News

One unexpected angle in the recent backlash against actor Timothée Chalamet surfaced in a post on the social media platform Threads. The user noted that Chalamet’s comments about opera and ballet bear an unusual resemblance to the views once expressed by the late President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov, known for his eccentric reforms.

Read also: Dimash, Ronaldo, and Chalamet battle for 2026’s top handsome title.

In 2001, Niyazov — who styled himself Turkmenbashi, or «leader of all Turkmens» — abolished the country’s opera and ballet...

Air taxis from Alatau — Kazakhstan’s flagship future city — are expected to fly to Almaty and other cities in the Almaty region. Aircraft testing is expected to begin this year, according to the Almaty region akimat, the local executive authority.

Read also: Kazakhstan to launch the region’s first dedicated crypto city.

The akimat said the private company Alatau Advance Air Group has been selected as the air mobility operator in Alatau.

The company is working with partners from the U.S., South Korea, China and Italy on aircraft research and testing...

French-American AI researcher Yann LeCun has secured approximately $1.03 billion in funding for a new artificial intelligence startup called Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI), which will operate from Paris, New York, Montreal and Singapore, Euronews reported.

According to LeCun, the company will focus on developing AI systems designed to better understand and interact with the real world. The startup plans to build so-called «world models,» training AI using real-world data from sensors and cameras.

AMI believes such systems could improve safety and control in technologies where reliability is critical. Potential applications include robotics, automation, wearable devices and healthcare technologies.

The...

ChatGPT now offers a feature that identifies music playing nearby using Shazam, letting users discover a song’s title directly in conversation with the chatbot.

If music is playing nearby — for instance, in a café, shop or outdoors — ChatGPT can simply be asked to identify the track. The chatbot listens and respond with the artist and song title, and it may also provide additional information such as the album title and release date.

The feature works across devices that support ChatGPT. At the same time, installing the standalone Shazam app is not required.

To enable...

Arnold Schwarzenegger, an Austrian-born American actor, bodybuilder and former governor of California, is considering a return to the “Conan the Barbarian,” “Predator” and “Commando” franchises. All three films are widely regarded as iconic and helped establish his career in Hollywood, Euronews reported.

Speaking at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Schwarzenegger said that discussions with studios are currently underway. According to the actor, studios have shown renewed interest in revisiting the popular action series.

Given Schwarzenegger’s age — he is now 78 — any potential projects are expected to be written to reflect this stage of his life. A...

North Korea and China resume passenger train service on the route, connecting the countries’ capitals, Pyongyang and Beijing. The service had been halted for six years amid border restrictions during the COVID‑19 pandemic hiatus and is expected to kick off this week, Reuters reported, citing South Korea’s Unification Ministry.

Furthermore, the route is expected to resume service starting March 12 and run four days a week, according to China’s rail operator, which told South Korean Yonhap News Agency.

Reportedly, the last two cars of the rolling stock will be reserved for diplomats...

A high school teacher in Georgia died after being accidentally struck by a car during a student prank outside his home, the BBC reported.

Jason Hughes, 40, went outside when several students came to his house to pull a toilet-paper prank, a tradition sometimes used as a practical joke. According to investigators, Hughes slipped on the wet ground after rain while trying to surprise them. As the students attempted to leave in two vehicles, one of the cars ran over him.

Hughes was taken to a hospital by emergency responders but later died from his injuries. The driver, identified...

Kazakhstani figure skater Mikhail Shaidorov may receive another award following the Winter Olympics — the athlete’s costume was shortlisted among the best.

Shaidorov is among 16 candidates in the «Best Costume» category, which includes single skaters, pairs and ice dance duos. The Kazakhstani athlete is on the list for the costume featured in the free skate program of the 2025/26 season.

The ISU Figure Skating Awards also recognize «Most Entertaining Program» among 16 candidates, as well as «Best Choreographer» and «Best Coach,» with eight candidates in each category.

Public voting started on March 9 and is open until March...

