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Uzbekistan has claimed the top spot in the prestigious 2024 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, being named the “Most Desirable Emerging Destination.” This accolade from the renowned British travel magazine highlights the country’s unique blend of ancient history, vibrant culture and striking natural landscapes.

Between January and October 2024, the number of international visitors to Uzbekistan reached 6.5 mn, marking a 17.2% rise over the same period last year. This increase, equating to an additional 951,300 tourists, reflects the growing appeal of Uzbekistan among global travellers.

The awards, which saw over 3 mn votes cast by 168,000 passionate Wanderlust readers...

Kazakhstan’s GDP grew by 4.4% in the first 11 months of 2024, according to UKIMET. Over 70% of growth came from the non-oil sector, led by manufacturing, trade, agriculture, and construction.

Agriculture grew 13.4%, the highest since 2011. Construction rose 10.3%, trade 8.2%, and transport services 8.1%. Domestic goods output increased by 5%, and services by 4.5%. Investments in fixed assets reached KZT 15.8 trillion ($30.2 bn), up 3.1%.

Kazakhstan’s foreign trade turnover for the first ten months of 2024 totalled $116.9 bn. Exports rose by 5.1% to $68.5 bn, including a 10.2% increase in processed goods exports, which amounted...

Central Asian countries are global leaders in repatriating their citizens from refugee camps in north-eastern Syria, Khalid Koser, head of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), told RIA Novosti.

Koser stated that Central Asian nations have brought back around 2,200 people from Syria. Kazakhstan repatriated 754 individuals, Kyrgyzstan 533, and Uzbekistan 531, while Tajikistan returned 381.

Koser added that, unlike Central Asia, European countries have not been involved in repatriation efforts, choosing to ignore the situation in the camps.

“If you compare Belgium with Tajikistan, Tajikistan would say, ‘These are our citizens, we are responsible for them,'” Koser commented...

The risk of terrorist radicalisation has significantly increased in Central Asia, according to Khalid Koser, head of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), in an interview with RIA Novosti.

Khalid Koser highlighted widespread poverty among young people as a key factor behind the growing threat. Many young individuals struggle to find decent jobs and feel powerless, making them easy targets for recruitment by terrorist organisations.

Terrorists exploit the region’s political and socio-economic challenges to fuel radical sentiments. Additionally, illegal migration from Afghanistan poses serious risks.

GCERF prioritises preventing extremist violence and combating radicalisation by fostering partnerships between communities...

Deputies in Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis approved a draft law allowing prisoners to communicate with their families through video calls.

The bill amends the Penal Enforcement Code, giving inmates the option to use video links for remote communication with relatives. The frequency of calls will depend on their detention conditions and sentencing regime.

Lawmakers believe this initiative will support prisoners in reconnecting with society after their release.

Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved the master plan for Nukus, set to guide the city’s development until 2040. The document has been published on the official portal, Lex.uz.

According to the plan, Nukus will expand to cover an area of 13,400 hectares over the next 16 years. The city’s population is also projected to grow to 400,000.

The number of preschool educational institutions is expected to double, reaching 20,800.

Additionally, the total length of main streets in Nukus will increase from 90 km to 278 km.

Uzbekistan has approved an agreement with Russia on technical assistance in metrology, according to the Ministry of Justice, citing a decree by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Metrology, the science of establishing and developing units for measuring physical quantities, plays a critical role in standardisation and quality assurance.

The document was signed on May 27, 2024 in Tashkent. The Agency for Technical Regulation of Uzbekistan will oversee the implementation of the agreement.

The Cabinet of Ministers and relevant ministries will monitor the execution of the agreement to ensure compliance and effectiveness.

In Parkent District, Tashkent Region, three lions at the Lion Park Zoo broke out of their cage and attacked a security guard.

The regional Department of Internal Affairs reported that the incident happened at around 5:00 a.m. The lions in the same enclosure escaped the fenced area while the zoo remained closed to visitors.

A 44-year-old guard tried to drive the animals back into the cage, but they attacked him. He suffered fatal injuries during the incident.

Zoo workers managed to capture the lions and return them to a secure enclosure. Authorities reassured the public that the situation posed no...

