News

Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, which owns a 67.5% stake in Starbucks Korea, issued a second public apology after Starbucks Korea faced backlash over a marketing campaign that many believed mocked victims of South Korea’s pro-democracy movement in the 1980s, The Associated Press reported.

The South Korean retail tycoon bowed three times during a televised statement and asked for forgiveness from the public and the families of democracy activists killed during the country’s former military dictatorship. He also asked people not to direct their frustration toward Starbucks store employees, saying management was responsible.

The controversy began after...

Kazakhstani businesses generally remain confident in their long-term resilience, with 62% of executives saying their companies are sustainable over the long term. The figure was nearly unchanged from last year, according to PwC Kazakhstan’s 14th annual CEO Survey 2026.

That confidence, the survey noted, is driven by market diversification, strong industry positions, accumulated experience and the ability to adapt to changing conditions.

At the same time, executives said external factors are playing a growing role in business sustainability. The importance of regulation has increased significantly: while 29% of respondents cited legislative changes as a major factor a year...

Leading Kazakhstani nonalcoholic beverage producer RG Brands reported a net loss of 1.97 billion tenge (about $3.9 million) in the first quarter of 2026, up 70% from the same period a year earlier.

Revenue for the quarter declined 39% to 24 billion tenge ($48 million). The company said the downturn was primarily driven by weaker performance in its franchise business, while sales of its own brands remained stable. Results were also affected by broader economic conditions, weakening demand and cautious consumer spending across key markets.

Impact of PepsiCo partnership termination

The decline in the franchise segment appears to be linked...

A video showing a man in Muslim attire, appearing to be an imam, performing an acrobatic somersault inside a mosque is being widely shared on social media. It has garnered thousands of views and sparked heated debate among users.

Who appears in the video

The video features Kyrgyz blogger Mirjan Maratov. He frequently posts religious content on his Instagram page. It remains unclear whether he is an officially recognized cleric.

Almaty residents are sharing photos of Big Almaty Peak taken from the city, as high cloud cover partially obscured the mountains. However, one of the peaks remained visible and was illuminated by afternoon sunlight. Combined with the surrounding clouds, the scene appeared almost fairytale-like. A post with the view has gone viral on Threads, receiving more than 42,000 likes.

A new class of tech entrepreneurs is treating massive artificial intelligence invoices as a badge of honor, a trend dubbed «tokenmaxxing.» Rather than minimizing overhead, these leaders view six-figure monthly bills for AI compute as a primary indicator of growth and innovative scaling, 404 Media reported.

Scaling with intelligence

The report notes that many startups are now reallocating their “headcount budget” to pay for AI tokens instead of human salaries. Amos Bar-Joseph, CEO of Swan AI, recently publicized a $113,000 monthly bill for AI usage, asserting that his four-person team is prioritizing intelligence over expanding...

Kazakhstani top-ranked tennis player Elena Rybakina (World No. 2) successfully began her Grand Slam campaign in Paris after a quarterfinal loss in Rome. In the first round, she defeated Slovenian Veronika Erjavec (No. 84) 6-2, 6-2.

This was the first meeting between the two players. Analysts’ expectations that the balance of experience and level was too uneven were fully confirmed. Rybakina made 27 unforced errors and hit only two aces, but it was still enough to secure her first victory in the Paris heat.

In the first set, which lasted 35 minutes...

Spain’s national team manager Luis de la Fuente announced the squad for the 2026 World Cup, which is set to take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The squad includes 26 footballers. Notably, no Real Madrid players feature. The majority of players are from FC Barcelona, with eight Catalan club players receiving a call-up for the tournament.

Aigul Yerzhanova, a 55-year-old teacher from Astana, set a world record by pulling a 13.5-ton bus. The event took place at Bus Depot No. 1 in the presence of journalists, company employees and representatives of the International Records Organization.

Yerzhanova works as an elementary school teacher in Astana. Despite her age, she remains passionate about powerlifting and has repeatedly drawn attention for her athletic achievements.

During the attempt, she single-handedly moved a city bus and pulled it more than 10 meters. Representatives of Global Best of Records (GBR) later confirmed the final distance as 14 meters. The feat took...

A controversial new sporting event known as the Enhanced Games opened in Las Vegas on Sunday, featuring athletes competing while using performance-enhancing drugs banned in traditional elite sports, according to the BBC.

Founded in 2023 by entrepreneurs Aron D’Souza and Maximilian Martin, the competition includes track, swimming and weightlifting events. Organizers say the Games are designed to push the limits of human performance while allowing athletes to openly use substances such as testosterone and human growth hormone, provided they are legal and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Despite the controversy, the event has attracted high-profile...

Global electric car sales are anticipated to reach 23 million vehicles in 2026, accounting for almost 30% of total sales, according to the latest Global EV Outlook report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

In 2025, electric vehicle sales rose by 20% and exceeded 20 million units for the first time. As a result, one in every four new cars sold worldwide was electric. In more than 40 countries, electric vehicles accounted for over 10% of new car sales.

China maintains its lead in the EV market

China held its position as the largest EV...

Around 20 people were injured on Monday after a man sprayed an unidentified substance near an ATM inside a luxury shopping complex in Tokyo’s Ginza district, according to The Guardian.

Police said the incident occurred on the mall’s ground floor, while fire officials reported that emergency crews responded after receiving reports of a strong smell inside the building.

Firefighters and officials wearing protective gear were seen assisting people from the building, and several individuals were taken away for medical checks. Two people were transported by ambulance, according to local media, although authorities said the injuries appeared to be minor...

A replica of the Eiffel Tower, roughly 30 to 40 meters tall, has been erected in the village of Zhalpaktal in the West Kazakhstan region. The landmark was gifted by the 2006 graduating class of the local school.

