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Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover has exceeded $80 bn for the first time in the country’s history, with exports reaching $33.5 bn, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said on Wednesday.

Speaking during a video conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the president also reported that Uzbekistan attracted more than $43 bn in foreign investment, highlighting the growing role of economic diplomacy in driving growth.

Mirziyoyev said Uzbek diplomats are now expected to go beyond political engagement and actively support investment promotion, expand export markets, develop transport and logistics corridors, boost tourism, facilitate legal labour migration and protect the rights of...

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral economic ties, with a focus on trade, investment and industrial cooperation.

The pledge came during a meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade, Shahrukh Ghulamov. The talks reviewed the growing diplomatic and commercial relations between the two countries and explored new opportunities for collaboration.

Mr. Khan highlighted Pakistan’s goal of increasing bilateral trade to $2 bn, stressing the importance of regional connectivity in achieving this target. He noted...

Buying Greenland could cost the United States as much as $700 bn, according to estimates cited by officials, as President Donald Trump intensifies efforts to acquire the Arctic island despite firm opposition from Denmark and Greenland.

The semi-autonomous Danish territory is not for sale, Copenhagen and Nuuk have repeatedly stressed. However, Mr Trump has insisted the U.S. will take control of Greenland «one way or the other,» citing national security concerns linked to the island’s strategic location and rare-earth mineral resources.

Talks in Washington this week between USA, Danish and Greenlandic officials failed to bridge what Denmark described...

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reduced the asking price for French football club OGC Nice as he looks to streamline his Ineos sports portfolio.

Ratcliffe purchased the Ligue 1 side for €100 mln in 2019 but put the club up for sale last year. He was initially reported to be seeking around €250 mln, but the price has now been cut to below €200 mln, according to Bloomberg.

The British billionaire owns stakes in several sports assets, including Swiss club Lausanne and a minority holding in the Mercedes Formula One team. However, he has been scaling...

Filming is officially underway on Amazon MGM Studios’ new Tomb Raider series, with Prime Video unveiling the first look at Sophie Turner as iconic adventurer Lara Croft. The role was previously brought to the screen by Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander, while Hayley Atwell voiced the character in Netflix’s animated series.

Based on the legendary Tomb Raider video game franchise, the series follows the globe-trotting exploits of archaeologist and adventurer Lara Croft. In the newly released image, Turner appears firmly at home in the role, signaling a fresh take on the beloved character.

The cast also includes Sigourney...

Ryan Hurst has been cast as Kratos in Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming live-action adaptation of the «God of War» video game series.

The role marks Hurst’s return to the franchise after he voiced the Norse god Thor in the 2022 game «God of War: Ragnarok.» Kratos is the central figure of the series, a Spartan-born warrior who becomes the god of war.

The show will draw from the storylines of the two most recent games, focusing on Kratos as he raises his young son Atreus following the death of his wife Faye. As they journey to scatter her ashes...

Uzbekistan’s ambulance service dealt with around 14.3 mln calls in 2025, the Health Ministry says.

Emergency cases accounted for the bulk of the workload, with about 10.2 mln urgent calls recorded during the year. Another 3.8 mln requests were linked to chronic illnesses, while more than 100,000 calls were related to childbirth.

Tashkent registered the highest number of callouts at about 1.46 mln. The Fergana and Andijan regions followed, while Navoi region recorded the lowest figure with roughly 416,000 calls.

The number of medical response teams has risen to nearly 2,900 over the past eight years. Authorities said the...

HBO has released the first trailer for «Euphoria» Season 3 ahead of its April 12 debut on HBO and HBO Max, marking the long-awaited return of the hit drama.

Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Maude Apatow, Martha Kelly, Chloe Cherry, Colman Domingo and Dominic Fike reprise their roles. Former cast members Barbie Ferreira, Storm Reid, Javon «Wanna» Walton and Austin Abrams are not returning. Angus Cloud, who played fan favourite Fezco, died in July 2023 at the age of 25.

The new season moves the story forward by five years, following...

Russia on December 15 expelled a British diplomat it accused of covert intelligence activity, warning the UK that Moscow would not accept what it described as espionage on Russian soil.

The Federal Security Service, or FSB, said the diplomat, a second secretary at the British embassy in Moscow, was operating undercover for Britain’s intelligence services. Russian authorities said he has been given two weeks to leave the country and state media published images of him.

The Foreign Ministry summoned Britain’s charge d’affaires in Moscow, Danae Dholakia, to deliver a formal protest. In a statement, it said Russia would not...

Iran reopened its airspace on December 14 evening after nearly five hours of closure, which disrupted flights as airlines cancelled, rerouted or delayed some services amid fears of military action between the United States and Iran.

The airspace had been closed at 22:15 GMT to all flights except international services with official clearance, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Tracking service Flightradar24 reported the notice was removed shortly before 03:00 GMT, and flights from Mahan Air, Yazd Airways and AVA Airlines were among the first to resume operations.

The closure came as President Donald Trump considered a...

A U.S.-based labour rights organisation claimed that workers at a Chinese factory making the popular Labubu dolls faced exploitation.

China Labor Watch (CLW) said its investigation found employees at Shunjia Toys Co Ltd in Guangdong were made to work long overtime hours, sign incomplete or blank contracts, and were denied paid leave.

The toys, known for their «blind box» concept, have gained a global following in recent years.

Pop Mart, the Beijing-based toy retailer behind Labubu, said it is reviewing the allegations. The company said it would «firmly» require suppliers to correct any improper practices and noted it regularly...

Tashkent will establish a logistics hub and an exhibition centre as part of a cooperation agreement with China, the city administration announces.

The memorandum was signed between Tashkent’s industrial zones management directorate and the Shihezi National Economic Zone.

The agreement outlines plans to increase trade between industrial zone residents, organise regular business visits, and attract new investment.

Shihezi National Economic Zone, located in Xinjiang, is a major economic and educational hub focused on agricultural processing, textiles, and the food industry.

Kursiv also reports that in 2025, international freight and transit through Uzbekistan exceeded 2.8 mln tonnes.

Uzbekistan has established a dedicated Airbus helicopter service centre at the Chirchik Aviation Repair Plant, the presidential press service reports.

The facility is the only one of its kind in the CIS and Central Asia to maintain Airbus rotorcraft. Engineers at the centre are trained to service models including the H-125, H-215 and H-130.

During a visit to the plant, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was shown workshops where Su-25 attack jets are being modernised with advanced navigation systems and night-vision equipment.

The Uzbek military currently operates Airbus helicopters, including the AS550 and AS532 models.

Founded in the 1940s, the Chirchik...

Chevron is expected to receive a broader licence from the U.S. government this week that could allow the company to raise oil production and exports from Venezuela, according to Reuters.

The U.S. major is likely to be among several companies granted approval by President Donald Trump’s administration to operate in Venezuela, as producers, traders and refiners seek access to the country’s heavy crude following the U.S. removal of President Nicolas Maduro. Marathon Petroleum is also holding talks with Washington over potential supplies of Venezuelan crude for its refineries, sources said.

Talks expand beyond Chevron

Valero Energy, along with...

Several international flights were forced to turn back after Iran closed its airspace, disrupting routes linking Uzbekistan with the Middle East.

Fly One Asia‘s Flight 7Q7742 from Medina to Tashkent returned to Medina, while Flight 7Q4442 on the Medina to Fergana route was also diverted back to its departure airport.

Jazeera Airways Flight J9650 from Tashkent to Kuwait, which took off at 02:01 local time, returned to Tashkent shortly after departure. SamAir‘s Flight 9S3303 from Samarkand to Jeddah, departing at 02:04, turned back to Samarkand.

Fly Khiva’s Flight 2U7911 from Urgench to Medina, which left at 02:17 local time...

Denmark’s foreign minister said there is a «fundamental disagreement» with the United States over Greenland following talks at the White House, after President Donald Trump renewed calls to bring the island under U.S. control.

Lars Lokke Rasmussen described his meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as frank but constructive. He stressed that Trump’s language about «conquering» Greenland was unacceptable to Denmark. He said Danish officials made clear that such a move was not in the country’s interest.

The hour-long talks involving the U.S., Denmark and Greenland did not produce a breakthrough. However, the...

