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Samarkand will host the 59th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) from May 3 to 6. Themed «Crossroads of Progress: Advancing a Connected Future for the Region,» the forum will bring together leaders to discuss development priorities across Asia and the Pacific.

Delegates will review ADB initiatives to strengthen sustainable capital markets in the region. The forum will also include a seminar on critical materials and a session on May 3 highlighting the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway project, which aims to connect 1.5 bn people through secure and environmentally friendly digital corridors.

On May 5, representatives from civil society...

French police specialising in cyber-crime, with support from Europol, have searched the offices of Elon Musk’s social media platform X as part of an ongoing investigation.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said the inquiry initially focused on how X’s recommendation algorithms operate and has since been expanded to include the platform’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok.

Prosecutors added that Musk and former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino have been summoned to appear at hearings scheduled for April. X has previously characterised the investigation as an attack on free speech.

Expanded Probe and Potential Charges

The probe began in January...

Gold prices surged more than 5% on February 3, putting the metal on course for its biggest single-day gain since November 2008, while silver also posted sharp gains as precious metals rebounded from their steepest two-day decline in decades.

Analysts said the broader uptrend remains intact and expect gold and silver to reach new record highs later this year. Spot gold rose 5.8% to $4,935.56 an ounce by 08:18 GMT. The metal had fallen to $4,403.24 on February 2, two sessions after hitting a peak of $5,594.82. U.S. gold futures for April delivery climbed 6.6% to $4,958.50 per ounce.

Iraq is planning to streamline visa procedures for citizens of Uzbekistan, the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry reports. The matter was discussed during a business dialogue held in Baghdad.

Iraqi authorities are also considering the introduction of direct flights to Uzbekistan. The move is expected to make business travel easier and strengthen economic and trade relations between the two nations.

In early January, Davron Vakhabov, head of the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce, noted that Uzbekistan has the potential to increase exports to Iraq to $500 mln in 2026. He added that Iraq imports around $93 bn worth of...

Uzbekistan will acquire a fleet of Embraer C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, the Brazilian manufacturer announced, though the exact number of jets has not been disclosed. The move will make Uzbekistan the first country in Central Asia to operate this type of aircraft.

Officials said the C-390 Millennium will be used for transport and humanitarian missions. Bosco da Costa Junior, CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, described the decision as a «great honour» and pledged close collaboration with Uzbekistan to ensure the aircraft operates flawlessly. He also confirmed that the first batch is expected to be delivered within the...

China has become the first country to ban hidden door handles on electric vehicles, a design popularised by Elon Musk’s Tesla. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of EV safety worldwide, following several fatal incidents in China, including crashes involving Xiaomi EVs where power failures reportedly prevented occupants from opening the doors.

The new regulations, effective January 1, 2027, require all passenger doors, except the boot, to feature a mechanical release accessible both inside and outside the vehicle. Each exterior handle must be set within a recessed space at least 6cm by 2cm by 2.5cm, while interior instructions must...

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken over his artificial intelligence start-up xAI, the company behind the Grok chatbot, further consolidating the billionaire’s business holdings. SpaceX confirmed the acquisition by posting a memo from Musk on its website, describing the merger as an «innovation engine» uniting AI, rockets, space-based internet and media.

Financial terms were not officially disclosed, but a source familiar with the deal said xAI is valued at $125 bn and SpaceX at $1 trln, making SpaceX the most valuable private company ever. Last month, Tesla also invested $2 bn into xAI.

AI and Robotics at the Core

Uzbekistan-born Russian businessman Iskandar Makhmudov has placed 405th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with his net worth estimated at $9.04 bn.

Makhmudov is the founder of Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, one of Russia’s largest producers of copper and coal. The company reported revenue of $3.2 bn in 2023. The businessman also holds stakes in Transmashholding, a major manufacturer of railway equipment, and Transoil, a logistics firm serving the oil sector.

Since the start of the year, Makhmudov’s wealth has increased by $1.17 bn, despite a decline of $292 mln during the most recent trading day.

From economics and...

One of the most iconic cars in Formula One history, the Lotus 98T driven by Ayrton Senna during the 1986 season, is set to be sold at auction. RM Sotheby’s has confirmed that Chassis 98T-3, the car Senna used to claim a dramatic victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, will be offered through its sealed-bid platform in March.

The car carries a pre-sale estimate of between $9.5 mln and $12 mln, a figure that could set a new auction record for a Lotus Formula One machine.

The Peak of the Turbo Era

The Lotus 98T stands as one...

Uzbekistan plans to begin development of four uranium deposits in 2026, officials told President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a meeting on industry development held on February 2.

Last year, the country produced about 7,000 tonnes of uranium, while identified reserves reached 139,000 tonnes. The meeting also addressed the state of Uzbekistan’s coal industry. By early February this year, coal output totalled 9 mln tonnes, up by 590,000 tonnes year on year. Production is expected to rise to 11 mln tonnes during the next autumn and winter season.

To achieve this target, authorities plan to accelerate the development of coal deposits...

Israel launched airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Monday, intensifying its campaign against Iran-backed proxy forces amid rising regional tensions and mounting international pressure on Tehran over human rights abuses.

The Israeli military said the strikes hit positions linked to Hezbollah near the coastal city of Tyre. Lebanese security sources reported at least one person killed and eight wounded. Israel has warned it is preparing for possible retaliation by Iran-aligned militias operating across the region.

The escalation comes as United Kingdom imposed sweeping new sanctions on Iranian officials accused of orchestrating violent crackdowns on mass protests...

Italy’s government is fast-tracking a new security decree after violent clashes in Turin left more than 100 security officers injured, including a policeman who was beaten with a hammer during a protest, an attack Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described as «attempted murder.»

The officer, 29-year-old Alessandro Calista of the Padua Mobile Police Unit, was surrounded by masked demonstrators and struck repeatedly before colleagues managed to pull him to safety using riot shields. He was treated at Turin’s Molinette hospital and later discharged with multiple contusions and a hammer-related injury.

Police arrested three men aged 22, 31 and...

The Queens’ Online Chess Festival will return in March 2026, marking its sixth edition as a global celebration of women’s and girls’ participation in chess.

Organised by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess under the Chess4All FIDE WOM Project, the festival will run from March 1 to March 29 and is dedicated to International Women’s Day. Participation is free and open to women and girls of all ages and skill levels worldwide, including unrated players.

The 2026 festival will feature two parallel competitions: the Queens’ Women’s Open Tournament, open to female players with a FIDE ID, and the...

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have reviewed the results of their bilateral cooperation in 2025 and outlined key priorities for strengthening relations in 2026, according to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The discussions took place during a meeting between Bobur Usmanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, and Huseyn Guliyev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uzbekistan.

Both sides stressed the importance of maintaining close coordination between their foreign ministries and agreed to develop new practical initiatives aimed at deepening the strategic partnership and allied relations between Tashkent and Baku.

Economic cooperation featured prominently in the talks. Bilateral trade...

Viral food reviewer and community advocate Keith Lee has been named Creator of the Year at the inaugural U.S. TikTok Awards, capping a meteoric rise that began with casual food reviews filmed from his daughter’s Paw Patrol chair.

The ceremony, hosted Thursday night at the Hollywood Palladium, celebrated a «New Era, New Icons» theme and featured fan-voted categories recognizing creators shaping digital culture. Lee, who has amassed more than 17 mln followers on TikTok, said he was overwhelmed by the honor, thanking supporters «from the bottom of my heart» and adding that he «never in a million years...

Norway’s royal family is facing renewed scrutiny after newly released «Epstein files» revealed extensive personal contact between Crown Princess Mette-Marit and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The disclosures show that Mette-Marit exchanged hundreds of emails with Epstein between 2011 and 2013, some marked by unusually close and informal language. The revelations surfaced days before her eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, is due to stand trial in Oslo on 38 criminal charges, including rape and sexual assault.

Norwegian media, including NRK, reported that Mette-Marit had researched Epstein’s background as early as 2011 and acknowledged in emails that...

Gold and silver extended their steep sell-off on Monday, deepening losses triggered late last week after U.S. President Donald Trump named a new candidate to lead the Federal Reserve.

