The launch of the first light rail transit (LRT) line in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, is expected this spring, according to Mayor Zhenis Kassymbek. The mayor posted on Instagram, stating he visited the LRT depot and the operations control center to check operational readiness. Kassymbek traveled through the Airport, Baiterek, House…
On March 1, a complete ban on vapes and electronic cigarettes took effect in Uzbekistan. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law last November, Sputnik Uzbekistan reported. Now it is not only prohibited to vape but also to produce, possess, sell, import and export electronic cigarettes and e-liquids. Violations are subject…
Andrew Tate, a controversial American-British influencer and former kickboxer, arrived in Almaty with his brother Tristan. The visit came as a surprise to Kazakhstani internet users, who learned about the brothers’ trip through their Instagram Stories. Later, another video appeared online showing Tate and his brother sitting in an Almaty…
Kazakhstan is set to welcome another global star. Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias is expected to perform in the country, possibly for more than one concert. The announcement appeared on the social media accounts of online ticketing platform Freedom Ticketon. A short video features rapid cuts of the singer’s past performances,…
A strange fitness trend is gaining traction on Scandinavian TikTok. Athletes are mixing skyr — a thick, high-protein yogurt — with a popular sugar-free energy drink. It may sound questionable at first, but many users swear by the result, calling it «delicious» and «perfect for fitness.» Read also: Bizarre foods…
Wildlife camera traps in the Almaty State Nature Reserve captured rare footage of snow leopard cubs. The video shows them playing together, running through the snow and mimicking their mother’s movements. For the cubs, these games are not just a form of play but a way to learn essential skills…
Zero Carbon Charge, a company based in Cape Town, South Africa, has begun developing solar-powered charging hubs for heavy-duty electric trucks along the main highway between Johannesburg and Durban. This follows a pilot project in which the company fully charged two heavy-duty electric trucks supplied by China’s SANY Trucks at…
Pope Leo XIV spoke out against the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the preparation of homilies. He made this statement during a meeting with the clergy of the Roman diocese. As he noted, sermons should be a matter of careful reflection, not the work of neural networks. «All muscles…
Discord, a messaging and voice chat platform for gamers, has issued a statement after user criticism over the previously announced «teen-by-default» setting for everyone and the age verification rollout planned for March 2026. Discord Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy wrote in a blog post acknowledging that the team…
Andorra could become a partner of the Eurasian Mountain Resorts Alliance in the future, and cooperation with Grandvalira Resorts may be established. For now, the development remains an preliminary: the parties have signed a memorandum of cooperation expressing their readiness to discuss joint projects and share expertise. No specific timelines…
An entire village in Belarus has been listed for sale, the local outlet Minskaya Pravda reported. The village of Veselukha in the northwest of the country was listed for sale for 30,000 Belarusian rubles (roughly $10,463), and is located 20 kilometers from the Lithuanian border and five kilometers from the…
World-renowned Kazakhstani singer Dimash Qudaibergen delighted fans with a new photo shoot. The artist uploaded a series of atmospheric pictures on Instagram and social media, sparking reactions and comments. Dimash is seen posing on a camel in a picturesque location near the ancient mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi in Turkestan.…
The development of a long-anticipated light rail transit (LRT) line in Almaty has gotten off the ground. The timeline for the project’s start and completion has been set. Kursiv LifeStyle explains where the first route will run. The discussion of the feasibility study for the line took place on Feb.…
German airline Lufthansa announced the resumption of scheduled flights from Kazakhstan to Germany. Passengers are promised onboard comfort and internet access. Operations will begin on March 29, 2026, serving the Almaty-Frankfurt route five times a week and operating four weekly flights from Astana. The options will include non-stop flights to…
A seagull flying over the pitch during a football match in Turkey went viral after it was struck by a ball and subsequently given CPR. According to the Turkish Anadolu Agency, the incident occurred during the Istanbul 1st Amateur League playoff final between Mevlanakapı Güzelhisar and Istanbul Yurdum Spor on…
Tickets for BTS’s comeback show in central Seoul sold out within minutes on Monday evening. Officials expect about 260,000 fans to visit the city for the group’s first full concert in almost four years, The Guardian reported. Bookings for the free event at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21 opened at…
A Budapest pizzeria is turning back the clock with a limited-edition pizza inspired by ancient Rome, recreating a flatbread style from before tomatoes and mozzarella were part of European cuisine, the Associated Press reported. At Neverland Pizzeria in central Budapest, founder Josep Zara and his team created the recipe using…
A tourist attraction offering hot coffee and incredible photo opportunities is gaining popularity in China. Gushi Cliff Coffee, a café in southeastern China’s Fujian Province, opened in 2024 and is gradually becoming a popular destination among tourists. It is located on a cliff approximately 70 meters above sea level in…
Ramadan is no longer observed only as a religious month of fasting and prayer. The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar has also become a peak season for global retail. British media have coined the term Ramadan Rush, and luxury executives say the weeks leading up to Eid al-Fitr…
Offenses will now also be monitored by police drones in Almaty. Kursiv LifeStyle explains why residents’ lives may start to resemble the trappings of a cyberpunk dystopia. According to Polisia.kz, police drones have begun patrolling the city’s skies. In addition to recording violations, the drones are intended to remind residents…
Osaka, Japan, received a lavish donation of 21 kilograms of gold bars, worth around $3.6 million, from a donor who asked to remain anonymous in November to help renovate the city’s water system, following an earlier cash contribution of roughly $3,200, the BBC reported, citing Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama. «Tackling…
A video of an unusual fitness club in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, looking more like a nightclub than a gym, has gone viral online. People are shown working out to DJ sets, accompanied by a light show. The video quickly went viral and sparked discussions. Some users found the format bold and…
Satbayev University in Almaty has officially allowed its students to sleep on campus. The university has set up designated rest areas where students can lie down and take power naps between classes, journalist Polina Shimanskaya said in a post on Threads. She said the university held a local «referendum,» after…
No new sporting venues are planned in Almaty for the 2029 Asian Winter Games, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports Serik Zharasbayev said during a Senate briefing. He said that before approving the bid, authorities conducted monitoring and analysis. It was determined that the existing sports facilities in Almaty…
