News

Belgian TikTokers Neal and Senne have pulled off a bold prank in the Louvre. They brought their own image and managed to display it right near the «Mona Lisa» by Leonardo da Vinci. Notably, museum workers couldn’t notice the new «exhibit.»

To pass through the metal detector, the pranksters used a picture frame built of Lego bricks. They set up the whole composition — with the painting initially rolled up — right in the museum. A construction set is not among the items prohibited for entry.

? ??/?? ALERTE INFO : La sécurit...

A global equities index signaled further declines in world markets, while Bitcoin fell below $90,000 for the first time in seven months, according to Bloomberg.

The cryptocurrency’s slide extended a weeks-long downturn that has wiped out its gains for the year and shaken confidence across digital-asset markets.

The pullback is unfolding against a backdrop of growing economic pressures, including renewed worries about interest-rate policy and increasingly stretched valuations in risk-heavy sectors.

Hebe Chen, an analyst with Vantage Markets in Melbourne, said the retreat from speculative assets — ranging from Bitcoin to high-growth tech stocks — reflects investors’ efforts...

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will pay an official visit to Astana on Nov. 20-21 at the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according to the Akorda press service.

During the visit, the two leaders are expected to discuss prospects for further developing bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and Armenia. The agenda includes exploring new opportunities to strengthen existing ties and expand collaboration into additional sectors.

Earlier this year, President Tokayev signed a law ratifying an agreement on migration cooperation with Armenia. The document allows citizens of both countries to enter and stay on each other’s territory...

A two-story home in Algabas, the Turkestan region, caught fire and was destroyed.

The fire erupted as two families — parents and children — occupied the home, causing the roof to collapse. Rescuers carried out three unconscious people. They found the bodies of 12 victims, including nine children, inside.

Local residents reported that guests had visited the house, as the owners hosted an event the day before the fire. Firefighters contained and extinguished the fire within about 360 square meters. Investigators are determining the cause of the tragedy.

Police launched a criminal investigation into fire safety violations.

American actor Tom Cruise has been awarded an Honorary Oscar. Director Alejandro Iñárritu presented the statuette, Reuters reported.

This marks the first such award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 63-year-old Cruise at the Governors Awards. Over more than 40 years in the industry, Cruise has been nominated four times but had never won.

«How does a person summarize the 45-year career of Tom Cruise in a four-minute speech? ‘Mission impossible,’» Reuters quoted Iñárritu as saying.

Accepting the award, the actor shared how cinema had broadened his...

Kazakhstan marked the 28th anniversary of its national currency, the tenge, this year. The National Bank introduced a new series of banknotes designed in a «Saka style.»

Throughout its history, the tenge has undergone multiple redesigns, and some observers argue that these updates are occurring too frequently. In an interview with Zhas Alash newspaper, Khairulla Gabzhalilov, one of the designers of the first tenge banknotes, said he believes the frequent changes serve as a vehicle for theft and the corrupt misuse of public funds.

Early optimism and a declining tenge

When Kazakhstan’s national currency entered circulation on...

Uzbek blogger Saidazim Rizaev gave an unexpected gift to actor Will Smith — a traditional chapan (Central Asian coat) and doppa (skullcap).

During their meeting, Rizaev not only presented the traditional garments but also invited the Hollywood star to visit Uzbekistan and other Central Asian landmarks.

Before handing over the gift, the blogger told Smith how much the actor’s films had inspired him in childhood and expressed hope that Smith would accept the ethnic wear as a sign of friendship and respect.

American astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy has captured a stunning photograph of a skydiver in free fall directly against the blazing sun — an image already dubbed «The Fall of Icarus.»

McCarthy said he took the photo on Nov. 8 after «tremendous planning and technical precision.»

The image shows the silhouette of a man passing across the bright solar disk. McCarthy believes the photograph may be the first of its kind.

The skydiver was identified as YouTuber and musician Gabriel S. Brown, who jumped from a height of about 1,070 meters at a distance of 2.5 kilometers from the camera. McCarthy and...

