Fans of YE's (Kanye West) work from Uzbekistan now have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the artist's upcoming performance in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Official sales began a day earlier than planned, specifically on July 22nd at 12:00 Tashkent time, through the Freedom Afisha platform on the Ticketon.kz website.
Organizers decided to grant access to ticket purchases to buyers from around the world due to the extremely high level of interest in the event. After the first day of sales, when about 50% of the total tickets were sold, organizers observed significant excitement and sales statistics, prompting them to make tickets available to the widest possible range of fans.
As a result of the first wave of exclusive pre-sales conducted through the Freedom SuperApp, approximately half of all tickets for the Kanye West concert, scheduled for August 14th in Almaty, Kazakhstan, were sold. Sales are ongoing, and tickets remain exclusively available in the Freedom SuperApp.
Demand exceeded expectations: in the first minutes after the start of sales on July 21st at 12:00, numerous users were simultaneously present in the application. The cheapest ticket categories were sold out very quickly, which is typical for events with a large number of interested spectators.
To prevent speculative hoarding of tickets by resellers, the organizer introduced a restriction: a maximum of four tickets per person is allowed. This measure is intended to ensure that the concert remains accessible to a large number of genuine fans rather than becoming an object of speculation.
After successful payment, buyers receive a voucher sent to the specified email address. The actual ticket, containing a unique QR code for concert entry, will be delivered to the email one day before the event, i.e., on August 13th. If the voucher has not been received, it is recommended to check the 'Spam' folder, as well as the 'My Tickets' section in the app or on the Ticketon.kz website. Any questions can be directed to the Freedom Afisha support service.
The Winter Festival in Paranapiacaba will take place in the small mountain village of Santo André on July 25 and 26, and August 1 and 2, 2026. Located about two hours from São Paulo, this misty, English-style house decorated area will host groups performing music from rock to jazz, as well as cultural events, film screenings, and around 400 artists as part of a four-day free program.
More than thirty concerts are scheduled on stages located throughout the city. Among the main performers are MPB artist Marcia Cherubin, singer Clara, folk group Alexandre Jesus, a tribute to Mangabitu by Ciência de Chico, and rock bands Blue Band, A Graxa, and Aléxia. Jazz performances will be presented by Flux Trio, while soul group Divazz will perform their respective repertoire. Samba lovers can expect a performance from Group A Roda.
Film enthusiasts can attend events at Cyne Lyra. This center, known for its Paranapiacaba Film Festival, will also host a vinyl fair, the Mata Escura exhibition by Francisco Ruiz Abad, as well as screenings of 'Best Moments of the Minute Festival' and ABC short film sessions.
The program includes circus and theater performances. On Saturday, clowns Irmãs Cola will demonstrate juggling in Viradouro, followed by the Universo Bambolê performance by the group Nave 012. Nearby, in Saída do Viradouro, stage productions such as Cia. Azena de Teatro's play 'Stories and Games in Paranapiacaba' and Cia Caracaxá's 'Na Batida do Baque Virado,' along with six other troupes with different plays daily, will take place.
The city also offers about 50 options for gourmets, including cafes, bistros, and snack bars. During the festival, these options are supplemented by two food zones: one is located on Avenida Antônio Olintcho, between Clube União Lyra Serrano and Antigo Mercado, and the second is in Galpões das Oficinas, where live music will be played.
Passengers arriving by car must follow specific rules. Entry into the lower part of the village is prohibited, so parking must be done in the upper part. The festival organizes parking at km 47 of the Deputado Antônio Adib Shammas Highway (SP-122), which will operate from 9:30 AM to 11:00 PM. Parking costs 60 reais for cars and 50 reais for motorcycles. The price includes a shuttle service to the lower part of the area and back to the parking lot.
Public transport is also available. One can use CPTM Line 10-Turquesa to Rio Grande da Serra, and then take bus line 424 (Rio Grande da Serra – Paranapiacaba) or call a taxi via an application. Another option is the CPTM Tourist Express, a scenic rail journey departing from Estação da Luz at 8:30 AM and returning from the village at 4:30 PM. Tickets are available on the official website for late July and early August.
The schedule for the first weekend features over 40 events. The full program is available on the festival's website. For example, on Saturday, July 25, at 1:00 PM at Palco Mercado, Marcia Cherubin will perform with the show 'Inteira' (MPB), and at 3:00 PM, Alexandre Jesus will perform with the show 'Raízes do Forró' (folk).
On Sunday, July 26, at 11:00 AM at Palco Mercado, Flux Trio will perform with the show 'Música em Fluxo' (jazz), and at 1:00 PM, Group A Roda will perform with the show 'Samba pra quem é do samba' (samba).
Events take place in the lower part of Paranapiacaba in Santo André. Entry to all events is free.
During their visit to Glenwood Bakery Morningside, the author noted that creating a special evening requires not only the dishes but also other factors such as company, service quality, music, and the overall atmosphere.
On one overcast day, the author decided to meet up with Poet and Vivek at Glenwood Bakery. They sat on the pavement on a warm winter evening, conversing, with wine flowing freely. Poet and Vivek had never visited this place in the evening before, being accustomed only to breakfasts, and were surprised by the comfortable and lively atmosphere.
The bakery's menu is quite small, but it is fresh and interesting, with regular specials. As a bakery, they offer pizza: there is crispy focaccia with prosciutto, cherry tomatoes, arugula, and Parmesan; a vegan option with mushroom guacamole and tomato salsa; as well as options with mozzarella and beef short rib with gravy. Baked eggplant dishes with feta and pasta are also offered, including classic puttanesca and pasta with slow-cooked duck, mushrooms, and red wine.
Since all the appetizers looked appetizing, they ordered many starters. Options included bowls of olives or almonds, bruschetta with white anchovies and red pepper, lentil soup, soup of the day (minestrone on that day), falafel salad, and a gorgonzola and pear salad. For the first course, they tried a special Italian tomato and bread salad with white anchovies (R61), which was very fresh and seasoned with capers, and the pieces of toasted bread perfectly absorbed the juices. A Cobb salad with smoked chicken, bacon, egg, feta, and avocado (R102) was also ordered, which turned out to be light and refreshing; the crunchy pancetta was particularly liked.
To include Vivek, they ordered chicken pepperoni with toast (R61). This option was less spicy than the creamy sauce with fresh green chili, which significantly improved Vivek's experience. Additionally, they ordered ham and cheese croquettes (R65), which were tasty despite their appearance.
The main course section features a good burger made with homemade patty. The rump steak with herb butter, potatoes, and salad offers an excellent price-to-quality ratio. A friend mentioned enjoying Cape salmon on zucchini slices with capers and tomato salsa. The menu also includes sous-vide chicken breast with latkes, green bean salad, and aioli. The special dish of the day was Kassler ribs. After ordering a generous amount of appetizers, Poet and Vivek shared Middle Eastern flatbread with slow-baked lamb, hummus, tzatziki, and arugula (R158). The author ordered two pieces of lamb on a couscous bed with pomegranate seeds and tzatziki (R158), which was a delightful Mediterranean dish.
Poet and Vivek are not dessert lovers, preferring wine. However, the small selection included Pavlova, a chocolate assortment (mousse, ice cream, and cookies), and baked pears. Homemade ice creams and sorbets were also available, with saffron ice cream being a favorite. Then the author noticed a special offer—English custard pudding with apricots and streusel (R61). This dish reminded the author of the pudding his mother used to make for him in childhood. He noted that although this pudding was served cold, as he remembered, the addition of stewed apricots and the wonderful madeleine served with it made it unforgettable.
After having coffee and more wine, they realized they were the last patrons of the establishment. The evening passed very pleasantly. Overall rating: Food — 4, Service — 3.5, Atmosphere — 4. The bill amounted to R953 for three people.
Scientists from the USA conducted a study that demonstrated similarities in geometric perception between humans, rhesus macaques, and annubis baboons. The experiment involved preschoolers as well as adult members of the Himba and Cimane tribes. It was found that rhesus macaques and annubis baboons perceive geometric shapes approximately the same way as humans.
Participants were asked to select the geometric figure that most closely matched the sample. The CORnet neural network was used to analyze the data, simulating how the primate brain processes visual information. Using this model, researchers were able to calculate the significance of simple, complex, and symbolic representations in shape perception.
It was previously noted that humans and non-human primates are capable of geometric perception. However, one experiment with guinea baboons revealed a difference: humans were better at finding the single differing figure among identical quadrilaterals if the outlier possessed a greater regularity, such as symmetry, right angles, or parallel lines. This tendency was observed in preschoolers and uneducated adults from the Himba tribe but was absent in the baboons, who solved the task regardless of the figures' regularity.
The research team, led by Jessica Cantlon from Carnegie Mellon University, conducted a follow-up experiment with children aged three to six, adults from the Himba and Cimane tribes, as well as four rhesus macaques and four annubis baboons. Participants were shown a figure and then asked to choose a similar option from two. Analysis using the CORnet neural network and logistic regression allowed researchers to determine which features participants relied upon.
Two levels were used to assess figure similarity: the CORnet neural network, which models the visual cortex (primary visual cortex V1 for simple features like lines and spots, and inferior temporal cortex IT for whole object perception), and a symbolic model that accounts for specific characteristics such as side equality, angles, symmetry, and the presence of parallel sides.
The results showed that children, monkeys, and adults from the Cimane tribe primarily rely on complex and symbolic features. For monkeys, the weight of the IT layer was 0.76; for preschoolers, it was 2.95; and for adults, it was 3.77. The weight of the symbolic model was 0.62 for monkeys, 0.89 for children, and 0.51 for adults. Furthermore, adults from the Cimane tribe showed less dependence on symbolic representations than macaques and baboons, preferring to perceive shapes holistically.
When figures were rotated by 20 degrees, there was a change in primate behavior: the weight of the symbolic model increased in monkeys from 0.62 to 1.4, and in children from 0.89 to 2.32. Additionally, the orientation towards the whole form significantly increased in monkeys, as the weight of the IT layer rose from 0.76 to 3.85. This indicates the ability of non-human primates to form representations similar to symbolic ones.
The authors also found a correlation between the difference degree indicators calculated through the IT layer, independent of rotation, and the symbolic model (r = 0.71). This led to the hypothesis that human geometric thinking is not necessarily purely symbolic, but rather based on a holistic image that does not depend on the angle of rotation. According to the scientists, the differences between species lie in the better development of this general mechanism in humans.
The article concludes by mentioning a separate biological study conducted using an underwater drone, sonar, and video cameras on a mesophotic coral reef off the coast of Benin, which was previously considered dead. A living coral community was discovered, consisting mainly of soft octocorals, associated with isolated hard substrate areas, which aligns more with the concept of a coral garden than a reef.
