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David Beckham will serve as guest editor for the October issue of Country Life, a magazine dedicated to rural living. The announcement was published on the magazine’s website.

This marks the first time the magazine will be curated by someone not affiliated with the British royal family. In the past, guest editors have included royalty, King Charles III edited the magazine in 2013 and 2018, Princess Anne in 2020 and Queen Camilla in 2022.

The special issue curated by Beckham will include his favourite countryside landscapes, recipes and stories about the artisans who helped design his Cotswolds country home.

He...

Job platform hh.uz surveyed over 350 job seekers in Uzbekistan and found that most of them value not only high salaries but also stability and professional growth.

The greatest satisfaction at work comes from a high salary, noted by 58% of respondents. However, nearly half also value interesting tasks and growth opportunities (46%), as well as team dynamics and workplace atmosphere (43%).

The top source of dissatisfaction is low income (50%), followed by emotional burnout (33%), lack of career progression (30%), and leadership style (26%). Only 16% said they are satisfied with their current job situation.

Uzbeks often refrain...

On June 17, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan set the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar at 12,668.14 UZS. The American currency fell by 46.99 UZS in a single day.

On this date, banks were buying dollars at 12,605–12,710 UZS and selling them at 12,750–12,775 UZS.

The exchange rate for the Russian ruble stood at 161 UZS, while the euro was set at 14,640 UZS.

In exchange offices, the ruble was being bought at 90–153 UZS and sold at 162–190 UZS. The euro was bought at 12,800–14,500 UZS and sold at 14,740–15,550 UZS.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that...

On July 1, Kursiv Uzbekistan’s discussion platform will host an industry conference in Tashkent Uzbekistan’s Capital Market: New Opportunities for Investment. The event will bring together leading experts, investors, top executives, business owners and government officials to discuss the investment prospects currently emerging in the country.

Uzbekistan’s capital market is undergoing significant transformation. Accelerated privatisation of state-owned enterprises and preparations for their public listing are drawing increased attention from international investors. At the same time, the economically active population is gaining access to new capital investment mechanisms beyond traditional approaches.

The opening session, Where Investors Are Focusing in Uzbekistan, will explore...

On June 17, forecasters expect air temperatures in Tashkent to rise to +38…+40°C, according to Uzhydromet.

Scorching weather of up to +43…+44°C is expected in the southern and desert regions of Uzbekistan.

In other regions, meteorologists forecast +37…+42°C. In the north, wind speeds may increase to 13–18 m/s (6–8 on the 12-point Beaufort scale).

In the mountainous areas, temperatures will reach +27…+32°C. No precipitation is expected across the country.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reports on how climate change is impacting our lives.

The Tashkent city administration and Chinese firm CAMCE Engineering Co., Ltd. have agreed to jointly manage the Yangi Avlod SIZ.

The agreement was signed by representatives of the city administration, the SIZ, and Toshkent Invest Kompaniyasi.

«This step will open up new opportunities for the capital’s industrial development and attract international investment into key sectors of the economy,» Toshkent Invest Kompaniyasi stated.

The agreement also includes provisions to bring in investors and new technologies to further develop the industrial hub.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that aircraft will be manufactured in the Navoi Special...

According to the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies (IMRI), Uzbekistan’s share of high-tech products in total exports has tripled since 2017, reaching 1.5% by the end of 2024.

During the same period, the share of raw material exports was cut by more than half—from 36.3% to 17.3%. Major export items include copper, fruits and vegetables, natural gas and precious metals.

Exports of processed raw materials doubled over seven years, now accounting for 8.4% of total exports. This category includes mineral products, petroleum derivatives, cement and construction materials.

Low-tech exports (mainly textile yarn) rose from 14.2% to 17.1%, while...

Turkey will increase transit fees for ships passing through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits by 15% from early July, according to Interfax. The updated tariff will reach $5.8 per tonne.

Turkish Minister of Transport Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said the revenues from transit fees continue to support improvements to the straits’ infrastructure. Ankara is also working on upgrading the vessel monitoring system.

Uraloğlu added that Turkey earned $227.4 mln from ship transits last year.

The Bosphorus and Dardanelles are two strategic straits in Turkey linking the Black Sea with the Mediterranean. Both are vital for maritime trade and are governed by...

Between January and April 2025, 15.5 thousand Uzbek citizens visited Thailand, according to the Statistics Agency under the President of Uzbekistan. This figure is 2.3 times higher than during the same period in 2024.

Most travellers from Uzbekistan — 13.6 thousand — chose Thailand as a holiday destination.

Additionally, 1.7 thousand Uzbek citizens visited Thailand to see family, while 57 travelled for work and eight for education.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported on the most popular destinations among Uzbek tourists.

The Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan has clarified the government’s recent resolution that permits citizens to change their surname, first name, and patronymic following an official gender reassignment.

The new regulation allows changes to personal data if the gender initially recorded at birth was incorrect and later amended based on a medical certificate.

Previously, legislative gaps made it legally impossible to update names even when gender was officially corrected. For instance, a child born in 2008 was registered as male. At age 16, medical examinations confirmed the child was female. Despite this, the law did not permit changing the...

The Criminal Court of Shaykhantakhur District in Tashkent has sentenced former deputy Kabul Dusov to five years and two months in a general-regime penal colony.

The court found Dusov guilty of defamation, insult, and spreading false information about five individuals. These include the head of the Secretariat at the Ministry of Preschool and School Education, officials from the Navoi regional education department, and a probation officer in Chirchiq.

According to the ruling, Dusov used Facebook and Telegram accounts he created to publish offensive and inaccurate content. The charges fall under Articles 139, 140, and 237 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code.

Russia and Tajikistan have agreed to gradually write off a $297 mln debt owed by the Tajik energy company Barki Tojik to the Sangtuda Hydroelectric Power Plant, according to the Khovar news agency.

On June 16, the lower chamber of Tajikistan’s parliament, the Majlisi Oli, approved amendments to the intergovernmental agreement on the plant’s operation. Under the revised agreement, the investment return period has been extended to 2048.

The debt will be written off in stages until 2034. Additionally, the electricity purchase tariff from the Sangtuda HPP will drop from 3.2 cents to 1.5 cents per kWh.

However, the...

According to Kazakh Invest, the Astana city administration and Huawei Technologies Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of cooperation to begin testing a 10G network based on 50G PON technology.

They signed the agreement during the Central Asia – China Industrial and Investment Cooperation Forum.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that China became the first country to launch a 10G network.

Foreign ministers of 20 Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, Kuwait, Libya, and Jordan, have jointly condemned Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites. The joint statement asserts that the attack violates the United Nations Charter and deserves international condemnation.

The ministers called for dialogue as the only viable path to resolve the conflict and proposed the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.

On June 13, Israel launched a series of strikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, including the homes of Iranian scientists. The assault left more than 220 people...

Law enforcement authorities in the United Arab Emirates have arrested 11 individuals suspected of murdering two Uzbek nationals in Dubai, Khaleej Times reports.

The incident took place at a petrol station in Dubai in April this year. According to the publication, the suspects and the victims were acquaintances, and the violence reportedly stemmed from a long-standing personal dispute.

One of the victims was beaten near his car. The second tried to flee the scene but was caught shortly afterwards.

«The authorities confirmed that the incident was motivated by personal reasons, and all those involved knew...

Chelsea began their 2025 FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a confident performance, defeating LAFC 2–0 in their opening group stage match.

The first goal came in the 34th minute, when Pedro Neto broke down the right flank, outplayed his defender and fired a precise shot into the near corner. In the 81st minute, Chelsea doubled their lead: Enzo Fernández converted a well-placed cross from Delap, sending the ball into the far top corner.

Throughout the match, Chelsea maintained control, dominating possession and frequently threatening through the wings. LAFC struggled to create meaningful chances and rarely tested the Blues’ defense.

Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton appeared more in love than ever at the closing ceremony of the 71st Taormina Film Festival in Sicily on June 14. The couple walked the red carpet hand-in-hand and posed for photographers before taking the stage at the screening venue.

Bellucci received a special award honoring the 25th anniversary of Malèna, the iconic film by Giuseppe Tornatore. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the Italian actress reflected on her evolving priorities:

«I’m still learning as an actress. My passion for cinema is alive, but today, my daughters and my life come...

From June 6 to 13, most highly liquid stocks on the Republican Stock Exchange (RSE) “Toshkent” showed mixed performance. The UCI index rose by 1.2% over the week.

Top gainer: Universal Bank shares surged by 7.78%, followed by gains in:

Top loser: UzAuto Motors dropped 6.45%, along with:

Shares of Uzmetkombinat and Chilonzor Buyum Savdo Kompleksi remained unchanged.

Most active stock (by number of trades):

Top...

Uzbekistan and Oman have signed an agreement allowing up to 50 flights per week between the two countries, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport announced. The ministry also pledged to assist Oman Air in launching regular flights to Uzbekistan by the end of the year.

Uzbek carriers will be able to operate under the open skies regime at Salalah Airport, while Omani airlines will receive the same rights in Samarkand.

Additionally, airlines from both nations will be granted fifth, sixth, and seventh freedom rights for cargo operations.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uzbekistan Airways had suspended flights to Israel.

The Taliban has reportedly banned women under the age of 40 from entering the Termez shopping center, according to Amu.tv, which cites local residents and shop owners.

An Afghan vendor noted that family shoppers, especially women, used to make up the bulk of customers. Since the new restrictions were introduced, foot traffic has dropped sharply, leading to a noticeable decline in sales.

So far, the Taliban has not issued an official statement regarding the ban.

The Termez International Trade Center, located on the Afghan border, has been operating since 2022 and hosts around 4,000 retail shops.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also...

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid deploying military forces against anti-Trump protesters. Speaking in Geneva, Turk urged American authorities to uphold the right to peaceful assembly and rely on civilian law enforcement to maintain order, reported by Reuters.

His remarks follow Trump’s decision to send U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, marking a rare use of military support in domestic unrest.

Turk also expressed concern over funding cuts to the UN human rights office, warning they could undermine global accountability and aid for political prisoners. He further condemned...

The value of the U.S. dollar on the Uzbek Republican Currency Exchange dropped by 45.08 soums, settling at 12,715.13 soums.

The Central Bank has set the official exchange rate at this level.

Financial institutions across the country are buying dollars at rates between 12,655 and 12,760 soums. Citizens can purchase the currency at rates ranging from 12,770 to 12,820 soums.

The euro rose by 25.61 soums, reaching 14,730.48 soums. The Russian ruble appreciated by 1.67 soums, now valued at 161.75 soums.

Kursiv Uzbekistan reported on how the dollar’s exchange rate changed at the end of last week.

Trains in Uzbekistan will begin operating at reduced speeds due to extreme heat, the company Uztemirjyulyulovchi has announced.

The restrictions have been implemented to ensure the safety of both passenger and freight transportation. The hot weather may also impact the performance of cooling systems on trains, the company added.

«In addition, trains running under speed restrictions may arrive later than the times indicated on the schedule,» the company emphasised.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Uzbekistan will launch a luxury tourist train, The Samarkand Express.

Transfermarkt has released updated data on the market values of squads participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. In the ranking of the most expensive teams, Manchester City placed second, with a total squad value of €1.18 bn.

Only Real Madrid is valued higher, at €1.33 bn. Paris Saint-Germain takes third place with €1.05 bn, followed by Chelsea (€972 mln) and Bayern Munich (€843 mln).

In Group G, alongside Manchester City, are: