News

The headline Freedom Holding Corp. PMI Business Activity Index fell for a third straight month to 50.8 in September, down from 52.0 in August. The headline figure pointed to only a mild rise in activity and one which was the weakest since March. Nonetheless, expansions have now been noted in each month since the turn of the year.

According to Erlan Abdikarimov, head of the Financial Analysis Department at Freedom Finance Global Plc., in September, growth in business activity and new orders in Kazakhstan’s service sector remained positive, although the pace slowed noticeably compared with previous months.

Taylor Swift has revealed her 12th studio album, «The Life of a Showgirl,» marking another shift in her career. While touring Europe, she collaborated with producers Max Martin and Shellback. According to The Guardian, the album pays tribute to her energetic career and offers a look behind the scenes of her massive Eras Tour.

This reinvention is rooted in a long history: showgirls first appeared in 19th-century cabarets and later became a key part of American entertainment, renowned for their glamour, spectacle and precise dancing. Pop stars like Shania Twain, Kylie Minogue and Lady Gaga have...

Kazakhstani entrepreneur Danna Karagussova will be the first woman from the country to travel to space as a tourist. She has joined the crew of the New Shepard suborbital launch vehicle for its 36th mission, which will be operated by Blue Origin in the near future.

According to the company’s press service, the crew also includes businessman Jeff Elgin, electrical engineer Dr. Clint Kelly III, serial entrepreneur and explorer Aaron Newman, Ukrainian businessman Vitalii Ostrovsky, and a crew member who asked for anonymity until the flight is completed.

«The future of humanity is connected with space»

Kazakhstan marks a milestone this week as its first all-female crew embarks on a historic mission — not into space, but into a ground-based module meticulously engineered to replicate the conditions of real spaceflight.

The 10-day experiment, called SANA-1, places four female researchers in a confined habitat that simulates a spacecraft. While inside, they will rehearse scenarios for future expeditions. They will also undergo medical and psychological tests, practice teamwork and conduct educational experiments.

The crew includes:

Businesses in the Halloween sector are struggling under higher U.S. import tariffs on Chinese goods, with increased costs passed on to retailers and consumers, according to CNN.

Chris Zephro, co-founder of Trick or Treat Studios in Santa Cruz, California, said his company has already paid more than $800,000 in tariffs this year. The company supplies masks, props and costumes to over 10,000 retailers worldwide. It has laid off 15 employees for the first time in its 15-year history. Zephro, also treasurer of the Halloween and Costume Association, noted that about 90% of Halloween items involve materials or production from...

Police revealed the identity of the man who carried out a car-ramming and knife attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on Oct. 2, killing two people during Yom Kippur before being shot dead by officers at the scene.

He was identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian origin, the BBC reported.

Greater Manchester Police declared the assault a «terrorist incident» and said three individuals — two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s — had been arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offences.

Endeavor Air-operated Delta Connection regional jets made contact on a LaGuardia Airport taxiway Wednesday night, according to CNN.

The arriving plane from Charlotte struck the nose of another plane preparing to depart for Roanoke, Virginia, at low speed. Delta reported that the arriving flight carried 57 passengers while the departing one carried 28. All passengers were transported to the terminal after the incident and the airline provided hotel rooms and meals for them.

One flight attendant injured their knee, and another individual was taken to the hospital, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey...

While many in Kazakhstan watched Kairat vs. Real Madrid, swimmer Adilbek Mussin brought national pride, winning his first gold in the 50-meter butterfly at the Asian Swimming Championships in Ahmedabad, India.

Although his achievement was briefly overshadowed by Kairat’s defeat, Mussin’s name is quickly gaining recognition at home and abroad. On social media, fans praise not only his athletic performance but also his physique, with admirers flooding his pages with comments. Sports analysts note that Mussin is emerging as one of Kazakhstan’s rising stars, both in and out of the pool.

Mussin is an international master of...

Samruk-Kazyna, Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, has appointed an artificial intelligence system to its board of directors, giving it voting rights and decision-making authority.

The neural network, known as SKAI (Samruk-Kazyna Artificial Intelligence), was formally introduced on Thursday at the Digital Bridge international forum in Astana, where it was presented to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. According to the company, SKAI is the first independent digital board member in the region.

SKAI will review and analyze the fund’s internal and external documents, along with board decisions dating back to 2008 and other archived materials, to support what the company...

At least two people were killed and three others seriously injured outside a synagogue in Manchester when an attacker drove his car into pedestrians and stabbed a man, CNN reported.

The incident occurred outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Crumpsall during Yom Kippur, the most significant holiday in Judaism, which typically draws large crowds near synagogues. Police officers who happened to be nearby intervened immediately, neutralizing the suspect at the scene.

After the attack, British authorities put police on alert for major armed incidents and placed nearby hospitals on lockdown as a precaution.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Binance Kazakhstan plans to integrate its services into the country’s existing payment infrastructure. The company’s general manager Nurkhat Kushimov told Kursiv.media that users will be able to pay with crypto via QR codes at banking terminals.

«Binance has its own tool, Binance Pay, which works on the same principle as the QR payments familiar to Kazakhstanis. We are ready to integrate into the existing system and cooperate with banks,» Kushimov said.

According to him, the crypto exchange is considering several models for interacting with QR payments, with a single interbank QR code being one of...

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is slated to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee next month, following bipartisan criticism stemming from his recent involvement in the temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s show earlier this year, according to Euronews.

Carr faced criticism after he said that U.S. broadcasters might get more attention from the FCC if they did not take action against Kimmel. This approach made many furious, while Sen. Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee supervising the FCC, called his comments a threat to free speech. Carr, on his part, denied putting any pressure on...

