News

The mother of Tetsuya Yamagami, accused of killing former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, apologized in court last week, saying her son’s actions came from deep resentment toward the Unification Church, according to Kyodo News.

Testimony on religious ties

Yamagami’s trial under Japan’s lay judge system centers on possible leniency. His lawyers argue that years of religious exploitation and family turmoil shaped his mental state and behavior before the shooting.

During courtroom testimony behind a partition, Yamagami’s mother confirmed she is a longtime member of the Unification Church. This controversial South Korea-based religious group...

EDF is eager to partner with the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), which has won a bid to build two nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Kazakhstan as part of an international consortium, French Ambassador to Kazakhstan Sylvain Guiaugue told Kursiv.media in an interview.

«EDF takes potential cooperation with Kazakhstan in the energy sector very seriously. We know there are plans to build several NPPs in the country, including those expected to be built by China. So, we are considering the possibility — if the opportunity arises — of supplying equipment for these plants,» the ambassador...

On Nov. 20, Alphabet Inc.’s subsidiary Google established a new artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure hardware engineering center in Taiwan. According to Reuters, this marks the company’s largest center like this outside the U.S.

According to a Google blog post, the new site will serve as a multidisciplinary hub for AI innovation and is expected to create hundreds of jobs.

“The technology developed and tested in Taipei is deployed in Google data centers around the world, which in turn power Google devices that billions of people rely on every...

Microsoft and Westinghouse Nuclear are exploring ways to use artificial intelligence to accelerate the approval and construction of nuclear power plants in the U.S. But a new analysis from the AI Now Institute, cited by 404 Media, warns that this approach could introduce serious safety risks.

Generative AI as a tool for faster approvals

Building a nuclear facility requires navigating a lengthy and highly regulated licensing process designed to protect the public from radiation hazards. Although the system is complex and costly, 404 Media notes that it has historically kept nuclear accidents in the U.S. rare.

Growing energy...

A love letter by the Titanic passenger who is referred to as the real Jack Dawson — played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the eponymous movie — will be offered at auction for the first time, according to the New York Post.

Ernest Tomlin, 21, a third-class passenger who sailed for the U.S. in April 1912, confessed his feelings in a letter to his family about a woman named Rose — just like in the movie.

The letter became real evidence of Tomlin’s heartache, in which he complained to his mother about a broken heart and confessed...

China is quietly recalibrating its approach to Afghanistan, gradually normalizing relations with the Taliban without committing to major financial outlays or military engagement. A recent report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace argues that Beijing is instead relying on regional security partnerships and Belt and Road–related frameworks to anchor its strategy.

The report by M. Ramin Mansoori of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets notes that after the U.S. withdrawal on Aug. 15, 2021, China maintained open channels with the Taliban and continued engaging with Afghan society.

Building soft-power foundations

Longstanding academic and...

A gold toilet by artist Maurizio Cattelan was sold at Sotheby’s in New York for $12.1 million. The fully functional sculpture, titled «America,» is made of 18-karat gold and weighs approximately 100 kilograms. The opening bid, based on the current gold price of $130,000 per kilogram, was set at $10 million.

Despite the enthusiastic presentation and encouraging remarks by the auctioneer, there was little excitement around the lot, which was eventually acquired by Cassandra Hatton, vice chairwoman of Sotheby’s.

The artwork was first displayed for more than 100,000 people at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in 2016, where...

On Nov. 18, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James played his first game of the 2025-26 season, appearing in the starting lineup against the Utah Jazz (140-126) and becoming the first NBA player to compete in 23 seasons, according to ESPN.

Last summer, the 40-year-old James exercised his player option and will remain with the Lakers for at least one more year. However, he missed the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica — issues with the sciatic nerve that caused pain in his lower back and along the right side of his body.

On the coast of Canada’s British Columbia, a wild wolf was caught on camera as it pulled a crab trap from deep water. Scientists suggest this could be the first instance of tool-like behavior observed in wild canids, NBC News reported.

The Heiltsuk Nation set traps near Bella Bella to catch invasive green crabs, but later found several traps damaged. When researchers set up motion-triggered cameras, they recorded a female wolf grabbing a float, dragging it to shore, pulling the rope until the trap came up and then eating the fish inside.

The study, published in...

Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer was sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby’s New York, making it the second most expensive artwork ever auctioned, the Guardian reported.

The portrait, painted between 1914 and 1916, drew six bidders. The bidding lasted just 20 minutes before an undisclosed buyer offered the record-high sum.

The painting has a long history of changing owners. During the Second World War, it was looted by the Nazis and nearly destroyed, but was returned to the Lederer family in 1948. In 1985, the portrait was acquired by Leonard Lauder, who owned a large private art...

The national football team of Curacao secured a spot in the FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history after drawing 0-0 with Jamaica. They joined three other debuting teams: Uzbekistan, Jordan and Cape Verde.

Curacao is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup. The population of the island in the Caribbean Sea does not exceed 170,000 people. The Curacao Football Federation joined FIFA in 2011 as...

Congress approved a bipartisan bill telling the U.S. Justice Department to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sexual abuse and died in jail. The document now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature, the BBC reported.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 427-1. The Senate approved it a few hours later with unanimous consent.

The vote came after Trump changed his stance. He first opposed releasing the files. Later, he asked lawmakers to move the bill forward after some of his supporters called for it. From a legal...

In recent years, Tajikistan has posted strong economic growth, averaging 8.5% annually. Growth slowed slightly to 8.2% in the first nine months of 2025 as weaker consumer demand dampened the expansion of trade and services. But an uptick is expected, supported by higher public-sector wages and continued inflows of remittances.

GDP and its components

In 2024, Tajikistan’s economy grew 8.4%. Despite global economic uncertainty, rising geopolitical tensions, and escalating trade disputes, the country’s GDP expanded 8.2% in the first nine months of 2025, reaching 117.8 billion somoni (about $12.7 billion). The government expects this pace to hold through the...

On Nov. 18, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited the U.S. for the first time since 2018, attending a high-profile reception and a black-tie dinner at the White House, USA Today reported.

During his visit, the crown prince received full ceremonial honors, including a military band, a red-carpet welcome and a fighter jet flyover. He met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, attended a luncheon and joined a formal dinner in the East Room. Notable guests included senior U.S. officials, business leaders like Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, who...

The TOP500 — a project that ranks the world’s 500 most powerful computer systems — placed Kazakhstan’s supercomputer Alem.Cloud at 86th place, the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development stated in a release.

The ministry emphasized that only clusters that successfully pass the independent test under the High-Performance Linpack (HPL) standard — the internationally recognized benchmark for computing performance — are eligible for the ranking.

The system’s performance and architecture

As of today, the system, delivering petaflop-level performance, is the most powerful computing cluster in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia.

ExxonMobil is exploring options to acquire assets controlled by the Russian oil giant Lukoil in Kazakhstan. Both the American and Russian companies own stakes in the Karachaganak and Tengiz projects, the two giant oil fields in the country. Chevron, another partner in these assets, is also considering options for potential purchases, Reuters reported.

According to the news report, Exxon may also consider purchasing the West Qurna 2 field in Iraq, which is Lukoil’s most valuable asset. Exxon had operated the neighboring West Qurna 1 field for years before exiting the project last year.

Lukoil...

Vietnamese VinGroup is considering launching its EV taxi service, Xanh SM, in Kazakhstan. The company plans to establish a representative office in Almaty, which will work with the CIS region, Kazakh Invest reported.

Kazakh Invest representatives held talks with the VinGroup SNG’s delegation, which included representatives of the group’s subsidiary GSM (Green and Smart Mobility). A Vietnamese company is considering opening a GSM regional office in Almaty to serve the CIS.

GSM, operating under the Xanh SM brand, is one of the largest taxi services in Vietnam, offering only electric cars produced at the VinFast plants...

At the Miss Universe 2025 international pageant, Kazakhstan’s Dana Almassova placed in the top five of the swimsuit competition.

The results were published by a fan community that tracks pageant rankings. Notably, Almassova finished fifth in the traditional Swimsuit Fashion Show.

Top five contestants:

Puerto Rico: Alicea Zashely

Brazil: Maria Gabriela

China: Zhaona Zena

Thailand: Veena Praveenar Singh

Kazakhstan: Dana Almassova

Voting for the People’s Choice Award is...

Researchers in South Korea have presented a new technology for restoring dental tissue using biodegradable patches or gel that stimulate the natural regeneration of dentin — the hard tissue located beneath the enamel. This new approach has the potential to revolutionize traditional dental treatment.

According to the scientists, the development is based on the use of bioactive molecules, including peptides. After cleaning the damaged area, the dentist applies a thin patch directly to the cavity. The molecules penetrate the tooth structure and activate stem cells located in the pulp. As a result, the cells begin to regenerate lost...

Kurt Cobain’s guitar, the one he played in the iconic «Smells Like Teen Spirit» music video, is set to be offered at the Christie’s New York auction in March 2026, Antimusic reported.

The guitar Cobain called his favorite is the one being offered — the left-handed 1969 Fender Competition Mustang. The instrument is part of the Jim Irsay Collection — the late businessman, collector, and major music fan who had been gathering items related to the world’s legends.

The Jim Irsay Collection is one of the most well-known music collections, featuring instruments owned by John Lennon...

Amid growing tensions between the two countries, Japan has advised its citizens in China to exercise caution and avoid crowded areas. The warning follows comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan, according to Reuters.

These tensions escalated after Takaichi told members of the Japanese parliament that if a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatened Japan’s survival, it could lead to a military response. Beijing asked her to retract the statement, but Tokyo stated that her comments did not alter Japan’s position and that Taiwan issues should be resolved peacefully.

Following these exchanges, Chinese state media...

Kazakhstan’s youngest workers — those aged 16 to 24, often referred to as Gen Z or «Zoomers» — earn less than any other age group in the country, according to data from Energyprom.kz.

In 2025, Gen Z employees earned an average of 279,900 tenge ($535) a month, compared to over $760 for all other groups.

Millennials, particularly those between 35 and 44 with established careers, reported the highest earnings at approximately $870 per month. Close behind were members of Generation X, ages 45 to 54, with an average income of roughly $820. Older adults earned around $720, while...

The Astana Botanical Garden is well known for its scenic pond. Now, it has gained attention for a different reason: visitors walking on thin ice. Photos have gone viral of people casually strolling across the frozen surface, taking pictures and even pushing children in strollers.

Despite the cold climate of Kazakhstan’s capital — the second coldest capital in the world after Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar — the ice remains thin here in mid-November. To prevent accidents, authorities repeatedly warn residents not to walk on the ice, but these warnings appear to be ignored.

Social media users sharply criticized the behavior:

Legendary Ford Focus leaves the market after 27 years. During this period, more than 12 million cars were sold. According to Autocar, production has finished at the plant in Saarlouis, Germany, marking global changes in Ford’s strategy as it shifts toward electric models.

The end of the Ford Focus

Plans to cease Ford Focus production were announced in 2022. Electric crossovers, the Explorer and Capri, based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, replaced it. Notably, the Saarlouis factory currently doesn’t produce any models. The company has not clarified whether the facility will be sold or repurposed for...