Freedom Holding Corp. is acquiring a 99.32% stake in Turkish Bank A.Ş. from Özyol Holding and the National Bank of Kuwait. The deal still has to be approved by Turkish regulators.

Deal details and development plans

The core of the deal is Turkish Bank A.Ş., which has operated in Turkey since 1982. Other subsidiaries of TurkishBank Group, the bank’s parent company, located in the U.K. and Cyprus, are not part of the transaction.

The acquisition of the bank will be a logical continuation of the infrastructure the holding has been developing in the region. In addition, Freedom operates another...

Spanish media have reported on an unusual project by fans of the world-renowned Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen. Kursiv LifeStyle explains why they decorated a Spanish village to resemble a Kazakh aul.

According to the Spanish outlet La Voz de Galicia, the fans are filming a video they plan to present to the artist as a birthday gift.

Around 25 people from different regions of Spain and other countries gathered in Oia municipality and the Val Miñor Valley in Galicia to shoot a congratulatory video for Dimash.

The filming took place at the Moreiras farm, where scenes...

Authorities in the Philippines are considering introducing a four-day workweek as part of efforts to reduce fuel consumption, according to a report by The Guardian.

Read also: The 4-day week is a global hit — so why aren’t Kazakh employers buying in?

The proposal comes as global fuel prices rise amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Government seeks to cut energy use

The government is exploring several measures aimed at conserving energy. Public institutions have already been instructed to reduce fuel consumption by at least 10%.

To mark International Women’s Day, the website of Guinness World Records published a collection of stories about women who set remarkable records — and in some cases outperformed men.

Cycling around the world

British cyclists Rachael Marsden and Catherine Dixon traveled around the globe on a tandem bicycle named «Alice,» completing the journey in 263 days. Their time was faster than the men’s previous record of 281 days.

Read also: From London with love: A Briton with Kazakh roots cycles across continents to visit ancestral homeland.

During the trip, the...

Caitlin Kalinowski, head of robotics and consumer hardware at OpenAI, has announced her resignation, citing concerns about the company’s negotiations with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Read also: Democrats are using AI more than Republicans at work—here’s why.

Kalinowski said she was dissatisfied with how quickly the agreement was reached and argued that the decision lacked broader public discussion and clearly defined rules governing the use of artificial intelligence.

Concerns about oversight and autonomous weapons

In a post on X, Kalinowski said artificial intelligence plays a...

Tuimegul Temirbayeva, a resident of the Ulytau region, has celebrated her 116th birthday this year and is believed to be the oldest person in Kazakhstan, according to the TV channel 24KZ.

Read also: Meet Constitution: The unusual Kazakh names reflecting a nation in transition.

The centenarian marked her birthday in January. She says the secret to her longevity is simple: hard work and love for family.

A life devoted to family

Temirbayeva spent most of her life caring for her family. Together with her husband, Ayazbai Temirbayev, she raised their...

Russia’s space agency published images of unusual «cosmic flowers» on its Telegram channel to mark International Women’s Day.

The photographs, captured by astrophotographers, show massive nebulae located thousands of light-years from Earth. One of the images features the Tulip Nebula, a glowing cloud of hydrogen gas in the Cygnus constellation.

Stellar nurseries shaped by radiation

According to the authors of the post, these cosmic formations resemble flowers because of their shape and color. Radiation from hot, young stars excites surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to emit bright pink light.

Scientists note that although the structures...

Russia has been supplying Iran with intelligence that could help target U.S. forces in the Middle East, according to officials familiar with the matter cited by The Washington Post.

The information reportedly includes the locations of American warships and aircraft operating across the region.

If confirmed, the assistance would mark the first known instance of another major U.S. rival becoming involved, even indirectly, in the ongoing conflict.

Read also: Ready for anything: Analyst breaks down Iran’s survival strategy in 2026.

The scale and consistency of Russia’s assistance remain unclear...

