News

The Smarter Web Company, the UK’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder, is considering acquiring struggling competitors to expand its digital asset reserves, CEO Andrew Webley said.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Webley confirmed he would «certainly consider» buying rivals’ Bitcoin holdings at a discount. The company, which holds 2,470 BTC worth nearly $275 mln, ranks as the world’s 25th-largest Bitcoin treasury, according to BitcoinTreasuries.NET.

Despite a 22% drop in its share price on Friday, falling from $2.01 to $1.85, Webley said Smarter Web still aspires to join the FTSE 100 index. He also suggested a company rebrand was «inevitable.»

Analysts...

The man accused of fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, told his family he attacked her because he believed she was reading his mind, according to his sister.

Tracey Brown, who herself was assaulted by her brother in 2022, described Decarlos Brown Jr as a paranoid schizophrenic who often claimed the government had implanted a chip in him. She said his mental health had deteriorated since leaving prison in 2022, when he struggled to hold conversations, became aggressive and failed to maintain steady work.

Disturbing Jailhouse Claims

In a phone...

Italy has urged Israel to respect the rights of its citizens aboard a pro-Palestinian flotilla after one of the vessels was reportedly struck by incendiary devices in Tunisian waters.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told parliament on Thursday that Rome is closely monitoring the convoy and providing diplomatic assistance to the 58 Italian nationals involved, including several lawmakers.

«Our embassy in Tel Aviv, under my instruction, talked to the Israeli authorities about the respect of the rights for all the fellow citizens who are part of the flotilla,» Tajani said, adding that he also raised the issue directly with Israeli Foreign...

Chinese investors are preparing to establish industrial parks worth $2.1 bn in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent region, according to figures presented to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at a meeting on the region’s development.

Under a presidential decree, more than 40 trln soums ($3.2 bn) will be directed to the area over the next two years. Officials expect this to help bring unemployment down to 4.5% by the end of the year. Over the past eight years, the region has attracted $18 bn in investment, including $8 bn channelled into industrial projects. A further $2.5 bn worth of investment schemes have also...

UEFA has announced a late amendment to its competition regulations less than a week before the Champions League kicks off. Clubs will now be permitted to temporarily replace one outfield player who suffers a long-term injury or illness during the group stage.

The governing body said the change was introduced to ensure «squad lists are not unfairly reduced» and to protect players from additional workload.

English Clubs Among Those to Benefit

A record six Premier League sides are taking part in this season’s Champions League. Chelsea could now replace Liam Delap, sidelined with a hamstring injury, with Facundo Buononotte...

Football analysts at Goal.com have assessed the prospects of all teams heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Uzbekistan making the list as they prepare for their first-ever finals.

Placed 25th out of 27, Uzbekistan enter the tournament as outsiders, but their qualification journey and recent form have inspired confidence among players and fans alike.

A Historic First Qualification

Uzbekistan secured their place after years of near-misses and disappointments. Qualification was anything but smooth: coach Srecko Katanec stepped down in January due to illness, leaving former national midfielder Timur Kapadze to complete the campaign. He did so...

Uzbekistan’s business climate is showing steady improvement, supported by stronger domestic demand and rising employment expectations, according to the latest survey by the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR).

The August business climate index stood at 55 points, up two from the previous year. Current activity was the main driver of growth, with the current business climate index climbing to 49 points, ten higher than a year earlier. While expectations dipped slightly from 67 to 62 points, they remain at a high level, reflecting business confidence in the months ahead.

Entrepreneurs Report Stronger Demand

Survey results highlight optimism...

A trade house dedicated to textiles from Uzbekistan’s Andijan region has officially opened in the American city of St Louis, Missouri.

The centre will specialise in the sale and display of garments produced in Andijan, serving both as a showroom for ready-to-wear fashion and as a permanent venue for meetings with local and international partners.

The opening ceremony was attended by Shukhratbek Abdurakhmonov, Mayor of Andijan region, along with Saidakzim Burkhankhojaev, Executive Director of ITF Group LLC, as well as Uzbek entrepreneurs and business representatives.