Both precious metals had been trading at record highs on Thursday before plunging after Trump announced on Friday that he wants Kevin Warsh to replace Jay Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve from May. Markets interpreted the nomination as reducing the risk of aggressive interest-rate cuts and political interference in monetary policy.

Gold and silver, traditionally seen as safe-haven assets, suffered their worst single-day falls since 1983 and...

Low-cost Chinese electric vehicles and bargain e-commerce goods are rapidly gaining ground across Latin America, raising alarms among governments and domestic industries, according to a new report by The Associated Press.

China’s expanding trade footprint is especially visible in major markets such as Brazil, Mexico and Chile, where sluggish demand at home has pushed Chinese manufacturers to seek growth abroad. Backed by heavy state subsidies and low production costs, Chinese brands now dominate key segments, particularly electric vehicles.

In Brazil, more than 80% of the 61,000 EVs sold in 2024 were Chinese, led by BYD and GWM. In...

Most high-liquidity stocks on the Republican Stock Exchange (UzSE) in Tashkent posted losses during the week of January 23–30. The UCI index dropped by 0.4% over this period.

The strongest performer was the privileged shares of Uzbektelecom, which rose 8.61%. Positive growth was also recorded in shares of SQB (+5.16%) and Trastbank (+5%). By contrast, the privileged shares of Ipoteka-Bank fell 11.21%, marking the largest decline on the exchange. Shares of Aloqabank (-10.13%) and Hamkorbank (-10.12%) also fell sharply. Ordinary shares of Uzbektelecom remained unchanged.

Trading Activity

In terms of deal numbers, Hamkorbank led with 1,082 transactions, followed...

The 66th Grammy Awards delivered history, controversy and political statements as the ceremony unfolded at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night.

Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny made Grammy history after Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year. Accepting the award in Spanish and English, an emotional Bad Bunny dedicated his win to immigrants and to Puerto Rico, calling it a moment for «all the Latinos in the entire world.»

The night also produced chaos when Cher mistakenly announced «Luther Vandross» as the winner of Record of...

Chappell Roan made a striking statement on the red carpet at the 68th Grammy Awards, leaving social media buzzing over her daring choice. The singer, known for her bold fashion sense, appeared in a sheer topless gown, adorned with nipple rings, while also showing off a large back tattoo.

Styled by Genesis Webb, Roan wore a custom creation by Miguel Castro Freitas for French fashion house Mugler. The flowing chiffon gown featured a bodice-less design, paired with a coordinating cape that could be draped for more coverage. Inspired by Manfred Thierry Mugler’s Spring–Summer 1998 couture collection, the cowl...

Episode 3 of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms raises the stakes as a bustling tournament gets underway and a long-teased secret finally surfaces. With the arrival of the Targaryens, the series begins to show its hand, blending spectacle with character-driven drama.

Dunk remains an unlikely hero. Towering over nearly everyone around him, he is physically imposing yet persistently gentle, often seeming unaware of his own size. As he prepares for the tournament, his nerves provide much of the episode’s humour, particularly given his obvious physical advantage over most of the field.

A Growing Gallery of Unsettling...

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is investing in East Can Solutions to support the construction of Uzbekistan’s first greenfield aluminium can production facility, the company said.

Based in Tashkent, the plant will supply domestic beverage producers with fully recyclable metal packaging, helping meet growing demand while reducing the country’s reliance on imports. Uzbekistan’s metal packaging market is currently fully dependent on foreign suppliers, leaving manufacturers exposed to supply chain disruptions, volatile import costs and long delivery times.

IFC’s financing will also support job creation, with more than 200 direct positions anticipated once the facility is fully operational.

Production capacity is...

Worldwide, international passenger traffic increased 7.1% compared with 2024, while domestic travel grew 2.4%, accroding to IATA. Airlines faced tight capacity, with the global passenger load factor reaching 83.6%, a record for annual volumes. December 2025 capped the year strongly, as overall traffic rose 5.6% and load factors climbed to 83.7%.

IATA highlighted ongoing challenges for the aviation sector, including decarbonisation and supply chain constraints.

«Sustainable aviation fuel and energy development are essential for countries whose economies rely on air transport,» IATA Director General Willie Walsh said.

Airlines also faced delays in new aircraft deliveries...