News

Russian-born tennis player Polina Kudermetova will represent Uzbekistan at international competitions, according to her profile on the website of the International Tennis Federation.

The ITF profile of the 22-year-old Moscow native now lists Uzbekistan as her country, with the national flag updated accordingly. Kudermetova is currently ranked 104th in the Women’s Tennis Association standings.

Her career-high ranking is 54th, which she reached in April 2025. Kudermetova has yet to win a WTA title. Her elder sister, Veronika Kudermetova, is ranked 30th in the WTA rankings.

Kursiv also reports that another Russian tennis player Kamilla Rakhimova has officially joined Uzbekistan’s national...

An Uzbek national, Muhammadaziz Umurzakov, was killed in a shooting at Brown University in the United States, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed.

The ministry expressed condolences to the victim’s family and said Uzbek diplomatic missions in the US are in constant contact with relatives while cooperating with American authorities.

The shooting took place on Sunday, December 14, at an engineering building on the Brown University campus, where an examination was under way at the time. According to the BBC, two people were killed and nine others were wounded in the attack.

US authorities later announced the...

Cristiano Ronaldo 5may soon add a Hollywood blockbuster to his long list of achievements after Vin Diesel confirmed that a role has been written for the Portuguese star in the next Fast & Furious film.

Diesel shared a photo with Ronaldo on social media and hinted at a future collaboration, saying the filmmakers had created a part specifically for him. The post has fuelled speculation that the Al-Nassr forward could feature in the upcoming instalment of the long-running action franchise.

The next film is expected to be Fast & Furious 11, reportedly titled Fast Forever, and is being billed...

The long-running debate over football’s greatest player has found a clear answer for many fans in India, where Lionel Messi is being celebrated on an unprecedented scale. Fresh from guiding Inter Miami to a historic MLS Cup triumph, the Argentine star arrived in the country for a three-day «GOAT Tour».

Messi will be joined by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, with the centrepiece of the visit being the unveiling of a towering 70ft statue in Kolkata on Saturday. The structure was built over 27 days by a team of 45 people and ranks among the...

The European Union has agreed to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets held in Europe, clearing a major obstacle to using the funds to support Ukraine in its defence against Russia. The move comes as EU states seek to secure Ukraine’s finances, viewing Russia’s invasion as a threat to European security.

Indefinite Freeze and Planned Loan to Ukraine

EU governments agreed to keep 210 bn euros ($246 bn) of Russian sovereign assets frozen indefinitely rather than reviewing the freeze every six months. This avoids the risk of Hungary or Slovakia, with closer ties to Moscow, refusing to extend...

Uzbekistan’s first ambassador to Nepal, Sardor Rustambaev, based in New Delhi, has presented his credentials to Nepalese President Ramchandra Paudel, the Dunyo reports.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed prospects for cooperation in trade and the economy as well as hydropower tourism and education. They also exchanged views on engagement at international platforms, including cooperation on climate change and environmental issues affecting mountain regions.

Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Nepal were established in 2018.

Rustambaev previously served as Uzbekistan’s ambassador to France and Portugal and has worked within the foreign ministry system since 2000.

While the motorsport world descended on Tashkent for the FIA Awards ceremony, Ferrari star Charles Leclerc stole the show hours before the red carpet even began, with social media lighting up as fans tracked his impromptu tour of the Uzbek capital.

Charles arrived late in the evening on December 11 and after the reception at the airport and a dinner banquet checked into JW Mariott hotel in Tashkent City. On the next day his photos with fans at a local gym started circulating across social media.

Turns out, in the morning on December 12 he started off his...

The Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan has published a list of 1,846 medicines that pharmacies are permitted to sell without a doctor’s prescription. Patients can now independently check which medicines are available for purchase without restrictions.

What’s in the list?

The list covers widely used non-prescription medicines, including painkillers, cold remedies, antiseptics and vitamin complexes.

Painkillers and fever reducers

Colds, ARVI and flu

Cough and throat

Allergy medicines

Antiseptics and wound treatment

The World Bank has approved a $250 mln loan to Uzbekistan to expand access to student loans under the new EduImkon programme.

EduImkon, which runs from 2026 to 2028, is financed by the World Bank and overseen by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The initiative aims to remove barriers in the student finance system by modernising the educational loan framework and creating a single online platform for applications and processing. It will also make student loans easier to obtain for women and low-income families.

The programme includes plans to align higher and vocational education with labour market needs...

Uzbekistan plans to designate 2027 as the Year of Preventive Diplomacy, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced at the Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat.

He said the initiative would include a series of international conferences, forums and delegation exchanges, organised together with UN institutions such as the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Ashgabat.

Mirziyoyev also voiced Tashkent’s support for Turkmenistan’s proposal to recognise 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust. He stressed that the concept is particularly important for countries that prioritise negotiation and dialogue when managing disputes.

Concluding his address, the president proposed holding an...

French marine archaeologists have uncovered a 120-metre stone wall off the coast of Brittany, dating to around 5,000 BC. It is the largest underwater structure ever discovered in France and may be linked to myths of a sunken city, BBC reports.

The wall lies nine metres underwater near the Ile de Sein. When built, it would have stood on the shoreline. It measures roughly 20 metres wide and two metres high, with rows of granite monoliths rising from its top. Researchers think it was either a fish-trap or an early sea defence.

The structure, weighing about 3,300 tonnes, points...

The 2025 FIA Awards ceremony took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on December 12. From Formula One to karting, endurance racing and rally raid, champions across every discipline were recognised for their achievements over a fiercely competitive season.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who was just re-elected for his second term, welcomed guests to the and praised a year defined by close battles, rising talent and record participation across global competitions.

World Rally

Sebastien Ogier hailed the 2025 campaign as his «strongest» in the World Rally Championship and is «super proud» to match Sebastien Loeb’s record of nine...

On December 11, Saida Mirziyoyeva, First Assistant to the President of Uzbekistan, met Pope Leo XIV during a session of the Sheikh Zayed Award for Human Fraternity jury.

The discussion focused on key priorities of the award, which aims to strengthen intercultural and interfaith understanding globally.

Mirziyoyeva highlighted that in Uzbekistan, followers of different religions, including Catholics, live in an atmosphere of harmony and tolerance — values that the award seeks to promote internationally.

Both sides confirmed their commitment to collaborate on projects designed to build trust and advance humanitarian principles around the world.

Max Verstappen will miss the 2025 FIA Awards and Gala in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, after falling ill. The Red Bull Racing driver had been scheduled to receive the trophy for finishing second in the drivers’ championship.

The Dutchman has attended the gala for the past four years to collect his World Drivers’ Championship trophies. This season, however, he fell short of the title despite a strong comeback.

Verstappen did secure victory in the season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But with Lando Norris finishing third in that race, Verstappen ended the season two points behind the British...

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been re-elected as president of the FIA, the world motorsport governing body, and will serve a second four-year term until 2029. The 64-year-old Emirati, a former rally driver, first took office in December 2021, succeeding Jean Todt. His re-election took place unopposed at the FIA’s annual general assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Ben Sulayem expressed his gratitude to FIA members: «Thank you to all our FIA Members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again. We have overcome many obstacles but here today, together, we are...

Jack Doohan experienced a challenging three days at Suzuka during Super Formula’s post-season test, with incidents on each day restricting his overall mileage. The Kondo Racing driver went off again at Degner Curve on Friday morning but rejoined the session for the final half hour to record a best lap of 1m38.350s. He finished ninth among the 14 rookies running on Friday and 26th in the combined classification.

Jack Doohan se estrelló por tercera vez en 3 días, casi en el mismo lugar cada vez.

La experiencia japonesa se convierte en una pesadilla para el australiano...

Uzbekistan’s new system of electronic prescriptions came into force on 12 December, but the rollout has led to confusion in the capital as residents struggle to purchase basic medicines. The updates include a revised prescription list that now requires medical authorisation for drugs such as paracetamol, nimesil, aspirin and viagra.

Despite the introduction, many in Tashkent say they have been unable to buy prescribed medicines at all, noting that only vitamins and dietary supplements remain available without restriction. Kursiv Uzbekistan has requested clarification from the Ministry of Health, although no official response had been provided at the time of...

McLaren F1 team has arrived in Tashkent. CEO Zak Brown, team principal Andrea Stella along with other staff and racing drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were greeted at the airport. Lando Norris will receive his championship trophy today at FIA Awards Ceremony.

The drivers are accompanied by their girlfriends Lily Zneimer (Piastri) and Margarida Corseiro (Norris).

The team was greeted at Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport by officials...

The Board of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan has decided to maintain the key policy rate at 14% per annum, effective from December 11.

The regulator cited the need to control inflation and minimise inflationary risks as the main reason for keeping rates steady. Annual inflation fell to 7.5% in November, supported by a slowdown in core inflation to 6.3%. The stabilising effect of a stronger exchange rate and moderate import prices also helped contain the rise in non-food goods.

The Central Bank expects inflation to reach 7.3% by the end of 2025 and around 6.5% by the...

Uzbekistan has achieved a major cultural milestone with the inscription of the Karakalpak kobyz, a traditional musical instrument, and the yurt on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The decision was made during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee held in New Delhi, according to Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration.

Mirziyoyeva highlighted that the recognition reflects the value of Uzbekistan’s national traditions and the strength of its spiritual heritage.

She said, «This is a victory for our entire culture. We continue to move forward, carefully preserving what makes us unique.»

Mirziyoyeva also...

Uzbekistan’s Minister of Energy, Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, told deputies in the lower chamber of parliament that Tashkent is engaged in discussions with Washington regarding the assets of Russian oil company Lukoil in Uzbekistan.

He added that US authorities have sent a letter extending the deadline for the sale of Lukoil’s foreign assets to mid-January next year. Mirzamahmudov expressed hope that a solution could be reached that serves Uzbekistan’s interests while adhering to international law. Talks are ongoing with legal experts and American officials.

Lukoil, which operates on around ten gas fields in Uzbekistan and built the Kandym gas...

Uzbekistan plans to relax non-tariff procedures for businesses in an effort to make official car imports through legal entities more affordable, according to a presidential decree on expanding cashless payments.

Officials expect the move to reduce the volume of vehicle imports registered under individuals, a practice that has become an informal workaround in recent years.

Between January and September this year, Uzbekistan purchased more than 56,300 vehicles from overseas, an annual increase of about 1,900 units. By early October the value of car imports had reached $807.3 mln.

China accounted for the overwhelming majority of deliveries with around...

Ferrari Formula One driver Charles Leclerc has arrived in Tashkent, drawing considerable attention as one of the sport’s most recognisable figures.

The Monegasque racer was greeted at Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport by officials from Uzbekistan’s National Olympic Committee. Leclerc arrived with his fiancee Alexandra Saint Mleux.

Women entrepreneurs have demonstrated better loan repayment rates than their male counterparts, according to Francis Malige, Managing Director of the EBRD’s Financial Institutions Business Group. Speaking at the EBRD Women in Business Regional Conference on December 10, Malige challenged traditional risk assessments, stating:

«Women pay back their loans better than men. They are more serious entrepreneurs.»

He noted that this data is driving banks to view lending to women as a commercial opportunity rather than a high-risk endeavor.

Challenging Collateral Requirements

Malige referenced the programme’s initial implementation in Turkey to illustrate the shift...