News

Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey has registered eight images of himself smiling, staring and talking with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

According to The Wall Street Journal, among the trademarks are short videos featuring McConaughey, pictures of his facial expressions and gestures, and the iconic phrase «Alright, alright, alright» from the movie «Dazed and Confused.» The actor’s lawyers said this was done to prevent his voice and pictures from being used to create deepfakes.

Given that there were no reports of McConaughey being a victim of AI abuse, the trademarks are largely a preventive measure amid the growing number...

On Jan. 14, the U.S. Department of State announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries. The move was attributed to enhanced security and background screening requirements, a reassessment of eligibility criteria.

The suspension applies to immigrant visas, which grant permanent residence, and does not automatically extend to temporary or nonimmigrant visas.

Affected countries

Nurasyl Abdrazakuly, a Kazakh data scientist and a frequent collaborator on our infographics, has mapped the 75 countries where U.S. immigrant visa processing has been suspended.

The visualization highlights the broad geographic scope of the decision and the...

Kazakhstan’s second-ranked tennis player Alexander Shevchenko (World No. 104) was eliminated in the quarterfinal against France’s Ugo Humbert (36) at the ATP-250 Adelaide International 2026 tournament with 0-6, 3-6.

Before today, Jan. 15, Shevchenko trailed Humbert 0-2 in their head-to-head. However, every one of those matches was fiercely contested. For example, at the start of Wimbledon 2024, the two athletes played five sets: 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (3-7), 6-1.

The match in Adelaide began poorly for Shevchenko. Humbert won nine consecutive games and the Kazakhstani struggled throughout. After losing the first set 0-6 and falling...

A large business complex, Iconic Towers, will be built in the city of Alatau, with total investment exceeding $800 million. The architectural concept for the project is being developed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), an American firm known for its iconic skyscrapers worldwide.

Due to the high importance of the project, which is one of the key initiatives designed to promote Alatau as an investment, technology and business hub, the site was visited by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov during his business trip to the Almaty region.

Kazakhstan signed the agreement to build Iconic Towers in September 2025, during...

In China, the production of plush horse toys timed for the Chinese Year of the Horse has started; however, the stuffed horses were supposed to look cheerful, yet a mistake at a factory in the city of Yiwu made the toys look sad by stitching their mouths upside down.

The stuffed horse with a sad face went viral in China. According to Xinhua, the factory now produces up to 15,000 sad plush horse toys dubbed «Cry-Cry Horse» and struggles to meet customer demand.

A customer noticed the irregularity in a toy she bought and posted its...

When gasoline prices rise and electric vehicles remain out of reach, some drivers look for unconventional solutions. In Brazil, one family found an extreme alternative: burning firewood.

A 1952 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe has been running on wood instead of gasoline for nearly half a century, according to automotive outlet Autogeek.

Nearly 50 years without gasoline

In 1977, Arnold Schmidt and his son, Elemer, decided to experiment by converting the classic sedan to run on wood fuel. Six months later, the car was back on the road — powered by logs rather than liquid fuel.

The pair installed a...

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has extended until Feb. 28 a license allowing negotiations for the sale of Lukoil International GmbH, the entity that owns Russian oil giant Lukoil’s foreign assets. The extension was reported by Interfax.

Any deal, however, must comply with U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, according to the terms of the license.

Use of blocked accounts permitted

Under the license, blocked accounts belonging to Lukoil’s foreign entities may be used for authorized transactions. These transactions must be incidental and necessary to maintaining or terminating the activities, contracts or other...

Sting, the British composer and singer, has paid his former Police bandmates Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland more than $800,000 after acknowledging an underpayment of royalties, the BBC reported.

Summers and Copeland sued Sting and his publishing company in September 2025, saying they are owed between $2 million and $10.75 million in unpaid royalties for songs such as «Roxanne» and «Every Breath You Take.» They based their claims on a written agreement to share a percentage of publishing income, usually 15%, as an «arrangers’ fee,» which recognized their contributions to songs even when they did not receive writing...

The next opponent for Kazakhstani UFC second-ranked welterweight fighter Shavkat Rakhmonov should be Ecuador’s Michael Morales (No. 4), according to the Sportsnet analyst Aaron Bronsteter.

«This fight between two top-five welterweights should have everyone salivating. Two huge 170-pounders with identical 19-0 professional records in what would certainly be a title eliminator is about as good as it gets. It is yet to be determined who will face reigning champion Islam Makhachev next, but I would not be surprised if it is either Ian Machado Garry or Kamaru Usman...

The Kazakh government has announced the start of a new phase of mineral exploration, committing 240 billion tenge, about $500 million, over the next three years to geological research.

For comparison, that figure exceeds total investment in the sector over the past 15 years, which amounted to $469 million, according to the government’s press office.

Modernizing geological mapping

A central goal of the initiative is to move away from outdated Soviet-era geological maps. Until now, mapping was conducted at a scale of 1:200,000. Under the new program, surveys will be carried out at a more detailed scale of 1:50,000.

As U.S. leaders continue to refuse to rule out annexing Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, several European NATO countries are sending small groups of troops to the Arctic region for joint military exercises with Denmark, CNN reported.

The kingdom, which is responsible for Greenland’s defense and foreign affairs, said it is increasing its military presence on the island «in close cooperation with NATO allies.» Officials in Copenhagen warned that any military attack on Greenland would effectively end NATO, since Greenland is part of the alliance through Denmark.

Germany, Sweden, France and Norway have confirmed they...

The draw for the Australian Open 2026 — the first Grand Slam tournament of the calendar year — took place in Melbourne. In the first round, Elena Rybakina (World No. 5) will face Slovenian Kaja Juvan (97), and Alexander Bublik (10) will challenge American Jenson Brooksby (48).

Kazakhstani player Zarina Diyas (285), who earned a wild card by winning the AO Asia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff, will meet Spain’s Paula Badosa (26). Yulia Putintseva (105) will play Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia (59). Alexander Shevchenko (104), who is continuing his...

The Pentagon’s so-called «pizza index» has reportedly surged by as much as 1,000% in recent days, prompting renewed speculation online. Pizzerias near the Defense Department were said to be operating at full capacity, taking back-to-back orders late into the night.

What is the ‘pizza index’?

The «pizza index» is an unofficial and tongue-in-cheek indicator that has circulated for decades among journalists, analysts and military watchers. The theory holds that a sharp increase in food orders from pizzerias and restaurants near the Pentagon often coincides with extended, closed-door meetings by senior military leaders.

According to the lore, these...

Russian stand-up comedian Viktor Kopanitsa, who now lives and works in Kazakhstan, recently shared a story about an almost-fight with UFC welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov.

A favor for a friend

Speaking on a recent episode of the Setaptar YouTube show, Kopanitsa recounted that the incident occurred after his friend Vyacheslav invited him to film his gym training session.

While at the gym, Kopanitsa said a tall man approached him and casually asked where he was from. When Kopanitsa replied that he was Russian, the man followed up with an unexpected question: «You wanna fight?»

A joke he didn’t...

Kazakhstan is negotiating the export of its vehicles to EU countries, Vice Minister of Industry and Construction Olzhas Saparbekov told journalists on the sidelines of the Mazhilis, the country’s lower house of parliament.

The official declined to name the country with which the deliveries are being discussed.

«There is competition, and there are other countries that are equally interested in exports and can outbid our offer,» Saparbekov said.

He added that the outcome of the negotiations is expected to be known later this year.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop including health benefits in its assessment of new environmental regulations, focusing instead on costs to businesses, according to Jalopnik.

In the past, the EPA’s cost-benefit analyses weighed both the economic costs of compliance for industry and the monetary value of health benefits, such as reduced asthma treatment, fewer respiratory illnesses and lives saved. That approach helped justify air-quality protections by showing that overall societal benefits often outweighed industry costs.

