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To Lam, Vietnam’s top leader, has been unanimously reappointed as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party for another five-year term. The move strengthens his position as the most powerful figure in the country’s one-party system, Reuters reported.

At age 68, Lam was re-elected on Friday by all 180 members of the party’s new central committee at the end of its five-year congress, according to an official statement. The National Party Congress also set key economic and political goals for the next term.

In his speech, Lam called for further reforms, including changes within the party, to improve...

A user on the Threads social network recently suggested reimagining «Harry Potter» characters by placing them in a Soviet-era context, rather than J.K. Rowling’s magical world.

Hogwarts as a research institute

The user shared AI-generated portraits of several «Harry Potter» characters using the prompt:

«If Hogwarts were not an English school of magic, but a Soviet research institute of sorcery and wizardry.»

This resulted in a series of striking images that recast familiar characters as scientists and officials from the Soviet period.

Online reactions and humor

Commenters joined in...

The Mongolian National Olympic Committee has officially presented the ceremonial uniform for the country’s national team for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympic Games, hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The ceremonial and casual uniforms were designed by Mongolia’s brand Goyol Cashmere. The attire is inspired by the clothing of the Great Mongol Empire, spanning the 13th to 15th centuries. The focus was not on mixing ethnic elements with contemporary design, but on reimagining ancient culture and its transition into a modern global context.

«Using Mongolian cashmere — long relied upon by our nomadic people to endure...

Kazakhstanis were moved by the story of a couple from Karaganda who celebrated a second wedding a decade after their original ceremony. The couple married in 2014, but a technical failure left them without professional photos or video. Only cellphone snapshots taken by friends remained.

A joke that became a promise

After the wedding, the bride jokingly told her husband they should repeat the ceremony in 10 years — and then forgot about it.

«I told my husband he should organize a second wedding for our 10th anniversary, but this time with reliable photographers...

Kazakhstan’s second-ranked player Yulia Putintseva (World No. 94) defeated Turkey’s Zeynep Sönmez (112) in a challenging third-round match at the Australian Open 2026, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3.

Having secured a break in the second game of the first set, Putintseva took a 2-0 lead. However, her opponent, encouraged by the fans, got back into the match — at 1-3, Sönmez managed to break. Putintseva immediately broke back in the next game, regaining the advantage at 4-2.

Later in the set, the Kazakhstani player forced her opponent into frequent errors by skillfully varying the rhythm and shot directions. Converting two break...

Maison Henry Jullien, a luxury eyewear brand, received unexpected global attention after French President Emmanuel Macron was seen wearing one of its sunglasses. After his appearance, interest in the brand rose sharply, with many people looking to buy the same pair, according to the Guardian.

Maison Henry Jullien makes the sunglasses in the Jura region of eastern France, an area known for over a century of eyewear craftsmanship. Founded in 1921, the company is recognized for its traditional hand-assembly methods and small-scale production. In 2023, the Italian group iVision Tech bought the company.

Stefano Fulchir, president of iVision...

A couple in Brazil discovered the truth about their origins after nearly 20 years of living together. Adriana and Leandro anonymously shared their story on a local radio station, revealing a family secret that changed their lives.

A life built together

The pair had lived together for about 19 years and were raising a daughter when they learned they were actually brother and sister. Since childhood, both had searched for their biological mothers, believing they had been abandoned at a young age.

An overlooked coincidence

Adriana said they once found it amusing that their mothers shared...

CCTV cameras in Shymkent captured one of the strangest thefts. Two men attempted to steal… a snowman.

The footage shows them calmly walking past a coffee shop until they are drawn to a snowman standing on a bench. Apparently, considering Shymkent’s nearly snowless winters, the «thieves» thought the find was valuable. One of the men, without thinking twice, decided to take the snow «trophy» home.

However, they didn’t get far with the loot and the situation became even more comical. A waiter noticed the theft and ran after the men. In the midst of this unexpected chase, the men...

Spanish television channel Telemadrid has produced a documentary about Kazakhstan. The latest episode of its long-running Madrileños por el Mundo series is dedicated to the largest country in Central Asia.

Culture, traditions and landscapes

The program highlights Kazakhstan’s culture, music and traditional holidays rooted in the country’s nomadic past, as well as its diverse natural landscapes. Viewers are introduced to customs that continue to shape national identity today.

Life in Astana and Almaty

During filming, the crew visited Astana and Almaty, exploring daily life and the distinct lifestyles of the two cities. The...

Kazakhstan joined the Board of Peace, initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, without paying the $1 billion fee stipulated in the charter as non-mandatory, according to the Akorda press service.

The Executive Office of the President emphasized that joining the board is a sovereign decision of the state, while the fee, under the charter, grants countries the right to extend their membership beyond the three-year term and does not affect membership status.

«Kazakhstan joined the Board of Peace without providing any financial contribution, which is fully consistent with the provisions of the charter,» Akorda said in...

The word «hybrid» is everywhere today, from city crossovers to premium sedans. In 2025, however, electrification took a far more consequential step. The U.S. Army recently unveiled the M1E3 Abrams, a next-generation main battle tank featuring a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, according to HotCars.

Why a hybrid tank makes sense

At first glance, the concept may seem unusual, but the logic mirrors trends in the civilian automotive industry. Hybrid systems are not just about reducing emissions. They also deliver gains in efficiency, torque and operational range — critical advantages in both commercial vehicles and military platforms.

A...

Donald Trump’s claim that Greenland’s entire defense consists of «two dog sleds» is not entirely baseless. Paradoxically, it echoes a real — if largely forgotten — chapter of World War II history, when such a defense was not only symbolic but operational.

As historian Pavel Ershov notes in a recent article published by Novaya Gazeta Europe, Greenland’s strategic importance emerged in the early 1940s, when global powers converged on the North Atlantic. At the time, however, the main threat in the region was neither Russia nor China, but Nazi Germany.

From Viking settlement to Danish rule

The Kazakh Airborne Assault Forces will begin training unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators later this year, according to the Ministry of Defense.

The training will be conducted by instructors with specialized education and practical experience in operating various types of UAVs.

Unmanned aerial system units within the Airborne Assault Forces were formed two years ago. Since then, the service has established a full cycle of drone operations — from assembly and configuration to control testing and the transfer of the devices to troops for their intended use. A workshop for UAV production and repair began operations in December 2025.

Italian luxury fashion house Gucci has announced a partnership with the world’s top-ranked tennis player Aryna Sabalenka. The athlete officially joined Gucci as the brand’s ambassador, according to the fashion house’s social media.

«Welcome to the Gucci family, Aryna,» the caption read.

In her debut video, Sabalenka appears in an unusual look for her — on a tennis court, not in a...

Kazakh models — particularly men — are increasingly appearing on the world’s biggest fashion stages, signaling the country’s growing presence in the global fashion industry.

Paris Fashion Week spotlight

At the ongoing Paris Fashion Week, Louis Vuitton unveiled its Fall/Winter 2026 men’s collection, featuring two models from Kazakhstan.

The fashion house was represented by Erik Ilin and Alzhan Zhandarbeov. For Zhandarbeov, the show marked his debut with Louis Vuitton.

Distinctive runway looks

Ilin walked for the brand for the second time. His look centered on a bold, brightly...

A Turkish man opened his home to dozens of stray cats when severe cold weather hit his city. To save the animals from the bitter cold, he decided to provide the cats in his neighborhood with temporary shelter in his own home.

Footage reportedly filmed in Kahramanmaraş shows more than 20 stray cats huddling in a room with a lit stove. The man filming the video says the animals are also regularly fed.

The cats quickly settled in. Boxes were converted into cozy houses in the room, with warm blankets laid out on the floor. While freezing and stormy weather...

Kazakhstan’s government has approved major investment projects to build four modern pharmaceutical manufacturing plants to expand domestic drug production.

The total investment is estimated at 173 billion tenge (about $340 million). The projects will be implemented by four companies: AltINFARM LLP; Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory JSC; Abdi Ibrahim Global Pharm LLP; and MSP-Romfarm LLP.

International partnerships

Several of the projects involve international partners. AltINFARM is working with China’s Sinopharm, Sinovac, and Kangtai Biological Technology. Abdi Ibrahim Global Pharm’s partner is Nobel İlaç of Turkey, while MSP-Romfarm is partnering with World Medicine of Turkey and Rompharm of...

U.S. immigration authorities detained a five-year-old boy and his father outside their home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. The child, Liam Ramos, had just returned from school with his father when they were taken into custody in their driveway. Both were later transported to a detention center in Texas, the Guardian reported.

According to Marc Prokosch, an attorney representing the family, the father and son have an active asylum case and entered the U.S. legally. He also said there was no deportation order against them and that the father and son have remained together in detention.

In turn, Tricia McLaughlin...

The literary writings of Kazakh poet and philosopher Abai Kunanbaev may be recognized as part of the world’s documentary heritage. Kazakhstan submitted an application to add «The Book of Words» to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, according to Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Aida Balayeva.

She said that the application is under expert review. Balayeva noted that the development is part of Kazakhstan’s efforts to promote its cultural heritage globally under the president’s instruction. Work is underway to prepare nominations for the Zharkent Mosque, the Ascension Cathedral and the petroglyphs of the Karatau...

Amid a sharp rise in Kazatomprom’s share price in early 2026, Kursiv.media calculated the increase in value of Kazatomprom and KazMunayGas shares purchased in 2023 and 2024 using money from Kazakhstan’s National Fund. The analysis shows that the combined unrealized profit has already exceeded 2 trillion tenge (about $4 billion).

The Kazakh government bought shares in both state-owned companies as part of an effort to replenish the national budget using resources from the National Fund.

How the National Fund invests

Assets held by the National Fund are not kept idle but are actively...

Kazakh citizens staying in South Korea without valid work permits may voluntarily leave the country without facing fines or re-entry bans through the end of February 2026, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection said.

The reminder applies to individuals who are currently in South Korea without legal employment status and wish to resolve their immigration situation without penalties.

Agreement reached after negotiations

The ministry said the extension follows negotiations held in 2025 between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and South Korea’s Ministry of Justice. The talks focused on reducing illegal migration and strengthening...

Victor Moses, the English Premier League champion and UEFA Europa League winner, will continue his career at FC Kaysar, a Kyzylorda‑based club in Kazakhstan, AmanVIBE reported.

According to an inside source, the 35‑year‑old Nigerian footballer will sign a one‑year contract with the Kazakhstani club. The official announcement of Moses as a Kaysar player is allegedly scheduled for Jan. 24.

Moses began his career at Crystal Palace, but his peak performance came at Chelsea, where he won the 2016-17 Premier League and the 2018 FA Cup. In 2013, the Nigerian player also won the UEFA Europa League...

British actor Stephen Graham revealed that he lost his Golden Globe just hours after winning it.

The actor won Best Actor in the miniseries «Adolescence» and then flew from Los Angeles to Madrid. However, it later emerged that the suitcase containing the statuette had not made it onto the flight.

«My socks, my pants, my toothbrush… and a Golden Globe,» the actor said, referring to the belongings he thought he had lost.

Fortunately, he did not have to worry for long, as his luggage — including the award — was returned to him two...

A video from snow-covered Astana, one of the coldest capital cities in the world, has gone viral on social media.

The clip, shared in a local online community, shows the roof of the Mega Silk Way shopping mall, where dozens of workers are manually clearing snow using sleds. The footage highlights the scale and coordination of the operation as workers move in synchronized lines across the massive rooftop.