A modern five-star hotel complex, Pana Unique Semey, opened in a former steam mill built in 1890 following its renovation, while preserving its historical appearance, in Semey, eastern Kazakhstan. According to the Abai region governor’s office, the project, valued at approximately $12.6 million, is one of the largest in the…
Pursuing the goal of reducing litter left by café visitors taking food to go, tourism officials and shop operators in Kyoto are trialing an initiative using edible spoons, The Asahi Shimbun reported. Three dessert restaurants in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district — popular with tourists — serve their meals with edible spoons…
Prince William and his 12-year-old son, Prince George, volunteered at The Passage in London to help staff and volunteers prepare for the charity’s annual Christmas lunch. William’s visit with George echoed his own childhood experience, when Princess Diana brought him to the same organization at a similar age, according to…
The International Nightlife Association has released its annual ranking of the world’s 100 best nightclubs, with European venues dominating the list. Spain emerged as the clear leader this year, securing the top positions. Ibiza leads the way Three clubs in Ibiza claimed the highest spots in the ranking. The Mediterranean…
The fight between former world boxing champion Anthony Joshua and blogger and online entrepreneur Jake Paul was announced in November and finally took place in Miami on Dec. 19. For Joshua, the bout marked a comeback following a painful knockout loss in the fall of 2024, while for Paul it…
Sarah Dzafce, crowned Miss Finland in September and the country’s delegate to the 2025 Miss Universe pageant in Thailand, sparked accusations of racism in Asia, The Associated Press reported. The controversy began when an image circulated online showing her pulling the corners of her eyes. The photo, which appeared on…
The world’s largest «Ice and Snow World» theme park has opened in China’s northern province of Heilongjiang. This year, it surprised visitors by erecting a 23.8-meter-high snowman. Approximately 5,000 cubic meters of snow were used to create «Mister Snowman,» whose height matches that of an eight-story building. The sculpture took…
Social media is again abuzz with discussion of Olivier salad, one of the most recognizable dishes across the former Soviet Union. The renewed interest was sparked by a food blogger who posted a video recreating what is believed to be the original 1860s version of the dish served at the…
Askar Zhanasbayev, an athlete from the city of Semey, continues to strengthen his reputation as one of Kazakhstan’s top bodybuilders. After winning the prestigious Arnold Classic Europe Championship last year — named after Arnold Schwarzenegger — he followed up with a strong second-place finish at the Binous Classic in Dubai.…
Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen has been awarded a new title — not on stage this time, but in the assembly hall of a medical university. The performer met with students, faculty members and staff of Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, where he spoke about his personal and professional journey. In…
Sunqar, a restaurant perched at the highest point in Almaty, has introduced an unconventional new dining format: guests now eat with their eyes covered, completely deprived of visual cues. Located within the city’s international ski jump complex at an elevation of 1,057 meters (3,468 feet) above sea level, Sunqar has…
The song «Seven Nation Army,» often associated by boxing fans with Gennadiy Golovkin, who famously entered the ring to its iconic riff during championship bouts, will be performed live in Almaty. Its author, rock performer Jack White, will headline the first day of the Park Live Almaty 2026 international music…
In northeastern Brazil, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park stuns visitors with an otherworldly landscape: endless white dunes carved by wind and dotted with hundreds of vivid, seasonal freshwater lagoons, the BBC reported. Driven by strong coastal winds, towering dunes rising up to 30 meters are pushed inland from the Atlantic. During…
Airports in Thailand have tightened border checks against the backdrop of escalating tensions with Cambodia, the Bangkok Post reported. Foreigners who could potentially serve as mercenaries are under special scrutiny. The Thai Immigration Bureau warned tourists of possible line extensions of up to 45 minutes, compared with the usual 20…
The Rothschild family’s long-standing tradition of privacy has been disrupted by a legal dispute over a valuable art collection housed at the Chateau de Pregny, a lakeside property near Geneva owned by the wealthy family, The Guardian reported. The dispute follows legal action initiated by Nadine de Rothschild, 93, widow…
The guitar Nirvana’s frontman Kurt Cobain played in his last public performance has been presented to London’s Royal College of Music, Artnet reported. The guitar in question is a rare 1959 Martin D-18E, specifically modified for left-handed Cobain. The artist played his songs with this instrument in 1993 during an…
Eurovision 2024 winner Nemo, the first non-binary artist to win the contest, has said they will return their trophy in protest against Israel’s continued participation, according to the BBC. The 26-year-old Swiss artist said the decision reflects what they see as a contradiction between Eurovision’s stated values of unity and…
McDonald’s has removed an AI-generated Christmas advertisement in the Netherlands after it drew criticism online. The ad, titled «The Most Terrible Time of the Year,» showed stressful holiday scenes such as Santa stuck in traffic and a cyclist slipping on snow and suggested people escape the festive season by hiding…
Renowned American actor Johnny Depp is set to join the cast of the first English-language movie adaptation of the Russian literary classic «The Master and Margarita» by Mikhail Bulgakov. According to Variety, the Hollywood star might take one of the key roles, though it is unknown whether it will be…
Beijing-based tour agency Koryo Tours, which operates trips to North Korea, announced that tickets for the country’s 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon, scheduled for April 5, have sold out, Yonhap reported. The company wrote on social media that all 500 slots were filled in under five hours. It added that it…
Eight works by Henri Matisse and at least five by Cândido Portinari were stolen from the Biblioteca Mário de Andrade in São Paulo on Sunday, the BBC reported, citing local authorities. On Sunday, two armed men restrained a security guard and an elderly couple visiting the library. The men then…
Under the instruction of Kazakhstan’s president, the awarding ceremony for figures active in various spheres and making significant contributions to the country’s public and economic life, originally arranged for Republic Day (Oct. 25), took place at the Ministry of Culture for awardees who could not receive their awards on time.…
The Men’s Choir of the Song and Dance Ensemble of Kazakhstan’s National Guard of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has performed an unusual cover of Linkin Park’s legendary hit «Numb,» which is now going viral on social media. The song was accompanied by the dombra — a two-stringed plucked musical…
The popular gaming platform Steam is preparing to offer users a new simulator in which players control a sperm cell. The game, titled «Become,» is being developed by indie creator Valentin Wirth. It is a short, third-person adventure in which players follow the journey of a single sperm cell through…
