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American rapper Soulja Boy has hinted that he could run for U.S. president in 2028. He posted the slogan «SOULJA BOY 2028» on Instagram and named the issues he would prioritize. It seems the artist has decided that his music career alone is no longer enough to make bold statements. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at what the rapper is up to and which of his counterparts have tried to get into the White House.

In his post, Soulja Boy described a potential presidential run as a «new chapter» in his career. He identified economic opportunity, criminal justice...

U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said it was «clear» that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum. He is the first British prime minister to make such a claim publicly, the BBC reported.

Speaking to «The Rest Is Politics» podcast, Burnham said he had asked about possible Russian interference after taking office this summer and was told that it had occurred. He did not provide details about the nature or extent of the alleged interference.

Burnham also said the U.K. had not done enough to inform the public about attempts by foreign actors to disrupt political processes. He said...

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka and Russia’s Mirra Andreeva occupy the top three spots in the latest WTA rankings.

Despite early exits at the 2026 China Open, Rybakina and Sabalenka retained their first and second places, respectively. Rybakina lost her opening match, while Sabalenka was eliminated in the second round. Meanwhile, Andreeva climbed to a career-high world No. 3.

The 19-year-old Russian reached the final of the 2026 China Open, where she lost to Qinwen Zheng, 5-7, 4-6. Andreeva, who won the 2026 French Open, earned enough ranking points in Beijing to overtake Jessica Pegula

In January-July 2026, new passenger cars and other motor vehicles accounted for 3.2% of Kazakhstan’s total imports. Kursiv.media examined the countries from which Kazakhstan imported these vehicles.

Chinese vehicles dominate imports

During the seven-month period, 153,600 passenger cars were imported into Kazakhstan. The majority came from China, which supplied 120,100 vehicles, or approximately 78% of the total. In value terms, Chinese vehicle imports amounted to $489.1 million.

Millennials had barely moved past the word “niche” when social media was suddenly flooded with the concept of “aura” — something every teenager now seems to be chasing. Kursiv LifeStyle breaks down what “aura farming” is and how viral social media moments have helped fuel the trend.

What is aura farming?

“Aura farming” is the deliberate attempt to cultivate an image of oneself as confident, cool or simply attention-grabbing. “Aura” refers to a perceived measure of a person’s charisma, while “farming” implies the act of growing or harvesting something. In the language of younger generations, this means...

California-based startup Atoco has developed a system that extracts water directly from the air. The device can collect up to 300 liters per day, even at humidity levels as low as 13%, using only low-temperature heat to release the moisture. The company was founded by chemist Omar Yaghi, who shared the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The technology relies on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), porous materials that act like sponges to capture water molecules from the air. Their internal surface area is enormous: the combined surface area of the pores in just one gram of the...

«Digger,» a new film starring Tom Cruise, is now showing in Kazakhstan. In it, the actor steps away from his familiar action-star persona. One of the year’s most anticipated releases, the film has received a mixed-to-negative response from Western critics. After failing to make the Venice Film Festival lineup despite speculation that it would screen there, it is now facing an uphill battle for awards recognition.

Cruise had previously been considered a potential contender for the Oscar for best actor. The film has also stumbled at the box office, raising concerns about its commercial performance for Warner...

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev personally welcomed King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium at Astana International Airport on Sunday as the royal couple arrived for a state visit scheduled to run through Oct. 14.

Kazakh Air Force fighter jets escorted the royal aircraft from the moment it entered the country’s airspace until it reached the capital’s airport.

A guard of honor and the presidential orchestra were on the tarmac for the ceremonial welcome.

The visit program includes a meeting of the Kazakhstan-Belgium Business Council and a forum bringing together university rectors from the two countries, along with other official events.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) flag has been officially handed over to Kazakhstan, which will host the next World Judo Championships.

The ceremony took place during the ongoing championships in Baku, with IJF Secretary General Lisa Allan presenting the flag to Kuanyshbek Yessekeyev, president of the Kazakhstan Judo Federation.

The 2027 World Judo Championships are scheduled for June 7-14 in Astana and will be an important stage in the qualification process for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Athletes will compete for ranking points that contribute to Olympic qualification.

Yessekeyev said hosting the tournament was a...

Forbes Kazakhstan has published its updated ranking of the 50 most influential businessmen in Kazakhstan. Vyacheslav Kim has overtaken Bulat Utemuratov for the No. 1 spot.

The ranking is based not only on business activity but also on public and philanthropic efforts of the country’s most prominent and active businessmen.

Read also: Visualizing Kazakhstan’s dollar billionaires: Who joined the global elite?

Vyacheslav Kim returns to No. 1

Vyacheslav Kim, co-owner of Kaspi.kz and owner of Alatau City Bank, has returned to the top of...

Bloomsbury Publishing will release two new books set in the «Harry Potter» universe in February 2027. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at who the new books will be dedicated to.

The two titles belong to the Pocket Potters series, which is aimed primarily at a younger audience. They center on three characters from the Harry Potter universe: Professor Minerva McGonagall and Weasley twins Fred and George.

«Pocket Potters: Fred and George» covers the Weasley twins’ time at Hogwarts, from their pranks and inventions to opening the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes joke shop in Diagon Alley. Helen Brady provides the illustrations.

The second book...

In a bid to reduce fuel consumption, many drivers resort to simple tricks, such as shifting into neutral while driving, overinflating their tires or following trucks closely. However, these methods offer minimal savings at best and can add costs or create safety risks. Andrey Kuzin, head of a Fit Service branch, commented on some common fuel-saving tricks.

Neutral gear doesn’t save fuel

In modern cars, the engine control unit can cut off the fuel supply almost completely when the car is in gear and the accelerator pedal is released. In neutral, the engine continues to idle and consume fuel.

The famous red-and-black jacket Michael Jackson wore in the «Thriller» music video will go up for auction as part of a sale, dedicated to the King of Pop. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at how much the iconic item could fetch.

Julien’s Auctions will hold the auction in Abu Dhabi from Dec. 7 to 9. Along with the jacket, the lots include shoes the artist wore in the «Thriller» music video, as well as a glove and loafers worn during the Motown 25 television special, which aired in 1983 and featured Jackson performing his iconic moonwalk for the...

Visitors from China spent an average of about 467,000 tenge (approximately $1,040) during trips to Kazakhstan, compared with about 161,000 tenge for visitors from Russia. A significant share of Chinese visitors’ spending went toward international transportation, according to data from Kazakhstan’s Bureau of National Statistics (BNS).

According to a sample survey of inbound visitors covering January-July 2026, the total expenditure of 763 visitors from China amounted to 356.3 million tenge. The average expenditure per person was around 467,000 tenge (approximately $1,040).

For comparison, 12,757 surveyed visitors from Russia spent 2.05 billion tenge in total. Spending per...

The Almaty Air Initiative foundation conducted an experiment in Almaty to demonstrate how air pollution can enter the human body.

Five volunteers participated in the experiment. They arrived at a laboratory in the morning, where researchers took initial blood samples. The participants then walked along busy streets within the area bounded by Satpayev, Zharokov, Abai and Rozybakiyev streets.

Two volunteers wore KN95 respirators during the walk, while the others went without masks. A sensor recorded PM2.5 concentrations of 10-15 micrograms per cubic meter during the walk.

Upon their return, researchers took additional blood samples and examined them...

Paris Fashion Week has concluded with the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2027 collection show, held inside the Louvre. The event drew a host of global celebrities, including Zendaya, Sophie Turner, Chloë Grace Moretz, Emma Stone, Lisa of Blackpink and Brigitte Macron, among others.

France’s first lady attracted particular attention. Macron is a regular guest at Louis Vuitton shows and has longstanding ties to the fashion house. She also shared a warm moment with the brand’s creative director, Nicolas Ghesquière.

Zendaya repeats a Louis Vuitton look

Zendaya was one of the most talked-about...

Tether, the issuer of USDT, the world’s most widely used stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, has signed an agreement with the National Bank of Kazakhstan and the administration of the city of Alatau, Kazakhstan’s new flagship megaproject. The parties have agreed to explore the possibility of launching a stablecoin pegged to the Kazakh tenge, according to a company statement.

