News

The long-awaited heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua could begin as late as 1 a.m. if Wembley Stadium is confirmed as the venue, according to reports.

Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, who is backing the blockbuster fight, has indicated that a late-night start would be required to maximise television audiences in the United States. Wembley remains the preferred location, but only if local authorities agree to relax event curfew rules.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has publicly supported hosting the all-British clash in the capital, while discussions continue over whether a later start time can be approved...

More than two decades after Ali G Indahouse hit cinemas, Sacha Baron Cohen has reportedly completed filming a brand-new Ali G movie in secret.

According to industry reports, production took place in the UK and the United States under tight security, with the project remaining hidden from the public until filming had wrapped. The untitled film marks the long-awaited return of Baron Cohen’s iconic satirical character, who first appeared on Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998 before starring in Da Ali G Show and the 2002 feature film Ali G Indahouse.

Details of the plot, cast...

Goitered gazelles have been recorded on the grounds of the Surkhan State Nature Reserve for the first time since the sanctuary was established in September 1986.

The rare animals were spotted within the protected area managed by the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change. Thanks to favourable environmental conditions, a herd of 10 gazelles independently migrated to the Uzbek sanctuary from neighbouring Turkmenistan.

The goitered gazelle is classified as a vulnerable species experiencing ongoing population decline. It is officially listed in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the International Union for Conservation of Nature...

Chinese artist Winwin has officially parted ways with SM Entertainment and concluded his activities with the K-pop group NCT following the expiration of his exclusive contract.

The 28-year-old performer, whose real name is Dong Sicheng, chose not to renew his agreement with the South Korean record label after a decade-long partnership. SM Entertainment confirmed the departure in a statement published on the fan community platform Weverse on Wednesday. The agency noted that the two parties mutually agreed to end the contract effective July 9 following extensive discussions.

“Accordingly, WINWIN will conclude all activities as a...

President Donald Trump has ordered the United States to sever all commercial ties with Spain, condemning the nation as a “terrible partner” for failing to meet new NATO defence spending targets.

The abrupt directive was issued to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday during a press conference in Turkey. Standing alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump cited Madrid’s refusal to contribute a mandated 5% of its gross domestic product to the military alliance and its lack of cooperation in the ongoing Iran war.

Spain’s Socialist government previously denied American forces access to its airspace and military bases for operations...

OpenAI will release an updated version of ChatGPT 5.6 on Thursday after the launch was initially postponed due to national security concerns.

The delay highlights a growing effort by the White House to control the rollout of advanced artificial intelligence. According to Reuters, Washington fears these cutting-edge technologies could be exploited by military and intelligence agencies in China, Russia and other nations.

This heightened government scrutiny follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that introduced a voluntary vetting procedure for tech firms. The directive requires developers to present their frontier models to the U.S. government up to...

Uzbekistan’s gold and foreign exchange reserves declined to $63.7 bn at the start of July, representing a notable decrease from the $70.5 bn recorded just one month prior. The central bank report highlights that this overall financial depreciation occurred even as the Central Asian nation continued to aggressively expand its physical bullion holdings.

According to the latest regulatory data, foreign currency assets accounted for $7.4 bn of the July 1 total while the nation’s gold holdings were valued at $55.7 bn. Despite the drop in the overall monetary valuation of these assets, the physical volume of the country’s gold...

Donald Trump’s corporate enterprise has suffered a significant judicial setback after a U.S. district court tossed its multibillion-dollar libel claim targeting The Washington Post.

Presiding over the case in Florida, U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber ended the litigation during the summary judgment phase. He determined that Trump Media and Technology Group lacked the necessary proof to convince a jury that the publication acted with actual malice.

This stringent legal threshold requires prominent figures to demonstrate a publisher either deliberately printed falsehoods or acted with reckless disregard for accuracy. The dispute originated from a 2023 newspaper piece concerning Truth Social’s...

Connor Murphy, an American social media personality famous for his bodybuilding and looksmaxxing workout content, has died in Thailand. The influencer drowned on July 7 in a Samut Prakan province lake after fleeing from local authorities. He was believed to be either 31 or 32 years old.

Emergency responders retrieved his remains from depths exceeding 10 metres in the Bang Phli district. The fatal incident unfolded when police were dispatched to a luxury residential complex following reports of a foreign national causing a severe public disturbance.

A local estate worker recorded the fitness enthusiast exhibiting highly unpredictable conduct on...

A Ukrainian intelligence officer and a former law enforcement official have been arrested over the murder of the prime suspect in an unprecedented bombing attack in Monaco.

The mystery surrounding the assassination attempt deepened on Tuesday when Ukrainian prosecutors announced the indictment of two men for the intentional murder of Anastasiia Berezovska. The 39-year-old Ukrainian national had been identified by Interpol as the main perpetrator behind a blast targeting businessman Vadym Yermolaiev.

Police discovered Berezovska’s body with fatal gunshot wounds to the head alongside pistol casings. Authorities suspect she was killed by prior conspiracy shortly after returning to Ukraine...

The International Energy Agency expects Russia to supply 10 bn cubic metres of natural gas to Uzbekistan this year. This projection highlights an expanding regional energy trade as domestic extraction in the Central Asian republic continues to decline.

According to a recently published IEA report, Russian gas deliveries routed through Kazakhstan via the Central Asia-Centre pipeline system will experience significant growth. Experts forecast these supply volumes will rise from 7 bn cubic metres in 2025 to slightly more than 10 bn cubic metres in 2026.

Falling domestic extraction fuels imports

This surge in foreign imports correlates directly with...

A vertigo-inducing romantic gesture could cost two prominent extreme climbers their freedom. Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov swapped safety harnesses for felony charges last week when their illicit ascent of the Empire State Building culminated in an engagement and multiple arrests.

The duo, who star in a recently released documentary, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan. Prosecutors charged them with first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree criminal mischief and burglary. They also face misdemeanour counts for possessing burglary tools, criminal trespass and criminal tampering. The 33-year-old Nikolau and 32-year-old Kuznetsov, who climbs under the moniker Ivan Beerkus, could spend up to two...

Max Verstappen is in advanced negotiations to join McLaren from Red Bull, according to paddock sources, despite recent denials from McLaren CEO Zak Brown.

Speculation surrounding the driver market reached a peak on Monday following a social media frenzy. Broadcaster Will Buxton posted a message on X identical to the one he shared before Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari was announced two years ago. The post triggered intense discussion among Formula 1 fans anticipating a major announcement regarding Verstappen.

Simultaneously, journalist Thomas Maher teased upcoming news on his own page using the hashtag #F1.

Prince Harry and six other high-profile claimants could be ordered to pay legal costs of up to £50 mln after losing a landmark privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail.

The UK High Court dismissed all claims against Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), ruling that the claimants failed to prove allegations of unlawful information gathering, including phone hacking, bugging and the misuse of private data. Judge Matthew Nicklin found there was insufficient evidence to support the accusations.

The case, which began in 2022, also involved celebrities including Sir Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost and Doreen Lawrence. ANL welcomed...

Two explosions struck central Damascus on Tuesday during French President Emmanuel Macron’s historic visit to Syria, injuring at least 18 people and underscoring the country’s fragile security situation.

The blasts occurred near the Four Seasons Hotel, where Macron had been staying, shortly after his motorcade left for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Syrian authorities said explosive devices had been hidden in a parked vehicle and a rubbish bin. Four police officers were among those injured. Macron was not harmed and continued his scheduled meetings.

The visit marks the first by a major European Union leader since the...

Turkey has intensified its crackdown on dissent ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, drawing criticism from human rights groups and some Western officials as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prepares to host alliance leaders.

Authorities have banned public demonstrations, increased security across the capital and detained more than 200 people in recent weeks, including journalists, opposition activists and comedian Deniz Goktas. Turkish officials say the arrests are part of anti-terrorism operations and are unrelated to the summit.

Speaking before the summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed that democracy extends beyond elections, highlighting the importance of freedom of...

Uzbekistan is moving forward with plans to strengthen its access to global markets through the Trans-Afghan Corridor, even as the long-awaited railway linking Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan remains several years away from completion.

While the proposed railway is still in the feasibility stage, a multimodal transport corridor combining road, rail and sea transport is already operational during periods when the Afghanistan–Pakistan border is open. The route connects Central Asia with Pakistan’s ports of Karachi and Gwadar before continuing to destinations such as Jebel Ali in the UAE.

The railway project, which will run from Termez through Afghanistan to...

China and several Central Asian countries have agreed to develop a new satellite constellation designed to monitor natural disasters, environmental changes and agricultural conditions across the region.

The project, named the Tianwu Constellation, will initially consist of five satellites providing continuous remote sensing data to help detect earthquakes, landslides, glacial flooding, crop diseases and other cross-border risks. The agreement was signed during the 9th China–Eurasia Expo in Urumqi, bringing together scientific institutions from China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The initiative is expected to strengthen regional cooperation on disaster prevention, climate monitoring and food security while expanding China’s technological...

An international team of archaeologists has discovered a rare Hellenistic military camp in southern Uzbekistan.

The findings at the Iskandar-Tepa site, previously identified as a civilian settlement, were published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. The discovery follows nearly a decade of research by Uzbek and Czech scientists led by Charles University professor Ladislav Stanco.

Researchers used magnetometry and ground-penetrating radar to identify the 6-hectare camp, which was constructed using ancient military architecture principles. A 400-metre defensive ditch surrounds the central area of the site.

Excavations revealed the ditch measured between 4 and 7 metres wide and reached...

Lawmakers in Uzbekistan have approved a bill to update the national Latin-based alphabet and forwarded the legislation to the Senate for review.

The Oliy Majlis press service announced the proposed changes will transition the current writing system from 26 letters and three combinations to an updated 28 letters and a single apostrophe.

Under the new legislation, four specific letter combinations will be replaced with single characters. The combination “sh” will become “ş”, “ch” will change to “ç”, “o‘” will transition to “ö” and “g‘” will be replaced by “ğ”. The combination “ng” will be removed entirely from the official...

The body of a 22-year-old medical student killed during a dispute in Uzbekistan arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday ahead of its final journey to her home state of Kerala.

The victim, identified as Savariya from Haripad in Alappuzha, suffered fatal head injuries four days ago when a fellow student allegedly struck her with a laptop. She succumbed to complications from internal bleeding at an Uzbekistan hospital.

Uzbek authorities have detained the accused, identified as Sadharul Anam from Malappuram, in connection with the attack. Haripad police confirmed the victim’s family notified them of the arrest, though official investigation details...

Charlize Theron captivated onlookers at the London premiere of her latest film, The Odyssey, showcasing a striking appearance that drew significant attention.

The 50-year-old Oscar-winning actress currently stars as the sorceress Circe in the $250 mln fantasy epic. The production follows the character of Odysseus, portrayed by Matt Damon, throughout a decade-long journey home following the Trojan War. Anne Hathaway also features in the ensemble cast.

Ahead of the premiere, the star generated social media buzz by sharing a provocative promotional image. On the red carpet itself, Theron opted for a black gown featuring a high thigh split.

Anthony Hamilton, the father of seven-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, is set to auction 27 classic and modern vehicles from his private collection at Silverstone on July 25. The sale, managed by Iconic Auctioneers, showcases a selection of British and German automotive engineering assembled by the man who played a pivotal role in his son’s historic racing career.

Anthony Hamilton’s own journey has been defined by the sacrifices he made to nurture his son’s talent, including working multiple jobs, from double-glazing sales to IT contracting, to fund Lewis’s early karting and junior racing years. His mentorship provided...

Uzbekistan national team footballer Abbosbek Fayzullaev hosted a traditional wedding plov in Tashkent.

Guests at the event included teammate Abdukodir Khusanov and Otabek Umarov, the first deputy chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan. The Tashkent gathering followed earlier festivities in the city of Guliston.

According to Sports.kz, the midfielder held his engagement ceremony in May. His fiancee is from the Namangan region. Fayzullaev previously dedicated his...