News

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde earns about €140,000 annually as a board member of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), despite ECB rules barring staff from accepting third-party payments, the Financial Times reports.

The report said Lagarde disclosed the income, around 130,457 Swiss francs in 2025, in a written statement to members of the European Parliament. BIS board payments are not typically disclosed individually.

According to the FT, some ECB staff have raised concerns internally about a perceived double standard, as employees are barred from receiving external remuneration for duties linked to their ECB roles.

The ECB...

Criminal investigators are increasingly asking Google to identify users who searched for specific terms, using so-called «reverse keyword warrants» that privacy advocates warn could expose innocent people.

Unlike traditional warrants targeting known suspects, keyword warrants work backward, requiring Google to provide data on accounts that searched certain phrases, such as an address or terms like «pipe bomb,» within a set time frame. Authorities have used the tactic in cases ranging from U.S. bombings to international political assassinations.

Supporters argue the method can generate leads in complex investigations. In one Pennsylvania rape case, a keyword warrant helped identify a...

With the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 concluding after two weeks of competition, global attention is already turning to the next chapter: the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.

The Olympic flame will now head to California, where Los Angeles is set to make history by becoming only the third city to host the Games three times, following previous editions in 1932 and 1984.

Organisers say LA28 will blend Olympic tradition with a modern approach, building on its historic legacy while aiming to deliver a Games tailored to a new generation of athletes and fans.

More sport news...

Lindsey Vonn has revealed she nearly lost her leg following a devastating crash during the downhill event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

The 41-year-old Alpine skiing legend said she suffered multiple fractures and compartment syndrome, a condition that can cause severe tissue damage.

«Everything was in pieces,» Vonn wrote, adding that «Dr Tom Hackett saved my leg from being amputated» after emergency surgery.

After two weeks in hospital, Vonn confirmed she has returned home but faces a long recovery. Calling it «the most extreme and painful and challenging injury I’ve...

Team USA paid an emotional tribute to late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau after defeating Canada in overtime to win gold at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Players carried Gaudreau’s jersey during victory celebrations and brought his young children onto the ice for the team photo. Gaudreau, who died in a 2024 car crash alongside his brother Matty, had been remembered throughout the tournament with a jersey displayed in the locker room.

Teammates said the tribute reflected Gaudreau’s lasting impact on USA Hockey, with players calling the moment a way to honour both brothers and support the family...

Fresh protests have erupted across Iranian universities as students rallied over the weekend to honour demonstrators killed during last month’s crackdown, raising tensions amid fears of potential U.S. military intervention.

Students gathered on the first day of the new academic term at multiple campuses, including Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, where clashes reportedly broke out between protesters and pro-government groups. Demonstrators were heard chanting anti-government slogans, including calls against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and slogans linked to the «Woman, Life, Freedom» movement.

Protests were also reported at several major institutions, including the University of Tehran, Amirkabir...

London-listed junior miner Kendrick Resources has agreed to acquire a majority stake in two rare earth exploration licences near Luderitz, Namibia, marking a further shift toward African critical minerals.

Under a deal with Bonya Exploration, Kendrick will pay $300,000 in cash plus 22 mln shares, with additional payments tied to future milestones. The announcement triggered a roughly 21% rise in the company’s share price. However, no formal resource estimate, grade data or metallurgical results have yet been disclosed, underlining the project’s early-stage nature.

Namibia is considered geologically prospective for rare earth elements due to its alkaline and carbonatite...

PART I. Official

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has formally thanked organisers of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, praising the event as a milestone that redefined how the Games can be staged, and setting the tone for future Olympic hosts.

At a special ceremony held the day after the Closing Ceremony, IOC President Kirsty Coventry paid tribute to the thousands of people behind the two-week event, describing it as an edition marked by innovation, unity and lasting legacy.

«What an incredible two weeks,» Coventry said, applauding the «courage, passion and pure joy» of the...

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to begin declassifying government files related to UFOs and extra-terrestrial life, citing «tremendous public interest» in the topic.

The directive, announced on Truth Social on 23 February 2026, instructs Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to identify and release documents linked to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), UFOs, and potential alien life. No timeline or scope of the disclosures has been confirmed, but the move signals the start of a formal review process.

Trump’s announcement follows renewed debate after former President Barack Obama recently discussed the possibility of extra-terrestrial life in a podcast...

Steam users have added the Uzbek-developed pirate adventure Windrose to their wishlists one million times, the gaming portal DTF reports. The game is being created by Uzbekistan-based studio Windrose Crew.

«Your support means the world to us. Not long ago, we could not have imagined such a response,» the developers said in a statement.

A demo of Windrose is now available on Steam and has received very positive feedback. It features multiple story quests and islands for players to explore. While the release date is yet to be announced, the studio confirmed a new...

Goldman Sachs raised its price projections for Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude in the fourth quarter of 2026, citing lower inventories in OECD countries, even as it continues to forecast a global oil surplus and assumes no major supply disruption linked to Iran.

The bank increased its fourth-quarter 2026 forecast by $6, putting Brent at $60 a barrel and WTI at $56. For the full year, it now expects Brent to average $64, up from $56, and WTI to average $60, compared with a previous estimate of $52.

Oil prices slipped about 1% on Monday as the United...

Shares in India’s IDFC First Bank plunged as much as 20% on Monday after the lender revealed suspected fraudulent transactions worth 5.9 bn rupees, or about $65 mln, heightening investor concerns over the hit to earnings.

By late morning in Mumbai, the stock was down 15.8% at 70.29 rupees, its lowest level since October 2025 and on track for its steepest single-day fall in six years. The bank led losses on the banking index even as India’s benchmark index edged 0.35% higher.

Fraud Linked to Government Accounts

The Mumbai-based mid-sized lender said the suspected fraud was confined to government-linked...

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that human rights are facing mounting pressure around the world, pointing to violations of international law and severe civilian suffering in conflicts including Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine.

Addressing the opening of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Guterres said the «rule of law is being outmuscled by the rule of force» and accused some actors of deliberately rolling back fundamental rights. He urged member states not to treat international human rights standards as optional commitments.

Guterres also defended the UN human rights system, describing it as operating in «survival mode». He cited funding...

Timothee Chalamet has largely kept details of Dune: Part Three under wraps ahead of its December release. However, during a town hall hosted by Variety and CNN at the University of Texas at Austin, the actor offered fresh insight into how he approached his evolving portrayal of Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi trilogy.

Speaking alongside Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet said the final chapters of the story draw inspiration from performances in large-scale films that managed to inject unexpected depth. He referenced McConaughey’s work in Interstellar, Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight and Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, before quickly...

Paul Thomas Anderson’s political thriller “One Battle After Another” dominated the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards, taking home six prizes including best film and best director.

The acclaimed drama swept the 79th annual ceremony at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Alongside the top awards, the film secured honours for adapted screenplay, cinematography, editing and a best supporting actor trophy for Sean Penn.

Ryan Coogler’s vampire feature “Sinners” followed closely with three wins for original screenplay, original score and best supporting actress for Wunmi Mosaku. “Frankenstein” also collected three technical awards for production design, costume design and makeup and hair.

In...

Uzbekistan’s business confidence rose sharply in January 2026, reflecting stronger expectations among entrepreneurs, the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) reports. The composite business climate index reached 64 points, marking a 23% increase over the year.

The improvement was driven by better assessments of current conditions and growing optimism for the next three months. Around 22% of companies have already increased staff, while 71% expect higher demand in the coming quarter. Firms planning to expand their workforce rose to 65%.

Agriculture saw the strongest boost, with the index jumping to 77 from 48 a year earlier. Almost half...

North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party has reaffirmed Kim Jong Un as its general secretary, state media report. The announcement by the party congress on Sunday was widely expected, as the Kim family has ruled the country since the late 1940s.

