News

World No. 2 Elena Rybakina suffered an upset loss to Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva in the second round of the French Open (No. 55), 6-3, 1-6, 6-7 (4-10).

The players had never faced each other before. Rybakina broke early to for a 2-0 lead and secured another break for 5-1. After that, the Kazakhstani player made several unforced errors, allowing Starodubtseva to win two consecutive games and break back. Serving for the set again at 5-3, Rybakina fell behind 15-40 but managed to take the set 6-3.

In the second set, Rybakina struggled badly. A high number...

Starting in 2027, Kazakhstan plans to gradually introduce a new standardized university entrance exam to replace the current Unified National Testing (UNT). At the same time, the existing test will be retained until most graduates switch to the new format. Against this background, journalists asked Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek what types of tasks and assessment methods the new exam will include.

What is known about the new test

The Minister said the test will be called the Admissions Insight Test (AIT). Its key feature will be that it assesses not...

In a tough opening match at the French Open in Paris, Kazakhstan’s top-ranked player Alexander Bublik (World No. 10) lost to German Jan-Lennard Struff (No. 80) 5-7, 7-6(8-6), 4-6, 5-7.

The current tournament was special for Bublik. He has never previously needed to defend ranking points from a Grand Slam quarterfinal run. His breakthrough performance last year at the French Open has now turned into a ranking burden: since he has not repeated that result, he will likely fall out of the top 10.

Bublik struggled throughout the clay-court season, and the draw did not favor...

The PPF Group, owned by Renáta Kellnerová, the richest woman in the Czech Republic, and her daughters, sold Home Credit Bank Kazakhstan and IT company HomeITTech for €436 million. However, in its 2025 financial statement, the group reported losses related to the transaction, according to the «Manual Economy» Telegram channel.

«Renata Kellnerova’s PPF Group received €436 million for two Kazakh assets: the red-and-white bank and HomeITTech. This amounts to approximately 257 billion tenge at the average euro exchange rate for 2025. This is close to ForteBank’s reported figure of 273.8 billion tenge, although the difference may...

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek spoke about the development of a Kazakh-developed cancer drug. He said the drug is still undergoing trials.

«We plan to register the drug before the end of the year. I think we will hold a separate briefing in September following the completion of clinical trials at oncology centers in Karaganda, Almaty and Astana. I had expected we would do it earlier, but the clinical trials are still ongoing. As soon as they are completed, we will apply for registration,» the minister said at...

On May 25, Italian luxury sports car manufacturer Ferrari unveiled its first fully electric car — the Ferrari Luce.

The model features five seats and four doors, marking the first time the manufacturer has created this composition. Ferrari noted that it was made possible by the absence of a front-mid engine and a rear-mounted transmission setup, which had previously prevented a fifth seat, as the drivetrain occupied the space where that seat would otherwise go.

The Luce (“light” in Italian) was designed in collaboration with the LoveFrom collective to achieve a cohesive design connecting the exterior...

The European Commission has introduced a new rail reform package to simplify cross-border train travel across the EU. Known as the «one journey, one ticket» initiative, the proposal would allow passengers to book multi-leg rail journeys involving different operators through a single ticketing system, Euronews reported.

The legislation responds to longstanding complaints about Europe’s fragmented rail booking system, as many passengers struggle to combine train journeys across multiple operators.

Under the proposed rules, rail operators would be required to share ticketing data with third-party platforms, enabling passengers to compare and purchase journeys in one place. The package would...

Construction has begun on a copper backed by Chinese investment in Aktobe.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Eurasian Integrated Green Copper Plant, which will produce copper rod and cable products, took place in the Aktobe Special Economic Zone.

The project is being carried out with support from the Aktobe region administration and Kazakh Invest. The investors are China’s Beijing Jinyi Yuanfang Holding Group and Kazakhstani Phoenix Industrial Group.

