Alakol Resort Offers Health-Conscious Vacations

ASTANA – The recently opened Arasan Alakol Resort Hotel offers health retreats along with entertainment opportunities in one of the most pristine and remote tourist destinations on...


Businesspeople Evaluate Kazakhstan Business Connections

ASTANA – Participants in the Kazakhstan Business Connections project met on Sept. 12 in Astana for the USAID Business Connections Project: Kazakhstan-U.S. Cooperation Experience conference, a feedback...


International Conference Covers Indian, Central Asian Challenges and Cooperation

ASTANA – Experts at the Sept. 20-21 first International Scientific Conference on Eurasian Regional Studies, “India and Central Asia: Facing the Challenges Together and Prospects for Cooperative...


Thai Culture Comes to Astana

ASTANA –Traditional Thai fighters and dancers helped present a slice of Thai culture to Astana residents during the Sept. 22. ThaiFestival at the Khan Shatyr Mall. “This...


50th Malaysia Day Celebrated in Astana

ASTANA –The Malaysian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan government representatives and other dignitaries gathered at the Radisson Hotel on Sept. 16to celebrate Malaysia’s 50th Independence Day. The celebration...


Kazakhstan Oil and Gas Production Will Exceed 2012 Levels, Minister Says

ASTANA –Kazakhstan Minister of Oil and GasUzakbay Karabalinsaid during a recent briefing at the Central Communication Service on Sept. 18 that Kazakhstan doesn’t have easily extracted oil...


Astana entrepreneurs gather for Spanish-themed Fryday W event

ASTANA – Astana’s young entrepreneurs learned about Spanish art when they gathered Sept. 18 at the Black Duck restaurant for the latest Fryday W event. The Fryday...


Spanish Film About Space is a Universe of Possibilities

25-year-old Spanish filmmaker Nicolas Alcala has made a crowd-sourced film that he is returning to the crowd not as a finished product, but as an ongoing collaboration....


Book Seeks to Trace Modern Civilisations’ Roots to Turkic Nomads

ASTANA – A recent book, coming from an unlikely historian, seeks to challenge the traditional historical concepts and shed a new light on the role the Turkic-speaking...


Genetics Used to Study Ethno-Genesis of Kazakhs

The Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan recently held a training workshop for journalists on the subject “The Interdisciplinary Approach to...


Unified National Testing to be Replaced by Two Different Tests by 2015

ASTANA –Unified National Testing (UNT) was introduced to Kazakhstan’s educational system back in 2004. The test had served as a transition test from high school to university....


Caspian States Discuss Sea’s Legal Status

The thirty-third session of the ad hoc working group between the deputy foreign ministers of the Caspian states, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Turkmenistan held its two-day...


China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Propose Silk Road Corridor for World Heritage Status

ASTANA – Kazakhstan, China and Kyrgyzstan submitted this year a transnational bid for UNESCO World Heritage status for a Silk Road corridor that spans the three countries....


Kazakhstan PM Discusses Economic Cooperation, EXPO 2017 During France Visit

Kazakhstan Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov met with International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE) Secretary General Vicente Lossertales in Paris on Sept. 19. Akhmetov also metwith French Prime MinisterJean-Marc AyraultandOrganization...


Kazakhstan Needs to Maximize Tourism Potential

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the world economy. According to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), tourism generates an...


Rock Opera Tells Ancient Kazakh Tale

ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s first rock opera, “Zheruiyk” (“Promised Land” in Kazakh), was performed recently to a packed house at the Palace of Peace and Accord in Astana...


Colourful Race Comes to Astana

ASTANA – On Sept. 22, the most adventurous and anticipated paint race will finally come to the capital. The so-called colour run (or yarkokross) has its origins...


Kazakhstan Wins First Asian Kokpar Championship

The Kazakhstan national kokpar team won the first Asian Championship held at the Kazanat racecourse in Astana from Sept. 10 to 15. Kokpar is an ancient equestrian...


Traffic Police, Patrol Guard Service Merger to Begin in November

Divisions of the traffic police and patrol guard service (PGS) will be merged as a part of the Universal Policeman project by November 2013. “Given the positive...


Roundtable Focuses on Central Asian Security Challenges

ASTANA – Repercussions for regional security in Central Asia following the withdrawal of US-led military forces from Afghanistan and the unresolved status of the Caspian Sea continue...


In Bishkek, SCO Presidents Address Regional Security Challenges

BISHKEK – Ensuring security in Central Asia in light of rapidly changing geopolitical realities was among the key issues discussed at the regular meeting of the Shanghai...


EXPO 2017 Commissioner Visits Hong Kong, Macau

HONG KONG – Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister and Commissioner of the International Specialized Exhibition EXPO2017 Rapil Zhoshybayev visited China’s Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Hong Kong...


Park Inn by Radisson opens in Astana

ASTANA – With a prime location in the older section of Astana near the river crossing to the new town centre, Park Inn by Radisson Astana places...


Kazakhstan, Afghanistan Discuss Economic Cooperation

The Kazakh-Afghan Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation met in Kabul Sep. 16-17 to deepen economic relations between the two Central Asian countries. The commission was...


Astana Launches Bid for UN Security Council Seat

ASTANA, Sept. 18 – Kazakhstan has matured as an independent country, has contributed to promoting global peace, security and development and can bring even more benefits to...


Government to Help Develop Single-Industry Towns

ASTANA – Almost 30 so-called single-industry, or company, towns in Kazakhstan will receive significant government support and will be the beneficiaries of new government measures designed to...


CIS Internal Ministries Further Law Enforcement Cooperation

ASTANA – The Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs (CMIA) of the participating states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) met in Astana on Sep. 10...


High Hopes for Alternative Energy as Country Bets on Solar

ASTANA – Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country in the world and is rich in oil, gas, coal, amongst other minerals. Even though the economy revolves mostly...


Chinese Ambassador Says Strategic Partnership Expands Further

ASTANA – The recent visit of President Xi Jinping to Kazakhstan was a historic event in Sino-Kazakh relations and opened up new prospects for bilateral relations, the...


Chinese Archives Shed Light on Kazakh History, Bilateral Ties

ASTANA – At a mid-September briefing at the Central Communications Service (CCS) on the “People in the Flow of History” programme, scientists from Suleimenov Oriental Studies Institute...