Ethnic Unrest in China Jul 7, 2009
He was doing relatively well as a trader, turning a profit of $300 or $400 a month by shuttling between Almaty and Urumchi, taking clothes to sell in Almaty and using the money he earned to buy electric razors and tools for resale in Urumchi ... Now more than ever, he said, he was living day to day, and recent murders by the Russian mafia of two Chinese merchants in Almaty worried him. (The Atlantic Online)
Kazakh lawmakers back restrictive Internet law Jun 25, 2009
ALMATY, Kazakhstan - Kazakh lawmakers approved Internet legislation Wednesday that media rights activists say will limit freedom of speech in the Central Asian nation. The bill would subject Internet outlets such as chat rooms, blogs and online stores to the same criminal prosecution currently applied to traditional media. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Fabs England close in on Finals but Portugal in crisis Jun 6, 2009
PARIS: England can all but book their World Cup Finals tickets today if they can take full points at Kazakhstan in Almaty ... Yet Almaty represents a trip into the unknown and with Croatia expecting to close the gap by seeing off the Ukrainians at home, England now need to close the door with only the group winners guaranteed to go through. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Sports)
Win over Iceland will seal World Cup berth Jun 5, 2009
In case of a slip-up in Almaty, England will hope second and third-placed Croatia and Ukraine cancel each other out in Zagreb tomorrow where a win for the visitors would bring them level with Slaven Bilic s side. Group One provides a Scandinavian derby between group leaders Denmark and struggling Sweden, who are fourth and trail their rivals by seven points. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Sports)
Rooney itching to make up for Barca heartbreak Jun 5, 2009
ALMATY (AFP) - Wayne Rooney is planning to get Manchester United's Champions League final defeat "out of the system" by firing England to the brink of next year's World Cup finals in South Africa ... But Rooney insists he is itching to play his first match since his club's 2-0 defeat by Barcelona in Rome last month and shrugged off concerns about the five-hour time difference, high temperatures and concerns over the quality of the playing surface in Almaty's Central Stadium. (Yahoo! Asia News)
England prepares for first ever game at Kazakhstan Jun 4, 2009
(AP) ALMATY, Kazakhstan - England can move to the verge of World Cup qualification when it plays in Kazakhstan for the first time on Saturday. Victory at the Almaty Central Stadium would take England to within six points of a guaranteed place at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. (OregonLive, OR -- Sports)
Ferdinand ruled out of Kazakhstan World Cup qualifier Jun 4, 2009
Ferdinand suffered the injury before playing in last week s Champions League final defeat by Barcelona in Rome, and while it will keep him out of the trip to Almaty he could feature against Andorra in England s next qualifier on Wednesday week. Cahill will compete with Matthew Upson and Joleon Lescott for a place in the starting line-up alongside skipper John Terry. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Sports)
Ferdinand out of England qualifier at Kazakhstan Jun 3, 2009
Ferdinand out of England's qualifier at Kazakhstan - - SI.com. Posted: Tuesday June 2, 2009 10:49 AM. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- Soccer)
Former Kazakh Official Accused of Embezzling Stake at Uranium One Venture May 28, 2009
To contact the reporters on this story: Nariman Gizitdinov in Almaty, through the Moscow newsroom at ; Carli Lourens in Johannesburg at. Last Updated: May 27, 2009 16:40 EDT. (Bloomberg -- Canada)
* FEATURE : China spending big to secure foothold in Central Asia May 25, 2009
AFP, ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN Monday, May 25, 2009, Page 10 ... A China expert at Almatys Institute for Economic Strategies, Adil Kaukenov, revealingly recalls a conversation with a Chinese counterpart who told him: Were walking all over the world with suitcases stuffed full of money, because we have to spend it. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Sports)
Downing sidelined May 23, 2009
The operation means he will miss both England's trip to Almaty to play Kazakhstan on June 6 and the home game with Andorra at Wembley on June 10. The Middlesbrough winger suffered the foot injury after a tackle by Stiliyan Petrov during his side's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday and was substituted after 23 minutes. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- Soccer)
England GK James has surgery, out of qualifiers May 20, 2009
England is already without Ben Foster for the games in Almaty on June 6 and at Wembley on June 10 after the Manchester United 'keeper was sidelined with a thumb injury. England manager Fabio Capello could turn to Paul Robinson for the first time. (SportsIllustrated.CNN -- Soccer)
Kazakh Central Banker Rules Out Currency Devaluation, Says Rate May Be Cut May 16, 2009
2600 per dollar by 8:21 p.m. in Almaty, Kazakhstans financial capital. While the former Soviet republics economy and exporters would benefit from a further decline in the tenge of as much as 12 percent, the optimism toward emerging markets and strong oil prices means Kazakhstan will probably be able to hold the tenge, said Vladimir Osakovsky, a Moscow-based economy for UniCredit SpA. The local currency market is also very shallow so its not very hard for them to maintain it at... (Bloomberg -- Europe)
Kazakhstan holds Chinese proficiency competition May 8, 2009
ALMATY, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The final Kazakh round of the Eighth "Chinese Bridge" competition, a Chinese-language proficiency contest for foreign college students, concluded on Thursday in the capital city of Astana. A senior student from the Kazakh Abai National Normal University won the first prize and got a chance to take part in the semi-final competition in China in the final with 10 contestants. (Xinhuanet, China)
Poverty is major factor in pandemic May 1, 2009
In 1978, representatives of 134 nations meeting in Alma-Ata, now Almaty, Kazakhstan s largest city, declared access to health care to be a basic human right. They signed an agreement to work toward a goal of universal access to health care by the year 2000. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
KB Financial First-Quarter Profit Slumps 62% as Bad Loans More Than Double Apr 30, 2009
5 percent stake in the Almaty- based lender and is set to raise its holding to 50. 1 percent by February 2011, valuing its total investment at about $1. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
Kazakhstan: The Northern Aral Sea Makes a Comeback Apr 28, 2009
The subject is likely to cause hot debates at a meeting of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in Almaty, scheduled to open on April 28, to be attended by heads of Central Asian states. For people living around the Northern Aral Sea, the prospect of its return is exciting, and the slogan on a poster hanging over a street in the town of Aral sums up the optimistic mood. (EurasiaNet.org)
Tristan Oil caught up in subsoil law changes; government proxy circles assets Apr 28, 2009
Last year, 100 of the 900 subsoil contracts granted by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) were withdrawn at the Kazakhstani governments behest, said Timur Yuldabayev, an Almaty-based lawyer at the firm Grata ... The most recent amendment to Kazakhstans subsoil law came into force on 13 February and stipulate that existing contracts are no longer exempt from legislative changes, said a second lawyer in Almaty. (FT.com -- Markets)
Central Asia to hold water summit Apr 28, 2009
By Rayhan Demytrie BBC News, Almaty ... The presidents of five Central Asian states are due hold a summit in the Kazakh city of Almaty about water, the most contentious issue in the region. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Kazakh budget in shrinking act Apr 17, 2009
ALMATY - The latest changes to the Kazakh government's budget contain the most pessimistic predictions yet about the state of the economy in 2009 ... A staff member at the Almaty Center for Employment, dismissed official pledges of support for welfare as purely "decorative" ... A teacher from Almaty who gave her name as Alfia pointed out that public sector wages were often held up. (Asia Times Online)
Sioux Central grad will share love of horticulture with fruit farmers in Central Asia Apr 15, 2009
Later this month, he will find himself in Almaty, Kazakhstan where he will work to improve the quality of life for small-scale fruit farmers through a farmer-to-farmer training program and development assistance designed to improve farming methods and livelihoods. He is committing 18 months to the project sponsored by IDEAS (International Development and Educational Associates). (Storm Lake Pilot Tribune, IA)
Central Asians Unite To Protect Globally Important Natural Sites Apr 13, 2009
With the implementation of the IBA project in Kazakhstan, Brombacher says the country s project partner, the nongovernmental Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan (ACBK), has grown into a "very professional" conservation organization with almost 30 staff and offices in Astana and Almaty. In Turkmenistan, however, the project partner remains the Ministry of Nature Protection. (EurasiaNet.org)
Kazakhstan indefinitely postpones space program Apr 10, 2009
ALMATY, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan has indefinitely postponed a plan of sending its own cosmonaut to the International Space Station (ISS) for lack of funding, Talgat Musabayev, head of the National Space Agency, said on Thursday. Musabayev told reporters that the sole reason for putting off the plan was lack of funding. (Xinhuanet, China)
U.S. space tourist, crew return to Earth Apr 8, 2009
ALMATY (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying U.S. billionaire Charles Simonyi and a Russian-American crew touched down safely in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. U.S. entrepreneur Charles Simonyi waves to his wife after putting on his space suit at Baikonur Cosmodrome in this March 26, 2009 file photo. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
Kazakhstan in nuclear bank offer Apr 7, 2009
Under Mr Nazarbayev's rule it voluntarily gave up its nuclear weapons inherited from the Soviet Union, says the BBC's Rayhan Demytrie in Almaty. Mr Ahmadinejad said after the press conference that he supported the idea, but did not say whether his country would consider using such a bank. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Arawak announces management, board changes Apr 7, 2009
Simon Blaydes, currently Deputy Chief Financial Officer based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, will assume the role of Chief Financial Officer. Arawak also announces that executive Director Michael Volcko and non-executive Directors Malcolm Hope-Ross, Ross Douglas and Phillip de Boos-Smith have offered their resignations to the Board. (Canada Newswire)