St Louis, known as one of the largest logistics hubs in the United States, offers...

Uzbekistan is increasingly setting the pace for economic growth and integration in Central Asia, with fresh data showing it outstripping its neighbours in trade expansion and structural reform, even as Kazakhstan retains its status as the region’s largest economy. The findings come from a recent report by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) on India and Central Asia’s economic ties.

Strong Growth and Rising Trade

In 2023 Uzbekistan recorded GDP growth of 5.5%, one of the highest in the region, second only to Tajikistan’s 8.3%. By contrast, Kazakhstan, which accounts for 60% of Central Asia’s total GDP, posted growth...

The market enthusiasm for Mini-Labubu, the new toy line from Chinese company Pop Mart, has cooled, raising questions among collectors about its long-term value, Bloomberg reports.

Figures from resale platforms show that prices for the latest Mini-Labubu toys dropped by 24% in just two weeks. This stands in sharp contrast to their near-instant sell-out when sales opened at the end of August. Data from one Chinese online marketplace revealed that half of users now expect Mini-Labubu prices to fall further, compared with 38% who hold the same view about the original Labubu toys.

Pop Mart Remains Optimistic

Pop...

US authorities have released photos and footage of a man wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, along with details of the weapon believed to have been used.

Kirk, a 31-year-old author, broadcaster and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot dead on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, around 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. The attack, which Trump called a «heinous assassination», occurred in front of 3,000 people during Kirk’s campus debate series titled Prove Me Wrong.

Suspect Captured on CCTV

Officials said the...

Albania has appointed the world’s first artificial intelligence–powered minister, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Thursday.

The virtual minister, called Diella, meaning «sunshine» in Albanian, will oversee all public procurement. Rama said the move aims to make tenders «100 percent incorruptible» and ensure transparency in the use of public funds.

Unveiled at the Socialist Party assembly in Tirana, Diella is not a human official but an AI system with a digital avatar dressed in traditional Albanian clothing. She already powers the country’s e-Albania platform, which citizens use to access government services online.

Rama added that Diella would evaluate tenders...

The only son of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong will begin his mandatory military service next week as a naval officer candidate, the company said Wednesday.

Lee Jee-ho, born in the United States in 2000, has given up his U.S. citizenship to serve in South Korea. His service will last 39 months, starting Monday.

Samsung said he is expected to be commissioned as a Navy ensign on Dec. 1.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to complete at least 18 months of military service.

Lee Jae-yong, often called the «crown prince of Samsung,» officially became chairman of the...

Peter Mandelson has been dismissed as Britain’s ambassador to the United States after newly leaked emails revealed the depth of his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Foreign minister Stephen Doughty told MPs the correspondence showed Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was «materially different from that known at the time of his appointment» last year. The emails also suggested Mandelson believed Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged.

The revelations prompted swift backlash in Westminster. Conservative shadow minister Neil O’Brien called it «an extraordinary error of judgement by this prime minister,» while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir...

Unfinished films, musicals and handwritten notes are among the treasures revealed in David Bowie’s archive, which opens to the public this week at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

The collection of more than 90,000 items, acquired from Bowie’s estate, includes plans for an unmade film titled Young Americans, in which his fictional astronaut Major Tom is sent to «a disgruntled America.» Curator Madeleine Haddon described it as «reflective on what it’s like to be a Brit in the U.S., and thinking about international politics and their place in the world.»

Another abandoned project, The Spectator, was a stage musical about...

Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry has denied reports that it intends to hand over 57 helicopters to Afghanistan’s current authorities. The clarification followed claims published by Kabul Times, which cited Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid saying the aircraft would soon be delivered to Kabul.

«This is fake,» ministry spokesman Akhror Burkhanov told Kursiv Uzbekistan.

The reports came against the backdrop of a long-standing dispute over Afghan aircraft that were flown to Uzbekistan by military pilots during the fall of the previous government three years ago. At that time, 46 units of aviation equipment, including transport helicopters and...

