Kazakh research institute to enact comprehensive plan to counter cancer mortality
ASTANA – The Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology has prepared a 35 billion tenge (US$93.88 million) action plan to reduce cancer mortality rates for the next year, Director of the institute Dilyara Kaidarova told the recent Innovations in Healthcare forum. The comprehensive plan to fight cancer includes the purchase of innovative equipment, some…
Kazakh star Dimash Kudaibergen performs solo concert in London
ASTANA – Famous Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen performed his exclusive “DQ” solo concert Nov. 19 in London at O2 Arena’s Indigo Hall. The concert joined the celebration of Days of Kazakh culture in the United Kingdom organised by the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Kazakh Embassy in London. “When you are performing…
Kazakhstan to modernise police, conduct performance appraisals
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced plans to reform the police and other agencies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the Nov. 18 meeting at the Akorda. “Every year, more than 4.5 million citizens report crimes to the police, but the conditions for them are not created. The police need to deal with…
Modernising judicial system will foster public trust, says President
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev called for additional measures to modernise the judicial system at a Nov. 19 presidential administration meeting. Presidential Administration Head Asset Issekeshev, Supreme Court Chairman Zhakyp Assanov and Supreme Judicial Council Chairman Talgat Donakov reported on the modernisation of the judicial system. “Trust in the courts is comparable to trust…
Kazakhstan supports extending OPEC deal in 2019
ASTANA – Kazakh Vice Minister of Energy Magzum Mirzagaliyev recently affirmed Kazakhstan’s support for extending OPEC+ output cuts in 2019. OPEC and non-OPEC countries agreed in November 2016 in Vienna to cut oil production by 1.8 million barrels per day, corresponding to roughly two percent of global oil production. The move was meant to ease…
Three-year investment arbitration dispute ruled in Kazakhstan’s favour
ASTANA – The International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) arbitration tribunal in Paris issued Nov. 8 a decision rejecting an approximately $16 million claim by the Turkish company Mağdenli Yer Hizmetleri ve Taşıma Anonim Şirketi against Kazakhstan, reports the Kazakh Ministry of Justice press service. Mağdenli Yer Hizmetleri ve Taşıma Anonim Şirketi founded the company ATMA…
New one-way roads in Astana open Nov. 15
ASTANA – According to the Astana Akimat (city administration), a new one-way traffic will be operating from Nov. 15 on two streets in Astana’s right bank. The first section is from Zhenis Avenue to Mambetov Street on Bukharbai Batyr Street. The second is from Kenessary Avenue to Bukharbai Batyr Street on the Zheltoksan Street. These…
Popularising contemporary Kazakh arts and literature is key to preserving cultural identity, say writers
ASTANA – Kazakhstan organised a forum titled “Modern Kazakh Culture in the Global World” in London Nov. 7, showcasing the works of contemporary Kazakh poets, writers, artists and cinematographers. “Our [Kazakh] literature is competitive in terms of content. We are no worse than others, but the problem is in its dissemination. To write a work…
Astana Opera premieres “Abai” in Genoa
ASTANA – The Astana Opera presented “Abai” Nov. 8 and Symphony No. 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven Nov. 10 at the Carlo Felice Theatre in Genoa, reported the theatre’s press service. The opera, created by Latif Khamidi and Akhmet Zhubanov, was also broadcast live in 40 countries. Astana Opera principal soloist Sundet Baigozhin performed the…
Forbes Club launches series of business breakfasts in Kazakh capital
ASTANA – Changes in Russian rouble rate should not be directly projected on tenge and Kazakhs are better off paying attention to the level of inflation instead of currency fluctuations. These opinions were expressed at the Nov. 8 Forbes Club business breakfast, the first in a series of such events. Business people chose Astana’s landmark…
Kazakhstan will support and incentivise IT innovation, says President
ASTANA – Kazakh innovators in information technology (IT) are to be incentivised and supported, said Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev Nov. 6 at the Astana Hub opening ceremony. The President said the Astana Hub is to become Kazakhstan’s centre of innovation. To facilitate this, users of the hub’s technopark will enjoy a simplified visa regime, greater…
Kazakh Majilis adopts health legislation amendments
ASTANA – The Kazakh Majilis, the lower house of the country’s Parliament, recently endorsed changes to 11 legislative documents, including the Health Code, Criminal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Administrative Offences Code. The amendments cover several areas, said Minister of Healthcare Yelzhan Birtanov. The changes include a new model for the country’s guaranteed volume of…
Transporting two Kazakh satellites aboard Falcon 9 will cost $1.3 million
ASTANA – The price tag for Kazakhstan to launch two of its satellites aboard the Falcon 9 launch vehicle will be $1.3 million, said Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry Beibut Atamkulov at the Nov. 6 government meeting. The satellites are scheduled for take-off Nov. 19 in California, Vice Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry…
