News

The United States has imposed sanctions on Uzbek citizen Azizjon Mamashoev, accusing him of acquiring and distributing cyber tools that posed a threat to U.S. national security.

The U.S. Treasury Department also added Mamashoev’s company, Advance Security Solutions, based in the United Arab Emirates, to its sanctions list. According to the department, the firm paid for exploits, or software vulnerabilities, in American programmes.

Washington alleges that Mamashoev worked alongside Russian national Oleg Kucherov in cooperation with the Russia-based company Operation Zero, which specialises in purchasing vulnerabilities in various software systems.

U.S. authorities claim Kucherov is linked to the hacking...

Ed Skrein joined the cast of Amazon Prime Video’s live-action adaptation of God of War, taking on the role of Baldur. The series is in pre-production in Vancouver and has already been commissioned for two seasons.

Skrein will appear alongside Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus. Other cast members include Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Danny Woodburn as Brok, Jeff Gulka as Sindri and Teresa Palmer as Sif.

The drama will follow the storyline of the two most recent God of War...

Authorities in Fergana have opened a criminal investigation after children at three state kindergartens were hospitalised with suspected food poisoning, the city police department said.

On February 21, officials received reports that pupils at state preschool institutions No. 58, 2 and 61 had fallen ill. The children showed symptoms including fever, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. All were taken to the Fergana Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital, where they are receiving treatment. Doctors said their condition is under control.

The Fergana regional prosecutor’s office, regional police and other relevant agencies are investigating the incident. A criminal case has been launched under...

Uzbekistan has taken a step toward bringing flying cars to Central Asia after AIR Tashkent signed a memorandum of understanding with US aviation firm Samson Sky to introduce the Switchblade flying car to the country.

The agreement was announced during the opening of AIR Tashkent’s Easy to Fly Academy, a new training centre aimed at developing aviation professionals. Under the deal, the parties will explore the sale of at least 300 Switchblade vehicles in Uzbekistan, with a potential value exceeding $60 mln.

AIR Tashkent plans to make a bulk purchase of the hybrid road-air vehicles for pilot training and potential...

Fresh scrutiny of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has intensified after a royal biographer claimed the disgraced royal’s downfall was the culmination of years of overlooked concerns about his conduct and lifestyle.

Author Andrew Lownie, whose recent biography examines the Duke of York’s rise and fall, argues that the controversies now engulfing Andrew were long foreshadowed by warnings from officials, diplomats and insiders. According to Lownie, concerns about behaviour, finances and associations were repeatedly raised but failed to trigger meaningful accountability.

“We’ve been paying for happy endings for Andrew for years,” – said biographer.

The biographer portrays Andrew as having led...

Global markets are bracing for renewed volatility as U.S. President Donald Trump steps up rhetoric on trade after the Supreme Court struck down his emergency tariff powers, raising uncertainty over existing agreements with key partners.

The ruling dealt a significant blow to Trump’s trade agenda, prompting warnings from the president that foreign governments should not «play games» by revisiting deals negotiated under the now-invalid tariffs. The issue is expected to dominate his upcoming State of the Union address, where he may also criticise the court’s decision.

The legal setback has left U.S. allies seeking clarity. Japan is reportedly...

Fresh scrutiny over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s position in the royal family has reignited debate about the future roles of his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, as pressure mounts over whether he could be removed from the line of succession.

Andrew, who stepped back from royal duties following longstanding controversies, is reportedly facing renewed calls to be formally excluded from the order of succession. While any such move would be unprecedented in modern times, the discussion has intensified amid ongoing political and public scrutiny.

The Duke of York is currently eighth in line to the throne. Any change to...

Wellness author Deepak Chopra has denied any criminal wrongdoing after newly released U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein reignited scrutiny over past email exchanges attributed to the pair.

The DOJ said it published roughly 3.5 mln pages of material under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, describing the move as part of a broader transparency effort. The disclosure has triggered renewed reporting and online analysis, with public figures mentioned in the documents facing heightened attention.

