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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has acknowledged that thousands of people were killed during weeks of nationwide protests in Iran, accusing Donald Trump of encouraging the unrest and bearing responsibility for the deaths.

In a televised address published on his official website on Saturday, Khamenei described Trump as a «criminal» who had «openly encouraged» protesters by promising US military support. He said Washington was responsible both for the casualties and for damage caused during the demonstrations, which began in late December amid anger over soaring prices and the collapse of the Iranian rial.

Khamenei did not address allegations of excessive force by...

Sri Lanka has unveiled what is believed to be the largest sapphire ever discovered. According to the Associated Press, the gemstone weighs 3,563 carats and is valued at $300 mln –$400 mln.

The rare purple star sapphire, named Star of Pure Land, was found near the city of Ratnapura, a long-established centre of gemstone mining. The stone was officially presented to the public in January 2026.

AP reports that the sapphire displays a pronounced asterism effect — a distinctive star pattern visible on its surface — which significantly increases both its collectible appeal and market value. Experts...

Almost one million people in Kazakhstan completed artificial intelligence training in 2025 as part of a nationwide push to build digital skills, according to the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan.

More than 900,000 citizens gained both basic and applied AI competencies, designed to support work and education amid the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across the economy. The training focused on practical use cases, ranging from everyday interaction with AI-powered services to advanced preparation of IT specialists and the integration of AI into organisational processes.

The programme covered several levels, including mass AI literacy, IT workforce training, upskilling of public sector employees, support...

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran needs new leadership, accusing the country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei of destroying the state and using widespread violence against the population.

«It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,» Trump said in comments to Politico.

According to the US president, Iran’s current authorities maintain control through repression and fear. He also said the leadership was responsible for the deaths of thousands of protesters during recent mass demonstrations.

Trump’s remarks followed a series of posts published on X under Khamenei’s name, in which the Iranian leader accused the United...

National Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan has launched the country’s first population census since independence, marking a major step toward building a comprehensive and reliable statistical base for long-term development.

The census will provide updated data on population size and structure, migration, family status and employment, as well as more accurate information on agricultural land use and livestock numbers. Officials outlined the goals, timeline and procedures at a briefing held ahead of the launch.

Authorities describe the combined population and agricultural census as a key statistical exercise with broad implications for social and economic policy. The results will underpin future government programmes, regional development plans and...

Central Asia is set to attract $53bn in investment for transport infrastructure, accounting for more than 22% of total funding under the Eurasian transport framework, according to a report by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).

The funding will support around 90 infrastructure projects across the region, including major international corridors such as TRACECA, North–South, and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, as well as new strategic routes linking China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan and Tajikistan–Afghanistan–Turkmenistan.

Road construction will absorb the largest share of investment, with 58% of funds allocated to highways and related infrastructure. Railway projects will account for 34.5%, reflecting efforts to modernise cross-border logistics and improve regional connectivity.

According to the EDB, these projects aim to strengthen Central Asia’s...

Elon Musk has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, seeking compensation of up to $134 bn over what he claims were unlawful profits generated from his early backing of OpenAI.

In court filings submitted on Friday, Musk argues that his role as a co-founder and early investor in 2015 created substantial value later monetised by the companies. He estimates that his contributions generated between $65.5 bn and $109.4 bn for OpenAI and $13.3 bn to $25.1 bn for Microsoft.

Musk left OpenAI in 2018 and now leads xAI, the developer of the ChatGPT rival Grok. In the lawsuit, he claims OpenAI abandoned its original non-profit mission and shifted...

Uzbekistan plans to increase tourism’s contribution to the economy by 2030, with the sector’s share of GDP expected to rise from 3.5% to 7%, according to the Tourism Committee.

The number of foreign visitors is projected to grow from 11 mln to 20 mln over the same period. Under the country’s tourism development targets through 2030, the sector is expected to become one of the key drivers of economic growth.

Officials said the larger contribution to GDP will be achieved by attracting investment, improving service quality and creating new jobs across the industry.

