Many Afghans say poverty and joblessness have reached alarming levels, leaving families unable to buy even the most essential goods. Despite government programs aimed at easing the crisis, daily life for many in Kabul remains a struggle.

«We borrow money every month because we have no income,» said Shukrullah, a Kabul resident. Others say work is scarce, and the cost of basic items keeps rising. «A sack of flour costs 1,400 Afghanis and oil 1,600,» added Mirza Khan. «Even when we earn 200 Afghanis a day, it’s not enough.»

Shopkeepers say sales have plummeted as people’s...

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Tajikistan next week to take part in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Summit, Russian state television Rossiya 1 reported.

The summit of CIS heads of state will take place in Dushanbe on October 10. The event will bring together leaders from across the region to discuss cooperation in trade, security, and regional development.

During his trip, Putin is scheduled to hold talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, as well as meet other CIS leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

While the exact dates of his arrival and departure have not been announced, this visit marks another step in strengthening...

Bitcoin set a new record on October 5, breaking past the $125,000 mark for the first time, according to data from the Binance crypto exchange. The surge marks the latest milestone in a volatile week for the world’s largest cryptocurrency.

Data from Forbes shows that Bitcoin briefly crossed the $125,000 threshold before slightly retreating to around $124,990 and later stabilizing near $124,639. Meanwhile, U.S.-based exchange Coinbase recorded an intraday high of $125,725, confirming the latest all-time peak.

Just two days earlier, Bitcoin had climbed above $120,000 for the first time since mid-August. Analysts link the rally to broader market uncertainty and the temporary U.S...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon held a phone conversation on October 5, during which the Uzbek leader personally congratulated his Tajik counterpart on his birthday.

President Mirziyoyev wished Rahmon good health, happiness, and continued success, noting his pivotal role in strengthening Tajikistan’s independence, promoting sustainable development, and enhancing its global standing. He also emphasized Rahmon’s significant contribution to the growing friendship and strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The two presidents discussed the current agenda of bilateral relations and outlined new areas for practical cooperation, including trade, industrial projects, transport, energy, agriculture, tourism, and cultural exchange.

Both leaders agreed to...

Bakhmal District in Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region generated $6 mln in tourism export revenue between January and October 2025, according to official data shared with Kursiv Uzbekistan.

Visitor Numbers Continue to Grow

Over the first nine months of the year, 213,000 tourists visited the district. Among them were 44,800 foreign guests and 169,600 local travelers. Most domestic visitors came from Karakalpakstan, Tashkent, Syrdarya, Samarkand, Bukhara, Navoi, and Khorezm regions.

Bakhmal’s tourism infrastructure continues to grow. The district currently operates 33 accommodation facilities with a total capacity of 675 beds. These include five campsites, 22 family guest houses, five hostels, and one sanatorium.

Focus on Sports and Eco-Tourism

The village of Jum-Jum has become a key spot...

Head of Russia’s Human Rights Council Valery Fadeev believes that migrant parents should take responsibility for preparing their children for school. He said that a child who does not know Russian well enough should study in their home country instead of struggling in Russia.

«This is not about deportation. It is about making sure every child receives proper education,» Fadeev explained.

Language test becomes mandatory from April 2025

Starting April 1, 2025, foreign students must pass a Russian language test before entering a Russian school. Without a positive result, they cannot be admitted. The new rule aims to make...

The Church of England has appointed Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury — the first woman to hold the post in the Church’s nearly 500-year history. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced her appointment on October 3, describing it as «a historic milestone» for the Anglican community.

At 63, Mullally becomes the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, succeeding Justin Welby, who stepped down in late 2024 after criticism over the Church’s handling of abuse allegations in Christian youth camps.

Vision for Unity and Renewal

In her first public remarks, Mullally outlined her priorities for the Church, emphasizing unity, compassion, and faith in action.

Fabio Cannavaro’s appointment as Uzbekistan’s new head coach has sparked a flurry of reactions among football supporters. Many were surprised by the announcement, though the chance to guide a nation heading to its first World Cup proved too tempting for the Italian legend to turn down.

«Big move for Uzbekistan. Cannavaro stepping in shows real ambition ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The 2006 Ballon d’Or winner bringing his experience could be massive for their project,» one fan posted on X.

