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US President Donald Trump has provoked widespread criticism after suggesting autism may be linked to the use of paracetamol during pregnancy and to common childhood vaccines. Speaking at a White House press conference, Trump repeatedly warned women not to take the widely used painkiller and advised parents to delay or separate their children’s vaccinations.

Trump, who admitted he is not a medical professional, said:

«Do not take Tylenol. Do not take it. And don’t let them pump your baby up with the largest pile of stuff you have ever seen,» in reference to vaccines.

Uzbekistan and the American investment company BlackRock are moving towards the creation of a joint investment fund. The proposal was discussed during talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Adebayo Ogunlesi, a member of BlackRock’s board of directors.

According to the presidential press service, the two sides will soon agree on the fund’s structure and the launch of joint projects.

BlackRock, founded in 1988 in the United States, is the world’s largest investment company. Its assets stood at $12.5 trln at the end of the second quarter of this year, according to the Financial Times. The firm’s headquarters are in...

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Ecology has warned that windy and dusty weather will persist across the country throughout the week, bringing a sharp increase in air pollution.

The impact will be most severe in Tashkent, Karakalpakstan, and the Khorezm, Navoi, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Jizzakh regions. Residents have been advised to limit time outdoors and wear protective masks when possible.

On September 21, monitoring stations recorded higher concentrations of PM2.5 particles in Urgench, Karshi and Samarkand. The following day, the rise was observed in Bukhara, Gulistan, Jizzakh and Tashkent. In the capital, strong winds escalated into dust storms, worsening conditions further.

During the visit of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the United States, a package of agreements was signed with major American companies, the presidential press service reported.

One of the key deals is a cooperation agreement between Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport and Boeing. Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Uzbekistan would purchase more than 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

In addition, an agreement was signed to open a clinic and training center in partnership with Akfa and Cleveland Clinic. Cooperation will also be established between Uzbek airline Centrum Air and investment firm Oppenheimer.

Among other agreements...

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are battling for dominance in Central Asia’s fast-growing air cargo sector, according to new data from IATA presented at the Central Asia Cargo Summit 2.

In 2024, Uzbekistan captured 43.9% of the region’s air cargo market, while Kazakhstan held 38.6%. However, Kazakhstan remains the region’s main transit hub, handling 58.4% of all transit cargo, compared to Uzbekistan’s less than 15%.

Market leadership has shifted in recent years: Uzbekistan led with 45% in 2020, but Kazakhstan took the top spot in 2023 with 45.4%. Despite the fluctuations, Uzbekistan’s volumes are expected to grow, with projections of...

Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that Uzbekistan Airways has signed an $8 bn deal with Boeing to purchase 22 Dreamliner 787 aircraft.

Trump congratulated Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, calling him «a man of his word» and said the agreement would create more than 35,000 jobs in the United States.

«Earlier this month I spoke with the Highly Respected President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Today I want to congratulate President Mirziyoyev on signing a GREAT Deal with Boeing!» Trump wrote.

The deal marks a major expansion for Uzbekistan Airways as it...

Ousmane Dembélé capped Paris Saint-Germain’s quadruple-winning season by lifting the 2025 Ballon d’Or at the Théâtre du Châtelet, while Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmatí won the women’s award for a third straight year.

Presented the men’s prize by Ronaldinho, an emotional Dembélé thanked his family, PSG and coach Luis Enrique before inviting his mother on stage. The French winger beat Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal (2nd) and PSG midfielder Vitinha (3rd). Mohamed Salah finished 4th, with Raphinha 5th.

Bonmatí edged Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey (2nd) and Alessia Russo (3rd) to complete a rare Ballon d’Or treble, joining Lionel Messi and Michel...

Gary Neville has questioned Chelsea’s £90mln summer investment in strikers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, insisting the Blues remain «well short» in attack compared with Premier League rivals.

Pedro, a £60mln signing from Brighton, has started brightly with two goals and three assists in five games, while Delap, brought in from Ipswich for £30mln, is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

But Neville argued neither forward is close to the level of Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak or Hugo Ekitike, who have all made strong starts to the season.

«They’re still not at that level,» he said...

