The public sector bank, Punjab National bank said that it is going to buy 64 per cent stake in JSC Dana Bank of Kazakhstan. This was said by the Chairman and Managing Director of the bank, K R Kamath.

Talking to the media, he said that the deal has been approved by the Reserve Bank of India and that PNB is looking forward to it.

He also said that the bank is planning to spend $24 million for acquiring the stake. For financing it, the bank will combine dent and internal financing as well.

Astana (Kazakhstan), Dec. 28 : Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev has said that China, Russia and the United States will continue to occupy a special place in the country’s foreign policy.

Interacting with diplomats at the Akorda Palace last week, President Nazarbayev said that apart from these three major powers, his government would also continue to seek “active cooperation” with the CIS and Central Asia states.

Baikonur (Kazakhstan), Dec 21 (RIA Novosti) The Soyuz spacecraft, carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), was launched here in the early hours of Monday.

The TMA-17 spacecraft was launched at 00:52 hrs from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan and it separated from the Soyuz-FG booster on schedule.

It is scheduled to dock with the ISS in the automated mode Wednesday.

New Delhi, Nov. 21: India and Kazakhstan have both been affected by the global recession, but this has not prevented them from striving to keep bilateral business ties alive since January of this year, when the meltdown was at its devastating peak.

Almaty, Nov 9 : Thirteen people were burned to death after a fire broke out at a warehouse in the Kazakhstan capital Monday, media reports said.

The incident took place at around 5.00 p. m. in a plastic-foam warehouse, Xinhua reported.

The fire was put out after it engulfed an area of about 8,000 sq metres, an official of the Kazakhstan Emergency Situations Ministry said.

Twenty-five fire engines were deployed to put out the fire. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.(IANS)

Almaty (Kazakhstan), Nov 4 : Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmon has signed an amnesty, granting freedom to some 10,000 prisoners, officials said Wednesday.

The amnesty was passed to mark the 15th anniversary of Tajikistan's constitution Nov 6, the country's presidential news service said.

The prisoners were held for minor crimes and make up nearly half of the inmates lodged in Tajikistan jails, Xinhua reported.

The amnesty excludes those serving sentences for crimes such as terrorism, pillage, fraud, premeditated murder and treason.

Punjab National Bank (PNB), India’s second-major public sector bank, has decided to purchase 63% stake in Kazakhstan-based Dana Bank.

PNB functionaries stated in a communiqué that this acquisition is going to be bank’s first international acquisition which will entail an investment of $24 million (about Rs 115 crore).

The sources informed that the bank is having a representative office in Kazakh city Almaty.

Almaty/Moscow  - At least 38 people died Sunday in a fire at a drug clinic in the south of the central Asian republic of Kazakhstan, local media reported.

The cause of the fire, which broke out in the city of Talkykurgan near the capital Almaty, was as of yet unknown, media quoted Kazakh authorities as saying.

Around 40 of the clinic's patients and personnel were rescued from the fire, which had spread over an area of 650 square metres.

Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov announced the formation of a state commission to investigate the fire. (dpa)

Astana (Kazakhstan), Sep 11: A mountaineering expedition team comprising six members of the Indian Army and eight from the Kazakhstan Army has successfully scaled the Mount Marble Wall Peak in Kazakhstan.

The expedition was jointly led by Lt Col SS Shekhawat and Ilinski, and the team reached Base Camp on August 23 at 3300 meters and established three camps on the mountain by August 27.

On September 3, the summit team left for Camp– III, located at a height of 5200 meters, and after nearly 11 hours of grueling climb finally summitted the peak on September
4.

Manila  - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Thursday it has approved a 500-million-dollar short-term loan allowing Kazakhstan to boost fiscal spending and offset the effects of the global economic crisis.

The Manila-based bank said Kazakhstan was the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to be directly affected by the crisis due to its exposure in the banking sector.

Astana (Kazakhstan), Sep. 9 : The Embassy of India in Kazakhstan has organized an "India Week and Food Festival" in Astana and Almaty from September 8 to 18 in collaboration with the Rixos President Hotel Astana, Intercontinental Hotel Almaty and Air Astana as part of its continued efforts to promote people-to-people contacts and strengthen bilateral relations between India and Kazakhstan.

New Delhi, Aug 27 : Relations between India and Kazakhstan took another step forward on Wednesday evening with Kazakhstan''s envoy to India, Dr. Kairat Umarov releasing the book "Contemporary Kazakhstan - Success Story of Nation Building", authored by Mail Today journalist Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, in the presence of a select gathering of former diplomats, academia and media persons.

Astana (Kazakhstan), Aug. 15 : The 62nd anniversary of India's Independence Day was celebrated at the residence of India''s Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Ashok Sajjanhar, this morning.

The ceremony began with the flag hoisting by Ambassador Sajjanhar and singing of the national anthem and patriotic songs by ladies of the Indian Embassy.

New Delhi, Aug. 8 : Panelists participating in a book launch on Kazakhstan on Friday said all ingredients for a wholesome strategic partnership between India and Kazakhstan exist, and the two governments would be remiss in their responsibility in not realizing the full potential of this partnership.

New Delhi, July 1 : India and Kazakhstan are actively working to finalize the inter-governmental agreement for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, revealed Kazakhstan's Ambassador to India, Dr. Kairat Umarov, during an interaction with select media on Tuesday evening.

Dr. Umarov said bilateral relations between both countries were progressing very well, and this was reflected when both

Astana (Kazakhstan), July 1 : In hosting the two-day Third Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions here from today (July 1 and 2), Kazakhstan and its President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, will promote the key theme of an increased role for religious leaders in building a more tolerant world even as it cuts across national boundaries to globalize.

Astana, June 18 : Over 25,000 locals, Kazakh dignitaries and world media assembled at Semipalatinsk on Thursday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's decision to stop nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS).

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who presided over the function, traced the origins of the anti-nuclear movement in Kazakhstan.

He also spoke about the selflessness, fearlessness and enthusiasm of Kazakhs to end what he described as "a crime against life."

Abu Dhabi based Mubadala Development Company, ConocoPhillips, and JSC National Company KazMunaiGas (KMG) have inked joint exploration and development deals for the Nursultan Block (N Block) offshore Kazakhstan.

According to sources, KMG will hold 51% interest in the subsoil use contract, while the remaining 49% will be shared equally between Conoco-Phillips and Mubadala.

The sources further added that the project will be operated by a Kazakh firm which will be jointly owned by the participants in proportion to their equity.

Almaty (Kazakhstan), June 7: Following the success the England football team is enjoying in the World Cup qualifying rounds, captain John Terry says England can beat anyone.

"Six out of six is great, but there is far more to come from this team. We are heading in the right direction and I''m convinced we''ll be where Fabio wants us to be next summer," The Sun quoted Terry, as saying here.

It was an optimistic message from Terry despite England not looking totally convincing in the early stages of the victory.

Almaty, Kazakhstan  - England made it six wins out of six in their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 4-0 win in Kazakhstan on Saturday.

Goals from Gareth Barry, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard sealed a straightforward win for Fabio Capello's side, who now have 18 points the top of Group 6.

Kazakhstan had a goal ruled out for off-side before Barry headed England ahead two minutes before half-time.