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Hong Kong’s High Court began a landmark national security trial on January 22 involving three former leaders of the now disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The group organised annual vigils commemorating Beijing’s 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square.

The public commemorations, once legal in Hong Kong, were widely seen as a symbol of the city’s relative freedoms compared with mainland China.

«Justice resides in the hearts of the people, and history will bear witness,» said Tang Ngok-kwan, a former senior member of the group, as he...

Uzbekistan’s energy system recorded a winter peak load of 13 gigawatts (GW) on January 20 at 17:42, the Ministry of Energy said. The figure is 500 megawatts (MW) higher than the previous winter record of 12.5 GW set last year.

The increase in demand was linked to cold weather and higher electricity use during evening hours, mainly for heating and household needs.

The ministry said the energy system was operating normally and that specialists were monitoring the situation closely.

Kursiv also reports that in 2025, Uzbekistan fully renovated 787 km of main power transmission lines.

Firefighters in Karachi recovered the bodies of as many as 25 people from the wreckage of a shopping mall fire on January 21, raising the death toll to about 50. The blaze, the largest the port city has seen in more than a decade, erupted late on January 17 and quickly engulfed the vast Gul Plaza shopping complex.

Gul Plaza was known for its 1,200 family-owned shops selling wedding clothes, toys, crockery and other items. Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso told reporters that authorities had found between 20 and 25 bodies, which had been taken to a hospital for...

Taylor Swift will become the second youngest songwriter ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at age 36. The pop star will join the likes of Stevie Wonder, who was 33 when he was inducted in 1983.

Swift will be inducted alongside Alanis Morissette, Kenny Loggins, and Kiss band members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. The ceremony is set for June 11 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, the organisation said on CBS Mornings.

«They’ve literally written the soundtrack to our lives. The songs we dance to, cry to and rock...

U.S. President Donald Trump stepped back from threats to impose tariffs on Europe, Reuters reports. He said a deal was in sight to resolve the dispute over Greenland.

Speaking in Davos, Switzerland, Trump ruled out the use of force and said allies could agree on a plan that meets U.S. security needs and blocks Russian and Chinese influence.

«It’s a deal that everybody’s very happy with,» Trump said. «It’s a long-term deal. It’s the ultimate long-term deal.»

After meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said the issue of Greenland’s status within Denmark did...

Netflix confirmed the release date for season 8 of its Formula 1 documentary series, Drive to Survive, with the new episodes arriving on the streaming platform on February 27.

The latest instalment will follow the 2025 F1 season, offering viewers a behind-the-scenes look at a campaign that delivered drama both on and off the track.

The fight for the Drivers’ Championship shifted throughout the year, with Oscar Piastri emerging as an early front-runner before Max Verstappen staged a strong comeback in the second half of the season. While Piastri endured a difficult spell, his McLaren team mate Lando...

A charter flight carrying Uzbek citizens deported from the United States arrived in Tashkent on the evening of January 21, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Akhror Burkhanov said 44 people who had been residing illegally in the United States were returned to Uzbekistan. He noted that the flight was organised jointly with relevant U.S. agencies to ensure the safe and timely return of Uzbek nationals.

«Cooperation on ensuring the safety of our citizens abroad, protecting their legal rights and returning them home is continuing,» Burkhanov said.

According to aviation tracking services, the...

A Moscow military court sentenced Ahmadjon Kurbonov, a citizen of Uzbekistan, to life imprisonment for carrying out a terrorist attack in 2024.

The ruling was handed down by the Second Western District Military Court. Kurbonov pleaded guilty to the attack, which killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops. He was also fined 1 mln roubles (about $12,900).

Investigators said Kurbonov acted on instructions from Ukraine’s Security Service. According to the prosecution, he placed an electric scooter fitted with a remotely controlled explosive near the general’s residence and livestreamed the operation to Ukraine...

