News

Amazon’s high-profile documentary Melania, which reportedly cost $40 mln to produce and more than $35 mln to market, has opened to sluggish ticket sales in the UK, according to cinema operators.

Tim Richards, chief executive of Vue, one of Britain’s largest cinema chains, said interest in the film has been «soft» ahead of its UK release on Friday. Booking data showed minimal ticket sales at several London venues, while some cinemas reported no advance sales at all for opening-night screenings.

Despite the weak demand, the documentary is being shown nationwide after Amazon’s MGM Studios rolled out a major global marketing...

Uzbekistan marked International Clean Energy Day on Monday with a high-level roundtable in Tashkent focused on accelerating the country’s transition to renewable energy through market-based solutions and international best practices.

The event was organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan and brought together government officials, international partners, development institutions and energy experts.

Discussions centred on financial risk mitigation mechanisms for renewable energy projects, with particular attention to Japan’s experience in shifting from Feed-in Tariff (FiT) schemes to Feed-in Premium (FiP) systems and competitive auctions. Participants examined...

The European Union is stepping up efforts to conclude major trade agreements as growing uncertainty in the global trading system, driven in part by U.S. tariff threats, reshapes international economic relations.

Brussels is seeking to position itself as a stable and reliable trading partner amid concerns over Washington’s increasingly unpredictable trade policy under President Donald Trump. EU officials say the bloc aims to deepen ties with key partners as traditional trade alliances come under strain.

Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed the long-negotiated EU–Mercosur trade agreement in Paraguay, a deal covering a market of...

Airports across parts of Asia have stepped up health surveillance after an outbreak of the Nipah virus in India’s West Bengal state, where five cases have been confirmed, officials said.

Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan have introduced heightened screening measures for travellers arriving from affected areas. In West Bengal, around 100 people have been quarantined after the virus was detected in a hospital, with several healthcare workers among those infected.

Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has increased health checks at major airports including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket, monitoring passengers for fever and related symptoms. Travellers showing signs of...

Harry Styles is on track to secure his third UK number one single with his latest release, Aperture, according to early chart data.

The song, released on January 22, marks the pop star’s return after nearly four years without new music and follows his previous chart-toppers Sign of the Times (2017) and As It Was (2022). Aperture currently leads the Official Charts Top 10 midweek rankings.

Styles announced his comeback earlier this month alongside a new music video and confirmed that Aperture is the first single from his upcoming fourth studio album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally...

Gold prices have surged past the $5,000 per ounce mark, hitting fresh record highs as investors seek safe-haven assets amid mounting global uncertainty.

Spot gold was trading around $5,095 an ounce on Monday, after briefly topping $5,100 earlier in the session. The precious metal has gained more than 12% over the past month and over 80% year-on-year, driven by geopolitical tensions, volatility in Japan’s bond market and growing concerns over the global economic outlook.

Analysts say uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy, including renewed tariff threats, alongside weakening confidence in traditional assets such as government bonds, has pushed investors...

Fresh tensions have surfaced in the Beckham family after Brooklyn Beckham publicly challenged long-running narratives surrounding his relationship with his parents and their treatment of his wife, Nicola Peltz.

In a recent social media statement, the 26-year-old disputed claims that Nicola rejected a Victoria Beckham–designed wedding dress ahead of their 2022 ceremony, saying instead that his mother withdrew from making it at short notice. The account contrasts with Nicola’s earlier interviews, in which she described designing her main gown with Valentino as a «dream.»

Brooklyn also alleged that Victoria Beckham behaved inappropriately during a dance at the wedding and «hijacked...

Caracas — Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez has sharply criticised what she described as excessive pressure and «orders from Washington,» as tensions continue following U.S. actions this month in the South American nation.

Speaking to oil workers in the eastern state of Anzoategui on Sunday, Rodriguez said Caracas would no longer accept directives from the United States and urged that Venezuela’s political differences be resolved internally rather than under outside influence, according to officials and regional media reports.

