News

Max Verstappen is set to lose one of his most trusted team members, as long-serving Red Bull mechanic Ole Schack has reportedly resigned during a turbulent period for the team.

Schack, who has been part of Red Bull since its early days and worked closely with Verstappen throughout his four championship-winning seasons, is expected to leave later this year. His departure marks a significant change within Verstappen’s inner circle.

The move comes amid wider upheaval at Red Bull Racing, which has seen several high-profile exits, including adviser Helmut Marko and former team principal Christian Horner. New team boss...

Annual inflation in Uzbekistan eased to 7.1% in March, down from 7.3% in February and significantly lower than 10.3% recorded a year earlier, according to the national statistics committee.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose by 0.6% in March, unchanged from February but 0.3 percentage points lower than in March 2025. Core inflation, which excludes fruit and vegetables, stood at 0.5% month-on-month and 7.8% year-on-year, less than half the level seen a year ago.

In the first quarter of 2026, overall prices increased by 1.9%.

Food prices rose by 1.2% in March, accelerating from 0.9% in February...

German grandmaster Vincent Keymer has won the Freestyle Chess Open A at the grenke Chess Festival in Karlsruhe, securing qualification for the 2027 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship.

Keymer finished level on points with France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave but claimed first place on tiebreak after a short draw between the two in the final round. Both players ended ahead of a chasing pack led by world number one Magnus Carlsen, who remained in contention but could not catch the лидers on the final day.

With the victory, Keymer earns €60,000 in prize money and joins Carlsen, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and...

Three people have been charged with murder following the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Chloe Watson Dransfield in Leeds.

Chloe, from Gomersal, was found unconscious on Kennerleigh Avenue in the Austhorpe area shortly before 06:00 GMT on Saturday. She was taken to hospital but died a short time later.

Kayla Smith, 18, Archie Rycroft, 19, and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Leeds Magistrates’ Court charged with her murder. Smith and Rycroft were remanded in custody, while the teenager was placed in secure accommodation ahead of a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.

Rycroft...

Discussions on reforms in Uzbekistan’s cotton sector are increasingly focusing on the working conditions of farmers, as dialogue continues between authorities and rights groups.

According to Umida Niyazova, founder of the Uzbek Forum for Human Rights, recent research highlights risks faced by cotton and wheat producers rather than seasonal pickers, who have been the main focus of past scrutiny.

A joint report with Human Rights Watch found that farmers may be exposed to conditions associated with potential forced labour, based on indicators developed by the International Labour Organisation. These include vulnerability, pressure, and wage-related issues, although no specific...

Construction of the National Museum of Uzbekistan, one of Central Asia’s most ambitious cultural projects, is progressing toward its planned opening in 2028.

The complex, located in the heart of Tashkent, is being designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando in collaboration with international partners. The project aims to combine modern architectural concepts with Uzbekistan’s historical heritage.

Spanning around 40,000 square metres, the museum will include exhibition halls, a public library, educational spaces, and conservation laboratories. It is expected to house more than 100,000 artworks and artefacts, many of which have not previously been displayed.

The design will...

Lawmakers in Uzbekistan are preparing a new draft law aimed at strengthening protections for animals and tackling cruelty more effectively, officials said.

The initiative, developed by the Ecological Party’s faction in parliament, comes despite a recent decline in reported abuse cases. Deputies say existing penalties remain insufficient, as incidents of cruelty continuer to occur, sometimes without clear motive.

In March, Uzbekistan already increased fines and introduced administrative detention of up to 15 days for offenders. However, the new bill, titled «On the Protection of Animals from Cruel Treatment», is designed to create a broader legal framework focused on...

Indian boxer Preeti Pawar advanced to the women’s 54kg final at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 after defeating Aeji Im in a dominant semifinal bout.

Pawar secured a 5–0 unanimous decision victory, winning all three rounds against the Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist. She will now face Huang Hsiao-wen of Chinese Taipei for the gold medal.

Under India’s selection rules, reaching the final guarantees direct qualification for both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.

