News

Starbucks announced on November 3 that it will sell control of its China business to investment firm Boyu Capital in a deal valued at $4 bn, marking one of the largest divestments by a global consumer brand in China in recent years.

Boyu to Take 60% Stake in Joint Venture

Under the agreement, Starbucks and Boyu Capital will form a joint venture in which Boyu will hold up to 60% of Starbucks’ retail operations in China. Starbucks will keep a 40% stake and continue to own and license its brand and intellectual property to the new entity, the companies...

A rare update has emerged on Michael Schumacher’s health, with a Formula One insider hinting at signs of improvement more than a decade after the racing icon’s near-fatal skiing accident.

French motorsport journalist Stéfan L’Hermitt of L’Équipe said there were «good signs» surrounding Schumacher’s condition, suggesting possible progress over the past year.

Speaking to Le Grand Récit, L’Hermitt said:

«I would say he’s not doing well, but he might be getting better because fundamentally we don’t know anything.»

He noted that Schumacher’s signature appeared on a helmet for a charity event earlier this year...

From January 2026, Uzbekistan will introduce a 30-day visa-free regime for citizens of the United States, according to a presidential decree signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, state news agency UzA reports.

The measure is aimed at strengthening trade, cultural, humanitarian, and tourism ties between Uzbekistan and the US.

Since 2021, US citizens aged 55 and over have already been able to visit Uzbekistan visa-free for 30 days for tourism purposes. The new policy extends that privilege to all American visitors, marking another step in the country’s efforts to encourage international travel and investment.

According to the National Statistics...

Former EastEnders star and current Celebrity Big Brother contestant Patsy Palmer has spoken openly about her past struggles with addiction, admitting she once smoked cannabis before doing the school run.

Palmer, 52, who recently returned to EastEnders as Bianca Jackson for the soap’s 40th anniversary, reflected on her previous dependence on drugs and alcohol in her autobiography. She revealed she used to chain-smoke strong cannabis, describing moments where she felt «edgy» and «paranoid» while trying to maintain daily routines with her children.

The actress recalled hitting a low point when she skipped professional commitments to stay home watching daytime...

The Bank of England could lower interest rates to 3.75% next week, marking the first move below 4% since January 2023, according to analysts at Goldman Sachs.

The Monetary Policy Committee kept the base rate at 4% last month, but the investment bank now predicts a narrow 5–4 vote in favour of a cut on Thursday — which would be the sixth reduction in just over a year.

Goldman said inflation has cooled faster than expected, citing an unexpected fall in food prices despite headline CPI holding at 3.8%. However, it warned that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s 26 November budget...

The 29-metre Torre dei Conti, a medieval landmark near the Colosseum, partially collapsed on Monday during renovation works, leaving one person seriously injured and two others with minor injuries, according to Italian media and emergency services. Three workers operating on scaffolding were trapped but were rescued by firefighters using a ladder truck.

The national fire service said crews deployed multiple teams and specialist units, adding that firefighters were unharmed amid a reported second collapse. Videos posted on social media showed large dust clouds billowing from the structure.

The tower had been under restoration funded through Italy’s National Recovery and...

Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that Pakistan is among the countries currently conducting nuclear weapons tests, as he defended his administration’s decision to resume American nuclear trials for the first time since 1992.

In an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, Trump reiterated that the United States must restart testing to keep pace with global rivals. He argued that Russia and China were already advancing their nuclear programs and «making them rapidly».

Last week, Trump said he had directed the US Department of Defense to begin nuclear testing «on an equal basis» with China and Russia, asserting both...

India’s long wait for a global women’s cricket title ended in style on Sunday in Navi Mumbai, as Harmanpreet Kaur’s team beat South Africa by 52 runs to win the 2025 ODI World Cup. The victory capped a dramatic campaign that saw India finish fourth in the league stage before knocking out defending champions Australia in the semi-finals and dominating the final.

Speaking after the win, captain Harmanpreet Kaur said the focus now is on building sustained excellence.

«This is the start — we wanted to break the barrier and now our next plan is...

