EU would welcome U.S. backing to quit Russian oil, energy chief says
The European Union would welcome the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump for its plan to halt purchases of Russian oil, which continue to help fina...
The Senate of Uzbekistan approved amendments to the Criminal Code that allow prisoners to shorten their sentences by reading books.
For every book completed from an approved list, three days will be deducted, up to a maximum of 30 days a year. The initiative is intended not only to encourage literacy but also to shape what officials call “correct spiritual and moral values.”
Similar practices have been tried abroad, most notably in Brazil, which introduced a reading-for-sentence-reduction program in 2012, and later in countries such as Bolivia and Kazakhstan. These initiatives showed that reading can be a powerful tool for rehabilitation, offering inmates education, perspective, and a sense of purpose.
Prison officials in Uzbekistan say that the measure will apply to about 13,500 inmates who are required to serve their sentences in full, though it will not extend to those serving life terms. To ensure fairness, a special commission will assess whether inmates have genuinely studied the books, and its recommendations will be confirmed by a court. The commissions will include prison staff, educators, psychologists, and public representatives.
Authorities also stress that prison libraries are already well equipped, with more than 214,000 titles in Uzbek, Russian, English, and Braille, as well as audiobooks. Popular titles among inmates include works by Uzbek writers such as Togay Murad and Otkir Hoshimov, alongside world classics like Dostoevsky’s The Idiot and Crime and Punishment.
International experts have long highlighted the transformative power of literature behind bars. A UNESCO study on Brazil’s program described reading as “a way for prisoners to develop empathy, critical thinking, and a renewed sense of purpose,” noting that books can help them “escape their environment and imagine different futures.” In Uzbekistan, lawmakers hope that offering prisoners the chance to earn freedom through books will not only reduce prison terms but also help offenders reintegrate into society with stronger values and a broader outlook.
As Senator Abdusaid Kuchov put it during the debate, “There are many examples of people who committed crimes but found their way back to life through books.”
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
The European Union would welcome the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump for its plan to halt purchases of Russian oil, which continue to help finance Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen told Reuters on Friday (September 5).
Lebanon’s cabinet on Friday endorsed an army plan to disarm Hezbollah as Shi’ite ministers stage walk out in protest.
The U.S. has ordered the deployment of 10 F-35 fighter jets to a Puerto Rico airfield for operations against designated narco-terrorist groups operating in the southern Caribbean, sources said. The planes are expected to arrive by late next week.
David Lammy, Yvette Cooper and Shabana Mahmood are on the up as Prime Minister Keir Starmer reshuffles his cabinet following former deputy Angela Rayner's exit.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China, fresh details surfaced about the circumstances behind Azerbaijan’s blocked membership bid. Diplomatic sources cited by APA said the decision was not only driven by India but also actively supported by Russia.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment