A shake-up of Kazakhstan's political scene is under way with a revamped political party in Astana seemingly destined to play the role of tame opposition to the ruling party, Nur Otan. Analysts are cautioning that the apparent attempt by Astana officials to micromanage politics could backfire.

(AP) ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) — The life story of Kazakhstan's authoritarian president has already been the subject of a glowing cinematic biopic and a play. Now, it is getting the fairy tale treatment.

A newly published book heralds Nursultan Nazarbayev's achievements on the international diplomatic scene in the form of illustrated fables, state news agency Kazinform reported.

The book, titled "Leader of the Nation Nursultan," is being published to coincide with the president's 71st birthday Wednesday.

There have been a few interesting twists and turns lately in the fortunes of some implacable foreign-based foes of Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

In the early post-independence years, Serik MEDETBEKOV was a well-known successful businessman. In 1994, he opened the РИК (RIK) radio station and set up the first digital animation studio in Kazakhstan.

Almaty. July 7. Interfax-Kazakhstan - The suspects, who stormed the police station in a firearms attack, were identified as members of the local Salafi sect, propagating radical Islam, said the Vremya newspaper.

LONDON (Reuters) - British singer Sting has canceled a concert in the Kazakh capital Astana scheduled for Monday after human rights group Amnesty International informed the former Police frontman about what it described as a "crackdown" on oil workers there.