News

The Trump administration has extended a crucial sanctions waiver that permits nations to purchase Russian oil at sea for approximately another month, Reuters reports. The decision comes despite fierce criticism from U.S. lawmakers who argue the government is adopting a soft stance on Moscow while the war in Ukraine continues.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s updated exemption allows countries to acquire Russian crude and petroleum products loaded onto vessels from Friday until May 16. This replaces a previous 30-day grace period that expired on April 11. Transactions involving Iran, Cuba and North Korea remain strictly prohibited under the terms of...

The Association of Umrah Pilgrimage Travel Agencies has signed a strategic memorandum with the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (HUURSAD) to facilitate dedicated tours to Uzbekistan for Turkish citizens.

The initiative, officially titled “Umrah Plus Uzbekistan”, was recently unveiled to 50 tourism industry representatives during a special presentation in Istanbul. The showcase was coordinated by the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan alongside the Organization of Turkic States, the Uzbek Consulate General in Istanbul and various Turkish travel coalitions.

Extending the spiritual journey

Under this new travel framework, Turkish pilgrims completing their religious duties in Saudi Arabia will be encouraged...

Uzbekistan Airports has formalised a strategic partnership with JPMorgan Chase following the signing of a memorandum at the Uzbekistan Investor Day forum in the United States.

This agreement is set to provide the company with critical access to international capital markets, paving the way for the issuance of Eurobonds and the utilisation of other sophisticated financial tools.

The forum was held across two major U.S. financial hubs, taking place in Boston on April 13 and New York on April 14. The event focused on showcasing Uzbekistan’s investment potential and the various economic reforms currently being implemented to attract foreign capital.

Uzbekistan’s chess sensation Javokhir Sindarov has returned to a hero’s welcome in Tashkent after a triumphant performance at the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament. Following his historic victory, the 20-year-old grandmaster was awarded the prestigious “Mehnat shuhrati” (Glory of Labour) order.

Upon landing at the capital’s airport, Sindarov was greeted by a high-profile delegation that included Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, officials from the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, coaches and his close relatives.

A presidential tribute

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev formally presented the state honour to the young champion while congratulating him on becoming the first player from Uzbekistan to secure...

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon, Reuters reports.

The U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a comprehensive deal to end the war with Iran could be finalised soon.

Taking to social media platform X, Araqchi confirmed the vital waterway is now open to all commercial vessels for the duration of the 10-day truce agreed between Israel and Hezbollah. Shortly after, Trump echoed the announcement on Truth Social, declaring the strait “fully open and ready for passage”.

Shipping resumes under a cloud of caution

Uzbekistan has placed Vladimir Dobrynin, the founder and chief executive of the technology company Humans, on the international wanted list. An official notice regarding the search for the businessman has been published on the Interpol website.

Domestic authorities are seeking Dobrynin on serious criminal charges encompassing the organisation of illegal gambling activities and money laundering.

Escalating corporate clashes

These criminal allegations mark the latest development in an increasingly bitter conflict between the tech executive’s business empire and the Uzbek state. The situation began to deteriorate significantly in June 2025 when Singapore-based Humans Mobile Ltd launched a lawsuit against...

The international policing organisation Interpol has officially placed Uzbek national Ravshan Mukhitdinov on its global wanted list. Details of his fugitive status have been published on the agency’s official portal.

Mukhitdinov, who is widely known in criminal circles by the alias Ravshan “Zolotoy” (Ravshan the Golden), is facing a string of serious allegations in his home country. Law enforcement agencies in Uzbekistan have accused him of malicious property damage, acts of hooliganism and orchestrating a major criminal syndicate.

A history of international arrests

This latest development is simply the newest chapter in a long-running saga between Mukhitdinov and...

The powerhouses of the South Korean music industry, Hybe, YG Entertainment, SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, have confirmed they are pooling their resources to launch a major joint venture, Yonhap reports.

The move is a strategic bid to establish a massive global music festival that would showcase their world-famous artists on a single, unified stage.

Known as the “Big Four”, these agencies are currently working within the music division of the Presidential Committee for Popular Culture Exchange. On Thursday, they revealed that preparations are underway to form a legal corporation dedicated to launching an event titled “Fanomenon”.

The...

Errol Musk has sparked fresh controversy after claiming that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein is still alive, repeating conspiracy theories during an appearance on Russian state television.

Interview triggers backlash

Speaking in a primetime broadcast, Musk dismissed the official ruling that Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019. He described the conclusion as «absurd» and alleged a cover-up involving prison guards and malfunctioning surveillance cameras. Despite apparent scepticism from the audience, Musk insisted Epstein was «alive and well.»

Timing raises attention

The remarks came during Musk’s visit to Moscow, where he reportedly attended...

Two of Europe’s biggest airlines, Lufthansa and KLM, have cancelled hundreds of flights as soaring jet fuel costs triggered by the Iran conflict disrupt the aviation sector.

Fuel surge forces cuts

Lufthansa said it will ground its CityLine regional fleet of 27 aircraft by the weekend and reduce capacity on international routes after the summer season. KLM announced it would cancel around 160 flights over the coming month, though this represents less than 1% of its schedule. Both carriers cited sharply rising kerosene prices linked to instability in the Middle East.

Shortage fears intensify

International Energy...

Red Bull Racing has confirmed a major reorganisation of its technical hierarchy in an attempt to stabilise the team following a period of unprecedented upheaval.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit has seen a steady stream of senior talent depart in recent years, including the architect of its modern success, Christian Horner, and the long-standing motorsport advisor Helmut Marko.

With the team looking to protect its long-term competitive edge, several internal promotions and external recruitments have been fast-tracked. The most significant shift sees Ben Waterhouse step into an expanded leadership role as Chief Performance and Design Engineer with immediate effect. Waterhouse...

The Department of Homeland Security has moved to deport Iranian academic Yousof Azizi, accusing him of lying on his U.S. visa application about past ties to a group linked to Iran’s security apparatus.

Allegations tied to IRGC-linked group

U.S. authorities claim Azizi failed to disclose his alleged membership in the Student Basij Organisation between 2006 and 2010. The group is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which Washington designates as a terrorist organisation. Officials say Azizi entered the U.S. on a student visa in 2013, later terminated after he failed to re-enrol in late 2025. No...

The United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has found himself at the centre of a bizarre theological blunder after he inadvertently quoted a Quentin Tarantino screenplay while leading a formal prayer at the Pentagon, Variety reports.

Intending to offer spiritual support for an American pilot currently missing in Iran, the former Fox News host instead recited the “Ezekiel 25:17” monologue famously delivered by Samuel L. Jackson’s hitman character in the 1994 cult classic Pulp Fiction.

The incident took place during a Wednesday worship service within the Department of War. Hegseth introduced the passage as “CSAR 25:17”, a reference...

The Russian luxury brand Caviar has launched a bespoke series of the iPhone 17 Pro dedicated to the memory of Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the late founder and long-time leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR).

This high-end collection seeks to celebrate the politician’s legacy, focusing on his distinctive charisma, political intuition and legendary foresight.

The design of the handset is heavily influenced by the LDPR’s official branding, with the titanium body finished in a deep blue hue synonymous with the party. The focal point of the device is a meticulously hand-painted enamel profile of Zhirinovsky himself.

According...

Uzbekistan has introduced a dedicated legal “sandbox” to regulate the issuance and circulation of stablecoins.

This framework, approved jointly by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan and the National Agency of Prospective Projects, is designed to modernise the country’s financial landscape. The primary objective is to cultivate innovative payment systems and attract international investors while ensuring a high level of protection for those participating in the digital asset market.

Within this controlled environment, entities are permitted to issue digital tokens backed by either the national soum or foreign currencies. These stablecoins can be utilised as a valid means of payment...

A series of smash-and-grab raids has struck independent hobby shops across the UK, as criminals increasingly target high-value Pokémon trading cards, BBC reports.

Celestial Collectibles in Warrington is the latest victim in a nationwide spree that has seen similar thefts reported in Nottingham, Bristol, Rugby, Peterborough, Bournemouth and Gloucester.

The surge in crime follows a dramatic rise in the market value of the collectibles. While the hobby has existed for 30 years, interest exploded during the pandemic, turning rare cards into serious alternative assets.