In an exclusive interview with Kursiv Uzbekistan, the young grandmaster spoke about his emotions ahead of the Candidates Tournament, his plans for the future, and key games against the world’s strongest players.

— You won the World Cup in India and became the youngest champion in history. How did you maintain a psychological edge in the final against Wei Yi?

— Honestly, the tournament was extremely difficult and the opponents were very strong. But I came into the competition in excellent form, so I tried to stay calm and play my best chess until the very end.

In the...

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has said Elon Musk would be blocked from taking over the airline because EU rules prevent non-European citizens from owning a majority stake in European carriers. O’Leary made the remarks after Musk suggested buying Ryanair following a public spat between the two executives.

While ruling out a takeover, O’Leary said Musk would be welcome to invest in the company, adding that Ryanair would be «a very good investment.» The exchange follows criticism by O’Leary of Musk’s Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi system, which he said was too costly and could increase fuel consumption.

The...

The European Parliament has formally suspended the ratification of a U.S.–EU trade deal in response to President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 10% tariffs on EU exports unless the bloc agrees to his demand to take control of Greenland. The move marks the EU’s strongest response so far to what several European leaders have described as political blackmail.

Bernd Lange, chair of the parliament’s trade committee, said there could be no compromise on ratification while the threats remain, although the EU’s separate commitment to purchase $750 bn in US energy would stand. The decision comes amid worsening transatlantic...

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has warned that artificial intelligence could move «too fast for society» and risk civil unrest unless governments and businesses work together to support displaced workers. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Dimon said AI would deliver major benefits, from productivity gains to medical breakthroughs, but argued its rollout may need to be phased in to avoid social disruption.

Dimon said JPMorgan is likely to have fewer employees within five years as AI adoption accelerates, and urged policymakers to expand retraining, wage support and relocation programmes, citing U.S. truck drivers as a...

Manchester City’s captains have paid nearly £10,000 to refund ticket costs for all 374 supporters who travelled to Norway for the club’s Champions League match against Bodo/Glimt. Hundreds of fans made the long journey to the Arctic Circle only to witness a disappointing 3–1 defeat, a result that leaves City at risk of slipping into the competition’s play-off places.

Captains Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland and Rodri agreed collectively to reimburse supporters, calling it a small gesture in recognition of the sacrifice fans make when following the team. City now face a crucial run of fixtures, including...

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would not use force in his bid to control Greenland, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, but insisted that no other country could secure the autonomous Danish territory.

The comments prompted a mix of relief and concern among political leaders and analysts in attendance. California Governor Gavin Newsom dismissed the speech as «insignificant» and warned it had unnerved markets and allies, while former U.S. vice president Al Gore said Trump was dangerously undermining alliances.

Others, including Brookings expert Philip Gordon, said there was a «big sigh...

Newly unsealed court documents have revealed that a senior Sony Pictures executive referred to Blake Lively as a «f***ing terrorist» during the troubled production of It Ends With Us, as the actor’s legal battle with co-star and director Justin Baldoni moves closer to trial. In a September deposition, Sony executive Andrea Giannetti testified that the remark was made amid concerns Lively would walk off the film unless a list of demands was met, with the studio having already invested about $28 mln in the project.

Giannetti described the set as chaotic, citing ongoing conflicts between Lively and...

Australia’s opposition leader Sussan Ley has accepted the resignations of three Nationals MPs from the shadow cabinet after they broke ranks to vote against the government’s new hate speech laws. Bridget McKenzie, Susan McDonald and Ross Cadell will move to the backbench following the split, which has exposed growing tensions within the Coalition over the rushed passage and scope of the legislation.

The laws, passed by parliament this week, have been defended by the government as necessary to combat antisemitism, hate and extremism, but have drawn criticism from within the Coalition, the Greens and several community groups concerned...

Britain and China are preparing to relaunch high-level business dialogue as Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans a visit to Beijing next week, aiming to reset strained relations and revive what both sides once called a «golden era» of cooperation. According to sources cited by Reuters, the visit is expected to coincide with the revival of a UK–China business council involving senior executives from major British firms such as AstraZeneca, BP, HSBC and Rolls-Royce, alongside Chinese companies including Bank of China, China Mobile and BYD.

