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Max Verstappen seized a crucial pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Lando Norris by two tenths to ignite the Championship battle ahead of the final race of the 2025 season. Oscar Piastri will start third after a tight qualifying session at Yas Marina that delivered shocks, drama and a late surge from Red Bull.

The Dutchman arrived in Abu Dhabi 12 points behind Norris with Piastri a further four back. Victory on Sunday is essential for Verstappen to stay in contention and he delivered under pressure, claiming his eighth pole of the campaign with a...

George Russell ended the final practice session of the 2025 season on top at Yas Marina, edging Lando Norris by four thousandths of a second as preparations for the title decider reached a dramatic peak. Max Verstappen finished third, 0.124s off the Mercedes driver, with Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri completing the top five.

Championship on a knife edge

Norris leads the standings by 12 points from Verstappen with Piastri a further four behind. A podium for Norris on Sunday guarantees him his first world title regardless of other results. Verstappen must win and hope Norris finishes fourth or...

As of early December 2025, Uzbekistan’s gold and foreign currency reserves reached a record $61.2 bn, according to the central bank. Reserves rose 3.2% over the month and nearly 49% since the start of the year.

Physical gold holdings increased to 12.2 mln troy ounces, valuing the assets at $50.8 bn. Foreign currency reserves accounted for over $9.8 bn, slightly down from $10.9 bn the previous month.

In October, the central bank was among the largest gold buyers, acquiring nine tonnes. Over the first ten months of 2025, Uzbekistan exported gold worth $9.9 bn, up from $6.6 bn...

Uzbekneftegaz and Azerbaijan’s SOCAR have launched a joint project to explore and extract hydrocarbons in the Ustyurt region of Karakalpakstan. Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said the venture underlines the strategic importance of energy cooperation, fostering knowledge sharing, technology exchange and regional energy integration.

The agreement for joint development and production was signed earlier this year, stipulating that extracted resources will be shared between Tashkent and Baku. Geological surveys and drilling of at least one well are expected to be completed within five years. In early December, the Ustyurt Operating Company opened its office in Tashkent to...

The Ministry of Justice has announced that a new decree signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev sets out plans to expand the Tashkent Metro network to 103 km by 2030.

By that time the share of residents using public transport is expected to reach 60%. Average bus speeds are also projected to rise from 18 km/h to 24 km/h. Earlier reports confirmed that the metro line running from Dustlik station to New Tashkent will stretch 21 km and include nine stations. The route will be able to carry up to 230,000 passengers a day.

The Chilanzar line will also be...

The UN nuclear watchdog has warned that the protective arch built over the destroyed reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear plant can no longer fully carry out its key safety role after sustaining drone damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that an inspection last week found the confinement structure, completed in 2019, had been compromised by a drone strike in February. Ukraine says the drone was Russian, although Moscow denies attacking the site.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the mission confirmed the structure had lost its primary safety functions, including its ability to contain radioactive material. He...

Frank Gehry, the Canadian American architect whose bold and fluid designs turned him into a global cultural figure, has died at his home in Santa Monica aged 96. His chief of staff Meaghan Lloyd confirmed he passed away after a short respiratory illness.

Gehry became famous for buildings that looked as if they were folding, leaning or caught in mid-collapse, prompting praise for their originality and criticism for their excess. Even he sometimes doubted the results, once saying of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao:

«Oh, my God, what have I done to these people?»

Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros Discovery’s TV, film and streaming operations for $72 bn, giving the streaming giant control of one of Hollywood’s best known studios. The deal marks a dramatic shift for Netflix, which built its reputation by disrupting traditional entertainment models.

Co-CEO Ted Sarandos told investors: «I know some of you are surprised that we’re making this acquisition» and said it was a rare chance to advance Netflix’s mission «to entertain the world».

Netflix outbid Paramount Skydance after weeks of competition, offering nearly $28 per share. The acquisition gives it access...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told at the Sustainable Energy conference that Uzbekistan will commission thousands of industrial and infrastructure facilities by 2030. Foreign investment in these projects is expected to exceed $150 bn.

