News

Moldova’s pro-European ruling party secured a commanding victory over its Russia-leaning opponent in a parliamentary election seen as pivotal for the country’s future, Reuters reports. The result, announced on September 29, strengthens Chisinau’s push to join the European Union and distance itself from Moscow.

President Maia Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) won 50.1% of the vote, according to near-final results from the electoral commission. Its main rival, the Patriotic Bloc, trailed with 24.2%. Polls had predicted a close contest, but the outcome spares the country from coalition bargaining and provides a mandate to pursue EU membership by...

From January to August this year, about 58,500 new companies were registered in Uzbekistan, according to figures from the National Statistics Agency. The figure is 1.1% higher than in the same period last year.

Tashkent recorded the largest number of new enterprises, with nearly 12,800 companies established in the capital. The Tashkent region ranked second with 5,800 firms, followed by Khorezm region where more than 5,200 businesses were set up.

The lowest number was registered in Syrdarya region, where fewer than 1,500 new companies were created.

Kursiv also reports that as of September 1, 2025, Uzbekistan had nearly...

The plane carrying the Real Madrid football team landed at Almaty airport, Kazinform reports.

Fans gathered at the terminal, forming a live corridor to greet the squad.

According to the Telegram channel NEHabar, a large crowd also gathered outside the Intercontinental Hotel.

Yet supporters’ hopes of seeing their heroes up close were dashed, as the players did not come out to meet them and went directly to the hotel.

Football fans who tried to rush towards the team were stopped by police officers.

Photographs of the arriving squad later appeared on X.

The club’s official account shared a video...

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities released a United States national on September 28, following a visit by Washington’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler, the US government confirmed.

The detainee, identified as Amir Amiri, had been held since December 2024. His release was brokered by Qatar and he was en route to Doha on Sunday evening.

Boehler’s visit came a week after US President Donald Trump demanded that the Taliban return control of Bagram air base to American forces, warning that «bad things» would happen to Afghanistan if it refused.

Fifth Release This Year

Amiri is the fifth US citizen freed by...

YouTube megastar MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) has once again ignited the internet, this time quite literally, with his latest viral video titled “Would You Risk Dying For $500,000?”. The stunt, which features a contestant navigating a house engulfed in flames to win a half-million-dollar prize, has drawn both awe and outrage across social media platforms.

In the video, the contestant faces a series of fiery obstacles, including cannon stunts, rings of fire, and explosive traps, all while attempting to grab as much cash as possible before escaping the inferno. The challenge is billed as «the craziest we’ve ever filmed».

However...

A former US Marine rammed a pickup truck into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building in Michigan, opened fire on worshippers and set the church ablaze during a packed Sunday service before being shot dead by police.

The attack left at least four people dead and eight others wounded. Authorities were combing through the burned ruins of the Grand Blanc Township church, near Flint, for more victims after two bodies were discovered in the debris.

A Coordinated and Violent Assault

Police Chief William Renye said the assault began around 10:25 a.m. when the man crashed...

Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on September 27 demanding a deal to end the war in Gaza, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Demonstrators rallied at Hostage Square, holding banners urging the government to secure the release of captives still held in the enclave.

The call for an agreement came amid another wave of Israeli strikes that killed at least 92 people across Gaza, according to local authorities. In Tel Aviv, relatives of hostages said time was running out.

«The only thing that can stop...

King Charles has reportedly decided that Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, will not be invited to the Royal Family’s Christmas celebrations this year. The decision follows renewed scrutiny over their ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Media reports claim the King wishes to keep the Duke and Duchess of York at a distance after revelations that Ferguson privately apologized to Epstein for disowning him in public. Insiders also suggest the couple has been asked to remain «invisible» at future royal gatherings to avoid further embarrassment for the monarchy.

Andrew and Ferguson, who divorced in...

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has advised patients to be cautious when using omeprazole, a medicine widely prescribed for heartburn, acid reflux, and indigestion. The warning highlights the potential risks linked to extended use without medical supervision.

Omeprazole belongs to a group of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which reduce the production of stomach acid by blocking enzymes in the stomach lining. These medicines are commonly prescribed to treat conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach ulcers, and Helicobacter pylori infections, often in combination with antibiotics.

According to NHS data, more than 73 mln prescriptions...

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation has confirmed an additional admission round for master’s programs in the 2025/2026 academic year. The decision aims to expand opportunities for applicants who did not secure a place during the main admission process.

The number of available seats will be determined by each university, taking into account its resources, teaching staff, and technical capacity. Final parameters for the intake will be coordinated with the ministry.

Applicants can submit their documents directly to the admissions office or to the graduate department of their chosen institution.

Tuition fees for students accepted through this...

A long-haul Singapore Airlines service from Frankfurt to Singapore was diverted back to its departure point after the crew detected a technical fault during flight. The incident took place on September 25.

Flight SQ325 had been in the air for nearly four hours when the Airbus A380, flying at 31,000 feet over Azerbaijan, initiated a return to Germany. It landed safely at Frankfurt at 6:51 a.m. local time on September 26, following almost nine hours of flying time.

The airline confirmed that all passengers disembarked without incident. The flight was cancelled, with travelers receiving hotel accommodation, meal vouchers, and...

China has inaugurated the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, now recognized as the world’s highest bridge, in the southwestern province of Guizhou. Rising 625 meters above the Beipan River, the structure cuts travel time across the canyon from two hours to just two minutes.

The bridge spans 2,890 meters in total, with a main span of 1,420 meters, setting a new record for suspension bridges in mountainous terrain. Construction, completed in just over three years, required advanced technologies, including satellite navigation, drones and smart monitoring systems, to achieve millimeter-level precision.

Officials noted that the crossing is expected to significantly improve...

During his visit to the United States, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with World Trade Organization Secretary-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to discuss Uzbekistan’s accession process. The talks highlighted the country’s reform agenda and its impact on accelerating negotiations.

Okonjo-Iweala noted that Uzbekistan’s economy is expanding by nearly 6% annually—twice the global average. She emphasized that the pace of reforms and strong political backing have brought the membership process close to completion. A working group session is scheduled for November, with key stages expected to conclude by March.

«If the timeline is maintained, we will celebrate Uzbekistan’s accession...

At the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif placed Afghanistan at the center of Pakistan’s foreign policy agenda. He underscored the need for an inclusive political framework in Kabul, which, in his view, could create the foundation for peace, stability, and regional growth.

Sharif stated that Pakistan continues to cooperate with international partners to deliver humanitarian aid, support Afghanistan’s economic recovery, and encourage political inclusiveness. He stressed that Pakistan’s own prosperity is closely tied to stability across the border, linking Afghan peace to wider economic connectivity in South and Central Asia.

The Prime Minister also called on...

George Washington University has appointed Komil Allamjonov as Special Advisor to its Central Asia Program (CAP), which operates within the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies. The program focuses on research and policy dialogue covering Central Asia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, and Xinjiang.

CAP Director Sebastien Peyrouse highlighted that the appointment will help deepen analysis of Uzbekistan’s reforms and promote broader understanding of developments across the region. He underlined Allamjonov’s background in media, cultural promotion, and his role in public initiatives on education and road safety.

Allamjonov will continue his advisory work to Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration. He described the new position...

The AnTuTu 10 benchmark has released its performance ranking for August 2025, and the gaming flagship Red Magic 10 Pro, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, secured the top spot.

Qualcomm continues to dominate the high-performance segment: seven out of ten devices in the ranking are built on the Snapdragon 8 Elite platform. MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 held two positions with the vivo X200 Pro and X200 Pro mini, while Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra with a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite OC version rounded out the list at tenth place.

Top 10 Smartphones (Total Score – AnTuTu 10)

Global South Utilities (GSU), an Abu Dhabi-based energy company, announced it has finalised the acquisition of a 51% stake in Uzbekistan’s Yashil Energiya, making its first entry into Central Asia and the wider CIS region.