Representatives of government agencies, businesses, international organizations and Chinese industrial companies attended the event, including Abzal Abdikarimov, deputy governor of the Aktobe region, Kazakh Invest Chairman Sultangali Kinzhakulov

Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, which owns a 67.5% stake in Starbucks Korea, issued a second public apology after Starbucks Korea faced backlash over a marketing campaign that many believed mocked victims of South Korea’s pro-democracy movement in the 1980s, The Associated Press reported.

The South Korean retail tycoon bowed three times during a televised statement and asked for forgiveness from the public and the families of democracy activists killed during the country’s former military dictatorship. He also asked people not to direct their frustration toward Starbucks store employees, saying management was responsible.

The controversy began after...

Kazakhstani businesses generally remain confident in their long-term resilience, with 62% of executives saying their companies are sustainable over the long term. The figure was nearly unchanged from last year, according to PwC Kazakhstan’s 14th annual CEO Survey 2026.

That confidence, the survey noted, is driven by market diversification, strong industry positions, accumulated experience and the ability to adapt to changing conditions.

At the same time, executives said external factors are playing a growing role in business sustainability. The importance of regulation has increased significantly: while 29% of respondents cited legislative changes as a major factor a year...

Leading Kazakhstani nonalcoholic beverage producer RG Brands reported a net loss of 1.97 billion tenge (about $3.9 million) in the first quarter of 2026, up 70% from the same period a year earlier.

Revenue for the quarter declined 39% to 24 billion tenge ($48 million). The company said the downturn was primarily driven by weaker performance in its franchise business, while sales of its own brands remained stable. Results were also affected by broader economic conditions, weakening demand and cautious consumer spending across key markets.

Impact of PepsiCo partnership termination

The decline in the franchise segment appears to be linked...

A video showing a man in Muslim attire, appearing to be an imam, performing an acrobatic somersault inside a mosque is being widely shared on social media. It has garnered thousands of views and sparked heated debate among users.

Who appears in the video

The video features Kyrgyz blogger Mirjan Maratov. He frequently posts religious content on his Instagram page. It remains unclear whether he is an officially recognized cleric.

Almaty residents are sharing photos of Big Almaty Peak taken from the city, as high cloud cover partially obscured the mountains. However, one of the peaks remained visible and was illuminated by afternoon sunlight. Combined with the surrounding clouds, the scene appeared almost fairytale-like. A post with the view has gone viral on Threads, receiving more than 42,000 likes.

A new class of tech entrepreneurs is treating massive artificial intelligence invoices as a badge of honor, a trend dubbed «tokenmaxxing.» Rather than minimizing overhead, these leaders view six-figure monthly bills for AI compute as a primary indicator of growth and innovative scaling, 404 Media reported.

Scaling with intelligence

The report notes that many startups are now reallocating their “headcount budget” to pay for AI tokens instead of human salaries. Amos Bar-Joseph, CEO of Swan AI, recently publicized a $113,000 monthly bill for AI usage, asserting that his four-person team is prioritizing intelligence over expanding...

Kazakhstani top-ranked tennis player Elena Rybakina (World No. 2) successfully began her Grand Slam campaign in Paris after a quarterfinal loss in Rome. In the first round, she defeated Slovenian Veronika Erjavec (No. 84) 6-2, 6-2.

This was the first meeting between the two players. Analysts’ expectations that the balance of experience and level was too uneven were fully confirmed. Rybakina made 27 unforced errors and hit only two aces, but it was still enough to secure her first victory in the Paris heat.

In the first set, which lasted 35 minutes...

Spain’s national team manager Luis de la Fuente announced the squad for the 2026 World Cup, which is set to take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The squad includes 26 footballers. Notably, no Real Madrid players feature. The majority of players are from FC Barcelona, with eight Catalan club players receiving a call-up for the tournament.

Aigul Yerzhanova, a 55-year-old teacher from Astana, set a world record by pulling a 13.5-ton bus. The event took place at Bus Depot No. 1 in the presence of journalists, company employees and representatives of the International Records Organization.

Yerzhanova works as an elementary school teacher in Astana. Despite her age, she remains passionate about powerlifting and has repeatedly drawn attention for her athletic achievements.

During the attempt, she single-handedly moved a city bus and pulled it more than 10 meters. Representatives of Global Best of Records (GBR) later confirmed the final distance as 14 meters. The feat took...

A controversial new sporting event known as the Enhanced Games opened in Las Vegas on Sunday, featuring athletes competing while using performance-enhancing drugs banned in traditional elite sports, according to the BBC.

Founded in 2023 by entrepreneurs Aron D’Souza and Maximilian Martin, the competition includes track, swimming and weightlifting events. Organizers say the Games are designed to push the limits of human performance while allowing athletes to openly use substances such as testosterone and human growth hormone, provided they are legal and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Despite the controversy, the event has attracted high-profile...

Global electric car sales are anticipated to reach 23 million vehicles in 2026, accounting for almost 30% of total sales, according to the latest Global EV Outlook report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

In 2025, electric vehicle sales rose by 20% and exceeded 20 million units for the first time. As a result, one in every four new cars sold worldwide was electric. In more than 40 countries, electric vehicles accounted for over 10% of new car sales.

China maintains its lead in the EV market

China held its position as the largest EV...

Around 20 people were injured on Monday after a man sprayed an unidentified substance near an ATM inside a luxury shopping complex in Tokyo’s Ginza district, according to The Guardian.

Police said the incident occurred on the mall’s ground floor, while fire officials reported that emergency crews responded after receiving reports of a strong smell inside the building.

Firefighters and officials wearing protective gear were seen assisting people from the building, and several individuals were taken away for medical checks. Two people were transported by ambulance, according to local media, although authorities said the injuries appeared to be minor...

A replica of the Eiffel Tower, roughly 30 to 40 meters tall, has been erected in the village of Zhalpaktal in the West Kazakhstan region. The landmark was gifted by the 2006 graduating class of the local school.

Photos and videos of the tower quickly spread across social media. In the comments section, users called it a «new landmark» and jokingly noted that there is now no need to travel to Paris to experience a French atmosphere. Many also point out that the tower looks especially striking in the evenings when it is illuminated.

Japanese retail pioneer Toshifumi Suzuki, the businessman credited with transforming 7-Eleven Japan into a global convenience-store powerhouse, has died at 93, The Associated Press reported.

In 1973, Suzuki helped launch 7-Eleven’s Japanese operations through a franchise partnership with the American convenience-store brand. Japan’s first 7-Eleven store opened the following year, introducing a retail concept that would eventually become a defining part of daily life across the country.

Suzuki became chief executive of 7-Eleven Japan in 1978 and was widely regarded as a key figure in modernizing Japanese retail. Under Suzuki’s leadership, 7-Eleven Japan expanded rapidly by offering more...

Malaysia has officially recognized Kazakhstan’s Unified National Testing (UNT) results, a standardized university entrance exam taken by secondary school graduates. The country’s Ministry of Higher Education has added the UNT to its list of documents accepted for admission to undergraduate programs.

This allows Kazakhstani students to enroll in several Malaysian universities without having to complete a mandatory Foundation program. However, applicants for programs taught in English will still be required to demonstrate English proficiency through IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent certificates.

Kazakhstan’s National Testing Center emphasized that each Malaysian university independently determines its minimum UNT score requirements...

Building a fourth large oil refinery in Kazakhstan with an annual processing capacity of 10 million tons could cost as much as $15 billion, including infrastructure expenses, according to Nurlan Zhumagulov, author of the Telegram channel Energy Monitor.

Zhumagulov said the estimated price tag is comparable to the cost of constructing a nuclear power plant.

Raw material supply seen as key challenge

According to the analyst, the main issue facing the project is securing a reliable crude oil supply base for the future refinery.

«Given the government’s policy of...