World

Uzbekistan's real estate market is undergoing a fundamental transformation in 2026, moving away from the investment frenzy of previous years. The foundation that supported rapid, speculative gains has disappeared. Buying apartments in Tashkent for future appreciation without analysis now more often leads to frozen capital rather than profit. The market has not collapsed, but it has become significantly more complex and professional.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed on March 25 that Islamabad is relaying a 15-point US ceasefire proposal to Tehran, with Turkey and Egypt providing additional diplomatic support. This development comes as the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran enters its second month, highlighting Pakistan's renewed role as a key intermediary in a highly volatile regional conflict.

The Norwegian government has announced plans to increase defense spending to 3.5% of its gross domestic product, citing rising military equipment costs and the need to adjust to lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told reporters on Friday that this increase involves "allocating a significant increase in resources to the long-term plan, while also carefully weighing the priorities needed to rapidly strengthen Norway’s defense capabilities."

As most of Europe prepares to set clocks forward an hour on March 29, millions will experience the biannual ritual of Daylight Saving Time (DST), a practice primarily observed in temperate regions where the contrast between long summer and short winter days makes time-shifting seem beneficial. Globally, only about one-third of countries adhere to DST, with most of Africa, Asia, and tropical regions skipping it entirely. Even within DST-practicing nations, participation can be inconsistent; for instance, in the US, the states of Hawaii and Arizona, which receive ample sunshine year-round, do not observe DST, leading to peculiar situations like the “Arizona Daylight Saving Donut,” where time zones shift within the state due to differing policies on Native American reservations.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani held meetings in Washington, DC, with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Scott Bessent. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Friday that the talks reviewed ways to strengthen the “close strategic cooperation” between Doha and Washington, “especially the defence partnership in light of the conditions the region is experiencing.”

In Nepal, former rapper and political newcomer Balendra Shah (Balen) was sworn in as the country’s prime minister on Friday, capping months of political upheaval in the Himalayan nation following a Gen Z-led uprising last year that toppled the previous government. At 35 years old, Shah is one of Nepal’s youngest-ever leaders, and his rise to power reflects widespread discontent with the traditional ruling elite.

As the war waged by the US and Israeli regimes against the Iranian government enters its fourth week, oil and gas markets in the Persian Gulf are under severe strain. The near-total halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on key energy facilities in the region have destabilized global energy supply chains.

The UN General Assembly has adopted a landmark resolution declaring transatlantic chattel slavery "the gravest crime against humanity," following an initiative led by Ghanaian President John Mahama. The resolution passed with decisive support from 123 states, but the position of the Western bloc stood in stark contrast: Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and European Union member states all abstained in the vote.

The US Senate on Friday passed legislation to unlock funding for paying tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers who were forced to go five weeks without pay due to a partial government shutdown. This move came after 50,000 TSA agents faced financial hardship as the White House and Congress clashed over immigration enforcement and budgetary allocations, causing massive disruptions at airports nationwide.

In Tashkent, the construction of four artificial lakes and reservoirs is planned by the end of 2026. This was announced by the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, citing a corresponding presidential decree. The project is part of efforts to improve the city's ecological situation and combat climate change.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the signing of an "important arrangement" with Saudi Arabia, purportedly laying the groundwork for future contracts, technological cooperation, and investment. In a post on X, Zelenskyy claimed that "Saudi Arabia also has capabilities that are of interest to Ukraine, and this cooperation can be mutually beneficial." However, Saudi authorities have not confirmed this defense pact, raising questions about its actual implementation and scope amid ongoing regional instability.

In India's flood-prone regions, escalating climate-related disasters disproportionately impact marginalized communities, compounding their vulnerabilities. In Kharballi village in Assam's Barpeta district, Amir Hussen, 47, stated he has lost his house 17 times to riverbank erosion: "Wherever there are floods, there is erosion... When we try to find our footing, due to floods, our house gets washed away." Villages like Kharballi, built along shifting riverbanks, see floods routinely erase homes, farmland, and livelihoods, forcing families to relocate repeatedly, often rebuilding on borrowed land or narrow strips left by the river.