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized El Fasher last week, and rights groups, researchers and the World Health Organization say mass killings and widespread atrocities followed the city’s capture. Satellite imagery and on-the-ground videos analysed by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab show large-scale killings and bodies in public spaces.

The WHO condemned the reported killing of hundreds of patients and their relatives at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher, saying more than 460 people were killed and health workers abducted on 28 October.

Eyewitness videos and media reporting describe summary executions, house-to-house raids and...

Thousands of residents in the eastern Philippines were evacuated Monday as Typhoon Kalmaegi moved toward Leyte island, an area devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

Kalmaegi is forecast to bring sustained winds of 120 km/h and gusts up to 150 km/h, according to the state weather bureau. Officials in Leyte confirmed ongoing evacuations in the towns of Palo and Tanauan, both heavily affected during Haiyan, which killed more than 6,000 people.

On neighbouring Samar, authorities began clearing coastal zones Sunday, warning of storm surges up to three meters. Some local governments have initiated forced evacuations, including the...

A pregnant British teenager, Bella Culley, has been freed from custody in Georgia after pleading guilty to drug smuggling charges, following months of detention in Tbilisi.

Culley, 19, from Billingham in northeast England, was sentenced to five months and 24 days by a Tbilisi court on November 3 but released immediately as she had already served that time in custody. She also paid a fine of 500,000 lari ($187,000).

Arrest and Trial

Culley disappeared in Thailand earlier this year before flying to Georgia in May, where she was arrested on arrival at Tbilisi International Airport. Prosecutors said she...

US President Donald Trump has declared that Nvidia’s most advanced artificial intelligence chips will be reserved exclusively for American companies, blocking access for China and other countries.

Speaking during a CBS «60 Minutes» interview and later to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said only US firms should have access to Nvidia’s top-tier Blackwell chips, produced by the world’s most valuable company.

«The most advanced, we will not let anybody have them other than the United States,» Trump said, adding, «We don’t give the Blackwell chip to other people.»

Tighter Controls on AI...

Bitcoin is trading around $110K, but on-chain indicators suggest the world’s largest cryptocurrency could face a deep correction if its long-tracked four-year cycle plays out again, according to data monitored by market analysts.

The Profit-and-Loss (PnL) Index, particularly its 365-day moving average, tracked by CryptoQuant, has reached levels similar to those seen before three major Bitcoin bear markets: 2013, 2017 and 2021. In each of those cycles, Bitcoin fell by approximately 75–80% from its peak the following year.

Previous downturns saw BTC retreat from $1,100 to $200, $19,700 to $3,200, and $69,000 to around $15,500. Each decline occurred after...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved a bilateral agreement between Uzbekistan and Italy on the mutual protection of investments, the Ministry of Justice announced.

The document was signed in Samarkand on May 29 and came into force on October 31. The agreement is designed to create a more favourable environment for investors, ensuring the protection of their rights and interests in both countries.

Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade has been designated as the responsible authority for implementing the provisions of the agreement.

Kursiv also reports that following the Uzbek-Finnish business forum, a portfolio of joint projects worth more...

Egypt has officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), a vast new cultural landmark near the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza. Touted as the world’s largest archaeological museum, the $1.2bn (£910m; €1.1bn) complex displays around 100,000 artefacts spanning seven millennia, from pre-dynastic Egypt to the Greek and Roman eras.

One of the museum’s central attractions is the complete collection from Tutankhamun’s tomb, displayed in full for the first time since its discovery by Howard Carter in 1922. The treasures include the boy king’s gold mask, throne and chariots. «I had the idea of displaying the complete tomb, so...

A viral diet pill called Molecule has triggered health warnings in Russia after several teenagers were hospitalised and tests revealed it contained a banned ingredient.

The pill went viral on TikTok, with users promoting it as a fast way to lose weight under slogans like «Take Molecule and forget food exists.»

Maria, 22, from St Petersburg, said she lost her appetite completely and developed severe anxiety after two weeks of use. Other users reported tremors, insomnia and hallucinations, and at least three schoolchildren were treated in hospital for overdoses.

Tests by Izvestiya found Molecule contained sibutramine, a substance banned...

A 32-year-old British man has been identified as the sole suspect in a mass stabbing on a train in England that left 11 people injured, police confirmed on November 2. Another man, aged 35, who had initially been arrested, was released without charge after investigators determined he was not involved.

Authorities stressed that the incident was not terror-related, adding that five of the injured passengers had already been discharged from hospital. One of those still receiving treatment was a train crew member who had tried to stop the attacker and remained in critical condition.

«CCTV...

Russian energy company Tatneft has registered a solar power project in the city of Angren, Tashkent region, on India’s Universal Carbon Registry platform.

According to the company’s press service, solar panels with a total capacity of 0.33 MW have been installed on the rooftops of Tatneft’s tyre manufacturing plant in Angren. The generated solar power is used to supply the facility, partially replacing electricity from the regional grid, which is primarily produced from carbon-intensive sources.

Tatneft estimates that the initiative will help cut greenhouse gas emissions by around 206 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year.

The company described the project...

A 7-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif in Samangan province early on Monday, leaving at least 20 people dead and around 320 injured, local officials confirmed.

Mazar-e Sharif, which has a population of about 523,000, was among the worst affected areas.

Afghan Red Crescent shared photos of rescue operations.

A Powerful #Earthquake struck #Afghanistan’s #Samangan and #Balkh Provinces late last night. According to Initial reports, Seven people have been Martyred, around 150 Injured, and a large number of Homes destroyed. #ARCS Rescue and Medical teams...

On November 2, Charles Leclerc, the current driver of Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team shared on his social media that he proposed to his long-time girlfriend Alexandra Saint Mleux. Caption to the post says: “Mr². & Mrs. Leclerc”.

A carousel of images showed Alexandra’s dazzling oval diamond ring, flanked by a studded band, and their beloved long-haired dachshund Leo Leclerc Saint Mleux, who played a central role in the proposal...

Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits Qatar on November 3-4. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani invites him for the Second World Summit on Social Development.

Leaders tackle socio-economic gaps. They reaffirm Copenhagen Declaration principles. Forum accelerates UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Discussions focus on international cooperation. Nations refine strategies. Measures boost resilience, justice, and inclusivity.

Summit unites states, UN bodies, NGOs, experts, and businesses. Platform drives dialogue on modern challenges.

Goals include poverty eradication and full employment. Organizers promote decent work and social integration amid global interdependence.

Doha Declaration caps the event. It strengthens partnerships and aligns approaches for sustainable progress.

Swiss investor teams with Harvest Agro. They plan to pour over $700 mln into Kazakhstan’s farming sector. Daulett Uvashov, CEO, shares details at KGIR-2025.

First phase kicks off in Kyzylorda region. Farms cover 20,000 hectares. Crops include industrial hemp, corn, and soybeans.

Company eyes expansion to 300,000 hectares. It spans 8-9 regions across the country.

From 2026, construction starts on processing plants. Harvested goods target local sales and exports.

Hemp yields building panels, insulators, and slabs.

Tourists aged 31-55 top arrivals in Uzbekistan. They number 4.3 mln from January to September 2025. National Statistics Committee reports.

Young adults 19-30 rank second with 1.4 mln. Visitors over 56 follow at 1.7 mln. Children and teens under 18 reach 1.15 mln.

Men dominate inflows. They total 4.64 mln. Women count 3.92 mln.

Foreign visitors hit 8.6 mln overall in nine months.

Russia deports over 4,300 foreign citizens under “Illegal-2025” campaign. Tatiana Petrova, spokesperson for Moscow Region Police Main Directorate, announces the figure.

Courts issue more than 4,300 administrative expulsion orders. Migrants violate Russian laws.

Authorities record 15,700 migration breaches overall.

Officers draw up over 10,000 protocols for overstays and rule breaks. They file more than 2,100 cases for unauthorized employment.

Employers face penalties too. Police open 1,600 administrative cases against companies hiring without permits.

Investigators launch 748 criminal probes. Fake registrations top the list with 430 cases. Document forgery follows at 235.

Teams detect drug trafficking. They open 29 related...