News

Yokohama, Japan, will soon see self-driving taxis on its streets as a pilot project launches using Nissan Serena minivans. The trial is scheduled to begin in November 2025 and will run through the end of January 2026, according to the automaker’s website.

Five autonomous vehicles will operate across three districts of the city, supported by a remote monitoring center called PLOT48.

Pilot program participants

Four companies are involved in the project:

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. has secured a landmark deal with OpenAI to supply large-scale AI computing infrastructure, positioning AMD as a significant competitor in the highly lucrative artificial intelligence hardware market. The chipmaker states that this agreement could generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue, according to a Bloomberg report.

OpenAI will use up to 6 gigawatts of AMD graphics processing units (GPUs) over several years. AMD granted OpenAI warrants for up to 160 million shares, which will vest as milestones tied to capacity expansions and stock price growth are met.

The initial phase begins when...

The project that action legend Jackie Chan has been working on in Kazakhstan has been revealed. Kursiv LifeStyle reports what is known about the upcoming film.

The Hong Kong actor and director is taking part in the filming of the concluding part of the “Armour of God” saga, subtitled “Ultimatum”, as reported by Salem Entertainment on Instagram.

The fourth installment of the franchise is set to be filmed in Kazakhstan...

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to three scientists: Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi. Their pioneering work focused on how the immune system avoids attacking the body’s own tissues, an issue central to many diseases. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm announced the winners today, bringing lasting recognition to their contributions, according to Euronews.

Brunkow and Ramsdell work in the United States, while Sakaguchi is based in Japan. Together, they revealed mechanisms behind peripheral immune tolerance. This biological process prevents autoimmune reactions that can be harmful. Citing the...

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the planned UFC event on White House grounds will take place on June 14.

«And on June 14, next year, we’re going to have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House on the grounds,» The Hill cited Trump as saying.

The event was originally planned to be held on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence — on July 4, 2026. As of now, the event is scheduled to mark Trump’s 80th birthday.

According to The Hill, the UFC...

Glenn Martens, creative director at Maison Margiela, presented his first Spring/Summer 2026 collection at Paris Fashion Week. What stood out was not just the apparel, but the show itself. It embodied the avant-garde spirit that has long defined Maison Margiela.

Even though invitations for the show were shaped like recorder flutes, hinting at the evening’s theme, no one anticipated what followed. Young musicians in formal tuxedos were the first to step onto the catwalk. The children’s orchestra, their faces intensely focused, performed classical pieces — from the score of «2001: A Space Odyssey» to Prokofiev’s «Dance of the Knights...

Dimash Qudaibergen became the first Kazakh to perform at Madison Square Garden. His successful Oct. 5 concert launched his «Stranger» world tour. On Oct. 8, he is scheduled to perform in Mexico City.

This New York concert marked the beginning of the world leg of his «Stranger» tour.

Madison Square Garden, a central New York arena, hosts concerts, shows and sporting events for up to 20,000 people. Nearly every major star, including Elton John, Elvis Presley and Mariah Carey, have performed at this venue. Social media reviews described Dimash’s show as a huge success.

During the show, Dimash even...

Sébastien Lecornu, the fifth French Prime Minister in under two years, resigned on Oct. 6 following the unveiling of his cabinet’s composition, the BBC reported.

The announcement was made by the Élysée Palace after a meeting between Lecornu and President Emmanuel Macron on the morning of Oct. 6.

Lecornu’s cabinet faced strong criticism from several parties in the National Assembly, which was largely the same as that of his predecessor, François Bayrou. They said they would vote against it.

Lecornu had been in office for 26 days, highlighting serious instability in the country’s politics that has persisted since...

The team at an Italian shoe company joyfully celebrated their beloved longtime colleague, Letizia Galli, who reached the remarkable milestone of her 105th birthday at work.

The joyous occasion was captured in a video shared on the brand’s social media. Laughter and cheers filled the room as employees entered Galli’s office, presenting a cake topped with candles shaped like the number 105. Her coworkers applauded enthusiastically as she beamed with delight, graciously accepting their heartfelt congratulations.

In 2024, Kazakhstan ranked among the world’s top 10 countries for Lexus LX sales, according to prominent automotive market analyst Felipe Munoz. The ranking was traditionally led by the United States (6,830 vehicles sold) and Saudi Arabia (3,280 vehicles sold).

The flagship SUV, the Lexus LX, remains one of the brand’s key models. It is currently available in the markets of North America, the Middle East, and Asia, where it has traditionally enjoyed strong demand.

The study also indicates that, apart from the Toyota Century SUV, the Lexus LX is regarded as the most luxurious Japanese SUV. The model...

Apple has taken down ICEBlock, an application that allowed users to track Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, citing «objectionable content» as the reason for its removal, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post.

The app, which had attracted more than a million downloads in the previous month, relied on user submissions to identify and share the locations of ICE agents within roughly a five-mile radius.

Apple stated that its decision to remove ICEBlock and other similar apps was informed by concerns raised by law enforcement officials regarding potential safety risks. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed...

After a devastating 5-0 defeat against Real Madrid, Almaty’s Kairat responded with an identical victory in the 2025 Kazakhstan Premier League against Taldykorgan’s Zhetysu, returning to the top of the table.

2025 Kazakhstan Premier League. Postponed match of the 24th round. Oct. 5.

Kairat (Almaty) vs. Zhetysu (Taldykorgan): 5-0 (4-0)

Goals: Satpayev 9’ (P), Jorginho 19’, 35’, Edmilson 43’, Tuyakbayev 90’.

Zhetysu had to face a Kairat side fired up after their recent Champions League game, and in front of a nearly full Central Stadium, Rafael Urazbakhtin’s players left their opponents no...

Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan stated that Armenia is committed to fully normalizing relations with Turkey, emphasizing that reopening their shared border is a key priority.

In an interview with PassBlue, cited by Armenpress, Badalyan said political dialogue between Yerevan and Ankara has advanced. She noted cooperation is underway on projects like renovating a bridge along their border.

Badalyan stressed that the primary goal is complete normalization and expressed hope that a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan would facilitate this process with Turkey, enabling the long-awaited border opening, which she deemed essential.

Gold prices surged to a new record above $3,900 an ounce in early Asian trading on Monday, as investors sought safety in the metal amid an ongoing U.S. government shutdown and growing expectations of further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, according to Reuters.

Spot gold jumped 0.6% to $3,910.09 per ounce as of 11:53 p.m. GMT on Sunday, while U.S. gold futures for December soared 0.7% to $3,935, underlining the intensifying rush toward safe-haven assets.

Analysts warned the rally signals escalating uncertainty in financial markets and rapidly growing bets that the Fed may soon...

Kazatomprom, world’s largest uranium producer, said it will not issue new shares or pursue an additional public offering. The company confirmed this to Arman Batayev, author of Finmentor.kz Telegram channel.

The statement followed a Bloomberg report on Oct. 2 that suggested Kazatomprom was considering an additional listing on international exchanges to boost its market value. The report stated that the potential offering could involve the 25% stake not currently held by the government.

Kazatomprom clarified that it is not considering a new share issuance, a secondary public offering or any reduction in the government’s ownership stake.

Currently...

Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, acclaimed former middleweight champion and current president of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee, has landed on the ballot for the 2026 International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Other candidates on the IBHOF ballot include Vernon Forrest and Steve Collins, according to IBHOF Executive Director Edward Brophy via BoxingScene.

Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) dominated the middleweight division for nearly a decade, holding multiple major titles and setting a division record with 22 title defenses. His trilogy with Saul «Canelo» Alvarez produced memorable recent moments in the sport.

Voting will be handled by members of the Boxing Writers...

A salvage team has recovered over 1,000 gold and silver coins, believed to be transported by a Spanish fleet, off Florida’s Atlantic coast. The discovery, announced by 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC, is valued at about $1 million. Initial analysis indicates that the coins were minted in Bolivia, Mexico and Peru, former Spanish colonies in the 18th century. Some bear dates and mint marks, which appeal to historians and collectors, according to CNN.

This find is the latest in a long history of treasure recoveries between Melbourne and Fort Pierce, where a hurricane sank ships carrying

Sayat Abdrakhmanov, the manager of Kazakh UFC fighter Shavkat Rakhmonov, denied reports that the athelete had suffered a recurrence of his knee injury.

On Oct. 3, sports journalist Vladimir Kolos wrote on his Telegram channel that Rakhmonov was «saying goodbye to the UFC.» According to Kolos, Rakhmonov had sustained another knee injury and would be sidelined for ten months.

However, Abdrakhmanov told Vesti.kz that this information is not true.

Rakhmonov has not entered the Octagon since December 2024. In May, he was scheduled to fight for the title against Belal Muhammad. However, the fighter opted to undergo knee...

Kazakhstan aims to increase the number of local specialists in senior roles at the company operating the Karachaganak field. This field is one of the world’s largest oil and gas condensate sites, located in the country’s northwest.

KazMunayGas (KMG) CEO Askhat Khassenov and Luca Vignati, Eni SpA’s upstream director, discussed this objective at the Kazenergy Eurasian Forum in Astana, KMG reported.

Furthermore, plans to increase the share of Kazakh managers at Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. (KPO) will be outlined in the company’s nationalization strategy for 2026-2030.

Notably, in late June, negotiations with project shareholders Eni and Shell...

On Oct. 3, 63-year-old Sarah Mullally became the first woman to be appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1,400-year history of this role in the Church of England, as well as the leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide, Reuters reported.

The appointment was made possible thanks to reforms introduced 11 years ago, allowing women to hold the position. Mullally previously served as Bishop of London and advocated for liberal initiatives within the Church.

The installation of Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury will take place at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026. The 105th Archbishop, Justin Welby...

The growing use of artificial intelligence in trip planning offers convenience, but travelers are discovering it can also create unexpected complications, according to the BBC.

Some tour operators and travelers have shared stories of AI-generated itineraries sending people to nonexistent places or providing incorrect travel details. For example, in Peru, tourists ended up at the «Sacred Canyon of Humantay,» which actually combines two different locations. Professional guides warn that such mistakes pose significant risks, particularly in remote and high-altitude areas.

In Japan, for example, a couple got stranded at the top of Mount Misen on the island of Itsukushima...

As October gets underway, artists around the globe are once again diving into Inktober, a month-long celebration of ink-based art. The annual challenge, which began on Oct. 1 and runs through Oct. 31, invites creators of all levels to produce and share one ink drawing each day, emphasizing practice, imagination and a sense of community.

Started in 2009 by illustrator Jake Parker, the idea follows a simple format: each day brings a single-word prompt from Inktober organizers. Participants interpret the word as they wish, sketch in ink, and post their work online with hashtags like #Inktober and...

FIFA has presented Trionda, the official ball of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The ball’s design features red, blue and green — colors symbolizing the host countries.

The official ball, developed by Adidas, continues the tradition of innovation. Its construction, featuring four panels with deep seams, creates a surface that ensures optimal stability in flight. In addition, the embossed icons improve grip when kicking or dribbling the ball on a wet pitch.

Previously, FIFA unveiled the championship’s mascots: Maple the Moose representing Canada, Zayu the Jaguar for...

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.