Astana’s LRT goes live: Kazakhstan’s capital has started passenger service on its new light rail transit line, linking the airport to Nurly Zhol with 18 stations and a roughly 40-minute ride time, as trains run every 5–10 minutes in automated driverless mode. Turkic Summit push: President Tokayev used the Organization of Turkic States forum in Turkistan to stress Turkic solidarity amid rising tensions, while proposing a cybersecurity council inside OTS and highlighting Yasawi heritage as a glue for “brotherly ties.” Digital integration agenda: Erdoğan and OTS leaders backed a “digitalizing Turkic world,” with Kazakhstan calling for data-processing centers and innovation hubs to keep member states from falling behind AI. Climate resilience step: Kazakhstan launched an artificial rain enhancement project in Turkistan, starting full implementation May 17 with UAE cooperation. AI adoption spotlight: Kazakhstan is ranked a regional leader in AI use, with Microsoft data placing it 70th globally in Q1 2026. Weather & risk: Forecasters warn of strong winds, dust storms, and high wildfire danger across multiple regions.