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The United States and Iran have failed to reach an agreement following marathon negotiations in Islamabad, marking a setback in efforts to end the ongoing Middle East conflict.

After 21 hours of talks, JD Vance said Washington had presented its «final and best offer» but had not received the key assurance it sought from Tehran — a commitment to abandon nuclear weapons development.

«We leave here with a very simple proposal… We’ll see if the Iranians accept it,» Vance told reporters, adding that discussions would continue as the US gives Iran time to respond.

British actor John Nolan, known for his roles in blockbuster films and television, has died at the age of 87, his family has confirmed.

Nolan, who appeared in major productions including Dunkirk and the Batman trilogy, passed away on April 11. His widow, Kim Hartman, paid tribute to him as «a free spirit» and «the kindest person I ever knew,» praising his intelligence, wit and devotion to family.

Born in 1938, Nolan enjoyed a long and varied career as an actor, director and lecturer. He was also the uncle of acclaimed filmmakers Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, with...

The United States and Iran have concluded their first round of direct talks in more than a decade, pledging to continue negotiations despite major unresolved issues. The 14-hour meeting, held in Islamabad, marks the highest-level contact between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The discussions come against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire following a six-week conflict and rising global oil prices. Both sides signalled cautious optimism, agreeing to pursue further dialogue on key disputes, including regional security and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Strait of Hormuz at centre of dispute

A central issue...

The Irish government has convened an emergency Cabinet meeting as it prepares to approve a package of measures aimed at ending nationwide protests over soaring fuel costs.

The demonstrations, led by hauliers, farmers and agricultural workers, have entered a sixth day, severely disrupting fuel distribution. Protesters staged coordinated actions including slow-moving convoys, motorway blockages and the shutdown of key infrastructure such as oil depots and Ireland’s only refinery at Whitegate in County Cork.

Police from An Garda Siochana have intensified enforcement, clearing several blockades in Dublin, Cork and Galway. Clashes were reported at Whitegate, where officers used pepper...

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has officially backed the “Clean Air” initiative proposed by his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev. According to the Akorda presidential press service Tokayev has suggested merging their environmental efforts to tackle the region’s growing ecological crisis together.

During their recent talks Tokayev highlighted that severe air pollution is a pressing issue that extends far beyond Tashkent. He pointed out that major Kazakh urban centres are also suffering with Almaty recently ranking among the most polluted cities in the world. The Kazakh leader stressed that the implementation of urgent environmental measures can no longer be delayed.

To...

The presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have held a strategic meeting in Bukhara to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation and launching new joint ventures. Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev used the regional summit to outline ambitious economic targets and explore emerging high-tech sectors.

Opening the formal talks Mirziyoyev congratulated his Kazakh counterpart on the successful constitutional referendum. Both leaders praised the format of regular regional meetings as a highly effective platform for addressing key bilateral issues.

Economic ties took centre stage during the negotiations. Trade turnover between the two Central Asian nations reached $5 bn last year and the presidents...

Lance Stroll has admitted that Aston Martin’s woeful start to the 2026 Formula 1 season is not solely down to engine unreliability but also stems from flaws in Adrian Newey’s highly anticipated chassis design, RacingNews365 reports.

The Canadian driver has endured a miserable opening three rounds to the championship. He has yet to see a conventional chequered flag this year having suffered consecutive retirements in China and Japan.

His Australian Grand Prix was equally disastrous where a mid-race stoppage resulted in a rare ‘not classified’ finish, eventually crossing the line a staggering 15 laps behind race winner George Russell.

Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is reportedly still recovering from devastating facial and leg injuries sustained during the initial airstrikes that killed his father, Reuters reports.

Despite being physically disfigured in the bombing of the supreme leader’s compound in central Tehran the 56-year-old remains mentally sharp. Sources close to his inner circle revealed to Reuters that he continues to participate in high-level meetings via audio link and is actively guiding critical state decisions.

This includes steering Iran through its most perilous period in recent history as high-stakes peace negotiations with the United States commence in the Pakistani...

Jimmy Kimmel used his late-night platform to mercilessly mock Donald Trump after a controversial photograph featuring First Lady Melania Trump and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein resurfaced, Variety reports.

During his opening monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live! the comedian delighted in dissecting the image. The photo reportedly shows the First Lady posing alongside the late billionaire at a high-society event years prior to her husband’s return to the Oval Office as the 47th U.S. president.

Kimmel was quick to highlight the awkward timing of the photo’s reappearance and did not hold back in his assessment of the administration’s likely reaction...

An attack at a popular recreational area in western Afghanistan has left several civilians dead after unidentified gunmen opened fire on Friday afternoon, BBC reports.

Reports regarding the exact number of casualties in Herat province’s Enjil district currently remain conflicting. While a spokesperson for the Taliban interior ministry stated that seven individuals lost their lives, a provincial official recorded four fatalities. However a medical professional working at a regional hospital told the BBC that the death toll was significantly higher with 12 killed and another 12 injured.

At present no militant organisation has stepped forward to claim responsibility for...

San Francisco police have arrested a 20-year-old man suspected of hurling a Molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and issuing threats outside the artificial intelligence firm’s headquarters, Reuters reports.

According to a statement released on X by the San Francisco Police Department, an unidentified male threw an incendiary device at a property in the North Beach neighbourhood at 4:12 am before fleeing the scene on foot. Officers detained the young suspect approximately an hour later following reports of a man threatening to set fire to another building.

Investigators examining the aftermath of the blaze...

The four astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft have safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, marking the triumphant conclusion of the historic 10-day Artemis II mission, NASA reports.

Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen touched down off the coast of San Diego on Friday night following an extraordinary flyby of the moon. The landmark journey represented the first time humans had ventured beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

A fiery descent and successful recovery

The return journey culminated in a crucial test...

The global pop phenomenon KATSEYE has officially left its mark on the Californian desert, the Variety reports.

Taking to the stage at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival the HYBE and Geffen Records girl group delivered a breathtaking performance that seamlessly blended high-octane choreography, soaring vocals and an ambitious “demon hunters” fantasy narrative.

Since their formation the international sextet has consistently pushed the boundaries of what a global girl group can achieve. However their Coachella debut elevated their artistry to an entirely new level. Transforming the festival stage into a cinematic battleground the members embraced their latest...

Uzbekistan Airports has relisted a commercial lot on the E-auksion electronic platform offering space to establish a new coffee shop at Tashkent International Airport.

The 95-square-metre area is located on the second floor of the international arrivals hall. To participate in the bidding process potential tenants must meet strict criteria. Candidates are required to have a minimum of three years of experience in the catering sector and currently manage at least three active locations within the city.

The starting price for the premises is set at 300,000 soums ($25) per square metre. According to the standard terms of the...

China and several Central Asian countries are facing growing difficulties in containing an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), raising concerns over livestock losses and regional trade disruptions.

The outbreak has been reported in northwestern China, particularly in Xinjiang and Gansu provinces, where authorities confirmed infections in cattle and introduced emergency measures including culling, transport restrictions and accelerated vaccination campaigns.

Officials say the disease, including the fast-spreading SAT-1 strain, poses a serious threat due to its high transmissibility and limited effectiveness of existing vaccines, complicating containment efforts.

The situation is further complicated by cross-border livestock movement across Central Asia...

Uzbekistan is expected to maintain its budget deficit below 3% of gross domestic product (GDP), according to projections by the Asian Development Bank.

The outlook reflects the country’s ongoing fiscal consolidation efforts and broader economic reforms aimed at strengthening macroeconomic stability.

Analysts note that Uzbekistan’s economic trajectory remains stable, supported by structural reforms and prudent fiscal management, though external pressures and fiscal risks persist.

The forecast underscores the government’s commitment to maintaining sustainable public finances while continuing to attract investment and support long-term growth.

From economics and politics to business, technology and culture, Kursiv Uzbekistan brings you...

A delegation from the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) held talks with Uzbek diplomats to expand cooperation in the textile sector and strengthen bilateral trade ties.

