Century on Stage: Auezov Theater Marks 100 Years of Kazakh Drama
ALMATY – Mukhtar Auezov Kazakh National Drama Theater celebrates its 100th anniversary on Jan. 13, marking a century-long contribution to the country’s cultural and spiritual life.

Mukhtar Auezov Kazakh National Drama Theatre. Photo credit: auezov-theatre.kz

The Auezov theater was founded in Kyzylorda in 1925, then the capital of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.…
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IRENA: Systemic Innovation, Not Silver Bullets, Seen as Key to Energy Transition
ABU DHABI – Transforming global energy systems will require more than breakthrough technologies, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), released on Jan. 12 during a ministerial dialogue on the role of artificial intelligence at IRENA’s Assembly.

Photo credit: IRENA

According to the report Innovation Landscape for Sustainable Development…
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Kazakhstan’s Muslim Authority Approves 2026 Islamic Calendar
ALMATY — Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims has approved the religious calendar for 2026 on Jan. 8, announcing the key dates of Islamic observances for the year.

Astana Grand Mosque. Photo credit: Evgeny Tkachenko

According to the approved calendar, the holy month of Ramadan will begin on Feb. 19, while Laylat al-Qadr, also known…
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KazMunayGas Reports No Serious Damage to Tanker After Drone Attack Near CPC Terminal
ALMATY — KazMunayGas (KMG) reports that its chartered oil tanker Matilda did not sustain serious damage following a drone attack near the Black Sea loading terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC).

Photo credit: cpc.ru

According to KMG, the tanker Matilda, chartered by its subsidiary Kazmortransflot, was scheduled to load Kazakh crude at the…
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Experts Say Venezuela Events Move Oil Markets, With Limited Impact on Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Oil prices fluctuated in overnight trading after United States President Donald Trump took action against Venezuela by capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, and adding uncertainty over future global supply and the impact on oil-exporting countries such as Kazakhstan.

Venezuelan crude is heavy and high in sulfur, comparable to some…
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From Early Bet to Global Scale: Masdar Turns 20 as it Expands in Central Asia
ABU DHABI — A clean energy champion of the UAE capital, Masdar, is marking its 20th anniversary this year, having launched operations in 2006, long before renewable energy became a global buzzword. The Astana Times spoke with Masdar’s Chief Operating Officer Abdulaziz Alobaidli, on Jan. 12, on the eve of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week…
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Kazakhstan Becomes Fourth-Largest Foreign Investor in Uzbekistan by End of 2025
ALMATY – Kazakhstan ranks fourth among Uzbekistan’s foreign investors, following China, Russia and Türkiye, with 1,199 enterprises with Kazakh capital operating in the country as of Dec. 1, 2025, according to data released by the Uzbek National Statistics Committee on Jan. 9.

Photo credit: Uzbek National Statistics Committee

Trade remains the leading sector for…
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Mild Even by Local Standards: January Warmth Brings Early Bloom to Almaty
ALMATY — Winters in Almaty are often milder than in much of Kazakhstan, and long stretches without heavy snowfall are nothing unusual for the city. Yet even by local standards, the start of 2026 has stood out.

Snowdrops, usually among the first signs of spring, were also spotted in bloom in mid-January. Photo credit:…
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Kazakh Trade Ministry Evaluates Scenarios Following US Statements on Iran-Linked Trade
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration is monitoring the U.S. statements regarding countries with trade ties to Iran and assessing potential scenarios, as details of possible measures and their implementation remain unclear, the ministry said on Jan. 13.

“Currently, the details of possible measures and the parameters for their implementation are not…
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Kazakhstan Maintains Oil Export Stability Despite Temporary CPC Disruptions
ASTANA — Kazakh Energy Ministry confirmed a temporary decline in oil shipments through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal in December 2025 in a Jan. 13 statement on oil production and export volumes.