Irish businessman Tony O’Reilly Jr has unveiled plans to build a new gas storage facility in the eastern Irish Sea, aiming to shield Britain from blackout risks as it shifts towards renewable energy.

O’Reilly’s company, dCarbonX, is partnering with Italian energy giant Snam on the project, which would convert the depleted Bains gas field about 19 miles off Barrow-in-Furness. The site could store 1.4 bn cubic feet of gas, equal to six days of UK consumption, and may eventually be adapted for hydrogen storage.

«This facility would provide an insurance policy,» O’Reilly said. «Without domestic...

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday that Poland will not hesitate to shoot down any objects that violate its airspace and pose a threat, while stressing caution in situations that risk escalating conflict with Russia.

The warning comes after Estonia accused three Russian fighter jets of breaching its airspace on Friday. Moscow denied the claim, calling it a provocation. The alleged incident follows a night in early September when more than 20 Russian drones crossed into Poland, and two Russian jets flew near the Petrobaltic drilling platform in the Baltic Sea.

«We will take...

Hyperliquid’s native HYPE token faces mounting risks as a massive $11.9 bn unlock begins on Nov. 29, according to research from Arthur Hayes’ Maelstrom Fund.

The 24-month vesting schedule will release roughly $500 mln worth of tokens each month, with Maelstrom estimating that current buybacks cover only 17% of that supply. That leaves about $410 mln in potential selling pressure monthly.

«This is the token’s first true test,» wrote Maelstrom researcher Lukas Ruppert, warning that team members may be tempted to cash in on life-changing sums.

The warning comes as Hayes sold his personal...

Chinese automaker BYD’s luxury brand Yangwang has set a new world record for the fastest production car, with its electric hypercar U9 Xtreme reaching 308.4 mph at Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg High Speed Oval.

The run surpasses the previous record of 304.8 mph, set by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ in 2019.

Powered by a 1,200-volt system and BYD’s lithium-ion phosphate Blade Battery, the U9 Xtreme delivers 2,959 bhp. Details on torque, acceleration, and range remain undisclosed, but the hypercar features semi-slick tyres and a revised DiSus-X suspension tuned for extreme high-speed stability.

Test driver Marc Basseng credited...

Thousands of workers and students across Italy staged a nationwide strike and mass demonstrations on Monday to protest Israel’s war in Gaza and show solidarity with Palestinians.

Grassroots unions organized the 24-hour walkout across public and private sectors, disrupting trains, buses, schools, and ports. National rail services saw long delays, while sit-ins slowed the flow of goods through Genoa and Livorno. In Rome, more than 20,000 people rallied outside the central station, denouncing what unions called «the inertia of the Italian and EU governments.»

The strike underscored growing pressure on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a staunch Israeli ally, whose...

Today, September 22, marks the autumn equinox — the astronomical beginning of autumn.

The equinox is the moment when the Sun’s centre crosses the celestial equator, with daylight and darkness distributed almost equally between the northern and southern hemispheres. For the northern hemisphere this event signals the start of autumn, after which days gradually shorten until the winter solstice.

When Will Equinox Happen in 2025

This year the equinox occurs on 22 September at 18:19 UTC. That corresponds to 20:19–20:20 CET and 23:19–23:20 (GMT+5) in Tashkent.

For those following Central European Time, astronomical autumn begins this evening around...

Throughout the 2010s, the Ballon d’Or was defined by the rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who won the award nine times between them. The closest challenger during that period was Franck Ribery, who finished third in 2013 despite leading Bayern Munich to a historic treble.

That year, Ronaldo claimed the trophy with 27.99% of the vote, edging Messi (24.72%) and Ribery (23.36%). The result sparked controversy, with several international managers later alleging discrepancies between their submitted ballots and FIFA’s published results. Kuwait coach Jorvan Vieira and Fiji’s Juan Carlos Buzzetti were among those to question the process...

China’s exports to Uzbekistan have doubled since the start of the war in Ukraine, reaching almost $1.5 bn between January and August 2025, according to senior Brookings fellow and former chief economist of the Institute of International Finance (IIF) Robin Brooks. He cited official figures from China’s customs authority.

