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Staff at a Virginia liquor store were stunned on Saturday to discover a raccoon had broken in and raided the spirits section while the store was closed for Thanksgiving.

The “masked bandit” was later found passed out in the bathroom between the toilet and a bin after helping itself to bottles from a low shelf.

Animal control officer Samantha Martin collected the raccoon for questioning at the Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter, giving it time to sober up before release. After a few hours of rest and with no visible injuries beyond a possible hangover, the animal was...

South Korean authorities are developing a mobile app that will allow stalking victims to see the real-time location of their stalkers if they are nearby, BBC reports. The justice ministry announced the initiative on Wednesday, saying it follows an approved amendment to the country’s electronic monitoring law.

Stalking has become a growing public concern in South Korea, especially after several high-profile crimes. Currently, victims can receive text alerts when their stalkers are close, but these messages do not show exact locations, making it hard to determine the direction of the threat.

Under the revised law, the new app will...

Thailand has temporarily ended a decades-old restriction on afternoon alcohol sales to encourage tourism. Liquor stores, restaurants and other licensed venues can now sell beer, wine and spirits from 14:00 to 17:00 during a six-month trial.

The ban, introduced in 1972 to prevent government employees from drinking during work hours, has long frustrated visitors to the country, known for its vibrant nightlife and Buddhist culture. The new measure comes just ahead of the busy Christmas and New Year holiday season. During the trial, alcohol sales are allowed from 11:00 to midnight while authorities assess the impact.

Previously, anyone breaking the...

IndiGo passengers faced a third day of disruption on Thursday as the airline cancelled hundreds of flights, struggling to adjust its schedules under new government regulations.

By early Thursday, at least 175 flights were cancelled, leaving travellers frustrated at airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Bengaluru. The previous day saw at least 150 cancellations. Shares in IndiGo, which controls 60% of India’s aviation market and is known for punctuality, fell 3.4% on Thursday and are down 6% for the week.

The Federation of Indian Pilots said the airline failed to adapt its roster in time to meet...

Uzbekistan’s public debt stood at $43.97 bn on October 1, marking an increase of $3.75 bn since the start of the year, the Ministry of Economy and Finance reports.

The pace of debt growth is slowing: the first quarter saw a 5.9% rise, the second 2.1%, and the third just 1.1%. Meanwhile, the debt-to-GDP ratio fell from 35% to 32.3%.

External debt reached $36.7 bn, equivalent to 27% of GDP, of which $20.4 bn was borrowed at fixed rates and $16 bn at floating rates. Domestic debt grew to $7.25 bn, or 5.3% of GDP. The largest increase was...

Uzbekistan will allocate 900 bn soums ($75.6 mln) in 2025 to improve air quality, Vice Premier and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov told the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis while responding to a deputy’s inquiry.

The funds will be used to modernise filtration systems at industrial plants and enhance environmental conditions across the country. Deputies also asked how much the 2026 budget would provide for installing modern filters and cleaning systems, alongside broader ecological initiatives.

Deputy Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change Jusipbek Kazbekov said an additional 548 bn soums ($46 mln...

Russian Vice Premier Denis Manturov told TASS that Wildberries intends to establish a major logistics centre in Uzbekistan. The facility will cover 100,000 square metres, with investments exceeding 11 bn roubles ($141.6 mln).

The project is expected to create around 7,500 jobs, with a phased opening planned by the end of next year. Manturov also noted that Uzbek products sold through Wildberries in 2024 reached $605 mln in total sales.

Kursiv also reports that WB Int Export, the Uzbek subsidiary of online marketplace Wildberries, has registered a new company called WB Taxi.

Austrian businessman Bernd Bergmair, formerly the majority owner of the adult entertainment group including Pornhub, has contacted the US Treasury regarding the potential purchase of foreign assets belonging to Russian oil major Lukoil, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Lukoil, Russia’s largest privately-owned oil producer, has faced sanctions from the United States aimed at pressuring Moscow to end its war in Ukraine. The sanctions forced the company to put its international holdings up for sale, attracting interest from multiple parties, including Exxon Mobil and Chevron, all seeking US approval to negotiate.

Through his lawyer, Bergmair...

Uzbekistan and Russia have increased the share of mutual payments made in national currencies to 75%, Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev announced at a meeting of the intergovernmental commission.

Khodjayev stressed that this shift has become a priority amid global financial uncertainty. As he put it,

«Against the backdrop of geopolitical turbulence, Denis Valentinovich (Manturov, Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister) and I constantly raise this issue: the stability of payment infrastructure and digital services is becoming one of the key topics.»

The deputy prime minister described the 75% share as a significant milestone and...

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan ranked among the world’s largest gold purchasers in October, according to the latest report from the World Gold Council. The regulator bought nine tonnes of gold, securing third place behind Poland and Singapore, which each acquired 16 tonnes.

Global net purchases by central banks reached 53 tonnes in October, a rise of 36% compared with September. Other active buyers included Indonesia, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Kyrgyzstan.

Since the start of the year, central banks worldwide have bought 254 tonnes of gold. Poland remains the biggest buyer with 83 tonnes, while Kazakhstan holds second...

A rare imperial Faberge egg has sold for a stunning £22.9 mln at Christie’s in London, setting a new world auction record for any work by the famed Russian jeweller.

The 1913 «Winter Egg», commissioned by Emperor Nicholas II as an Easter gift for his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, is considered one of Faberge’s most elaborate creations. Carved from rock crystal and decorated with a platinum snowflake motif and 4,500 diamonds, the 10cm egg is regarded as a masterpiece of both craftsmanship and artistry.

Christie’s said the sale shattered the previous Fabergé record, £8.9 mln for the...

Gerry McGovern, the creative force behind Jaguar’s recent «woke» rebrand, has reportedly been dismissed from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) just days after the company appointed a new chief executive.

McGovern, who served as JLR’s chief creative officer and spent more than 20 years shaping the company’s design direction, was informed on Monday that his employment was terminated with immediate effect. He was then escorted from the premises, according to reports. JLR declined to comment on the circumstances of his departure.

The shake-up comes shortly after PB Balaji, previously the finance chief of Tata Motors, replaced Adrian Mardell as JLR CEO...

The Taliban carried out a mass public execution in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Khost on Tuesday, putting a convicted killer to death in front of an estimated 80,000 spectators. Authorities said the man had murdered 13 members of his extended family, including nine children, earlier this year.

According to the Taliban-run Supreme Court, the execution followed rulings by lower courts, an appeals court and final approval from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Officials said the victim’s relatives refused an offer of forgiveness and demanded Qisas — a form of retributive justice under Sharia law. A teenage relative, reportedly just...

Former Arsenal and Everton winger Anders Limpar has reflected on the extraordinary hidden-camera prank that convinced him he had accidentally travelled two years into the future during a flight in 1997.

The Swedish TV show Blasningen («The Prank») staged an elaborate hoax involving actors posing as scientists, fake military jets, a manipulated newspaper, and even Limpar’s best friend. The then-Everton star was flying with a friend when two «scientists» seated beside him claimed they were experimenting with time travel. Mid-flight, alarms sounded, the plane shook, and fighter jets appeared alongside the aircraft as the pilot loudly announced that...

Dominic McLaughlin, the 11-year-old Scottish actor set to play Harry Potter in HBO’s upcoming series, has revealed his shock after receiving a handwritten note from Daniel Radcliffe while travelling to Glasgow.

McLaughlin told BBC’s Saturday Mash-Up! Live that he was on a train when his father quietly handed him the envelope.

«It was insane,» he said. «My dad tapped me on the train and just gave me this letter.»

Only when he reached the bottom of the page did he realise it was signed «Dan R.»

Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter...

The official ball of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is named “Trionda”. Photo: Reuters© Reuters

FIFA has stepped back from implementing dynamic pricing across all tickets for the 2026 World Cup, easing concerns over soaring costs for fans attending the expanded tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The shift comes just days before Friday’s tournament draw in Washington, D.C., which former U.S. president Donald Trump is expected to attend. Supporters will find out their teams’ exact match locations and dates on Saturday.

Dynamic pricing, where ticket prices rise and fall based on demand, has never been used...

The portfolio of Uzbek-Russian investment projects has exceeded $55 bn, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev announced at a session of the intergovernmental commission in Tashkent.

Khodjaev added that Uzbekistan expects to attract $5 bn in Russian investment next year.

«I believe this is a solid foundation that should deliver real returns in the form of new production facilities, jobs and tax revenues,» he said.

As of early December, more than 3,100 companies operating in Uzbekistan have been established with Russian capital, with 300 new enterprises launched this year. Bilateral trade between the two...

Global meat prices have increased by 7% since the start of the year, according to a report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Lamb has seen the sharpest rise at 31%, reflecting strong demand and limited supply.

Lamb remains the most dynamic and scarce segment of the meat market. Exports from Australia and New Zealand are unable to meet global demand, while suppliers target premium markets, primarily in the US and EU. In 2025, Uzbekistan is set to increase lamb production, supported by stronger feed availability and modernised sheep farming.

Beef prices globally have risen 12% and pork...

Fitch Ratings expects problem loans in Uzbekistan’s banking sector to peak next year, reaching 9–10% of total lending.

«This will largely reflect the continued recognition of legacy risks at state-owned banks, although we also expect higher impairment in retail portfolios due to the ‘seasoning’ of loans,» Fitch analysts said in their forecast.

According to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, problem loans reached 22.4 trillion soums over the first ten months of the year, with a monthly increase of 5.1%. State-owned banks account for the largest share — 15.8 trillion soums — while private banks hold...

Uzbekistan’s Central Bank expects inflation to reach 8% this year while the economy is set to expand by between 7 and 7.5%, according to its monetary policy report covering the period to 2028.

Under the baseline scenario, growth next year should ease to around 6.5% before rising to about 7% in 2027 and 2028. The regulator notes that global growth will stay subdued in the medium term yet does not expect sharp swings in the currency market, while gold prices are projected to remain high.

For Uzbekistan, the Central Bank anticipates more moderate credit expansion, rising wages and a...

Revolut has imposed new limits on transfers to France from customers in Uzbekistan Kazakhstan and a number of other states, according to a report by Oninvest that cites a letter from the digital bank.

The support team told the portal that the move was not the bank’s own decision but a necessary measure to comply with rules set by its payment processing partners.

The updated blacklist includes Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Russia and several African and European countries. Earlier reports said that Russian nationals based in the EU were unable to top up their Revolut accounts using cards issued...

As part of the implementation of a memorandum with the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan, the fintech holding OSON has become a financial partner of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). The project aims to systematically develop the SME (small medium entrepreneur) sector in the Republic of Karakalpakstan through grant funding for business education.

This initiative reflects the company’s CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategy: a shift from ad-hoc charity to long-term investment in human capital and regional economic stability.

Key Selection Metrics (AWE 3.0): High demand for participation confirmed the program’s relevance for regional business.

Selection Funnel: Out of 86 applications...

Uzbekistan has outlined plans for $540 mln worth of new projects in the Jizzakh Special Economic Zone, along with the construction of a substation and modern treatment facilities. The programme was presented during an extraordinary session of the regional Kengash attended by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The region will expand its automotive sector and build supporting industries around it. Ongoing initiatives in tungsten, gold, lead and uranium extraction will continue. To ensure stable energy supply, 200 MW of capacity will be created this year with an additional 300 MW scheduled for next year. A further 150 small hydropower stations with...

Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of Uzbekistan’s presidential administration, has emphasised that environmental damage cannot be justified by profit. She shared her remarks on her Telegram channel.

Mirziyoyeva recently visited a greenhouse in the Kibray district of Tashkent region that burned around 150kg of coal daily. She noted that the health impact on local residents far outweighs the economic benefits of such production.

The administration has instructed the Ecology Commission to install a purification filter at the greenhouse. In addition, the agency will hold training sessions for businesses and organise a fair to facilitate the purchase of environmental equipment.

Mirziyoyeva also...