Kazakhstan news and events

Kazakhstan’s men’s basketball team made it to the final of the Asian Youth Championship which is currently taking place in Syria.
Today our players will meet the team from Iran. In the semi-final Kazakhstan beat Japan with a score of 103:78.
“Even if we lose, we will still be preparing for the World Youth Championship since out of the Asian group the top 3 teams qualify. This is a great achievement and success for Kazakhstan’s basketball”, - with pride stated the coach of our young team, Vadim Burakov.
Tomorrow Kazakhstan’s athletes will arrive in Almaty.

Today Holy Ramadan begins- a month of mercy and generosity. According to the established tradition, at the eve of this important and period the Supreme mufti of the country Absattar kaji Derbisali addressed the Muslims of Kazakhstan.
He reminded that during this period all the Muslims of the world will observe the Ramadan fast – restrain from food, drink and sensual pleasures from dawn to dusk. A fast is the third dogma of Islam and is compulsory for all full-aged men and women. Moreover it has been proven by medicine that it is healthy for the body. It not only strengthens the body but also perfects the soul of the person, making him or her kinder, more generous and patient.
The Supreme mufti congratulated all the Muslims of the country with the beginning of Ramadan and wished all the People of Kazakhstan peace, unity and prosperity.

Today Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov has had a meeting with Senate Chairman Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev.
The parties focused on core tasks of the House’s law-making work in the light of President Nazarbayev’s instructions sounded in his annual Message to the Nation as of Feb 6, 2008.
K. Massimov handed over the country’s main draft financial documents – Fiscal and Tax Codes and a Three-year budget for 2009-2011 – to the Speaker.

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the members of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), chaired by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marat Tazhin, is to be held in Almaty.
Head of State, Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to take part in the opening ceremony.
Before the Meeting a ceremony of entry of new countries into the CICA will be held – the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Delegations from 20 member states of CICA, observers and guests will take part in the Meeting.
The main focus of the Meeting will be the realization of “Cooperation approach to the realization of the CICA confidence-building measures”.

"In accordance with the oblast akimats, forecast figures of current year harvest are about between 16.5 and 17.5 mln tons of grain," representative of THE Agriculture Ministry Anna Buts has told today at a conference on organization of grain transportation.
“Taking into account internal consumption, forecast for export may comprise 5-5.5 mln tons of grain. As for the ban for grain export, its supply will not be limited. The Government takes certain measures on provision of food security in the country”, A. Buts noted.
"KTZ expects to deliver 700-800 thousand tons of grain in Sep, including over 500 thousand tons for export and 180 thousand tons – for internal market. At present the company has 5229 wagons for grain shipment," KTZ Managing Director Kanat Almagambetov said.

XXIX Olympic Games continue in Beijing. Over these days KZ sportsmen have won 7 medals in different kinds of sport.
In particular, silver medal was won by: weightlifters – Irina Nekrasova (63kg) and Alla Vazhenina (75kg) and judoist Askhat Zhitkeyev (78kg).
Bronze medal was won by: Greco-Roman wrestlers Nurbakhyt Tenizbayev and Asset Mambetov (60kg and 96kg categories), weightlifter Marina Grabovetskaya (75kg) and free-style wrestler Yelena Shalygina (63kg).

Kazakhstan’s athletes will once again battle for Olympic medals. Vladimir Kuznetsov (77 kg) will participate in the qualification round of the lifting competition.
Zauresh Baibusinova will represent Kazakhstan in the qualification round of the 25 m air pistol competition.
Women’s Judo competition in the weight category – up to 70 kg, will begin today and Kazakhstan will be represented by Zhanar Zhanzunova.
Also Darkhan Bayakhmetov (66 kg) and Roman Meleshin (74 kg) will compete in the Greek-Roman wrestling competition. In boxing, Birzhan Zhakipov (48 kg) and Ruslan Myrsatayev (above 91 kg) will face their opponents.
Zulfiya Zabirova will take part in the final 23.5 km cycling race. Afterwards, cyclists Andrey Mizurov and Maksim Iglinskiy will compete in the 47 km race.

On August 9th campaign “Capital of Kazakhstan Astana – 10 years of peace and harmony” will take place in Almaty.
Objective of the event – promotion and explanation of the “Strategy of Development of Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan before 2012”. Directors of the Armenian centers and leaders of Armenian youth national cultural centers from all regions of Kazakhstan will participate in the campaign. A contest for 3 nominations will take place where the jury will choose the best youth leader, best teacher of Sunday school and best choreographer.
Around 15,000 Armenians live in Kazakhstan today. In 1991 the first Armenian National Cultural Centre “Luys” was organized in Almaty.

Kazakh President N.Nazarbayev will visit People’s Republic of China on August 7-10, 2008. Kazakh MFA’s official representative Yerzhan Ashikbayev informed at a weekly briefing. “Within the visit Kazakh President will take part at the opening ceremony of the XXIX Olympics in Beijing and visit a number of sport competitions with Kazakh athletes’
participation”, Y.Ashikbayev said. Besides, Kazakh President will meet with Chairman of People’s Republic of China Hu Jintao.

Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov has got familiarized with the work of Operations Control Center of Almaty Internal Affairs Department. Head of the center Makytbek Kosayev reported to Prime Minister on the center’s work and measures taken on ensuring road safety.
The center was founded and put into operation in 2000. Prior to its establishment the Internal Affairs Ministry of Kazakhstan had studied work experience of “911” unified service in the USA, France and a number of other states as well as Center for Operations control of Seoul (South Korea) police.
The center makes use of best computer technologies, scientific recommendations and technical progress achievements.