Chevron pioneering technology in Kazakhstan solves industry’s pipeline challenges
ASTANA – Pipeline corrosion is a major challenge faced by the global oil and gas industry, as a corroded pipeline presents a clear risk to the environment and for the companies responsible. The main obstacle in preventing corrosion is that materials may wear down over time from oil or gas moving through the pipeline, and…
Kazakh FM praises appointment of new U.N. special envoy for Syria
ASTANA – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov recently praised the appointment of Geir Pedersen as new UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria in comments reported by Zakon.kz. “I am personally acquainted with the well-known Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen who received such an important and responsible post. He assumes a new position after…
Kazakh Senate adopts amendments to 2018-2020 budget plan
ASTANA – The Kazakh Senate adopted changes to the national budget for 2018-2020 during its Oct. 25 plenary session. The updated document increased the expected exchange rate per dollar from 340 tenge to 350 tenge and raised the expected price for a barrel of oil from $55 to $60. It also incorporates the revised data…
Kazakh citizens withdraw more than $21.6 billion from payment cards
ASTANA – Kazakh citizens withdrew 8.6 trillion tenge (US$21.6 billion) from payment cards from January-August, a 26.4-percent increase compared to the same period last year. At the same time, they are more actively using non-cash payments. According to a study by ranking.kz, withdrawals from international system cards accounted for 99.9 percent of the amount. Figures…
Qarakoz features evil spirits from Kazakh folk tales
ASTANA – The new horror film “Qarakoz,” featuring evil characters from Kazakh tales and legends in all their glory, went into wide distribution Nov. 1. The film opens at night, with five youngsters sitting around a campfire in the woods sharing their scary “true” stories of confronting monsters. The demon-like creatures from Kazakh mythology include…
Astana considers reducing speeds in bus lanes to prevent accidents
ASTANA – The speed on certain sections of bus lanes in Astana will be reduced to decrease the number of traffic accidents, said Deputy Chairman of Astana LRT Beibut Yeszhanov at a recent press conference. To reduce the number of accidents involving cars and public transport, the Administrative Police Department of Astana Internal Affairs and…
Kazakh Prosecutor General’s Office transitions activities to digital format
ASTANA – The Kazakh Office of the General Prosecutor is transitioning its criminal and administrative proceedings to electronic format, automating the registration of inspections of state bodies and the consideration of appeals of citizens under Digital Kazakhstan programme. The transition is meant to increase citizen protections, ensure timely justice and increase transparency. Electronic criminal cases,…
Kazakh Senate ratifies border agreements with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan
ASTANA – The Kazakh Senate ratified Oct. 25 the border agreement between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan that determined the points of juncture on the countries’ border. The agreement was signed in November in Samarkand with the participation of Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Abdrakhmanov and his counterparts from Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov and Turkmenistan Rashid…
Kazakhstan to export gasoline to Kyrgyzstan
ASTANA – As the Russian embargo on gasoline export from Kazakhstan to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has been lifted, Kazakhstan expects to start shipments to Kyrgyzstan in November. Approximately 300,000-400,000 tonnes will be sent by the end of the year, with a forecast of approximately 1.2 million tonnes in 2019. Russia and Kazakhstan signed…
Kazakhstan opens rehabilitation centres across country for children with cerebral palsy
ASTANA – Rehabilitation centres for children with cerebral palsy are being developed across Kazakhstan’s regions to make treatment more accessible. More than 19,000 children have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy in Kazakhstan. Twenty percent are undergoing rehabilitation, and the rest await in line for treatment. There are 35 rehabilitation centres for children with cerebral palsy…
Astana launches housing assistance programme for social sector employee
ASTANA – The Kazakh government will provide one million tenge (US$2,711) for health care, education, police and social sector workers to help purchase new housing, the city administration press service reported on Oct. 24. Providing housing for public sector workers remains an urgent issue, said Astana Construction and Housing Policy Administration head Ruslan Akhmetov. More…
Astana’s school canteens to use video surveillance cameras to enhance food quality
ASTANA – The local government will be installing video surveillance cameras in school canteens and kitchens throughout the city next year in an effort to enhance food quality, said capital education department head Anuar Zhangozin at an Oct. 15 akimat (city administration) briefing. Parents suggested the initiative to observe how and what quantities their children…
