the last few years, thanks to government investment. Now, instead of seeing citizens cross the border in search of better care, Kazakhstan is receiving patients from nearby countries at its newly…
Tea vs. Coffee: Comparing Cultures and their Role in Kazakh Society
ASTANA — Kazakhs have been drinking tea for thousands of years, while some are only starting to drink coffee. Why do residents prefer one hot drink over the other and which has a better, healthier, more-efficient or calming effect? The Astana Times interviewed baristas in the capital’s coffee houses and coffee and tea lovers to…
Nazarbayev Pushes for Almaty’s Better Preparedness for 2017 Universiade
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev instructed the government in collaboration with the 2017 World Winter Universiade organising committee and Almaty’s akimat (city administration) to take all measures to prepare for the Universiade during a meeting in Almaty on Feb. 16. As the head of state noted, it is important to conduct the games at…
Nature, Health Therapy Combine at Country’s Top Therapeutic Wellness Resorts
ASTANA – Health and wellness resorts are an excellent getaway from a dusty, noisy and stress-driven urban life. Many residents living in the capital and other big cities pack their backs to enjoy the stunning nature of Borovoye, mineral water of Saryagash and the all-therapeutic treatments offered by the resorts. The escapes have become a…
Theatrical Festival Showcases Seven Plays from 2015
ASTANA – International Performing Arts Festival Otkrovenie (Revelation) showed seven vivid plays of the past year Feb. 1-7 in Almaty, according to a Jan. 27 news report by the Tengrinews agency. “A theatre is a living thing, not similar to any other type of art. It amazingly incorporates all the surrounding reality. ‘Revelation’ is that…
Carrefour to Enter Kazakh Market during First Quarter of 2016
ASTANA – Carrefour, the French chain of supermarkets, plans to enter the Kazakh market early this year, Kazpravda.kz reported Jan. 22 with reference to the Almaty akimat (city administration) press service. “Active work to attract major global brands is underway… A chain of Starbucks coffee houses was opened in Almaty in December of 2015,” said…
Emerging Kazakh, Silk Road Musical Talents Being Discovered Internationally
ASTANA – CNN.com, an American news network, published a list Jan. 27 of the emerging music artists of the modern Silk Road countries. It featured Azerbaijani jazz singer from Turkey Sanam Abdolazimzadeh, Chinese-American producer, musician and DJ Jeff Liang, Mumbai-based singer and songwriter Sohrab Nicholson, Desert Heat, a rap band from UAE, and Kazakh bedroom…
Nazarbayev Signs Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Ratification into Law
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has passed the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) ratification agreement into law, the Akorda press office reported Jan. 27. According to the agreement signed June 29, 2015 in Beijing where the bank’s headquarters are, Kazakhstan’s initial contribution to AIIB capital amounts to $729.3 million (0.7 percent.) According to this…
EBRD Advises Kazakhstan to Focus on Preparing for Better Times
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s economic growth rates will remain low and the impact of the negative environment is intensifying while structural reforms are slowly advancing, according to a recent analysis by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The projections for the country’s economic condition in 2016 were reviewed in the EBRD Transition Report for…
Pet Food Company to Better Utilise Materials in Pet Food Production
ASTANA – AkTep company will be producing food made of horns, hoofs and other waste for cats and dogs, Founder of AkTep LLP Nurlan Sagnalin announced at a press conference at the Central Communications Service, Kazinform international information agency reported Jan. 19. “Our enterprise will establish food production for domestic animals. … You know…
North Kazakhstan Region’s Economic Growth Reached 102.8 Percent in 2015
ASTANA – The economic growth of the North Kazakhstan region reached 102.8 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. The oblast budget was 100 percent fulfilled, local budgets at all levels collected 31.9 billion tenge (US$83.6 million) and the budget growth rate was 118 percent compared to the previous year, North Kazakhstan region Akim (Governor) Erik…
Danish Architect Jan Gehl Seeks to Make Almaty More Bicycle, Pedestrian Friendly
ASTANA – Copenhagen-based architect and urban design consultant Jan Gehl examined peculiarities of Almaty and has developed key recommendations on how to make the metropolis comfortable for Almaty’s residents and tourists, InformBuro, an informational and analytical website, reported Jan. 8. A pilot project to create pedestrian areas, places of leisure, sports and children’s playgrounds within…
VTB Bank (Kazakhstan) Completes Capitalisation Process
ASTANA – The capitalisation of the VTB Bank (Kazakhstan) has been completed, Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper reported Jan. 12 with reference to the bank’s press service. “We have completed the capitalisation process of VTB Bank (Kazakhstan). The bank’s total capital was increased by $40 million due to infusions by a parent company. These actions are determined…
Over $600 Million Allocated for Crisis Management Measures in 2016
ASTANA – As a backup for implementing crisis management measures for 2016, 225.5 billion tenge (US$624 million) has been allocated by the government, First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev announced during a press conference at the Central Communications Service, Kazpravda.kz reported Jan. 15. “I would like to note that a 225.5 billion tenge (US$585.3 million)…
Young Football Supporters Show Solid Devotion towards Foreign Football
ASTANA – Football is an integral part of modern life for most young Kazakh fans and supporters. The local football fan culture is not as consuming as in the UK, yet some Kazakh fans even talk on behalf of their favourite club as part of their loyalty and demonstrate sophisticated knowledge about the industry where…
Container Trains Begin Operation Along Lianyungang-Duisburg Route
ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov concluded his December 2015 visit to China by launching the first container train on the nation’s Lianyungang route, which continues through the territories of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus and ends in Duisburg, Germany, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) reported Dec. 14 on its website. The project is one of…
Almaty to Build Skateboard Parks, BMX Tracks
ASTANA – Almaty city plans to build skateparks, BMX trails and bicycle tracks in 2016, Almaty Akim (Mayor) Bauyrzhan Baibek announced during a Dec. 29 online conference on the egov.kz platform, Kapital.kz reported Jan. 2. The BMX tracks and skateparks will be built near the First Presidential Park in the children’s park near Almaty 1…
BI Group Receives Altyn Sapa Presidential Award
ASTANA – BI Group, the largest investment and construction company in Kazakhstan, was the winner of the Altyn Sapa Presidential Award in “the best enterprise providing services” category and was presented with a diploma of the first degree, Tengrinews agency reported Dec. 14. BI Group Supervisory Council Chair Bauyrzhan Issabayev received the prestigious award from…
Almaty Police use IMEI Codes to Disable Stolen Cell Phones, Deter Thefts
ASTANA –Policemen inAlmaty have begun disabling stolen mobile devices by International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) codes. Officials hope the effort will lower cell phone thefts by 25 percent at the initial stage of the technique’s implementation, Zakon.kz reported Dec. 21, referring to the press service of Almaty’s Department of Internal Affairs. Mobile operators with whom…
No-Drilling Dental Cavities Treatment to be Available in Astana, Almaty
ASTANA –InnoDent, the technology for treating early-stage dental cavities without drilling, will be available in dental clinics such as Versailles, Dent Lux, Ambassador, Zhayik Dent, Anga, Smile and Mediker in the capital and Almaty beginning in February, said company founder Bauyrzhan Aituov in a recent interview with The Astana Times. “The Versailles clinic introduced InnoDent…
