News

The United States and Canada are set to face off in the men’s ice hockey final at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, renewing one of the sport’s fiercest rivalries in a gold-medal showdown on 22 February.

The matchup marks the return of NHL players to Olympic competition for the first time since 2014, setting up a best-on-best clash featuring many of the game’s biggest stars.

A key storyline surrounds Canadian captain Sidney Crosby, whose availability remains uncertain after missing the semi-final due to injury. In his absence, Connor McDavid has stepped into a leadership role and enters...

Finland secured the men’s ice hockey bronze medal at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with a commanding 6–1 victory over Slovakia on 21 February.

The Beijing 2022 champions rebounded from a semi-final loss to Canada with a dominant performance, breaking open a tight game with four unanswered goals in the third period.

Sebastian Aho opened the scoring in the first period before Erik Haula doubled Finland’s lead early in the second. Slovakia briefly closed the gap through Tomáš Tatar late in the period, but Finland quickly regained control in the final frame.

Roope Hintz and Kaapo Kakko

The penultimate day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics delivered nine medal events and several standout moments, headlined by Norwegian cross-country star Johannes Hosflot Klæbo making history.

Klæbo claimed his sixth gold medal of the Games in the men’s 50km mass start, becoming the first athlete in Winter Olympics history to win six golds at a single edition and raising his career total to 11.

In curling, Canada defeated Great Britain 9–6 to win the men’s title, while also securing bronze in the women’s event. Germany’s Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi successfully defended their two-woman bobsleigh crown...

Australia delivered its most successful Winter Olympics performance at Milano Cortina 2026, securing six medals, including a record three golds, in a landmark showing for the nation.

Freestyle skier Jakara Anthony made history by winning gold in the debut dual moguls event, becoming Australia’s most decorated Winter Olympian. Josie Baff added another title with victory in women’s snowboard cross, while Cooper Woods claimed gold in men’s moguls.

The medal haul also included strong podium finishes, with Scotty James taking silver in snowboard halfpipe, Danielle Scott earning silver in women’s aerials, and Matt Graham winning bronze in dual moguls.

The figure skating exhibition gala brought the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics to a festive close on 21 February, blending humour, artistry and emotional moments in a two-and-a-half-hour finale.

Italian legend Carolina Kostner opened the show on home ice, setting the tone for a night that featured 29 diverse performances — from dramatic solos and romantic duets to comedic routines and crowd-interactive numbers.

Highlights included Spain’s Olivia Smart and Tim Dieck turning the rink into a football pitch, while Estonia’s Niina Petrokina delivered a theatrical performance inspired by Cell Block Tango. France’s Adam Siao Him Fa impressed with a mid-skate...

Authorities in Uzbekistan have detained two regional officials in separate corruption cases involving alleged bribery and land allocation schemes, local media reported on Saturday.

In the Surkhandarya region, the deputy governor of Jarkurgan district is suspected of demanding 90 mln soums (about $7,400) to arrange a short-term lease of nine hectares of reserve land to a farmer. Investigators say he received part of the payment in January and was detained in the city of Termez while allegedly taking the remaining sum. A criminal case has been opened on bribery charges, and the suspect has been placed in custody.

Iran’s northern Mazandaran province has exported 4,500 handicraft items to Uzbekistan and Germany, a regional official said on Saturday.

Atefeh Shabani, deputy head of handicrafts at the provincial Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, said the shipment included wooden serving and kitchenware produced using traditional woodturning and fine woodcraft techniques, along with interior décor items.

The consignment was valued at around $250,000 and marked the first phase of a broader export programme aimed at expanding the province’s presence in international markets, Shabani said.

The goods were shipped via the Dogharoun customs office on Iran’s border with Afghanistan...

A 21-year-old man who declared himself president of a self-proclaimed country in the Balkans has opened an embassy, on his local high street in Kent.

Daniel Jackson says he founded the so-called Free Republic of Verdis after identifying a disputed pocket of land along the Danube River not formally claimed by Croatia or Serbia. He declared the micronation in 2019, building on an idea he first had at the age of 14.

