News

The African Union (AU) has launched a campaign calling for the replacement of the centuries-old Mercator projection map, arguing it distorts the true size of Africa and fuels misconceptions about the continent’s global significance.

The 55-member bloc says the Mercator map, created in 1569 for navigation, artificially enlarges regions near the poles like Europe, North America and Greenland, while making Africa and South America appear smaller than they really are. In reality, Africa is 14 times the size of Greenland, though the two often appear similar in scale on Mercator maps.

«This is not just a...

Reuters reports that Ukraine’s Independence Day on 24 August 2025 was marked by a series of political, military, and diplomatic developments underscoring the ongoing war with Russia.

The day began with reports from Russia’s defense ministry claiming its troops had captured villages in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. At the same time, Moscow accused Kyiv of a massive drone attack that caused a fire and forced a reactor reduction at the Kursk nuclear power plant. Ukraine did not immediately comment, but has repeatedly said its cross-border strikes are retaliation for Russian bombardments.

In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed crowds in Independence...

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that tensions with the United States were «unsolvable,» vowing that Tehran would never yield to pressure from Washington over its nuclear program, according to state media, as reported by Reuters.

Khamenei’s remarks came during a mourning ceremony in Tehran for military commanders and scientists killed in Iran’s 12-day war with Israel in June 2025. The conflict also led to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, after which Tehran suspended direct talks with Washington.

On Friday, August 22, Iran and European powers — France, Britain and Germany — agreed...

Yandex Uzbekistan has launched a new initiative aimed at those looking to start a taxi business. Under the programme, partners can earn bonuses of up to 35 mln soums ($2,844) a year for each car connected to the Yandex Taxi service.

To qualify, partners must purchase at least ten Uzbekistan-assembled vehicles by 30 September this year and ensure they are registered on the Yandex platform and actively transporting passengers. Applications will be accepted until September 19, with the number of participants strictly limited. Full details of the scheme are available via the company’s official link.

Yandex is already supporting...

Two more members of SEVENTEEN, Woozi and Hoshi, were confirmed to begin their mandatory military service this September, with Woozi enlisting on September 15 and Hoshi following a day later, according to PLEDIS Entertainment.

The «WARNING» Tour: A Historic First for SEVENTEEN

Before enlistment, the duo staged their long-awaited fan concert tour WARNING, the first unit tour in SEVENTEEN’s history. The concerts began with a three-day run in Seoul from July 11 to 13 at Jamsil Indoor Stadium, continued in Busan on July 19 and 20, stopped in Taipei on July 26 and 27, reached Japan on August...

Japan has launched its first osmotic power plant in the southwestern city of Fukuoka, marking only the second facility of its kind worldwide, as reported by The Guardian.

The plant harnesses the process of osmosis, where water naturally flows across a semipermeable membrane from fresh water to salt water. This movement generates pressure that drives a turbine, producing electricity.

The Fukuoka plant is expected to generate about 880,000 kilowatt hours of power annually — enough to supply a local desalination facility and meet the needs of around 220 households. Unlike solar or wind energy, osmotic power can run...

The next-generation BMW iX3 has been spotted on the streets of Shanghai during road trials, CarNewsChina reports.

Photos shared by a CarNewsChina reader show the camouflaged SUV near a BMW facility in the city centre. Despite the disguise, its slim headlights, sculpted rear fenders and proportions confirmed its link to the Neue Klasse X concept revealed in 2024.

The model will make its global debut at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich this September. Production is set to start in Hungary at BMW’s new Debrecen plant before expanding to China, where demand for premium EVs is surging. Sales of the...

To celebrate Uzbekistan’s Independence Day, 34 off-road vehicles set out on an expedition from Tashkent to the Aralkum under the banner Visit to the Aral, Kursiv Uzbekistan‘s correspondent reports.

The rally route passed through the country’s most iconic cultural and historic destinations, including Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and the dried seabed of the Aral Sea.

Participants included popular Russian blogger Anton Gudim, journalists, activists and travellers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. In total, the convoy covered more than 1,200 kilometres.

The initiative was designed to draw attention to the environmental challenges of the Aral Sea, showcase the tourism potential of...

Kazakh boxer Alisher Abdualym delivered a swift and decisive victory against Uzbekistan’s Asrorbek Rahimov, knocking him out in their super welterweight bout, Kazinform reports.

The contest, staged in the city of Taraz, was scheduled for eight rounds but ended in less than three minutes when Abdualym stopped his opponent in the opening round.

The win marks Abdualym’s fifth consecutive success in the professional ranks, leaving him unbeaten with a record of 5–0. Two of those victories have come by way of knockout.

For Rahimov, the result brought his fourth professional defeat. His career tally now stands at six wins...

World No. 13 Daniil Medvedev was at the centre of controversy during his first-round match at the US Open. The Russian was facing Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi when tempers flared and order on court collapsed.

With Bonzi leading by two sets and holding match point in the third, an unexpected intrusion occurred as a photographer ran onto the court. The umpire halted play, ruling that Bonzi must resume with a first serve under official regulations.

Full video of the Medvedev-Bonzi-umpire-photographer drama that COMPLETELY changed the match.

Gotta feel for… Benjamin. Had to stand for 6 minutes...

Chinese property giant Evergrande was formally delisted from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Monday, marking the end of a turbulent 15-year run for what was once the country’s largest real estate company.

At its peak, Evergrande was valued at more than $50 bn, but it collapsed under debts exceeding $300 bn, becoming the world’s most indebted property developer. The firm’s fall triggered a sector-wide crisis that continues to weigh heavily on China’s economy.

Evergrande’s founder Hui Ka Yan, once Asia’s richest man, has seen his fortune shrink from $45 bn in 2017 to under $1 bn. He has been...

Chelsea’s summer exodus is set to continue, with Carney Chukwuemeka and Aaron Anselmino both closing in on moves to Borussia Dortmund.

Chukwuemeka is expected to join the Bundesliga side on a permanent transfer worth around £24 mln, after impressing on loan in Germany last season. Chelsea have included a significant sell-on clause in the deal. The sale lifts the club’s total summer income to £273.4 mln, more than any other Premier League side.

Defender Anselmino, meanwhile, will head to Dortmund on a straight loan deal without an option to buy. Signed from Boca Juniors in 2024, the 19-year-old has made...

David Bailey, entrepreneur and crypto adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, has said that a Bitcoin bear market is unlikely for several years, citing record institutional interest in the asset, as reported by Coin Telegraph.

Bailey, founder of Bitcoin Magazine and BTC Inc., argued in a recent post that for the first time «real institutional buy-in» is occurring, with banks, insurers, corporates and pension funds beginning to hold Bitcoin. He added that current exposure represents less than 0.01% of the total addressable market, leaving «much higher» growth potential.

Over the past two years, institutional holdings in crypto, largely Bitcoin...

FIFA has confirmed to continental confederations that the next Club World Cup will be staged in the summer of 2029, effectively ending Qatar’s proposed bid to host the tournament in the winter.

The governing body also indicated that the competition will feature more than the 32 teams that took part in the United States this summer, though it has not yet committed to the full 48-team model that will debut at the men’s World Cup in 2026.

Expansion has been strongly pushed by leading European clubs, with last month’s 32-team edition generating £750mln in prize and participation funds. FIFA is...

Uzbekistan will experience hot and dry weather today, with no rain expected across the country. Winds will generally blow at 7–12 m/s, occasionally strengthening to 13–18 m/s in some areas, raising dust. Daytime temperatures are forecast to reach between 34°C and 39°C.

In Tashkent, conditions will remain dry with light winds at 3–8 m/s. The capital’s daytime temperature is predicted to range between 36°C and 38°C.

Mountain regions are also expected to stay dry. Winds there will be moderate at 7–12 m/s, with possible gusts of up to 18 m/s. Temperatures in higher areas will be cooler, ranging from...

Several banks have updated their rates for exchanging foreign currencies into UZS as of August 25. This article contains information about the most favourable rates.

Here are Central Bank Reference Rates to exchange USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY or KZT into soums:

Several banks offer the best rates to exchange USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY or KZT into soums:

Financial institutions may change the value of currencies throughout the day. Banks report changes through their websites or applications.

