News

Taiwan has reached a new trade agreement with the United States that significantly lowers tariffs on its exports, a move welcomed by Taipei but criticized by Beijing.

Under the deal signed on Friday, U.S. tariffs on Taiwanese goods will be reduced to 15% in exchange for $250 bn in new Taiwanese investments in the U.S. technology sector. Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai described the agreement as the «best tariff deal» secured by countries running trade surpluses with Washington, noting that the rate matches those applied to Japan, South Korea, and the European Union.

U.S. tariffs on Taiwanese products were...

Mass protests have erupted across cities in Iran, with demonstrations increasingly turning violent amid deepening economic and social crises, according to media reports and images circulating from the country.

Protesters took to the streets in Tehran and other major cities in early January, driven by mounting grievances over water shortages, soaring inflation, rising food prices, and the continued depreciation of the Iranian rial. Many demonstrators have been chanting calls for «freedom,» while Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s late shah, has emerged as a symbolic figure for some protesters.

The unrest has drawn international attention, though...

Uzbekistan has taken a major step toward gender equality in the transport sector by abolishing long-standing legal restrictions that prevented women from working as bus and heavy truck drivers.

For years, legislation barred women from driving passenger vehicles with more than 14 seats and freight vehicles over 2.5 tons, effectively excluding them from key transport professions. Analytical studies conducted under the UNDP/GEF-supported project «Tashkent – Accelerating Investment in Low-Emission Vehicles» (TAILEV) showed that these legal barriers, not a lack of skills or interest, were the main obstacle to women’s participation.

Following joint efforts by the project and the...

Bitcoin’s recent price rebound may be echoing a familiar pattern from the 2022 bear market, despite gains of more than 20%, according to new research from on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant.

In its latest weekly report, CryptoQuant said Bitcoin has risen about 21% since late November, climbing from lows near $80,500 to around $95,000. However, the firm warned that the move resembles a «bear market rally» rather than the start of a sustained recovery.

Analysts pointed to Bitcoin’s failure to reclaim its 365-day moving average, currently near $101,000, as a key risk factor. In previous cycles, including 2022, BTC...

Denmark and several NATO allies, including Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden, are deploying troops to Greenland for military exercises amid rising security concerns in the Arctic.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen confirmed the deployment, saying the drills aim to strengthen the allies’ ability to operate in the region as geopolitical tensions increase. He cited growing Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic, as well as heightened concerns following recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Washington needs Greenland for national security purposes.

According to Denmark’s Defence Ministry, the exercises will involve receiving allied forces, operating...

Uzbekistan is stepping up border security through expanded use of digital surveillance systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, including Turkish-made Bayraktar drones, according to local media reports.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting on defense and national security, Chairman of the State Security Service Bakhodir Kurbanov said that 42% of Uzbekistan’s border is now covered by video surveillance. He added that more than 1,100 kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines have been installed to support border monitoring.

Kurbanov also confirmed that a newly formed special unit equipped with Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles has begun operations, marking a significant expansion of...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed Uzbekistan’s diplomats to take a more active role in protecting the rights of citizens living and working abroad, amid growing public concern over reported abuses during migration checks and law enforcement raids in foreign countries.

The issue was discussed during a video conference chaired by the president on the performance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions, the president’s press secretary said. Mirziyoyev noted that the continued presence of Uzbek citizens abroad without legal status remains a serious challenge.

In 2025, Uzbekistan secured a migration amnesty for more than 150,000 of its...

Uzbekistan exported 25,500 tonnes of apples between January and November 2025, earning $13.2 mln in export revenue, according to data from the National Statistics Committee.

Kazakhstan and Russia remained the largest markets for Uzbek apples, importing 12,200 tonnes and 11,300 tonnes respectively during the period. Kyrgyzstan ranked third with imports totaling 1,300 tonnes.

Smaller volumes were shipped to Iraq (204 tonnes) and Turkmenistan (167.4 tonnes), while exports to other destinations amounted to 283.5 tonnes.