Expanding beyond utility-scale projects

Yashil Energiya develops commercial and industrial distributed solar projects and is diversifying into electric vehicle charging and mini hydropower. This deal represents the first time an Emirati company has acquired a renewable energy firm in the CIS, and signals GSU’s expansion into distributed solar and EV charging alongside its utility-scale operations.

The investment was structured as an increase in charter...

On September 25, during the World Atomic Week 2025 forum, Rosatom and Asaka Motors International signed a cooperation agreement on the production of lithium-ion batteries and energy storage systems, the Russian company announced.

The agreement was signed by Anastasia Mikhailova, director of the fuel division at Rosatom, and Avazbek Jalilov, chief executive of Asaka Motors.

A central element of the partnership will be the development of a project to localise battery production in Uzbekistan, targeting both electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems.

Anastasia Mikhailova underlined the strategic importance of the deal:

«We see Asaka Motors...

Today, September 27, marks the 27th anniversary of Google, the tech giant that began as a research project and grew into one of the most influential companies in the world. To commemorate the occasion, Google unveiled a celebratory Doodle on its homepage.

Founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were PhD students at Stanford University, Google started as a search engine designed to organize the world’s information. Over nearly three decades, it has expanded into a global ecosystem of products and services — from Android and Chrome to YouTube, Google Maps, and AI-powered tools like...

Tashkent Airport has become the second-largest cargo hub in Central Asia after Almaty, according to Kelly Chen, head of strategic supply at Freightos Group, reviewing the 2019–2024 period.

Astana ranked third, followed by Bishkek, Dushanbe and Ashgabat. Chen noted that Uzbekistan is increasingly positioning itself as a hub between Europe and Asia thanks to rising freight traffic, while Kazakhstan retains its role as the region’s main political and economic centre.

Europe and Airlines Leading the Market

Among European airports, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Milan, Brussels and Hamburg were the top origins for cargo bound for Central Asia.

Freightos data shows Turkish...

The Uzbek capital welcomed leading experts, entrepreneurs, and researchers for the international forum «Women & Artificial Intelligence: Inspire. Educate. Implement», dedicated to strengthening women’s role in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation.

Organized under the initiatives of GAP Women IT Union and IT Ladies, with support from the IT Education Association, the forum served as a platform for dialogue, experience exchange, and presentation of success stories in the digital economy. Discussions centered on the influence of AI on education, entrepreneurship, and professional growth, while participants showcased programs that encourage girls and women to pursue careers in technology.

Keynote speakers included Kamola Sobirova, Advisor to the Ministry...

As part of the High-Level Week of the 80th UN General Assembly, a forum titled Global Movement to Improve Survival and Reduce Suffering of Children with Cancer and Other Life-Threatening Diseases took place at the organisation’s headquarters. The meeting was chaired by Uzbekistan’s First Lady Ziroat Mirziyoyeva.

The event was organised jointly by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Zamin Foundation. In her opening remarks, Mirziyoyeva stressed the need for collective action:

«Today, more than two billion children worldwide are at risk or already living...

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is strengthening Uzbekistan’s green energy infrastructure and long-term decarbonisation plans by supporting Techno Cable Group (TCG), a domestic producer of copper and aluminium electrical cables used in power grids and renewable energy projects.

TCG, which already manufactures over 3,000 types of electrical cable including polyvinyl chloride insulated varieties, will receive a senior loan of up to US$17.5 mln from the Bank. The funds will finance capacity expansion and working capital, enabling the company to purchase new specialised equipment and raw materials.

With the investment, TCG aims to raise copper-wire output by...

World Cup-winning defender Fabio Cannavaro will not become head coach of Uzbekistan’s national football team, according to sportsdaily.ru, which cited a source close to the talks.

The Uzbekistan Football Association had been in negotiations with the Italian, but Cannavaro declined the offer. He gave the same response to Kazakhstan, making clear that he hopes to secure a managerial role in Italy this season should a club part ways with its current coach.

Earlier reports suggested Cannavaro had explored the possibility of joining CSKA Moscow over the summer, though discussions never progressed beyond a preliminary agreement.

After a celebrated...