The meeting, held at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Islamabad, brought together PHMA representatives and Uzbek officials, including Ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev, to explore new opportunities in value-added textiles.

Discussions focused on increasing trade in hosiery, garments and other textile products, while also promoting joint ventures and closer business-to-business links between the two countries.

The Pakistani side highlighted its manufacturing capacity and export expertise, expressing interest in accessing Uzbekistan’s market and...

Reality television star Kim Kardashian completed a sprawling 11,000-mile round trip to spend just 24 hours in London with her Formula One driver boyfriend Lewis Hamilton, The Sun reports.

The 45-year-old mother of four touched down in the UK on her private jet on Tuesday in an effort to maintain their long-distance relationship. After departing Los Angeles on Monday evening she landed at Hampshire’s Farnborough Airport at 4 pm before taking a 90-minute chauffeur-driven ride to Hamilton’s £18 mln residence in Kensington.

The high-profile couple remained inside his luxurious six-bedroom West London mansion under the watchful eye of their...

Jos Verstappen has publicly addressed the surprising revelation that Gianpiero Lambiase is set to depart Red Bull for a rival team.

Lambiase has been Max Verstappen‘s trusted race engineer ever since the Dutch driver arrived at the Milton Keynes outfit early in the 2016 campaign. Over the years they have forged a formidable working relationship and built one of the most dominant partnerships in Formula One history.

Despite their immense success Red Bull recently confirmed that Lambiase will leave the team in 2028 to take up a new role as chief racing officer at McLaren.

Speaking to RaceXpress, Jos...

Construction of a 650-MW combined-cycle gas turbine is underway at the Navoi Thermal Power Plant with the participation of Japan’s Mitsubishi, the press service of Uzbekistan’s Energy Ministry reports.

The new equipment will generate up to 4.8 bn kWh of electricity and about 200 gigacalories of heat energy annually. This will allow the plant to significantly reduce its natural gas consumption by approximately 870 mln cubic metres per year.

The large-scale project involves constructing administrative buildings and installing key hardware, including gas and steam turbines, generators, a heat recovery steam generator, a cooling tower and other infrastructure facilities. The...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) anticipates robust economic performance for Uzbekistan in the coming years, forecasting steady growth and a significant drop in inflation despite growing geopolitical tensions across the globe.

According to the latest Asian Development Outlook for April 2026, Uzbekistan’s gross domestic product is projected to grow by 6.7% in 2026 and accelerate slightly to 6.8% in 2027.

This follows an estimated growth of 7.7% in 2025. Meanwhile, inflation in the country is expected to continue its downward trajectory. Following an estimated 7.3% in 2025, inflation is forecast to fall to 6.5% in 2026 and further decrease...

The highly anticipated wedding details for Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce have finally emerged following their engagement last August, The Sun reports.

While widespread rumours suggested the couple was eyeing a $32 mln Rhode Island mansion for a fairytale ceremony, they have reportedly opted for a different setting.

According to Page Six, “save the date” cards have been sent to guests, confirming the A-list duo will marry in New York City on July 3.

The pop star has strong ties to the Big Apple, having combined two adjacent Tribeca penthouses into a sprawling apartment...

Following a wave of criticism from the grid, Formula One’s governing body has confirmed a “constructive dialogue on difficult topics” took place during a Thursday summit in London. The meeting brought together technical experts from the FIA, competing teams and power unit manufacturers to evaluate potential tweaks to the controversial 2026 regulations.

While the opening rounds of the new regulatory era have successfully delivered closer racing through high-speed corners, the heavily revised power units have drawn intense scrutiny. Acknowledging the problem, the FIA released a statement confirming that all stakeholders have committed to refining the energy management regulations.

Following the death of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne last year, the historic Los Angeles estate he shared with his wife Sharon has returned to the property market with a $17 mln price tag.

Property records show the couple purchased the 1920s Hancock Park residence for $11.85 mln in 2015. They had previously considered selling the home prior to the Black Sabbath frontman’s passing, initially listing it for $18 mln in July 2022.

The asking price was later reduced to $17.5 mln before the property was withdrawn from the market entirely.

At that time, the couple were weighing up a...