News

EastEnders fans have hit out at the BBC after a major spoiler ruined Max Branning’s dramatic return storyline.

The iconic character, played by Jake Wood, made his comeback at the end of Wednesday’s episode. Although his return was first reported back in May, many viewers were unaware he would appear this week.

However, those who went to watch the episode on iPlayer were left angry when the preview image showed Max, spoiling the reveal before they had started watching.

One frustrated fan wrote on Reddit: «I watched Wednesday’s episode today – tell me why iPlayer decided...

Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan, visited the inaugural Bukhara Biennale Recipes for Broken Hearts and shared photos from the event on Telegram.

«The first Bukhara Biennale offers unique venues where our rich history unfolds, highlighting our traditions and carefully preserved crafts,» she noted. Mirziyoyeva added that the event unites both contemporary and applied art.

The Biennale opened on September 5 and will continue until November 20. Around 70 projects created by artists from Uzbekistan and overseas will be showcased across the city, including the Khoja-Gaukushon complex and other historic...

Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a new regulation defining how the customs value of goods is determined when exported from the country. The document was published on the legal portal Lex.uz.

Under the decision, the customs value serves as the basis for calculating export duties and other mandatory payments. The use of false or arbitrary figures in this process is strictly prohibited.

The main calculation method will be Method No. 1 which is based on the transaction value of the exported goods. If this is not possible, other approaches will be applied step by step:

US President Donald Trump has wished Uzbekistan’s national football team success during a phone call with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The World Cup will be held next year across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June to July.

During the conversation the two leaders also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between Tashkent and Washington. Trade between the two countries grew by 15% last year, according to Mirziyoyev’s press service.

«The US President highly appreciated and supported the irreversible reforms being carried out in New Uzbekistan in recent years, aimed at modernising the economy and...

Jim Arrington, recognised in 2015 as the world’s oldest competitive bodybuilder, continues to defy age at 93. He recently took part in the 2025 IFBB Pro League Masters World Championships, where he stood out as the oldest participant. With over seven decades of experience in bodybuilding, his dedication shows no signs of slowing.

Over the years Arrington has reshaped his diet to support his training. Once reliant on milk and beef, he later cut them out due to inflammation and switched to lighter, healthier options such as mushrooms and olive oil.

«I figured if I did...

At Tashkent’s Olympia Stadium the Uzbekistan national football team claimed a convincing 4-0 victory against Kyrgyzstan, securing their place in the final of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025.

The match began with early pressure from the visitors. In the fifth minute Atabayev struck the crossbar from a free kick, but momentum soon shifted towards the hosts. On 26 minutes Akmal Mozgovoy opened the scoring after VAR confirmation. Just before half-time Kyrgyzstan were reduced to ten men when Valeriy Kichin was sent off for a last-man foul.

In the second half Timur Kapadze’s side stepped up the pace. Otabek Shukurov

On September 6, the latest mini-album by South Korean girl group aespa reached number one on the iTunes Top Albums chart in Uzbekistan.

Released on September 5, 2025, Rich Man is the group’s sixth extended play (EP), produced under SM Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment in Korea and Warner Records internationally. The EP runs for around 19 minutes and contains six tracks that span dance, hip-hop, R&B and pop influences. Its lead single shares the album’s title.

Rich Man was issued in 15 physical formats, including two Rich Man Bag versions, five Burst versions (a group edition and...

A piece of film history has changed hands for a galactic price. Darth Vader’s original duelling lightsaber from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi has sold for $3.65 mln at a Propstore auction in Los Angeles, making it the most valuable Star Wars item ever auctioned.

The winning bid stood at $2.9 mln before fees, setting a franchise record. The weapon was wielded on screen by actor David Prowse and stunt double Bob Anderson, and carried a presale estimate of $1 mln to $3 mln. It is believed to be the only hero lightsaber from the original...

Sydney Sweeney will keep the spotlight firmly on her latest film when she arrives at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, September 5. The actress stars in Christy, David Michôd’s biopic about professional boxer Christy Martin, and says she intends to discuss only her preparation and collaboration for the role.

«I am there to support my movie and the people involved in making it, and I’m not there to talk about jeans,» Sweeney told Vanity Fair ahead of the premiere.

The star has faced criticism over her American Eagle campaign launched earlier this...

Aryna Sabalenka has booked her place in the US Open final after a hard-fought win over Jessica Pegula in New York.

The defending champion recovered from losing the first set to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday night inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. She will face Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s final.

If victorious, Sabalenka will be the first woman since Serena Williams to successfully defend the US Open title, with Williams winning three in a row from 2012 to 2014.

«I think I really played great tennis,» Sabalenka said. «I think I handled that pressure really well...

When you stand 216 cm tall, finding a car that fits is no easy task. But Shaquille O’Neal was not prepared to settle for cramped interiors. Instead, he turned to California-based workshop Effortless Motors to create a one-of-a-kind Chevrolet Corvette C8 Z06, stretched by half a metre to suit his frame.

The result is officially the longest Corvette ever built. Its doors are enormous, the wheelbase rivals that of a limousine, yet the powerhouse under the bonnet remains unchanged, a 670-horsepower V8 engine capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.6 seconds, with a top speed of...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree appointing Alexey Yerkhov as ambassador to Uzbekistan, according to a document published on the official legal acts portal.

Yerkhov takes over from Oleg Malginov, who led the Russian diplomatic mission in Tashkent from spring 2021 until September 2025. Malginov had previously succeeded Vladimir Tyurdenev, who held the position from 2009 to March 2021.

Born in Moscow on 28 October 1960, Yerkhov is a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience. Over the course of his career, he has served as ambassador to Morocco, Egypt and Israel. Most recently, he headed the Russian embassy in...

A full launch of REPO operations is essential for the development of Uzbekistan’s corporate bond market, according to George Paresishvili, Chairman of the Republican Stock Exchange (RSE). He made the comments at the 7th Cbonds International Capital Markets Conference in Tashkent.

Paresishvili noted that REPO deals are actively used in the government securities market, as the Central Bank accepts state bonds to provide liquidity to commercial banks. In contrast, the corporate bond segment remains underdeveloped.

«You can count the number of REPO transactions on one hand,» he remarked, stressing that without an active REPO market corporate...

The Regional Expert Group (REG) on migrant health has raised concern over a draft law in Uzbekistan that could deny work to foreigners diagnosed with HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis.

Under the proposal, foreign nationals and stateless persons arriving for employment would undergo compulsory medical checks. The Senate approved the draft in August. The group is also worried about a measure requiring returning Uzbek citizens who have spent more than 90 days abroad to be tested for HIV.

«The Regional Expert Group strongly urges a review of the draft law in line with international standards and the recommendations...

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has supplied mobile laboratory equipment to the Karakalpak Republican Centre for Agricultural Services under Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture. The project equips farmers in the Aral Sea region with tools to adapt to climate change and build a more sustainable agroecosystem.

Farming Challenges

Farmers here struggle with saline soils, erratic weather and lack of soil data. Until now, samples had to be sent to laboratories with results taking weeks, leaving farmers unable to respond quickly.

Dr Abdurashid Mirzambetov of the International Innovation Centre for the Aral Sea Basin said that without proper diagnostics, farmers...

Gold could climb close to $5,000 an ounce if the Federal Reserve’s independence is undermined and investors transfer even a small share of their Treasury holdings into gold, according to Goldman Sachs.

In a research note, analysts including Samantha Dart warned that «a scenario where Fed independence is damaged would likely lead to higher inflation, lower stock and long-dated bond prices, and a weakening of the dollar’s reserve currency role. In contrast, gold is a store of value that does not rely on institutional trust.»

Projections for Gold

The bank mapped out a...

Lionel Messi held back tears during the warm-up and stood alongside his three sons for the Argentine national anthem, as he prepared for what could be his final World Cup qualifying match on home ground.

The night almost ended with a hat trick. Messi scored in the 39th and 80th minutes to inspire the reigning world champions to a 3-0 victory over Venezuela at Mas Monumental Stadium on Thursday, 4 September. Lautaro Martínez added the second goal in the 76th minute, set up by Messi, as Argentina continued their unbeaten run having already secured qualification for the 2026 World...

Giorgio Armani, one of Italy’s most influential fashion designers, has died at the age of 91, the Armani Group confirmed on Thursday, September 4.

Over decades of work, Armani defined a distinctly Italian style and reshaped Hollywood red carpet fashion.

«Il Signor Armani, as he was respectfully known to colleagues and staff, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones,» the Armani Group said, describing him as «a tireless driving force.»

Rescue teams in Afghanistan continued pulling bodies from the ruins of destroyed homes on September 4, after a series of earthquakes claimed more than 2,200 lives. Survivors left without shelter now face an uncertain future as international aid groups warn that relief supplies are running thin.

According to the Taliban authorities, search operations remain under way in the mountainous eastern provinces hit by the disaster. Officials confirmed 2,205 deaths and at least 3,640 people injured.

«Everything we owned has been lost,» said Aalem Jan, a resident of Kunar whose house was reduced to rubble. Sitting...

The Ministry of Economy and Finance has reported Uzbekistan’s public debt figures for the second quarter of 2025. By early July the total debt had risen to more than $43.3 bn, an increase of 1.6% compared with January to March this year.

Of this amount $36.4 bn came from external borrowing and $6.9 bn from domestic sources. The country’s main creditors are international financial institutions, including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and other organisations.

Tashkent has also borrowed from the International Monetary Fund as well as state banks in Germany and Spain.

As of early July...

Uzbekistan has issued a diplomatic note to Russia’s Foreign Ministry following the circulation of a video showing a Russian man hurling insults at an Uzbek citizen, Foreign Ministry spokesman Akhror Burkhanov confirmed.

The video, widely shared online, shows a passer-by shouting at a taxi driver from Uzbekistan in the Moscow region. In front of witnesses the man called the driver «a slave of Russians» and claimed he was «not at home».

He shouted:

«You are a slave, a slave of Russians. You came here because there is nothing in Uzbekistan. You are not at...

FC Kairat is preparing to host the legendary Real Madrid in the Champions League, with the match set for September 30 at Almaty’s Central Stadium. The game promises to be the biggest sporting event of the year in Kazakhstan. Ahead of the clash, Ticketon and Kairat have warned fans about counterfeit tickets and explained how to purchase safely.

Where to buy tickets:

Aviasales.uz, through its media platform Yo’lovchi, has published insights into the most popular travel choices for Uzbeks this autumn. Overall bookings have increased by 12%, with demand spread across both domestic and international trips.

The ten most popular foreign destinations include Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, China, South Korea, the UAE, Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom, Latvia and Thailand.

Domestic tourism within Uzbekistan is showing strong momentum, with bookings up by 36%. Demand for Kazakhstan has grown even more sharply, rising by 41%, while the average ticket price remains at last year’s level.

Flights to Turkey have become more affordable, with ticket...

Laos has expressed its intention to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Deputy Foreign Minister Phongsavanh Sisoulath announced during the Eastern Economic Forum, according to RIA News.

On September 1, 2025 the country was granted dialogue partner status at the SCO summit in Tianjin, China. The next step could see Laos move towards becoming a full member of the regional bloc.

Laos at a glance: