News

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has fined Disney $10 million, saying the company failed to label hundreds of child-focused YouTube videos as «Made for Kids.» Regulators said the mislabeling — affecting titles like “Frozen,” “Toy Story,” “Coco,” “Tangled” and “The Incredibles” — let YouTube collect children’s personal data and run targeted ads, in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), according to Variety.

«Our order penalizes Disney’s abuse of parents’ trust, and, through a mandated video-review program, makes room for the future of protecting kids online — age assurance technology,» the media outlet...

Anthropic, an artificial intelligence (AI) safety and research company founded by former OpenAI research executives including CEO Dario Amodei, reported closing a $13 billion funding round on Sept. 2, according to CNBC. The company’s valuation rose to $183 billion, marking nearly a threefold increase since its previous raise in March 2025.

CNBC noted that the AI startup’s valuation has seen rapid growth since the announcement of Claude — Anthropic’s chatbot — in March 2023.

According to the company, the funding round was led by Iconiq, with Fidelity Management & Research and Lightspeed Venture Partners as co-leads. Other participants...

A federal judge handed Google a mixed verdict in its long-running antitrust battle, letting the tech giant keep its core businesses intact while forcing it to share its secret sauce with competitors, according to Reuters.

Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google can hang onto Chrome, Android and its massive deal with Apple that keeps Google as the go-to search engine on iPhones. But there’s a catch: the company now has to share its valuable search and advertising data with rivals to level the playing field.

The decision caps a five-year legal fight over Google’s iron grip on internet search...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport seized 11,134 counterfeit Labubu dolls worth $513,937.76 if genuine during a cargo inspection, NBC News reported.

According to a CBP spokesperson, the plush toys were confiscated on Aug. 26. The shipment, which originated in South Korea and was falsely declared as «LED bulb,» was found to violate federal laws on unlawful imports and intellectual property.

As a result, no arrests have been made so far, though the spokesperson did not dismiss that possibility. The counterfeit Labubus will be destroyed.

Previously, Kursiv.media reported that Pop Mart China’s latest...

Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic — a federal subject of Russia —  posted on Telegram, claiming that U.S. President Donald Trump has Chechen roots, sharing an AI-generated video as «proof.»

The video depicts Trump as if he were Chechen. As a joke, Kadyrov wrote that Trump himself had confirmed his «new» ethnicity.

«Did you know Donald Trump is a Chechen? He promised to remember his roots,» the Chechen leader said.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, social media was abuzz with rumors about the U.S. president’s death, fueled by his prolonged absence from...

Kraft Heinz announced Tuesday that it will split into two publicly traded companies in 2026, marking the end of its troubled decade-long merger, according to CNN.

One new company will house faster-growing brands like Heinz ketchup, Kraft Mac & Cheese, and Philadelphia cream cheese. The other will focus on slower-performing grocery staples and food-service products, including Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. Executives say the breakup will allow each business to better focus on growth and allocate resources more effectively.

The move reverses the 2015 $55 billion merger engineered by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, which...

Chinese social media platforms have begun deploying measures to label AI-generated content to comply with a new regulation that took effect on Sept. 1, 2025, requiring both explicit labels and implicit identifiers for such digital content, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

The law was issued in March, whereas the draft was drawn up by four government agencies: the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the National Radio and Television Administration and China’s main internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China.

Tencent’s WeChat mandates that creators identify posts made with AI. The...

In a carefully orchestrated show of strength, Xi Jinping is capping off a week of high-stakes diplomatic meetings with an elaborate China Victory Day military parade through the center of Beijing tomorrow on Sept. 3, according to CNN.

The spectacle will roll out China’s latest weaponry — from cutting-edge hypersonic missiles to nuclear delivery systems — while thousands of troops march in formation along the historic Avenue of Eternal Peace, the news media company reported.

The parade’s guest list reads like a who’s who of America’s biggest headaches as Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian will...

The Freedom Holding Corp. Kazakhstan Manufacturing PMI® (Purchasing Managers’ Index™) fell to 47.9 in August from 49.9 in July, posting below the 50.0 no-change mark for the third month running and thereby signalling a deterioration in business conditions midway through the third quarter of the year. Moreover, the health of the sector worsened to the largest extent since March 2022.