Following Comic Con in Astana, another pop-culture and cosplay convention was held in Kazakhstan, this time in Almaty. The event, called Almacon, took place on Nov. 16, bringing together fans of anime, comics, video games and related merchandise. As always, the key element and main appeal of any comic con is cosplay — and this year, the festival did not disappoint.

Cosplay enthusiasts from across Kazakhstan attended the event, representing a wide range of ages and skill levels. Some were cosplaying purely for fun, while others competed for the top prize of roughly $500. One of...

A Singapore court has sentenced Australian citizen Johnson Wen to nine days in jail after he rushed toward Ariana Grande at a movie premiere, causing a public disturbance, as reported by the BBC.

The incident occurred during Thursday’s Asia premiere of «Wicked: For Good,» where Wen jumped a barrier, approached Grande and grabbed her shoulders before her co-star Cynthia Erivo and security intervened. A video of the incident spread widely on social media, prompting a public outcry in Singapore.

After being removed by security, Wen attempted to breach the barricades a second time at the premiere but was...

On Monday, a Bangladesh war crimes court sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for ordering a deadly crackdown on student protests in 2024, according to Reuters.

The International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka announced the verdict under tight security while Hasina was not present. She has been in India since leaving Bangladesh in August 2024. According to the court, she was found guilty of crimes against humanity and for ordering lethal force against protesters, receiving a life sentence for the first charge and a death sentence for the second.

Building on the evidence presented...

Kazakh pianist and composer Temirlan Beisenbay, known as Ratovich, delivered an iconic film melody amid Mangystau’s stunning landscapes.

He posted a video of his performance on Instagram, playing the piano against the dramatic backdrop of Bozzhyra in western Kazakhstan’s Mangystau region.

By performing Hans Zimmer’s «Cornfield Chase,» composed in 2015 for Christopher Nolan’s cult film «Interstellar,» Ratovich sought to merge global cinematic art with Kazakhstan’s iconic landscape, celebrating national pride and creative innovation.

On Nov. 17, the Atyrau Specialized Interdistrict Criminal Court found Rizuan Khaiyrzhanov and Altynbek Katimov guilty of the brutal murder of Yana Legkodimova. They will spend the rest of their lives in a maximum-security prison.

According to court documents, the two men intended to kill Legkodimova and had planned the crime together.

«Some may wonder why both of them were sentenced to life imprisonment if Katimov only held the car door while Khaiyrzhanov was the one who committed the murder. But the truth is that they planned the brutal murder together. Katimov was the...

FIFA has established its Peace Prize, a new annual award recognizing outstanding contributions to peace and unity. The first recipient will be honored on Dec. 5 in Washington during the draw for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino will present the award in person.

FIFA’s version of the Nobel Peace Prize

Infantino said in a Nov. 5 release announcing the award that football unites the world and that, on behalf of the global football community, the FIFA Peace Prize would recognize those who bring nations together and inspire hope in future generations.

Speculation surrounds who will...

The 7th Consultative Meeting of Central Asian heads of state convened Saturday in Tashkent, with presidents of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and, for the first time as a full member, Azerbaijan attending, Euronews reported.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined seven proposals aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, including the development of a 2035 regional trade program, creation of a common investment space, coordinated work on major transport corridors such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and the Trans-Afghan route, and the adoption of a regional security concept. He also suggested formalizing the current consultative meetings into a new...

More people in Kazakhstan use Threads than in neighboring countries, according to DataReportal’s 2025 figures.

Meta, the platform’s parent company, reported that by the end of 2025 Threads had 1.85 million users in Kazakhstan — the highest total among former Soviet countries excluding Russia, whose data was not included in the report.

For comparison, Ukraine has 1.75 million users, Uzbekistan 834,000, Kyrgyzstan 538,000 and Belarus 533,000.

Demographic data shows that women in Kazakhstan are more active on Threads, making up 59% of the platform’s users. The trend is similar in Ukraine and Belarus, while in Uzbekistan

The national football teams of Norway and Portugal have joined the list of qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In their latest matches, the Norwegian team defeated Italy 4-1, and Portugal thrashed the Armenia 9-1 in Porto.

