Every third Sunday of September, Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, marks City Day. This year, the celebrations took place on Sept. 21 and were spread across various tourist locations. A Kursiv.media correspondent visited one of the main festival venues on Sunday. The usual hotspots for events of this kind are Panfilov…
The sci-fi action film «Alter,» directed by Timo Vuorensola and starring Tom Felton, spotlights Astana as the nucleus of a futuristic society. The city’s bold architecture, needing minimal alteration, vividly conveys the cyberpunk aesthetic central to the film’s worldbuilding. “Alter” follows Leon (Tom Felton), a wheelchair-bound rebel championing society’s marginalized…
A new fall trend has swept Kazakhstan’s florist shops: bouquets arranged inside umbrellas, featuring popular flowers — red dahlias and spray roses. The idea has gone viral on Threads. Hundreds of posts now showcase the unusual arrangements. Florists have capitalized on the craze by selling bouquets placed in clear umbrellas,…
Looking to prevent cows from being bitten by insects, a team of Japanese researchers — including Tomoki Kojima from the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization — took inspiration from the effects of zebra stripes and experimented by painting black-and-white stripes on Japanese Black cows, an approach that won them…
On Sept. 18, the legendary pop group Backstreet Boys arrived in Almaty, where their concert is taking place this evening, Sept. 19. While the performers are preparing for the show and resting after the flight, curious local fans have tried to find out their place of stay. A user on…
Kazakhstani musician and DJ Imanbek Zeikenov, better known as Imanbek, has once again been nominated for a Grammy — this time at the Latin Grammys. The track «Ella Quiere Techno,» a collaboration with Argentine singer Taichu, has been selected in the Best Latin Electronic Music Performance category, alongside competitors such…
Legendary pop group the Backstreet Boys have arrived in Almaty. Dedicated Kazakhstani fans shared their first moments at the airport on social media. A video with the band members was uploaded by local fan Alina Agapova. «We were beyond thrilled to welcome the Backstreet Boys to Almaty! They’re not just…
Social media is abuzz over Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio. The actor has lost weight, grown out his hair and swapped his usual sporty style for a sharp, classic look. DiCaprio has once again been hailed as Hollywood’s sex symbol. Videos of the actor, who arrived in Los Angeles for…
The Weeknd will not hold a concert in Almaty, organizers announced, relocating the event to another country amid frequent cancellations of artists in Kazakhstan. Alexey Puchkov, producer and head of the ticket operator Topbilet.kz, confirmed that the performer will not be coming. «Kazakhstan, I have not very good news for…
The AYA Project art space recently opened in Tashkent, quickly becoming a popular spot among residents and guests of the Uzbek capital. According to the project developers, this is the only such art space in Central Asia created as an analogue of the famous Aya Universe in Dubai. The concept…
A 24-year-old man in Mongolia has died of the plague after eating marmot meat, the country’s Health Ministry confirmed. The man, from Khovsgol province, fell gravely ill shortly after consuming the animal. Despite emergency treatment, doctors were unable to save him. Lab tests later confirmed the infection was plague-related. Hunting…
Hilda Baci, a Nigeria-based chef, has set a new Guinness World Record, confirmed on social media, for cooking the largest ever serving of Jollof rice — a popular and symbolic West African dish made of rice boiled in a tomato-based sauce with meat — in a batch weighing 8,780 kilograms…
Australia may become the first country to ban social media for those under 16 starting December 2025, drawing global attention, the Telegraphindia.com reported. On Tuesday, the country’s eSafety commissioner called on social media companies to adopt «minimally invasive» tools to verify users’ ages. Platforms won’t be required to apply universal…
Kairat Almaty Football Club has announced how the tickets will be sold for the home matches of the UEFA Champions League main stage. Ticket sales for the Kairat-Real Madrid match will begin on Sept. 23 at 5 p.m. They will be available at the football club’s official website and Ticketon.kz…
Huvaydo momo, a woman living in the Fergana region of Uzbekistan, turned 130. She resides in the Karakum mahalla (local neighborhood community) of the Buvayda district and is now officially recognized as the oldest citizen of Uzbekistan. Notably, her age had never been documented all these years. Only during the…
In today’s fast-paced routine, multitasking is often confused with real productivity. People switch from answering emails to jumping on calls, scroll through social media while sitting in meetings, or try to focus on important work with notifications constantly popping up. It can feel efficient in the moment, but the myths…
Chile is among the latest countries to restrict smartphone use in schools, following a global push — as in the U.K. and the Netherlands — to boost student focus and mental health. Building on this movement, a school in Santiago, the capital of Chile, has launched an initiative that blocks…
Kazakh social media users on Threads are highlighting the growing hardship of rising food prices, especially meat, as more families are forced to cut dietary variety. An informal poll reveals that many now rely on the cheapest staples, resulting in restricted nutrition nationwide. Posts that drew the strongest reactions mentioned…
A retired Kazakh woman has gone viral on social media with her impressive fitness routine, earning comparisons to Arnold Schwarzenegger. The 67-year-old became an internet sensation after her daughter posted a video of her workouts, which helped build on her growing popularity. The clip quickly went viral, garnering over a…
Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo recently met with Ruben, a young boy from Armenia. Ruben, an aspiring footballer with hearing and speech difficulties, realized his dream by joining Ronaldo on the field before the 2026 World Cup qualifying match between Armenia and Portugal, according to News-Armenia. Following their meeting, Ronaldo called…
Extended periods of looking down at smartphones have become commonplace in modern life. Reports frequently highlight “text neck” as a rising issue, linking extended phone use to neck and upper back pain. Given the prevalence of smartphone use, averaging nearly five hours a day, it is reasonable to consider potential…
We all encounter challenging personalities, but some individuals exhaust our energy in ways more harmful than typical disagreements. These toxic people, often called energy vampires, thrive on causing turmoil, eroding confidence, and exploiting others’ emotions. Recognizing the behaviors of toxic people and developing effective psychological defenses are crucial for preserving…
Harvard University has welcomed a new teacher from Kazakhstan. Assel Amangeldi, a graduate of the Ivy League institution, has been invited to join the teaching team at the world’s oldest and wealthiest university. Amangeldi shared the news on social media, reflecting on the academic journey that brought her to this…
Brian Hugh Warner, better known as Marilyn Manson, is a world-famous musician whose artistic image many perceive as provocative, to the point that in the early 2000s, he was even branded a «satanist.» Nevertheless, in September 2025, his performance in Almaty generated significant buzz, drawing thousands of fans to the…