According to Yerlan Abdikarimov, director of the Financial Analysis Department at Freedom Finance Global PLC, this adverse trend reflects the accumulated pressure of several factors – weak demand, high volatility in commodity markets, rising operating costs, as well as increased currency...

In a dramatic turn of events that’s left the business world reeling, Nestlé has shown the door to CEO Laurent Freixe — marking its second chief executive dismissal in just over a year. The Swiss food giant’s shares took a hit, dropping 2% in Zurich trading on Tuesday, after news broke that Freixe was terminated over an inappropriate relationship with an employee, Reuters reports.

The departure of Freixe, a company veteran of nearly 40 years, comes without a golden parachute. Stepping into the hot seat is Philipp Navratil, an up-and-coming executive at the company known for beloved brands like...

Kazakhstan’s fundamental law — the Constitution — was adopted at a national referendum on Aug. 30, 1995, and has been celebrated annually since then as Constitution Day. The document holds the highest legal authority as the core of the country’s legal system and the foundation of its political system. The 1995 constitution replaced the earlier version adopted in 1993 and has since undergone several amendments, in 1998, 2007, 2011, 2017 and 2019.

This year, the main celebration in Almaty took place at the square in front of the Republic Palace. The program included a formal ceremony, concerts and a...

A devastating earthquake rocked eastern Afghanistan late Sunday night, leaving communities shattered and families torn apart. The 6.0-magnitude quake has claimed at least 800 lives and left thousands more injured, with the provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar bearing the brunt of the destruction. Entire villages crumbled while residents slept, giving them no chance to escape.

The aftermath has been chaos, with rescue workers battling against nature itself. Torrential rain and blocked mountain passes have hampered relief efforts, while desperate survivors claw through debris with bare hands searching for loved ones and neighbors. Medical helicopters weave between peaks, rushing the...

ChatGPT’s developer, OpenAI, is likely to build an AI data center with a capacity of at least 1 gigawatt in India, India Today reported, citing Bloomberg sources familiar with the matter.

According to these sources, OpenAI has already been in early-stage talks with potential local partners in India. However, neither a timeline nor a location has been disclosed. The company has declined to comment on the matter. The outlet also noted that Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is expected to visit the country later this month and may share more information then.

Previously, Kursiv.media reported that OpenAI became...

In 2013, an accident occurred at Kashagan, the largest oil and gas field in Kazakhstan, which was widely ignored by local media. However, some independent outlets pointed to contractors’ mistakes and the role of Ersai Caspian Contractor, a company linked to the country’s political elite, according to “Energy Analytics,” a Telegram channel focused on the oil industry, citing a study published in “Energy Research & Social Science.”

The research, conducted by Dr. Julia Schwab, analyzed how Kazakhstani media shaped narratives around the 2013 Kashagan oil spill, which delayed commercial production until 2016.

The study found that Kazakhstani media...

BlackRock, the world’s largest investment management company, has invested nearly $89 million in Freedom Holding, whose majority shareholder is Kazakhstani businessman Timur Turlov. As a result, it has emerged as the company’s second-largest shareholder by number of shares held.

BlackRock increased its stake in Freedom Holding Corp. to 0.85% in the most recent reporting period. According to Bloomberg, the investment amounted to about $89 million. Over the quarter, BlackRock added 443,965 shares, bringing its total holdings to 520,565 shares.

Other shareholders of Freedom Holding include global investment giants such as State Street Corp., which has an investment of $31.9 million...

To honor the Constitution Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a charity event was held in the village of Targyn in the Ulan district of the East Kazakhstan region. During the event, modern musical equipment was donated to the village club, while a Chevrolet Captiva was presented to the local medical clinic.

The initiative was sponsored by KAZ Critical Minerals LLP, owned by American company Cove Capital. On behalf of the company, the keys and equipment were handed over to the recipients by KAZ Critical Minerals CEO Alibek Kazbekuly.

«Today, an important event took place in...

Thailand’s Constitutional Court has removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office following a damaging leaked phone call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen. The conversation, which Hun Sen later made public, showed Paetongtarn speaking casually with him and criticizing Thailand’s military during a period of heightened border tensions, according to the BBC.

The court considered Paetongtarn’s reference to Hun Sen as ‘uncle’ and questioned whether she was prioritizing Cambodia’s interests over Thailand’s. The ruling marks another dramatic turn in Thai politics and continues a pattern of judicial intervention against the powerful Shinawatra family.

This isn’t the first time a Shinawatra...

The Backstreet Boys concert in Almaty scheduled for Sept. 19 has sold out, according to Kino.kz, the platform responsible for ticket sales. However, fans are now facing uncertainty.

The issue is that the show is set to take place at the local Central Stadium, which is also expected to host Kairat Almaty’s Champions League fixtures between Sept. 16 and 18 during the first matchday of the league phase. This timeline overlaps with preparations for the show. As a result, fans worry whether organizers can ready the venue in time — or if the concert could be canceled altogether, as...

Google is rolling out new features in its Google Translate app that could intensify competition with Duolingo, one of the most popular language-learning platforms, Lifehacker.com reported.

As early as this week, Google will begin deploying AI-powered language-learning features in beta on Android and iOS. The new practice sessions require users to listen and speak along, and are designed to adapt to each learner’s proficiency level.

Before starting, Google Translate will ask users to select their current proficiency level — «basic,» «intermediate» or «advanced» — and to state their motivation for learning the language. The language practice feature will...

UFC CEO Dana White confirmed Thursday that UFC 322 on Nov. 15 in New York will feature two major title fights, including Islam Makhachev’s bid to become a two-division champion, as reported by ESPN.

Makhachev (27-1), the former lightweight champion, will challenge reigning welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena (18-2) in the main event at Madison Square Garden. Makhachev vacated his 155-pound belt earlier this year to move up in weight after four successful defenses. Della Maddalena, unbeaten since 2016, claimed the welterweight title in May with a decision win over Belal Muhammad.

In the co-main event, ex-strawweight champion Zhang...

South Korean prosecutors on Friday indicted former First Lady Kim Keon Hee and ex-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, widening investigations tied to ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to AP.

Kim faces charges of bribery and violating laws related to political funding and financial transactions. Han was indicted for abetting Yoon’s brief martial law declaration, falsifying records and perjury.

Yoon, impeached in April after his failed attempt to impose martial law, is already in custody. Prosecutors say the crackdown has also implicated former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun and dozens of others.

The indictments mark the first time a...

UBS Investment Bank predicts that China’s robotaxi fleet in the country’s four top-tier cities could expand to 300,000 vehicles by 2030, driven by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and the highly competitive electric vehicle (EV) market, the South China Morning Post reported.

According to Paul Gong, head of China automotive research at UBS, the total number of driverless taxis on the Chinese mainland could reach 4 million by the late 2030s, fueled by strong consumer interest in new technologies.

Gong highlighted the potential profitability of robotaxis, noting that replacing the current fleet of 2 million taxis and 5 million...

More than 22,000 people crowded the streets of Buñol, Spain, on Wednesday for the 78th edition of La Tomatina, the world-famous tomato-throwing festival. Over the course of an hour, participants hurled 120,000 kilos of overripe tomatoes, transforming the town center into a sea of red pulp, according to the Associated Press.

The event, nicknamed «Tomato Therapy» this year in reference to recent flooding in the region, combined loud music, laughter and the sight of trucks unloading bushels of tomatoes for the crowd.

First staged in 1945 as a spontaneous prank, La Tomatina has since grown into a major...

South Korean rapper and singer-songwriter Park Jae-sang, aka PSY, well-known for the viral hit “Gangnam Style,” is under police examination for allegedly breaking medical law by acquiring prescription medication without the legally required face-to-face visits, according to Yonhap.

Authorities confirmed that both PSY and a university doctor are under investigation on suspicion of having prescriptions for restricted drugs obtained through intermediaries, including the artist’s manager.

According to investigators, PSY had been prescribed Xanax and Stilnox — drugs typically used to treat anxiety, insomnia and related disorders — by a Seoul-based university hospital without visiting the facility in person since...