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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has issued a sharp rebuke of US foreign policy under President Donald Trump. He warned that the international system risks descending into lawlessness if countries fail to defend shared rules and values.

In unusually direct remarks, Steinmeier said democracy worldwide is under greater threat than ever before, in comments that appeared to reference recent developments such as the removal of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. While the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s position allows him greater freedom to speak out on global issues.

He described Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its full-scale invasion of...

Uzbekistan is among the countries where Russia plans to significantly increase natural gas supplies by 2030, according to information cited by journalist Oleg Chervinsky.

Gas deliveries to Uzbekistan are expected to rise from 5.6 bn cubic metres to 12 bn cubic metres a year. Supplies to Kazakhstan could increase from 3 bn to between 6 and 7 bn cubic metres annually, while exports to Kyrgyzstan may grow from 0.5 bn to 1 bn cubic metres.

According to forecasts by Gazprombank’s Economic Forecasting Centre, Russia’s gas exports to Central Asia could reach 19 to 20 bn cubic metres a year by...

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov said in an interview that Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev played a crucial role in resolving the conflict on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

According to Japarov, Mirziyoyev’s position and active involvement helped Bishkek and Dushanbe end hostilities and begin direct negotiations. Earlier, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev cited Mirziyoyev’s warning that ongoing conflicts discourage investors and tourists.

«If conflict continues in the region, neither investors nor tourists will come. And since all our countries’ names end with ‘-stan’, people assume we are all the same,» Kulubaev said.

Border clashes between Kyrgyzstan and...

American investor Jim Rogers has sold all his Russian holdings and invested in shares of Uzbek companies, he told RBC Investments in an interview.

Rogers said that by the end of 2025 he had purchased almost all publicly available shares in Uzbekistan, focusing exclusively on corporate stocks rather than sovereign debt. The investments span the banking, oil and gas, telecommunications and other sectors.

He has not hedged against currency risks and expressed a positive outlook for the Uzbek soum.

Rogers, co-founder of the Quantum Fund with George Soros, is known for his long-term bets on macroeconomic trends and commodities...

Timur Aliyev has been appointed head of WB Taxi in Uzbekistan, the company announced through its press service. He previously oversaw Yandex Go operations in the country.

In his new role, Aliyev will be responsible for building a sustainable business model and developing relationships with partners, drivers and fleet operators, the company said.

WB Taxi was launched in Tashkent in December 2025 by Wildberries. The service is accessible via Android and iOS apps, with new users able to register either through invitations from existing customers or directly through the app. The platform is also currently being tested in Belarus.

French farmers staged road blockades in Paris on Thursday to oppose a European Union trade agreement with South American countries and raise local grievances. The demonstrations, organised by the Coordination Rurale union, were driven by fears that the Mercosur deal could increase imports of cheap food and by concerns over the government’s response to a cattle disease.

Stephane Pelletier, deputy president of the union in Vienne, central France, said farmers felt abandoned.

«We are between resentment and despair. We have a feeling of abandonment, like with Mercosur. We have been abandoned in favour of a...

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States will withdraw from dozens of international and U.N. entities. This includes the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and UN Women, claiming they operate against U.S. national interests.

The memo lists 35 non-U.N. groups and 31 U.N. bodies. Among them is the UNFCCC, the main climate treaty linked to the 2015 Paris agreement. The United States did not attend last year’s annual U.N. climate summit, the first absence in three decades.

Trump’s administration will also quit the U.N. Population Fund, which supports family planning and maternal and child...

Around 1,500 Indian citizens in Uzbekistan have been unable to return home and have staged protests over unpaid salaries, according to Odishatv.

The workers say they have not received their promised wages for nearly four months. For the past five days, they have protested outside the offices of Enter Engineering, demanding the company honour their contracts. Employees also reported a lack of funds for food and worsening conditions in the company’s worker camps.

The company reportedly offered to send some workers back to India but has not cleared outstanding payments. Around 600 of the affected workers come from Ganjam...

Disney has restarted work on its live-action adaptation of Tangled, casting Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim in the lead roles of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.

The project is based on the 2010 animated hit about a princess with magically long hair who escapes captivity with the help of a charming outlaw. The original film featured the voices of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, earned more than $591 mln worldwide and led to a short film sequel and a Disney Channel television series.

Michael Gracey, best known for directing The Greatest Showman, is set to direct the live-action version. The screenplay...

The United States seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday. They include one tanker sailing under Russian flag, as Washington intensified efforts to control oil shipments connected to Caracas.

The move followed the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a U.S. military operation and marked a further escalation in enforcement against vessels operating under sanctions.

Sanctions enforcement

U.S. officials said a weeks-long pursuit ended when the Coast Guard and U.S. special forces boarded the Marinera crude tanker after it refused inspection last month and later reflagged under Russia’s registry...

Iran’s army chief has warned that Tehran could take pre-emptive military action in response to what it views as escalating threats from abroad, as mass protests driven by economic hardship continue across the country.

Major General Amir Hatami said the Islamic Republic would not tolerate «rhetoric» targeting Iran, comments widely interpreted as a response to warnings issued last week by Donald Trump, who said the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities continued killing peaceful protesters.

Speaking to military academy students in Tehran, Hatami said Iran’s armed forces were more prepared than ever and promised a «decisive response...

Fans of Stranger Things are divided over a viral theory claiming the show’s finale was not the real ending — and that a secret final episode could still be released.

The series concluded after five seasons on New Year’s Day, but a segment of viewers believe the closing epilogue was an illusion created by the villain Vecna, portrayed by Jamie Campbell Bower. The theory, dubbed Conformity Gate, has gained traction on TikTok, with fans scrutinising background details and alleged continuity errors for hidden clues.

Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Campbell Bower appeared to dismiss the...

Several dozen snow-covered tents have appeared on streets in the historic centre of Paris, as hundreds of young African migrants endure freezing winter nights without permanent shelter.

Around 300 unaccompanied migrants, many from Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali, are currently sleeping outdoors as they seek official recognition as minors. For many, it is their first experience of homelessness, and of winter cold, since arriving in France. «There’s no choice but to keep going,» said 16-year-old Boubacar Camara from Guinea, sheltering in a tent near Pont Marie.

During the day, some find temporary refuge at facilities such as the...

Lewis Hamilton has marked his 41st birthday, with fans around the world paying tribute to one of the most successful and recognisable figures in Formula One.

The seven-time world champion endured a challenging debut season with Scuderia Ferrari after his high-profile move from Mercedes-AMG Petronas, finishing sixth in the drivers’ standings. Despite the difficulties, Hamilton remains among the sport’s biggest stars.

Off the track, Hamilton has long attracted public interest. He previously dated singer Nicole Scherzinger for nearly eight years before the couple split in 2015. Since then, his private life has largely remained out of the spotlight...

The killing of schoolgirl Elianne Andam by teenager Hassan Sentamu has been cited as one of the real-life cases that influenced Netflix’s acclaimed drama Adolescence, which explores how teenage anger, misogyny and online radicalisation can escalate into deadly violence.

Sentamu, then 17, stabbed Andam to death at a bus stop in Croydon in September 2023 after becoming enraged during a dispute involving his former girlfriend and her friends. The attack took place before school and was witnessed by members of the public.

In March 2025, Sentamu was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of...

Larry Page, the co-founder of Google, has reportedly left California amid growing momentum for a proposed wealth tax targeting billionaires.

According to filings cited by Business Insider, Page has transferred the registration of several entities, including his family office and a flying car venture, from California to Delaware. He has also personally moved out of the state ahead of a possible vote on a one-off 5% wealth tax on assets exceeding $1 bn.

The proposal, backed by a healthcare union, could be put to a public referendum in November and would apply retroactively from January 1, 2026. California...

U.S. energy major Chevron has teamed up with private investment group Quantum Energy Partners to take part in a bidding process for Lukoil’s overseas assets, valued at about $22 bn, the Financial Times reports.

If the deal succeeds, Chevron and Quantum plan to divide the acquired assets between them. Chevron has previously explored the possibility of buying Lukoil’s foreign operations, while Saudi firm Midad Energy is also considered a potential bidder.

Lukoil’s decision to sell its international assets follows sanctions imposed by the US Treasury in October 2025. In Uzbekistan, the Russian company is involved in gas production...

Uzbekistan’s total investment in 2025 reached $43.1 bn, a 24% increase compared with 2024, the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade reports.

Foreign direct investment made up the bulk, totalling $38.2 bn, while $4.9 bn came from international financial institutions. Key partners included China, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The entry of major companies such as Volkswagen, Alshaya Group and Franklin Templeton reflected growing confidence in the Uzbek market. Citi and Japan’s Sojitz also began operations in the country.

Other new entrants included Cleveland Clinic, the agricultural firm Aviagen and manufacturer

Sebastian Stan is reportedly in talks to join Robert Pattinson in DC Studios’ upcoming film, «The Batman Part II.» The Oscar-nominated actor, known for his role as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier in Marvel films, could appear as either an ally or adversary to Bruce Wayne, though his character has not yet been revealed.

The sequel, directed by Matt Reeves, is expected to start filming next spring ahead of an October 2027 release from Warner Bros. The first film, «The Batman,» premiered in March 2022 and earned $772 mln worldwide.

«The Batman Part II,» written by Reeves and Mattson Tomlin, recently...

Afghanistan’s trade held steady in 2025 with the aid of supply routes through Iran and Central Asian nations, which offset disruptions on the Pakistani route, Reuters reports.

Exporters and importers in Afghanistan adapted their logistics amid tensions with Pakistan, turning to the Iranian port of Chabahar and overland routes through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Total foreign trade for 2025 reached nearly $13.9 bn, with exports accounting for about $1.8 bn and imports $12.1 bn.

India, Pakistan and Central Asian countries remained the main markets for Afghan goods. Key exports included dried fruits, coal, carpets, saffron and other agricultural products.

The White House said President Donald Trump and his advisers are discussing a range of options to pursue Greenland, a semi‑autonomous territory of Denmark. The statement described acquiring the island as a «national security priority» and noted that using the US military is always an option available to the Commander-in-Chief.

The announcement followed a joint statement from European leaders supporting Denmark, emphasising that Greenland belongs to its people and that any decisions regarding its future must be made by Denmark and Greenland alone. They also said Arctic security should be pursued collectively through NATO allies and that the...

Aldrich Ames, the former CIA counterintelligence officer whose spying for the Soviet Union and Russia caused some of the worst intelligence breaches in US history, has died aged 84. He passed away on Monday at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland.

Career of espionage

Ames was sentenced to life without parole on April 28, 1994 after admitting he sold classified information to the KGB, compromising over 100 operations and revealing the identities of more than 30 Western agents. At least 10 of those spies were later killed.

He began providing informattion to the other side in April...

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is backing the expansion of Uzbekistan’s pharmaceutical industry by providing a loan of up to $20 mln to leading local manufacturer Nika Pharm. The funding will be used to restructure the company’s balance sheet and upgrade equipment and facilities to increase production capacity, enhance product quality, and achieve full compliance with the World Health Organisation’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.

Nika Pharm, an EBRD client since 2021, produces tablets, capsules, sachets and nasal sprays for common colds, gastroenterology, paediatrics and urology. The company has become a leader in segments such as...

Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry has refuted reports circulating in media and social networks suggesting that the use of the Uzbek language in Afghanistan is being restricted. The statement was published on the ministry’s official Telegram channel.

«The Afghan authorities have strongly emphasised that these reports are false and that there are no limitations on the use of the Uzbek language in the country,» the ministry said.

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry highlighted that the facades of universities and schools across the country are being updated, with inscriptions in three languages — Pashto, Dari, and English. In northern...