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Uzbekistan Airways has reached an agreement with Chinese leasing company CALC to acquire four new Airbus A321neo aircraft. Letters of intent have been signed, with deliveries expected between 2027 and 2028.

The aircraft will feature a two-class layout and the next-generation Airspace Premium cabin, equipped with a modern entertainment system and high-speed Wi-Fi. Uzbekistan Airways has been working with CALC for several years, and this deal forms part of its long-term fleet renewal programme for 2026–2028.

Under the plan, the airline will receive a total of six A321neo jets from CALC, bringing the total number of this model in the...

American rapper Nicki Minaj has publicly thanked the US President for drawing attention to the worsening security situation facing Christian communities in Nigeria. Her remarks were shared in a statement released by the White House.

«I would like to thank @POTUS for prioritising this issue and for his leadership on the global stage in calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria,» the post caption said.

Minaj, whose full name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter of Trinidadian origin. She became globally known in the early 2010s thanks...

Cambridge Dictionary has selected «parasocial» as its word of the year for 2025, reflecting how one-sided emotional ties with celebrities and online personalities have entered mainstream culture. The term refers to a sense of connection a person feels towards a well-known figure they have never met.

Psychologists say these imagined relationships have reshaped ideas of fame and fandom. When Taylor Swift and American footballer Travis Kelce announced their engagement, many fans felt personally involved despite never meeting either of them. The same pattern now appears with influencers and AI chatbots, with some people ranking these imagined bonds above...

The Third Roundtable on Public-Private Partnerships, held at the Hyatt Regency in Tashkent, focused on attracting private capital through PPPs and discussed achievements and challenges in implementing projects in Uzbekistan.

Speaking on the first panel, Tatiana Proskuryakova, Senior Adviser at the World Bank Group, emphasised that the government of Uzbekistan is firmly in the driving seat of the PPP agenda. She highlighted that development partners, including the World Bank, provide support across all stages of the PPP lifecycle from analytic work and policy reform to technical assistance, capacity building and transaction structuring.

«PPPs are a tool...

US oil company Chevron is exploring options to acquire overseas assets of sanctioned Russian oil firm Lukoil, according to sources familiar with the matter. Last week the US Treasury cleared potential buyers to discuss Lukoil’s international holdings.

Chevron would join private equity firm Carlyle and other companies in the competition for the Russian company’s portfolio, which is valued at roughly $20 bn. Sources said Chevron is focusing on areas where it overlaps with Lukoil rather than attempting to buy the entire international portfolio. Chevron has not publicly commented on the reports.

Lukoil produces about 2% of the world’s oil...

Every business would feel the impact if an artificial intelligence bubble were to burst, Alphabet chief Sundar Pichai has told the BBC.

He called the current surge in AI investment an «extraordinary moment» but warned of growing «irrationality» as valuations climb and spending accelerates. Asked whether Google would withstand a collapse, he said the company could manage volatility yet «no firm is immune, including us».

Alphabet’s value has doubled in seven months to $3.5 trln as it races against OpenAI and develops advanced AI chips to challenge Nvidia, now worth $5 trln. Analysts have questioned whether the $1.4 trln...

The UN Security Council on November 17 adopted a US-drafted resolution supporting President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the conflict in Gaza and permitting the creation of an international stabilisation force for the territory.

Israel and Hamas agreed last month to the first stage of Trump’s 20-point plan, which includes a ceasefire and a hostage-release arrangement. The UN resolution is viewed as a key step in giving legitimacy to a transitional governance body and assuring countries that may contribute troops. According to the text, member states may take part in the proposed Board of Peace, chaired by Trump, which...

Bitcoin fell under $90,000 on Tuesday for the first time in seven months, signalling a sharp drop in risk appetite across global markets. The cryptocurrency has wiped out its 2025 gains and now sits almost 30% below its October peak of more than $126,000. It was down 2% in the Asia afternoon at $89,953 after breaking through key support around $98,000 last week.

Analysts said uncertainty around future US interest rate cuts and growing nervousness in broader markets, which have stumbled after a lengthy rally, are weighing heavily on crypto.

Joshua Chu, co-chair of the Hong Kong Web3 Association, said...

Dillon Danis has been permanently banned from attending UFC events following a violent altercation at UFC 322 in Madison Square Garden, The Sun reports.

The 32-year-old MMA fighter was involved in a tense confrontation with Islam Makhachev’s team cageside, which escalated into a mass brawl lasting nearly five minutes. Clips shared online showed Danis exchanging blows with several members of Makhachev’s camp, including UFC fighter Magomed Zaynukov.

Others caught in the melee included Jack Della Maddalena’s wife, Michelle, and his mother, Sonya. Police and security intervened to separate the parties and escorted Danis and members of Makhachev’s team backstage.

Manchester United reportedly opted not to sign Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia during the summer transfer window.

Chelsea had offered the 21-year-old Belgian as part of the deal that saw Alejandro Garnacho move to Stamford Bridge. United, whose midfield has long been considered in need of reinforcements, assessed Lavia but ultimately passed on the move.

According to reports, concerns over Lavia’s history of injuries were a major factor in United’s decision. Since joining Chelsea from Southampton for £58 mln in 2023, Lavia has made only 29 appearances, missing 88 games and rarely completing a full 90 minutes.

Chelsea were reportedly...

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 31-year-old Akhror Bozorov, an Uzbek national wanted in Uzbekistan on terrorism-related charges.

Authorities in Uzbekistan issued an arrest warrant for Bozorov in 2022, alleging he was involved with a terrorist organisation, distributing propaganda online, and recruiting others to join extremist activities.

ICE took Bozorov into custody in Kansas on November 9, where he had been working as a commercial truck driver. He had received a commercial driver’s licence in Pennsylvania and was granted work authorisation in the United States in January 2024.

Bozorov...

Oscar-winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley will host and narrate a series of ten short documentaries for the Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Established by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the centre is one of the region’s largest cultural and educational initiatives.

In the ‘Whisper of Wisdom’ series, Kingsley highlights Uzbekistan as the homeland of great minds such as Mirzo Ulugbek, Al-Khwarizmi, Amir Timur, Avicenna and Alisher Navoi, showcasing their contributions to science, mathematics, literature and philosophy.

«We reveal the history of those who shaped Islamic civilisation,» Kingsley says. «Uzbekistan preserves the legacy of great scientists...

President Donald Trump has announced that US embassies will prioritise visa appointments for travellers holding tickets to the 2026 World Cup.

Under the FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (PASS), ticket-holders experiencing long wait times can request a prioritised interview through FIFA, Trump said at the White House on Monday.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasised that holding a World Cup ticket does not automatically grant a tourist visa. However, foreign nationals with tickets may be able to secure an embassy or consulate interview within six to eight weeks of applying.

«Your ticket is not a...

Pakistan’s state-owned National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) will launch a branch in Uzbekistan as part of a wider effort to strengthen economic cooperation between the two nations. The decision was announced during a meeting between Haroon Akhtar Khan, the special assistant to the prime minister on industries and production, and Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Pakistan, Alisher Takhtaev.

During the talks, the State Bank of Pakistan confirmed that banking and financial integration issues would be addressed swiftly. Both sides agreed to aim for bilateral trade of $2 bn, giving particular attention to textiles, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, mining, and information technology. The...

Allied Biofuels FE LLC and India’s Praj Industries Ltd have signed an MoU to establish Central Asia’s biggest ethanol production complex in Uzbekistan’s Khorezm region. The plant, built on Praj’s technology platform, will produce 890 tonnes of 95% ethanol per day, equal to 293,700 tonnes a year, and will capture biogenic CO₂ generated through the first-generation process.

Ethanol from this 1G stage will supply Allied Biofuels’ output of 160,400 tonnes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) a year along with 5,040 tonnes of Green Diesel. The refinery will also blend biogenic CO₂ with syngas from gasification and green hydrogen...

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have agreed to raise their bilateral trade turnover to $2 bn by expanding the range of goods on offer and making fuller use of free trade arrangements. The agreement was reached during talks between Uzbekistan’s president Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkmenistan’s president Serdar Berdymukhamedov.

The two leaders also discussed the launch of the Shavat–Dashoguz cross-border trade zone and agreed to extend this model to other areas, including the Alat–Farab corridor. Both presidents welcomed strong progress in the energy sector and said cooperation would now move towards larger joint ventures, including shared development of natural resources.