Some of the most widely circulated material involves emails allegedly exchanged between Epstein and Chopra in 2016 and 2017. The...

Jeffrey Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, has claimed that a forthcoming report will argue the disgraced financier was murdered, contradicting the official ruling that his death was a suicide.

Speaking on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored, Mark Epstein said he now believes «even more so» that his brother did not take his own life. He said a group of pathologists are reviewing the autopsy findings and preparing a peer-reviewed report that will be released soon.

«They are concluding… it couldn’t have been a suicide as they had claimed,» he said, adding the findings would «conclusively show it...

TBC Bank Group has outlined ambitious expansion plans for its Uzbekistan business after hosting its first Strategy Day for investors in New York, highlighting the country’s growing appeal to global capital, said in the press realise.

The event marked the first time a financial ecosystem from Uzbekistan has held a strategy presentation in the U.S. financial hub, reflecting rising international interest in Central Asia’s largest economy. Senior officials from Uzbekistan’s government attended, alongside major global investors including BlackRock, Vanguard and Fidelity.

The group presented its medium-term strategy for TBC Uzbekistan, a digital banking ecosystem that has grown rapidly in recent...

Microsoft has announced the retirement of long-time gaming chief Phil Spencer, with Xbox president Sarah Bond also stepping down. Spencer will be replaced by Asha Sharma, an executive previously involved in the company’s artificial intelligence initiatives.

The leadership change follows a difficult year for Xbox marked by layoffs, weaker sales and rising development costs. Matt Booty has been promoted to chief content officer, with Microsoft stressing there are no wider organisational changes planned for its studios.

Sharma’s appointment has divided fans, with some questioning her lack of gaming background. Others suggest her experience in AI and technology could help...

Singapore-based Bitcoin miner Bitdeer sold all of its Bitcoin holdings, Yahoo Finance reports. The move comes as falling profitability pressures the company to restructure debt and accelerate its expansion into artificial intelligence.

On February 20, Bitdeer disclosed that it held no Bitcoin in its corporate treasury, excluding customer deposits. The company said it had sold its most recent production of 189.8 Bitcoin and recorded a net reduction of 943.1 Bitcoin, signalling a significant shift in strategy amid tightening margins.

Mining Profitability Under Pressure

After a brief respite earlier this year when winter storms in the United States disrupted...

Formula 1 fans are gearing up for the return of Netflix’s hit docuseries “Drive to Survive” after the sport’s official Instagram account revealed the episode titles for season eight.

The highly anticipated new season is set to launch globally on the streaming platform this Friday, February 27. The official post ends weeks of anticipation, and while the eight episode titles are now confirmed, speculation is already mounting over the exact events each instalment will cover.

Rookies and Red Bull drama

The series will kick off with an episode titled “New Kids on the Track.” Fans expect this opener...

Boxing icons Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have agreed to face each other again in a professional rematch scheduled for September 19, at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The bout will be broadcast live on Netflix.

Mayweather, 48, confirmed last week that he would return from retirement for a fourth time. It will mark his first professional contest since his 10th-round technical knockout victory over Conor McGregor in 2017. Since then he has taken part in several exhibition bouts.

Pacquiao, 47, stepped away from boxing in 2021 to pursue a political career but returned to the ring last July...

Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer Michele Reiner, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his parents at their West Los Angeles home.

During a brief hearing, Nick Reiner appeared alert but spoke minimally, only confirming he waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa McGonigle scheduled the preliminary hearing within 30 days of April 29 to allow prosecutors to present evidence supporting probable cause for trial. Reiner, who has struggled with substance abuse, remains in custody without...

Apple is preparing to host its “Special Experience” event on March 4, where the tech giant is widely expected to reveal the iPhone 17e. This device will serve as the first upgrade to the low-cost iPhone 16e that debuted in February 2025.