Jackson has since opened two «representative offices», one in Dover and another in Novi Sad, Serbia, which he describes as embassies until the territory is officially...

Katie Price has denied she is pregnant after sparking speculation with a series of suggestive social media posts involving her new husband, Lee Andrews.

The 47-year-old TV personality raised eyebrows after writing on Instagram that she was «having his child» in a message directed at Andrews’ ex-partner. Around the same time, Andrews shared a post describing the pair as a «perfect couple, soon to be triple,» alongside a pregnant emoji, fuelling rumours online.

However, Price’s representative has shut down the claims, telling Yahoo UK that she is not expecting a baby despite the couple’s recent comments.

The rumours...

FBI Director Kash Patel has flown to Italy aboard a government jet for a trip that includes official meetings and attendance at Olympic events, according to a report by CBS News.

Patel departed on Thursday and is expected to meet with Italian law enforcement and security officials, as well as attend a U.S. consulate briefing on Olympic security. Sources told CBS he also plans to watch the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team compete in Milan.

The FBI said the visit is official and had been planned months in advance. Ben Williamson, the bureau’s assistant director for public affairs...

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have agreed to boost bilateral trade to $2 bn as both countries seek to deepen economic cooperation.

The goal was announced during the 13th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in Dushanbe, attended by Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and Tajik Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda.

Officials discussed expanding collaboration across key sectors, including trade, investment, energy, industry, agriculture, transport, customs and education. Both sides highlighted growing momentum in bilateral ties driven by stronger political dialogue.

Trade between the two countries reached $718 mln in 2025, up more than 22% year-on-year. The...

Uzbekistan’s Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex (AMMC) has discussed the possibility of placing bonds on the London Stock Exchange as part of expanding cooperation with the United Kingdom.

The proposal was reviewed during a meeting between AMMC Chairman Abdulla Khursanov and the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Central Asia and Azerbaijan, Lord John Alderdice.

During the visit, the British delegation toured the Yoshlik-1 deposit and other key facilities, including a major copper concentrator equipped with modern technologies. Officials highlighted the company’s ongoing expansion and modernization efforts.

AMMC said deeper engagement with UK partners could strengthen its global...

Greater Manchester Police has been granted permission to retain gold bars worth £1.8 mln that were seized at Manchester Airport in 2025.

Officers intercepted a passenger carrying five gold bars weighing more than 15 kilograms in hand luggage as he prepared to leave the UK. The gold was confiscated on suspicion it was linked to criminal activity.

Following a months-long investigation, a Manchester magistrates’ court approved a forfeiture order under the Proceeds of Crime Act, allowing the force to retain the value of the haul. Police described it as the largest asset recovery award in the force’s history.

Authorities said...

Casey Wasserman, chairman of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic organising committee, is facing mounting scrutiny after newly released documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation mentioned him multiple times.

The files reportedly include decades-old correspondence between Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell. While there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing, some of the messages have been described as inappropriate, triggering backlash from public figures and political leaders.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has publicly called on Wasserman to step down from his role overseeing the 2028 Summer Games, while several athletes and industry figures have distanced themselves from the sports...

The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has sent shockwaves through the British royal family, marking an unprecedented legal crisis in modern royal history.

Authorities detained the duke on suspicion of misconduct in public office following renewed scrutiny linked to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The development represents the first time a senior royal has faced arrest in contemporary Britain.

King Charles responded swiftly, stating that “the law must take its course,» and reportedly stripping Andrew of remaining honorary roles. Palace insiders say the monarch is seeking to protect the institution from further reputational damage while...

Alysa Liu delivered a stunning performance to win Olympic gold in women’s figure skating at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, becoming the first American woman to claim the title in 24 years.

The reigning world champion produced a near-flawless free skate to move up from third place after the short program and finish atop the podium with a career-best total score.

Liu’s victory marks the first U.S. women’s Olympic title in the event since Sarah Hughes triumphed at Salt Lake City 2002. It also caps a remarkable comeback for the 20-year-old, who briefly retired from the sport...

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has showcased its Shahid Soleimani-class missile corvettes during recent naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting a shift in Tehran’s maritime strategy in the region.

