News

The death toll from Afghanistan’s most devastating earthquake in years has risen to more than 1,100, with thousands more injured and entire villages flattened, Reuters reports. The Afghan Red Crescent Society reported at least 1,124 fatalities, 3,251 injuries and the destruction of over 8,000 homes, warning that many victims may still be buried under rubble. UN’s Afghanistan coordinator cautioned that the number of casualties is expected to increase further.

The 6.0-magnitude quake struck just after midnight on Monday, September 1, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, shaking the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar most severely. The...

China is preparing to showcase what it calls the world’s most powerful laser air defence system during a massive military parade in Beijing this week, reports the Independent.

The weapon, seen in rehearsals covered by a green tarpaulin on a truck, will be revealed as part of the People’s Liberation Army’s display marking 80 years since Japan’s surrender in World War II.

President Xi Jinping will attend the parade alongside foreign leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un. The event will feature drones, missiles and other advanced weapons aimed at showing China’s growing military power.

Analysts...

Uzbekistan’s State Security Service has announced the arrest of Anvarjon Otakhodjayev, mayor of Namangan, who is suspected of accepting a bribe worth $60,000.

According to investigators, the mayor and the head of a local company demanded the money from an entrepreneur in exchange for securing a land plot for housing construction. The security service noted that Otakhodjayev was detained while receiving the payment through an intermediary, identified as the head of the city administration’s office.

Authorities confirmed that his parliamentary immunity has been withdrawn and he has been placed in custody. A criminal case has been opened on charges...

English Premier League clubs have spent huge amounts of money this summer, but early results raise doubts about whether the investments will pay off.

Liverpool, last season’s champions, spent over £300 mln on new players including Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. But defensive problems remain, with the team conceding four goals in its opening games.

Arsenal also invested heavily, but critics say manager Mikel Arteta’s cautious tactics could lead to another season of near misses. Chelsea continued their strategy of signing young attackers on long contracts, though their lack of cutting edge remains an issue.

Manchester City gave Pep...

Meta has been pushing hard to grow in artificial intelligence, launching its new Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL) to compete with rivals like OpenAI, Google and Microsoft. The company even spent $14.3 bn to buy Scale AI, hiring its CEO Alexandr Wang to lead the project.

To attract talent, Meta has reportedly offered signing bonuses as high as $100 mln. But despite the huge offers, several new hires have already left. Ethan Knight quit just a month after joining, while Avi Verma and Rishabh Agarwal also departed before starting their roles. Others, including Rohan Varma and AI product director Chaya...

Apple will unveil its new iPhone 17 series at its autumn event, Awe-Dropping, on September 9, 2025. The flagship iPhone 17 Pro Max will be available for pre-order from September 12 and begin shipping on September 19.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to start at $1,249 in the US — about $50 more than last year’s model. Prices will vary by region, with the phone estimated at around ₹1.64 lakh in India and up to AED 6,999 in the UAE.

Key upgrades include Apple’s new A19 Pro chip, vapour chamber cooling, a 48MP telephoto camera with 8x...

Nestlé has dismissed its chief executive officer, Laurent Freixe, after an internal probe found he had an undisclosed romantic relationship with a subordinate, violating the company’s code of conduct.

The board of directors said the decision was «necessary» to uphold Nestlé’s values. Freixe, who had worked at the company for nearly 40 years, became CEO in September 2024 but held the position for less than a year.

Philipp Navratil, head of Nestlé Nespresso, will step in as the new CEO. Navratil joined the company in 2001 and became part of its executive board earlier this year.

Nestlé, known for...

Uzbekistan and China have agreed to launch a comprehensive cooperation programme that links Uzbekistan’s «Uzbekistan-2030» development agenda with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The decision was reached following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The package of signed agreements spans a wide range of areas. These include collaboration on major strategic and infrastructure projects, the establishment of cultural centres and joint initiatives in healthcare and the digital economy. Deals were also concluded on dredger supplies, trade and economic partnership, the export of Uzbek melons and almonds to China and the use of space technologies.

Additional...

