News

BTS leader RM is currently embroiled in controversy following allegations that he repeatedly violated local smoking regulations during a recent night out in Tokyo. The claims surfaced shortly after the South Korean megastars concluded their two-night stint at the Tokyo Dome.

According to a detailed report published by the Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun, the 32-year-old rapper was spotted flouting strict public health rules in the bustling Shibuya district. The publication alleges that RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, spent several hours socialising and moving between various local bars and izakayas with acquaintances.

Ignored warnings and littering...

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul has issued a formal statement regarding the death of Uzbek national Nozima Kim in South Korea following significant uproar and speculation across social media platforms.

Diplomats confirmed that they have been working closely with South Korean law enforcement from the very first day to determine the exact circumstances and causes surrounding the woman’s passing.

Officials added that the deceased’s mother recently travelled to South Korea. Upon her arrival she held a meeting with her legal representative, embassy staff and the local police officers in Pyeongtaek who are currently spearheading the investigation.

Forensic...

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has officially opened correspondent accounts in both the national soum and foreign currencies for Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI). The national financial regulator announced the development via its official Telegram channel.

A spokesperson for the press service described the move as another vital stride in advancing Uzbekistan’s domestic financial market and successfully embedding it into the broader global financial architecture.

Providing account access to a prominent foreign lender is explicitly designed to accelerate investor engagement within the secondary market for government securities. Authorities expect that the resulting spike in trading volumes will be instrumental...

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Uzbekistan, has been appointed to lead the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) for the 2027–2029 term.

The decision was finalised during a summit of member states on April 22, chaired by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and attended by the leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

The high-level talks predominantly focused on the current state of the Aral Sea alongside broader regional challenges concerning water resources, environmental protection and sustainable development.

Addressing the summit, Mirziyoyev cautioned that the compounding effects of climate change and surging consumption are drastically complicating the region’s...

Darrell Sheets, a beloved original cast member of the hit reality television programme Storage Wars, has died at the age of 67, Variety reports. Police have stated the cause of death appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Officers from the Lake Havasu City Police Department were called to a residence on Chandler Drive in Arizona during the early hours of April 22, 2026 following reports of a deceased individual. Upon arrival they discovered Sheets with a fatal head injury.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and his body has since been transferred to the Mohave County Medical...

As part of its business trip, the insurance company «Uzbekinvest» held a series of negotiations with the heads of leading export credit agencies in Northern Europe — the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) in Copenhagen, Denmark; Exportkreditnämnden (EKN) in Stockholm, Sweden; and Finnvera in Helsinki, Finland.

As a result of these business meetings:

Following a series of scrapped performances across the UK, Switzerland, France and Poland, Kanye West’s attempt to bring his latest tour to Italy has ignited a fierce political firestorm, Variety reports.

The controversial American artist, now operating under the moniker Ye, is drawing heavy criticism over his scheduled headline slot due to his well-documented history of making antisemitic statements.

The gig is scheduled in for July 18 at the 103,000-capacity RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia, Northern Italy. According to promoters, this would mark one of the grandest standalone shows of the rapper’s entire career.

However, the choice of venue...

During the recent Regional Environmental Summit, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, made a call to establish a pioneering interstate consortium named “Clean Air of Central Asia”.

According to the president, this collaborative body would function as a joint operator for green finance. Its primary objective would be to fund the modernisation of industrial facilities and facilitate the rollout of advanced emission purification systems across the region.

Addressing the acute climate shifts impacting the local landscape, Mirziyoyev suggested upgrading Uzbekistan’s national centre for combating desertification and drought to a fully recognised regional institution.

This move is designed to...

Uzbekistan has announced the creation of a new tax-free crypto mining zone in Karakalpakstan, as part of a broader effort to attract foreign investment and expand the use of renewable energy.

Under a decree signed by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the «Besqala Mining Valley» will allow regulated cryptocurrency mining with income from operations exempt from taxes until 2035.