Rodriguez’s remarks come amid heightened diplomatic strain between Caracas and Washington over the recent capture of former President Nicolas Maduro

The Philippines has expressed alarm over increasingly heated public exchanges with China amid their long-running territorial dispute in the South China Sea, warning that the rhetoric could undermine efforts to manage tensions diplomatically.

Manila’s Department of Foreign Affairs said it made «firm representations» to the Chinese ambassador and embassy, conveying serious concern over the escalation of exchanges between officials from both sides. While cautioning against actions that could derail dialogue, the department reiterated its support for Philippine officials defending the country’s maritime claims.

The comments follow China’s move last week to summon Philippine Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz in protest...

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot built into Elon Musk’s social media platform X, over concerns that its image-editing tools were used to create explicit images of real women and minors without consent.

According to Handelsblatt, the probe will examine whether X took sufficient steps to mitigate the risks associated with the creation and spread of such content. The investigation is being conducted under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes strict obligations on large online platforms to prevent illegal and harmful material.

If the Commission finds that X...

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a message of congratulations to India on its Republic Day, describing China and India as «good neighbours, friends and partners,» according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.

Xi said relations between the two countries have steadily improved over the past year and stressed their importance for maintaining global peace and prosperity. He reiterated Beijing’s long-held view that cooperation is the best path forward, referring to China and India as the «dragon and the elephant dancing together.»

The Chinese leader expressed hope that both sides would expand exchanges and cooperation while properly managing...

Uzbekistan’s stock market recorded positive momentum between January 16 and January 23, with most highly liquid shares on the Tashkent Stock Exchange closing higher and the UCI index rising by 1.01%.

The strongest growth was seen in preferred shares of Ipoteka Bank, which jumped 69.79%. Shares of SQB climbed 28.51%, while ordinary shares of Aloqabank gained 25.40%.

Trading in shares of SQB and Ipoteka Bank was temporarily suspended from January 21 as the exchange reviews the reasons behind the sharp rise. Over 10 trading days on the Main Board, ordinary shares of the two banks surged by...

At least 18 people have died after a ferry carrying more than 350 passengers and crew sank in waters off the southern Philippines. The Philippine Coast Guard said 317 people from the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 have been rescued, while at least 24 others remain missing.

The cargo and passenger ferry was travelling from the southern island of Mindanao to Jolo island when it sent a distress call at 1:50 am local time on January 26.

Officials have launched an investigation into the cause of the sinking. Survivors told authorities the sea was rough at the time of the...

Former South Korean prime minister Lee Hae-chan, a long-time political heavyweight and key figure in the country’s democratic evolution, has died while on an official trip to Vietnam, authorities in both countries said.

Lee was 73. He died on January 25 in Ho Chi Minh City after suffering a heart attack, despite receiving emergency medical treatment, according to a South Korean presidential advisory body.

President Lee Jae Myung paid tribute, describing him as a defining figure in South Korea’s democratic history.

“He dedicated his life to protecting and growing democratic values through our turbulent modern...

VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator («VEON» or, together with its subsidiaries, the «VEON Group»), unveiled the new network operations center for Beeline Uzbekistan in Tashkent, in a ceremony attended by Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, and Kaan Terzioglu, VEON Group CEO as well as Beeline Uzbekistan board members and its executive team. Today, VEON also launched BuildX, its new software development and artificial intelligence company in Uzbekistan.

Beeline Uzbekistan’s Network Operations Center (NOC) in Tashkent serves as a digital command hub, providing around-the-clock oversight of more than 5,850 base stations and ensuring connectivity for...

Thousands of people gathered at a zoo in Japan on January 25 to say goodbye to the country’s last two giant pandas, who are due to return to China on January 27.

At Tokyo’s Ueno zoo, emotions were high as visitors waited in lines of up to three-and-a-half hours to see the twin cubs, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, for the final time.

The farewell comes at a tense moment in relations between Tokyo and Beijing, which have worsened sharply after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan would intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan.

With the twins...

Michael Schumacher is reportedly no longer confined to bed 12 years after suffering a serious head injury in a skiing accident.

