News

Meta will acquire Manus, a Singapore-based AI startup founded in China, as the company accelerates its push to integrate advanced AI across its services.

Financial terms were not officially disclosed. A source familiar with the deal valued Manus at between $2 bn and $3 bn. The firm gained attention earlier this year after claiming to launch the world’s first general AI agent, capable of making decisions and completing tasks with minimal prompting compared with traditional AI chatbots.

Beijing has expressed interest in supporting Manus, which claims its AI agent outperforms OpenAI’s DeepResearch. The startup also has a strategic partnership...

Beyonce has officially been declared a billionaire by Forbes, making her the fifth musician to join the list of the world’s wealthiest artists.

She joins an exclusive group of musicians with ten-figure fortunes, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen and her husband Jay-Z, whose net worth Forbes estimates at $2.5 bn (£1.85 bn).

Earlier this month, Forbes valued Beyoncé at $800 mln (£593 mln) and predicted she would surpass the billionaire mark after years of success.

Her 2023 Renaissance World Tour grossed nearly $600 mln, cementing her status as one of the top pop icons globally alongside Taylor...

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has added three companies to its register of microfinance organisations, the regulator’s press service said. The decision was approved by the bank’s board.

The newly registered firms are ADL MOLIYA MMT, PRIZMA KAPITAL and AVO FINANCE. The registrations were carried out under board resolutions No. 156, 157 and 158. All three companies are registered as limited liability entities.

The microfinance market in Uzbekistan has expanded rapidly. In the first nine months of 2025, the volume of microfinance services reached 104 trln soums ($8.6 bn), up 1.8 times compared with the same period last year.

Banks...

Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister and a major political figure, has died at 80 after a long illness, her party said.

Zia led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to victory in 1991 and became the country’s first female head of government. She was placed on life support in her final days, with doctors citing her age and frail health as limits to treatment.

The BNP had planned for Zia to contest elections expected in February, the first since the ousting of her longtime rival Sheikh Hasina. For decades, Bangladesh’s politics were defined by the rivalry between the...

The finale of Netflix’s hit sci-fi series Stranger Things is set to become a major cinema event.

More than 1.1 mln people have registered to watch the final episode in theatres on New Year’s Eve, according to an Instagram post by co-creator Ross Duffer. He said 3,500 screenings across more than 620 cinemas have already sold out.

Duffer added that he and his brother Matt Duffer plan to attend several screenings.

«What a way to close out a ten-year journey — together,» he wrote, suggesting they may appear at showings in Los Angeles.

Season...

Demand for air travel in Uzbekistan increased by 21% in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to data released by Aviasales.uz following its annual market review.

Domestic flights recorded the strongest growth, with interest in travel within the country rising by nearly 33%. International routes also saw an increase of 18%, with overseas bookings accounting for 62% of all orders. Within international travel, the share of bookings to Russia fell from 34% to 29%, while demand for destinations in Asia and the Caucasus rose sharply. China emerged as the leading destination, with search interest more than doubling. Growth was...

Uzbekistan delivered 390 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan on December 29, the country’s Foreign Ministry said. The shipment included food supplies and medicines.

The handover ceremony took place in Hairatan. Balkh province governor Mohammad Yousuf Wafa thanked Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his support of the Afghan people. He also said that cooperation with Uzbekistan in recent years had helped increase Afghan exports and improve social and economic conditions in the country.

According to the Foreign Ministry, this was the fourth time this year that Tashkent has provided humanitarian aid to its neighbour.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the Microsoft co-founder said AI had the potential to transform society, particularly healthcare, within the next decade. Gates said AI could support doctors throughout a patient’s life, easing pressure on overstretched health systems and reducing misdiagnosis in both rich and poor countries.

However, he cautioned that the same technology could pose serious risks if exploited by those with «bad intent», calling on governments to consider heavier taxation of tech giants that control AI systems.

«AI is the greatest solution mankind has ever created,» he said, «yet...

The couple tied the knot at Bath Abbey, followed by a lavish reception at Kin House, attended by high-profile guests including David Beckham and Victoria Beckham. However, most of Peaty’s family were absent, with only his sister Bethany attending.

During his speech, Ramsay praised his wife Tana as a «good mum» and made remarks widely interpreted as a veiled reference to Peaty’s estranged parents, adding to public scrutiny of the family dispute. Peaty’s mother, Caroline, later described her exclusion from the wedding as deeply hurtful, while reports suggested tensions had escalated following a fallout earlier this year.

The...

The controversy escalated following Minaj’s appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, where she shared the stage with conservative commentator Erika Kirk and spoke favourably about President Donald Trump. Clips from the event spread rapidly online, drawing criticism from fans and commentators opposed to the political positions associated with the gathering.

Shortly after the appearance, a Change.org petition titled «Deport Nicki Minaj to Trinidad» began circulating, amassing around 50,000 signatures within days. Addressed to US authorities including the White House and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the petition accuses the rapper of harmful behaviour and frames her political stance and personal conduct...

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Weaver, 76, explained that she did not physically kiss Jack Champion, who was 14 or 15 at the time of filming and plays Spider in the film. Instead, director James Cameron used body doubles to film the scene.

«Obviously, I wasn’t going to kiss Jack in real life,» Weaver said, adding that the production was «very delicate» about the issue.

Weaver reprises her role as Kiri, the adopted daughter of Jake Sully and Neytiri, portrayed by Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana. She said the age gap between...

The 74-second clip, titled Streaming Bowl: Netflix vs Paramount, has been viewed nearly 800,000 times on X since being shared on 28 December by AI enthusiast Angry Tom. Styled like a Super Bowl broadcast, the footage features a packed stadium, dramatic lighting and lifelike crowd reactions that many viewers initially mistook for real footage.

The video does not explicitly brand the competing streaming platforms, but uses familiar cinematic archetypes to suggest a high-stakes clash between entertainment giants. Its meticulous detail, from sweeping arena shots to spectators holding oversized drinks, has drawn widespread praise, with users describing it as...

The company, led by chief executive Jensen Huang, has enjoyed a standout year, striking more than $125bn in deals and cementing its position as the dominant supplier of chips powering AI systems such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Nvidia’s technology now underpins data centres across the US, Europe and Asia.

However, scrutiny has intensified over the circular structure of some agreements, where Nvidia invests in customers who then use the funds to buy its chips. The most notable example is its long-term partnership with OpenAI, alongside arrangements involving cloud provider CoreWeave. Critics say the model resembles vendor financing, a practice...

Kyrgyzstan’s Tulpar transport card will be adapted for use on public transport in Tashkent, with integration expected to be completed in 2026, Vesti.kg reports.

The move will allow visitors from Kyrgyzstan to pay fares in the Uzbek capital without purchasing a local ATTO card. In return, Uzbek transport payment cards are expected to become usable in Kyrgyzstan.

Tulpar cards have been used for cashless fare payments on public transport in Kyrgyzstan since 2020. Passengers pay standard fares by tapping the card on onboard validators.

A memorandum on the mutual recognition of transport cards was signed by the two sides...

High-profile victims included carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, retailers Marks & Spencer and Harrods, underlining that organisations of all sizes remain exposed to increasingly sophisticated digital threats.

Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, warned that cyber attacks now rank among the most serious threats to UK financial stability, stressing the «critically important» need for coordinated defences across sectors.

Cyber security firm NCC Group described 2025 as a «tipping point», after recording a sharp rise in global ransomware incidents. The firm logged 590 attacks in January and 886 in February alone, a record pace. Chief executive Mike Maddison...

Drivers for Yandex Go can now pick up passengers directly at the arrivals hall at Tashkent airport, according to Uzbekistan Airports.

Other authorised taxi services include Taxi Millennium, Let’s Trip, Uzviptranservice, Sixt, and Taxi Airport Tashkent. These services are allowed 20 minutes of free waiting at the airport. Passengers can order taxis through a central dispatch service, now operating in the arrivals area. Yandex Go rides can be booked via the mobile app.

Other taxi companies and private cars must use a second lane, where stops are limited to ten minutes. The Ministry of Internal Affairs monitors this lane...

City made it six consecutive Premier League wins on Saturday as Rayan Cherki scored late to secure a 2–1 success, celebrating with teammate Josko Gvardiol. The result keeps Guardiola’s side second in the table, two points behind leaders Arsenal.

Guardiola believes the «fog» that clouded a trophyless 2024–25 campaign has lifted, pointing to renewed intensity in training and competition.

«Energy, energy, energy,» the City manager said. «We lost it last season. We needed to get it back, and then you have a good environment.»

City’s revival follows changes behind the scenes during...

Airfares from Russia to Tashkent are expected to drop by 39% after the New Year holidays, according to data from Aviasales, TASS reports.

On average, international flights from Russia will become 29% cheaper. The largest reductions will be for flights to Dubai and Yerevan, which are set to fall by 51%. Tickets to Tbilisi and Istanbul are expected to decrease by 42% and 40% respectively.

Domestic flights within Russia are also expected to become cheaper, with an average decline of 23%. The largest fall in 2026 will be for flights to Mineralnye Vody, which are expected to drop by...

Decades of irrigation development in Uzbekistan have disrupted the natural flow of the Amu Darya River basin. This reduced the ability of ecosystems to recover and provide water during dry periods, according to a report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The report highlights that up to 70% of water is lost between the river and agricultural fields. Despite these losses, Uzbekistan’s overall water supply score remained stable between 2013 and 2025, holding steady at five points. Similar patterns were observed in Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. By contrast, Tajikistan improved its water supply score from three points in...

ADOR, the agency representing the K-pop group NewJeans, has announced the termination of its exclusive contract with member Danielle.

In a statement on December 29, ADOR said it had held extensive talks with all members Minji, Hanni, Danielle and their families following the final court ruling confirming the validity of the group’s contracts.

«Hanni visited Korea with her family and took part in in-depth discussions with ADOR. They reviewed past events and examined the issues objectively,» the agency added.

Hanni chose to continue with ADOR, respecting the court’s decision.

Ongoing discussions with Minji

The latest draft of the FIA sporting regulations was approved in December during the World Council meeting. It introduces several updates. One of the main changes is a higher deposit fee for teams submitting official protests or appeals against stewards’ decisions, Motorsport reports.

The change traces back to the F1 Commission meeting in July, when the issue was first discussed after a series of incidents that delayed race results. At the time, the Commission, chaired by Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA single-seater director Nicolas Tombazis, considered tightening the protest system. The aim was clear: reduce or ideally...

Two prominent leaders in Nepal have joined forces ahead of the parliamentary elections on March 5. They aim to challenge parties that have dominated the Himalayan nation’s politics for over 30 years. Party officials and analysts say the move could shake up the political landscape.

Rapper-turned-Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, widely known as Balen, has joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by former TV host and politician Rabi Lamichhane, party sources said. Under the agreement, if the RSP wins the elections, 35-year-old Balen will become prime minister while Lamichhane, 48, will remain party chief.

Both leaders have pledged to...

Bahram Beyzai, one of Iran’s most influential filmmakers and playwrights, has died aged 87 in the United States, prompting widespread tributes. Iranian newspapers fronted their pages with his passing, with voices from opposition groups and supporters of the Shah-era alike paying their respects.

Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah, described Beyzai’s death as «a great loss for the art and culture of our country.»

Despite many of his later films being banned in the 1980s under the Islamic regime, prominent figures in today’s government also acknowledged his impact on Iranian culture. Several contemporary Iranian filmmakers, including...

The volume of high-quality retail space in Tashkent reached 514,000 sq metres of gross leasable area by the end of 2025, according to an annual retail real estate market review by CMWP Uzbekistan.

The consultancy revised its database of modern shopping centres, excluding facilities that fail to meet key retail standards such as a clear concept and professional management. As a result, the updated list now includes 24 shopping centres, among them Tashkent City Mall, Park In Mall, Magic City and Samarkand Darvoza.

More than 100,000 sq metres added in 2025

Tashkent commissioned over 100,000 sq metres of...