Kam Air has entered into an interline cooperation agreement with Uzbekistan Airways to make travel more affordable and convenient for Afghan passengers. The arrangement enables travellers to connect through Tashkent Airport when flying from Europe, the United States and other destinations served by Uzbekistan Airways, by taking Kam Air services from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan.

Jahed Azimi, Chief Executive of Kam Air, said: «After significant efforts, we managed to sign the Interline Agreement with Uzbekistan Airways. This airline, which flies to Europe and the United States, now makes it possible for our passengers to first travel to...

South Korean fast-food franchise Mom’s Touch is set to open its first restaurant in Uzbekistan, marking the start of its expansion drive across Central Asia and the Middle East, the company announced on September 1.

The agreement was formalised last August 29 when Mom’s Touch CEO Kim Dong Jung signed a franchise contract with Zafar Khodjaev, CEO of One Food, granting the Uzbek company rights to operate the brand in Tashkent. One Food, a food and beverage subsidiary created by Uzbek logistics firm UHL, will be responsible for rolling out the chain in the country. The signing took place...

Uzbekistan and China have agreed to establish a joint centre dedicated to artificial intelligence, aimed at advancing innovation and training future specialists. The initiative was confirmed during talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Alongside this, the two leaders discussed cooperation across science, medicine, education and tourism. Plans include the opening of a branch of the Beijing Institute of Technology in Uzbekistan, while the country will also host the second Educational Forum later this year. Both sides expressed support for expanding the teaching of Chinese, raising scholarship quotas for Uzbek students and strengthening the role...

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who announced his retirement from international cricket in December and stepped away from the IPL only last week, is preparing for a fresh chapter in the UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20).

The 38-year-old has confirmed talks with the organisers and is expected to put his name forward for the player auction in Dubai on September 30. Registration for the auction closes on September 10, with the tournament running from December 2 to January 4.

Ashwin Confirms Talks with Organisers

«Yes, I am in talks with the organisers. Hopefully, I...

Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth around £30 mln (€35 mln). The transfer clears the path for Ederson’s switch to Turkish side Fenerbahce for £12.1 mln (€14 mln).

Donnarumma, who had been deemed surplus to requirements by PSG manager Luis Enrique following the recent arrival of Lucas Chevalier, is expected to claim the No 1 role under Pep Guardiola. City had already secured James Trafford from Burnley for £27 mln in July, but the young goalkeeper’s costly mistake in the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham has raised doubts...

Liga Portugal 2 fans witnessed a remarkable moment on Saturday as Portimonense beat Benfica B 2–1 despite finishing the first half without a recognized goalkeeper.

Both of Portimonense’s keepers were sent off, one for a foul and the other for handling the ball outside the box, forcing 21-year-old Brazilian defender Jarleysom to step in.

Far from struggling, the improvised goalkeeper delivered a standout performance, making a string of saves that secured victory and earned him the Player of the Match award. Clips of his heroics quickly went viral.

Portimonense’s goals came from Ruan in the 4th minute and Tamble Monteiro...

Tennis world No. 1 Jannik Sinner has ignited speculation about his private life after fans linked him to Danish model Laila Hasanovic.

Ahead of his US Open title defense, the 24-year-old Italian admitted in an interview that he was «in love,» but declined to share further details.

«I don’t want to talk about it,» he said when pressed on the subject.

Online sleuths believe they may have uncovered the mystery after spotting what appeared to be a photo of Hasanovic on Sinner’s phone lock screen during his third-round victory over Denis Shapovalov. The image...

MG, a brand under SAIC, unveiled its latest MG4 electric vehicle at the Chengdu Auto Show 2025, making headlines with a starting price of just 68,800 yuan ($9,560). The compact EV is offered in five trims, topping out at 102,800 yuan ($14,290) for the Anxin Edition equipped with a semi-solid-state battery, which is set for delivery later this year.

Built on SAIC’s E3 pure electric platform, the MG4 offers a range of up to 530 km (CLTC) and supports 30–80% fast charging in only 20 minutes. Its design includes projector headlights, a honeycomb grille, illuminated MG logo, and dimensions of...

Nvidia’s record-breaking second-quarter earnings for 2025 revealed a growing dependence on a small number of customers. According to Sherwood, nearly 53% of the company’s data center revenue, around $21.9 bn, came from just three unnamed clients.

The breakdown shows $9.5 bn in sales from «Customer A,» $6.6 bn from «Customer B,» and $5.7 bn from «Customer C.» Nvidia’s total quarterly revenue was $46 bn, meaning one customer alone accounted for more than 20% of its sales.

While investors remain bullish on Nvidia’s AI leadership, analysts warn that such heavy reliance poses risks if any of these clients reduce orders...

On September 1, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, held under the chairmanship of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mirziyoyev called for strengthening the efficiency of the organization and its institutions, while supporting the idea of expanding the SCO with new partners, including those from the Global South.

Security Initiatives
The Uzbek leader proposed adopting an SCO Declaration on Nuclear Security, resuming meetings of interior ministers, updating the agreement on combating crime, and developing a counter-narcotics program through 2030. He also backed the revival of the SCO–Afghanistan Contact Group to...

A magnitude 6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan overnight on September 1, killing 622 people and injuring more than 1,500, Reuters reports citing state broadcaster RTA.

The tremors were recorded at around 11:47 p.m. local time, with the epicenter near the city of Jalalabad, close to the border with Pakistan.

The provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar were hit hardest, where the quake destroyed entire villages.

Rescue operations are being hampered by the region’s mountainous terrain and weak infrastructure. Afghanistan lies in the seismically active Hindu Kush zone, which regularly experiences devastating earthquakes.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the United...

Since August 15, Imo.im has topped the free app rankings in both the App Store and Google Play in Uzbekistan. The messenger overtook ChatGPT and Ochiq Budjet, becoming the country’s No. 1 app by downloads.

What is IMO?
Imo.im is a cross-platform messenger for chats and calls, first launched in 2007. It is available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and as a web version. The app is popular for offering free HD-quality calls and video calls even with weak internet, along with message translation, disappearing chats, and a variety of privacy features.

Why now?
Experts link IMO’s surge in popularity to its...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received 59 congratulatory messages on the occasion of the country’s 34th Independence Day, sent by foreign heads of state, leaders of international organizations, and major companies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Uzbekistan’s «impressive achievements in social and economic spheres,» noting its growing global standing and constructive role in regional and international affairs. He expressed confidence that Russia and Uzbekistan would continue to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also extended his congratulations, emphasizing readiness to deepen political trust, provide firm mutual support, align development strategies, and advance high-quality cooperation within...

The «Yuksalish» movement has announced the Top 30 specialists in Uzbekistan advancing the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and achieving significant success in research, business, and technology.

The list features well-known entrepreneurs such as Akmal Paiziev, founder of MyTaxi and Express24, and Anvar Narzullaev, head of the Mohirdev platform. Recognized scholars Bunyodbek Ibrokhimov and Dilnoz Mukhammadiyeva were also included among the country’s leading AI innovators.

Other honorees include Anastasiya Markova, co-founder of AI Lab, and Konstantin Kruglov, head of AI at TBC Bank.

According to «Yuksalish,» the ranking was developed through a two-stage process. In the first stage, the organization, together with the Artificial Intelligence Community of Uzbekistan (AICA...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reiterated Uzbekistan’s firm position in support of the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state, the presidential press service reported.

He emphasized that this right is enshrined in United Nations resolutions and reaffirmed that Uzbekistan consistently upholds this principle on the international stage.

Mirziyoyev noted that Uzbekistan has always extended unconditional assistance to those affected by wars and humanitarian crises. In this regard, a special decree has been adopted in the country to provide social, material, and moral support for the citizens of Palestine.

The president expressed confidence that the people of Uzbekistan...

With dark clouds overhead, the grid lined up on a mix of strategies: most on mediums, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda and Colapinto on softs, while Haas gambled on hards — Bearman starting from the pit lane after power unit changes.

At lights out, Piastri launched well from pole. Verstappen surged into second on softs, wobbling at Turn 3 but holding on. Norris briefly lost out but reclaimed ground, while Hadjar and Leclerc jostled in the midfield. By Lap 2, Piastri had already built a 1.6s gap.

Early Laps (Laps 3–15)

Piastri extended his lead as Norris fought Verstappen, passing him...