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My.gov.uz and Uzum Bank have signed a cooperation agreement to develop fintech solutions and simplify budget payments for Uzbekistan’s residents. Users can now choose a convenient cashless payment method on the unified portal when accessing government services—either using their own funds or through instalments.

To improve access to government services, we have established cooperation between My.gov.uz and Uzum Bank. Now, when obtaining paid government services via My.gov.uz, users can pay with their own funds in the Uzum Bank app or in instalments through Uzum Nasiya. This allows citizens to plan their expenses and receive essential services on time, said Anvar...

The Chevrolet Cobalt was the best-selling car in Kazakhstan last year, according to a report by the Kazakhstan Automobile Association.

In 2023, Kazakhstani buyers purchased 25,537 Cobalt vehicles, accounting for 12.4% of total car sales.

The starting price for the Chevrolet Cobalt is KZT 7.65 mn ($14,800).

Among car brands, Chevrolet ranked second, with 30,927 units sold, trailing behind Hyundai, which led the market with 44,218 vehicles sold.

A venture fund will be established to finance pharmaceutical startups, according to a decree signed by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The fund will support projects in oncology, cell technologies, and biopharmaceuticals.

In addition, an investment fund for promising pharmaceutical industry projects will be launched in the republic.

The government intends to reimburse up to 100% of the expenses for Uzbek pharmaceutical companies that have registered their drugs with the US FDA or the European EMA.

Domestic pharmaceutical companies will also be eligible for a 50% reimbursement of costs related to registering drugs abroad.

By 2100, the world could lose 279 languages, as reported by Yury Koryakov, a senior researcher at the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, speaking to RIA Novosti.

According to linguists’ calculations, 88 languages have already disappeared in the first quarter of the 21st century. Among them are the language of the north-western Papuans of Indonesia, the Aleut dialect of the Bering Island Aleuts, and the Plains Apache language.

Koryakov added that in the 21st century, the average rate of language extinction has been nearly 40 languages every ten years. In total, 256 languages disappeared...

In 2024, citizens of Uzbekistan contributed 12 mn kWh of solar electricity to the national energy grid and received UZS 12.2 bn in subsidies, according to the Tax Committee.

By the end of last year, 10,800 residents of the country participated in the programme.

The highest subsidy amount was recorded in Khorezm region, amounting to UZS 2.8 bn. The top three regions also included Karakalpakstan and Tashkent, where residents sold energy worth UZS 1.9 bn and UZS 1.4 bn, respectively.

The subsidy programme for selling surplus green electricity has been in place since April 2023. For each kWh of...

Uzbekistan will establish a dedicated institute to train specialists in the field of electrical engineering. This decision was made by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as reported by the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.

The new institution will be created under the Ministry of Energy, with branches to be opened in various regions of the country. The curriculum will cover topics such as energy financing, electricity market management, and other relevant skills.

The establishment of this specialised institute aims to address the shortage of qualified personnel and accelerate the implementation of modern technologies. The institute will coordinate overseas internships...

The payment service of the social media platform X, XMoney, has secured its first official partner—Visa, a leading player in the financial sector, according to X CEO Linda Yaccarino.

“Another important milestone: Visa is the first partner of XMoney,” Yaccarino wrote on her X profile.

She added that the service will debut later in 2025.

The partnership is expected to enable peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers, wallet top-ups, and withdrawals.

In 2024, foreign companies providing electronic services in Uzbekistan paid UZS 115.8 bn in taxes to the state budget.

According to the State Tax Committee, this amount is 60% higher than in 2023, when tax payments totalled UZS 69.8 bn.

Nearly all tax revenues (99.9%) came from ten major international companies.

Meta led the list, paying UZS 41.7 bn, followed by Google with UZS 29 bn and Apple with UZS 27.3 bn. Other significant contributions came from Amazon (UZS 4.1 bn), Booking.com (UZS 3.6 bn), Netflix and Zoom (UZS 1.4 bn each), Acca (UZS 1.2 bn), Xsolla (UZS...

The chatbot developed by the Chinese company DeepSeek has become the most popular free iPhone app in Uzbekistan’s App Store.

DeepSeek’s application surpassed the marketplace TEMU, which had led the rankings for several months.

According to the analytics platform Sensor Tower, interest in the chatbot within Uzbekistan’s «Free Apps» category began rising on January 21 this year.

In the Productivity category, the app saw growing interest starting from January 11.

Beyond Uzbekistan, DeepSeek also ranks first in the App Store’s Afghan, Kazakh, and Russian segments. The app holds an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Users praise the...

A fire broke out on an Air Busan aircraft while it was stationed at Busan Airport in South Korea. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated, with no serious injuries reported, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The plane was preparing for departure to Hong Kong when the fire started.

Despite the flames spreading across most of the aircraft, the evacuation was successfully carried out. Three people sustained minor injuries.

A passenger on Uzbekistan Airways flight HY101 gave birth to a baby boy mid-flight, the airline reports.

«As the flight was underway, one of the passengers went into labour. (…) An obstetrician and a surgeon on board immediately stepped in to assist,» the airline stated.

The woman delivered her baby while in the air. To ensure both mother and child received prompt medical attention, the crew made an emergency landing in Iceland.

Uzbekistan Airways extended its congratulations to the mother and her family.

Uzbekistan exported 219,200 tonnes of grapes in 2024, marking a 2.2-fold increase from the previous year, the State Statistics Agency reports.

In monetary terms, exports reached $186.2 mn.

The majority of shipments went to Russia, amounting to 174,900 tonnes. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan followed with 21,000 and 15,400 tonnes, respectively. Belarus accounted for 6,900 tonnes, while Ukraine received 334 tonnes.

Over the past year, Uzbekistan exported fruits and vegetables worth more than $1.5 bn, reflecting an annual growth of 31.2%. The main export destinations were Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Uzbekistan Airways has begun flying to Europe without passing through Russian airspace, according to the airline’s press service, reported by Kursiv Uzbekistan. This follows a recommendation from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The company stated that the change in route is not related to the recent crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane.

In early January, EASA recommended that airlines avoid flights in the Russian air zone located west of 60° longitude until July 31. This recommendation applies to foreign carriers that have received approval from EASA, and its validity may be reassessed based on changing circumstances.

Shukhrat Khudaykulov...

A partnership between Uzbek Coinpay and Binance has been established in Uzbekistan to provide cryptocurrency services, according to a statement from the domestic platform’s press service.

The service can be accessed at coinpay.uz/binance. This platform allows users in Uzbekistan to deposit and withdraw assets using the national currency. Additionally, users have access to various services offered by Binance.

Coinpay has emphasized that all transactions must be conducted through the joint trading platform’s website.

Earlier this year, in mid-January, the National Agency for Advanced Projects (NAPP) announced that the cryptocurrency exchange Binance would officially begin operating in the...

Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that Uzbekistan Airways is set to launch direct flights to Madrid in 2025, as announced by airline representatives during a press conference marking the company’s 33rd anniversary.

This year, the airline will introduce flights from Fergana to Delhi. Uzbekistan Airways will begin operating flights from Tashkent and Fergana to Urumqi. There are also plans to consider direct flights to Shenzhen.

Shukhrat Khudaykulov, the Chairman of the Board, emphasised that Uzbekistan Airways will prioritise international destinations, while its subsidiary, Silk Avia, will focus on developing domestic transportation.

Uzbekistan Airways is planning to expand its fleet in response to...

According to data from the trading floor, the dollar exchange rate increased by 11.71 soums on January 28, reaching 12,974.98 soums at the currency exchange.

The Central Bank of the Republic established the U.S. dollar rate at a similar level.

Banks are buying the dollar for 12,900 to 12,930 soums and selling it for 12,965 to 13,025 soums.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reported the projected increase in the dollar exchange rate in 2025.

The hands of the Doomsday Clock have been moved forward again, bringing the time to nuclear midnight to a record low of 89 seconds. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced this decision during a broadcast.

“This is the shortest time to midnight that the world has ever faced,” stated Daniel Holts, the head of the science council, in response to the situation.

Since 2010, the clock has consistently ticked closer to midnight. The safest time recorded was in 1991, when the clock showed 23:43, allowing humanity 17 minutes before symbolic midnight.

In 2023, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that the clock...

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has directed the acceleration of nuclear power plant construction and the establishment of a nuclear cluster within the country. He announced this during an expanded government meeting.

Tokayev emphasised that developing nuclear energy is essential for Kazakhstan’s economic and technological progress. He tasked the government with creating a strategy for the nuclear industry and identifying sites for new power plant construction.

The President highlighted that, given the current electricity shortages, Kazakhstan urgently needs nuclear technologies.

Kazakhstan ranks first in the world in uranium mining and holds the second-largest proven reserves. In October 2024, the...

Uzbekistan plans to construct 7,000 kilometres of main networks to connect new energy capacities. An investment of $4 bn will be allocated to modernize the national electricity network. Uzbek Energy Minister Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov made this announcement during a meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

By 2030, more than 50% of electricity is expected to be generated from solar, wind, and micro-hydroelectric power plants.

Additionally, the aim is to reduce electricity losses from 14% to 8% and 9% by 2030 and enhance energy efficiency in the industrial sector.

So far, foreign investments amounting to $26 bn have been secured for projects...

The State Technical University is set to be established in Nukus following a decree from the President of Uzbekistan.

This new educational institution will be formed based on the Nukus Mining Institute. It will operate under Navoi Mining and Technology University, along with the local branch of the Tashkent University of Information Technologies.

By the next academic year, a pilot production enterprise will be launched at the university. Concurrently, the Amudarya Engineering Technological College will begin training personnel in the industry at the middle level.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that plans are in place to open a technical...

According to Nurlan Yermekbayev, the organisation’s secretary general, the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), including Uzbekistan, are not yet prepared to discuss the possibility of a visa-free regime.

“In terms of a visa-free regime across the entire organisation, the issue is not yet ready for consideration,” Yermekbayev stated in an interview with Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency.

However, he noted that liberalising visa regimes is one of the SCO’s objectives, and migration and tourism services are currently exploring this topic.

The SCO is an international organisation established in 2001 by the leaders of Uzbekistan, China, Kazakhstan...

According to The Times, Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov has the potential to become a standout player for Manchester City. The 20-year-old is noted for his speed, which was comparable to that of Kyle Walker at the peak of his career.

Manchester City acquired Husanov for 40 mln euros, a significant increase from the 100,000 euros that French club Lens paid for him a year and a half ago. The Times’ columnists are not surprised by this rapid rise in the player’s value.

Coaches and former teammates in France highly regard Khusanov’s talents, considering him one of the most...

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has concluded in Davos, Switzerland, with participation from prominent politicians and business leaders. Reuters has gathered the most discussed topics of the event.

At the forum, supporters and opponents of Israel came to the conclusion that the new US President Donald Trump could encourage Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to approve the decision regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, Iran declared that its nuclear programme is not aimed at developing atomic weapons. Tehran also stated that it has no intention of threatening its regional neighbours.

At the WEF, heads of state and...

The governments of Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend the ceasefire between the two countries, as reported by the White House.

“The ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, monitored by the United States, will remain in effect until February 18, 2025,” the statement said.

The statement also noted that the authorities of the three countries plan to begin negotiations regarding the release of Lebanese prisoners.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israel is required to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon. The Hezbollah group is committed to redeploying its forces beyond the Litani River.