News

Uzbekistan spent $360.5 mln on natural gas imports during the first quarter of 2026, according to a recent report published by the National Statistics Committee.

This figure represents a significant 2.2-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
As the country ramps up its foreign energy purchases, its overseas sales have simultaneously taken a substantial hit. The republic saw its gas export revenues plummet to just $36.7 mln over the year, down from a previous total of $94.3 mln.

Boosting domestic extraction

In response to the shifting energy landscape, domestic producers are stepping up their operations to secure...

A 45-year-old man is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today in connection with a suspected terrorist incident in north London. Essa Suleiman faces two charges of attempted murder and one charge of possessing a bladed article in a public space, Reuters reports.

The allegations stem from a violent assault in Golders Green on Wednesday that left two Jewish men requiring emergency medical care.

Detectives have also charged the Somali-born British citizen with a third count of attempted murder relating to an entirely separate incident that unfolded in south London earlier that same afternoon.

Victim update and...

South Korean entertainment powerhouse YG Entertainment will debut a brand new boy group this September. The act will feature five members and marks the agency’s first new male band in six years.

Yang Hyun-suk, the founder and executive producer of YG, confirmed the news in a video statement released on the company’s official blog on Thursday. While addressing the long-standing speculation surrounding the agency’s autumn plans, he stated:

“We’re planning to introduce the male group in September for now. The number of its members, which many people may be curious about, is five.”

Yang...

Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr have become involved in a tungsten mining project located in Kazakhstan. The development was first reported by the Financial Times, which cited its own unnamed sources.

According to the report, the brothers invested in a construction firm named Skyline Builders in August 2025. This entity subsequently acquired a 20% stake in Kaz Resources, a mining enterprise dedicated to the extraction of natural resources.

A spokesperson for Donald Trump Jr clarified his role to journalists, stating that his involvement is strictly limited to financial investment. The representative emphasised that the president’s eldest son is...

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has confirmed that the upcoming World Chess Championship match between challenger Javokhir Sindarov and defending champion Dommaraju Gukesh will take place from November 23 to December 17, 2026.

This contest is set to make history as the youngest battle for the global chess crown. Both grandmasters will be just 20 years old when the opening moves are played on the board.

FIDE is currently accepting bids from prospective countries and cities willing to stage the event. The governing body has stipulated that the host must provide a minimum prize fund of $2.5 mln.

The disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein used authentic tiles from an Uzbekistani mosque and tapestries from the Kaaba to decorate a bizarre building on his private Caribbean island of Little St James. According to an investigation by The New York Times (NYT), the billionaire conceived the idea to build a personal sanctuary while serving time in prison following his first conviction.

Before his release in 2009, Epstein began communicating with architects to design a traditional hammam (bathhouse) surrounded by an elaborate Islamic garden. By 2011, he was actively sourcing materials. The NYT reports that he emailed a contact in...

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has firmly stated that Iran will play their 2026 World Cup matches in the United States, Reuters reports.

His declaration came as the football governing body opened its latest Congress on Thursday without the Iranian delegation, a striking absence that highlighted the severe political tensions surrounding the upcoming tournament.

Infantino emphasised unity as the primary reason for his stance. He confirmed that Iran would definitely participate in the tournament and play on American soil, calling it a shared responsibility to bring people together.

U.S. President Donald Trump gave his blessing to the arrangement. Speaking to reporters...

Oscar-winning filmmaker Pavel Talankin has lost his Academy Award after U.S. airport security forced him to check the prized statuette into an aircraft’s hold, BBC reports.

The director, who won the Best Feature Documentary accolade for his film Mr Nobody Against Putin, was travelling from New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport to Germany on Wednesday. He initially packed the golden trophy in his hand luggage, but staff from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intervened and ruled that the heavy award could potentially be used as a weapon.

As the exiled Russian filmmaker did not have any hold...

Prosecutors in California have brought a criminal charge against pop icon Britney Spears following her arrest last month for suspected driving under the influence, BBC reports.

