News

Starting July 1, entrepreneurs and private employment agencies in Uzbekistan can receive subsidies for hiring individuals with Category I and II disabilities. The resolution was signed by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Business owners will qualify for financial support if the person with a disability has been employed for at least three months. During this period, the employee must be paid no less than twice the minimum wage.

The program also includes subsidies for workplace adaptation. In such cases, businesses can receive up to 50 mln UZS for providing services such as sign language interpretation...

Microsoft has carried out layoffs within its Xbox gaming division, affecting developers of the Call of Duty franchise, Insider Gaming reports.

Among those impacted are employees at Raven Software and Sledgehammer Games—both studios responsible for developing Call of Duty titles. Their past projects include Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

Raven Software has been active in the gaming industry since 1990 and was acquired by publisher Activision in 1997.

Sledgehammer Games was founded in 2009 by Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey, who previously worked on the horror game Dead Space. In addition to Advanced...

A photography exhibition titled Timeless Textures: Analogue Visions of Uzbekistan by Stanislav Chernyavskiy opened in Warsaw, attracting Polish academics, experts and media representatives, Dunyo reports.

The exhibition presents a striking collection of black-and-white analogue photographs that capture the historical essence of Uzbekistan. According to the artist, the works invite viewers on a journey through time, exploring the ancient lands of the Khorezm Khanate and beyond.

Shot entirely on film, the images carry a sense of timelessness, blurring the line between past and present. Their grainy texture and sharp contrasts evoke the feeling of leafing through long-lost historical archives.

The...

Nearly 95% of all cars imported to Uzbekistan in May were manufactured in China, according to the National Statistics Committee.

Vehicle imports have been steadily increasing in recent months. From January to May, Uzbekistan imported 18,378 passenger cars worth $325.3 mln.

In May alone, 6,307 cars were brought into the country, valued at $111.6 mln. In April, imports reached 5,121 vehicles worth nearly $99 mln.

More than half of all imported cars this year have been electric. A total of 9,789 electric vehicles were delivered to Uzbekistan since the start of 2024.

China Dominates Market as Korea and...

Qwizzserial and Telegram

The malicious software (malware) known as Qwizzserial has infected 100,000 Android smartphone users, most of them in Uzbekistan, according to cybersecurity firm Group-IB.

Qwizzserial was first detected in late March 2024. The malware spreads via Telegram as an apk file under names like “Financial Aid” or “President’s Gift”. Scammers also disguise the app as legitimate banking or government service applications.

To spread Qwizzserial, scammers create fake Telegram channels impersonating government agencies, public figures, or publishing fabricated presidential decrees.

Qwizzserial

Once installed, the app requests permission to access SMS messages and then asks for bank card...

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has described Uzbekistan as a highly attractive country for investment during a media briefing in Baku.

He praised the reforms introduced by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, noting their positive impact on the investment climate. Aliyev also said that Uzbekistan remains a priority destination for Azerbaijani investments.

Aliyev highlighted the work of the Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Investment Fund, which was launched in winter 2023 with an initial capital of $500 mln. As of early July, more than ten projects are currently under investment consideration.

«Our plans far exceed this initial amount. am confident that...

Portuguese international footballer Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, have died in a car accident in northern Spain, Spanish authorities confirmed early Wednesday morning, as reported by BBC.

The fatal crash occurred around 00:30 local time in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora province. According to Spain’s Guardia Civil, the Lamborghini in which the two were travelling suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle. The car veered off the road and caught fire, killing both occupants instantly.

Jota, 28, had only recently married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, in a ceremony on June 22. The couple shared three...

Kahramonjon Olimov, a prominent Uzbek banker and owner of Anorbank, was kidnapped in central Paris on June 23, according to Le Monde. He was held captive for nearly two days, severely beaten and threatened with death before being released after a ransom was paid.

Olimov had arrived in France to meet with business partners. He met a woman of Caucasian origin shortly before the incident. They arranged to dine together at a Paris restaurant. However, as he left his hotel nearby, he was abducted.

He was later transported to a basement in a villa in Nice. There, he was...