Incentives and regulations

The initiative is designed to encourage large-scale, legal mining operations powered primarily by solar energy. Only registered companies will be allowed to operate in the zone, and all activities will be subject to licensing and state oversight.

Operators...

Privatisation plans for Uzbekistan Airways are gaining momentum as the Uzbekistan National Investment Fund prepares for an initial public offering (IPO), which will include its 25% stake in the airline.

Uzbekistan Airways is the most valuable asset among the fund’s 13-company portfolio, with a net asset value estimated at $403 mln, according to asset manager Franklin Templeton.

IPO plans take shape

UzNIF, owned by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, confirmed plans to list shares on both the Tashkent and London stock exchanges. The offering will include two components: ordinary shares for domestic and select international investors...

Uzbekistan has made its debut at Milan Design Week 2026 with When Apricots Blossom, an immersive exhibition at Palazzo Citterio exploring the environmental crisis of the Aral Sea and the role of culture in addressing it.

Organised by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, the project places the spotlight on Karakalpakstan, a region deeply affected by the shrinking of the Aral Sea. Once one of the world’s largest inland bodies of water, the sea has largely disappeared, leaving behind desert landscapes and struggling communities.

Reframing the Aral crisis

The exhibition traces the transformation of the region...

Fact-checkers have dismissed a viral claim that Donald Trump attempted to launch a nuclear strike on Iran, calling the allegation unsubstantiated and unsupported by any credible evidence.

The rumour originated from a podcast appearance by retired CIA analyst Larry Johnson, who alleged that Trump was stopped by General Dan Caine. However, independent fact-checking organisations found no official records, media reports, or Pentagon briefings confirming such an incident.

No evidence to support claim

Investigations by fact-checkers concluded that the allegation relies entirely on a single, unnamed source and lacks documentary proof. Neither the White House, the Pentagon, nor...

Hungary’s incoming prime minister Peter Magyar has vowed to keep the country within the International Criminal Court and enforce its arrest warrants, warning that Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu would be detained if he entered Hungarian territory.

Magyar’s statement marks a sharp policy reversal from outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose government had initiated Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC and previously declined to act on the court’s warrant during Netanyahu’s 2025 visit.

Break from Orbán’s approach

Under Orban, Hungary moved to exit the ICC in protest against its actions targeting Israeli leadership. The withdrawal was expected to take...

Public opinion has always been uneven terrain, especially for women. In the court of celebrity culture, male stars with serious allegations often continue working with minimal long-term backlash, while women can find themselves relentlessly scrutinized over far less. This imbalance isn’t new, and it continues to shape how audiences respond to female public figures.

That context makes the case of Sydney Sweeney particularly complicated. Her rise seemed to follow a trajectory that resonated with a wide and diverse audience. She wasn’t born into industry privilege, built her career steadily, and earned recognition for her performances rather than connections...

The Plug and Play Uzbekistan Expo returns on May 6, 2026, at the Turkistan Concert Hall in Tashkent. Hosted by Plug and Play, one of the world’s leading VC firms and accelerators, in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Technologies and IT PARK Uzbekistan, this event showcases 30+ startups from Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, and beyond — all accelerated through the signature Plug and Play program. As a premier gathering for innovation, the Expo brings together government officials, corporate executives, startup founders, investors, and universities to explore the trends shaping Enterprise & AI, Fintech, Cybersecurity, Gaming, Creative Tech, and...

Israeli forces have gradually shifted a key ceasefire boundary in Gaza, known as the «yellow line», further west in the months since a U.S.-brokered truce, increasing the area under military control and heightening risks for civilians.

The line, established during a ceasefire agreement in October, was intended as a temporary demarcation pending further Israeli withdrawals. However, the truce has largely stalled after its initial phase, amid disagreements over the disarmament of Hamas and continued Israeli military operations.

Expanding control zone

According to analysts including Forensic Architecture, Israeli-controlled territory has expanded beyond initial expectations. By December, forces were...

Uzbekistan’s airports experienced a highly active start to 2026 by handling 30,800 flights between January and March.