The 44-year-old singer currently faces a single misdemeanour count of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Authorities confirmed that Spears was apprehended on a Southern California motorway on March 4 after police spotted her driving her BMW erratically and at high speed.

On Thursday, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office officially filed the case against the recording artist.

Upcoming court date

Spears is scheduled for a court arraignment next Monday...

Helmut Marko has brushed off Max Verstappen‘s recent suggestions that his passion for Formula 1 might be fading, RN365 reports. Marko is entirely confident that the Dutch driver will rediscover his motivation as soon as the team transforms the struggling RB22 into a competitive machine.

The reigning four-time world champion has been highly critical of the new 2026 technical regulations. He recently described the sport’s current era as “anti-racing” and likened it to “Formula E on steroids” while openly hinting he might walk away from the grid at the end of the year.

This deep frustration has been...

The Czech manufacturing giant Škoda Transportation has secured a contract to supply 10 electric trains to the Uzbek national railway network.

According to the news portal Idnes.cz the agreement is valued at 3 bn Czech koruna or roughly $143.9 mln. First Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček praised the lucrative export arrangement by describing it as the “deal of the past two decades”.

The rail agreement was officially formalised during Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš‘s recent diplomatic tour of the republic. Speaking anonymously to Idnes.cz a member of the accompanying business delegation revealed that the final outcome remained highly...

The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the Czech Prime Minister, Andrej Babiš, have signed a declaration aimed at advancing an enhanced strategic partnership.

During the Czech leader’s diplomatic visit to Uzbekistan, the two governments formalised a comprehensive package of documents designed to foster mutual cooperation across the economy, industry, science and culture.

Key highlights of the new operational agreements include a commitment from the Czech Republic to supply electric trains to the Uzbek national railway network and provide technical assistance in establishing a modern metrological laboratory.

Tashkent and Prague have also pledged to launch joint initiatives for...

Uzbekistan is preparing to expand its renewable energy footprint with the commissioning of 13 new hydroelectric power plants this year.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was recently briefed on these developments, which are expected to add 114 MW of capacity to the national grid and generate roughly 537 mln kWh of electricity annually.

A primary focus of the expansion is the Upper Pskem hydroelectric project located in the Bostanlyk district. Representing an investment of $365 mln, it stands as one of the most significant infrastructure undertakings in the current energy cycle.

Furthermore, the 15 MW Sokh hydroelectric power plant is...

A desperate four-month search for a missing woman has culminated in tragedy. Saturday Night Live writer Jimmy Fowlie utilised Instagram this Wednesday to harrowing disturbing news to his supporters: the Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed his sister Christina Downer is dead.

Authorities have formally escalated the case from a standard missing persons inquiry to an active homicide investigation.

The comedian noted that his family’s hopes for a safe reunion have now been entirely replaced by a demand for truth and accountability.

A sinister digital smokescreen

The timeline of Downer’s disappearance is marked by a chilling level of calculated...

Austria and Uzbekistan are scheduled to sign a new mobility agreement on May 7 aimed at simplifying deportation procedures.

As reported by The European Conservative the document focuses on strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat illegal migration, human trafficking and migrant smuggling rings. The pact also establishes a framework for joint operations concerning the transit and deportation of expelled individuals to their countries of origin.

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner emphasised the importance of the treaty. He stated that the mobility agreement with Uzbekistan represents a vital next step in creating the necessary conditions for consistent deportations under a strict...

According to a recent report from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, the nation’s outstanding state external debt stood at $40.5 bn at the beginning of 2026.

The financial regulator calculated that the ratio of this sovereign debt to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) experienced a slight decline, dropping by 0.4% to settle at 27.5%. Officials at the Central Bank highlighted that these state borrowings were secured on a long-term basis and primarily under highly concessional terms.

Meanwhile, the balance of corporate debt, encompassing loans and borrowings acquired by Uzbek banks and businesses from non-residents, climbed to $41.7 bn...

Microsoft delivered stronger-than-anticipated quarterly financial results on Wednesday while simultaneously warning investors of massive impending infrastructure costs. The tech giant revealed that its total revenue jumped by 18% year on year during the quarter ending on March 31.

