The Into Mischief colt consigned as Hip 416 in the ring at the OBS Spring Sale Hip 416 was bred in Kentucky by Scott Dilworth, Evan Dilworth, and Randy Andrews, and is the eighth foal of the Empire Maker mare Silk Route  She is the dam of three winners including the highly regarded Taraz whose career was cut short by a fatal injury Breeder: Scott Dilworth and Evan Dilworth & Randy Andrews (KY) by Cactus Ridge; Breeder: Spotted Pony Stables LLC (KY) A Juddmonte homebred, Taraz won the 2019 Letellier Memorial Stakes at 2 by 11 1/4 lengths in her second start, returning the next year to win the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park by 3 3/4 lengths for trainer Brad Cox The son of Into Mischief hails from a blue-blooded Juddmonte family that includes grade 1 winner Yashmak and Commander in Chief—champion 3-year-old colt and winner of the 1993 Epsom Derby (G1) and Irish Derby (G1) "I specifically came here for this colt," said Mahmud Mouni after purchasing Hip 416 "We are lucky to get him for $1.4 million I think this is logically a fair price Sign up for BloodHorse Daily "I was specifically focused on this one I was unlucky in March for the horse that sold for $3 million we get a good result in the near future." He said they plan to add to their stable over the remaining days of the sale "We had high expectations," said Raul Reyes of King's Equine We really knew that he was going to be special." The colt was a $375,000 RNA at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale last summer "He (Hip 416) really likes to train," Reyes added "He dedicates himself a lot into what he does King's Equine was the leading consignor of the second session Photo: OBS/VidHorse PhotoThe Tiz the Law filly consigned as Hip 578 in the ring The speedy filly was bred in Kentucky by Spotted Pony Stables She was a $70,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale by Laureles Racing from the Vinery Sales consignment She blazed an eighth of a mile in :09 4/5 during the second day of the under tack show to tie for the co-fastest time at that distance "I'm excited," Reyes said of having two of the top-priced horses of the day "I really worked hard this year to be where I am because it's very easy in this business to go down "I think the market has been trimming down to better horses people can't afford to have an average horse because they're costing a lot of money It's going to go back to being the 'Sport of Kings,' sooner or later." CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TDN FOR FREE! Remember Ben with a gift to Thoroughbred aftercare Subscribe for FREE to the Daily PDF or the News Alerts Home » Archive » Top News » Into Mischief Full To Taraz Lights Up OBS At $1.4m An Into Mischief full-brother (hip 416) to MSW Taraz lit up the bid board at OBS Wednesday selling for $1,400,000 to Mahmud Mouni from the Kings Equine consignment the colt breezed his furlong in the sale's co-fastest time of :9 4/5 First dam Silke Route is a daughter of G1SP Jibe who also produced the dam of GSW Call Me Midnight (Midnight Lute) while third dam Slightly Dangerous is responsible for a pair of European champions in Commander in Chief (GB) (Dancing Brave) and Warning (GB) (Known Fact) Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts. Copy Article Link Editor / News Stories:editor@thetdn.com Advertising:advertising@thetdn.com Customer Service:customerservice@thetdn.com Click Here to sign up for a free subscription a historically significant twinning ceremony was held between the city of Taraz in Kazakhstan and Ancient Olympia in Greece The agreement was signed at the Temple of Hera It’s here that the rules of the original Olympic Games were kept and where the Olympic Flame is ceremonially lit every two years symbolizing the continuation of an ancient sporting tradition views this partnership as an opportunity to foster mutual growth He believes that it will enhance exchanges in various sectors These fields are seen as key areas of development that can benefit from international cooperation He expressed enthusiasm about forming bonds of friendship and brotherhood with Taraz With a rich history stretching back 2000 years Taraz has been a significant cultural crossroads between the East and West This makes it an ideal partner for Ancient Olympia which itself has a storied history dating back to antiquity In a meeting with representatives from Ilia’s business community both parties agreed to strengthen economic ties and cultivate relations between their respective regions and business circles This agreement underscores the importance of international collaboration in fostering economic growth and development Ancient Olympia is renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites and also for hosting the International Olympic Academy This institution is the primary educational and cultural arm of the International Olympic Committee and plays a vital role in promoting the values and ideals of the Olympic movement The initiative to twin Taraz and Ancient Olympia was spearheaded by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Greece and the Kazakh-Hellenic Business Council demonstrating the importance of diplomatic and business relations in fostering cultural ties A man burned down the main city tree of the administrative center of the Zhambyl region in the city of Taraz and information about the incident was confirmed by the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs video surveillance cameras recorded the arson of a Christmas tree installed in the park The suspect confessed and was taken to a temporary detention facility,” the ministry stated The police indicated that a pre-trial investigation has been launched under Article 202 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan (deliberate destruction or damage to someone else’s property) Witnesses to the incident actively distributed a video on social networks the reason for the crime was the man’s belief that the New Year should not be celebrated in Kazakhstan The damage caused by his actions is estimated to be 2.8 million tenge ($6,150) Taraz (outside) gets to the lead at the start of the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park those emotionally invested in Thoroughbred racing would mourn the death of one horse to an exponentially greater extent than any other On the morning of Feb. 8, the 6-year-old gelding Double Touch , a horse of modest but admirable accomplishment, collapsed and died following a half-mile work on the Santa Anita Park training track His death was noted on the Incident Report page of the track's website and On the afternoon of Feb. 15 in New Orleans, the 6-year-old gelding Classic Covey  was pulled up on the backstretch while running in the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) He had sustained an irreparable leg injury and was euthanized a sad fact mentioned near the end of a couple of race recaps in industry publications the death of Taraz was Princess Di in the tunnel all over again Her growing reputation under the care of Brad Cox was exceeded only by her physical presence—majestic in scope a royal bay Thoroughbred gazing down from a wide Taraz seemed only to have scratched the surface of a potential dictated by both athletic ability and her Juddmonte Farms heritage.  Photo: Coady PhotographyTaraz wins the Martha Washington leaving behind the kind of black crepe trail in the racing press and social media usually reserved for champions of far greater accomplishment was replaced by the plaintive cry of what might have been along with the question that needs to be asked louder and more often than ever: Any attempt to explain to the wider world the potentially tragic consequences of extreme lower limb injuries in a racehorse moving at speed usually meets with blank stares It matters not if terms like "fetlock" and "pastern" are deployed in an attempt to steer the subject toward unique equine anatomy A hard fact remains—the sport cannot save its injured athletes at a rate that will ever satisfy the general public then once again patiently recites the several reasons severe lower limb injuries can be hopeless: contamination of the wound the complications of recovery on three good legs "There's a lot of fractured ankles we fix successfully though people don't hear about that very often," McIlwraith said from his home in New Zealand "We are repairing fractures at a rate far greater than we did even five years ago The place where we're still making advances is in early diagnosis in preventing the fracture from happening." which is where the racing industry consistently falls short McIlwraith has for many years advocated the use of fluid biomarkers—akin to the prostate-specific antigen test for cancer—that would send up warning flags for horses as a possible fracture risk "We had a project 10 years ago in California where we got up to 79% predictability," McIlwraith said "But we couldn't combine those tests in a single affordable test where we think we can finally have a blood test for fifty bucks where you can tell the owner they need to get a bone scan And those are horses commonly considered sound." Taraz was considered uncommonly sound by the people in her orbit And yet she was betrayed by the unforgiving Thoroughbred physiology "That's probably the hardest thing to accept," said Garrett O'Rourke the general manager of Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte operation in the U.S "There's so much you want to control and sometimes it's taken out of your hands and 99.99% of the time we can predict a potential problem But then there's the day you walk out the door and get hit by a bus." "I got to see him a few days before," O'Rourke said of the 2004 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner "He was a horse who loved to be around people "We were ready to take all possible steps to save her just to have her come home," O'Rourke said "But we talked to professionals who have tried in vain to get a horse through what happened to her Oftentimes you would be putting the horse through more pain as much to satisfy yourself You live to have a chance to be in the presence of such talent Home » Archive » Top News » Taraz Breaks Down a 3-year-old filly who seemed poised to emerge as a major star was euthanized Monday after suffering an injury during a workout at Oaklawn Park The news was confirmed by her owner and breeder Juddmonte Farms which issued a statement shortly after the injury “Taraz severely fractured her left front pastern this morning in a workout at Oaklawn Park,” the statement read “She was transported back to the barn where X-rays were taken and reviewed with the attending veterinarian consulting Dr Given the extreme nature of the damage to the bone and compromise to the blood supply veterinarians and Juddmonte management it was deemed best to euthanize the filly.” Though she raced just three times, Taraz was among the most talked about horses in racing. She broke her maiden at Churchill Downs by 7 1/2 lengths, for which she earned the 'TDN Rising Star' designation and then came back with an 11 1/4-length victory in the Lettelier Memorial S by 3 3/4 lengths in her first try around two turns “I love her,” jockey Florent Geroux said after the Martha Washington I think she's definitely super talented.” Cox and Juddmonte were so high on the filly that after the Martha Washington they announced that she would be nominated to the Triple Crown and that they might pick a race against males for her next start at Oaklawn against fillies for their horse but kept the GI Kentucky Derby option open for sure,” Cox said of the possibility Taraz could still wind up in the Derby I started getting better horses a few years back; you try to keep them nominated as much as you can and leave your options open.” Cox often referred to the massive size of his filly “I don't have a scale or a measuring stick,” he said Taraz is out of the winning Silk Route (Empire Maker) while her second dam is the English listed winner and G1 Fillies' Mile S is a daughter of the Broodmare of the Year Group 3 winner and G1 Epsom Oaks runner-up Slightly Dangerous (Robert) The latter also foaled European highweights Commander in Chief (GB) (Dancing Brave) and Warning (GB) (Known Fact) as well as MGSW & MG1SP Dushyantor (Sadler's Wells) and GI Flower Bowl Invitational H Though there is no making up for the loss of such a a talented horse Cox may still be represented in the GI Kentucky Oaks as he is also the trainer of 2019 Juvenile Filly champion British Idiom (Flashback) She finished second in her 3-year-old debut in Saturday's GII Rachel Alexandra S Copy Article Link one of Kazakhstan’s most cherished holidays marks the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature cities across the country held vibrant celebrations blending national traditions with festive performances and heartfelt hospitality the main Nauryz celebrations took place at the EXPO site where a grand stage hosted performances by folk artists and theatrical productions that showcased the cultural legacy of the Kazakh people The city was adorned with national ornaments and bright spring-themed decorations drawing both professional and amateur participants A bustling crafts fair was a central attraction In Almaty, Nauryz was marked by large-scale festivities in Central Park, headlined by an ethno-festival featuring yurt villages and traditional Kazakh delicacies like baursaki immersing visitors in a celebratory ambiance A standout feature of the event was its integration of modern technology fried baursaki on-site in an eye-catching fusion of tradition and innovation Prominent brands showcased their goods, and interactive workshops for children included felt weaving, ceramic painting, and dombra playing the city transitioned into lively Nauryz-themed parties where national melodies blended with contemporary hits Themed cocktails inspired by spring renewal added a modern twist to the age-old celebration the streets came alive with folk art exhibitions local artists displayed paintings depicting Kazakh landscapes Woodcarvers showcased their craft through traditional musical instruments and intricately carved animal figures and jewelry Visitors were also greeted by performers in authentic Kazakh armor with men dressed in nomadic attire reenacting historical scenes Batyrs holding majestic eagles evoked the ancient tradition of falconry drawing crowds eager to connect with Kazakhstan’s nomadic past Nauryz in Kazakhstan is more than just a spring festival it’s a heartfelt return to cultural roots the holiday brings people together in a shared spirit of kindness 2021 Stanley Fahn Junior Faculty Award   In people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), there is now extensive evidence that several risk factors for ;falls might reflect deficits in the AMI until now there has not been sufficient evidence from human research to show that AMI disruption leads to motor deficits in people with Parkinson’s “Our research has the potential to deepen our understanding of the progression of PD,” said Dr our work also has the potential to open a new avenue for a therapeutic target that might improve day-to-day functioning in people with PD in the early stages of the disease.” Control of gait and balance requires extensive integration of cognitive Growing evidence suggests that motor deficits in people with Parkinson’s are driven by changes in processing in the part of the brain called the frontal cortex that is associated with executive functions “One of the exciting new hypotheses of motor deficits in Parkinson's disease suggests that these deficits really begin to appear when attentional systems in the brain start to be affected by the disease,” said Dr My lab has the tools and expertise necessary to really put this hypothesis to the test.” Lee will use a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to find out if disrupting activity in the frontal cortex will worsen motor deficits in people with Parkinson’s and whether enhancing activity in this same brain area may lead to improvements in motor function Such a finding would provide a promising avenue for treatment “I am very excited by the opportunity to have our work provide positive impacts in the real world I think it is incredibly important to understand the basic mechanisms of the brain to arm us with the knowledge necessary to fight diseases like PD and organizations like the Parkinson's Foundation really make a difference in helping to support researchers trying to do this work My hope is that through this award we can generate enough research to garner federal funding that will sustain PD research in my lab for many years.” Meet more Parkinson’s researchers! Explore our My PD Stories featuring PD researchers resources and community initiatives — straight to your inbox The Parkinson's Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization By Vinay Siwach Kazakhstan (November 2) -- The sports hall at the 'Athletic' Hotel in Taraz is full of boxing world champions and medalists The Kazakhstan boxers are preparing for an upcoming domestic tournament A few meters away from the boxing ring are two wrestling mats crowded with wrestlers from various countries But as Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) begins his training one mat is slowly vacated with wrestlers moving to the other It's his final training session before he steps on the mat on Friday as the six-time world champion will wrestle at the Kunayev DA tournament in the south Kazakhstan city Burroughs gearing up for the Paris Olympics next year and even the boxers pause briefly and catch a glimpse He spars with Joseph MCKENNA (USA) who is participating in the tournament at 65kg The 30-minute session has Burroughs defend McKenna's shots and work on finishing leg attacks and some heavy-hands The sparring is followed by a long session of skipping ropes there are a few requests for photographs from young kids and other wrestlers The DA Kunayev tournament in Taraz will be Burroughs' first international appearance since the 2022 World Cup in Iowa While the United States won the gold there to an Iranian wrestler Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) team for the World Championships this year at 79kg but lost the trials to Chance MATSTELLER (USA) So what is Burroughs doing in Taraz at the end of the 2023 season "There is no international tournament in 2023 after this one," Brandon SLAY (USA) Burroughs coming down to 74kg meant we need to do this gradually but wrestling at Pan-Am Games would mean to