A further strategic goal is to...

Uzbekistan is expected to maintain steady economic growth in 2026, but it is unlikely to be the main driver of acceleration in Central Asia, according to a survey of chief economists conducted by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Experts classified Uzbekistan as one of the countries with «sustained growth.» Higher growth rates are anticipated in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Kazakhstan, by contrast, is expected to slow down, though it should still grow faster than several comparable economies. Across Central Asia, 59% of respondents forecast moderate growth in 2026, while 25% expect strong growth.

Nearly 80% of economists surveyed believe inflation in...

President Donald Trump said he may impose tariffs on countries that do not support his plan to acquire Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark. He did not name which nations might be targeted or explain the legal basis for the tariffs.

Trump’s comments came as an 11-member bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation visited Greenland to show support and meet leaders in Denmark and Greenland. The group was led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who said the visit aimed to hear local views and reduce tensions.

Trump has argued Greenland is vital to U.S. security and has suggested Washington could...

Three people armed with a handgun robbed a Pokémon store in Manhattan on Wednesday evening, threatening customers and smashing display cases, according to New York City police and security footage.

The robbery took place at Poké Court on 13th Street at about 6:48 p.m. No injuries were reported, the NYPD said.

Security video shows the suspects dressed in black, with one using a hammer to break open a display case while customers and staff were inside the shop. Footage also shows one of the robbers pointing a pistol at customers, prompting some to raise their hands.

Police did not...

Alisher Kadyrov, chairman of Uzbekistan’s Democratic Party Milliy Tiklanish, put forward an initiative to introduce a tax on excessively lavish weddings.

Kadyrov said weddings should not become a display of wealth and that no one is obliged to hold celebrations for show.

«Wasteful spending of income solely on festivities is one of the painful problems of our society,» he said.

Explaining the proposal, the party leader suggested imposing a tax based on the number of guests invited to a wedding. He also urged citizens to direct their money towards education for children, housing purchases...

Fares on Uzbekistan’s Afrosiyob high-speed trains will increase by 15% from February 1, 2026, Uzbekistan Railways said.

An economy-class ticket from Tashkent to Samarkand will cost 311,000 soums ($26), while fares from the capital to Karshi and Bukhara will rise to 429,000 ($35.86) and 509,000 soums ($42.5) respectively.

The company said the price increase reflects higher spending on electricity, train maintenance and spare parts. The additional revenue will be used to modernise railway infrastructure.

Uzbekistan Railways added that the 15% rise will also apply to services on the Shark, Nasaf and Uzbekistan trains.

Silk Avia will introduce new tariffs on domestic flights from February 1, 2026, the airline said.

On average, fares will rise by about 7–7.5%. One-way flights from Tashkent to Samarkand will cost 313,089 soums ($26.17), while tickets to Bukhara will be priced at 344,399 soums ($28.79). Fares to Navoi and Karshi will each stand at 297,435 soums ($24.86).

The airline said the full list of updated prices is available online. Tickets can be purchased through Silk Avia’s website, at airports across Uzbekistan and at Uzbekistan Airways Sales offices.

Teresa Palmer has joined the cast of Amazon Prime Video’s television adaptation of «God of War.»

Palmer is the latest addition to the series, which recently announced Ryan Hurst in the lead role as Kratos. While Amazon has not officially commented on the casting, sources say Palmer will play Sif, the wife of Thor and a prominent figure among the Aesir in the video game franchise.

Palmer is best known for film roles including «The Fall Guy,» «Hacksaw Ridge,» «The Grudge 2,» «I Am Number Four» and «Knight of Cups.» Her television credits include «A Discovery of Witches...

Williams Formula One driver Alex Albon has confirmed his engagement to long-time partner Lily Muni He in a post on social media.

Albon met the professional golfer online in 2019, and He has since become a familiar presence in the Formula One paddock.

The announcement comes at the start of what could be a significant year for Albon, with Williams expected to be more competitive under Formula One’s new power unit regulations.