India saw mixed results in other categories. Former world champion Nikhat Zareen, Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain, and Olympian Pooja Rani all lost their...

Afghanistan is aiming to boost trade with Central Asian countries to $10 bn within the next three to four years, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said.

Speaking at a regional meeting in Kabul with representatives from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, Muttaqi noted that current trade turnover reached $2.7 bn in 2025, showing steady growth.

He said Afghanistan plans to leverage its geographic position to become a key transit hub linking Central Asia with South and West Asian markets. Among priority projects is the TAPI gas pipeline, which remains under development.

Efforts to expand trade come despite...

Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov finished the first round of the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus as the sole leader, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) reports.

🇺🇿 Sindarov dominates at the halfway mark, 🇺🇦 Muzychuk retains the lead

🇺🇿 Javokhir Sindarov finished the first half of the FIDE Candidates Tournament in the lead with an impressive 6/7, holding a clear 1½ point advantage over 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana. In the Women’s FIDE Candidates,… pic.twitter.com/pQWf9VqGax

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) April 5, 2026

The 20-year-old scored six points out of seven, giving him a comfortable 1.5-point lead over nearest rival...

Corporate backers are rapidly abandoning London’s upcoming Wireless Festival amid growing outrage over the decision to book Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, for a massive three-day headline slot.

On Sunday, beverage heavyweight Pepsi officially severed ties with the music event, ending a nearly decade-long run of the event being billed as «Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless.» While Pepsi abstained from mentioning Ye by name, their departure followed intense public scrutiny.

Within hours, Diageo, the global spirits distributor behind Captain Morgan and Johnnie Walker, also pulled its sponsorship. Both corporations had been facing mounting digital pressure from critics...

In Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the local Catholic community gathers at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for a joyous Easter Mass.

The service traditionally begins with the blessing of the Paschal candle, which serves as a poignant symbol of the light of Christ. Throughout the liturgy, biblical passages are read aloud, prayers and traditional church hymns echo through the nave, and the clergy joyfully proclaim the resurrection of Christ.

Affectionately known by many locals as the “Polish Church”, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a magnificent neo-Gothic building with a rich history.

As one of the...

NASA’s Artemis II crew encountered technical problems with the Orion spacecraft’s toilet system during their lunar test flight, despite the mission otherwise proceeding without major complications.

The capsule, built by Lockheed Martin, is equipped with a Universal Waste Management System similar to the one used on the International Space Station. However, the system has proven difficult to operate consistently in microgravity.

Shortly after reaching space, the toilet signalled a fault. Mission specialist Christina Koch helped restore functionality with assistance from Mission Control, with the issue traced to a pump that required additional water to operate properly.

The system relies...

Controversial internet personalities Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate have reportedly travelled to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, according to a recent social media update shared by the older brother.

In a post shared to his 10.9 mln followers on X (formerly Twitter), Andrew Tate is seen standing outside a building in the Uzbek capital alongside his brother, Tristan, and a small entourage. The brothers appear to be wearing traditional heavily embroidered Uzbek chapan coats, which are often gifted as a sign of honour and respect to visitors.

Tate captioned the photograph: “A very warm welcome into Tashkent Uzbekistan...

Uzbekistan will launch the U10 Flagship Global Universities programme, designed to elevate the country’s top higher education institutions. The initiative was presented to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev as part of broader reforms in higher education, science and innovation.

Selection and funding of top universities

Under the programme, ten leading universities will be chosen through a competitive process and granted the status of national research universities. Each selected institution may receive up to 150 bn soums ($12.3 mln) in state funding to develop scientific infrastructure and establish research clusters.

These clusters will involve not only local institutions but also...

Centrum Air has introduced revised fuel surcharges on a number of international routes, citing a sharp rise in global aviation fuel prices.

The airline said the changes apply only to routes most affected by increased fuel costs and are designed to help manage growing operational expenses.

Centrum Air noted that base ticket prices will remain competitive, with the surcharge adjustments applied selectively rather than across its entire network. The carrier added that it is continuing efforts to optimise costs and reduce the impact on passengers.

According to the airline, the move will support stable scheduling, maintain high safety standards and...

Neymar Jr. has found himself at the centre of a fierce backlash following Santos’ recent 2-0 victory over Remo in the Campeonato Brasileiro. What should have been a celebration of his standout performance quickly turned sour when the forward made a highly controversial and sexist post-match comment about the match referee.

Although Neymar was instrumental in ending Santos’ month-long winless streak by providing a brilliant assist and dictating the tempo of the game, tensions boiled over in the closing stages. The Brazilian reacted angrily to a heavy tackle from Remo’s Diego Hernandez in the 85th minute, leading to an...

Eight people were killed and a child injured when a house collapsed in Kabul on Friday following an earthquake in Afghanistan, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences said a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region at a depth of about 177 km. Tremors were reported in Kabul, Islamabad and New Delhi, according to witnesses.

The quake was also felt across Uzbekistan. Seismic intensity reached around three on the scale in Surkhandarya, while several regions including Fergana, Syrdarya, Jizzakh and Samarkand recorded between two and three. In Tashkent, tremors of...

The American space agency has released a stunning collection of high-definition photographs of our planet, snapped by the astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission as they approach the halfway mark of their lunar voyage.

These spectacular pictures were captured by Commander Reid Wiseman shortly after the Orion capsule executed a crucial engine burn to lock in its path towards the Moon. According to official tracking data, the vessel sat roughly 142,000 miles away from Earth and 132,000 miles from the lunar surface at approximately 07:00 BST.

A spectacular new perspective

Among the newly published catalogue is a striking...

While the F1 calendar takes a brief pause in April, Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll are swapping their open-wheel challengers for high-performance GT machinery to keep their racing instincts sharp (or just to race on real engines).

If you are wondering when and where you can catch them behind the wheel during the F1 hiatus, here is exactly what to expect this month:

Lance Stroll takes on Paul Ricard

Before returning to his usual Formula 1 duties, Lance Stroll is...

Netflix has officially offered fans a sneak peek at the highly anticipated television follow-up to Peaky Blinders. It is confirmed that Jamie Bell is starring as Duke Shelby, the formidable son of Cillian Murphy’s legendary protagonist Thomas Shelby.

The cast shake-up

The character of Duke was recently brought to life by Barry Keoghan in the feature film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. However, Bell will now permanently step into the shoes of the Shelby heir for the duration of this new television programme.

Charlie Heaton was announced as the series co-lead. The duo will be supported by a...

Gennaro Gattuso has officially stepped down as the manager of the Italian national football team after a catastrophic qualification failure.

The departure comes in the wake of a bitter 4-1 penalty shootout defeat against Bosnia-Herzegovina in a crucial Tuesday play-off, a result that permanently extinguished Italy’s hopes of reaching this summer’s tournament.

A historic low for Italian football

This latest setback solidifies a remarkably bleak era for the Azzurri. As four-time world champions, Italy’s failure to qualify for a third successive World Cup is an unprecedented collapse for a nation of such historic footballing stature. Astonishingly, the team...

The Trump administration has formally requested a $152 mln budget allocation to reactivate the infamous Alcatraz prison.

Earmarked within the proposed financial plan for the 2027 fiscal year, this funding aims to transform the historic San Francisco Bay tourist attraction back into a modern maximum-security compound.

While the budget still requires congressional approval, the initial capital would enable the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin overhauling the island’s infrastructure.

This fiscal request builds upon a directive Donald Trump issued last year when he ordered the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Prisons and several other federal agencies to formulate...

Iran has vowed retaliation after a deadly airstrike destroyed a major bridge near Tehran, marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing conflict with the United States.

The strike targeted the B1 bridge in Karaj, a key infrastructure project, killing at least eight people and injuring around 95 others, according to Iranian officials.

Footage circulating online showed a large explosion tearing through the structure, which had been due to open later this year. The attack is seen as one of the most significant hits on civilian infrastructure since the conflict began.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the strike was...