They also...

An Uzbek citizen who filed a discrimination complaint against Wizz Air at the European Court of Human Rights has refused a €120,000 compensation offer from the airline.

Sukhrob Ubaydullaev told Kun.uz that Wizz Air contacted him after British lawyers initiated formal correspondence with the company. The airline proposed a large payout on the condition that he withdraw his complaint and stop speaking publicly about the incident.

«They called me while I was in London and offered €120,000 without any apology, asking me not to raise the issue again,» Ubaydullaev said. «I consulted with my...

Luke Littler has officially claimed the world No.1 ranking in darts, completing one of the sport’s most extraordinary rises just 22 months after turning professional.

The 18-year-old, who shocked the darts world as a teenage newcomer in late 2023, will top the PDC standings on Monday after securing a place in the Grand Slam of Darts final. His decisive 16–9 semi-final win over Dutch contender Danny Noppert, featuring a 102.62 average, sealed his leap to the top.

Littler’s ascent has been meteoric. He arrived at the 2023 World Championship as an unknown 16-year-old and now holds both the world...

Robbie Williams says he believes the weight-loss injections he has used for several years may be affecting his eyesight.

The singer told The Sun that he has experienced increasing blurriness, a side effect he suspects may be linked to the jabs. «I want to warn people… make sure they do their research,» he said, noting that he can no longer clearly see individual fans at concerts and recently struggled to distinguish football players on the pitch. He has since had to update his glasses prescription.

Williams said others using similar injections have reported the same...

Tashkent’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Monday as a temperature inversion trapped pollutants over the city, pushing harmful particulate levels far above national safety limits, the Uzbekistan Hydrometeorological Service (Uzhydromet) reported.

Average PM2.5 concentrations soared to 202 µg/m³, more than triple the allowed 60 µg/m³, while PM10 levels climbed to 373 µg/m³, exceeding the threshold by about 20%. Residents across the capital reported a strong burning smell and reduced visibility.

Authorities urged people to limit outdoor activity and warned that poor air quality may persist for several days as adverse weather conditions continue. Similar pollution spikes are expected in...

Islamic State (IS) has begun using artificial intelligence to recruit British jihadists, prompting fresh concern within UK intelligence agencies about a possible resurgence of the group.

MI5 and MI6 are monitoring how IS is deploying AI as a propaganda tool, including the automated translation and rapid dissemination of extremist material across social media. Officials fear the technology could help the group reach and radicalise a new generation of young Britons, echoing the wave of foreign fighters who travelled to Syria and Iraq at the group’s height in 2014–2015.

Recent months have seen a rise in IS activity in Syria...

Uzbekistan’s special economic zones (SEZs) produced industrial goods worth approximately $3.75 bn in the first nine months of 2025, according to the National Statistics Committee. In the same period in 2024, production totalled around $2.63 bn.

By early October this year, enterprises within the SEZs had exported goods valued at $449,000, while imports reached $1.19 mln. The clusters now include more than 1,000 participating companies.

Total pre-tax profits for SEZ participants from January to September exceeded $242 mln.

Smaller industrial zones also recorded growth, with production reaching about $1.11 bn, compared with $889 mln in the previous year. These smaller...

Lionsgate’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t has taken the top spot at the global box office, earning $75.5 mln. The film also led the domestic market, with $54.2 mln coming from 64 international territories.

Released almost a decade after the previous instalment, the third entry in the Now You See Me series performed particularly well with overseas audiences. Among the highest-grossing territories were China ($19.2 mln), South Korea ($3.9 mln), France ($3.5 mln) and the UK ($3.2 mln).

Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film reunites franchise favourites Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco as...

Bangladesh’s war crimes court on Monday sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death after finding her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on student-led protests in 2024 — a ruling that could inflame political tensions ahead of elections expected early next year.

The International Crimes Tribunal delivered the verdict in Hasina’s absence, as the 78-year-old former leader has lived in India since being overthrown in August 2024. Prosecutors said she directly authorised the use of lethal force during the unrest, which a UN report estimates left up to 1,400 people dead and thousands injured between July 15 and...