Ferrari has confirmed that Riccardo Adami will no longer act as Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer, ending the pairing after a difficult 2025 season.

The team said on Friday evening that Adami has taken up a new position within the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy. He will serve as Academy and Testing of Previous Cars manager. Ferrari said a replacement race engineer will be named at a later date.

The change comes ahead of a crucial period for both Hamilton and Ferrari. Communication problems between the seven-time world champion and Adami were evident throughout the 2025 season, with frequent disagreements broadcast...

Taiwan has reached a new trade agreement with the United States that significantly lowers tariffs on its exports, a move welcomed by Taipei but criticized by Beijing.

Under the deal signed on Friday, U.S. tariffs on Taiwanese goods will be reduced to 15% in exchange for $250 bn in new Taiwanese investments in the U.S. technology sector. Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai described the agreement as the «best tariff deal» secured by countries running trade surpluses with Washington, noting that the rate matches those applied to Japan, South Korea, and the European Union.

U.S. tariffs on Taiwanese products were...

Mass protests have erupted across cities in Iran, with demonstrations increasingly turning violent amid deepening economic and social crises, according to media reports and images circulating from the country.

Protesters took to the streets in Tehran and other major cities in early January, driven by mounting grievances over water shortages, soaring inflation, rising food prices, and the continued depreciation of the Iranian rial. Many demonstrators have been chanting calls for «freedom,» while Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s late shah, has emerged as a symbolic figure for some protesters.

The unrest has drawn international attention, though...

Uzbekistan has taken a major step toward gender equality in the transport sector by abolishing long-standing legal restrictions that prevented women from working as bus and heavy truck drivers.

For years, legislation barred women from driving passenger vehicles with more than 14 seats and freight vehicles over 2.5 tons, effectively excluding them from key transport professions. Analytical studies conducted under the UNDP/GEF-supported project «Tashkent – Accelerating Investment in Low-Emission Vehicles» (TAILEV) showed that these legal barriers, not a lack of skills or interest, were the main obstacle to women’s participation.

Following joint efforts by the project and the...

Bitcoin’s recent price rebound may be echoing a familiar pattern from the 2022 bear market, despite gains of more than 20%, according to new research from on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant.

In its latest weekly report, CryptoQuant said Bitcoin has risen about 21% since late November, climbing from lows near $80,500 to around $95,000. However, the firm warned that the move resembles a «bear market rally» rather than the start of a sustained recovery.

Analysts pointed to Bitcoin’s failure to reclaim its 365-day moving average, currently near $101,000, as a key risk factor. In previous cycles, including 2022, BTC...

Denmark and several NATO allies, including Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden, are deploying troops to Greenland for military exercises amid rising security concerns in the Arctic.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen confirmed the deployment, saying the drills aim to strengthen the allies’ ability to operate in the region as geopolitical tensions increase. He cited growing Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic, as well as heightened concerns following recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Washington needs Greenland for national security purposes.

According to Denmark’s Defence Ministry, the exercises will involve receiving allied forces, operating...

Uzbekistan is stepping up border security through expanded use of digital surveillance systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, including Turkish-made Bayraktar drones, according to local media reports.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting on defense and national security, Chairman of the State Security Service Bakhodir Kurbanov said that 42% of Uzbekistan’s border is now covered by video surveillance. He added that more than 1,100 kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines have been installed to support border monitoring.

Kurbanov also confirmed that a newly formed special unit equipped with Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles has begun operations, marking a significant expansion of...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed Uzbekistan’s diplomats to take a more active role in protecting the rights of citizens living and working abroad, amid growing public concern over reported abuses during migration checks and law enforcement raids in foreign countries.

The issue was discussed during a video conference chaired by the president on the performance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions, the president’s press secretary said. Mirziyoyev noted that the continued presence of Uzbek citizens abroad without legal status remains a serious challenge.

In 2025, Uzbekistan secured a migration amnesty for more than 150,000 of its...