Villagers from flood-hit areas in Kazakhstan ask for help and to assess damages to their homes. Emergency services are still working to counter the consequences of flooding and prevent additional ruin.
This year's election in Kazakhstan will be remembered for crowding due to high voter turnout, the use of social media and Internet, and an unlikely celebrity observer at one of Astana's polling stations.
In September, Italian stage director Giancarlo del Monaco will be presenting a new version of the famous Kazakh opera Abay written by Akhmet Zhubanov and Latif Khamidi at Astana Opera.