Trump: "We're canceling the EPA's absurd tailpipe emissions standard, one of the worst ever"

[image or embed]

...

Actor Elijah Wood has weighed in on speculation that Frodo Baggins could appear in the upcoming film «The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.»

McKellen’s comments spark speculation

The rumors gained momentum after Ian McKellen, who has officially confirmed his return as Gandalf, made remarks at a fan event suggesting that characters named Frodo and Gandalf would be part of the film. McKellen declined to provide further details.

Following those comments, reporters asked Wood about the possibility of his involvement during a public appearance in New Orleans.

The wizard is to be...

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi played a short duet of popular K-pop songs during Lee’s official visit to Japan, ending his trip on a lively note. Both leaders wore matching jackets and performed on stage. Japanese officials said the idea stemmed from Takaichi’s past as a drummer, the BBC reported.

Takaichi later shared on X that the performance was planned after Lee said last year that he wanted to play the drums. During a visit to Nara, her hometown, Lee presented her with a drum set, and the two leaders exchanged signed...

Eduard Bazrov, coach of Kazakh UFC fighter Shavkat Rakhmonov (No. 2 in the UFC welterweight rankings), gave the required timeline for the fighter to prepare for the next bout in the promotion.

«We need two and a half to three months to get ready for the fight. Shavkat is training, preparing and working out in the gym. It depends on the date and month that are offered. Training at home in a regular routine is one thing; going through a proper training camp and preparing for a specific opponent is another. One or one and a...

As Iran faces a sweeping surge of anti-government protests, authorities have activated their most extensive internet shutdown yet, effectively cutting off both domestic connectivity and access to the global web. With conventional networks disabled, Elon Musk’s satellite service, Starlink, has become the main — and in many cases the only — channel through which information can leave the country.

A new front in digital warfare

Starlink operates through low-Earth-orbit satellites, allowing users to bypass state-run internet infrastructure. In a move aimed at supporting demonstrators, SpaceX this week began providing free access to Iranian users...

Kazakhstan’s second-ranked tennis player Alexander Shevchenko (World No. 104) defeated Márton Fucsovics (55) with 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) and advanced to the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 Adelaide International 2026 tournament.

Before today, Jan. 14, Shevchenko faced Fucsovics only once. At last year’s tournament in Kitzbühel, Austria, the Kazakhstani athlete was victorious, scoring 7-5, 6-4. To compete with Hungary’s player again, Shevchenko passed the qualifying rounds in Adelaide and defeated Bosnia’s Damir Džumhur (66) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the round of 32.

The fourth game proved decisive in the first set. Despite Fucsovics’s determined resistance, with eight...

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio have agreed on a plan to implement the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) during talks in Washington on Jan. 13, Interfax reported, citing Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.

Officials from both countries welcomed the rapid development of Armenia-U.S. relations and reviewed progress on existing agreements and joint projects. They also discussed the outcomes of the Washington Peace Summit held on Aug. 8, 2025, and emphasized the need for further steps to secure lasting peace.

Under the TRIPP project, a 42-kilometer transport corridor will be built in...

Actor Kiefer Sutherland was arrested early Monday in Hollywood on suspicion of assaulting a ride-share driver, according to Los Angeles police, as reported by NBC News.

Authorities said officers responded to an assault report just after midnight near Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. Police said Sutherland got into a ride-share vehicle, assaulted the driver, and made criminal threats.

The driver did not need medical help at the scene, but the investigation is ongoing.

Jail records show Sutherland was booked on a felony charge, released on bail and is set to appear in court on Feb. 2. The 59-year-old...

At least 22 people were killed and 64 others injured in northeastern Thailand after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima, ITV News reported.

The crane, which was part of a project to build an elevated high-speed rail line, struck the train as it was traveling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province. The impact caused several cars to derail and ignite, according to the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial Public Relations Department.

Authorities said the blaze had been brought under control and that emergency crews were continuing to search the wreckage for passengers who may be...