Last night in Paris, Delphine Arnault, CEO of Dior, was awarded the Legion d’honneur by French President Emmanuel Macron. These news were shared by Derek C. Blasberg, an American writer, socialite, and fashion industry personality.

The ceremony took place at the Élysée Palace and gathered a select group of guests, including figures from the fashion industry and close associates of the Arnault family.

President Macron’s speech was both personal and light-hearted. He recalled Delphine’s rebellious youth — joking that she once smoked cigarettes — and praised her strength as a leader in a historically male-dominated industry. Referring to her...

As part of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Azerbaijan, a ceremony was held in Baku to lay the foundation for the Uzbekistan Park, the president’s press service reports.

The park will be located in the modern and fast-developing White City (Ag Sheher) district of the capital. Spanning 4.5 hectares, the $80 mln project will highlight Uzbekistan’s rich culture and architecture.

The park will include reconstructions of landmarks from Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva alongside landscaped paths and green spaces. Buildings will feature traditional Uzbek design elements such as domes, mosaics and carved ornamentation.

There will also be craft workshops...

Tashkent and Baku are accelerating joint efforts to launch a strategic electricity export project aimed at the European market. The agreement followed a high-level meeting between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President Ilham Aliyev during the second session of the Supreme Interstate Council held in Baku.

The leaders confirmed their commitment to energy cooperation, building on the trilateral agreement signed in November 2024 between Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. The project involves laying a subsea cable across the Black Sea, creating a new transcontinental electricity corridor connecting Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Europe.

As part of the roadmap, national grid operators from the three countries established a joint venture last December...

During his state visit to Azerbaijan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the official opening of Uzbekistan’s new embassy building in Baku, the president’s press service reports.

The ceremony was attended by both President Mirziyoyev and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan. The leaders cut a symbolic ribbon and formally inaugurated the new diplomatic mission.

They toured the building and reviewed the working conditions created for diplomats stationed in Baku.

The embassy is designed to support the further strengthening of the strategic partnership and alliance between the two countries. Each hall in the building is named after a region of...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced plans for Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan to jointly host the Futsal World Cup, according to Azerbaijan’s state news agency Azertag.

«We have agreed to jointly approach FIFA to organise the Futsal World Cup together,» said Mirziyoyev during a press briefing.

Azerbaijan won the most recent Futsal World Cup, held in Baku at the end of May. The national team defeated Hungary 4–2 in the final, while Serbia claimed bronze.

The tournament brought together national teams from 32 countries. The next edition is expected to take place in...

Day three of the World Boxing Cup: Kazakhstan – Astana 2025 concluded with 44 bouts held across two sessions, World Boxing reports.

Kazakhstan led the day with eight victories, followed by India with six and Brazil with five.

Fourteen quarter final matches took place, as the tournament advanced to its most intense stages.

In standout performances, Finland’s Pihla Kaivo-Oja claimed victory by RSC in the women’s 51kg bout. In the women’s 65kg, USA’s Morelle McCane also secured an RSC win, continuing her strong run.

Uzbekistan saw three women compete, with two advancing to the next stage of the tournament:

The World Bank has appointed Najy Benhassine as its new Regional Director for Central Asia, with effect from July 2025. He will lead the Bank’s regional office based in Tashkent, according to the institution’s press service.

Benhassine replaces Tatiana Proskuryakova, who held the position from 2021 until June this year. Prior to his new role, he headed the World Bank’s office in Pakistan from 2020 to June 2025.

«It is an honour to lead the World Bank’s dynamic and wide-ranging operations in Central Asia — a region of more than 80 mln people undergoing rapid economic and demographic transformation,» Benhassine said.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed key international and regional issues with Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev during his recent visit to Baku, according to the Azerbaijani news agency Azertag.

«We touched on all matters — international, regional, bilateral and sensitive ones — because in today’s turbulent world it is important to consult and exchange views,» Mirziyoyev told journalists.

He highlighted the alignment of positions between Tashkent and Baku on several serious issues, noting that both countries intend to promote these shared views across international platforms.

The two leaders also discussed closer cooperation...

Uzbekistan has been highlighted in the Sustainable Development Report 2025 as one of the countries that has advanced more rapidly than many of its peers in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report identifies Uzbekistan as a regional leader in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The country’s strong improvement in areas such as health, infrastructure and education are among notable achievements.

Uzbekistan ranks 62nd out of 167 nations on the 2025 SDG Index, with a score of 73.1. This places it ahead of many similarly positioned economies, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and several states in Latin America and the...

At the Capital Market: New Investment Opportunities conference, First Deputy Chairman of the National Agency for Perspective Projects (NAPP), Vyacheslav Pak, noted that there is no legal mechanism in Uzbekistan to purchase shares of foreign companies.

According to him, Uzbek citizens who want to invest in international securities are forced to use questionable platforms like Libertex or Global Trader. This, he said, leads to a growing number of financial pyramids and fraudulent schemes.

Pak stated that a presidential decree has already been issued by Shavkat Mirziyoyev to create a platform on the stock exchange for trading shares of foreign issuers...

Uzbekistan’s aviation agency has issued Air China an operational permit for regular international flights.

This approval is based on the Air Services Agreement signed between Uzbekistan and China on 19 April 1994.

Air China will operate flights on two routes: Beijing–Tashkent–Beijing and Urumqi–Tashkent–Urumqi. The airline will use Boeing 737-800/8 (MAX) and Airbus A330-300/200 aircraft for these services.

Air China is the flag carrier of the People’s Republic of China and a major international airline. It operates one of Asia’s largest fleets and connects China with over 180 destinations worldwide.

Kursiv also reports that Uzbekistan Airways restarted direct flights between Tashkent...

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved a decree to formally bring two land plots into state ownership. This follows their transfer from Uzbekistan along the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border in Osh region, 24.kg reports.

The first plot, covering 100 hectares, is located in Kara-Suu district between border points No. 312/4 and 312/6. The second, measuring 198.44 hectares, lies in Aravan district between points No. 324 and 328.

These decisions are part of the implementation of the law which was signed on November 3, 2022 in Bishkek. The State Agency for Land Resources, Cadastre, Geodesy and Cartography, together with the...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has begun a state visit to Azerbaijan aimed at deepening bilateral relations, the president’s press secretary reports.

During the trip, he will visit the cities of Baku, Khankendi, Shusha and Aghdam.

On the first day, the two presidents will hold the second meeting of the High Intergovernmental Council. They will also lay the foundation stone for Uzbekistan Park and open a new Uzbek embassy in Baku.

On the second day, Presidents Mirziyoyev and Ilham Aliyev will travel to the Karabakh region. There, they will visit a joint textile factory in Khankendi and the historic Imaret complex...

On June 30, a delegation from Uzbekistan led by Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov visited Kyrgyzstan’s Jalal-Abad region to inspect progress on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project.

During the visit, the delegation reviewed construction work at the Fergana and Kosh-Dobo tunnels. Each tunnel stretches over 12 kilometres and represents a major feat of engineering in the region’s mountainous terrain.

The delegation also examined plans and the construction site for a new railway station to be built in place of the existing Makmal station, as well as the proposed site for the future Jalal-Abad railway station.

June 30 marked the official...

On July 1st, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals for Uzbekistan’s preparations ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, set to take place in Los Angeles, USA.

As highlighted during a national video conference on 13 February, where the President called for stronger efforts in Olympic development, Uzbekistan had achieved notable results at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris — finishing 13th in the overall medal standings at both events. That success has now laid the foundation for a far-reaching, long-term sports strategy.

A draft presidential decree has been prepared, setting out ten key priorities...

The World Boxing Cup: Kazakhstan – Astana 2025 launched on 30 June, drawing over 400 elite fighters from 31 nations to the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Art Palace, World Boxing reports.

The week-long tournament, which runs until 6 July, follows a structure developed by World Boxing where athletes earn ranking points across multiple stages during the year. It features 20 Olympic-style weight categories — ten for men and ten for women — consistent with previous editions in Poland and Brazil.

The event aims to bring greater clarity and meaning to the boxing calendar and culminates in a final showdown between...