Another wrote:

Uzbekistan finally showing some tekkers. Ballon d'Or winner...

Former Uzbek foreign minister and ex-secretary general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Vladimir Norov, has become the first citizen of Uzbekistan to be honoured with China’s prestigious Friendship Award.

The ceremony took place on September 30 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The Friendship Award is regarded as the country’s highest state accolade for foreign experts who have made significant contributions to national development and international cooperation. This year, 50 specialists from 27 countries were recognised.

«It is a great honour for me to be among the recipients, and I am especially...

Uzbekistan’s Central Bank purchased two tonnes of gold in August 2025, according to data from the World Gold Council (WGC).

In total, central banks worldwide acquired about 15 tonnes of gold during the month. Kazakhstan led the way with eight tonnes, while the central banks of Bulgaria, China and Turkey each bought two tonnes. The WGC noted that this year’s record-high gold prices are likely limiting the scale of central bank purchases.

«This may also lead to more tactical sales. However, the recent slowdown in buying does not necessarily mean central banks are losing interest...

Sydney Sweeney and Lauren Sanchez have become Hollywood’s newest unlikely duo after stepping out in matching silver minidresses at the Euphoria star’s space-themed 28th birthday bash in Los Angeles, The Sun reports.

Their friendship, strengthened alongside Sanchez’s husband Jeff Bezos, has ignited speculation about a close-knit trio and fuelled talk of potential projects involving all three.

The actress, who paid tribute to Britney Spears with her party look, was compared to 55-year-old Sanchez as the pair posed for a photo that quickly spread online. While Sweeney has faced criticism from political commentators over her associations, insiders say she and...

As of October 3, 2025 more than 2,700 Uzbek citizens were living in Busan, according to South Korea’s Yonhap agency.

The total foreign population in the city stood at 64,900, accounting for 2% of all residents. Vietnamese nationals formed the largest group with over 16,300 people, followed by 12,800 Chinese. Indonesians ranked third with 3,800 residents. Nepalese and Americans came next with 3,400 and 3,200 respectively.

Russian citizens numbered 2,720, placing them sixth, while Uzbeks were in seventh place.

Most foreign nationals in Busan are students, with nearly 19,900 enrolled in local educational institutions. The city is also home...

Spotify announced on October 4 that Taylor Swift’s new track «The Fate of Ophelia» became the most-streamed song in a single day in the platform’s history o October 3, 2025. The song is the opening track of Swift’s newly released album The Life of a Showgirl, which reimagines a tragic Shakespearean heroine to reflect Swift’s own story.

The Life of a Record-Breaker ❤️‍🔥 On October 3rd, 2025, Taylor Swift’s «The Fate of Ophelia» became the most-streamed song in a single day in Spotify history. pic.twitter.com/WIPRVBaGVS

— Spotify (@Spotify) October 3, 2025

In «The Fate of...

Fabio Cannavaro, 52, is close to being named head coach of the Uzbekistan national football team with a salary package of €3.5–4 mln a year, according to Sport-Express citing a source familiar with the deal. The figure includes expenses for his coaching staff.

If finalised, the deal would make Cannavaro the fourth highest-paid coach of a national side, behind Carlo Ancelotti of Brazil, Thomas Tuchel of Germany and Julian Nagelsmann of Germany.

Former Uzbekistan striker and Spartak Moscow player Jafar Irismetov criticised the choice of Cannavaro, telling Sportmail.ru that the country needed «a coach of Klopp’s level» to...

President Donald Trump told Israel on October 3 to halt its bombing campaign in Gaza after Hamas accepted parts of a United States peace proposal, including the release of hostages. While Trump hailed the response as a sign that Hamas was «ready for a lasting peace,» questions remained over unresolved issues such as disarmament and Israeli withdrawal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the country was preparing for the «immediate implementation» of the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan following Hamas’ response. Israeli media later reported that the military had been instructed to scale back its offensive in...

Japan is facing a shortage of Asahi beer and other beverages as the country’s largest drinks producer struggles to recover from a major cyberattack that has disrupted operations for five days.

Asahi Group, best known for its Super Dry beer, Nikka Whisky and a range of non-alcoholic drinks, suspended operations on September 29 after a cyberattack caused a system outage. The disruption halted order processing, shipping and call centre functions.

By Wednesday the company had started manually visiting customers to take handwritten orders, and on Friday it shipped its first batch of products filled by hand. For now, Asahi...

Taylor Swift has once again dominated online conversation with the release of her latest studio album The Life of a Showgirl. The record features twelve tracks that explore themes of fame, relationships and pop culture, with one lyric even referencing football powerhouse Real Madrid.

In the track Wi$h Li$t, Swift sings:

«They want that freedom, living off the grid
They want those three dogs that they call their kids
And that good surf, no hypocrites
They want it all
They want a contract with Real Madrid
They want that spring break that was f***in’ lit
And then that video taken off the...

Timur Turlov, Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Holding Corp., said at the Digital Bridge forum in Astana that ecosystems are beginning to play an increasingly important social role in healthcare and education.

He explained that such ecosystems help address basic needs in these two key sectors. Turlov emphasised the significance of breakthrough ideas and digitalisation as tools to accelerate the development of human capital. He added that the super-app currently being developed by the holding will integrate healthcare services, including a digital clinic.

«We want to ensure that people have access to AI assistants who can...

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan will jointly host the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2027, the Uzbekistan Football Association has confirmed.

The youth championship is among the most significant international football tournaments held under FIFA’s banner. The association noted that Uzbekistan has gained considerable experience in recent years by staging major global competitions. Notably, the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024, held in the country, was praised for its high level of organisation and recognition by the international football community.

The joint bid by Tashkent and Baku was submitted to FIFA this summer. According to the association, both countries already possess...

Elon Musk, the head of Tesla, briefly became the first person in history worth $500 bn (£370bn), according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. But only a few hours later, his wealth dropped back to $470 bn (£348bn).

The rise came as Tesla’s stock gained more than 3% on Wednesday and continued to climb in early trading on Thursday. The rally followed news that Musk bought 2.5 mln Tesla shares worth $1 bn (£744m), his first open-market purchase since 2020.

Tesla shares have jumped nearly 80% over the past year, even though the company has faced slower sales, stronger competition, and...

The European Union is reportedly considering lifting sanctions on some assets tied to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska to compensate Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) for a €2 bn judgment imposed by a Russian court.

Drafts of the proposed measures include unfreezing shares in Austrian construction firm Strabag, which were once partially held by Deripaska and have been under EU sanctions since 2022. The assets would then be transferred to RBI under the compensation scheme.

The move, initially backed by Austria, is provoking concern among several EU member states. Critics argue it could legitimise judicial rulings from...

Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has renewed calls to relocate the country’s capital from Tehran to the south, citing severe water shortages, land subsidence, and the capital’s rapid over-expansion.

Speaking during a visit to Hormozgan province on the Persian Gulf, Pezeshkian said Iran had «no choice» but to shift its political center closer to the coast, where he argued trade and development prospects were far greater.

«Tehran, Karaj and Qazvin are facing a water crisis that cannot be easily solved,» he warned, noting that the capital of more than 10 million consumes nearly a quarter of...

Uzbekistan has introduced new rules in air navigation from October 2, according to the press service of the Uzairnavigation centre.

From now on, the country’s national airspace will be designated by the code UZ, while unified parameters are applied nationwide. The absolute transition altitude is set at 13,000 feet and the transition flight level at FL150.

The centre highlighted that these changes will make flights safer and more efficient, while also strengthening the visibility of Uzbekistan’s airspace on the international aviation map.

Kursiv also reports that Allied Biofuels FE LLC Uzbekistan has signed agreements with the Khorezm regional authorities...

Prince William’s conversation with actor Eugene Levy on Apple TV+ has been described as the most open he has ever been in public. Set against the informal backdrop of Windsor, walking his dog, at the pub, even mentioning his scooter rides around the castle grounds, the interview revealed a relaxed, personal side of the future king.

Unlike the usual staged palace interviews, William seemed comfortable with Levy, even admitting he’d enjoyed the actor’s American Pie films. While no questions were asked about Prince Harry or Prince Andrew, William still offered striking insights.

A Vision for Change

William made...