News

ACWA Power is advancing its study on mitigating bird collisions with power lines by integrating satellite tracking of Asian houbara bustards. The project, part of a broader environmental responsibility initiative, aims to address gaps in measuring bird mortality and develop effective conservation strategies.

The study will monitor captive-bred houbara fitted with satellite transmitters to track their survival after potential collisions. By analyzing movement patterns, researchers hope to determine the true impact of power lines on bird mortality. Professor Paul Dolman from the University of East Anglia emphasized that many collision-related deaths go undetected.

“If a...

ACWA Power launched a three-year study to prevent power line collisions among migratory birds, focusing on the vulnerable Asian houbara bustard. Professor Paul Dolman from the University of East Anglia highlighted the urgent need for mitigation.

“Bustards have a restricted field of vision, making them highly vulnerable. Collisions with power lines threaten entire populations,” he stated at a press conference on February 17 in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent.

The study will test Bird Flight Diverters (BFDs) along power lines in key flyways. Unlike static markers, which have failed for bustards, the experiment will assess dynamic, high-contrast...

In 2024, Uzbekistan imported air conditioners worth $104 mln, according to the State Statistics Agency.

Over the past year, the country imported a total of 457,200 air conditioners, with 443,900 units sourced from China.

Other major exporters of air conditioners included Turkey (5,200 units) and Kazakhstan (3,700 units).

An Uzbek restaurant has opened in the vicinity of the Grand Mosque in Mecca (Masjid al-Haram), Dunyo news agency reports.

The restaurant is situated on the third floor of the iconic The Clock Tower skyscraper. Visitors can enjoy a variety of traditional dishes, including samsa, shurpa, plov, manti, and other Uzbek specialities.

According to the agency, the restaurant aims to promote Uzbekistan’s tourism potential among pilgrims.

As of February 2025, Uzbekistan had over 15,100 companies established with foreign investment, according to the State Statistics Committee.

The data shows that more than 3,400 companies in the country were founded by Chinese investors. Russian investors were also highly active, opening 2,900 companies, while Turkish entrepreneurs established 1,800 businesses.

Among countries outside the region, South Korean and US investors were the most frequent, with 660 and 303 companies, respectively, being set up in Uzbekistan.

In 2024, major enterprises in Uzbekistan produced 16 mln tonnes of cement, representing a 34.2% y/y increase, according to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan.

At the same time, cement sales on the Uzbek Republican Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange grew by 58%, reaching nearly 6 mln tonnes. The average annual price of cement on the exchange stood at UZS 534,700 per tonne.

Chinese company OPPO has announced the release of the OPPO A3i Plus smartphone, GSM Arena reports.

The new device is almost identical to last year’s OPPO A3 in terms of technical specifications.

The smartphone features a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset. The battery capacity is 5,000mAh.

In China, the price starts at $178 for the 256GB storage version, while the 512GB version is priced from $205. The device will go on sale in China starting February 17.

Uzbek singer Shirin Abdullaeva passed away at the age of 20. The news of her death was reported by the Committee for Family and Women’s Affairs.

Abdullaeva was born on December 14, 2005 in the family of Namangan entrepreneur Bahodir Abdullaev. In 2023, she was awarded the Zulfiya State Prize in the field of arts.

Abdullaeva was known for songs such as «Luli,» «Metro,» and «Bezori.»

She studied at Tsinghua University in Beijing, where she was regarded as Uzbekistan’s cultural ambassador in China.

«I want to create an educational exchange project that enhances students’ understanding...

Timur Sadvakasov, the former deputy mayor of Aktau, was detained in Uzbekistan, according to reports from Kazakh media, citing the Telegram channel Kozachkov Offside. Sadvakasov had been placed on Kazakhstan’s wanted list.

He is suspected of being involved in large-scale fraud and facilitating bribery. Kozachkov Offside also noted that Sadvakasov had managed to cross into Kyrgyzstan illegally before entering Uzbekistan, where he was apprehended by Uzbek border guards.

Kursiv Kazakhstan reports that the Agency for Financial Monitoring (AFM) of Kazakhstan has not confirmed his detention.

According to the AFM, one of the shareholders of the mining company Tiolain, Viktor Dolgalev, attempted...

UK-based company Intertek Group plc will assist Uzbekistan with product certification and labelling in accordance with international standards, Dunyo News Agency reports.

The agreement to involve Intertek was reached during negotiations with representatives of the British company. This collaboration will help Uzbekistan boost its export of goods.

Founded in 1885, Intertek Group plc is a leader in quality control and product and service standardisation. The company operates across various sectors, including energy, automotive, construction, and more.

Intertek has over a thousand offices and laboratories worldwide. In 2023, the company reported a net profit of £318.1 mln.

The 2025 BRICS summit is set to be held on July 6 and 7 in Rio de Janeiro, the official website of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confirms.

The announcement came on February 15 from Brazil’s Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira, alongside the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes.

«It is an immense pleasure to further strengthen the collaboration and partnership between the federal government and Rio de Janeiro. We will be welcoming the heads of state from the 20 BRICS countries, including both full members and partners,» said Minister Vieira.

The...

In January 2025, the cost of holidays in Uzbekistan for Russian tourists decreased by 3.4% compared to December, according to TASS.

Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that in December, the cost of vacations for Russians in the country had already fallen by 2.7%.

According to the Tourism Committee, over 7.3 mln international visitors travelled to Uzbekistan in the first 11 months of 2024, marking a 19% y/y increase. The majority of tourists came from Kyrgyzstan, with 2.1 mln visitors.

