News

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who announced his retirement from international cricket in December and stepped away from the IPL only last week, is preparing for a fresh chapter in the UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20).

The 38-year-old has confirmed talks with the organisers and is expected to put his name forward for the player auction in Dubai on September 30. Registration for the auction closes on September 10, with the tournament running from December 2 to January 4.

Ashwin Confirms Talks with Organisers

«Yes, I am in talks with the organisers. Hopefully, I...

Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth around £30 mln (€35 mln). The transfer clears the path for Ederson’s switch to Turkish side Fenerbahce for £12.1 mln (€14 mln).

Donnarumma, who had been deemed surplus to requirements by PSG manager Luis Enrique following the recent arrival of Lucas Chevalier, is expected to claim the No 1 role under Pep Guardiola. City had already secured James Trafford from Burnley for £27 mln in July, but the young goalkeeper’s costly mistake in the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham has raised doubts...

Liga Portugal 2 fans witnessed a remarkable moment on Saturday as Portimonense beat Benfica B 2–1 despite finishing the first half without a recognized goalkeeper.

Both of Portimonense’s keepers were sent off, one for a foul and the other for handling the ball outside the box, forcing 21-year-old Brazilian defender Jarleysom to step in.

Far from struggling, the improvised goalkeeper delivered a standout performance, making a string of saves that secured victory and earned him the Player of the Match award. Clips of his heroics quickly went viral.

Portimonense’s goals came from Ruan in the 4th minute and Tamble Monteiro...

Tennis world No. 1 Jannik Sinner has ignited speculation about his private life after fans linked him to Danish model Laila Hasanovic.

Ahead of his US Open title defense, the 24-year-old Italian admitted in an interview that he was «in love,» but declined to share further details.

«I don’t want to talk about it,» he said when pressed on the subject.

Online sleuths believe they may have uncovered the mystery after spotting what appeared to be a photo of Hasanovic on Sinner’s phone lock screen during his third-round victory over Denis Shapovalov. The image...

MG, a brand under SAIC, unveiled its latest MG4 electric vehicle at the Chengdu Auto Show 2025, making headlines with a starting price of just 68,800 yuan ($9,560). The compact EV is offered in five trims, topping out at 102,800 yuan ($14,290) for the Anxin Edition equipped with a semi-solid-state battery, which is set for delivery later this year.

Built on SAIC’s E3 pure electric platform, the MG4 offers a range of up to 530 km (CLTC) and supports 30–80% fast charging in only 20 minutes. Its design includes projector headlights, a honeycomb grille, illuminated MG logo, and dimensions of...

Nvidia’s record-breaking second-quarter earnings for 2025 revealed a growing dependence on a small number of customers. According to Sherwood, nearly 53% of the company’s data center revenue, around $21.9 bn, came from just three unnamed clients.

The breakdown shows $9.5 bn in sales from «Customer A,» $6.6 bn from «Customer B,» and $5.7 bn from «Customer C.» Nvidia’s total quarterly revenue was $46 bn, meaning one customer alone accounted for more than 20% of its sales.

While investors remain bullish on Nvidia’s AI leadership, analysts warn that such heavy reliance poses risks if any of these clients reduce orders...

On September 1, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, held under the chairmanship of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mirziyoyev called for strengthening the efficiency of the organization and its institutions, while supporting the idea of expanding the SCO with new partners, including those from the Global South.

Security Initiatives
The Uzbek leader proposed adopting an SCO Declaration on Nuclear Security, resuming meetings of interior ministers, updating the agreement on combating crime, and developing a counter-narcotics program through 2030. He also backed the revival of the SCO–Afghanistan Contact Group to...

A magnitude 6 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan overnight on September 1, killing 622 people and injuring more than 1,500, Reuters reports citing state broadcaster RTA.

The tremors were recorded at around 11:47 p.m. local time, with the epicenter near the city of Jalalabad, close to the border with Pakistan.

The provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar were hit hardest, where the quake destroyed entire villages.

Rescue operations are being hampered by the region’s mountainous terrain and weak infrastructure. Afghanistan lies in the seismically active Hindu Kush zone, which regularly experiences devastating earthquakes.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the United...

Since August 15, Imo.im has topped the free app rankings in both the App Store and Google Play in Uzbekistan. The messenger overtook ChatGPT and Ochiq Budjet, becoming the country’s No. 1 app by downloads.

What is IMO?
Imo.im is a cross-platform messenger for chats and calls, first launched in 2007. It is available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and as a web version. The app is popular for offering free HD-quality calls and video calls even with weak internet, along with message translation, disappearing chats, and a variety of privacy features.

Why now?
Experts link IMO’s surge in popularity to its...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received 59 congratulatory messages on the occasion of the country’s 34th Independence Day, sent by foreign heads of state, leaders of international organizations, and major companies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Uzbekistan’s «impressive achievements in social and economic spheres,» noting its growing global standing and constructive role in regional and international affairs. He expressed confidence that Russia and Uzbekistan would continue to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also extended his congratulations, emphasizing readiness to deepen political trust, provide firm mutual support, align development strategies, and advance high-quality cooperation within...

The «Yuksalish» movement has announced the Top 30 specialists in Uzbekistan advancing the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and achieving significant success in research, business, and technology.

The list features well-known entrepreneurs such as Akmal Paiziev, founder of MyTaxi and Express24, and Anvar Narzullaev, head of the Mohirdev platform. Recognized scholars Bunyodbek Ibrokhimov and Dilnoz Mukhammadiyeva were also included among the country’s leading AI innovators.

Other honorees include Anastasiya Markova, co-founder of AI Lab, and Konstantin Kruglov, head of AI at TBC Bank.

According to «Yuksalish,» the ranking was developed through a two-stage process. In the first stage, the organization, together with the Artificial Intelligence Community of Uzbekistan (AICA...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reiterated Uzbekistan’s firm position in support of the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state, the presidential press service reported.

He emphasized that this right is enshrined in United Nations resolutions and reaffirmed that Uzbekistan consistently upholds this principle on the international stage.

Mirziyoyev noted that Uzbekistan has always extended unconditional assistance to those affected by wars and humanitarian crises. In this regard, a special decree has been adopted in the country to provide social, material, and moral support for the citizens of Palestine.

The president expressed confidence that the people of Uzbekistan...

With dark clouds overhead, the grid lined up on a mix of strategies: most on mediums, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda and Colapinto on softs, while Haas gambled on hards — Bearman starting from the pit lane after power unit changes.

At lights out, Piastri launched well from pole. Verstappen surged into second on softs, wobbling at Turn 3 but holding on. Norris briefly lost out but reclaimed ground, while Hadjar and Leclerc jostled in the midfield. By Lap 2, Piastri had already built a 1.6s gap.

Early Laps (Laps 3–15)

Piastri extended his lead as Norris fought Verstappen, passing him...

Tashkent hosted the official inauguration of the Uzbekistan Squash and Padel Federation, the National Olympic Committee (NOC) announced.

The ceremony took place at the Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur Central Eco Park, bringing together representatives of the Ministry of Sports, the NOC, Qatar’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan Hassan Hamza Hashim, as well as Vlad Marinescu, former president of the International Esports Federation.

During the event, officials congratulated participants on the establishment of the new body and expressed hopes for its successful contribution to the country’s sporting development.

Squash has been gaining prominence on the international stage and is set to feature in the 2026 Asian Games in...

Starting September 1, citizens of Uzbekistan visiting Latvia will be required to follow a new entry notification procedure. The amendments to Latvia’s Immigration Law were reported by the Dunyo news agency.

Under the new rules, travelers from third countries — including Uzbekistan — who hold a Schengen visa or a residence permit issued by another EU state must complete an official pre-notification before their trip to Latvia. This requirement also applies to those transiting through the country.

The process involves registering on the portal eta.gov.lv at least 48 hours before departure. Travelers must submit information about the purpose of their trip, planned dates and address...

Brazil has called for an extraordinary BRICS summit in response to Washington’s latest trade restrictions. According to Valor Econômico, the proposal is being coordinated by Celso Amorim, senior foreign policy adviser to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The summit, likely to be held via videoconference, comes as Brazil chairs BRICS in 2025. Lula is seeking to build a unified stance among member states against U.S. measures that could disrupt trade and economic cooperation within the bloc.