Uzbekistan is preparing to hand over 57 military helicopters to Afghanistan that were flown into its territory by pilots of the former government after the Taliban seized power, according to Kabul Times.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the aircraft would be transferred to Kabul in the near future. Kursiv Uzbekistan has requested clarification from the Uzbek Ministry of Defence.

The news comes despite earlier remarks in July from Afghanistan’s Chief of General Staff, Fasihuddin Fitrat, who claimed negotiations on the return of military equipment had failed, without naming the countries involved.

By 2022, Uzbekistan held 46 Afghan aircraft...

Dozens of Klarna employees have become millionaires overnight after the Swedish «buy now, pay later» firm was valued at $17bn (£15bn) in its Wall Street debut.

Shares were priced at $40 ahead of Wednesday’s listing but jumped as much as 30% to $52 before closing at $45.82. More than 40 current and former staff now hold stakes worth over $1m, though most are locked in for 180 days.

Co-founder Victor Jacobsson, who left Klarna in 2012, is cashing in 3.5% of his $1.6bn holding. Chief product officer David Fock will sell $12m of stock, while operations chief Camilla Giesecke

Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have stepped forward following the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, whose death shocked the nation.

Eoghan McCabe, chief executive and founder of Intercom, pledged $500,000 in $10,000 grants to fund murals of Zarutska’s face in major American cities.

«I am offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations,» McCabe wrote.

Those wishing to contribute or take part were urged to contact his chief of staff, Katie Brenske Tolstedt.

His announcement drew the attention of billionaire Elon Musk, who...

Uzbekistan is preparing to pilot the use of stablecoins for payments, according to Vyacheslav Pak, first deputy director of the National Agency of Perspective Projects, who spoke to Uzbekistan 24 television.

The plans also include testing the tokenisation of assets on the stock market. Pak noted that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev had given instructions for the initiative, which will involve the Central Bank.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies whose value is pegged to money, commodities or digital assets. Unlike traditional crypto assets, which are highly volatile, stablecoins can be used for everyday transactions.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump

The refreshed Zeekr 7X will feature extended driving ranges of 600 km, 620 km, 715 km, 770 km and 802 km, according to a recent filing with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. This upgrade comes with stronger electric motors and bigger battery packs, although the exterior styling remains almost unchanged from the current model, CNC reports.

The present Zeekr 7X is available in three trims priced between 229,900 and 269,900 yuan (about $32,300 to $37,900), offered in both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. New version retains the same dimensions at 4,825 mm long, 1,930 mm wide and...

Uzbekistan is stepping up efforts to position itself as a regional leader in financial technology. At a meeting on financial sector development chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, officials discussed the creation of a fintech office at the Central Bank and a dedicated hub to support startups.

The government expects these initiatives to transform the republic into a regional fintech hub. Singaporean experts are contributing to the national financial sector strategy. As of September this year, Uzbekistan is home to 103 fintech companies, a sharp increase from just 24 in 2018.

It was highlighted during the meeting that adopting...

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz are set to appear together once again, this time at a high-profile exhibition event in the United States.

The two tennis stars, who teamed up for the US Open mixed doubles in New York last month, quickly became the sport’s favourite partnership despite falling to Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula in their opening match. Both champions later posted cheerful photos on Instagram of themselves smiling and enjoying their time on court.

Oracle’s shares rocketed by over 40% to a record high on September 10, fuelled by news of landmark AI-related contracts that put the tech giant within striking distance of the $1 trln valuation mark. The surge also sent co-founder Larry Ellison’s wealth soaring, narrowing the gap with Tesla’s Elon Musk in the contest for the world’s richest individual.

The company announced four multi-billion-dollar cloud agreements, with the largest reported to be a $300bn deal to provide computing power to OpenAI over the next five years. Wall Street Journal described it as one of the biggest cloud contracts in history. Oracle...