Design and display

The iPhone 17e is anticipated to retain much of its predecessor’s look. It will likely feature a 6.1-inch screen, a single-lens rear camera, as well as black and white colour choices. The display panel is expected to remain at a 60Hz refresh rate, meaning it will be the only new Apple smartphone without...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said Uzbekistan’s recognition as the fastest-growing country in the Global Youth Development Index is a source of national pride.

This year, Tashkent will host the headquarters for the World Youth Peace Movement, while Samarkand will hold the 12th Global Conference of Youth Parliament members. The country will also welcome the international «Take Off» startup summit and the 46th World Chess Olympiad.

«Introducing new methods and innovations will improve education quality and help young people master their chosen professions. It will also bring fresh energy and approaches to leadership,» the president said.

Authorities in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, are investigating the deaths of dozens of tigers at Tiger Kingdom, a popular tourist park where visitors can interact with the animals.

72 tigers died in less than two weeks across two facilities at the park. The provincial livestock office confirmed that samples from the animals tested positive for canine distemper virus, a highly contagious disease affecting the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Officials have not determined how the outbreak started.

«By the time we realised they were sick, it was already too late,» said Somchuan Ratanamungklanon, director of...

A senior U.S. official revealed to Reuters Chinese artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek trained its upcoming AI model using Nvidia’s most advanced Blackwell chips, a move that could breach U.S. export restrictions.

The official said Washington believes the chips are installed at DeepSeek’s data centre in Inner Mongolia and that the company may attempt to remove technical markers revealing the use of American hardware. The source did not disclose how the information was obtained or how DeepSeek acquired the chips, but stressed that U.S. policy prohibits shipping Blackwell processors to China.

China’s embassy in Washington criticised what it described as...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree awarding Khayrullo Ibadullaev the Jasorat medal for rescuing a child who fell from a high-rise building in St Petersburg.

According to the decree, Ibadullaev was honoured for providing practical assistance and saving the life of a child who fell from a high floor, demonstrating courage, heroism and selflessness.

The Jasorat medal is presented for acts of bravery, dedication and outstanding human qualities.

Ibadullaev, a street cleaner from Uzbekistan working in St Petersburg, saved a six-year-old boy who fell from a seventh-floor window. After hearing a neighbour’s cries for help, he...

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde earns about €140,000 annually as a board member of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), despite ECB rules barring staff from accepting third-party payments, the Financial Times reports.

The report said Lagarde disclosed the income, around 130,457 Swiss francs in 2025, in a written statement to members of the European Parliament. BIS board payments are not typically disclosed individually.

According to the FT, some ECB staff have raised concerns internally about a perceived double standard, as employees are barred from receiving external remuneration for duties linked to their ECB roles.

The ECB...

Criminal investigators are increasingly asking Google to identify users who searched for specific terms, using so-called «reverse keyword warrants» that privacy advocates warn could expose innocent people.

Unlike traditional warrants targeting known suspects, keyword warrants work backward, requiring Google to provide data on accounts that searched certain phrases, such as an address or terms like «pipe bomb,» within a set time frame. Authorities have used the tactic in cases ranging from U.S. bombings to international political assassinations.

Supporters argue the method can generate leads in complex investigations. In one Pennsylvania rape case, a keyword warrant helped identify a...

With the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 concluding after two weeks of competition, global attention is already turning to the next chapter: the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.

The Olympic flame will now head to California, where Los Angeles is set to make history by becoming only the third city to host the Games three times, following previous editions in 1932 and 1984.

Organisers say LA28 will blend Olympic tradition with a modern approach, building on its historic legacy while aiming to deliver a Games tailored to a new generation of athletes and fans.

More sport news...

Lindsey Vonn has revealed she nearly lost her leg following a devastating crash during the downhill event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

The 41-year-old Alpine skiing legend said she suffered multiple fractures and compartment syndrome, a condition that can cause severe tissue damage.

«Everything was in pieces,» Vonn wrote, adding that «Dr Tom Hackett saved my leg from being amputated» after emergency surgery.

After two weeks in hospital, Vonn confirmed she has returned home but faces a long recovery. Calling it «the most extreme and painful and challenging injury I’ve...