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Soviet Space Probe to Fall to Earth 50 Years After Baikonur Launch

In 1972, the Soviet Union launched a Venus-bound lander probe called Cosmos 482 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, which was then a Soviet republic. The probe, which never got out of Earth's orbit, is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in a week or so. “Because the probe was designed to withstand entry into the Venus atmosphere, it is possible the probe (or parts of it) will survive reentry at Earth and reach the surface,” U.S. space agency NASA said on Friday. “It is thought that a malfunction resulted in an engine burn which did not achieve sufficient velocity for the Venus transfer and left the payload in this elliptical Earth orbit. The lander probe orbit has been decaying over time and it is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere around 10 May 2025,” NASA said. Right now, it’s hard to say where the lander will make its return. It’s possible that the spacecraft, or chunks of it, could survive reentry through the Earth’s atmosphere instead of burning up. After all, it has a titanium protective shell originally designed to get through the extreme atmosphere of Venus, which has the hottest surface of any planet in the solar system. Dr. Marco Langbroek, a scientist based in the Netherlands, said on the SatTrackCam Leiden (b)log that he doesn’t think the lander’s parachute deployment system will work during the “uncontrolled” reentry. “There are many uncertain factors in this though, including that this will be a long shallow reentry trajectory, and the age of the object,” Langbroek said. “The risks involved are not particularly high, but not zero: with a mass of just under 500 kg and 1-meter size, risks are similar to that of a meteorite impact.” Today, Russia operates the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which retains a popular allure for its role in early space exploration and is still a vital part of the Russian space program. On April 20, one NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts made a parachute-supported landing on the steppes of Kazakhstan after a journey back to Earth from the International Space Station. The three men had launched from Baikonur and docked at the station on Sept. 11 last year, spending 220 days in space on that trip.

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Kazakhstan Seeks to Mitigate Impact of U.S. Tariffs

Kazakhstan is working to minimize the economic damage from newly imposed U.S. tariffs, the highest levied on any Central Asian country. The government is assessing the scope of potential losses and pursuing diplomatic efforts to reverse or reduce the trade measures. A New Front in the Trade War On April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping new tariffs on imports from over 180 countries. Kazakhstan was subjected to a 27% tariff rate. In contrast, most other post-Soviet countries, including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Tajikistan, were assigned a 10% tariff, described by the U.S. administration as the “base rate” for countries that “trade fairly” with the United States. Russia and Belarus, whose trade with the U.S. is effectively suspended due to sanctions, were exempt from the increase. Only Moldova, which reportedly imposes a 61% duty on U.S. goods, received a higher rate than Kazakhstan. According to Washington, Kazakhstan applies a 54% tariff on U.S. imports, prompting a reciprocal response, though the methodology behind the administration’s calculations has been questioned by many analysts. Moldova’s higher rate of 61% led to a 31% U.S. tariff. Limited Exposure for Key Exports U.S. President Trump announced a 90-day reprieve for affected countries on April 9, allowing time for negotiations to take place. While the move signals potential flexibility, the economic impact remains uncertain. Kazakh Trade Ministry representative Serik Ashitov stated on April 29 that only 4.8% of Kazakhstan’s exports to the U.S. would be affected by the tariffs. Crucially, major exports, such as oil, uranium, silver, and ferroalloys stand to remain untouched. These commodities account for approximately 90% of Kazakh shipments to the U.S. Despite fears of a broader economic fallout, Kazakhstan's stock market showed resilience in the first quarter of 2025, according to financial news channels. However, the trade conflict has had a deflationary effect on key exports. Oil prices have dropped below projected baselines amid concerns about declining global demand driven by slowing industrial activity, especially in Asia. “We’re observing falling oil prices and reduced global trade. The tariffs are cutting into industrial output in China and other key consumers of raw materials, which affects oil demand directly,” noted a representative of the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange. As of late April, Brent crude was trading at approximately $64 per barrel. Negotiations and Constraints In response, Kazakhstan has initiated diplomatic talks with the United States and plans to raise the issue at the World Trade Organization (WTO). “At present, there is no reason to believe these measures will significantly affect our exports. Nonetheless, we will continue working with American counterparts to mitigate the consequences of these unilateral measures,” Ashitov said during a press briefing. However, analysts caution that Kazakhstan may face structural limits in attempting to resolve this dispute. As a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Kazakhstan does not set its tariff policy independently. “Our customs duties are EAEU duties,” economist Almas Chukin explained. “If we wanted to unilaterally lower tariffs for the U.S., as Israel did, it would require the approval...

