Tomiris Bilyal
China
Xi hails 'new level' in ties as China and Kazakhstan sign €11.4bn in deals
Xi Jinping and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed more than 70 commercial agreements on the sidelines of the World AI Conference in Shanghai, including Central Asia's first battery plant with CATL and a new Caspian port terminal.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan looks to boost oil exports after Georgia talks in Astana
In high-level talks held in Astana, Kazakhstan and Georgia agreed to strengthen economic cooperation, including plans to increase oil shipments via the BTC pipeline. The two countries also discussed agricultural development, investment expansion, and cooperation in digital services.
Earth News
Amur tigers released into the wild in Kazakhstan to help restore the extinct Turan species
Vladimir Putin has gifted four Amur tigers to Kazakhstan during his state visit. The initiative is aimed at restoring an apex predator that disappeared from Central Asian region more than 70 years ago.
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Culture news
Italy and Kazakhstan celebrate cultural ties as Holy See embassy opens
Italian opera and Kazakh classical music shared the stage in Rome during the "Armonia della Musica" concert, organised to mark the opening of Kazakhstan’s Embassy to the Vatican and the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate.
Space
Russia launches new Soyuz-5 rocket from Baikonur in first test flight
On Thursday, April 30, at 23:00 local time (Astana), the Baikonur Cosmodrome witnessed the first test launch of the Soyuz-5/Sunkar vehicle. The rocket lifted off from Site 45 as part of flight development tests, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of AI and Digital Development.
Earth News
Central Asia bets on ‘ecological solidarity’ as water crisis deepens
Beyond political signalling, the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana delivered tangible commitments. A total of 17 agreements worth over $2.3 billion were signed at RES 2026, with the bulk of investments channelled into renewable energy, waste management, and industrial decarbonisation.
Culture news
The Royal Danish Theatre makes its debut in Astana
Astana has hosted, for the first time, the Royal Danish Theatre, one of the world’s oldest and most respected performing arts institutions. The Kazakhstan capital is increasingly positioning itself as a place where European and Asian artistic traditions meet and interact.
Voices from Central Asia
Meet the man behind the end of nuclear testing
In partnership with MDQ
Olzhas Suleimenov, a Soviet and Kazakh writer and public figure, has left a lasting legacy at the intersection of literature and activism. Rising to global prominence as the leader of the Nevada-Semipalatinsk movement, he played a key role in the closure of the world’s first nuclear test site.
Modern Nomads
Kazakhstan strengthens social protection and public welfare
In partnership with MDQ
Kazakhstan is steadily building one of Central Asia’s most comprehensive social support systems, combining financial assistance, public services, and digital tools to reach citizens at every stage of life.
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