The critics surveyed included representatives from Variety, The New Yorker, the Associated Press and various other foreign media outlets.

This summer, Uzbekistan’s Cinematography Agency criticised the film and the portrayal of its heroine.

Anora, a comedy-drama directed by American filmmaker Sean Baker, explores the relationship between Anora, a stripper of Uzbek origin, and Ivan, a young billionaire from Russia.

The film won the prestigious Palme d’Or award in May. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of critics rated Anora favourably, while viewers rated it at 90%.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Russia plans to...

Central Asia has the potential for significant growth in nuclear power, according to the UK-based think tank New Nuclear Watch Institute (NNWI). The region could emerge as a leader in expanding nuclear capacity.

Tim Yeo, the head of NNWI, believes Central Asia might surpass Europe and the United States in the number of new nuclear reactors. Following the rapid growth of nuclear power in East and South Asia, primarily driven by China, India, and Russia, Central Asia is well-positioned to become the next center for nuclear development. Additionally, the region is exploring the introduction of small modular reactors (SMRs).

Azerbaijani entrepreneur and singer Emin Agalarov presented the Sea Breeze Uzbekistan project to the President of Uzbekistan. The publication gathered information about this planned tourist complex located on the shore of the Charvak reservoir.

“This is a great honor for me and my team. Thank you for your trust; we will not disappoint you,” Emin Agalarov emphasised during the project presentation.

In an interview with Uzbekistan’schannel, Agalarov discussed the details of the project. He mentioned that the complex will span an area of 5-7 mln square meters, with facilities designed to operate trough the year.

As noted by...

Photo: Kazatomprom

Uranium One Group, a subsidiary of Rosatom State Corporation, is planning to sell shares in Kazakh companies engaged in uranium mining, as reported by Kazinform.

The company intends to transfer approximately 50% of its shares in the joint venture JV Zarechnoye to SNURDC Astana Mining Company Limited, affiliated with the Chinese corporation State Nuclear Uranium Resources Development.

Additionally, Uranium One Group plans to exit its joint ventures JV Khorasan-U LLP and Kyzylkum LLP. As part of this agreement, a 30% stake in these companies will be transferred to China Uranium Development Company Limited, which China General Nuclear...

Since December 4, when the Telegram affiliate platform was launched, 15,000 affiliate programs have started operating within it, according to Telegram founder Pavel Durov.

Durov emphasised that the partnership platform provides channel owners and mini-application developers with essential benefits: channel owners can generate income while mini-application developers gain new users.

Developers of applications on Telegram can set the terms of their partnership programs and decide the commission rates they are willing to offer to channels.

Channel administrators can join the partnership program and receive a personalized referral link.

Pavel Durov also highlighted the platform’s reliability and ease of use.

South Korean companies have commenced the development of a feasibility study (FS) for an ambitious railway project in Uzbekistan, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

Key players in this initiative include the Korean National Railway Corporation (KORAIL), Saman, and Dongmyeong Technology Corporation, with plans for the project to be realised by spring 2026.

The proposed high-speed railway will connect the vibrant cities of Tashkent and Samarkand, with KORAIL set to introduce advanced Korean technologies in railway construction to Uzbekistan.

In September, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the plan for this high-speed railway linking Tashkent to both Samarkand and...

Chinese company Xiaomi has introduced the Dictionary Pen C1, a translation pen priced at $48 (or 349 yuan), as reported by Gizmochina.

The pen helps users recognise and translate text, displaying the results on a three-inch screen. It also offers voice input translation capabilities.

The device boasts a text recognition accuracy of 98%. Additionally, it features built-in artificial intelligence that provides users with detailed explanations of translations.

The Dictionary Pen C1 can operate for up to 100 days on a single battery charge and includes 32GB of memory for users to store materials.

Furthermore, Kursiv Uzbekistan reports that...

Representatives for Uzbek boxer Murojon Akhmadaliev have sent a letter to the World Boxing Association (WBA) requesting that he be appointed as the next opponent for Japan’s Naoya Inoue, also known as the “Japanese Monster”, as reported by Boxing Scene.