The decrease resulted from the forced suspension of Single Point Mooring (SPM-3) following a drone attack, as well as adverse…
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Kazakhstan Deepens Geological Exploration, Plans $470 Million in Investments
ASTANA — Kazakhstan is launching the next phase of geological exploration, with 240 billion tenge (US$470 million) to be invested over the next three years to improve geological mapping, expand resource discovery, and attract private investment in the mining and energy sectors.

The projects focus on satellite data analysis, aerogeophysical and geochemical surveys, and…
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Manufacturing to Drive Kazakhstan’s GDP Growth This Year, Officials Say
ASTANA – Kazakhstan aims to make manufacturing the main driver of economic growth this year, with metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemicals, and construction materials leading the expansion.

The government held its first meeting this year of the economic growth task force, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin. The discussion…
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Kazakh Foreign Ministry Releases Statement on Incidents Involving Tankers in Black Sea
ASTANA — The Kazakh Foreign Ministry has released a statement on Jan. 14, addressing recent incidents involving tankers en route to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal in the Black Sea.

Photo credit: gov.kz

The ministry expressed serious concern over attacks carried out on Jan. 13 by unmanned aerial vehicles against three tankers…
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AIIB to Lend $150 Million for Almaty Railway Bypass Project
ASTANA — The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will lend $150 million to support the Almaty Railway Bypass Project, a landmark investment aimed at strengthening freight efficiency, urban mobility and regional connectivity in Kazakhstan. The financing is provided to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) under a nonsovereign structure.

Photo credit: AIIB

As part of a…
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Yenlik Kurarbek, more known as Yenlik, is a singer-songwriter from Kazakhstan, who’s become one of the most talked-about young voices in Kazakh music.

Yenlik has joined A COLORS SHOW, becoming the first Kazakh artist to appear on the globally respected platform.

COLORS is known for its minimalist, distraction-free stage, created to cut through a saturated music scene and spotlight distinctive new artists and original sounds from around the world.

Yenlik’s sound is a blend of modern R&B, hip-hop, and pop delivered in Kazakh language, and what really sets Yenlik apart is how she gives voice to a new Kazakh generation, blending global styles with local spirit.

Why Central Asia Is the World’s Next Growth Story | EDB Chief Economist

In this interview with Evgeny Vinokurov, Chief Economist of Eurasian Development Bank, we break down where Central Asia’s economy is heading, why transport corridors and logistics hubs are becoming game-changers, and what this transformation really means for Kazakhstan.

🔗Watch full interview https://youtu.be/h0CNLX3ekfQ

Kazakhstan’s Jewelry Production Surges 41% in January-October 2025
ASTANA – Jewelry production in Kazakhstan rose 41.3% in January-October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, reaching $4.1 million, driven by domestic gold quotas, VAT incentives, and support for local manufacturers.

Photo credit: Press service of the Ministry of Industry and Construction

Imports of jewelry increased 39.6%, reaching $174.7 million, while exports…
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Kazmortransflot Boosts Caspian Container Shipments by Over 15% in 2025
ASTANA — Kazmortransflot, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas(KMG), has reported an increase in container shipping across the Caspian Sea last year, strengthening Kazakhstan’s transit and transport potential.

Along the Aktau-Baku-Aktau feeder line, the company transported 59,400 twenty-foot equivalent containers (TEUs), marking more than a 15% growth compared to 51,400 TEUs in 2024, reported KMG on…
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Air Astana Reroutes Flights Due to Closure of Iran’s Airspace
ALMATY – Air Astana announced changes to several regular and charter flights’ routes following the closure of Iran’s airspace, the airline’s press service reported on Jan. 15.

According to the carrier, flights to Sharm El Sheikh, Dubai, Doha and Medina will now be operated through alternative routes bypassing Iranian airspace. The airline emphasized that…
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Net Growth of Registered Businesses in Kazakhstan Surges Sevenfold in 2025
ALMATY – Kazakhstan saw an increase in entrepreneurial activity in 2025, with the net growth in registered businesses rising more than sevenfold compared to the previous year, according to data released by the Committee of State Revenues under the Ministry of Finance on Jan. 13.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

In 2024, 414,000 legal entities and…
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