The figures highlight the continued importance of neighbouring markets for Uzbekistan’s fruit exports, as well as growing efforts to diversify export destinations.

Kursiv Uzbekistan...

Uzbekistan plans to initiate talks with the United States on enabling its citizens to participate in U.S. seasonal work programs, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said during a recent foreign policy meeting.

According to the president’s press secretary, Mirziyoyev noted that the U.S. simplified procedures last year for issuing special visas to agricultural workers. He instructed Uzbekistan’s ambassador in Washington to begin negotiations aimed at adding Uzbekistan to the list of countries whose citizens are eligible for seasonal employment in the United States.

The initiative is intended to expand access to legal and well-paid jobs for Uzbek citizens abroad. Mirziyoyev...

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested a record €16.8 bn in 2025, supporting a total of 640 projects last year.

The private sector was the main beneficiary, receiving €12.7 bn of the funding. The bank said it maintained its strategy despite global tensions and inflation, directing €9.4 bn towards green transition projects.

In addition, 47% of projects aimed to enhance opportunities for women, while 6% of investments were allocated to equity financing.

The EBRD also raised nearly €1.9 bn in donor funds, with more than €859 mln directed to Ukraine. The European Union provided 55% of...

German sports car maker Porsche said global vehicle deliveries fell by 10% in 2025, mirroring weaker performance reported by rivals Audi and Mercedes as competition intensified in China.

The company said on Friday it delivered 279,449 vehicles last year, down from 310,718 in 2024. Sales in China dropped by 26%, with Porsche citing difficult conditions in the luxury segment and fierce competition in the fully electric market. Deliveries in Germany declined by 16%, while sales across the rest of Europe fell by 13%.

Porsche said the European downturn was partly driven by supply gaps for its 718 and Macan...

A bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers is due to meet leaders of Denmark and Greenland on Friday to offer reassurance of congressional backing, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to take control of the Arctic island.

Trump has argued that Greenland is critical to U.S. security because of its strategic position and mineral resources and has not ruled out using force. At Denmark’s request, several European countries this week sent small numbers of military personnel to the island.

Congress seeks to reassure allies

The 11-member delegation, led by Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, was scheduled to meet Danish...

Cate Blanchett is set to return to the world of Berk, joining the live-action sequel «How to Train Your Dragon 2» as Valka, a role she previously voiced in the animated trilogy.

The franchise centres on Hiccup, an awkward Viking teenager who forms an unlikely bond with an injured dragon named Toothless, challenging generations of hostility between Vikings and dragons. Set five years later, the sequel follows a now 20-year-old Hiccup and his friends as they encounter Valka, revealed to be his long-lost mother, and confront a villain seeking to dominate the world with a dragon army.

Blanchett will...

Rashid Usmanov, CEO of the Uzbekistan Republican Currency Exchange (UZCE), outlined plans to introduce gold futures in a briefing for journalists, according to Kursiv Uzbekistan.

Usmanov said the launch will depend on the readiness of both legislation and the market. He stressed that a full regulatory framework and trading infrastructure are essential before implementing the new futures mechanism.

«When introducing a new instrument on the exchange, it is important to ensure it is fully ready for operation. Only with the appropriate laws, regulations and market preparedness can this mechanism function effectively,» he said.

He also...

A South Korean court on Friday sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison over charges including obstructing authorities’ efforts to arrest him following his failed attempt to impose martial law.

The Seoul Central District Court, in a live broadcast of the ruling, found Yoon guilty of blocking the execution of an arrest warrant connected to his December 2024 martial law declaration. He was also convicted of fabricating official documents and failing to follow required legal procedures for martial law.

This marks the first ruling in the criminal cases Yoon faces over his unsuccessful martial law...

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the country’s foreign policy concept needs a revision, including an update of its priority areas.

He said, «The new concept should comprehensively and coherently reflect the long-term strategic goals of our state, the logic of ongoing domestic reforms, as well as our national interests in economic diplomacy, security and investment.»

Mirziyoyev added that the updated foreign policy programme should also take into account Uzbekistan’s interests in trade, logistics and water resources. To support these aims, each diplomatic mission will receive additional funding.

