News

NASA-backed scientists have examined a Martian meteorite estimated to be more than 4.1bn years old, finding traces of water activity that could help explain the planet’s earliest geological history.

Known as Teghaza 001, the pinkish rock was recovered from the Sahara Desert in Mali in 2022. It weighs roughly 800 grams and initially appeared unremarkable. However, detailed laboratory analysis revealed that it was exceptionally old and contained minerals altered by water billions of years ago.

The research, published in Science on 29 October, indicates that water circulated through rocks beneath Mars’ surface during the planet’s early...

South Korean boy band BTS have reportedly generated more than $561mn from 46 sold-out concerts on their ongoing ARIRANG world tour, attracting 2.85mn fans and setting a new commercial benchmark for pop groups.

The milestone follows an earlier report from Billboard, which confirmed in September that BTS had become the first pop group to earn more than $500mn from a single tour.

According to Billboard Boxscore, the seven-member group generated $171.7mn from 12 concerts in August alone, selling approximately 801,000 tickets. That was the second-highest monthly touring revenue recorded by the...

Polish President Karol Nawrocki abandoned his official visit to Senegal on Friday, 30 October, after a dispute over the leadership of Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal sparked demonstrations and claims of a government-backed coup.

The confrontation followed a decision by senior judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska to remove tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski from his duties and take over the court’s leadership, Reuters reported.

The move prompted hundreds of people to gather outside the tribunal in Warsaw. Opposition figures accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s administration of trying to bring the judiciary under its control.

“At a moment...

Apple is reportedly preparing a second-generation iPhone Air despite disappointing sales of the original model, with a new leak suggesting the company plans to address some of the ultra-thin smartphone’s biggest drawbacks.

Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station claims the iPhone Air 2 will feature two 48-megapixel rear cameras, a larger battery and Apple’s A20 processor, according to Russian tech reviewer Rozetked.

The insider also claims Apple has completed development and moved the device into production.

The iPhone Air 2 is expected to launch in March 2027, alongside the standard iPhone 18 and the more affordable iPhone...

Uzbek diplomat Mirvohid Azimov has been appointed secretary general of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), replacing Kyrgyzstan’s Kubanychbek Omuraliev, who has led the organisation since 2022.

The appointment was made at the organisation’s 13th summit in Ankara, Türkiye, on 30 October.

Azimov previously worked as the organization’s deputy secretary general before returning to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry earlier this year. He will now lead the secretariat tasked with coordinating cooperation among the five member countries: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.

The appointment comes as Türkiye takes over the OTS rotating chairmanship from Azerbaijan.

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Moscow should become a member of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) or be given an observer status, citing centuries of shared history and Russia’s sizeable Turkic communities.

Speaking at the OIC summit in Ankara on 30 October, Tokayev said that if would be “right and fair” to engage with Russia through the OTS+ format.

“As a major power, Russia has maintained close ties with the Turkic world for centuries. Many Turkic peoples have historically lived on its territory,” he stated.

“Overall, if...

North Korean state-backed hackers may be responsible for the $6.3bn security breach at cryptocurrency exchange Binance, according to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, which linked the attack to the hacking group TraderTraitor.

The firm said it had high confidence in its assessment after examining transactions across 10 blockchains and comparing them with previous attacks attributed to North Korean hackers.

An online perpetrator transferred approximately $6.36bn from Binance wallets on 29 October, moving most of the assets within just 20 minutes.

How investigators linked the attack to North Korea

TRM Labs identified several similarities between...

Worldwide spending on Japanese anime reached a record $28.2bn in 2025, rising 15.8% from the previous year as demand grew both in Japan and overseas.

International consumers accounted for 57.1% of the market, spending $16.1bn on Japanese animation and related products, according to preliminary figures from the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA).

The industry recorded its fastest annual growth, surpassing the 15.7% increase registered in 2024. Overseas sales rose 17.2%, while spending within Japan climbed 14.1% to $12.1bn.

Read more: Naruto franchise announces shadow rising manga and Ninku crossover

Domestic...