Tajikistan and Kazakhstan followed with 2.1 mln and 1.4 mln visitors, respectively. The number of Russian tourists during the same period reached 741,200.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the war in Ukraine could evolve into the European Union’s equivalent of Afghanistan, becoming a prolonged and costly engagement with no clear resolution. Speaking at a media event in Dubai, Orbán emphasized the substantial financial support the EU has allocated to Ukraine since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago.

In an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Orbán referenced the hundreds of billions of euros provided in aid to Ukraine, suggesting that, in the absence of a diplomatic resolution, the war could become an enduring crisis for...

The first Xiaomi YU7 electric SUV has been spotted during a test drive in China. Its official release is scheduled for June 2025, and the expected starting price is around 250,000 yuan (approximately $34,200).

The YU7 measures 4,999 mm in length, 1,996 mm in width, and 1,600 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. Its design is reminiscent of the Ferrari Purosangue. The front features aggressive air vents, distinctive headlights, and a roof-mounted lidar for driver assistance systems. The side profile includes hidden door handles, a panoramic roof, and aerodynamic wheels. At the rear, the SUV showcases...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan has signed three important documents aimed at supporting youth entrepreneurship, including the transformation of Alokabank into a financial organisation specifically for young people, as reported by Press Office of the President.

The President announced this package of documents during a meeting with youth. Alokabank will allocate $200 mln to support youth projects.

The bank will provide loans of up to 5 bn soums to young individual entrepreneurs, requiring them to hire at least 20 peers. Entrepreneurs who open training centers and small businesses will also be eligible for preferential loans.

The bank will offer...

The match between Manchester City and Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium ended with a score of 4-0 in the 25th round of the English Premier League.

City striker Omar Marmoush scored three goals in the first half. In the second half, midfielder James Makati added another goal, assisted by Erling Haaland.

Uzbekistan’s Abdukodir Khusanov started the match for Manchester City and played the entire game.

Russia has introduced an electronic visa that allows entry through an additional checkpoint: Tashanta, located in the Altai Republic, as reported by the press service of the Russian government.

With this development, there are now 105 border crossing points where the electronic visa system is operational.

The electronic visa can be obtained online through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia for various purposes, including tourism, business, humanitarian and guest visits. Importantly, applicants do not need to provide confirmation of the trip’s purpose, and the visa processing time is no more than four days. Additionally, the visa...

Uzbek and Pakistani businessmen signed 181 contracts worth over $500 mln at the National Exhibition of Industrial Products, “Made in Uzbekistan,” held in Lahore.

Of these contracts, $263 mln were for export trade, while $236 mln were for import agreements.

During the event, the businessmen discussed plans to establish Uzbek trade houses in Pakistan, organize fairs, and enhance cooperation in the textile, pharmaceutical, and transport sectors.

Uzbekistan and Pakistan agreed to expand the list of goods covered by their preferential trade agreement, simplify the export process for horticultural products, and form a working group to promote goods on electronic...

The United States recently sent 119 migrants of various nationalities to Panama as part of an agreement between the two countries. This was announced by Panama’s President, Jose Raul Mulino.

The first flight with the deportees arrived on Wednesday. Among the passengers were individuals from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Two additional flights are expected soon, and 360 migrants are planned for transfer to Panama.

Before being sent back to their home countries, the migrants will stay in a shelter near the Darien Jungle, which is a well-known route for illegal migration to...

Uzbekistan starts developing a feasibility study for a new high-speed passenger railway connecting Tashkent and Samarkand.

On February 14, representatives from the Transport Ministry, Uzbekistan Temir Yollari, the South Korean Embassy, and Korea Eximbank met. During this meeting, Korean specialists presented project proposals and signed documents necessary to advance to the next stage of the feasibility study.

A consortium of South Korean companies, including Saman Engineering, Dong Myeong Engineering Consultants & Architecture Co., Ltd, Korea Railroad Corporation, and Korea National Railway, has been tasked with developing the feasibility study. A grant from Korea Eximbank provides funding for this project.

Russia and Uzbekistan plan to increase bilateral trade to $30 bn by 2030, as reported by Konstantin Zlygostev, Russia’s trade representative in Uzbekistan.

In 2024, the trade volume between the two countries exceeded $10 bn, marking a twofold increase over the past six years.

Zlygostev highlighted that there is significant potential for trade growth in the energy, industrial, and agricultural sectors.

Currently, more than 70 Russian regions have established economic ties with Uzbekistan’s provinces, the trade representative added.

Uzbek citizens who have earned degrees from prestigious universities worldwide will be eligible for subsidised housing loans, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced during a dialogue with the youth.

Interest-free loans will be granted to young scientists under the age of 35 for a period of ten years, with a maximum loan amount of UZS 800 mln.

Additionally, the president announced a fivefold increase in prizes for winners of prestigious international olympiads. A new state scholarship, “Supreme Commander-in-Chief,” will be introduced for outstanding cadets at military academies.

Creators of popular science shows can apply for grants of up to UZS...

In 2025, Uzbekistan will launch a large-scale youth employment programme, with UZS 126 trln allocated for its implementation. This was announced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a meeting with the country’s young residents.

The programme aims to train young people in various professions and foreign languages, as well as provide them with well-paid job opportunities.

According to the president, the most challenging employment situation for youth is currently observed in the Yunusabad, Asakinsky, Chirakchin, and Pastdargom districts, as well as in Almalyk and Bukhara.

Plans include launching 378,000 projects in local communities (mahallas). New loans from community banks are...

The dollar exchange rate at the currency exchange of Uzbekistan reached 12,993.15 soums on 14 February. The fall during the day was 10.8 sums, according to the trading floor data.

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan set the US currency rate at the same level.

Banks buy currency for 12,930-12,980 soums and sell it for 13,005-13,065 soums.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports how much the dollar exchange rate may grow in 2025.