make 74kg at scratch." A two-kilogram allowance in Taraz helps Burroughs as he slowly shifts back to 74kg an Olympic weight class in which he won gold in the 2012 London Games and now looking to repeat in Paris But the road to Paris is filled with challenges Burroughs will have to win the Olympic trial in April going through four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) who qualified the weight for the U.S Burroughs will have to beat some of the best wrestlers in the U.S wrestlers from this month's Bill Farrell International the top five wrestlers from the National Championships in December the 2024 NCAA champion and the 2024 Pan-American Championships champion Marsteller is also qualified for the Olympic trial and can compete if he decides to drop to 74kg in April Perhaps that's what made Burroughs take the trip to Kazakhstan This will be his first invitational tournament in six years "We participated here last year for the first time and this was in our minds this year as well The organizers have been very accommodating We get to wrestle international wrestlers so that is what we were looking for." Burroughs is up against the U20 Asian champion from Kazakhstan Yerkhan BEXULTANOV (KAZ) and if he manages to reach the final in the 20-man bracket on Saturday he is likely to get another Kazakhstan wrestler "He is the only American in the bracket so we are not thinking too much," Slay said "I am pretty satisfied with the brackets here." Burroughs rests himself for a brief period before calling it a day No signs of aggressive reduction of weight He will perhaps step on the weighing scale more than once before he actually does on Friday morning for the weigh-ins That is when Burroughs' battle for the Paris Olympics at 74kg begins United World Wrestling 2025 - All rights reserved Recent Martha Washington Stakes winner Taraz was euthanized Feb. 17 after suffering a catastrophic injury during a morning workout at Oaklawn Park On Monday Taraz severely fractured her left front pastern while working at Oaklawn According to a release from Juddmonte Taraz was transported to the barn where X-rays were taken and reviewed with the attending veterinarian consulting with equine surgeon Dr Bob Hunt of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.  it was determined that given the extreme nature of the damage to the bone and the blood supply being compromised it would be impractical to attempt to repair the injury and the filly was euthanized The mare has also produced a 2-year-old full brother to Taraz Silk Route is out of group 1-placed stakes winner Jibe Kazakhstan (November 3) -- The talk around Jordan BURROUGHS's (USA) return to 74kg was dominated by his weight cut the United States star was returning to the Olympic weight class on Friday at the DA Kunayev tournament Burroughs put those doubts to rest by reaching the final at 74kg with three dominant wins in Taraz He will now be looking to win his first gold at 74kg at any level since the 2020 Pan-Am Championships title again," Burroughs said after his semifinal I have got a lot of rust that I have to knock off I have a lot of things working against me but I feel good." A post shared by Olympic Wrestling (@unitedworldwrestling) Opening the tournament with a 9-2 win over Yerkhan BEXULTANOV (KAZ) Burroughs was quick on his feet with fake attacks and a change of directions He combined that with go-behinds for takedowns and also used some turns A forfeit got him a place in the quarterfinals against Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) which he won 9-2 "Taking it one match at a time was my plan coming in here," he said  It's not going to be easy but confident that I could get the job done." Burroughs won his semifinal against Yerbarys SATYBALDY (KAZ) 10-0 to enter the final on Saturday He will now take on former Asian champion Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) perhaps Burroughs' biggest test yet in his return Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) outscored his opponents 28-3 in three bouts Since winning his record-breaking sixth world title in Belgrade last year Burroughs has been dealt with some blows on the mat his first career loss to an Iranian wrestler team at 79kg after losing to Chance MARSTELLER (USA) finds a silver lining in him not making the world team in June if there was one of not making the World Team was he got to start his descent earlier," Slay said "If wrestled in Serbia then he would have taken some time off after that and it would probably be a lot harder for him to get down to this weight so early." The plan to wrestle at the DA Kunayev tournament was also part of the return to the Olympic weight class as there is no international competition left this year Slay explained that the team did not come in with any game plan but wanted Burroughs to move more "I don't think there was necessarily a change in game plan," he said "The main encouragement for him is to move his hands and move his feet because when he's moving if you're a bird in a tree not moving at all So when he's floating and fluttering and moving his hands and feet then he's on track." Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) will wrestle Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) in the final on Saturday Burroughs not only moved but he attacked every bout And while there was a two-kilogram exemption at the tournament "We got a little workout with him this morning and he was 74.4kg," Slay said I think we have to keep that [wrestle at 74kg in almost three years] in mind." Burroughs certainly rolled back the years with his performance on Friday in an almost packed Taraz Arena it did not matter if he was tired after his bouts "There are not a lot of 35-year-old people who are competing like me," Burroughs said Burroughs is not only the title threat like always He will hope that it works on Saturday as well A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the world’s largest news gathering operation 1A convenes a conversation about the most important issues of our time smart reflection on world news as it’s happening innovators and artists from around the globe with news from Chicago from WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz Reset digs into how the news has moved since you left the house discussing and 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Tofighi is playing saxophone more at home these days after practice rooms on campus were closed due to the pandemic Please check your inbox for your confirmation By subscribing, you agree with WBEZ’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Taraz Tofighi has been practicing saxophone in his bedroom at his apartment on Chicago’s Near South Side this school year The 19-year-old sophomore at DePaul University is a jazz studies major who admires John Coltrane and aspires to be a professional sax player himself Tofighi would be playing in practice rooms on the DePaul campus in Lincoln Park and performing public concerts with the university’s jazz ensembles this winter and spring and no performances are scheduled due to COVID-19 restrictions That’s added an extra challenge to Tofighi’s music education “Performance is definitely a very important part a crucial aspect of my development as a musician “There’s just things about playing with other people that you simply cannot replicate.” Local colleges and universities are usually a vibrant part of the fine arts scene musicals and operas that are seen by thousands of people Performing arts education can’t just shut down so schools have been forced to find new ways to prepare the next generation of actors singers and musicians despite COVID-19 restrictions Music and theater programs have transitioned to online learning But studying performing arts requires more than lectures and class discussions but he said it’s not the same as playing in a physical space with other musicians “You lose the community aspect of it,” he said it does take away from the experience of sitting next to somebody or playing next to somebody and maybe picking up on different things other people are doing a 20-year-old sophomore studying dance at Columbia College and she misses being in a studio with a professor and dancers working together “There’s something about being able for an instructor to physically move your body and say ‘Do you feel this pressure?’ that is very helpful and beneficial,” she said Online classes have also been an adjustment for professors who are normally in close contact with students as they work on acting a theatre professor at Northwestern University said it’s difficult to teach concepts such as peripheral vision and spatial awareness when her students aren’t in a room together But she thinks there are upsides to classes over Zoom has been learning the technology,” Gold said DePaul has been allowing some in-person private lessons to take place But the student and professor have to mutually agree to the arrangement and take precautions “We can put up plexiglass barriers between the student and the teacher We can put them into spaces that are very large.” schools are offering limited performances online this winter Northwestern will present an audio version of the Tennessee Williams play The Glass Menagerie from Jan The on-demand production will include images of the stage set and costumes designed by students On Jan. 15, the Northwestern Opera Theater will launch a five-episode series of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo on YouTube director of opera at Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music said when the stage production was canceled they decided to make a film instead That required the singers to record their parts in makeshift studios at home this is a challenge to hear voices that are meant to be for an operatic stage — hear them in their own living rooms and not getting that feel,” Schamberger said I really felt that students made a lot of progress.” He said the production included about 30 singers and a 20-piece orchestra they were edited and mixed in post-production Music and theater students who are seniors and will graduate in the spring are especially eager for any opportunity to perform — online or in-person This is their last chance in school to build their resumes and be ready for professional auditions and work a 22-year-old senior majoring in musical theater at Columbia auditioned and got a part in an upcoming Columbia project based on the 1960s musical Cabaret We don’t know if tomorrow is going to be the way we used to be — theater like most young people studying the performing arts has dreams of making it in the professional world The resilience and adaptability they’re learning in school during a pandemic may be talents they’ll need to launch a career in the arts Mark LeBien is a news editor at WBEZ. Follow him @marklebien ARLINGTON — Diane Taraz sings sweetly in a simple room Her costumes — from Colonial and Victorian historical and literary figures to a 20th century mill worker  — lend depth to what she sings as well as the sometimes incredible background information that often accompanies each number This is how audiences have come to know Taraz over the years — a singer-songwriter who presents the hidden history behind well-known songs from Christmas carols to the national anthem there’s more to Taraz than tra-la-la-ing in a hoop skirt her repertoire includes songs from later centuries such as the selections within her latest CD Hoagy Carmichael and Billie Holiday are well represented it’s not just Taraz singing and playing guitar and dulcimer This compilation features a full band of local well-regarded musicians Taraz said switching to jazz and blues was “a lot of fun,” but presented several challenges “I can’t play these on a guitar … let’s bring in a band,” said Taraz “Let’s Misbehave” was recorded in “one long session,” she said three times at the most … I was doing vocals in a booth and I wanted to be with the musicians so much I sang a bit too loud and strong … I had to redo about half the songs…” helped Taraz get that “old sound” thanks to a box full of springs It will be rescheduled for sometime in March at First Parish in Arlington Center at 8 p.m “All the stars have aligned …it’s going to be a lot of fun,” she said Taraz was born in Pittsfield in western Massachusetts where her father worked at General Electric She began developing her musical talents early taking piano lessons (“that’s how I learned to read music”) and teaching herself how to play guitar “I took part in all the school choruses” and graduated from Pittsfield High in 1975 music and education went hand in hand for Taraz She earned an associate degree from Berkshire Community College (“best two years of my college experience,” she said) you could be a teacher or nurse,” she said “The rest of the world was a mysterious black hole …” Taraz said she took a career assessment test “I did some student teaching in Waban and Newton … I was thinking ‘Am I going to spend the rest of my life in school?' ” Taraz went to Lesley College (now University) in Cambridge where a special program helped her find work in another field “I worked on the companion book to ‘Eyes on the Prize,'” she said She also worked at “real jobs” at Test and Measurement World and Hi Tech Business magazine while also working on her music career Taraz recorded her first music under the Beacon Records label who wanted to present a program on “Images of Women in Traditional Song.” She provided the musical portion of this program So she did — first “The Silver Dagger” (“it added a little bit of sizzle”) then to “Songs of the Revolution.” “Revolution” remains among her best sellers via online sites such as Pandora LA … the world has become totally porous to music sales,” she said Taraz also credits the internet for the information she collects on songs “The internet is a fabulous invention,” she said “My goal is finding the ‘first version’ of a song.” Taraz performed the classic “Silent Night” not in the familiar slow version but in its original 6/8 measure — a quicker pace Taraz added there are several songs that have been “sanitized” over the years For information on her music and performances, visit www.dianetaraz.com What: CD Release Concert for “Let’s Misbehave!” a release combining standards with her own compositions Taraz is backed up with a band featuring Mike Duke on guitar Where: First Parish Unitarian Universalist Information: www.dianetaraz.com TEHRAN - Prolific Amin Esmaeilnezhad scored a match-high 20 points including 14 spikes to steer Shahdab Yazd to 3-1 (25-16 25-17) win against Taraz VC and third victory in the 2022 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship at Azadi Hall on Monday It was Iran’s Premier League champions’ third win in the competition Shahdab will play Iraqi side South Gas on Wednesday in quarterfinals round A series of huge blasts at a munition depot in southern Kazakhstan on August 26 has killed at least 12 people wounded over 90, and precipitated the evacuation of hundreds of residents from multiple nearby settlements Defense officials said that a string of six explosions occurred at the facility in the Zhambyl region not far from the regional capital of Taraz No cause for the blast had been provided as of that same evening but the Interior Ministry said a criminal probe had been initiated into suspected violations of rules on the handling of dangerous weapons Amateur footage filmed from a distance showed balls of orange flames surging dozens of meters into the air following the blasts The Defense Ministry said that the depot was being used to store explosive material but not long-range projectiles meaning that there was limited risk of fragments of material flying out of the epicenter of the blaze “The explosions are mainly manifesting as shockwaves producing loud sounds and flames,” the ministry said in a press release This incident is reviving ominous memories of a similar incident from June 2019 when a fire at a military base near the town of Arys the panic was especially pronounced as shells engulfed in the flames detonated and whistled through the air including at least 50 people working for government security agencies, are being treated at the Taraz city hospital and the nearby Baizak district hospital Officials said 400 spots have been set aside across Taraz for people evacuated from their homes The Interior Ministry said at least 1,200 people had been removed from settlements near the stricken depot and that police were guarding the area to maintain public order and prevent looting The villages being evacuated lie across a radius of at least 15 kilometers adjacent to an important highway running north of Kazakhstan’s border with Kyrgyzstan News website Vlast cited eyewitnesses in Taraz as saying that long lines were seen late at night at pharmacies Toward midnight, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a message on Twitter that “the situation as a whole is under control” and he urged “residents of Taraz and the villages around to remain calm and vigilant.” Dismay at the incident has already started being expressed online “Guys, this is already the seventh munitions depot blast we’ve had in 10 years,” activist Assem Zhapisheva wrote on her Twitter account And in a detail that may come to haunt military authorities in the coming days, defense officials reportedly confirmed that ammunition kept at the Zhambyl region facility had been moved there from Arys **Updated on August 27 to include death toll.  Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none. Nutrition is critical to prevent some chronic diseases. Nutrition literacy refers to ability to gain, understand and evaluate nutrition facts to choose appropriate foods. Nutrition literacy has recently drawn the attention of professionals with respect to health promotion. The purpose of this study was to investigate nutrition literacy and potentially related demographic factors among workers of a steel company in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, southwest Iran. In this descriptive-analytical study in 141 workers of Taraz Steel company in 2021, participants were selected by convenience sampling and a self-report nutrition literacy scale nativized to Iranians was used to collect data. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Most workers have adequate nutrition literacy but their scores on calculation of food units are relatively low. It is essential for policymakers to collect information on the level of nutrition literacy in different populations, especially Iranian workers, to reduce the prevalence of nutrition-related chronic diseases. Volume 10 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.911619 Background: Nutrition is critical to prevent some chronic diseases Nutrition literacy refers to ability to gain understand and evaluate nutrition facts to choose appropriate foods Nutrition literacy has recently drawn the attention of professionals with respect to health promotion The purpose of this study was to investigate nutrition literacy and potentially related demographic factors among workers of a steel company in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study in 141 workers of Taraz Steel company in 2021 participants were selected by convenience sampling and a self-report nutrition literacy scale nativized to Iranians was used to collect data Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using Mann-Whitney U test Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's correlation coefficient Results: About 75% of workers had adequate nutrition literacy and around 24% inadequate nutrition literacy The highest percentage of mean score was obtained for determination of food groups (85.4%) and the lowest for calculation of food units (47%) The mean score of nutrition literacy was significantly higher in people with higher education (P = 0.020) people with adequate monthly salary attained a higher mean score on determination of food groups (P = 0.021) and higher overall nutrition literacy (P = 0.003) compared to other people No relationship was observed between nutrition literacy and body mass index as well Conclusion: Most workers have adequate nutrition literacy but their scores on calculation of food units are relatively low It is essential for policymakers to collect information on the level of nutrition literacy in different populations to reduce the prevalence of nutrition-related chronic diseases few studies have so far been done to investigate nutritional literacy in the Iranian adults Because workers usually have a low SES and have comparably less time to think about their health and improve their nutritional health and nutritional behaviors due to busy schedules appropriate educational interventions must be designed evaluated and implemented to improve their nutritional literacy status through gathering of relevant information The aim of this study was to investigate nutrition literacy and its relationship to demographic variables among workers of a steel company in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province descriptive study was conducted in workers of Taraz Steel company the study protocol was approved by the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences (Ethics code: IR.SSU.SPH.REC.1399.187) and then the necessary coordinations were made to administer the questionnaires Due to the limited size of the study population all workers (n = 141) were enrolled in the study by census sampling method Inclusion criteria were being literate and volunteering to participate in the study and the exclusion criteria were lack of complete filling out of the questionnaires and withdrawing from study After obtaining written informed consent to participate in the study from the workers explaining the objectives of the research to them and ensuring them of the confidentiality of their answers to the items the researcher distributed the questionnaires among the workers and allowed them 10 min to fill out it The questionnaire used was a self-report research instrument and if there were any problems with understanding the items while filling out the questionnaire by the participants the necessary explanations were provided by the researcher to them All the questionnaires were given back and data drawn from 141 questionnaires were analyzed The questionnaire has two parts: (1) Demographic characteristics checklist (age, gender, education level, monthly salary, marital status, work experience, family dimension, working hours per day, shift work, medical history, smoking, physical activity, referring to physician, communicating with others and general health status) and (2) The main scale (consisting of 35 items) to measure nutrition literacy (16) The 35 items were divided into five sections: General nutrition information (10 items) This section addresses the respondent's nutritional knowledge (For example: Which are the best sources of healthy fat Data were coded and then analyzed using SPSS version 22 First the normality of data distribution was first analyzed by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test Then Mann-Whitney U test was run to examine inter-group variance Kruskal-Wallis test to do comparisons among three or more groups and Spearman's correlation coefficient to examine the correlations between variables P < 0.05 was considered significance level The mean age of our participants was 35.06 ± 5.85 years. Also their average work experience was 9.91 ± 6.09 years, their average family size 3.25 ± 1.57 individuals, and their average working h per day 9.91 ± 6.09 h. Other demographic information is shown in Table 1 Descriptive statistics of the participants socio-demographic and other variables In general, the mean nutrition literacy of our participants was 27.10 ± 3.74 (range: 0–35). Around 75% (n = 106) of them had adequate nutrition literacy and about 25% (n = 35) inadequate nutrition literacy. The mean score of nutrition literacy was higher in individuals with postgraduate education than in other individuals (P = 0.02, Table 2) Comparison of average nutrition literacy and its dimensions in workers by demographic variables Spearman's correlation coefficients between nutrition literacy scores and its dimensions with age This inconsistency in nutritional literacy levels obtained in different studies can be explained by the different characteristics of the study populations and the various nutritional literacy tools used Because BMI is not affected only by the level of nutrition literacy it seems that other factors and variables affecting BMI should also be studied in detail to arrive at more definitive conclusions The administration of a self-report questionnaire and the relatively small sample size were two of the limitations of the present study over half of the workers had adequate nutrition literacy and nutrition literacy was directly correlated with education level and monthly salary It is essential to determine nutrition literacy in different demographic groups to identify people with low nutrition literacy so that effective educational interventions can be designed for them to improve their food-related behaviors and subsequently nutrition literacy Improved nutrition literacy also assists in improving nutritional health in the long term policymakers in Iran should constantly take into account the nutrition literacy of different populations to improve their lifestyle and reduce the incidence of some chronic diseases in them The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author/s The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Ethics code (IR.SSU.SPH.REC.1399.187) by the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study PY and ZR drafting and edition of manuscript and acquisition and analysis of data All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript This article was derived from a Ph.D thesis on health education and promotion approved at the School of Public Health Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences Iran and financially supported by the University and its Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology the collaboration of the University and all workers is gratefully appreciated The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher Health effects 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nutrition literacy status and its correlates in Iranian senior high-school students Khayyatzadeh SS and Madadizadeh F (2022) Nutrition literacy and its related demographic factors among workers of Taraz Steel company Received: 02 April 2022; Accepted: 22 July 2022; Published: 12 August 2022 Copyright © 2022 Yarmohammadi, Morowatisharifabad, Rahaei, Khayyatzadeh and Madadizadeh. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Mohammad Ali Morowatisharifabad, bW9yb3dhdGlzaGFyaWZAeWFob28uY29t Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish Seok-Woo Song — Photos exploring the pressures and loneliness of life in Korea Federico Borella & Michela Balboni — Photographing rural Italy’s “tree men” AikBeng Chia — Recreating vivid scenes from 1970s Singapore with the help of AI WePresent is the arts platform of WeTransfer.The simplest way to send big files A platform to empower creatives while using business as a force for good from the quiet streets of Taraz to the rainy coast of Scotland to the infamous buzz of Berghain Photography by Yury Matsiyun then I wanted to become a scientist and treat cancer…at one point I wanted to become a politician," she says "I was always dreaming of doing something big." Being a DJ was never on the list in those days but Nazira's fearless ambition has nonetheless served her well; between her groundbreaking ZVUK parties and her regular presence on the international club circuit she's become arguably the most prominent electronic music figure to have ever emerged from her native Kazakhstan Kazakhstan's largest and most culturally vibrant city a smaller city in the southern part of the country it’s now a place "where not a lot happens." Born in 1991 – the same year that Kazakhstan left the Soviet Union and became an independent state – she doesn't remember her childhood as a particularly optimistic time for the country especially because the economic situation was really difficult," she explains "There was inflation and then it was just chaos As industry dried up and economic instability set in things like music and the arts weren’t much of a priority "People were struggling so much so that they didn't care about culture," says Nazira "That was what we were taught since childhood." Things like "personal development" weren't even part of the conversation; Nazira's parents expected her to study and go to university becoming a self-described "total geek" and straight-A student Nazira was still a creative dreamer; music was one of her passions but her options were often limited to mainstream pop and some classical but found few truly useful signposts to guide her along the way her only source for music was swapping cassettes and CDs with friends who were generally restricted by the same conditions Nazira herself was facing Even the internet was largely out of reach; regular web access came late to Taraz so it wasn't until high school that she was able to start going online Nazira freely admits that despite her curiosity and enthusiasm she "didn't even know about the existence of certain music that slowly began to change once she entered university; her first year of study was in Almaty but in Almaty she got her first taste of creative community along with an introduction to electronic music oddly enough via a friend who was involved in competitive turntablism that scene was light years away from the techno-oriented space she now inhabits "It really touched me inside," she remembers thanks to a prestigious biotechnology scholarship that granted her the chance to study in the UK This was more than just a chance to go abroad and expand her horizons she also knew that biotechnology was a field which potentially offered the sort of economic stability her parents had been talking about her whole life she was also motivated by the simple need to get her tuition paid for as her parents had struggled to even get the money together for her first year of university in Almaty Nazira wound up studying molecular biology at the University of St an esteemed institution located in a small seaside town on the country's eastern coast Arriving there led to something of a shock Nazira had never really been abroad before save for a couple of trips to neighboring Kyrgyzstan "People there speak so weird," she says with a laugh "I didn't understand what people were talking about but I really liked it from the beginning." Once she settled in she also realized that her access to electronic music had exponentially increased "I was searching for it," she says "It wasn't something that just happened." Andrews didn't offer any world-class clubbing experiences—the first event she went to involved local DJs playing inside a boat house and most parties were small affairs that took place at pubs or random flats—but Nazira was hooked "It was so much more than the music," she says she saw how electronic music could inspire a sense of togetherness unity and freedom; there was a real power to DJing Nazira didn't feel like she was necessarily welcome to join DJ ranks "DJs looked so intimidating," she remembers doing their thing and everyone was losing their shit but really they just wanted to be cool." she increasingly spent her weekends traveling to parties in Glasgow "I actually did an electronic music course at my university," she says I had to drop it halfway through because it was clashing with chemistry." Outside of the classroom she also began writing about electronic music initially contributing to a campus arts magazine called Start and later launching a music magazine with a friend "Clearly we had no idea what we were doing," she says but that didn't dampen their enthusiasm; operating under the name Press Play garnering some local notoriety in the process She also started throwing off-campus events helping to organize a music festival in St as returning to work in Kazakhstan was one of the conditions of her scholarship and Nazira once again found herself in Almaty "I had changed and I had all these new influences they're quite conservative," she says The mentality of people is just so different." Although it didn't compare with places like London or Berlin along with young people who she knew were eager to break free of their conservative parents' expectations and build something new "I just wanted to do something," says Nazira "I wanted at least one place where I could go and dance because there were no places like that." In 2016 she threw her first party in an old World War II bunker; she called it ZVUK "The electronic music scene was very elitist and it was all about everything but the music and the atmosphere," she explains "I wanted to call it ZVUK because for me only who you are is important and only true things are important." That first event only drew about 100 people She continued throwing ZVUK parties every month but the events were ultimately just one piece of the puzzle Nazira knew that she needed to build a community from the ground up it was always important to build a culture not just throw another party no one cares about," she says "People didn't understand the concept of electronic music being something more than just your Friday night entertainment." Three years later Almaty's scene is still small – "There are no record shops," says Nazira "There are very few DJs and there are no real resources or publications centered around music” – but things are definitely growing and is now run by an entire team of enthusiastic contributors Almaty played host to a special edition of renowned Polish festival Unsound and while ZVUK remains the city's key destination for more left field and experimental electronic sounds other parties have sprung up with a focus on exploring other corners of the underground now spending approximately half of each year on the road It certainly isn't something she anticipated and while she's loving the experience she also admits that following this path hasn't necessarily been easy you can't even imagine how many nervous breakdowns I had," she says "It was like I was throwing away my whole life because I grew up with this mentality of prioritizing stability and being told 'that is not the appropriate thing,' even I thought that I was doing something wrong." Back when she first started getting booked outside of Kazakhstan and suddenly found herself on lineups with other artists she'd long admired "I always felt like an outsider," she says "I just didn't feel that I was good enough that I deserved to be there…but then at some point that means that you deserve to be there.'" These days she's totally comfortable sharing the stage with established artists while simultaneously being confident enough to know that it's her skill and artistry as a DJ that have kept her getting booked again and again "I would definitely call myself a techno DJ," she says but Nazira also recognizes that she's coming into the electronic music world with a unique perspective one that goes beyond her geographical origins "Because I grew up not listening to electronic music that much," she says "All of my influences were mixed together I only listen to this,' or 'I only listen to that.' It was always a mixture." She's brought a similarly open mind to the DJ booth so that even when she's playing in a renowned techno institution like Berghain in Berlin she's unafraid to take extended detours into other genres developing something and bridging things together that might not go together normally the most important part is to keep the groove going." Nazira could simply focus on DJing and further developing her craft but she's come to realize that when she's abroad another responsibility has been thrust upon her but also for Kazakhstan and arguably even all of Central Asia While most of her European and North American peers get to simply show up in a new city and play Nazira is constantly being asked questions by promoters fellow DJs and fans alike about where she comes from Some artists might chafe at this kind of repetitive routine "I can understand where people are coming from," she says "because people don't know anything about Kazakhstan in general let alone its youth and culture." So she answers people's questions And though she sometimes worries that her penchant for speaking honestly might get her into trouble (things like freedom of speech and LGBT rights are far from guaranteed in Kazakhstan) Nazira is more than eager to keep forging connections between her homeland and the larger electronic music universe she's still really excited about Almaty Moving to Berlin or another European hub might make her life easier Almaty is not just home; it's also one of her favorite places to play "People here are very open and grateful," she says "You just rarely feel this level of giving back from the crowd they are definitely spoiled at this point because