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Swiss commodity trader Gunvor announced on November 6, that it has withdrawn its offer to acquire the foreign assets of Russian energy giant Lukoil, following opposition from the US Treasury. The agency described Gunvor as a «puppet» of Russia and signalled Washington would not approve the transaction.

The withdrawal cancels what would have been Gunvor’s largest-ever acquisition and highlights the US government’s use of sanctions to restrict Russian revenues, which support the war in Ukraine.

The Treasury posted on X that President Donald Trump «has been clear that the war must end immediately. As...

Swiss trading firm Gunvor is considering purchasing Russian energy group Lukoil’s foreign assets, the company’s largest potential acquisition, but bankers and industry insiders say the deal far exceeds Gunvor’s financial capacity.

Lukoil began marketing its foreign holdings on October 27 following new US and UK sanctions and entered preliminary talks with Gunvor three days later. The Russian firm is approximately three times the size of Gunvor by equity and owns a vast international portfolio, including refineries in Europe, stakes in oilfields in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, and Mexico, plus hundreds of fuel stations worldwide.

Its Vienna-based subsidiary, Lukoil...

Uzbekistan and the United States have agreed to launch a business mission from Montana, following discussions between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and US Senator Steve Daines, who represents the state.

The talks, held on November 5 in Washington, focused on expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment. Mirziyoyev highlighted that relations between Tashkent and Washington are now at a high level, with trade volumes increasing and new joint projects being developed with major American firms. Recent months have seen record-breaking agreements signed, and additional economic deals are expected during the ongoing visit.

The Uzbek president also emphasised the...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the C5+1 summit of Central Asian leaders and the United States, held at the White House. The event also brought together the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

During the meeting, Mirziyoyev presented several proposals aimed at strengthening cooperation. One of his key ideas was the establishment of a dedicated Secretariat for the C5+1 format. He also called for the creation of a Coordinating Investment Council and the launch of a regional investment fund.

Among other initiatives, the President encouraged closer collaboration with the United States on major transport, communications and energy...

US President Donald Trump has announced a major trade and economic agreement with Uzbekistan valued at $135 bn, calling the deal «incredible».

In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said:

«Over the next three years, Uzbekistan will be purchasing and investing almost $35 Billion Dollars and, in the next 10 years, over $100 Billion Dollars, in key American Sectors, including Critical Minerals, Aviation, Automotive Parts, Infrastructure, Agriculture, Energy & Chemicals, Information Technology, and others.»

The partnership will support increased cooperation across agriculture, IT, the chemical industry and the energy sector. Trump also...

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov represented the country at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Mammadov participated in the election of UNESCO’s new Director-General, in which Khaled El-Enany of Egypt was chosen by majority vote.

During his visit, the deputy minister met with Khondker Mohammad Talha, Chair of the General Conference, and Vera El Khoury Lacoeuilhe, Chair of the Executive Board.

Talks focused on Azerbaijan’s active role and contributions within UNESCO, as well as ways to expand future cooperation in culture, education, and heritage preservation.

Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding business and investment ties during a meeting between Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, and Lord John Alderdice, the UK’s Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan and Central Asia.

Hajiyev said the talks focused on deepening the countries’ strategic partnership and identifying new areas for cooperation, including artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and connectivity.

«Glad to meet today Lord Alderdice, UK trade envoy on Azerbaijan and Central Asia. We had a great conversation on how we can further extend our bilateral trade, business, and investment...

U.S. President Donald Trump is hosting the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan at the White House as Washington looks to secure alternative sources of rare earth metals vital for high-tech industries.

The C5+1 Leaders’ Summit, marking its 10th anniversary, comes as the U.S. seeks to reduce dependence on China, which controls nearly 90 percent of global rare earth processing. The meeting follows a temporary easing of trade tensions between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, after Beijing postponed new export restrictions by one year.

Central Asia, home to vast rare earth and uranium reserves, is seen...

Uzbekistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry and China’s Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group (SCG) have agreed to expand cooperation in infrastructure and construction, focusing on energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable projects.

At talks in Tashkent, Chamber Chairman Davron Vakhobov and Nodir Khodjamov, Deputy Chairman of Uzsuvta’minot, met with SCG representatives to discuss future investment initiatives. The discussions centred on wastewater treatment facilities in the Yukori-Chirchik district of Tashkent region and the Pakhtaabad district of Andijan region, with planned capacities of 50,000 and 25,000 cubic metres respectively.

The projects, to be carried out under public–private partnership (PPP) models, will have financing and...

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev unveiled new global initiatives on poverty reduction, education and migrant protection at the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, presenting his country’s model for a «fairer and more dignified future.»

Mirziyoyev proposed creating a Global Social Justice Fund to help developing nations tackle poverty, and announced Uzbekistan’s readiness to host international summits on hunger, poverty and migrant rights.

He noted that Uzbekistan’s social reforms have already reduced poverty from 35% to 6.6%, with every household now covered under a new social protection model that begins at the mahalla (community) level.

The president also...

Uzbekistan and Türkiye are discussing new steps to simplify legal labour migration, including an electronic work visa system for Uzbek nationals and a joint database to track irregular migrants.

Talks in Ankara focused on strengthening cooperation in employment, data sharing and migration management. Deputy Interior Minister Mehmet Aktas met the Uzbek delegation to review proposals that would let Uzbeks already in Turkiye under other visas apply for work permits without leaving the country.

Turkish employers in Antalya expressed interest in hiring up to 1,000 Uzbek seasonal workers for hotel jobs through the state employment agency Ozel İstihdam Burosu. The...

The National Bank of Kazakhstan and global payments giant Visa have signed a memorandum of understanding on digital financial cooperation, marking the first agreement concluded under the framework of the upcoming C5+1 Leaders’ Summit and Business Conference in Washington.

The memorandum, signed by Deputy Chairman Akylzhan Baimagambetov and Visa’s Senior Vice President Robert Thomson, aims to strengthen Kazakhstan’s digital finance ecosystem, expand payment technologies, and enhance cybersecurity and fraud prevention.

Baimagambetov said the partnership would include creating a competence centre at the National Payment Corporation to test innovative solutions and promote biometric identification in banking.

Thomson called the deal...

During his visit to Washington, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held discussions with members of the US Congress, including Bill Huizenga, Carol Miller and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, according to the presidential press service.

The meeting focused on further strengthening cooperation between Tashkent and Washington, as well as expanding inter-parliamentary dialogue. Both sides highlighted the growing links between the legislative bodies of Uzbekistan and the United States, noting the effective work of the Congressional Caucus on Uzbekistan.

Special attention was given to advancing cooperation with the states of West Virginia, Michigan and California.

The press service reported that the two sides agreed...

A businessman who funded his divorce through an elaborate property scam after his wife left him for Cesc Fabregas has now been ordered to repay £1.3 mln.

Elie Taktouk married Lebanese model Daniella Semaan in 1998, but the relationship ended 13 years later when she began a romance with the former Arsenal midfielder. The separation led to a bitter legal dispute, during which Taktouk lost the couple’s £5.5 mln Belgravia home to Semaan and her new partner.

Fraud Conviction and Confiscation Orders

Taktouk, now 50, was jailed for seven years in 2021 after being convicted of a multi-million...

PDC darts sensation Luke Littler has topped a nationwide poll to be named the world’s sexiest sportsman, beating stars including Tyson Fury, Lando Norris and Carlos Alcaraz.

The survey, conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, asked over 2,000 women across the UK to vote for their ideal sportsman. The 18-year-old from Warrington, known for his love of kebabs, pints and darts, won for his «confidence, authenticity, and approachability.»

A spokesperson for the site said the result marked «a victory for real men everywhere,» adding: «Women are over the airbrushed look. Luke Littler is the anti-supermodel sportsman – a working-class hero with a...

In October, the average inflation expectation among Uzbek residents fell slightly to 11.7%, down 0.3% points from September, the Central Bank reports. The median expectation remained at 10.3%.

The highest anticipated inflation was recorded in Tashkent at 14.5%, followed by Tashkent region at 12.6% and Kashkadarya at 12.2%. Lowest forecasts were in Fergana at 10.4%, Andijan at 10.5% and Namangan at 10.6%.