KCNA stated that under Kim’s leadership, North Korea has «radically improved» its «war deterrence» with nuclear forces at its core. Despite international sanctions, the country continues to develop nuclear weapons and test intercontinental missiles, though the secretive regime makes independent assessment difficult.

Kim, who took control in 2011 after his father’s death, has heavily invested in the nuclear programme...

Central Asia’s population could grow to 96 mln by 2040, placing heavy pressure on infrastructure and natural resources, the head of the Eurasian Development Bank has warned.

Nikolai Podguzov, chairman of the bank’s management board, said in an interview that demographic growth would support economic expansion but would also demand urgent upgrades in energy efficiency, water management and transport connectivity.

«By 2040, according to our estimates, Central Asia’s population may reach 96 mln. This should serve as a driver for the economy. However, such numbers will also place enormous strain on infrastructure. For sustainable development...

One of Mexico’s most feared drug traffickers, Nemesio Oseguera, known as El Mencho, has died after being wounded during a military operation, as cartel retaliation plunged parts of the country into chaos.

The 60-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel died in custody following a special forces raid in Tapalpa, in the Pacific state of Jalisco. His body was flown to Mexico City under heavy National Guard escort.

The operation marked one of the most significant blows in recent years against criminal groups accused of smuggling billions of dollars’ worth of drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States.

Uzbekistan is set to welcome dancers and cultural figures from around the world as the Lazgi International Dance Festival returns to the ancient city of Khiva from April 25 to 30, 2026.

Held every two years, the festival celebrates the iconic Khorezm dance «Lazgi,» a UNESCO-recognised cultural treasure known for its expressive movements and deep historical roots. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Khorezm regional administration, the event aims to promote national heritage while fostering global artistic exchange.

The six-day programme will feature an international dance competition, concerts, exhibitions, masterclasses, and a scientific conference bringing together choreographers, scholars...

Global commodities firm Traxys has announced plans to invest up to $1 bn in Uzbekistan’s critical minerals sector, focusing on tungsten and molybdenum projects, following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and U.S. business leaders in Washington.

The initiative includes cooperation with state-linked partners such as Navoiyuran and the Uzbekistan Plant of Technological Metals, as well as plans to open a Traxys representative office in Tashkent. The headline target is production of around 150 tons per year, though details on product types and processing routes have not been disclosed.

Industry observers note that Traxys operates primarily as a trading...

Uzbekistan is preparing an expanded delegation for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026 following talks in Moscow between Russian presidential adviser Anton Kobyakov and Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Russia, Botirzhon Asadov.

The meeting focused on Russian-Uzbek economic cooperation and plans for a larger Uzbek presence at the forum, including business and cultural programmes and potential investment agreements.

Kobyakov highlighted steady growth in bilateral ties and reiterated a joint goal to raise trade turnover to $30 bn by 2030 through deeper industrial cooperation and investment projects.

Asadov confirmed Uzbekistan’s intention to use SPIEF as a platform to strengthen...

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have pledged support for Gaza reconstruction initiatives, highlighting efforts by Central Asian states to deepen engagement with the United States, according to reporting by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

At the inaugural Board of Peace Summit on 19 February, Kazakhstan promised financial contributions to the World Bank’s Gaza Reconstruction and Development Fund and signalled readiness to deploy peacekeepers as part of a potential international stabilisation mission. The country also floated humanitarian measures including wheat supplies and scholarships for Palestinian students, though no detailed funding figures have been disclosed.

Uzbekistan reiterated earlier plans to develop an «Uzbekistan...

Uzbekistan continues to formalise its cryptocurrency ecosystem, tightening oversight of mining activities while maintaining a regulated environment for digital assets, according to international compliance data and national regulators.

A country guide by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic notes that cryptocurrencies are officially recognised in Uzbekistan but are not legal tender. Since 2023, residents have been required to conduct transactions through domestic licensed providers, reflecting a state-led approach to regulation.

At the same time, the National Agency of Perspective Projects (NAPP) has introduced detailed rules governing mining operations. Under the agency’s framework, mining is not a...