By Dana Omirgazy,Fatima Kemelova

Copyright astanatimes

ASTANA – The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week’s foreign media digest highlights language shifts in Kazakhstan, President Mattarella’s visit, advances in AI, plans for nuclear science hubs, expanding transport links and more.

What Europe can learn from Kazakhstan

IPS journal published an article on Sept. 19 examining how identity politics, language policy, and external influence shape Kazakhstan’s stability amid rising geopolitical polarization, drawing lessons for Europe’s own multi-ethnic societies.

“Debates about identity, which were once confined to small circles of Kazakh-speaking intellectuals, entered the public sphere. Among younger generations in particular, language came to embody sovereignty and security. Russian-speaking Kazakhs began deliberately switching to Kazakh, enrolling in language courses and consuming Kazakh-language media,” reads the article.

Mattarella in Kazakhstan, an increasingly strategic country

Ansa.it published an article on Sept. 28 about Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s official visit to Kazakhstan.

“Discussions with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will begin with the now deeply rooted economic ties, not least because in 2024 alone the volume of reciprocal trade reached a record $20 billion.

Italy is, in fact, Europe’s leading trading partner and the third – after only Russia and China – globally. Italy is not only the main importer of Kazakh oil, but is also investing in key sectors of the economy such as agro-industry, mechanical engineering, infrastructure, and sustainable development,” reads the article.

Kazakhstan to establish nuclear science cities in Almaty, Kurchatov

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has announced plans to establish two “science cities” in Almaty and Kurchatov to spearhead research and development in nuclear energy and nuclear medicine, the Diplomatic Insight reported on Sept. 29.

The initiative, unveiled at a meeting of the National Council on Science and Technology, will consolidate scientific, educational, and industrial infrastructure in areas linked to upcoming nuclear power projects.

In Almaty, the Institute of Nuclear Physics will anchor a new hub featuring a multipurpose reactor. A second center will be developed in Kurchatov, Abai region, in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences, the National Nuclear Center, and regional authorities.

Durov launches AI lab in Kazakhstan

Telegram is set to open an AI laboratory in Kazakhstan as part of its collaboration with the country’s supercomputer. This announcement was made by Pavel Durov at the Digital Bridge 2025 forum in Astana, forklog reported on Oct. 2.

“A year ago, we opened our first regional office in Kazakhstan and are very pleased with the results. I am delighted to announce that today we are launching a specialized artificial intelligence laboratory in the Alem.ai building,” the entrepreneur stated.

He noted that over the past few months, the company has been working on new technology at the intersection of blockchain and AI. According to Durov, it will enable more than a billion people to use artificial intelligence functions confidentially, transparently, and efficiently.

Kazakhstan, Hungary seek closer co-op in transport, finance and AI

Developing international transport corridors and modern logistics infrastructure remains a key priority for Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during a media briefing with Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok, Trend reported on Oct. 2.

“This year, direct flights between Shymkent and Budapest were launched. Now we have agreed to explore the possibility of restoring air connections between the capitals of our two countries,” Tokayev said.

The leaders also emphasized the importance of widely integrating artificial intelligence and digital technologies into the economy.

Kazakhstan-Latvia direct flights coming in spring 2026

SCAT Airlines will begin operating direct flights between Kazakhstan and Latvia starting in spring 2026.

The announcement was made on Oct. 1 during the Kazakhstan-Latvia Business Forum held in Almaty, The Caspian Post reported on Oct. 2.

Fifty business representatives from both nations attended the forum. During the meeting, it was noted that Kazakhstan views Latvia as an important and reliable partner, while Latvia, in turn, sees Kazakhstan as a strategic bridge connecting Asia and Europe.

Kazakh grain exports to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyz Republic surge

Kazakh grain exports by rail to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic increased sharply in September 2025. Overall, more than one million tons of grain were exported by rail, up 19% compared to the same period last year, reported Trend on Oct. 3.