Photos and videos of the tower quickly spread across social media. In the comments section, users called it a «new landmark» and jokingly noted that there is now no need to travel to Paris to experience a French atmosphere. Many also point out that the tower looks especially striking in the evenings when it is illuminated.

Japanese retail pioneer Toshifumi Suzuki, the businessman credited with transforming 7-Eleven Japan into a global convenience-store powerhouse, has died at 93, The Associated Press reported.

In 1973, Suzuki helped launch 7-Eleven’s Japanese operations through a franchise partnership with the American convenience-store brand. Japan’s first 7-Eleven store opened the following year, introducing a retail concept that would eventually become a defining part of daily life across the country.

Suzuki became chief executive of 7-Eleven Japan in 1978 and was widely regarded as a key figure in modernizing Japanese retail. Under Suzuki’s leadership, 7-Eleven Japan expanded rapidly by offering more...

Malaysia has officially recognized Kazakhstan’s Unified National Testing (UNT) results, a standardized university entrance exam taken by secondary school graduates. The country’s Ministry of Higher Education has added the UNT to its list of documents accepted for admission to undergraduate programs.

This allows Kazakhstani students to enroll in several Malaysian universities without having to complete a mandatory Foundation program. However, applicants for programs taught in English will still be required to demonstrate English proficiency through IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent certificates.

Kazakhstan’s National Testing Center emphasized that each Malaysian university independently determines its minimum UNT score requirements...

Building a fourth large oil refinery in Kazakhstan with an annual processing capacity of 10 million tons could cost as much as $15 billion, including infrastructure expenses, according to Nurlan Zhumagulov, author of the Telegram channel Energy Monitor.

Zhumagulov said the estimated price tag is comparable to the cost of constructing a nuclear power plant.

Raw material supply seen as key challenge

According to the analyst, the main issue facing the project is securing a reliable crude oil supply base for the future refinery.

«Given the government’s policy of...

Huating Biotechnology Co. Ltd. will open a cattle bone-processing plant in Kazakhstan’s Turkestan region, producing peptone for pharmaceuticals, oil for aviation fuel and bone char for porcelain manufacturing.

A correspondent for Kursiv.media visited the future production site and spoke with the head of the Chinese company, Zhao Xuedong, about the project, which is expected to attract about $30 million in investment.

The facility is located in the Ordabasy district near the village of Temir and occupies approximately 10 hectares.

Investor sees untapped agricultural waste market

According to Zhao, Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector produces significant amounts of...

The average age at which American CEOs are appointed has risen sharply over the last two decades, jumping from approximately 48 in the year 2000 to 55 by 2023, according to a new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). This trend is not merely a reflection of a general aging workforce, as the increase in CEO age is more than three times the rate seen in the broader college-educated labor force.

Read also: Efficiency first: Kazakhstan’s wealth fund cuts 11% of high-earning staff.

The study finds that...

The share of crude oil in Kazakhstan’s exports fell to a historic low of 44.4% in the first quarter of 2026. Strong growth in the non-oil sector helped offset losses from hydrocarbons, as record prices for copper, silver and sulfur boosted export revenues. Analysts say current geopolitical tensions could further benefit Kazakh exporters in the second quarter.

From January through March 2026, Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover rose 10.5% year over year to $32.9 billion. Goods exports totaled $18 billion, up 9.4% from the same period last year.

However, the composition of exports changed significantly. The share...

Last week, lawmakers at a joint session of Kazakhstan’s parliamentary chambers approved in the first reading a draft law «On the Status of the Capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan.»

Read also: Kazakhstan’s National Bank moves to ban currency rate displays, sparking backlash.

The law calls for the introduction of a unified design code for Astana, to be overseen by a new government agency responsible for maintaining the city’s architectural and visual standards.

New rules for buildings, advertising and public spaces

Under the proposed legislation, the design code would apply to buildings, streets...

A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province killed at least 90 people, according to state broadcaster China Central Television. Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities investigate the cause of the accident.

The explosion occurred at 7:29 p.m. local time on May 23 at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Changzhi city. A total of 247 workers were underground at the time of the blast. Earlier reports said 82 miners had died and nine were missing.

According to Xinhua News Agency, China dispatched six national mine rescue teams to the site. Authorities said...

Kazakhstanis continue to encounter pseudo-coaches and self-proclaimed psychologists who offer harmful advice without proper training while charging large sums for their services. Journalists asked Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Yevgeniy Kochetov when Kazakhstan plans to regulate such specialists.

Read also: Demons and dollars: Inside the risky market of Islamic exorcism.

According to Kochetov, authorities plan to prosecute pseudo-psychologists on social media under Article 456-2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for «posting and disseminating false information and illegal content.» However, the proposed regulation has not yet been drafted or discussed...

An interesting discussion recently appeared on Threads, where a plastic surgeon shared which cosmetic procedures he would never choose for himself or recommend to his loved ones.

Read also: What the world’s sexiest grandfather actually eats for breakfast.

The author of the post, Igor Kozulin, said he has worked in plastic surgery for more than 20 years. He highlighted several procedures that he believes carry significant risks or long-term downsides.

Rib removal for an ultra-thin waist

Kozulin said rib removal surgery, sometimes performed to create a dramatically narrow «wasp waist...

Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General Berik Assylov visited Hong Kong to sign agreements on extradition, the transfer of sentenced persons and mutual legal assistance in criminal cases.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said that the main purpose of the visit was to close off channels for those seeking to hide assets abroad or flee justice. The two sides agreed to work together to trace and return illicitly transferred assets and to combat money laundering and transnational crime.

In addition, Kazakh prosecutors and Hong Kong police will share intelligence and investigative experience with the use of artificial intelligence.

The Prosecutor General’s Office had previously...