News

Red Bull Racing has confirmed a major reorganisation of its technical hierarchy in an attempt to stabilise the team following a period of unprecedented upheaval.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit has seen a steady stream of senior talent depart in recent years, including the architect of its modern success, Christian Horner, and the long-standing motorsport advisor Helmut Marko.

With the team looking to protect its long-term competitive edge, several internal promotions and external recruitments have been fast-tracked. The most significant shift sees Ben Waterhouse step into an expanded leadership role as Chief Performance and Design Engineer with immediate effect. Waterhouse...

The Department of Homeland Security has moved to deport Iranian academic Yousof Azizi, accusing him of lying on his U.S. visa application about past ties to a group linked to Iran’s security apparatus.

Allegations tied to IRGC-linked group

U.S. authorities claim Azizi failed to disclose his alleged membership in the Student Basij Organisation between 2006 and 2010. The group is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which Washington designates as a terrorist organisation. Officials say Azizi entered the U.S. on a student visa in 2013, later terminated after he failed to re-enrol in late 2025. No...

The United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has found himself at the centre of a bizarre theological blunder after he inadvertently quoted a Quentin Tarantino screenplay while leading a formal prayer at the Pentagon, Variety reports.

Intending to offer spiritual support for an American pilot currently missing in Iran, the former Fox News host instead recited the “Ezekiel 25:17” monologue famously delivered by Samuel L. Jackson’s hitman character in the 1994 cult classic Pulp Fiction.

The incident took place during a Wednesday worship service within the Department of War. Hegseth introduced the passage as “CSAR 25:17”, a reference...

The Russian luxury brand Caviar has launched a bespoke series of the iPhone 17 Pro dedicated to the memory of Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the late founder and long-time leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR).

This high-end collection seeks to celebrate the politician’s legacy, focusing on his distinctive charisma, political intuition and legendary foresight.

The design of the handset is heavily influenced by the LDPR’s official branding, with the titanium body finished in a deep blue hue synonymous with the party. The focal point of the device is a meticulously hand-painted enamel profile of Zhirinovsky himself.

According...

Uzbekistan has introduced a dedicated legal “sandbox” to regulate the issuance and circulation of stablecoins.

This framework, approved jointly by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan and the National Agency of Prospective Projects, is designed to modernise the country’s financial landscape. The primary objective is to cultivate innovative payment systems and attract international investors while ensuring a high level of protection for those participating in the digital asset market.

Within this controlled environment, entities are permitted to issue digital tokens backed by either the national soum or foreign currencies. These stablecoins can be utilised as a valid means of payment...

A series of smash-and-grab raids has struck independent hobby shops across the UK, as criminals increasingly target high-value Pokémon trading cards, BBC reports.

Celestial Collectibles in Warrington is the latest victim in a nationwide spree that has seen similar thefts reported in Nottingham, Bristol, Rugby, Peterborough, Bournemouth and Gloucester.

The surge in crime follows a dramatic rise in the market value of the collectibles. While the hobby has existed for 30 years, interest exploded during the pandemic, turning rare cards into serious alternative assets.

Specialist auction house Stanley Gibbons Baldwins recently reported over £1.5 mln in Pokémon sales, with...

Neukgu, the two-year-old wolf whose dramatic escape from a South Korean zoo captivated the entire nation, has finally been caught after a relentless nine-day pursuit, BBC reports.

The Daejeon city government confirmed that the runaway animal was secured near an expressway at 00:44 local time on Friday. Following a prompt veterinary assessment, officials reported that his pulse and body temperature were completely normal.

A game of cat and mouse

Hundreds of emergency workers had been dispatched to track down the missing canine over the past week. Rescuers came agonisingly close to securing him on several occasions, but the...

The U.S. R&B singer known as D4vd has been taken into police custody on suspicion of murdering a 14-year-old girl, BBC reports. The teenager vanished in 2024 before her severely decomposed body was discovered inside the recording artist’s vehicle in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed on Thursday that heavily armed officers arrested the 21-year-old, whose real name is David Anthony Burke. He was detained at approximately 4:30 pm and led away with his hands behind his back. Burke is currently being held without bail with authorities planning to present their case to the District Attorney’s...

