News

Thirty-one sloths intended to be the star attractions at a new “slotharium” in Florida have died before the venue could even open its doors to the public, BBC reports.

The animals were destined for Sloth World, a permanent exhibit in Orlando that was scheduled to launch this spring. However, a recent report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) revealed that many of the mammals perished due to inadequate conditions at a holding warehouse while others arrived in the state severely ill or already dead.

Ben Agresta, the owner of Sloth World, has firmly pushed back against...

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi travelled to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Friday to explore proposals for resuming peace negotiations with the United States, Reuters reports. The diplomatic push offers a glimmer of hope for resolving an eight-week conflict that has resulted in thousands of casualties and triggered massive disruptions across global energy markets.

While U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that Tehran plans to present an offer to satisfy American demands, the exact details of the proposal remain unknown. Trump refrained from naming his negotiating counterparts but confirmed his administration is dealing directly with the current...

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming French Open and the Italian Open due to a persistent right wrist injury, BBC reports.

The 22-year-old world number two was forced to pull out of the Barcelona Open last week after sustaining the issue during a first-round victory. Subsequent medical scans have prompted the seven-time Grand Slam champion to take a cautious approach to his recovery.

In a statement posted to Instagram, Alcaraz explained his decision:

“After the results of the tests carried out today, we have decided that the most prudent...

HoYoverse has offered players a highly anticipated glimpse into the frozen lands of Snezhnaya during the recent “To Snezhnaya and the Future” behind-the-scenes broadcast.

The Cryo nation serves as the stronghold of the Fatui and the headquarters of the Adventurers’ Guild. As the final destination in the Teyvat chapter before diving into the unknown, it represents the very forefront of the struggle against fate and the Heavenly Principles.

Lore and the Tsaritsa’s grand design

The developers revealed that Snezhnaya currently possesses six of the seven Gnoses, lacking only the elusive Pyro Gnosis. Interestingly, many Archons...

Audi has appointed Allan McNish as racing director of its Formula 1 team, marking a key step in its preparations for its debut as a full works outfit.

The move comes as part of a broader management reshuffle following the departure of former team principal Jonathan Wheatley. McNish will take on responsibility for trackside operations during race weekends, reporting to team leader Mattia Binotto.

Key leadership role

As racing director, McNish will oversee race strategy, team coordination, and performance during Grand Prix events. His appointment is intended to strengthen Audi’s operational structure ahead of its entry into...

India is set to host the Asian Weightlifting Championships in 2026, marking a significant milestone for the country’s ambitions to become a major hub for international sporting events.

The continental competition, organised by the Asian Weightlifting Federation, will take place in Gujarat, with cities such as Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar selected as host venues.

Major sporting milestone

The event will bring together elite weightlifters from across Asia, including Olympic and world-level competitors, making it one of the most important tournaments on the regional calendar.

It will also mark India’s return as host after more than four decades, highlighting...

The Bangladesh women’s national field hockey team recorded a historic 3–2 victory over Uzbekistan women’s national field hockey team in the Women’s Asian Games qualifying tournament in Jakarta.

First international victory

The win marks Bangladesh’s first-ever international success in just their second match. The team had opened the tournament with a 5–5 draw against Chinese Taipei before bouncing back with a strong performance.

Match highlights

Bangladesh took the lead in the 11th minute through Sharika Rimon. Kona Akter extended the advantage in the 24th minute, while Irene Akter Riya scored the decisive third goal in the...

Formula 1 is set to make a highly anticipated return to Turkey after securing a new multi-year agreement. The Turkish Grand Prix will rejoin the world championship calendar in 2027 and remain a fixture until at least the 2031 season.

This long-awaited comeback was finalised alongside the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports with the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED) stepping up as the official delivery partner for the upcoming events.

A driver favourite reborn

Istanbul Park initially debuted on the F1 schedule in 2005. The 5.33-kilometre circuit quickly established itself as a formidable challenge characterised by dramatic...

Uzbekistan’s aviation industry is set for a major upgrade as the International Air Transport Association prepares to open a permanent office in Tashkent and introduce its global financial settlement system.

Strategic move for aviation growth

The new office will establish IATA’s direct presence in Uzbekistan, allowing closer cooperation with airlines, airports and regulators. The organisation also plans to launch its Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) in the country before the end of 2026.

The BSP system simplifies financial transactions between airlines and travel agents, helping improve efficiency and global distribution of air services.

Strengthening global connectivity

Uzbekistan’s economy grew by 8.7% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, according to the presidential press office, signalling stronger-than-expected economic performance.

Growth exceeds expectations

The result surpasses earlier forecasts, which had projected GDP growth of around 7% for the January–March period. Analysts say the higher figure reflects continued momentum across key sectors of the economy.

Sustained economic expansion

Uzbekistan has maintained steady growth in recent years, supported by investment, rising consumption, and expanding industrial and service sectors. The economy grew by about 7.7% in 2025, continuing a trend of strong post-reform performance.

Outlook remains positive

The...

The historic city of Samarkand is set to take centre stage this weekend as it hosts the opening round of the 2026 World Triathlon Championship Series.

Kicking off tomorrow, April 25, the highly anticipated two-day event in Uzbekistan marks the start of a rigorous nine-stop global tour. Competitors will tackle the demanding Olympic-distance format as they look to establish an early advantage in the race for the world title.

The men’s field in Samarkand presents a massive opportunity for several top contenders to claim the spotlight. With British Olympic gold medallist Alex Yee missing the event to act as...

BLACKPINK member Jisoo has been honoured with the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award at the 2026 Cannes International Series Festival.

The South Korean superstar travelled to France to accept the prestigious accolade in person on Thursday during the event’s ninth edition.

Festival organisers praised her ability to seamlessly juggle her massive music career with her burgeoning acting endeavours. According to the official Canneseries website the artist is dedicated to broadening her on-screen portfolio by tackling a wide variety of roles and formats.

The festival further commended her global influence, commanding screen presence and continuous artistic evolution, noting that she...

Ubisoft has officially pulled back the curtain on Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, a ground-up remake of the beloved fourth instalment built entirely on the Anvil engine.

During a recent broadcast developers confirmed that the revamped pirate adventure will launch on July 9, 2026. The title will be available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S at a price point of $60, with its Steam store page already live.

Actor Matt Ryan is reprising his iconic role as the voice of Edward Kenway and recently narrated the project’s debut gameplay trailer. While the core historical narrative remains...

Nikki Glaser has shared the brilliant way Leonardo DiCaprio responded to her viral monologue at the 2026 Golden Globes. Appearing on The Tonight Show, the comedian revealed that the Hollywood star sent her several baskets of pasta after she poked fun at his dating life during the awards ceremony.

Glaser, who was hosting the prestigious event for the second time and is already slated to return in 2027, made headlines with a joke about DiCaprio’s well-known habit of dating women under the age of 30. During the broadcast she praised the One Battle After Another nominee for his incredible...

Officials in Tashkent are planning to develop a further 18 dedicated tourist streets across the city this year. The ambitious urban expansion was presented to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a recent tour of the newly revitalised Uzbekiston Ovozi gastronomic avenue.

The bustling food street officially opened to the public following an extensive reconstruction project that wrapped up in the autumn of 2025. Conceptualised by design firms City Makers and People Architects, the major overhaul required a total investment of 40 bn soums ($3.3 mln).

Spanning 2.1 kilometres, the upgraded thoroughfare now features comfortable pedestrian walkways, cycle lanes, sports facilities...

South Korean actor and 2PM band member Ok Taec-yeon has tied the knot with his non-celebrity partner of ten years. The private wedding took place on Friday at the prestigious Shilla Hotel in central Seoul, The Korea Times reports.

The intimate ceremony was exclusively attended by family members and close friends. Fans of the K-pop group will be delighted to know that the event featured a full 2PM reunion. The bandmates delivered a special congratulatory musical performance to celebrate the occasion while Hwang Chan-sung took on the role of master of ceremonies. This joyous milestone makes Ok the second...

Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has been knocked out of the online Chess.com Open following a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Daniil Dubov.

According to RIA Novosti, the Russian player secured a flawless 3-0 victory in their round of 16 encounter to confidently progress to the next stage of the competition.

Despite his commanding performance against Sindarov the Russian could not sustain his momentum in the quarter-finals. Dubov was subsequently eliminated from the tournament after losing a closely fought 3-2 battle against Indian representative Nihal Sarin.

Uzbekistan still has strong representation in the event as fellow national Nodirbek Abdusattorov

A court has heard that American musician D4vd possessed a “significant amount” of indecent images of children when he was taken into custody over the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, BBC reports.

Detectives made the disturbing discovery whilst executing search warrants and combing through over 40 terabytes of data. This extensive digital forensic work was part of an effort to piece together the events that culminated in the teenager’s dismembered body being abandoned in the front boot of the singer’s Tesla Model Y.

During Thursday’s hearing Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman outlined a deeply unsettling...

Formula 1 teams will be granted extra time to get up to speed when the season resumes, with the FIA announcing a 90-minute Free Practice 1 session for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix.

Scheduled to take place between May 1 and 3, the opening session will now run from 12:00 to 13:30 local time. As a result of this 30-minute extension, any track action slated to happen before FP1 will be brought forwards by half an hour to accommodate the change.

The sport’s governing body released a statement clarifying the reasons behind the schedule tweak. The decision acknowledges the...

The European Union and Ukraine have sanctioned three Uzbekistan-based companies and two businessmen for their roles in supplying the Russian military-industrial complex. The santions target key figures and businesses involved in the production of explosives materials and equipment leasing.

Ukrainian sanctions

The pressure on these enterprises escalated after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree imposing ten-year sanctions that came into effect on May 9, 2025. These measures directly target the Tashkent-registered joint venture Mercury Renaissance and its subsidiary Fergana Chemical Plant.

Mercury Renaissance has been involved in leasing construction equipment since 2016 and was founded by two...

Global oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel as tensions between the United States and Iran continue despite an extended ceasefire.

Brent crude oil rose sharply amid uncertainty over the stability of the truce announced by Donald Trump, who said the ceasefire would remain open-ended but acknowledged there was no clear timeline for a full resolution.

Ceasefire fails to calm markets

Despite the extension, Iran has accused the U.S. and its allies of violating the agreement. Tehran’s negotiators have заявили that the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, preventing the resumption of normal oil shipments.

The...

Pope Leo XIV has returned to Rome after an 11-day tour of Africa that combined religious outreach with strong political messaging, including a public clash with Donald Trump.

A high-profile African tour

The visit spanned four countries, including Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, underscoring Africa’s growing importance to the Catholic Church. The Pope called for social justice, condemning inequality, exploitation and authoritarianism during public addresses.

Focus on human rights

One of the most symbolic moments came during a visit to Bata Prison in Equatorial Guinea, where inmates greeted the pontiff while calling for freedom. The...

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson is expanding his international profile with a US tour, building connections with figures linked to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

Growing presence in the US

Robinson’s visit includes speaking events, podcast appearances, and meetings with conservative politicians across the United States. During the tour, he has promoted an upcoming rally in London, positioning himself as a prominent critic of immigration and multiculturalism in the UK.

Diplomatic concerns

His entry into the US has sparked controversy in Britain, as Robinson had previously faced restrictions over passport-related offences. Reports that allies of...

Uzbekistan is strengthening its role in the global uranium market through the adoption of advanced in-situ recovery (ISR) technology, transforming how the resource is extracted and processed.

The country is currently among the world’s top uranium producers, with output reaching around 7,000 tonnes in 2025, driven largely by operations of state-owned company Navoiyuran.

Shift to modern mining methods

ISR technology, widely used in Uzbekistan, allows uranium to be extracted by injecting a solution underground to dissolve the mineral, which is then pumped to the surface. This method significantly reduces the need for traditional mining infrastructure such as...