Kazakhstan’s national mining company Tau-Ken Samruk — a subsidiary of the sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna — is set to develop deposits of rare and rare-earth metals in Rwanda jointly with the country’s Ngali Holdings, Samruk-Kazyna reported.

«Nurlan Zhakupov, the head of the fund, met with the management of the Rwanda Development Board, the Rwanda Mining Board and Ngali Holdings in Kigali (Rwanda)… Following the meeting, Tau-Ken Samruk JSC and Ngali Holdings signed the Term Sheet. The document provides for joint development of deposits of rare and rare-earth metals in Rwanda,» the fund said in a statement.

The doll art exhibition titled «From East to West» opened March 4 at the National Central Museum of Kazakhstan.

The exhibition features 140 works by 21 artisans from cities across Kazakhstan. According to organizers, each doll in the collection is unique. Even when a particular design becomes popular, artisans do not produce replicas for sale.

Read also: Stitches of the steppe: The forgotten art of traditional Kazakh dolls.

Exhibition organizer Tatyana Fisenko said she has been involved in the craft for nine years.

Prices reflect time and craftsmanship

Prices for...

World-renowned Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen and actress Samal Yeslyamova received awards from the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Information reported.

The awarding ceremony took place in Astana. Qudaibergen was recognized for his contribution to the development of Turkic culture. The artist received the Order of Cultural Ambassador of the Turkic World — the organization’s highest award.

Actress and Honored Worker of Kazakhstan Samal Yeslyamova, was honored with the organization’s special prize in the «Best Artist of the Turkic World» category for her contribution to the development of Turkic and global cinema.

TURKSOY Secretary General...

The U.S. granted India temporary permission to acquire Russian oil that is already aboard tankers at sea, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated.

He announced that the Treasury Department provided a 30-day exemption for Indian refineries.

«To enable oil to continue flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil. This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, as it only authorizes transactions involving oil already stranded at sea,» Bessent wrote on X.

According to the official...

For the first time since the military conflict in the Middle East began, Iran has launched a drone attack on Azerbaijani territory. The incident left civilians injured, while Tehran has not yet commented on the strike.

According to reports from Deutsche Welle, two Shahed-136 drones crashed near the airport in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran, and near a school in the village of Shakarabad.

Read also: Ghost drones: Unexplained crashes in Kazakhstan’s west prompt urgent safety tips.

Two civilians were injured in the strikes, and...

Kazakhstani flagship carrier Air Astana announced an extension of cancellation of scheduled flights to Dubai, Jeddah, Medina and Doha up to March 10 inclusive. The ticket sales for these routes are suspended until March 17.

«Passengers may rebook their tickets free of charge until April 30 inclusive, or request a refund until March 11 inclusive,» the company said in a statement.

According to the Foreign Ministry, more than 9,000 Kazakh citizens remain in Middle Eastern countries affected by the conflict involving Iran, the U.S. and Israel

On March 4, the committee...

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) property sector is facing new uncertainty after Iranian missile strikes hit airports, ports and residential areas in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, raising investor concerns and testing the region’s reputation as a safe haven for global capital, Reuters reported.

Shares of major developers fell on Wednesday following the attacks. Aldar Properties and Emaar Properties both dropped about 5%, while bond prices of several large developers also declined. Bond markets, a key funding source for the sector, have largely closed to new issuance amid rising borrowing costs.

The UAE property market has experienced a strong...

A Kazakhstani vehicle registration plate was spotted at the «end of the world» — the world’s southernmost city of Ushuaia, Argentina.

A tourist from Almaty shared on Threads that she arrived in the city and noticed a familiar vehicle registration plate on the wall of a local shop. The plate was issued in Kazakhstan, precisely the Abai region (18th region).

Ushuaia is considered the world’s southernmost city and is a point of departure for expeditions to Antarctica, located around 1,000 kilometers from the continent. The city lies roughly 17,800 kilometers from Kazakhstan, thus the find surprised...