Sector and Demographic Expectations

Residents expect the strongest price rises in household services (13.4%), trade (12.6%) and tourism services (12.4%). Pensioners were the most optimistic group with expectations at 10%, followed by healthcare workers at...

A French man deliberately drove his car into pedestrians and cyclists on Oleron Island off the Atlantic coast on November 5, injuring five people, officials said. Witnesses reported that the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” when arrested by police.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the motive for the attack on the quiet island, popular with summer tourists, remains unknown. The suspect, 35, is not on any radicalisation watchlist.

«This morning, starting at 8:40, an individual driving his vehicle went on a journey during which he deliberately hit several people on bicycles or on foot,» Nunez said...

Controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee has been remanded in custody as police investigate the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh, found in a hotel bathtub in Kuala Lumpur two weeks ago.

Police reported that Namewee, 42, was the last person seen with 31-year-old Hsieh, who had been in Malaysia to discuss a commercial video Namewee was set to direct, according to her social media manager.

Murder Investigation Underway

Authorities have reclassified Hsieh’s death from «sudden death» to murder. Namewee, who previously faced charges of illegal drug use and possession and was granted bail, has turned himself in to assist...

Uzbekistan has concluded negotiations with Canada and Panama on joining the World Trade Organization, according to Azizbek Urunov, the country’s presidential representative to the WTO.

Urunov added that discussions remain with three additional countries, though he did not disclose which ones. Earlier this year, Uzbekistan completed negotiations on joining an international financial organisation with the European Union in October, and with Argentina, Australia and Honduras in September.

In late September, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stated that Uzbekistan was close to completing the accession process and suggested the country could formally join the organisation by spring 2026.

Uzbekistan plans to build a 300 MW energy storage system in the Navoi region, the Ministry of Energy announced. The agreement with Abu Dhabi-based company Masdar was signed at the ADIPEC 2025 international forum in the UAE.

The project is designed to enhance the stability of Uzbekistan’s power system and develop infrastructure for storing renewable energy. A similar agreement was also signed with AMEA Power at the forum, under which the company will construct a 200 MW energy facility.

The Ministry of Energy added that during the Abu Dhabi meetings, the Uzbek delegation discussed current renewable energy projects and...

Netflix and Sony have confirmed plans for a new animated KPop Demon Hunters movie, with the musical sequel scheduled for release in 2029, according to Bloomberg. The extended timeline reflects the lengthy production process typical for animated films, though dates may shift depending on progress.

The original film, developed and produced by Sony Pictures Animation, follows a fictional K-pop girl group that battles demons through their music. Released directly on Netflix under Sony’s licensing agreement, it became the streaming platform’s most-watched movie to date. Several tracks from the film, including «Golden,» «Your Idol» and «Soda Pop,» have charted

Saint Laurent has been crowned the hottest fashion brand in the world for the first time, according to the Lyst Index covering July to September 2025. The Kering-owned label rose to the top of the rankings, displacing Miu Miu, which had held a consistent lead over previous quarters and now moves into second place.

Market Shifts Reflect a Season of Change

The new rankings highlight a season of notable repositioning across the industry. Cos made one of the most significant moves, rising four places to secure third, while Loewe fell from second to eighth. The Row and Coach...

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that he intends to visit Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries in 2026, signalling a renewed diplomatic focus on the region. Speaking ahead of the upcoming C5+1 summit in Washington, Rubio said the visit would likely span a week or longer, covering all five nations.

«I personally intend to visit in the coming year as well. And all five. So I know it’ll probably be a week-long or longer trip. So we’ve got to work on that and make that happen together,» he told delegates.

At a formal reception opening this year’s C5+1 summit in Washington, Senator Jim Risch used his remarks to signal what he called the start of a «new and exciting era» in US relations with Central Asia. Addressing foreign ministers and representatives from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, the Senator announced he had joined with Senator Steve Daines to introduce new legislation aimed at removing outdated trade barriers.

Repealing a Cold War Legacy

The bill focuses on repealing the Jackson–Vanik amendment, a Cold War-era measure originally designed to pressure the Soviet Union over the emigration of...