According to the latest statistical release from Uzbekistan Airports, this marks a 10% increase compared to the exact same period last year.

The vast majority of this air traffic was driven by overseas connectivity. International routes accounted for more than 22,800 flights while domestic journeys within the republic made up the remaining 7,900 departures and arrivals.

By the beginning of April, the nation’s aviation hubs had processed an impressive 3.9 mln travellers. International flyers comprised 3.3 mln of this overall figure, with...

Uzbekistan has set its sights on welcoming approximately 12 mln foreign tourists by the close of 2026.

As part of this sweeping nationwide strategy, the government aims to direct up to 500,000 of these international visitors to the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan. The national Tourism Committee confirmed these ambitious targets in a recent statement provided to Kursiv Uzbekistan.

The country’s travel sector is already experiencing substantial early momentum. Between January and March of this year, Uzbekistan recorded 2.8 mln foreign tourist arrivals. This represents a robust surge of 770,000 individuals when compared to the same first-quarter period last year.

According...

Uzbekistan’s state-owned uranium producer Navoiyuran has started commercial production at its Qizilkok deposit in the Navoi region, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to expand uranium output.

The project, located about 600 km from Tashkent, contains an estimated 9,400 tonnes of uranium reserves and is expected to operate for 15 years. It is now the company’s third-largest producing site.

Boosting global position

The launch reinforces Navoiyuran’s standing as one of the world’s top uranium producers. The company reported output of around 7,000 tonnes in 2025, placing it sixth globally and reflecting a 35% increase year-on-year.

Uzbekistan has...

According to the latest March analysis from the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms, Uzbekistan’s passenger car sector is experiencing a period of significant acceleration. Total sales across both new and used vehicle markets surpassed 78,000 units for the month. This represents a 19% increase from February and a 20.6% jump when compared to the same period last year.

Regional performance

Market engagement rose across the vast majority of the nation. Only Jizzakh, Andijan and Samarkand reported a downturn in automotive trading.

The Surkhandarya region led the charge with a 51.4% boost in sales. The Tashkent region followed closely...

A court in El Salvador has formally opened a collective trial for 486 suspected gang members, The Guardian reports.

The judicial proceedings, which began on Tuesday, represent one of the largest mass prosecutions initiated under President Nayib Bukele’s aggressive and highly controversial crackdown on organised crime.

State prosecutors are levelling immense accusations against the alleged members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) syndicate. The charges encompass a staggering 47,000 criminal acts allegedly committed between 2012 and 2022.

This dark decade includes a notorious weekend that stands as the country’s most lethal period of violence since its civil war. The extensive...

Dave Mason, the highly influential British guitarist, vocalist and founding member of the psychedelic rock band Traffic, has passed away at the age of 79, Variety reports.

His publicist confirmed the news but did not disclose a specific cause of death. The celebrated musician had recently battled ill health which forced the cancellation of his tour last year.

A 2004 inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside his original Traffic bandmates, Mason leaves behind a staggering musical legacy. He penned some of the group’s most enduring tracks including “Hole in My Shoe” and the universally beloved...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held talks with World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on April 21. The high-level dialogue centred on the continued evolution of the domestic healthcare system and the enhancement of frontline medical services for the general population.

The meeting underscored a marked intensification of bilateral cooperation between Tashkent and the global health body in recent years. Backed by WHO expertise, Uzbekistan has been driving structural reforms designed to ensure medical care remains modern, high-quality and universally accessible.

Current joint initiatives are focused on upgrading the operational capacity of local polyclinics, elevating the standard of...

The music industry’s wait for Drake’s next major project has been quite literally a glacial ordeal. However, the suspense finally melted away on Tuesday when the Canadian superstar confirmed that his ninth studio album, Iceman, will officially drop on May 15.

The announcement followed a highly orchestrated and thoroughly absurd guerrilla marketing stunt in his hometown of Toronto. On Monday, Drake revealed he had frozen the album’s release date deep inside massive blocks of ice stationed across the city.