Uzbekistan has launched a new chemical production project in the Navoiy region, establishing large-scale output of cyanide salts through the joint venture CONTINAZ, the Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade said on Tuesday.

The project was implemented in two stages during 2025. The first phase involved investments of $88.2 mln and included the construction of core production facilities and installation of key technological equipment. The second stage focused on expanding and optimizing production using existing infrastructure, with an additional $40 mln invested.

With both stages completed, the plant now has an annual production capacity of 24,000 tons. Authorities...

Canada’s men’s national soccer team will face Uzbekistan in an international friendly in Edmonton on June 1, 2026, as part of its final preparations for the FIFA World Cup 26.

Canada Soccer announced the fixture during the CANMNT January training camp in Los Angeles, confirming that the match will be played at Commonwealth Stadium, the country’s largest open-air venue with a capacity of more than 55,000.

Head coach Jesse Marsch said the game is an opportunity to engage fans in Western Canada and build momentum ahead of the World Cup, which Canada will co-host later in June. The...

Uzbekistan’s growing passion for birdwatching was celebrated in early January as prizes were awarded to winners of the national «Great Year-2025» competition, which has encouraged enthusiasts to explore the country through observing and photographing birds.

The contest sent participants across mountains, deserts, lakes and city streets in search of rare and striking species. In total, birdwatchers documented 335 different species in 2025, one of the highest results in the competition’s history.

The overall winner was American birdwatcher Emilio Zapata, who recorded 287 species during the year. He was followed by Marina Almazova with 259 species and Erik Salimov

CCA Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s first permanent centre dedicated to contemporary art, will officially open in March 2026, marking a major milestone for the country’s cultural landscape.

Founded by Gayane Umerova and led by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, the Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent will open to the public on March 21 in a restored 1912 industrial building redesigned by French architecture studio Studio KO. The institution aims to function as both an exhibition space and a civic hub, combining contemporary art, education, research and public programmes.

Artistic director Dr Sara Raza will lead the centre’s programme...

JinkoSolar has signed a memorandum of understanding to supply 300 megawatts of its high-efficiency solar modules for utility-scale projects in Uzbekistan, marking a further step in the country’s push to expand renewable energy capacity.

Under the agreement, JinkoSolar will provide its Tiger Neo 3.0 photovoltaic modules to several Uzbek developers, including Arif, Power Sun, Darian Solar and Deltron Energy. The modules are designed for ground-mounted solar plants and are well suited to Uzbekistan’s arid and desert conditions, where reflective sandy surfaces enhance the performance of bifacial technology.

The company said the Tiger Neo 3.0 modules offer high power...

The Trump administration will suspend all U.S. visa processing for applicants from 75 countries starting January 21, the State Department confirmed on Wednesday.

A spokesperson said the pause, first reported by Fox News, would apply while the department reassesses its visa procedures, though no timeline was given for when processing might resume. US embassies have been instructed to refuse visa applications under existing law during the review.

Countries reportedly affected include Somalia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Nigeria and Thailand. The move comes as part of a broader immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called for...

Chelsea could intensify competition on the wings just months after signing Alejandro Garnacho, as the club continues to explore attacking reinforcements.

The Blues secured the Argentine winger from Manchester United last summer for £40 mln, but reports suggest Chelsea remain keen to add another wide player to ease the creative burden on Cole Palmer. The club is said to admire powerful, direct attackers and had previously enquired about Antoine Semenyo before he joined Manchester City for £64 million.

Garnacho has struggled for consistency since arriving at Stamford Bridge, similar to fellow winger Jamie Gittens, and the possible arrival...

Mattel has unveiled an Autistic Barbie as part of its expanding range of inclusive dolls, aiming to better reflect neurodiversity and disability among children.

The new doll features design elements intended to mirror common autistic traits, including a softer facial expression, more flexible joints, and accessories such as noise-cancelling headphones, a fidget toy and a tablet with a communication app. Mattel said the doll was developed with input from autism advocates and follows earlier releases including dolls representing blindness, Down syndrome, limb differences and diabetes.

However, the launch has drawn criticism from some members of the autistic community...