United Airlines is looking into flights to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan after sending its network planning chief to both countries, according to chief executive Scott Kirby.

Speaking on the Cheeky Pint podcast, published on 27 October, United Airlines CEO Kirby revealed that Patrick Quayle, the executive responsible for developing United’s network, visited both countries this year.

Kirby described the trip while explaining how United finds opportunities beyond established tourist destinations. He cited its successful service to Nuuk, Greenland, as an example of an unconventional route paying off.

However, this scenario is where the geography and economy of transcontinental flights...

Instagram has announced its 2026 Rings award winners, with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland joining a group of musicians, designers and digital creators recognised for their originality.

The winners, revealed on October 29, include an American food educator, an Indian football freestyler, a Mexican music trio and a Portuguese fashion influencer.

Instagram launched Rings in 2025 to recognise creators in entertainment, fashion, sport and other fields for their originality and cultural influence, rather than follower counts.

This year’s winners were selected by a 14-member judging panel that included Donatella Versace, A$AP Rocky, filmmaker Chloé Zhao

Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov won the 2026 Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown in St. Louis, United States, earning $168,000 in prize money and bonuses just weeks before his World Chess Championship match.

The 20-year-old finished the three-day tournament on October 29 with 20.5 points, overtaking India’s Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa on the final day after entering the last round of matches 2.5 points behind the leader.

Praggnanandhaa finished second with 19 points, followed by Americans Fabiano Caruana with 16.5 and Hikaru Nakamura with 12.

Javokhir Sindarov plays incredible chess to take down Praggnanandhaa and take...

Israel’s Arab parties have won 19 parliamentary seats in the country’s most consequential elections over the past years. The all-time electoral record, which is almost double their current 10 seats, is enough to help Benjamin Netanyahu’s rivals replace him — but it comes with a giant asterisk. 

The completed count gives Netanyahu’s Likud 27 seats, with approximately 20.5% of valid votes, ahead of former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar, which won 21 seats and 16.1%. The Arab-led Joint List secured 11 seats with 8.8%, while another Arab party, Ra’am, took eight with 5.9%, according to the published...

Finnish smartphone manufacturer HMD, the company behind Nokia-branded phones, has introduced an updated version of its Pulse Pro smartphone, offering a faster processor, smoother display and increased storage for approximately $150.

The device has appeared in a Thai retailer’s catalogue, with a listed price of 4,990 baht.

The biggest upgrade is the MediaTek Helio G99 processor, which replaces the Unisoc T606 used in the original model. The new chip is expected to deliver improved performance for everyday applications and mobile gaming.

HMD Pulse Pro (2nd Edition), spot in TH retailer – 120Hz display...

K-pop group Blackpink has become the first girl group to receive South Korea’s Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit, recognising its contribution to spreading Korean popular culture internationally.

The four-member group received the honour at the 17th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards, held at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul on October 29, according to YG Entertainment.

BLACKPINK makes HERSTORY today as the FIRST K-POP GROUP to receive the Okgwan (Jade Crown) Order of Cultural Merit, with all four members being honored at the 2026 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards...

British actor Patrick Stewart, who brought Captain Jean-Luc Picard to life in Star Trek: The Next Generation and portrayed Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, has died at the age of 86, ending a career that spanned more than six decades across theatre, film and television.

Stewart became one of the most recognisable British actors in Hollywood, combining his Shakespearean training with leading roles in two of science fiction’s biggest franchises. His portrayal of Picard helped define modern Star Trek, while his performance as Professor X introduced him to another generation of viewers.

The actor...

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has reported a major security breach affecting approximately $6.3bn in digital assets, prompting the company to suspend deposits and withdrawals while investigators trace unauthorised transactions.

According to Binance’s official statement, the attacker used the compromised device to access an internal service and submit unauthorised withdrawal transactions. The company said it had found no evidence that attackers had leaked the private keys used to access cryptocurrency wallets.

The exchange estimates the incident’s total impact at $6.3bn, although the final amount stolen has not been confirmed.

Read more: AI-discovered software...