The agreement calls for the parties to study international experience with stablecoin issuance and identify potential use cases in Kazakhstan. A key area of focus will be developing a concept and pilot project for a stablecoin pegged to...

Rachel Ojuromi, a 22-year-old Nigerian, became a Chanel model after spending months filming fashion videos on the streets of Lagos. She assembled outfits from secondhand finds and her own clothes, eventually recreating a specific Chanel look. Kursiv LifeStyle tells the story of how the internet helped her land a spot in one of the world’s most famous fashion shows.

From Lagos to the Chanel runway

The Chanel Spring/Summer 2027 show took place Oct. 5 at the Grand Palais during Paris Fashion Week. Creative Director Matthieu Blazy presented a new collection featuring...

Turlov Private Holding Ltd. (TPH), which consolidates businessman Timur Turlov’s private investments, will focus on developing its existing assets, CEO Olga Baskakova said. Key priorities include establishing an air cargo hub in Karaganda, building a $500 million data center in Astana and developing various industrial enterprises. Baskakova spoke about the group’s strategy at a press breakfast on Oct. 8.

Turlov’s private holding invests in sectors such as mining, transport, logistics, aviation, technology, media, education and sports. Its portfolio includes more than 60 companies. Unlike the publicly traded Freedom Holding Corp., TPH focuses primarily on long-term strategic investments, including capital-intensive projects.

Turlov Private Holding Ltd. (TPH), which brings together businessman Timur Turlov’s private investments, is considering merging several mining projects, followed by a potential public listing, CEO Olga Baskakova said at a press breakfast on Oct. 8.

She said that TPH’s portfolio includes several projects that could potentially form a standalone publicly traded group. At the same time, the exact timeline for a potential initial public offering (IPO) has yet to be determined.

«At some point, probably, we’d like to merge the mining group. Developing is a natural process for any such big group. But we need...

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Anne Carson. Born in Canada in 1950, Carson is a distinguished poet, essayist, and classicist who built a profound foundation in Ancient Greek early in her life.

Her genre-defying works, most notably the verse novel “Autobiography of Red,” brilliantly weave classical mythology and Hellenic literature together with modern sensibilities and raw emotion. Through her innovative translations and “fictional essays,” she has fundamentally reshaped contemporary poetry, earning prestigious honors like the T.S. Eliot Prize and the Griffin Poetry Prize.

This year, leading contenders and...

Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has put forward an initiative to strengthen regional cooperation and introduce strict oversight in the field of artificial intelligence.

He said Kazakhstan has already been building a comprehensive national ecosystem, including adopting the Law on Artificial Intelligence, launching supercomputing clusters, operating the International Center for Artificial Intelligence alem.ai, and implementing the Digital Qazaqstan strategy.

Common framework

To harness the region’s collective potential, Tokayev proposed developing a Central Asian Partnership Program on Artificial Intelligence, which would enable research centers, universities and technology companies in neighboring countries to effectively exchange data and expertise.

At Kazatomprom’s extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on Oct. 7, 2026, shareholders rejected a deal with Russia’s Uranium One Group. At the same time, they approved a similar contract with China’s State Nuclear Uranium Resources Development Co., Ltd. (SNURDC).

Under the proposed deal with the Rosatom affiliate, Kazatomprom would have supplied natural uranium as uranium oxide concentrate. The deal required a simple majority to proceed. However, more than 88.34% of shareholders abstained. More than 5% voted in favor of the contract, while more than 6.27% voted against it.

At the same time, shareholders approved a spot contract to purchase...

Kazakhstan’s government securities have moved closer to global financial markets. Following a review of the 2026 classification, J.P. Morgan placed Kazakhstan’s bonds on Index Watch-Positive.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Finance highlighted that this development paves the way for the potential inclusion of Kazakhstani government securities in the leading emerging-market bond index, the Government Bond Index – Emerging Markets (GBI-EM).

Over the next 12 months, J.P. Morgan experts will assess Kazakhstan’s market accessibility for foreign investors, including access to international clearing and settlement infrastructure and the liquidity of bonds that meet the relevant criteria.

The ministry highlighted that...