Starmer’s trip would be the first by a British prime minister since 2018 and...

Lucasfilm has reportedly cancelled two planned Indiana Jones projects following the poor box office performance of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which is estimated to have cost Disney more than $130 mln in losses. According to The Wrap, the scrapped plans included an animated series set between the films and a live-action spin-off focused on Abner Ravenwood, Indiana Jones’s mentor and Marion Ravenwood’s father.

Despite the setbacks, the franchise is not being shelved entirely. Industry reports suggest Lucasfilm plans to let Indiana Jones rest before pursuing a full reboot with a new lead actor, potentially to...

Uzbekistan will suspend the collection of online loans from citizens who have been officially recognised as victims of fraud, according to a regulation by the Ministry of Justice.

Under the new rules, if fraudsters take out an online loan in someone else’s name and that person is formally declared a victim, the bank must temporarily stop charging interest and demanding repayment. The lender will be entitled to seek compensation from the individual who obtained the loan through fraud.

If an investigation or court later determines that no fraud took place, the bank will resume interest charges and repayment demands.

Police in Kazakhstan detained three fans of Belgium’s Club Brugge during a Champions League match against Kairat at Astana Arena, Tengri Sport reports.

Videos shared on social media after the game showed the fans changing into swimsuits resembling the outfit worn by the fictional character Borat, portrayed by actor Sacha Baron Cohen. The stunt appeared to be aimed at mocking the host country.

Astana police said the incident took place on January 20 and involved actions showing disrespect to others and disrupting public order. The three foreign fans were detained at the stadium and taken to a police station.

Uzbekistan’s gas production reached 42.3 bn cubic metres in 2025, up 2.4% from the previous year, the national statistics agency said.

However, condensate output fell, dropping from 1.18 mln tonnes to 1.11 mln tonnes over the same period.

Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov said the government aims to stop the decline in gas production this year by developing new fields. He added that new gas reserves were discovered in Karakalpakstan in 2025. As a result, Uzbekistan’s daily gas output increased by around 3 mln cubic metres.

In January, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed state oil and gas company Uzbekneftegaz to boost...

The Tashkent Republican Stock Exchange suspended trading in the shares of Ipoteka Bank and SQB from January 21, the exchange said. The halt affects ordinary shares of the two banks after an «anomalous» surge in prices between January 6 and January 19.

During that period, Ipoteka Bank shares jumped nearly 132.3%, while SQB shares rose 146.2%, the exchange statement said. The trading venue added that «additional information on this matter will be published through the exchange’s official channels.»

Last week, 24 of 29 highly liquid stocks rose in value, one stayed unchanged, and four fell. The UCI index...

Tetsuya Yamagami, who pleaded guilty to killing former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, was sentenced to life in prison on January 21. The 45-year-old shot Abe at a political rally in Nara, using a homemade gun.

Prosecutors argued Yamagami’s act was «grave» and deserved the harshest penalty. The case shocked Japan, where gun violence is rare, and sparked a national debate about the motive behind the killing.

Defence claims religious abuse, court unconvinced

Yamagami’s lawyers sought a reduced sentence, arguing he was a victim of «religious abuse» linked to the Unification Church. They said his mother’s...

Netflix announced an expanded partnership with Japanese studio MAPPA, known for hits such as Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen. The deal will see the companies collaborate on new anime projects from story development through to merchandising, with Netflix streaming the resulting titles exclusively worldwide.

MAPPA’s president and CEO Manabu Otsuka said, «Japanese animation studios must proactively lead every stage, from understanding global audience needs and developing projects, to reaching viewers and expanding related businesses. MAPPA is committed to deepening our collaboration with Netflix, aiming for a long-term, win-win partnership.»

Netflix’s...