Norway’s national team statistics in the qualifiers are impressive. Eight victories in eight matches with a goal difference of 37:5, with 43% of the goals (16) scored by Erling Haaland. In Italy, at San Siro Stadium, the 25-year-old Manchester City forward scored a brace.

Inter Milan’s Pio Esposito opened the scoring in the 11th minute. In the 63rd...

Sony Pictures has reportedly acquired the screen rights to the Labubu brand and plans to develop it into a full-length film — and, if it’s successful, launch an entire franchise.

It remains unclear whether the film will be animated or live-action. The project is in its early stages, and producers and a director have not yet been named. However, it’s already clear that Sony hopes to replicate the success of «The Lego Movie» and «Barbie» by adapting another popular toy brand for the big screen.

Labubu was created by Chinese artist Kasing Lung. The toys surged in...

One of the notable outcomes of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s recent state visit to Moscow was the signing of an agreement under which Russia will transfer four Amur tigers to Kazakhstan — two males and two females. Why does Kazakhstan need Russian tigers?

The plan to reintroduce tigers to the country has both scientific and historical foundations. Researchers claim that the Amur (Siberian) tiger is the closest living relative of the extinct Turan tiger.

Panthera tigris virgata

The Turan tiger (Panthera tigris virgata), also known as the Caspian tiger, was the apex predator of Central Asia’s...

According to Freedom Holding Corp. CEO Timur Turlov, digital assets have already become a regular part of the market. For this reason, he says, regulation must be transparent and unified, allowing clients to use them safely and intuitively.

Speaking at the Congress of Financiers of Kazakhstan, the businessman noted that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission held a similar stance during the early stages of the crypto market’s development.

«We are neither for nor against digital assets. Digital assets seem to be just another type of asset among many others,» Turlov said, referring to the U.S...

Jackpot seekers in the U.S. have increasingly been turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for advice in hopes of winning, and in some cases, it has paid off.

For example, Tammy Carvey, 45, from Michigan, asked ChatGPT to generate a set of numbers for the Powerball lottery. She played them and won $100,000.

Later, retiree Carrie Edwards in Virginia had a similar experience. She also asked ChatGPT for numbers, which ultimately brought her a $150,000 win.

Before these cases, three university students in Lecce, Italy, developed their own AI-based algorithm. Their program analyzed previous winning numbers, earning...

«Secchu Bijin Zu,» also known as «Beauty in the Snow,» a painting by legendary 19th-century Japanese ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai, best known for «The Great Wave off Kanagawa,» was sold at auction for 621 million yen (roughly $4 million), marking a record price for a single work by the artist, The Asahi Shimbun reported.

The nearly one-meter-tall canvas, which depicts a courtesan standing in falling snow and holding an umbrella, went under the hammer on Nov. 8 at an auction in Tokyo. The Sapporo-based furniture retailer Nitori Co. placed the winning bid...

New research reveals that today’s diverse dog shapes and sizes originated at least 11,000 years ago — well before modern breeding practices emerged. Scientists reached this conclusion after analyzing 643 skulls from ancient domesticated dogs and wolves, some of which were as old as 50,000 years. They discovered that dogs’ diversity emerged shortly after dogs split from wolves, according to Reuters.

The findings challenge the long-held belief that significant physical differences in dogs emerged primarily in the past few centuries, coinciding with the rise of formal breeds. However, according to study co-lead author Allowen Evin, substantial...

A photo exhibition has opened in Astana to mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. The exhibition features 80 historical photographs highlighting key moments in the UN’s work, many of which have never been published or widely seen before.

Among the images are photographs of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, former President Nursultan Nazarbayev and People’s Artist of Kazakhstan Dimash Qudaibergen.

One photo (below), taken in September 1948, shows the start of construction on the permanent UN headquarters in New York. Acting Secretary-General Benjamin Cohen attended the ceremony and officially launched the project.