Kursiv also reports that throughout previous...

Leaders of Uzbekistan’s National Olympic Committee and the Uzbekistan Football Association conducted a working visit to Manchester, England, where they held talks with City Football Group and Manchester City representatives.

During the meetings, Uzbek officials discussed long-term projects with Chief Operating Officer Roel de Vries, Managing Director Danny Wilson, Football Business Director Clive Reeves and other senior executives. The focus was on advancing Uzbek football through innovation, modern academies, stronger infrastructure and the use of international expertise.

City Football Group representatives noted Uzbekistan’s qualification for the World Cup as a sign of the sport’s rapid progress in the country...

Uzbekistan directed 273.4 trln soums ($22.12 bn) into fixed capital investment during January to June 2025, covering all areas of economic and social development, according to the National Statistics Committee.

The distribution by region was as follows:

Construction has begun on a new tourist and recreation zone on the shores of Lake Akchakul in the Ellikkala district of Karakalpakstan, reports Kursiv Uzbekistan. The project is valued at 73.4 bn soums ($5.9 mln).

Plans include three hotels, 18 guest houses, 20 holiday camps and two restaurants, all supported by the necessary infrastructure. Once completed, the project is expected to generate 75 new jobs.

As of August 1, Karakalpakstan is home to 90 travel companies, with 32 hotels, 35 hostels, three holiday camps and 33 guest houses already in operation.

Earlier, in the Takhtakupyr district, the company Karatereng Balyklari...

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has announced the appointment of new transport attaches in neighbouring and regional countries to improve trade links and provide better services for Afghan citizens.

The country relies heavily on overland routes through bordering states for both imports and exports, making regional cooperation and trade corridors essential for connecting Afghan businesses with global markets.

The new attaches will be stationed in Uzbekistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Their role will be to help ease transit difficulties, support export growth and expand Afghanistan’s access to international markets.

Kursiv also reports that Afghanistan and...

Uzbekistan’s Anti-Corruption Agency has annulled the results of a state procurement tender by Uzbekistan Airports for the supply of body cameras. The company has confirmed the decision.

Uzbekistan Airports emphasised that the procurement procedure was conducted in full compliance with the law and state purchasing rules. Initial reports suggested the tender was worth 6.8 bn soums ($550,291), but this was only the starting price based on commercial bids. The final contract totalled 4.3 bn soums ($347,978) including VAT.

Responding to reports of links between the participating companies, Uzbekistan Airports explained that at the time of the tender there were...

Karakalpakstan attracted more than 199,300 international visitors between January and July 2025, according to the country’s Tourism Committee.

The region also saw steady growth in domestic travel: over the same period, more than 1.6 mln Uzbek citizensvisited Karakalpakstan. In the first half of the year, the export of tourism services from the region reached $26.1 mln.

To meet the rising demand, local authorities report the establishment of 13 new tourism companies since the beginning of August, including eight tour operators and five travel agencies. The region’s hospitality sector also expanded with the opening of two hotels, nine hostels, and three guesthouses.

CSKA Moscow have received €6 mln from the transfer of Abbosbek Faizullaev to Turkish club Başakşehir, out of the agreed €7.5 mln. The remaining €1.5 mln is being held in a special account in Turkey, sports journalist Ivan Karpov reports.

According to Karpov, CSKA’s management are currently deciding how best to allocate the funds. He added jokingly that fans should not worry about how the club will finance new signings such as Beltrán, as the Moscow side have similar deposits spread around the world.

Faizullaev was sold to Başakşehir at the end of July. Soon after, reports emerged of...

Russian media report that a woman spent nearly 24 hours in the Pacific Ocean off Sakhalin after a mistake by her diving instructor. Experienced diver set adrift during wreck dive.

The diver was later identified as 63-year-old Elena Dorofeeva, deputy director of a department at Russia’s Finance Ministry. An experienced diver, she had arranged a private dive while on holiday in Sakhalin. Together with instructor Pavel, she planned to descend to the wreck of the Anabar near Moneron Island in the Tatar Strait.

The instructor gave a briefing and told her they would meet at a depth of...