News

Amazon has agreed a $11.5bn (£8.5bn) deal to acquire satellite operator Globalstar, marking a major step in its effort to compete with Starlink.

The company, founded by Jeff Bezos, said it will merge Globalstar’s operations with its own satellite network, Amazon Leo, to expand its ability to deliver mobile connectivity from space.

Amazon has already launched more than 240 satellites as part of a planned constellation of 3,000. By acquiring Globalstar, it will gain access to valuable mobile spectrum, allowing it to beam signals directly to smartphones worldwide.

Panos Panay, a senior vice-president at Amazon, said the deal...

North Korea has conducted a new series of missile tests as negotiations between the United States and Iran ended without agreement, highlighting rising tensions across multiple global flashpoints.

According to state media, Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of strategic cruise and anti-ship missiles from a naval destroyer, with officials claiming the weapons struck targets with high precision. Kim used the tests to reaffirm plans to expand the country’s nuclear-capable navy.

The developments came as high-level talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad collapsed over disagreements on Iran’s nuclear programme. JD Vance said the main obstacle remained Iran’s...

A fresh trial concerning the tragic death of football legend Diego Maradona is set to begin on Tuesday. The 60-year-old sporting icon passed away from heart failure in November 2020.

This new legal proceeding follows the collapse of the original trial in May 2025, which was derailed after a presiding judge allegedly permitted unauthorised filming inside the courtroom for a documentary.

Allegations of medical negligence

Seven individuals who formed part of Maradona’s medical care team are standing trial for culpable homicide. Prosecutors argue that the defendants acted with potential intent by failing to provide an adequate standard of medical...

A 19-year-old launched a gun attack at a secondary school in the south-eastern Turkish province of Sanliurfa this Tuesday. According to Governor Hasan Sildak, the terrifying incident left at least 16 individuals injured before the teenage gunman took his own life, Reuters reports.

The perpetrator was identified as a former pupil who returned to the campus in the Siverek district armed with a shotgun. Casualties were quickly transported to a local hospital for medical attention and five of those injured were subsequently moved to facilities in the city centre of Sanliurfa for further treatment.

Speaking to the NTV news...

Customs officers at Tashkent International Airport have apprehended a foreign national arriving from Bangkok after discovering 12 sealed packages in their possession.

Subsequent laboratory testing confirmed that the concealed parcels contained 6.3 kilogrammes of dried marijuana, according to an official statement from the Customs Committee.

Authorities, customs officials and border guards report a concerning and persistent rise in drug smuggling activities across the country. During the first three months of 2026 alone, security personnel at the capital’s airport intercepted nearly 30 kilogrammes of various illicit substances. This alarming figure represents a sharp increase of 18 kilogrammes when compared to the...

A prominent military hardware museum in Koblenz, Germany, has introduced an entry ban affecting nationals from 26 different countries. The new restriction, which has been in place since March of this year, prevents citizens of Uzbekistan from visiting the facility.

Management at the institution justified the controversial decision by citing national legislation concerning security and reliability checks. Alongside Uzbek nationals, the broad prohibition also applies to visitors holding passports from Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine.

The museum’s origins can be traced back to a West German military testing ground established during the 1960s. Today it stands as one of Europe’s most...

According to a new report from an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, Uzbekistan’s gross domestic product expanded by an impressive 7.7% in 2025. Over the same period, the nation’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.7% to settle at 4.8%.

The fund highlighted that this economic expansion was broad-based with the construction and service sectors experiencing the most rapid development. Even with strong domestic demand, consumer price inflation fell to 7.3% year-on-year by the close of 2025, marking a notable improvement from the 9.8% recorded the previous year.

Experts attribute this drop in inflation to a strict monetary policy, the fading...

Uzbekistan has set a strategic goal to increase its trade volume with Russia to $30 bn by 2030. Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov announced this target during the sixth meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission on April 13.

Addressing the commission, the Uzbek premier emphasised the rapid expansion of bilateral economic relations. He noted that trade between the two countries has doubled over the past five years and reached a total of $13 bn last year. By mid-April of this year, the total value of the joint Uzbek-Russian project portfolio had climbed to nearly $44 bn.

With active support from the...

Donald Trump is quietly advancing plans to expand U.S. influence in Greenland, with analysts saying the Arctic territory remains a key strategic objective as negotiations over the Iran conflict stall.

According to reports, Washington is in low-profile talks with Denmark to secure access to additional military sites on the island. The discussions, focused on expanding infrastructure and capabilities, would mark the first significant US military growth in Greenland in decades.

The move comes as Trump seeks to shift political momentum ahead of upcoming elections, with experts suggesting the Greenland initiative could provide a geopolitical win. The U.S. already...

Marathon negotiations between the United States and Iran ended without agreement after more than 20 hours of talks in Islamabad, exposing deep divisions over Tehran’s nuclear programme and triggering a sharp escalation in regional tensions.

Officials on both sides traded blame for the breakdown. Washington said Iran refused to abandon its nuclear ambitions, while Tehran accused the U.S. of shifting demands. Despite some progress on secondary issues, negotiators left with core disagreements unresolved.

Within hours, Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil shipments. The move applies to all...

The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan has officially updated its customs regulations to allow citizens to import up to three kilogrammes of biologically active dietary supplements from abroad without paying duty.

Under the newly approved guidelines, a single traveller is permitted to bring in up to 10 different varieties of vitamins and health supplements for personal use. To qualify for duty-free entry, each specific preparation must be limited to one item and must remain in its original factory packaging.

Before these amendments were introduced, the country lacked definitive weight restrictions for the personal import of such goods. This legal...

Uzbekistan is preparing to launch a pilot scheme for bonded warehouses that will run from July 1, 2026 until July 1, 2028. These specialised facilities will be used to temporarily store imported consumer goods intended for personal use before they are purchased through designated official online retail platforms.

A bonded warehouse functions as a secure storage site operating under continuous customs supervision. The primary advantage of this system is that it allows international merchandise to be held domestically without the immediate payment of full customs tariffs. The necessary duties and taxes are only processed when a specific item is...

On April 13 the Centre of Islamic Civilisation in Uzbekistan was officially crowned the largest museum of Islamic civilisation in the world, by Guinness World Records.

Seyda Subasi, an official adjudicator and representative for the global records organisation, attended the special ceremony to verify the achievement. She confirmed that the sprawling museum fully complies with all rigorous international requirements for the title.

Subasi expressed her deep admiration for the facility and noted that the museum leaves a profound impression on its guests. She highlighted that every single hall and exhibit possesses a unique character alongside immense cultural value.

The adjudicator...

Formula 1 could be heading for its most demanding schedule in history as intense rumours swirl about a monumental 25-race calendar for the 2027 season.

The speculation surrounding the expanded schedule gained significant traction following recent comments from Alpine driver Pierre Gasly. Speaking to the French television broadcaster Canal+ the driver seemingly let slip the future roadmap of the sport. Gasly stated that the paddock will probably have a 25-race season to navigate in the near future.

The proposed 25 traditional Grand Prix events might just be the tip of the iceberg for the sweeping 2027 shake-up. Alongside...

Indonesian police have arrested two women in Banten province on blasphemy charges after a video showing one of them stepping on a Quran went viral, sparking widespread public outrage.

According to authorities, the incident took place on 8 April in Lebak, where a salon owner accused a customer of theft. After the accusation was denied, the owner allegedly demanded the woman prove her innocence by stepping on the holy book, while filming the act. Both individuals have since admitted their involvement and could face up to five years in prison under Indonesia’s blasphemy laws.

The video quickly spread...

Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly developing an AI-powered version of himself to interact with employees, as part of Meta’s broader push into artificial intelligence.

The project involves creating a digital «clone» trained on Zuckerberg’s voice, mannerisms and public statements, allowing staff to ask questions and receive responses that reflect the chief executive’s thinking. The initiative aims to improve internal communication across Meta’s workforce of nearly 79,000 employees.