Specialist auction house Stanley Gibbons Baldwins recently reported over £1.5 mln in Pokémon sales, with...

Neukgu, the two-year-old wolf whose dramatic escape from a South Korean zoo captivated the entire nation, has finally been caught after a relentless nine-day pursuit, BBC reports.

The Daejeon city government confirmed that the runaway animal was secured near an expressway at 00:44 local time on Friday. Following a prompt veterinary assessment, officials reported that his pulse and body temperature were completely normal.

A game of cat and mouse

Hundreds of emergency workers had been dispatched to track down the missing canine over the past week. Rescuers came agonisingly close to securing him on several occasions, but the...

The U.S. R&B singer known as D4vd has been taken into police custody on suspicion of murdering a 14-year-old girl, BBC reports. The teenager vanished in 2024 before her severely decomposed body was discovered inside the recording artist’s vehicle in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed on Thursday that heavily armed officers arrested the 21-year-old, whose real name is David Anthony Burke. He was detained at approximately 4:30 pm and led away with his hands behind his back. Burke is currently being held without bail with authorities planning to present their case to the District Attorney’s...

Having completed last year with another bond issue of 49.6 bn soums at 19%, TBC Bank has finally secured its status as a systemic issuer. Taking into account the group’s placement of $200 mln in the summer of 2025 and the first entries into the market in 2024, this is already the fourth issuance aimed at developing the business in the country.

Kursiv Research spoke with CFO of TBC Uzbekistan Sharof Sharipov about the strategy of funding diversification and the culture of transparency to understand how debt instruments help a digital bank grow faster than the market.

— Sharof, let’s...

Joy Harmon, the American actress whose fleeting but legendary appearance in the 1967 cinematic masterpiece Cool Hand Luke cemented her place in Hollywood history, has died at the age of 87.

Media outlets have confirmed that the star passed away at her Los Angeles residence on Tuesday after enduring a prolonged battle with pneumonia over recent weeks.

A defining moment in 1960s cinema

Despite appearing on screen for a mere three minutes and lacking a single line of dialogue, Harmon’s performance left an indelible mark on global pop culture. Starring alongside the legendary Paul Newman, she was officially...

On April 15 Uzbekistan alongside 13 other nations officially joined the World Bank Group’s (WBG) “Water Forward” initiative. Launched during the WBG Spring Meetings in Washington this global platform aims to guarantee water security for one billion people by 2030.

The launch event featured high-profile attendees including WBG President Ajay Banga, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders of various international financial institutions. Uzbekistan was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov.

Water Forward is designed to help developing countries implement vital sector reforms and modernise their water infrastructure. The primary goal is to...

A consortium of leading global investors featuring BlackRock and Franklin Resources has committed an aggregate of $300 mln to anchor the upcoming initial public offering of the National Investment Fund of the Republic of Uzbekistan (UzNIF).

The cornerstone agreement also includes backing from Redwheel and two treasury companies belonging to the Allan & Gill Gray Foundation. Together these financial heavyweights have agreed to subscribe for Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) at the final offer price, providing a massive vote of confidence in the Central Asian nation’s economic trajectory.

The investment is tied to UzNIF’s highly anticipated dual listing on both...

An agreement between Ipak Yuli Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was signed in London as part of the Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP). Following the meeting held on April 13, Ipak Yuli officially obtained the status of a confirming bank, the bank’s press service reported.

This status grants the financial institution the right to guarantee payments on international transactions, serving as an additional protection mechanism for domestic entrepreneurs when dealing with foreign partners.

Participation in the programme gives the bank’s clients direct access to documentary business services, including letters of credit and bank guarantees backed by EBRD...

At the beginning of 2026 online marketplaces and the broader e-commerce sector generated approximately 35% of all new demand for warehouse space in Central Asia. These findings were recently unveiled by IBC Global during the Central Asia Warehouse Summit Uzbekistan.

Third-party logistics (3PL) providers and distribution companies ranked second in the market by securing a 28% share of the demand. Meanwhile the delivery requirements of traditional brick-and-mortar shops accounted for a further 18% of newly acquired storage facilities.

The ongoing development of regional logistics infrastructure contributed about 12% to the overall demand. The light industrial sector alongside multi-temperature storage...