there are so many things happening in Berlin or anywhere A similar sort of enthusiasm is also at the core of Nazira's own work "I still don't earn money with my parties," she says "I've always done it because I love it and it was coming from the heart You would never call it an industry." Perhaps that's why she also approaches her DJ career with such humility and gratitude; other DJs might complain about promoters providing the wrong mixer or not shelling out for speedy boarding even as she continues to regularly spend up to 15 hours traveling to/from Almaty for her gigs "I'm a very chill DJ," she says "I'm basically just happy to be there." Nazira is hopeful that other young scenes will have a similar chance to thrive Although she's adamant that "you can't force things," she also believes that "diversity is always good there is a certain mindset everyone shares When you have people from different backgrounds and from different cultures they bring new ideas and they bring new fresh things or maybe they make music which is amazing and new Want (even) more WePresent?Sign up to our monthly newsletter Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Joanna Lillis is a freelance writer who specializes in Central Asia Joanna Lillis is a journalist based in Almaty and author of Dark Shadows: Inside the Secret World of Kazakhstan The city of Taraz in the Žambyl region is considered the natioal capital of organised crime. The results of the repressive campaign carried out by the police: crime dropped by 19%, the use of weapons halved, and 220 tonnes of cannabis grown in huge quantities in the area eliminated. Bajmurzin has commanded the Žambyl police department since 10 February 2022, after his predecessor, Žanat Sulejmenov, committed suicide a few days after the mass riots at the beginning of the year, one of the crucial moments in the life of Kazakh society in recent times. The general has been working in the sector of fighting organized crime since the first years after the end of the USSR, and only now does he believe that some significant results are being achieved, with the reduction in the numbers of criminal acts from 2022, which from 15% of population of the directly affected region have dropped to 8%, with around fifty evident cases per year. The city of Taraz has just under half a million inhabitants, is not one of the main metropolises of Kazakhstan, but is considered the main headquarters of the country's mafia groups. The choice of the local police was to reduce the relationships between the leaders of the gangs and the low-crime laborers, easily recruited by the more organized groups. In the last two months, two major trials have been brought under the art. 262 of the penal code, for "creation and control of organized criminal groups, and participation in them", against people wanted for over 14 years, leading to a strong reduction of their dominion in the area. According to statistics revealed by Bajmurzin, criminal violations in public environments fell by 19%, those carried out under the influence of alcohol by 8.6%, the participation of minors by 28.1%, and crimes attributed to organized groups by 13%, with a 53% drop in gun use. Many sensational cases have been solved, including sexual violence, theft, vandalism, and kidnapping of humans and pets. Yet the police chief states that "there is no point in boasting about having won, there are still many outstanding issues, and the Ministry of the Interior is asking us to create a reliable crime prevention system". The general says that "I often tour the city on foot to see with my own eyes what really happens on the streets". Every morning the collaborators take stock of the "criminal situation" of the previous night, counting on everyone's availability 24 hours a day. When asked how much the population trusts the police, he replies that "it's better for the numbers to speak: according to the national statistics office, the police enjoy the trust of 88% of the population, 8.2% are skeptical and 3.8% are uncertain about the response”. The Žambyl region today is one of the top three safest, together with Aktyubinsk and Almaty. Bajmurzin's line is to "establish direct relations with the entire population: in 2023 I personally received 423 people, the heads of neighborhood detachments met 1,329, and this allows us to react to criticism and find solutions". The local police staff has seen a large turnover of collaborators, and in the last five years around 300 new units have been hired, selected with great care to avoid any contamination with corrupt environments. Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences Armenia’s festivals put the country’s heritage and playful spirit in the spotlight An air balloon festival is held in Yerevan every year giving locals and visitors alike the opportunity to discover Armenia's capital city from a different perspective.Photograph by Tourism Committee of ArmeniaBySJ Armstrong6 min readOne of the oldest nations on Earth Armenia has millennia of history and cultural heritage to shout about The South Caucasian country’s striking mountain scenery long-perfected culinary techniques and ancient traditions have all been designated their own festival offering travellers an opportunity to learn about the destination while celebrating with locals You'll ride the Wings of Tatev cable-car before experiencing captivating performances artisanal masterclasses and more at the ninth-century Tatev Monastery This international performing arts festival runs the full artistic gamut with shows ranging from contemporary dance and music to theatre and comedy too: Armenians have been brewing the amber nectar since ancient times and celebrate it every summer at the Yerevan Beer Festival Many of Armenia’s local ingredients and signature dishes have dedicated annual events representatives from more than 25 restaurants gather in Dilijan for Gastrofest competing in culinary face-offs and giving visitors the chance to become food critics for a weekend a festival that celebrates a regional sweet bread You can even try your hand at foraging at Edible Plants in Armenian Cuisine which sees locals scour the hillsides of the Lori region for plants and herbs These wild greens are the backbone of many traditional recipes which are prepared for visitors alongside music and dance performances You have been automatically redirected to the mobile version of Realnoe Vremya The Kazakhstani airline SCAT has been appointed the official carrier in air traffic between Tatarstan and Kazakhstan The corresponding notification was sent by the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan to the Federal Air Transport Agency SCAT is preparing to operate regular flights from Kazan to Taraz (Aulie-Ata Airport in the south of the country) without entering into direct competition with the Russian Red Wings flying from Kazan to Astana and Alma-Ata which transfers to its boards upon arrival in Astana since not everyone has a flight through the skies of Kazakhstan we are talking here about business passengers Russia and Kazakhstan have begun to expand air traffic between the regional cities of the two countries the Kazakhstani airline SCAT intends to open direct scheduled flights with the southernmost airport of the country under construction in the city of Taraz in the south of the country she managed to “break through” the opening of direct flights from Moscow and St The Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan notified the Federal Air Transport Agency that SCAT intends to carry out regular flights from Kazan as well “In accordance with Article 3 of the intergovernmental agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation on air traffic SCAT Airline has been appointed as the official carrier from Kazakhstan to perform regular flights Taraz — Kazan — Taraz," reads the text of the notification signed by Acting Chairman S It clarifies that flights will be operated twice a week Which board will be put on this route is not specified which forms the basis of the airline's fleet “With the granting of the status of an official carrier SCAT airline gets the opportunity to operate regular flights from Kazan whereas now charter tourist flights are operated," the press service of the Kazakhstani airline explained to Realnoe Vremya “There is no free sale of tickets (to airports in Kazakhstan) They are sold as part of travel packages in travel agencies.” It is promised regular flights from Kazan to SCAT Airlines to start in the near future The expansion of air traffic between the regions became possible after the next meeting of the transport subcommittee of the Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan Then it became known that passenger traffic between Russia and Kazakhstan jumped by 58.5% from the beginning of the year It is not difficult to guess that the rise in passenger traffic was first provoked by the partial mobilisation and then continued against the background of closed borders “Now the window to the outside world is limited The exit is possible through the Turkish airport Istanbul or Dubai (UAE) through which it is possible to enter international flights," explained Rustem Tarzimanov the head of Salavat Tourist Services Bureau PLC arrival at Aulie-Ata airport opens up additional opportunities for transit flights to other cities of Central Asia Novosibirsk was called the opening point of interregional flights Then the airline announced its readiness to fly to Astana twice a week putting a Boeing 737-800 with a capacity of 118 passengers in the skies and the ticket price started from 6,000 rubles The programme was valid until September 2015 Sources close to the authorities claim that sending a notification does not oblige the immediate opening of flights Its purpose is to warn about the intention of a foreign carrier to start a flight programme in Russia: “Of course This is the result of certain agreements at the highest level which will “take off” in the foreseeable future This issue remains at the discretion of the airline itself," the interlocutors explain the Russian airline Red Wings operates on the Kazakh route from Kazan It operates regular flights to Astana and Alma-Ata the Kazakh airline will not create direct competition for it “When official carriers are determined within the framework of intergovernmental agreements the agreements are aimed at equal relations between carriers of both countries," explained the editor-in-chief of the portal Avia.ru the aviation authorities of a foreign country themselves choose which airline they want to see in Russia and are ready to entrust it with specific directions based on the parity of forces but appointments are made in such a way as to maintain parity of forces," he stressed not all Russian airlines have the opportunity to fly through the skies of Kazakhstan As can be seen from the online resources for the sale of air tickets Russian airlines “take” passengers to Astana after which they are picked up by SCAT and fly with them to their destination in Kazakhstan Connecting flights are formed with all the leading Russian airlines as a result of which the flight time stretches for a day and a half the ticket price rises to 53 thousand rubles it follows from the data of the ticket aggregators (now flights are performed irregularly) at the International Aerospace Exhibition in Dubai the airline management announced an additional order for seven 737 Max 8 aircraft to expand the fleet of 737 MAX aircraft “Today SCAT is the most dynamically developing airline in Kazakhstan Replenishing the fleet with seven more new 737 Max 8s will increase the airline's carrying capacity positively affect the timeliness of the schedule and the offer of air tickets and also allow the company to expand its own route networks and offer passengers even more destinations for travel," said the airline's president Kazakhstan is noticeably losing out to Georgia and Armenia in terms of tourist attractiveness Kazakhstan is not the most popular destination there are much more interesting locations — Armenia “Kazakhstan is like a transit hub for businesses," they are unanimous which transfers to their boards upon arrival in Astana they collected flight statistics and saw that many transit passengers travel from Kazan to Taraz via Astana They decided that they could take a risk and turn the transit passenger traffic into a direct one and it would be enough for two flights a week they will be able to take not half of the flight © 2015 - 2025 Realnoe Vremya online newspaper Registration Certificate EL No FS77—79627 as from 18 December 2020 (earlier EL No FS77—59331 as from 18 September 2014) issued by the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) +374 10 650015 As part of a working trip to Zhambyl region Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov familiarized himself with the condition of filtration fields of Taraz city and the progress of preparations for the construction of new sewage treatment facilities (STF) and visited the new regional multidisciplinary center of oncology and surgery Taraz sewage filtration fields were built in 1962 and today are in unsatisfactory condition Their design capacity is 43 thousand cubic meters per day while in fact about 70-80 thousand cubic meters of wastewater are received daily the Akimat has started to develop a project for launching new sewage treatment plants Currently the necessary technical documentation is being prepared Prime Minister noted that in Taraz the number of industrial facilities is increasing and the population is growing "There are no treatment facilities in the city as it can lead to pollution of river and groundwater Akimat conducts relevant work on new treatment facilities the planned capacity of which will be 100 thousand cubic meters per day The realization of the project should be started as soon as possible," Alikhan Smailov said He also pointed out the need to solve problematic issues concerning the landfill and waste accumulation of Kazphosphate LLP During the visit to the new oncology center for 200 beds Prime Minister was informed that a linear gas pedal Elekta Versa HD which is designed for radiation therapy of a new generation The device is characterized by high precision it allows to treat tumors of any localization and any configuration the center is equipped with other modern equipment Alikhan Smailov emphasized that the opening of a modern oncology center in the region is very timely - it will allow for early diagnosis of cancer diseases and ensure their timely treatment.  "The region has an additional need for new district hospitals and paramedic stations The Ministry of Health together with the Akimat should work out the issue of their construction including within the framework of the implementation of the relevant National Project," he pointed out Stay updated about the events of the Prime minister and the Government of Kazakhstan - subscribe to the official Telegram channel The 11th meeting of the Kazakh-Kyrgyz Intergovernmental Council was held in Taraz with the participation of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov and the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers - Head of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov In the course of negotiations in narrow and enlarged compositions the parties exchanged views on topical issues of bilateral cooperation The main topics of the Intergovernmental Council which was also attended by the heads of the central government agencies of the two countries were strengthening trade and economic cooperation cooperation in the field of water use and energy implementation of cooperation projects in industry and agro-industrial complex development of transit and transportation potential of the republics Alikhan Smailov emphasized that thanks to the efforts of the heads of the two states the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan strategic partnership has gained high dynamics in recent years "For us Kyrgyzstan is not only a friendly neighbor and brotherly country but also an important trade and economic partner," he noted mutual trade turnover between the republics is steadily growing the volume of trade increased by about 19% and reached $1.3 billion positive dynamics is observed this year: for 7 months trade turnover increased by 13% and amounted to $757 million along with this cooperation in transit-transport There are good prospects in the spheres of production cooperation it is necessary to speed up the implementation of a number of important joint projects the establishment of the Industrial Trade and Logistics Complex (ITLC) in the border areas in the near future will facilitate the implementation of new cooperation projects It will also contribute to the achievement of the task set by the heads of the two states to increase trade turnover to $2 billion The Heads of Government of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan also agreed to continue close cooperation in the water sector in the spirit of mutual respect and good neighborliness taking into account the interests of both countries "It is extremely important to develop cooperation in the field of ecology and rational water use which has a direct impact on the livelihoods of our citizens In order to ensure equitable and transparent water management we need an effective monitoring mechanism through digitization of interstate water canals It is important to ensure the exchange of hydrological information on inflow to reservoirs and water withdrawal throughout the basin," Prime Minister of Kazakhstan emphasized improvement of the legal mechanism for the joint use of water resources will contribute to the strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation Head of the Government added that cultural and humanitarian cooperation is also actively developing "Held Days of Culture of Kazakhstan in Kyrgyzstan in 2021 and Kyrgyzstan in Kazakhstan in 2022 - strengthened our practical interaction and spiritual ties," Alikhan Smailov noted Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers - Head of the Administration of the President of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov recalled that during the recent mutual visits of the heads of the two states the main directions of bilateral cooperation were outlined "I am sure that together we will make maximum efforts to promote all our agreements for the benefit of the two brotherly peoples," he said the sides reaffirmed their readiness to maintain active 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