Next week, Amorim will travel to China to attend ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. On the...

The United States has officially closed the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed this week. He said the decision has already saved American taxpayers «tens of billions of dollars» since early 2025.

The closure follows an earlier announcement by Elon Musk in February, when he was leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). At the time, Musk said USAID was «beyond recovery» and would be permanently shut down.

In March, Rubio announced the cancellation of 83% of USAID programs, which he argued had consumed billions of dollars without serving U.S. interests. The remaining...

The Olympic City in Tashkent, Central Asia’s largest sports complex built with support from China, has officially opened its doors to athletes. The launch marks a major step in Uzbekistan–China cooperation and provides world-class facilities for national sports teams.

Constructed by China CAMC Engineering, the Olympic City in Tashkent spans 100 hectares with a total building area of 100,000 square meters. The complex includes a stadium, velodrome, swimming hall, multipurpose ball games hall, and an arena for contact sports. It is the first major joint project completed since the 2022 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Samarkand summit.

For Uzbek athletes...

On August 27, 2025, the Iranian Steel Producers Association and the Uzbekistan Metallurgy Association signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen ties in the iron and steel sector.

The agreement covers supply of raw materials, joint industrial projects, training programs, and cooperation in international steel markets. It also includes plans for conferences, exhibitions, and studies on energy efficiency and logistics.

At the signing ceremony, Bahram Sobhani, head of the Iranian association, said Iranian companies are ready to support Uzbekistan’s industrial and mining needs. Gulbahor Tojimirzayeva, head of the Uzbekistan Metallurgy Association, announced that Uzbek firms plan to buy...

The qualifying session for the 2025 Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort concluded with McLaren securing a front-row lockout. Oscar Piastri recorded the fastest lap in Q3, earning pole position ahead of teammate Lando Norris. This marks McLaren’s first front-row lockout since 1982.

Session Overview

Qualifying Results

Key Developments

France has appointed Walid Fouque as its new ambassador to Uzbekistan, with the diplomat formally taking office on August 27, the French embassy announced.

Before his appointment, Fouque spent five years as an adviser to President Emmanuel Macron on Asian, American and Oceanian affairs. He studied at the Paris Institute of Political Studies and began his career in 2010 at the French Foreign Ministry’s Department for Strategic Affairs.

His diplomatic career has included posts at the French embassy in Beijing and at France’s permanent mission to the United Nations. He later became Director for Far Eastern Affairs at the...

By 2030 the share of green spaces in Uzbekistan’s cities will be increased to 30% in line with the ‘Green City’ standard, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced during celebrations marking the 34th anniversary of independence.

He stressed that preserving the environment was a duty owed to future generations. «We see it as our sacred responsibility to hand over to future generations a beautiful homeland with fertile soil, clean water and fresh air by treating nature with care. To this end we will continue to expand our nationwide initiative ‘Yashil Makon’,» Mirziyoyev said.

The president...

Uzbekistan’s special forces are set to take part in the “Endless Brotherhood” military exercises scheduled for September in Azerbaijan, APA.az reports.

Alongside Uzbekistan, the drills will bring together military units from Kazakhstan, Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan. Azerbaijan’s Chief of General Staff, Karim Valiyev, said that a total of 30 military exercises are planned in the country this year.

According to the 2025 ranking of the world’s strongest armies, Azerbaijan holds the 60th position. Its active military personnel number around 126,400, while the armed forces are equipped with more than 300 tanks, 80 aircraft and a variety of armoured...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reiterated Uzbekistan’s foreign policy stance, stressing that Tashkent will expand its traditional and strategic partnerships with the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Speaking at the ceremony marking the country’s 34th anniversary of independence, the president underlined that centuries-old ties of friendship and mutual trust with Central Asian nations will reach a new stage.

He added that Uzbekistan plans to focus on trade, economic and financial cooperation with the United States, Europe and other developed countries, with particular emphasis on investment and technology.

Another priority for Tashkent is the creation of...