However, Inoue is already scheduled to fight Sam Goodman in January 2025 and is preparing for a rematch with Alan David Picasso. As a result, a potential match between Akhmadaliev and Inoue might only occur at the end of 2025.

Russian-Kyrgyz boxer Dmitry Bivol has commented on this situation, stating, “Throughout my career, I have always respected my obligations...

In Uzbekistan, the land is frequently redistributed in favour of developers, compromising the public interest. This conclusion is drawn by researchers from the Centre for Public Administration at Ulster University in their report titled “A False Sense of Legacy”.

The report examines property seizures in Uzbekistan over eight years, from 2017 to 2024. It highlights that the primary beneficiaries of these seizures are officials and/or their friends and relatives.

The report’s authors assert that these land expropriations, aimed at facilitating private commercial developments, often involve serious abuses of state power that may violate Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code and Constitution.

Citizens...

Photo: Ubzekistan Travel

Three tourist centers will be established in the mountainous areas of the Surkhandarya region, as outlined in a decree signed by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

A total of 945.5 hectares of land will be allocated for these projects. The Omonkhona tourist center will be built in the Baisun district, the Sangardak complex in the Saryasi district, and the Obikhayot tourist center near the Oktepa reservoir.

Land for the construction of buildings and infrastructure will be offered through online bidding. The proceeds from the sale or lease of this land will be directed to the directorate responsible...

Companies from various countries will participate in the construction of a small nuclear power plant in the Jizzak region, according to Azim Akhmedkhadjaev, director of the Atomic Energy Agency of Uzbekistan, according to his interview to Report.

The general contractor for the project will be Russia’s Rosatom State Corporation, with some work being carried out by local Uzbek companies. However, the construction of the nuclear power plant will extend beyond just Russian and Uzbek efforts.

Akhmedkhadzhaev pointed out that companies from other nations may also contribute by building infrastructure, machinery stations and service facilities. Experts prioritised reliability and safety...

Uzbekistan is in favour of holding the Forum of Regions of the CIS countries in Tashkent, TASS reported, citing Commonwealth Secretary General Sergey Lebedev.

According to Lebedev, the CIS executive committee has already received a note from the Republic’s authorities with an initiative to hold the event.

In September this year, our country has already proposed to hold an interregional forum. The Belarusian-Russian experience is expected to be considered when organising the event.

In addition, the Belarusian authorities also favour holding the Forum of the CIS region.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that it is urging the...

Photo: Golib Tolibov / Depositphotos

According to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, at the end of November, the average interest rates on household loans in banks across Uzbekistan rose to 24.3% per annum. This marks an increase of 0.5% from September, which recorded the lowest annual rate.

Since August, the average interest rate on business loans remained unchanged at 22.7% per annum.

The rates for individual deposits in the national currency have remained steady, with an average yield of 22.1% in November. However, interest rates on deposits from legal entities dropped to 16.3% after a brief increase in October.

Bitcoin hit a new all-time high of $106,000 on December 16, according to Coindesk data.

Earlier that morning, it was priced at $104,000. By 10:44 AM in Tashkent, Bitcoin rose to $105,000.

The asset’s market capitalisation reached $2.04 trillion. In the last 24 hours, Bitcoin trading volume exceeded $127.2 billion.

Between October and November this year, 112 export-focused companies gained resident status at IT Park, according to the tech cluster’s press centre.

Of these, 59 companies were established with investments from American, Chinese, and British partners.

Among the new residents, 48 companies offer outsourcing services, 41 provide IT solutions, and 4 focus on the creative industries and game development.

Uzbekistan’s IT sector has attracted growing interest, with companies from Japan, China, Portugal, and various European and Asian countries getting involved.

These new residents are expected to export services worth $70 mn in their first year.

15 children without parental care returned to Uzbekistan from Russia. The National Agency for Social Protection, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan organised the process.

Initially, specialists worked to bring back ten children from six regions in Russia. During the investigation, they identified five more children who needed to return to Uzbekistan. Consular offices of Uzbekistan abroad also helped in this effort.

After arriving in Uzbekistan, ten children moved to a centre for social and legal assistance to minors. The other five stayed temporarily in an orphanage in Tashkent.