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Uzbekistan is preparing to reintroduce a 12-year education system, deputy minister of preschool and school education Sardor Radjabov has confirmed.

He explained that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev had reviewed a presentation on education reform, which outlined plans to expand preschool preparatory courses. This move is expected to underpin the shift to a 12-year schooling model aimed at raising educational standards.

Alignment with International Standards

Radjabov stressed that many Uzbek graduates currently face obstacles when applying to foreign universities.

«Today, when entering overseas universities, our graduates are forced to take year-long foundation courses, which results...

According to Vedomosti, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov drew attention to the décor of the Diaoyutai residence in Beijing, where President Vladimir Putin was holding bilateral talks during his official visit.

Surveying the room decorated with matryoshka dolls and other figurines, Lavrov quipped: «And where is Labubu?»

The remark referred to the widely popular toy monster known for its fluffy fur and toothy grin, which has become part of contemporary pop culture. Russian Alfa-Bank recently announced a payment card featuring the toy, while the word «Labubu» has firmly entered everyday Russian usage. Data from the «Word of the Year...

Uzbekistan is looking to position itself as a strategic partner for South Korea in advanced industries ranging from critical minerals and semiconductors to green energy and pharmaceuticals, according to Laziz Kudratov, the country’s minister of investment, industry and trade.

The Central Asian nation, rich in minerals such as tungsten and molybdenum used in semiconductors and secondary batteries, is emerging as a valuable collaborator for Korea’s high-tech sectors.

«We are focusing first and foremost on critical minerals,» Kudratov told The Korea Herald.

Strengthening Supply Chains

In 2024, the two countries agreed to boost supply...

Uzbekistan’s gold and foreign exchange reserves climbed to a record $50.08 bn as of September 1, according to the Central Bank. This marks an increase of $1.34 bn compared with the previous month.

The key driver of growth was gold, whose value rose to $40.06 bn. Uzbekistan also expanded its gold stock in physical terms, from 11.7 mn to 11.8 mn ounces.

The foreign currency component of reserves edged down slightly to $9.5 bn. Of this, around $900 mn is held with international institutions and central banks, while some $7.5 bn is placed in foreign commercial banks.

In addition...

Riot police clashed with supporters of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Monday after a court ruling removed its Istanbul provincial leadership, as reported by Reuters.

Outside the party’s provincial office, police used pepper spray and detained protesters as hundreds gathered to oppose the decision. Inside, CHP lawmakers piled tables and chairs to block entry.

«Today, they are not only trying to evacuate the building from CHP supporters here, but they are actually attempting to dismantle democracy,» said CHP MP Gokhan Gunaydin in a live broadcast from behind the barricade.

Last week...

Prince Harry has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on the third anniversary of her death during his first visit to the UK in five months. The duke visited the late monarch’s resting place at Windsor Castle on Monday morning before attending the annual WellChild Awards in London.

Speaking to young award winners, Harry joked about his bald head and ginger beard while also reflecting on the challenges of sibling relationships. His comments came as Prince William and the Princess of Wales visited a Women’s Institute event in Berkshire to honour the Queen’s long association with the organisation.

Despite...

Manchester City and the Premier League have reached a settlement in their long-running dispute over sponsorship rules known as Associated Party Transactions (APTs).

The deal means City now accept the current APT rules as valid and binding. In return, the Premier League has allowed the club to move forward with a new long-term sponsorship contract with Etihad Airways, reportedly worth up to £1 bn.

The APT rules were introduced to stop clubs from inflating commercial deals with companies linked to their owners. City had challenged the rules after a proposed Etihad deal was blocked in 2023 for not being...

A new street artwork believed to be by Banksy appeared on the Queen’s Building at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on 8 September. The mural shows a judge hitting a protester with a gavel.

Court staff quickly covered the work with black plastic and metal barriers, saying it was to protect the heritage site.

Banksy confirmed the piece on Instagram. Activists said hiding the mural only made its message stronger.

Banksy’s art is known worldwide for bold statements on politics and society, even though his real identity is still unknown.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that HBO’s upcoming...

Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra must serve a one-year prison sentence stemming from past convictions, reigniting debate over whether the influential politician received preferential treatment during his return to the country.

Thaksin came back to Thailand in 2023 after more than a decade of self-imposed exile to face an eight-year sentence in three cases involving corruption and abuse of power. The court reviewed how officials handled his return, amid public concern about irregularities in the process.

After spending less than a day in prison, Thaksin was transferred to a private suite at Bangkok’s...

President Sadyr Japarov has announced that Kyrgyzstan is close to being removed from the European Union’s aviation blacklist, Kabar news agency reports.

A crucial meeting between the country’s Civil Aviation Agency and the European Commission is scheduled for October 7 in Brussels, followed by a final audit in December.

«We firmly believe that European skies will reopen for Kyrgyzstan, which have been closed since 2006. This will mean our country becomes accessible to millions of tourists from Europe,» Japarov said.

In parallel, Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement with China on August 20 to launch a...

Brussels is preparing its 19th package of sanctions against Russia, which is set to include restrictions on several banks in two Central Asian countries, Reuters reports, citing European diplomats.

The publication noted that the measures concern financial institutions in the region, though the specific countries and banks have not been disclosed.

European Council President António Costa said the upcoming sanctions would be closely coordinated with the United States. He added that Brussels expects stronger cooperation with Washington following tensions earlier this year, when US President Donald Trump chose to hold direct talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

George Paresishvili has left his post as chairman of the Tashkent Republican Stock Exchange (RSE «Toshkent»), the exchange’s press service reports.

His three-year employment contract expired in September 2025, bringing to an end a tenure that began in September 2022.

“Over the past three years, Mr. Paresishvili has demonstrated high results in the development of the exchange. Under his leadership, it was possible to significantly increase trading volumes and the number of transactions, and improve the company’s financial performance,” the RSE emphasized.

One of his key contributions was driving legal and regulatory reforms in...

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and FIFA President Gianni Infantino have agreed to establish a FIFA office for Central Asia in Tashkent.

During the talks, Infantino congratulated Mirziyoyev on Uzbekistan’s historic qualification for the World Cup, which will be held across several countries in the Americas next year.

According to the presidential press service, the two sides discussed ways to expand cooperation with FIFA, focusing on reforming the organisation and management of football in Uzbekistan. Particular attention was given to joint projects aimed at promoting the sport among young people. FIFA has already supported the launch of a football centre...

The CAFA Nations Cup 2025 reached a dramatic conclusion at Tashkent’s Olympic Stadium as Uzbekistan defeated Iran 1-0 thanks to a late extra-time strike from Khojiakbar Alijonov.

Early Drama

The match started at a frantic pace with both sides showing intensity. Just five minutes in, Iran were reduced to ten men after defender Aria Yousufi was sent off. Uzbekistan pressed their advantage and created several chances, but efforts from Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Jasurbek Alikulov failed to find the net.

In the second half, the hosts made attacking changes with Igor Sergeev and Oston Urunov coming on, yet Iran held...

HBO’s upcoming remake of the Harry Potter series has sparked debate among fans, with many questioning why the story needs to be retold.

The latest announcement confirmed Warwick Davis will return as Professor Flitwick. Earlier casting, including Nick Frost as Hagrid, also raised eyebrows, leading some to ask whether the project offers anything new.

On social media, critics pointed out the show is being filmed in the same locations as the original films, with near-identical costumes.

«Genuinely, what’s the point of this?» one fan wrote.

Others argued the remake gives more time to adapt...

Jose Mourinho has been dismissed by Fenerbahce, with club president Ali Koc saying the manager’s «unacceptable» football style forced the decision.

The 62-year-old Portuguese coach lost his job two days after Fenerbahce were knocked out of the Champions League play-offs by Benfica. While many thought the European defeat sealed his fate, Koc said it was Mourinho’s dull approach that clashed with the club’s tradition of dominant, attacking football.

«Getting knocked out by Benfica wasn’t the issue,» Koc told Turkish outlet Hurriyet. «But how we went out was unacceptable. It felt like the same dull football...