Living roots of music Apr 3, 2009
Recent tours took her to Australia, to perform at Australian National University, Canberra, ACT; to the Russian Institute for the History of the Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia; and to the Conservatory of Music in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Pelon has also performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras, on television specials and with Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion." "I have always loved music," she shared, adding that she when young she didn't have a music program in school. (Storm Lake Pilot Tribune, IA)
Roundup: Movies not to miss Apr 2, 2009
He has aspirations to own a Western-style ranch, complete with satellite TV and an actual house, on the pavement-flat, nearly featureless steppes 300 miles outside Almaty, the Kazakh capital. But the local sheepherding boss won't give him a flock of his own until he gets married, and the only marriageable young woman for miles in any direction is a legendary beauty named Tulpan, whose parents have higher targets than Asa in mind. (Salon)
Abbott, Mroz of US struggle in men's free skate Mar 27, 2009
He splits his time between his hometown of Almaty and Moscow, where he sought improved practice conditions. . (Anchorage Daily News)
Liquid war: Welcome to Pipelineistan Mar 26, 2009
In Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan (before it was moved to Astana, in the middle of the middle of nowhere) the locals were puzzled when I expressed an overwhelming urge to drive to that country's oil boomtown Aktau. ("Why? There's nothing there.") Entering the Space Odyssey-style map room at the Russian energy giant Gazprom's headquarters in Moscow - which digitally details every single pipeline in Eurasia - or the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)'s corporate HQ in Tehran, with its... (Asia Times Online)
Life with TB Mar 24, 2009
IGOR, 47, ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN ... "Prison is a terrible place. I got home to Almaty and fell out with my wife. I had nowhere to turn to. I was homeless, until the national Aids centre referred me to the Red Crescent. "They were able to secure me a place in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre and I am still living there now. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Analysis: Kyrgyz base closure risky for Moscow Feb 24, 2009
Associated Press Writer Peter Leonard contributed to this report from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Douglas Birch is Moscow bureau chief for The Associated Press. (North County Times)
Russia's 'virtual cold war' in Central Asia Feb 21, 2009
Kazakhstan has Russian S-300 air defense systems protecting Astana and Almaty. Nevertheless, Akhmetov confirmed on February 12 that the Kazakhstani Ministry of Defense expects additional S-300 systems soon. (Asia Times Online)
Mariya Kovaleva Named Horizon League Female Tennis Athlete Of The Week Feb 19, 2009
The Almaty, Kazakhstan native was victorious in both singles and doubles over the weekend against Mid-American opponent Toledo. At No. 2 singles, Kovaleva defeated Ashley Frey, 6-1, 6-4, after pairing up with and beating Martina Wodzinski and Maha Guirguis at No. 1 doubles, 8-3. (Uicflames.com)
Kazakhstan paysfor devaluation Feb 18, 2009
ALMATY - The devaluation this month of the Kazakhstan currency was too sudden and too late and as a result is fueling inflation, according to critics of the way the measure was introduced ... As Viktor Yambaev, head of the Association of Entrepreneurs in Almaty, told Kazakhstan Today on February 4, "Eighty-five per cent of our economy depends on imports, so there's a simple chain reaction - given that the dollar's value has risen 30%, everything is going to be 30% more expensive." ... Raisa, 42,... (Asia Times Online)
Muslim Battalions Feb 17, 2009
A second Muslim Battalion, or Musbat, was formed in 1980 in Kapchagai, near Almaty, Kazakhstan ... "Military action in Panjshir was ineffective," said Sergei Domnin, an Almaty-based journalist specialising in the Soviet-Afghan war. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Press freedom in Kazakhstan: Keep it official Feb 11, 2009
On December 30th one was stabbed three times in front of his house in Almaty; another was beaten up in January. And a court slapped a big fine on an opposition newspaper for slandering a parliamentarian. (The Economist)
Fighting the Plague in the Great Plains with Gerbils Feb 11, 2009
The archive, housed by the Kazakh Scientific Center for Quarantine and Zoonotic Diseases in Almaty, came to the attention of Western researchers in 1996, when Herwig Leirs, an ecologist at the University of Antwerp in Belgium, reviewed a funding application from the center ... The archive was literally in big books, handwritten in thick ledgers, stored in Almaty and 12 regional stations, he describes. (Scientific American)
* Chen leads Taiwan over Kazakhstan in Cup tie Feb 9, 2009
Playing an unexpected foe who defeated him last year in five sets in a Davis Cup tie in Almaty, Chen returned the favor yesterday, defeating world No. 180 Yuri Schukin 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 to give Taiwan an unassailable 3-1 lead in a 4-1 victory over the visitors. Chen won the deciding point in a 3-2 win over Pakistan in February 2006, but he had never played such an impressive match under pressure against such a high-ranked opponent. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