Today, Oct. 2, 2025, people in India and worldwide unite to mark Gandhi Jayanti, the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This significant day, also known as the International Day of Non-Violence, commemorates Gandhi’s enduring legacy and the universal call for peace.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, respectfully referred to as Mahatma (“Great Soul”), was the chief architect of India’s independence movement against British rule. His philosophy of Satyagraha, or nonviolent civil disobedience, has inspired civil rights leaders and movements for freedom worldwide, including Martin Luther King Jr. in the U.S. His life stands as a testament to the...

Conor McGregor, a former champion in two UFC weight classes, says he has reached an agreement with the promotion to host a fight at the White House.

«Done deal, signed, delivered. McGregor will compete in the White House for America’s 250th birthday,» McGregor told Fox News.

In July, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a UFC tournament to be held on the grounds of the White House. The event, inspired by Trump’s idea, is scheduled for July 4, 2026, to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

McGregor almost immediately...

Toyota remained the world’s top-selling car brand from January through August 2025, marking its 10th consecutive year as global market leader, according to Focus2Move, which compiled sales data from 159 countries.

The Japanese automaker’s sales increased by 3.2%, resulting in a 10.8% share of the global market. Volkswagen ranked second with a 5.6% share and a 1.3% increase in sales. Ford came in third, capturing 4.3% of the market despite a 4.6% drop in sales.

Hyundai, the South Korean automaker, followed closely behind. As its sales rose 1% year-on-year, the company moved up from fifth...

According to The Guardian, German historian Jürgen Matthäus, who spent years investigating Nazi crimes during World War II, used AI to shed new light on one of the Holocaust’s most infamous images — a Nazi soldier aiming a pistol at a kneeling man before a pit of corpses.

On July 28, 1941, Nazi forces massacred Jews in Berdychiv, a city with a large Jewish community at the time. When the Red Army retook the area in 1944, only 15 of an estimated 20,000 pre-occupation Jews had survived.

By applying AI facial comparison tools to historical photographs, Matthäus identified...

South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been in custody since July following his second arrest on charges tied to his failed attempt to impose martial law in December, had his request for bail rejected by the Seoul Central District Court on Oct. 2, Yonhap reported.

The ex-president had based his bail application, filed last month, on his right to mount a defense and concerns over his health. However, the court denied the request, citing fears of evidence being destroyed and stating it found no valid grounds to approve bail.

Yoon faces charges of leading a power...

A video featuring Kazakhstani star singer Dimash Qudaibergen, opera legends Plácido Domingo and José Carreras and cellist HAUSER has reached the finals of the prestigious European Lovie Awards.

According to Dimashnews.com, the artists’ collaborative performance of “My Way,” presented at the anniversary edition of the Virtuosos Talent Show, is competing in the «Music Video (Film and Video)» category.

The Lovie Awards are considered the European counterpart to the Webby Awards, recognizing projects in digital art, the internet and related fields. This year, the organizers received 1,200 submissions from 35 countries.

The winner will be determined by audience vote, available...

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg will step down on Friday, handing the crown to his eldest son, Guillaume. Luxembourg, one of Europe’s smallest states, will thus see its first change of monarch in 25 years, ABC News reported

Henri, now 70, is known for his reserved demeanor and tall stature. His education took him across Europe, including studies in France and Switzerland, as well as military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. Guillaume, 43, mirrored much of that path — attending schools in London, Switzerland and France, training at Sandhurst, and later gaining...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has become the first person to surpass a net worth of $500 billion. His wealth briefly hit $500.1 billion Wednesday before edging down to just above $499 billion, according to the BBC.

Musk’s wealth primarily rose from Tesla’s stock gains as he owns over 12% of the company. His other two companies, SpaceX and xAI, also reported increased valuations. On Wednesday, Tesla shares rose 3% in New York trading and are up over 20% this year.

Musk remains the world’s richest person, far ahead of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, whose net worth is about...

A 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the Philippines on Sept. 30 killed 72 people, up from 69 reported Oct. 1, Reuters reported, citing a civil defense agency.

All deaths were recorded in the central Visayas region. A report issued on Oct. 2 by the agency indicates 294 injured.

This was a shallow earthquake, occurring at a depth of about 10 kilometers. Authorities reported nearly 800 aftershocks, including one that reached magnitude 6. Located on the Pacific «Ring of Fire,» the island country is highly susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic activity.

The White House announced that mass furloughs of U.S. federal workers would start within two days amid the government shutdown that began on Oct. 1, triggered by the failure of Democrats and Republicans to agree on a new spending bill, the BBC reported.  

A vote to end the shutdown also failed, hours after it began.

The point of contention is healthcare funding. Democrats are seeking assurances on healthcare funding before agreeing to a spending deal, whereas Republicans prefer a temporary stopgap to keep the government running at current funding levels until mid-November.

Analysts, cited by the media outlet...

AI platforms such as ChatGPT can instantly provide information on illnesses, diets and medications. However, as technology becomes more accessible, rising concerns about misinformation and limited oversight have pushed governments around the world to consider restricting AI from dispensing medical advice. The debate has drawn sharp opinions from physicians, technologists and patients alike, writer Kavitha Yarlagadda noted in a recent commentary.

Risks of self-diagnosis

Reports from Asia highlight a surge in self-medication as people rely on chatbots and AI tools for health advice. This trend is dangerous; some individuals have been hospitalized after following unverified recommendations...

The U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan issued a statement amid the U.S. government shutdown.

«Due to the lapse in appropriations, this account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,» a statement on the embassy’s social media said.

At the same time, scheduled passport and visa transit services will continue during the lapse, as circumstances allow.

By Oct. 1, the U.S. Congress had failed to pass a funding bill, triggering a government shutdown. The operations of several U.S. federal agencies were suspended. Hundreds of...