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has suspended production at its UK factories following a major cyber-attack, with disruption expected to last into October.

The carmaker, owned by India’s Tata group, stopped operations last week after hackers infiltrated its systems. Workers at plants in Halewood, Solihull and Wolverhampton have been told to stay home but will continue to be paid. They are expected to «bank» their hours and make them up later.

Suppliers including Evtec, WHS Plastics, SurTec and OPmobility have also paused work, affecting more than 6K staff. Production in Slovakia, Brazil and India is thought to be hit as...

A British start-up building anti-missile technology similar to Israel’s Iron Dome has raised more than $130mln (£96mln).

Cambridge Aerospace will use the funds to develop its Skyhammer interceptor rockets, designed to knock out drones and missiles at low cost. The company plans large-scale production, aiming to build thousands of rockets each month, with a new parts factory in Norfolk.

The investment round includes backing from D3, a Ukrainian defence fund supported by Google’s former chief executive Eric Schmidt. Since leaving Google, Schmidt has focused on defence projects and has worked with Ukraine on drone deployment.

Cambridge Aerospace was founded...

Donald Trump once dismissed Bitcoin as a scam. Now, he and his family are among its biggest beneficiaries.

During his second term, Trump has presented himself as the most crypto-friendly president in US history. His administration has launched a strategic Bitcoin reserve, backed stablecoin laws and signed orders to prevent banks from cutting off clients for political reasons. These moves coincided with Bitcoin reaching a record $120K.

At the same time, the Trump family has entered the market with their own projects. Both Donald and Melania Trump issued «meme coins», while sons Donald Jr and Eric spearheaded ventures such...

Audi has presented its new Concept C sports car in Milan, calling it a «progressive step» towards a future of electric vehicles. The two-seat model mixes the elegance of a coupé with an open-top design and features a retractable hardtop, clean lines and sharp edges inspired by classic Audi models.

The company says the car reflects a new design philosophy focused on «radical simplicity» and technology. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said it was time for the brand to «pick up speed» as it shifts towards electric power.

However, the Concept C has drawn comparisons to Jaguar’s Type 00, a...

Gold has reached a new record this week, passing $3,500 an ounce for the first time. At the same time, gold mining shares are rising faster than the metal itself, something not seen in this cycle until now.

Mining companies benefit more when gold prices rise because of their high fixed costs. Higher prices boost their profit margins, and recent lower input costs have helped. Shares in gold miners only started to climb this year despite steady growth in cash flow.

Still, some investors remain cautious. Gold is seen as a safe hedge against market risks, while mining shares are...

Ethiopia will officially open the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Tuesday, a massive project on the Blue Nile expected to more than double the country’s electricity output.

The dam, under construction since 2011, will produce over 5,000 megawatts of power. Ethiopia hopes this will bring electricity to millions of citizens who still rely on kerosene lamps and firewood, and also allow the country to export energy to neighbors.

Many Ethiopians see the project as life-changing.

«With the completion of the dam, our entire community is now happy,» said Fanuse Adete, a widowed mother...

Kylian Mbappe has shared his thoughts on this season’s Premier League title race, naming Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal as the main contenders.

Liverpool Still the Team to Beat

Liverpool have opened their title defence with three straight wins, including victory over Arsenal, giving them a two point cushion heading into the international break. Mbappe acknowledged Jürgen Klopp’s side remain favourites but suggested Arsenal could spring a surprise.

«Of course, Liverpool must be mentioned first as they want to keep winning trophies. But I also have high hopes for Arsenal because their squad has...

Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei has claimed that his team submitted a letter withdrawing from the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, but the regional football body refused to accept it, Championat.Asia reports.

According to Ghalenoei, the late start of Iran’s domestic league created difficulties in preparing for the tournament. He criticised the organisation of the second edition of the CAFA Cup, expressing frustration but also hope for future improvements.

The coach stressed that the competition could play an important role in regional football development if modern technologies and approaches were introduced.

Ghalenoei also praised Uzbekistan’s progress over the past decade...