Having completed last year with another bond issue of 49.6 bn soums at 19%, TBC Bank has finally secured its status as a systemic issuer. Taking into account the group’s placement of $200 mln in the summer of 2025 and the first entries into the market in 2024, this is already the fourth issuance aimed at developing the business in the country.

Kursiv Research spoke with CFO of TBC Uzbekistan Sharof Sharipov about the strategy of funding diversification and the culture of transparency to understand how debt instruments help a digital bank grow faster than the market.

— Sharof, let’s...

Joy Harmon, the American actress whose fleeting but legendary appearance in the 1967 cinematic masterpiece Cool Hand Luke cemented her place in Hollywood history, has died at the age of 87.

Media outlets have confirmed that the star passed away at her Los Angeles residence on Tuesday after enduring a prolonged battle with pneumonia over recent weeks.

A defining moment in 1960s cinema

Despite appearing on screen for a mere three minutes and lacking a single line of dialogue, Harmon’s performance left an indelible mark on global pop culture. Starring alongside the legendary Paul Newman, she was officially...

On April 15 Uzbekistan alongside 13 other nations officially joined the World Bank Group’s (WBG) “Water Forward” initiative. Launched during the WBG Spring Meetings in Washington this global platform aims to guarantee water security for one billion people by 2030.

The launch event featured high-profile attendees including WBG President Ajay Banga, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders of various international financial institutions. Uzbekistan was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov.

Water Forward is designed to help developing countries implement vital sector reforms and modernise their water infrastructure. The primary goal is to...

A consortium of leading global investors featuring BlackRock and Franklin Resources has committed an aggregate of $300 mln to anchor the upcoming initial public offering of the National Investment Fund of the Republic of Uzbekistan (UzNIF).

The cornerstone agreement also includes backing from Redwheel and two treasury companies belonging to the Allan & Gill Gray Foundation. Together these financial heavyweights have agreed to subscribe for Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) at the final offer price, providing a massive vote of confidence in the Central Asian nation’s economic trajectory.

The investment is tied to UzNIF’s highly anticipated dual listing on both...

An agreement between Ipak Yuli Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was signed in London as part of the Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP). Following the meeting held on April 13, Ipak Yuli officially obtained the status of a confirming bank, the bank’s press service reported.

This status grants the financial institution the right to guarantee payments on international transactions, serving as an additional protection mechanism for domestic entrepreneurs when dealing with foreign partners.

Participation in the programme gives the bank’s clients direct access to documentary business services, including letters of credit and bank guarantees backed by EBRD...

At the beginning of 2026 online marketplaces and the broader e-commerce sector generated approximately 35% of all new demand for warehouse space in Central Asia. These findings were recently unveiled by IBC Global during the Central Asia Warehouse Summit Uzbekistan.

Third-party logistics (3PL) providers and distribution companies ranked second in the market by securing a 28% share of the demand. Meanwhile the delivery requirements of traditional brick-and-mortar shops accounted for a further 18% of newly acquired storage facilities.

The ongoing development of regional logistics infrastructure contributed about 12% to the overall demand. The light industrial sector alongside multi-temperature storage...

Economic output across the Caucasus and Central Asia is projected to achieve an average annual growth rate of 6% to 7% over the coming years. This forecast was recently presented by the analytical firm INFOline during the Central Asia Warehouse Summit Uzbekistan.

The agency anticipates that Uzbekistan’s gross domestic product will maintain a trajectory of steady expansion. While the nation’s economic volume was valued at $145 bn in 2025, analysts expect this figure to surge to $195 bn by the end of 2029.

Robust economic development is also visible across neighbouring states in the region. According to the latest projections...

A significant fire at one of Australia’s two remaining oil refineries has been successfully put out but the incident has amplified concerns regarding the country’s petrol reserves during an ongoing global fuel shortage, BBC reports.

Emergency services were dispatched to Viva Energy’s Corio facility in Geelong, located southwest of Melbourne, shortly before midnight on Wednesday following reports of flames and explosions. The blaze raged for 13 hours before being extinguished on Thursday. Fortunately no casualties were reported and the dozens of staff on-site were safely evacuated.

While the plant, which is responsible for generating half of Victoria’s fuel and...

According to a recent report by the recruitment platform hh.uz, the median offered salary across Uzbekistan fell by 5.6% year-on-year to 6.29 mln soums ($516) between January and March 2026.

Analysts at the firm emphasised that this metric provides a far more accurate reflection of the current job market than average earnings.

“The median salary remains a more objective indicator than average pay as it avoids data distortion caused by extreme values (very high or very low salaries) and shows the exact central value,” a statement from hh.uz explained.

The capital city experienced the...

A federal jury in New York has concluded that Live Nation and Ticketmaster functioned as an illegal monopoly within the ticketing and live events sector. The decision validates long-standing grievances that the entertainment behemoth was actively suppressing competition and artificially inflating consumer costs, CNN reports.

Following extensive proceedings that featured testimony from prominent figures across the music and entertainment spheres, the jury commenced deliberations on Friday before delivering their verdict.

Despite the ruling, gig-goers should not expect an immediate reduction in ticket prices or supplementary fees. Judge Arun Subramanian is scheduled to preside over a subsequent trial to determine...

A 15-year-old footballing talent from Uzbekistan, Zufarkhuja Akramkhujaev, is poised to join the ranks of the Chelsea Academy this coming September. According to reports from Championat.Asia, the young player will become the very first footballer from the country to enter the youth system of the prestigious West London club.

The paperwork is currently being finalised to facilitate the move. Sources suggest that the agreement with the teenager will span two years, marking a significant commitment to his development within the English game.

Chelsea has long been established as a powerhouse of English football, boasting multiple Premier League titles and...

Shares in American Eagle Outfitters climbed on Wednesday after the clothing retailer revealed a brand-new promotional campaign featuring Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney, Reuters reports.

The move comes a year after their initial highly debated advert generated massive online attention, sparked a significant stock rally and cemented Sweeney’s status as a key brand ambassador.

Early trading saw the denim brand’s shares surge by almost 6% to reach $18.80. This latest bump followed the unveiling of a summer collection focused on denim shorts which prominently features ultra-low-rise micro “skorts” alongside traditional low-rise options.

A controversial partnership

The retailer’s inaugural collaboration...

The U.S. Senate has voted down a Democratic-led effort to restrict President Donald Trump from launching further military action against Iran without congressional approval, underscoring continued Republican support for the White House.

The measure failed 47–52, falling short of the votes needed to pass. Notably, Democratic Senator John Fetterman broke with his party to oppose the resolution, while Republican Senator Rand Paul sided with Democrats.

The vote comes amid heightened tensions following Trump’s recent remarks suggesting Iran was «very close to over» and earlier statements that raised alarm among lawmakers. Critics, including Senator Tammy Duckworth, argued that the president’s rhetoric...

Iran may allow ships to pass safely through parts of the Strait of Hormuz as part of proposals in ongoing negotiations with the United States, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

The proposal would permit vessels to sail through the Omani side of the narrow waterway without risk of attack, potentially easing a major disruption to global energy supplies. The strait is one of the world’s most critical chokepoints, handling around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Since the outbreak of conflict involving Iran on February 28, hundreds of tankers and other vessels...

Rafael Grossi has warned that any future agreement between the United States and Iran must include rigorous monitoring of Tehran’s nuclear programme, as diplomatic efforts to revive talks remain stalled.

Speaking in Seoul, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said that without «very detailed» verification measures and on-the-ground inspections, any deal would lack credibility.

«Otherwise, you will not have an agreement. You will have an illusion of an agreement,» he stressed.

His comments come after initial high-level negotiations between Washington and Tehran failed to produce a breakthrough, with both sides...

Thousands of Sikh devotees have gathered at the Golden Temple, the holiest site in Sikhism, to offer prayers during the festival of Baisakhi, one of the most important dates in the Sikh religious calendar.

The celebrations come alongside large-scale pilgrimages across the border in Pakistan, where key Sikh shrines are located. Despite decades of political tensions between India and Pakistan, religious travel has continued under a 1974 bilateral agreement that allows access to sacred sites.

One of the focal points of the pilgrimage is Gurdwara Panja Sahib, which hosts one of the largest annual Sikh gatherings in Pakistan...