Uzbekistan adopted its current foreign policy concept...

Tokyo-based broadcaster TBS Holdings said on December 16 it has agreed to invest $150 mln in U.S. film production company Legendary. The two firms form a partnership to expand Japanese content for global audiences.

TBS said the deal with the producer of films including «Dune» and «A Minecraft Movie» aims to boost the international value of its content through joint development of video projects based on Japanese manga, animation and games.

The $150 mln investment includes shares previously held by Apollo Global Management and Legendary’s management team, valuing the studio at more than $4 bn. A source familiar with the...

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday during a White House meeting, aiming to influence U.S. policy on Venezuela.

A White House official said Trump intends to keep the medal. Trump later wrote on social media that Machado had given him the prize in recognition of his work, calling it a gesture of mutual respect. Machado said the gift reflected what she described as Trump’s commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people.

The White House released a photograph of Trump holding a framed, gold-coloured medal...

BTS have officially announced their highly anticipated fifth studio album is titled “ARIRANG” and will be released on March 20 at 1 p.m. KST.

BigHit Music shared the news via social media on Thursday, with pre-orders scheduled to begin on January 16.

Cultural significance

​The album title references a 600-year-old Korean folk song that holds a spot on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Often described as Korea’s unofficial national anthem, “Arirang” embodies “han”, a cultural concept representing a blend of sorrow, longing, resilience and hope.

Linguistic research suggests the term translates to “my beloved one”. The...

Red Bull and Racing Bulls have lifted the covers off their 2026 Formula 1 challengers at a joint launch event at Michigan Central Station, marking the beginning of their new power unit partnership with Ford.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit revealed the RB22 with a dramatic stunt featuring pilot Martin Sonka, whose plane tore the sheet off the car. The new design returns to the gloss finish used during the team’s 2005 debut and features a “heritage white base” intended to highlight the team’s iconic sun and bull logo.

2026 livery, cleared for takeoff ✈️#F1...

BitMine Immersion Technology has agreed to invest $200 mln in Beast Industries, the entertainment company founded by YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, widely known as MrBeast. The deal represents one of BitMine’s largest non-core equity investments to date.

Under the agreement, BitMine will make a $200 mln equity investment, though the companies have not disclosed the size of the stake, Beast Industries’ valuation or any governance rights linked to the deal. The transaction is expected to close on Monday.

Donaldson runs a network of YouTube channels with a combined audience of more than 450 million subscribers, making Beast Industries...

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has arranged financing of up to $195.5 mln for a major renewable energy project in Uzbekistan’s Kashkadarya region.

The funding will support the construction and operation of a 300-MW greenfield solar photovoltaic plant and a 75-MWh battery energy storage system by Nur Kashkadarya Solar, a special-purpose company fully owned by UAE clean energy group Masdar. The EBRD package includes senior loans and guaranteed facilities, alongside concessional finance from Canada, Finland and Japan, with additional co-financing expected from the Asian Development Bank.

Once completed, the project is expected to generate about...

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar) has reached financial close for its 300-MW Guzar solar power project with a 75-MWh battery energy storage system in Uzbekistan’s Kashkadarya region.

The UAE-based clean energy company secured more than $225 mln in financing, with up to $195.5 mln provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and $30 mln from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The funding packages include contributions from climate-focused funds supported by Canada, Finland and Japan, as well as regional private infrastructure initiatives.

Masdar will design, build and operate the project under a public-private partnership...

Uzbekistan’s Supreme Court has released an updated register of online sources and materials banned for promoting extremism and terrorism, according to the court’s press service. The revised list, current as of January 10, 2026, includes digital content deemed to threaten public safety and the country’s constitutional order.

The updated register contains 1,593 profiles, channels and materials, the majority linked to social networks and messaging platforms. Telegram accounts for the largest share with 790 banned entries, followed by Instagram with 265 profiles and Facebook with 249. The list also includes 167 YouTube channels and videos, 53 TikTok profiles and...