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May Day in Central Asia: From Soviet Parades to a Celebration of Unity

In Soviet times, May 1 and 2 were public holidays. May 1 was International Workers' Day, marked by large-scale parades celebrating the proletariat, while May 2 served as a day to recuperate before returning to work. Today, three of the five Central Asian republics have preserved the tradition of celebrating May Day, effectively marking the arrival of spring twice, once through Central Asian customs – Nauryz - and again through European ones. Workers of the world, unite! Coined by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto, this famous communist slogan once appeared on the coats of arms of the Soviet Union and its republics. International Workers' Day became the living embodiment of this phrase. Celebrated on 1 May, May Day began as a European festival of spring but gained global significance through the labor movement. The Second International, formed at the 1889 International Workers Congress in Paris, called for an annual demonstration advocating an eight-hour workday. The date honors the U.S. general strike that started on 1 May 1886 and led to the tragic Haymarket massacre on 4 May. The date became a powerful symbol of working-class solidarity and a yearly tradition across large swathes of the globe. [caption id="attachment_31352" align="aligncenter" width="1174"] Soviet-era poster for International Workers' Day[/caption] Before the Bolsheviks came to power, political agitators in the Russian Empire used May 1 to call for change with slogans such as “Down with the Tsar” and “Give us freedom.” After the October Revolution, May 1 and 2 became official state holidays, with May Day becoming synonymous with International Workers' Day and mandatory parades. Unlike the more formal and solemn celebrations honoring the October Revolution, however, May Day events were often met with genuine enthusiasm. After the collapse The fall of the USSR brought about a widespread reevaluation of Soviet holidays. The celebration of the October Revolution on November 7 was widely discarded, but many post-Soviet republics retained May 1 as a public holiday, albeit with new interpretations and meanings. In Central Asia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan do not officially celebrate May 1. Turkmenistan has developed a distinct holiday calendar, while in Uzbekistan, May 1 is observed symbolically as the Day of Fountains. [caption id="attachment_31353" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Day of Fountains, Tashkent; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Though celebrations are more modest and it is no longer officially a day off, Tajikistan has retained the holiday’s Soviet-era name, International Workers’ Day. Some traditions, such as honoring outstanding workers, persist. Kyrgyzstan calls the holiday Labor Day, in line with its American equivalent. It is marked by festive events and activities organized by trade unions. Kazakhstan has taken a different approach, reimagining May Day as the Day of Unity of the People of Kazakhstan. The name reflects the country’s emphasis on stability and interethnic harmony, a model promoted by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, an institution established on March 1, 1995, at the initiative of the country’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Since 2016, March 1 has also been celebrated as Thanksgiving...

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Kazakhstan to Import Electricity from Tajikistan to Address Energy Shortages

Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have signed an agreement on long-term cooperation in the energy sector. The agreement will remain in effect for 20 years, with the possibility of a 10-year extension. The document aims to strengthen energy security, promote environmentally friendly technologies, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Monitoring and telemetry Under the agreement, Kazakhstan will receive scheduled electricity supplies from Tajikistan, particularly from the Rogun Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP). These imports are intended to cover planned shortages in the North-South zone of Kazakhstan’s unified power system. The price is set at $0.034 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), including VAT at a zero rate. The agreement also includes the introduction of hourly electricity metering at connection points between Kazakhstan's and Central Asia’s power grids, as well as along the Tajik border. Kazakhstan's system operator, KEGOC JSC, will receive real-time telemetry data from Tajikistan via interstate transmission lines to ensure accurate metering and efficient coordination. Electricity deliveries will follow the routes specified in the purchase agreements. The primary source will be the Rogun HPP, with supplies timed to match Kazakhstan's peak shortage periods. A long-awaited step Energy cooperation between the two countries has been under discussion for some time. In August 2024, former Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliev held talks on importing electricity from Tajikistan. These discussions also addressed the issue of unscheduled electricity flows between their power grids. By December 2024, plans were already in place to finalize a 20-year agreement. In February 2025, the deal was confirmed during talks between Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and his Tajik counterpart, Sirojiddin Mukhriddin. “We agree that Tajik-Kazakh energy cooperation has broad prospects. We have agreed that an intergovernmental agreement on electricity will be signed in the very near future,” the Tajik foreign minister said at the time. The potential of the Rogun HPP and prospects for Kazakhstan A key element of the agreement will be the Rogun hydroelectric power plant on the Vakhsh River. Once completed, its dam will reach a height of 335 meters, making it the tallest in the world. The power plant will have a capacity of 3,600 MW, making it the largest power plant in Central Asia. This makes the project strategically important not only for Tajikistan but for the entire region. The official website of the Rogun HPP states that the facility will be the upper stage of the Vakhsh cascade and will play a key role in ensuring sustainable energy supplies. The agreement is expected to not only enable Kazakhstan to stabilize its energy balance during peak loads, but also open up new opportunities for cross-border cooperation. With the growing demand for green energy, the strategic alliance with Tajikistan could become an important element of the country's energy transition. The resolution enters into force on the day of its signing and effectively launches an intergovernmental mechanism capable of strengthening Kazakhstan's energy security for decades to come.

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Video: From Hardship to Accomplishment – Meet the Kazakh Woman Supporting Female STEM Students

Kalmakhanova Marzhan Seitkyzy is a young professor in Kazakhstan supporting female students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), offering guidance and helping them navigate the realities of research work. Watch her story: [video width="3840" height="2160" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Конкурс-2.mp4"][/video]

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Kazakhstan to Fund Health Insurance for Over A Million Unemployed Citizens

Beginning in 2026, more than one million unemployed and vulnerable citizens in Kazakhstan will be covered by the country’s compulsory medical insurance system (CMIS). Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova announced that local and regional budgets will assume responsibility for insurance contributions on their behalf. Expanding Access to Medical Coverage Kazakhstan’s current health insurance model requires employed citizens to contribute 2% of their monthly salary, capped at 17,000 KZT (approximately $33), to the Fund for Social Medical Insurance (FSMI). Employers pay an additional 3% of each employee’s salary, while individual entrepreneurs contribute 5% of their income. However, unemployed citizens, even if officially registered, are presently excluded from the system. In response to a directive issued by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in February 2024, the Ministry of Health has drafted legislation that would enable local governments to make insurance payments for unemployed and vulnerable groups. The bill was submitted to the Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament, for consideration. “This is a step towards improving people’s health and quality of life,” Alnazarova said. “Local budgets will cover the contributions, and these individuals will receive insured status on a monthly basis, regardless of income.” The change is expected to extend coverage to over one million additional citizens, granting them access to scheduled medical care. Systemic Reforms and Contribution Cap Adjustment The ministry also proposes raising the upper limit for contribution calculations from 10 to 50 times the minimum monthly wage. As of 2025, one minimum wage is 85,000 KZT (approximately $165), making the new cap 4.25 million KZT (around $8,100). The adjustment would impact approximately 9% of employees, roughly 508,000 individuals, and their employers. “In global practice, income limits are not applied. In our country, high-income earners currently pay proportionally less than others,” Alnazarova explained, justifying the reform as a measure toward fairness and sustainability. Parliamentary Scrutiny of the Insurance Fund The draft legislation has revived long-standing criticism of the FSMI's governance. During recent Mazhilis debates, MP Murat Abenov accused the fund of lacking transparency and accountability. “The SMIF checks itself, allocates funds itself, concludes contracts itself, and determines violations itself. Many infractions go unnoticed by both ministries and the public. If not for the Supreme Audit Chamber, we wouldn’t even know that billions are being embezzled,” Abenov stated during a parliamentary session. This follows earlier opposition by several MPs to a proposed 10% tax hike on medicines and healthcare services during discussions surrounding the new Tax Code.