Brooks explained that the bulk of these shipments are not intended for Uzbekistan itself but represent transit flows to Russia via Central Asia. He has long tracked unusual spikes in exports to the region and argues that the trend cannot be explained by domestic demand, pointing instead to re-exports to Russia...

France and Saudi Arabia are convening dozens of world leaders in New York on Monday to rally support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with several countries expected to formally recognise a Palestinian state.

Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal announced recognition on Sunday, with France and others set to follow. Germany and Italy have held back, warning that unilateral recognition could be «counterproductive.»

Israel and the United States are boycotting the summit. Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the gathering as a «circus» and officials in Jerusalem signalled potential retaliation, including annexation of parts of the...

Katie Price has finished filming the music video for her upcoming single as she enjoys a renewed wave of success in her long-running music ambitions.

The mother-of-five, who has made several attempts at breaking into the music industry, was taken aback earlier this month when her 2017 dance track I Got U went viral on TikTok. The song climbed the download charts and unexpectedly reached number one on iTunes, sparking calls for her to make a return to the recording studio.

Building on that momentum, Katie is now preparing to release a follow-up single, Best Of Me, created in collaboration...

EastEnders actor Shane Richie is set to take a brief break from the soap after securing a festive stage role away from Walford.

The 60-year-old, who plays Alfie Moon, will star in Theatre Royal Plymouth’s Christmas production of Dick Whittington, running from December 12 until January 10. His absence from Albert Square will be short-lived, with filming schedules arranged so Alfie remains present on screen.

A source explained: «Shane will be taking a short break from the soap but it won’t affect Alfie’s time on screen.»

Richie is not the only EastEnders star heading to...

A Manchester United fan who has pledged not to cut his hair until the team secures five consecutive wins was attacked by another supporter at Old Trafford.

Frank Ilett, 29, launched «The United Strand» challenge on October 5 last year, letting his hair grow past 18cm while raising money for charity. His unusual vow has made him a viral figure among United fans.

During the Chelsea match at Old Trafford, a video captured him interacting with fellow supporters in the concourse before one fan suddenly grabbed his hair and shook it violently. Others quickly intervened to restrain the aggressor, who...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree approving a nationwide population and agricultural census, according to the official legal portal Lex.uz.

The census will take place from January 15 to February 28 next year, overseen by a national commission that includes the State Statistics Committee. It is expected to gather up-to-date information on Uzbekistan’s population of 38 mln people and provide insight into the use of 25.6 trln soums allocated annually to support the agro-industrial sector.

The document also highlights that the census will help improve the efficiency of spending 25.2 trln soums each year on social infrastructure...

On World Cleanup Day, environmental activists in Uzbekistan collected 55.7 tonnes of waste in a nationwide campaign organised by the Ministry of Ecology and the Waste Management Agency, with support from Coca-Cola, Yandex Uzbekistan and O‘zsanoatqurilishbank.

At Tashmore Lake alone, volunteers gathered 962 kilogrammes of waste, including 200 kilogrammes of plastic bottles which were sent for recycling.

A competition was held as part of the campaign, with the Forestry Agency team taking first place, followed by the Young Ecologists group in second and the Tashkent regional enterprise Toza Hudud in third.

Sharifbek Khasanov, Director of the Waste Management Agency, noted...

Authorities in Los Angeles have identified the body of a teenage girl discovered inside an abandoned Tesla reportedly registered to the rising singer-songwriter d4vd.

The remains, confirmed by the county medical examiner as those of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, were found on September 8, at a tow yard in Hollywood. Rivas, who went missing in April 2024 at the age of 13, is believed to have been dead inside the car for an extended period. Police are treating her death as a homicide, although the exact cause has not yet been determined.

Her body was wrapped in plastic and was so badly...

Spanish company Feeding Systems S.L. has announced plans to introduce Uzbekistan’s first cluster fish farming project with an annual output of up to 1,000 tonnes, Dunyo reports.

The agreement was reached during a meeting in Madrid between Uzbekistan’s ambassador Farrukh Tursunov and Francisco Vilor, co-founder and technical director of the company. Feeding Systems S.L. specialises in automated feeding systems as well as monitoring and management solutions for fish farms. The company has implemented projects across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

At the meeting, the Spanish side expressed interest in working with Uzbekistan in fisheries, livestock...