He said more than 800,000 new flats will be built in the Yangi Uzbekistan residential districts and all of them will be designed to be energy efficient. Such large-scale development will sharply raise demand for electricity. To meet the needs of households and industry the country plans to bring online 17,000 MW of new green energy capacity by 2030 which will lift the share of renewables to...

The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been completed, confirming all 12 groups for next summer’s expanded tournament. With 42 nations already qualified and six more still battling for places through European and intercontinental playoffs, teams now have their first sense of the road to the final on July 19.

The group breakdown features several finely balanced matchups across the 48-team format, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Group K: Uzbekistan’s opponents confirmed

Uzbekistan has been placed in Group K alongside Portugal and Colombia, as well as the winner...

Lando Norris set the pace in Free Practice 2 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, topping both Friday sessions as the final 2025 Championship showdown edges closer. The McLaren driver lapped in 1m 23.083s, 0.363s ahead of title rival Max Verstappen with George Russell third, 0.379s off the pace.

Crucial FP2 in representative conditions

Unlike FP1, FP2 was run in conditions similar to qualifying and the race, making it the most important session of the weekend. Teams focused on both single-lap pace and longer, high-fuel runs to plan for what could be a one or two-stop race on...

Uzbekistan has installed 2,000 MW of small-scale solar panels in private homes and social institutions, producing nearly 2 bn kWh of green energy since the start of 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

At the same time, regional authorities upgraded 69,000 km of electrical grids, 14,000 transformers, and high-voltage substations. Businesses supplied materials, cables, and electrical equipment worth $700 mln for new power plants and networks, while private companies handled project design and construction. The first hydroelectric plant of the Naryn cascade, with a capacity of 38 MW, was commissioned using domestic products.

The president highlighted the potential for construction...

Kazakhstan expanded its exports to Uzbekistan to $2.5 bn over the first nine months of 2025, marking a 26% year-on-year rise, according to Kursiv Kazakhstan.

Uzbekistan has become one of the main buyers of Kazakh goods within Central Asia. The sharpest growth was observed in agricultural supplies. Exports of soft wheat reached $479.4 mln, an increase of 20.2%. Imports of sunflower and safflower oil rose several times over, totalling $170.8 mln, up 124.2%.

A particularly striking jump came from copper rods with grooves, with purchases almost quadrupling to $124.5 mln.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s overall exports to Europe fell by...

FIFA will conduct the largest World Cup draw in history on Friday as the 48-team 2026 tournament, hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada, begins to take formal shape at Washington’s Kennedy Center.

Four debutants, Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan, will compete on football’s biggest stage for the first time when the tournament kicks off on 11 June next year. «Teams are not there by coincidence,» said Arsene Wenger, noting the strength required to qualify from each confederation.

The world’s top 11 nations have already secured their spots, while No. 12 Italy lead a group of...

The build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw has become as much a political spectacle as a sporting event, with Donald Trump set to speak at Friday’s ceremony in Washington — despite being allocated just three minutes that few expect him to keep.

The draw, originally intended for Las Vegas, was moved to the Kennedy Center at the recommendation of the Trump administration. Reports suggest FIFA is paying no rental fee for the venue but has committed to a $2.4mln donation and additional sponsorship concessions worth $5mln. The move comes amid controversy over Trump’s unilateral reshaping of the Center’s...

Lando Norris opened the final weekend of the 2025 Formula One season with the fastest time in Free Practice 1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen by eight thousandths of a second in a closely fought opening session at Yas Marina.

The McLaren driver leads the Championship by 12 points heading into the season finale and with Oscar Piastri also in mathematical contention, the title remains a three-way fight. Piastri did not take part in FP1 as McLaren fulfilled its rookie requirement, placing Pato O’Ward in the Australian’s seat for the hour.

A bumper roster...

Meta’s market value surged by nearly $100bn on Thursday after reports emerged that Mark Zuckerberg is preparing sweeping budget cuts of up to 30% at the company’s troubled Metaverse division.

According to Bloomberg, senior Meta executives met at Zuckerberg’s Hawaii compound last month to discuss the cost reductions, which are expected to trigger layoffs as early as January. The division, responsible for virtual reality headsets, Horizon Worlds, and other immersive tech, has lost more than $70bn since 2020, including $4.4bn last quarter alone.

Investors responded enthusiastically to the prospect of tighter spending, sending Meta shares up 5.5%, their...

The road to the 2026 World Cup has delivered its first major milestone as FIFA released updated world rankings for all qualified nations, spanning global powerhouses like Spain to debutants such as New Zealand. With the expanded 48-team format, more nations than ever will take part when the tournament kicks off across the USA, Mexico and Canada in 188 days.

For traditional giants, qualification was largely straightforward: Italy, ranked 12th, were the only side in FIFA’s top 20 that had not secured their place before the March 2026 playoffs. Meanwhile, three nations outside the top 80, including Haiti...

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has unleashed a blistering critique of his successor Gianni Infantino, accusing him of politicising football, sidelining players and transforming the governing body into a tool for world leaders.

Speaking from Zurich ahead of Friday’s World Cup draw in Washington, the 89-year-old, who ran FIFA from 1998 until his 2015 resignation amid a sweeping corruption scandal, referred to Infantino only as «my successor» and «the leader», pointedly refusing to use his name. Cleared of criminal charges earlier this year, Blatter said his «conscience is tranquil» as he returned to commenting on the state of global football.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced at an energy sector launch ceremony that Uzbekistan has secured $35 bn in foreign investment in recent years to develop its energy system.

According to Mirziyoyev, these investments have helped increase electricity production to 85 bn kWh this year, 20 bn kWh higher than in 2017. He highlighted that the country is undertaking extensive reforms in the energy sector to meet the demands of a rapidly growing economy. Key objectives include ensuring reliable power supply across all regions and expanding generation from modern, environmentally friendly and renewable sources.

Recent projects include the commissioning of solar...

UNG Overseas, a subsidiary of Uzbekneftegaz, has signed a financing agreement with the US corporation Cargill worth up to $3 bn, with the option to increase it to $5 bn.

The partnership aims to advance projects in the energy sector, water management and environmental protection. Priority areas include enhancing Uzbekistan’s energy security and promoting sustainable development. The agreement also explores financial support for projects ensuring electricity supply to enterprises, modernising infrastructure and improving management of energy and water resources.

UNG Overseas will coordinate cooperation with international partners, while Cargill will provide practical solutions for project implementation.

Kursiv also...

Uzbekistan’s national team defender Abdukodir Khusanov has been placed 86th in a ranking of the best players expected to participate in the 2026 World Cup.

The list, compiled by The Athletic, assessed players across five categories, including current form, past achievements and influence on their teams. Khusanov currently plays for English club Manchester City and remains a key figure for Uzbekistan’s national side.

French star Kylian Mbappe topped the ranking, followed by Norwegian forward Erling Haaland. France has the most players in the list with 12, while Brazil has nine representatives.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance has published its draft budget for 2026, following initial approval in the first reading by the Legislative Chamber.

The consolidated budget is expected to generate over $43.1 bn in revenue, while expenditures are projected at $47.4 bn. The ministry proposes a maximum deficit of $5 bn, equivalent to under 3% of GDP. For the state budget specifically, revenues are set at $30.8 bn and spending at $33.6 bn.

The budget statement emphasises that next year the government plans to continue supporting education, healthcare, social protection and public safety, with a particular focus on...

TBC Bank has surged 18 positions in The Banker’s latest ranking, securing 51st place among banks in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In Uzbekistan, the bank ranks 14th for Tier 1 capital.

The Banker assesses regional banks annually based on Tier 1 capital and eight additional criteria, including stability, profitability and efficiency. The updated evaluation model incorporates a broader set of data, providing a more precise comparison between banks.

TBC Uzbekistan CEO Nika Kurdiani highlighted that the bank’s appearance among the leading CIS institutions reflects the success of its digital banking ecosystem in the country.

In 2025, TBC Uzbekistan...