Zuckerberg has previously experimented with digital avatars, notably during the company’s early push into the metaverse. However, Meta has since shifted its focus toward AI-driven virtual characters capable of more natural, real-time...

Suspected militants opened fire on a police vehicle guarding polio vaccination workers in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing one officer and injuring four others, officials said.

The attack took place in Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, near the Afghan border, shortly after the country launched its second nationwide anti-polio campaign of the year. Police returned fire, killing two of the attackers at the scene.

No group has claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups, which have frequently targeted vaccination teams and their security escorts.

Pakistan remains one of only...

Hundreds of Chinese construction workers staged a rare public protest in Russia’s Far East, calling on Vladimir Putin to intervene in a wage dispute.

The workers, employed by the Petro-Hehua company, marched through the city near a refinery construction site linked to energy giant Rosneft. According to reports, they have not been paid for their work and are demanding immediate compensation.

Footage circulating online showed protesters carrying signs in Russian and English reading «No money,» «Putin help,» and «Sechin help,» referring to Rosneft chief Igor Sechin. The demonstration appeared to proceed without arrests.

The protest...

Tyson Fury has challenged long-time rival Anthony Joshua to a blockbuster fight after securing a comfortable points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in his return to the ring.

Fury, 37, was fighting for the first time in 15 months and delivered a dominant performance, winning convincingly on the scorecards. Moments after the bout, he called out Joshua, who was watching from ringside, urging him to agree to a long-anticipated all-British showdown.

«I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me next. Do you accept?» Fury said in the ring.

However, any immediate clash has been...

Peter Magyar has declared a landslide election victory in Hungary, ending the 16-year rule of Prime Minister Viktor Orban and reshaping the country’s political landscape.

In his victory speech, Magyar promised a break from the past, vowing to tackle corruption, restore democratic institutions and rebuild ties with the European Union. His rise marks a dramatic turnaround for Hungary, where Orbán had long appeared politically untouchable following his dominant win in 2022.

While analysts cite familiar factors behind Orbán’s defeat — including tensions with the EU, close relations with Vladimir Putin and concerns over governance — many point to...

Iranian authorities have published a list of around 400 individuals accused of being «supporters of the enemy,» including national team football captain Zahra Ghanbari, whose assets have reportedly been seized.

The move comes months after Ghanbari and her teammates staged a silent protest by refusing to sing the national anthem during a match in Australia. The act drew sharp criticism from Iranian media, which labelled the players «traitors» at the time.

According to reports, the government has frozen bank accounts and confiscated property belonging to those named on the list. The crackdown targets a mix of public figures...

Ursula von der Leyen has called for sweeping reforms to the European Union’s foreign policy decision-making following the election victory of Peter Magyar, which ended Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule.

Speaking shortly after the result, von der Leyen urged member states to «use the momentum» to reconsider the bloc’s unanimity rule in foreign policy. She proposed expanding qualified majority voting to prevent individual countries from blocking key decisions, particularly on sanctions and financial support for Ukraine.

Orban had frequently used Hungary’s veto power to delay or dilute EU measures targeting Vladimir Putin and to resist aid packages for Kyiv. His defeat...

South Korean boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT) has returned to the spotlight with their eighth EP titled “7th Year: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns”, Yonhap reports.

The project marks a significant departure from the expansive conceptual narratives of youth and growth that defined their previous eras. Instead the quintet has chosen a remarkably candid route to mark their first release since all five members renewed their agency contracts with BigHit Music in August 2025.

The meaning behind the thorns

During a media showcase held at Korea University in Seoul TXT shed light on the introspective...

A new survey conducted by the employment platform hh.uz has shed light on the frequency of workplace romances in Uzbekistan.

Polling 900 respondents across the country the study revealed that 54% of professionals have experienced romantic feelings for a colleague at least once in their careers.

Within this group 34% stated their feelings were mutual while 13% kept their crushes a secret and 7% faced unrequited love. Conversely 46% of participants reported that they have never harboured romantic feelings for anyone they worked with.

From co-workers to partners

It appears that the office is a highly common environment for...