Sacha Baron Cohen has expressed regret to the Kazakh people for the infamous Borat, admitting that the character he created — a fictional journalist — does not reflect the essence of Kazakhstan or its people. The character’s nationality would shift depending on the sponsoring broadcaster, he added.

«I want to apologise to the people of Kazakhstan,» Cohen said during his Happy Sad Confused interview with American entertainment journalist and podcaster Josh Horowitz, describing it as his first apology. The episode was released on 26 October.

Cohen mixed the apology with a joke...

JYP Entertainment, the South Korean agency behind K-pop group Stray Kids and TWICE, has denied receiving a valid takeover proposal from Japanese investment group Nexroc, which announced plans to acquire up to 50% of the company.

The dispute escalated on October 29 after Nexroc claimed it had notified JYP about its acquisition plans before making them public. However, the agency said it automatically blocked the email as spam and that it had never formally reviewed a proposal.

Read more: TWICE’s Jihyo leaves JYP after 21 years, launches own agency

South...

American actress Barbara Barrie built a six-decade career across Hollywood, Broadway and television, earning an Oscar nomination for Breaking Away, a Tony nomination for Stephen Sondheim’s Company and recognition for her role in the sitcom Barney Miller.

Born in Chicago in 1931, Barrie became known for portraying complex, often unconventional women. Her work ranged from the 1964 interracial marriage drama One Potato, Two Potato, which won her the Best Actress award at Cannes, to popular television comedies and Broadway productions.

Barrie died on October 28 at the age of 95 at her Manhattan home. Her daughter...

Apple could capture nearly 30% of the global foldable smartphone market in 2027, putting its first foldable iPhone within reach of market leader Samsung, according to a new forecast by research firm TrendForce.

The company’s iPhone Duo, which went on sale on 23 October, has attracted strong initial demand, with delivery estimates for some orders extending into January 2027.

In its 28 October report, TrendForce projected that Apple would account for 29.8% of global foldable smartphone shipments next year, compared with Samsung’s expected 31.9% share. Huawei is forecast to rank third with 21.3%.

Apple is also...

The 19-year-old Tajik racer has become the first driver from Central Asia to test a Formula 3.5 car, according to his account, setting multiple records during his debut in China. Kursiv Uzbekistan tells what it’s like to get behind the wheel of a racing car no one in the region has driven before.

Bezhan Abdulloev made his Formula 3.5 testing debut on 24 October at Zhuhai International Circuit in China. Driving a former Red Bull Racing car operated by Champ Motorsport, he recorded a fastest lap of 1:29.947 and finished the day more than 6.5 seconds ahead of the...

Ali G has grown older without growing wiser. In Ali G: Who Iz I?, Sacha Baron Cohen plays a tracksuit-clad wannabe rapper who heads to America to revive his career while his pregnant girlfriend prepares for their baby. His recent return on Prime Video revives a disturbing question: who are the viewers laughing at? 

Ali G’s original gag was to get important people to answer stupid questions. The fictional Staines-based interviewer first showed up on British television in 1998, accosting politicians and experts who had no idea they were being pranked. 

Much of the comedy came...

Global coffee prices are expected to decline through 2028 as production reaches record levels, according to the World Bank‘s October 2026 Commodity Markets Outlook.

The bank forecasts Arabica prices will fall by 13% in 2026, followed by declines of 2% in 2027 and 3% in 2028. Robusta prices are expected to decline by 21% this year before stabilising over the next two years.

Global coffee production is projected to reach a record 190 million 60-kilogram bags in the 2026–2027 growing season, up 6% from the previous season.

Read more: USDA: Uzbekistan...

Players will be able to explore much of the GTA 6 open world relatively early in the game, without having to complete lengthy story missions to unlock new areas, Rockstar Games has confirmed.

The upcoming title will allow players to travel freely across Leonida, the fictional US state inspired by Florida, with more buildings to enter and activities to discover than in previous instalments.

Rockstar says GTA 6’s map is so massive that players won’t fully experience it through the main story 🎮 “We don’t have time to take you everywhere" (via @gameinformer) https://t.co/Ksezm7kZ7F

— Culture Crave...