During the February drills, Iranian forces demonstrated the launch of a surface-to-air missile from one of the catamaran-style warships, signaling the growing capabilities of the platform as a multi-role naval asset.

The Shahid Soleimani-class vessels are compact but heavily armed missile corvettes designed for fast operations in confined waters. Analysts say the ships are optimized for sea-denial tactics, combining anti-ship missiles with air-defense systems to complicate...

Uzbekistan is stepping up air cargo connectivity with Pakistan as bilateral trade between the two countries continues to grow, officials said.

Over the past decade, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Pakistan has surged, reaching nearly $446 mln in 2025, with agricultural products dominating exports. Both sides have set a new target of increasing bilateral trade to $2 bn in the coming years.

To support this goal, Uzbekistan Airways operates regular flights on the Tashkent–Islamabad and Tashkent–Lahore routes, while private carrier Centrum Air plans to launch direct flights to Lahore later this year.

The expansion of direct flights is...

Uzbekistan and the United States have agreed to develop a nationwide network of fuel stations as part of broader economic cooperation announced during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Washington.

The initiative builds on earlier agreements between Uzbekneftegaz and U.S.-based Gulf Oil, which plan to establish up to 100 gas stations across the country. The project is expected to cover all regions, with initial sites likely to be located along major highways.

Officials say the new fuel infrastructure will be supported by a mix of locally sourced fuel and imports, with supplies handled through Uzbekistan’s commodity exchange.

The project...

Cristiano Ronaldo has been cleared to captain Portugal in the early stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, easing concerns about the veteran forward’s availability ahead of the tournament.

The decision follows uncertainty over a previous suspension that had put his participation in the opening matches in doubt. With the ruling now clarified, Ronaldo is expected to feature in Portugal’s first group-stage fixtures, including a highly anticipated match against Uzbekistan.

Portugal and Uzbekistan have reportedly been drawn into the same group, setting up a notable encounter between the European powerhouse and the Central Asian side in the expanded...

Uzbekistan and the United States have agreed to establish a new joint investment platform aimed at expanding bilateral economic cooperation, according to Uzbekistan’s presidential press service.

The agreement was reached during talks in Washington, D.C., involving President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, representatives of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

Discussions focused on boosting financing for major infrastructure and industrial projects, as well as supporting the delivery of advanced technologies to Uzbekistan. The sides also highlighted plans to deepen investment cooperation and expand support for Uzbekistan’s financial sector and energy industry.

Uzbek officials welcomed potential...

Switzerland became the second team to reach the women’s curling semi-finals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics after a hard-fought victory over Denmark on Wednesday.

The Swiss side entered the match with a strong round-robin record and sealed a 6–4 win thanks to a decisive final end, scoring three points to secure qualification for the knockout stage.

Skip Silvana Tirinzoni praised both teams after the match, describing the contest as tightly contested and highlighting the significance of reaching an Olympic semi-final.

Denmark eliminated as playoff race tightens

The defeat knocked Denmark out of semi-final contention, joining...

The United States secured a dramatic place in the men’s ice hockey semi-finals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics after Quinn Hughes scored an overtime winner in a 2–1 victory over Sweden on Wednesday.

The tense quarter-final appeared headed for extra time after Mika Zibanejad equalised for Sweden late in the third period, cancelling out Dylan Larkin’s earlier goal for the Americans. But Hughes delivered the decisive moment in sudden death, keeping Team USA’s hopes of a first Olympic gold since 1980 alive.

«It was a relief,» Hughes said after the game, reflecting...

Day 12 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics delivered another packed schedule of standout performances, historic milestones, and dramatic finishes across the ice and snow.

Several of the Games’ biggest names stepped into the spotlight, including Mikaela Shiffrin, Johannes Hosflot Klæbo, Xu Mengtao and Arianna Fontana, as medals were decided in multiple disciplines.

Shiffrin claims long-awaited slalom gold

American alpine skiing legend Mikaela Shiffrin secured her first gold of the Games in the women’s slalom, finishing well ahead of the field with a commanding two-run performance. Switzerland’s Camille Rast took silver, while Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson