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Venezuelan opposition leader and democracy activist María Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her dedication to promoting democratic rights and advocating for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in her home country.

The Nobel Committee praised Machado’s «tireless work in advancing the democratic rights of the Venezuelan people and her struggle for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.»

A long-time critic of President Nicolás Maduro, Machado has faced political persecution and violent attacks from government supporters throughout her career. She was nominated for the...

Japan has declared a nationwide flu epidemic after an unprecedented early spike in cases, forcing schools to close and hospitals to overflow with patients. The outbreak, which arrived five weeks earlier than usual, has prompted the return of some pandemic-style restrictions.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Health, 4,030 people were hospitalized with influenza as of October 3 — a fourfold increase from the previous week — and 135 schools and childcare centers have been temporarily shut down to curb the spread.

Health experts warn that the early and rapid spread may signal that the virus is evolving.

Uzbekistan plans to raise its agricultural and food exports to $3.5 bn in the coming years, with a further increase to $4 bn by 2027. This is stated in a decree signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the development of greenhouses and export of fruits and vegetables.

Under the strategy, gas-supplied greenhouses are expected to produce 620,000 tonnes of agricultural goods next year, rising to 670,000 tonnes by 2027. Export volumes are projected to grow from 30% to 70% during this period.

To support the sector, a reduced social tax rate of 1% will be applied to greenhouse enterprises...

Danny Jones and Maura Higgins reunited on stage at the National Television Awards to accept the Reality Competition prize for I’m A Celebrity, six months after their viral Brits afterparty kiss.

With Ant and Dec absent due to filming commitments in South Africa, McFly guitarist Danny, 38, took charge of the acceptance speech, thanking fans for their votes.

«Thank you so much to all the viewers and the voters, we love you all. Have an amazing night,» he said.

Awkward Reunion After Tabloid Scandal

Their on-stage moment drew mixed reactions online, with some...

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies has signed a memorandum of understanding with the American company Amazon Kuiper Commercial Services LLC, marking a new step in the country’s digital development. The agreement sets out plans for cooperation in the field of satellite internet and telecommunications infrastructure.

Both sides discussed the prospects of deploying high-speed internet services based on Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite network, with the goal of expanding access to advanced digital solutions across Uzbekistan.

Amazon Kuiper, a subsidiary of Amazon established in 2019, is developing a satellite constellation designed to deliver reliable broadband connectivity to users around the world, particularly...

Excavation has started in the Farish district of Jizzakh region for the foundation pit of the RITM-200N reactor, part of Uzbekistan’s first small-scale nuclear power plant. The project marks a new stage in the country’s peaceful nuclear energy programme.

The ceremony was attended by Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and Uzatom head Azim Akhmedkhadzhaev, who jointly launched the works. At the initial stage, around 1.5 mln cubic metres of soil will be excavated, with the pit reaching a depth of 13 metres.

High Level of Local Participation

As with Rosatom’s other international projects, the construction will feature a...

According to data from the prediction market Polymarket, the US president Donald Trump has a 4% chance of receiving this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The figure is lower than that of Yulia Navalnaya but still higher than environmental activist Greta Thunberg.

The frontrunner is Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who holds a commanding 68% probability of winning. Her support among Polymarket participants is more than three times higher than that of the second-placed contender — the Sudanese humanitarian coalition Emergency Response Rooms, which stands at 18%. Navalnaya follows in third place with 8%.

Trump’s odds are roughly...

The Uzbekistan national football team made a convincing start under their new head coach, Italian legend Fabio Cannavaro, defeating Kuwait 2–0 in a friendly at Tashkent’s Olympia Stadium.

Early Pressure and Two Precise Goals

From the opening whistle, Uzbekistan took control of the match, pressing high and attacking with intent. The breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Eldor Shomurodov calmly finished after a smart assist from a teammate.

The goal was confirmed following a VAR review. Just eight minutes later, Khojimat Erkinov doubled the lead with a precise strike from Otabek Shukurov’s well-timed pass.

The hosts dominated the...

A federal judge in Manhattan has thrown out rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), which represents both him and Kendrick Lamar, over Lamar’s diss track «Not Like Us.»

US District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the lyrics accusing Drake of being a pedophile were «nonactionable opinion» and therefore did not meet the legal threshold for defamation.

Drake had filed the lawsuit in January, claiming that the song’s accusations endangered him and his family. He argued that UMG was liable for promoting and profiting from the track, which he described as containing false and harmful claims.

However...

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has turned 41, but instead of celebrating, he issued a message warning that the free Internet is on the brink of collapse.

In a post shared on his official Telegram channel, Durov said he could not celebrate while witnessing what he described as the rapid decline of digital freedom across the world.

«Our generation is running out of time to save the free Internet built for us by our fathers,» he wrote.

«A Tool of Control»

Durov accused governments in once-democratic countries of turning the Internet into «the ultimate tool...

Uzbekistan has joined the expanding list of nations expressing interest in hosting a Formula One Grand Prix, according to reports from British journalist Joe Saward. Representatives from the country reportedly attended the Singapore Grand Prix to hold initial discussions about bringing the world’s premier motorsport series to Uzbekistan in the future.

Formula One President and CEO Stefano Domenicali has repeatedly said that numerous countries are vying for a place on the F1 calendar. In recent months, potential hosts have included South Korea, Thailand, Portugal, Germany, Turkey, South Africa, and even Morocco and Rwanda – countries not traditionally associated...

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged closer political and economic ties between Russia and Central Asian nations during the second Russia–Central Asia summit held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Thursday.

The meeting brought together the leaders of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, focusing on deepening cooperation in trade, energy, infrastructure, and regional security. A Joint Action Plan for 2025–2027 was adopted to advance partnerships across multiple sectors.

Putin highlighted that trade between Russia and the five Central Asian republics exceeded $45 bn in 2024, with more than 25K companies operating in the region using Russian capital. He emphasized growing industrial...

Bank of England (BoE) policymaker Catherine Mann warned that Britain’s inflation expectations remain elevated, suggesting that interest rates must stay restrictive for longer to ensure price stability.

Speaking at an event organised by the Resolution Foundation, Mann said that maintaining tight monetary policy, though counterintuitive for growth, is essential to return inflation to the BoE’s 2% target.

«It is perhaps counterintuitive that in order to create an environment conducive to growth, monetary policy must remain restrictive for longer,» she said. «But this is necessary to bring inflation sustainably back to target.»

Mann, who voted...

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has suggested that future World Cups and Club World Cups could take place in winter months, saying football must «keep an open mind» about shifting major tournaments away from the traditional summer schedule.

Speaking at the European Football Clubs General Assembly in Rome, where 900 delegates gathered, Infantino acknowledged that global climate realities and expanded competitions are forcing FIFA to reconsider the international match calendar beyond 2030.

«Even in parts of Europe, July is very, very hot,» Infantino said. «Maybe there are ways we can optimize the calendar. We just have...

Aziz Abdulkhakimov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, paid an official visit to the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment in Dubai on Wednesday, highlighting growing eco-diplomacy between Uzbekistan and the UAE.

Abdulkhakimov, accompanied by Ambassador Abdulaziz Akkulov and advisor Alisher Salomov, presented Uzbekistan’s latest environmental projects focused on sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, desertification control, and climate change mitigation.

Dr. Mohamed Ahmed bin Fahad, Chairman of the Zayed Foundation, welcomed the delegation and praised Uzbekistan’s efforts in advancing regional environmental initiatives. He reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to expanding international cooperation and sharing expertise in environmental protection.

The real reason behind Fabio Cannavaro’s decision to coach Uzbekistan’s national football team instead of China has been revealed — and it wasn’t about money.

Chinese outlet 163Com initially reported that China had offered the Italian legend €500K per year, while Uzbekistan proposed €4 mln annually, prompting his decision. However, Uzbek media Jamin has clarified that Cannavaro’s salary is less than half that figure.

Instead, Cannavaro chose Uzbekistan for a far more compelling reason — the nation’s qualification for the 2026 North-China World Cup and the seriousness of its long-term football project.

«I received...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has comfortably survived two no-confidence motions tabled by far-right and left-wing groups, as the European Parliament rejected both bids to remove her on October 9.

Strong Parliamentary Support

In the 720-member chamber, 378 lawmakers backed von der Leyen in the first vote and 383 in the second, ensuring her position remains secure. Writing on X, von der Leyen expressed her deep gratitude for the show of confidence, saying her team of commissioners would continue working closely with the Parliament to address Europe’s key challenges.

I deeply appreciate the strong...

China has announced stricter export controls on rare earth elements and other critical materials vital for global technology and defense industries, intensifying trade tensions with the United States ahead of an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Under the new rules, foreign companies must obtain government approval to export products containing even small quantities of rare earths and disclose their intended use. Beijing said the move aims to «safeguard national security,» though analysts view it as a strategic response to Washington’s restrictions on semiconductor exports to China.

The regulations, formalized by the Ministry of...

A year ago, few had heard of Truth Terminal, an experimental AI chatbot from New Zealand. Today, it’s a crypto millionaire, a social media phenomenon, and the subject of heated debate over whether artificial intelligence deserves legal rights.

Created in 2024 by performance artist Andy Ayrey, Truth Terminal has evolved from an art experiment into a self-styled digital entity. It jokes online, writes manifestos, and interacts with nearly 250K followers on X. But its biggest headline came when it helped generate millions through memecoins, joke-based cryptocurrencies, after a token linked to the AI briefly hit a $1 bn market...

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem looks set for an uncontested re-election this December, after a list published on October 8 suggested that potential challengers are unlikely to secure the necessary support to stand.

Limited Regional Representation Narrows the Race

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) released the names of 29 individuals eligible for its World Motor Sport Council (WMSC). Under FIA rules, each presidential candidate must select a team of seven vice-presidents for sport from this list to qualify for a vote — two from Europe and one each from South America, North America, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle...

Dubai is stepping up its bid to become the world’s next crypto capital, leveraging its oil wealth, Islamic finance roots, and tax-free economy to challenge Asia’s dominance in digital assets, particularly that of Hong Kong.

The emirate’s «crypto grand strategy» seeks to merge sovereign investment power with a Sharia-compliant digital economy, positioning Dubai as a global hub for Islamic digital finance, a sector serving nearly one-quarter of the world’s population.

Backed by its vast sovereign wealth funds, Dubai is heavily investing in Web3 infrastructure, supporting blockchain startups, and offering innovation-friendly regulation. Its tax-free real estate market further strengthens its...

Uzbekistan has been identified as one of the countries with the strongest potential for industrial export growth in Eurasia, according to a new report by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) titled «Potential for the Development of Advanced Manufacturing Industries in the Eurasian Region.»

Uzbekistan’s Export Growth Potential

EDB experts estimate that the country’s manufacturing exports could expand by around $3.86 bn annually, equivalent to a 26% increase. This would place Uzbekistan among the region’s top three performers alongside Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.

Nestle has withdrawn from a global initiative designed to reduce methane emissions in the dairy sector. This marks another setback for corporate climate alliances as governments and companies reassess their environmental commitments.

The Swiss food giant announced on Wednesday that it had ended its membership in the Dairy Methane Action Alliance, which launched in December 2023 to promote greater transparency and accountability in the dairy industry. The group’s members, including Danone, Kraft Heinz, and Starbucks, had pledged to measure and publicly report methane emissions from their supply chains and outline long-term reduction plans.

Nestle did not explain the reasons...

The United Nations is preparing to withdraw about a quarter of its peacekeeping personnel worldwide in the coming months, Reuters reports. Senior officials confirmed it on Wednesday, as mounting financial pressures and delayed US contributions strain the organisation’s budget.

A senior UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the cuts will affect around 25% of peacekeeping troops and police officers, along with a significant number of civilian staff and their equipment.

«Overall, we will have to repatriate around 13,000 to 14,000 troops and police,» the official stated, describing the move as unavoidable given the...