Net income surged to $31.78 bn or $4.27 per share compared with $25.82 bn or $3.46 per share during the same period last year. These adjusted earnings specifically exclude a minor $14 mln dip in net income linked to Microsoft’s investments in OpenAI.

The company experienced exceptional performance across its core divisions. Revenue from Azure and other cloud services skyrocketed by...

Angelina Jolie‘s appearance has become the subject of intense online scrutiny after the Hollywood star was photographed with a half-closed eye at a school event for her adopted daughter in the U.S.

The actress’s representatives were quick to address the situation, claiming the physical defect is the result of facial nerve paralysis. According to her official team, this frightening episode of Bell’s palsy was triggered by a combination of severe emotional stress and a sudden, sharp spike in her blood sugar levels.

Despite the medical explanation provided by her spokespeople, a large segment of the internet remains thoroughly unconvinced...

Newly unsealed legal documents have laid bare a deeply disturbing case against American pop star D4vd. Authorities claim the musician went to extraordinary lengths to conceal the murder of a 14-year-old girl by acquiring chainsaws and an incinerator cage under an alias.

The TikTok sensation, legally named David Anthony Burke, appeared before a Los Angeles judge this week clad in a prison-issued orange jumpsuit and heavy shackles to answer for the brutal death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

Timeline and alleged motive

The prosecution has outlined a grim history between the suspect and the victim. Investigators allege the musician first...

The country music world is mourning the loss of David Allan Coe. The pioneering artist passed away in hospital on Wednesday April 29 at the age of 86.

According to his spokesperson, Coe died in intensive care at roughly 5 pm ET. The representative described him as a “musical treasure” who “appreciated all of the fans” even as his health declined in recent years.

From prison to the Grand Ole Opry

Originally from Akron, Ohio, Coe had a remarkably turbulent upbringing. He was sent to a reform school at just nine years old and spent much of the following...

The net influx of overseas capital into Uzbekistan reached a substantial $4.4 bn in 2025. According to a recently published report by the national Central Bank, this figure represents a 1.5-fold increase when compared to the previous year.

The financial regulator provided further context on the changing dynamics of these capital flows. In an official statement, the bank noted that the structure of foreign direct investment saw positive momentum across multiple areas.

Alongside a notable rise in net equity injections and an increase in borrowed funds from international backers, there was also a significant surge in the volume of...

The entertainment powerhouse managing global phenomenon BTS, Hybe, has revealed a massive surge in first-quarter sales following the band’s highly anticipated musical return. However, an exceptional accounting charge stemming from a generous employee bonus scheme has temporarily pushed the agency into the red, Yonhap reports.

In a regulatory update published this Wednesday, Hybe confirmed that its revenue between January and March skyrocketed by 39.5% year-on-year to hit $468 mln. This figure represents an all-time high for the first quarter, a season traditionally marked by sluggish activity across the global music industry.

Despite this robust top-line performance, the company recorded...

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan purchased 25 tonnes of gold during the first quarter of 2026, according to recent data from the World Gold Council (WGC). This acquisition places Uzbekistan second globally, sitting just behind Poland which secured 31 tonnes.

Central banks worldwide have maintained a strong appetite for bolstering their national reserves. In total, global regulators snapped up 244 tonnes of gold over the three-month period. Alongside Poland and Uzbekistan, other notable state buyers included Kazakhstan, China, the Czech Republic and Malaysia.

This state-level buying spree contributed to a broader upward trend. Overall global demand for gold reached...

The Uzbekistan National Investment Fund (UzNIF) has started its initial public offering (IPO) with subscription applications remaining open until May 12. The formal declaration of the offering was published on the London Stock Exchange website.

The share placement is designed to unfold across two distinct markets. The domestic offering is tailored for institutional and retail investors within Uzbekistan while the international tranche targets overseas institutional investors through global depositary receipts (GDRs).

Pricing has been firmly set at $25 per GDR alongside a local rate of 4.65 soums per individual security. With a total volume exceeding five trln shares, the...