Little has been made public about the 57-year-old’s condition since the crash in the French Alps in 2013, but a newspaper has reported that the seven-time Formula One world champion can now sit up in a wheelchair.

Schumacher remains under constant care from his wife Corinna and a team of medical professionals. However, his progress means he can now be wheeled around his properties in Majorca and near Lake Geneva.

He has not been seen in public since...

Tashkent has launched a project to introduce South Korea’s intellectual property administration system, K-IPAS, with Seoul providing $9.7 mln in funding.

The project runs until 2029 and aims to fully digitise the administration of intellectual property in Uzbekistan. Artificial intelligence technologies will be introduced to automatically search and classify patents. This marks the first time South Korea has exported its AI-based system abroad.

Authorities expect the integration of these technologies to improve the efficiency of government agencies and simplify procedures for businesses. In the longer term, Uzbekistan is expected to become a hub for spreading the South Korean model...

The ADAC RAVENOL Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) has confirmed a calendar change for 2026, moving the second round of the season to March 21. The new date could allow Max Verstappen to take part in NLS2, potentially driving for Winward Racing in a Mercedes-AMG GT3.

The race has been brought forward by a week to take advantage of a gap in the Formula 1 calendar between the Chinese Grand Prix on March 15 and the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29. The race would fit neatly into his schedule and could form part of his preparation for the...

IndiGo cancelled flights to Tbilisi, Almaty, Tashkent and Baku until January 28, citing security concerns linked to the situation around Iran.

In a post on X, IndiGo said it is closely monitoring developments in the region and is proactively reviewing its flight operations, stressing that safety remains its top priority.

Following a detailed assessment, the airline said it will not operate services to and from Tbilisi in Georgia, Almaty in Kazakhstan, Tashkent in Uzbekistan and Baku in Azerbaijan on January 26, 27 and 28.

Flights to these destinations typically pass through Iranian airspace, which IndiGo is currently avoiding due...

Samsung is preparing to unveil the Galaxy S26 Ultra, with growing agreement around the launch, pre-order and retail dates for its next flagship smartphone, Forbes reports. Industry commentator Ice Universe this week reinforced expectations that have been echoed by several publications.

Samsung is set to introduce the Galaxy S26 lineup at a Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25. The range will include the Galaxy S26 Ultra as the flagship model alongside the Galaxy S26+ and the standard Galaxy S26. Despite earlier speculation, Samsung is not expected to add a Pro or Edge variant this year, opting instead to retain...

Gold climbed to a record above $5,000 an ounce on January 26, extending a historic rally as investors sought safety amid mounting geopolitical uncertainty.

Spot gold rose 1.98% to $5,081.18 an ounce by 03:23 GMT after touching an intraday peak of $5,092.71. U.S. gold futures for February delivery gained 2.01% to $5,079.30.

According to Reuters, the latest surge reflects a growing crisis of confidence in the U.S. administration and American assets following erratic policy decisions last week.

U.S. President Donald Trump on January 21 abruptly stepped back from threats to impose tariffs on European allies as leverage over Greenland. Over...

European Council President Antonio Costa arrived in India on Sunday as the European Union and New Delhi push to finalise a long-awaited free trade agreement, aiming to conclude negotiations that have stretched for nearly two decades.

Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are chief guests at India’s Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on Monday, ahead of an EU–India summit scheduled for the following day. EU officials have described the proposed agreement as the «mother of all deals».

«The summit will be an opportunity to build on the EU–India strategic partnership...

A technical problem on a 220-kilovolt electricity transmission line importing power from Uzbekistan has caused widespread electricity shortages in Kabul, leaving residents with only a few hours of power each day, Afghan media reported.

According to TOLO News, cited by The Caspian Post, the disruption has significantly affected daily life in the Afghan capital. Residents say electricity is available for just three to five hours within a 24-hour period and is often unstable.

«We’re facing many problems due to power cuts. We’re students living in rented rooms, and we only get electricity for four to five hours a...