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British actor Jude Law will portray Russian President Vladimir Putin in The Kremlin Wizard, a film directed by French filmmaker Olivier Assayas, according to Deadline.

Jude Law is set to play a minor role in Assayas’ new project, which depicts Putin in the early stages of his political career. In an interview with Deadline, Law described the challenge of playing this role as akin to “climbing Mount Everest,” but he feels prepared to take it on.

Information regarding Law’s involvement in the film emerged in May 2024; however, specific details about his character were not disclosed at that time.

At the end of 2024, the Fergana region has attracted $1.8 bn in foreign direct investments and loans, according to the press service of the regional Khokimiyat.

Deputy Regional Governor Nuriddin Mamajonov announced that the region launched 1,100 investment projects last year and created more than 36,000 jobs. Representatives from 29 countries are investing in the region’s economy, and the total number of firms with foreign capital has surpassed 800.

The region’s foreign investors’ portfolio is estimated to be around $6 bn.

In 2025, regional authorities plan to improve their work efficiency with investors. They anticipate initiating projects worth...

Photo: Wildberries

The court denied Vladislav Bakalchuk‘s claims against his former wife and upheld Tatiana Kim‘s right to 99% ownership of Wildberries, as reported by RIA Novosti, citing a decision from the Arbitration Court of the Moscow Region.

Bakalchuk was recognised as the owner of only 1% of Wildberries’ authorised capital, the legal entity of the Wildberries marketplace. The court determined that Bakalchuk’s interests were not impacted by the merger of the marketplace with the outdoor advertising operator Russ Outdoor.

It is worth noting that at the end of 2024, Bakalchuk lost another lawsuit concerning transferring Wildberries’ assets.

The conflict...

The sale of AI-80 petrol in Uzbekistan is set to be restricted until the end of 2025, as outlined in a decree by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev regarding implementing the Uzbekistan-2030 Strategy.

The decree also proposes limiting the use and sale of all fuels below Euro-4 standards. Previously, it was planned to phase out non-ecological fuels gradually until 2028.

The decree suggests banning the use of fuel oil in boiler houses and thermal power plants until the end of 2025. However, the use of this type of fuel will be permitted in emergencies.

A separate section of the decree...

At the end of 2024, cement sales at the Uzbek Republican Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange (UZRTSB) rose by 58% to reach 5.9 mln tonnes, according to the trading platform’s report

The highest sales volumes occurred in May and August, where 670,000 and 627,000 tonnes of cement were sold, respectively. Conversely, the lowest sales were recorded in December, with nearly 278,000 tonnes sold. The average annual price for cement was 534.7 thousand soums per tonne.

The largest cement producer last year was Ahangarancement, which accounted for 18% of total sales. Kyzylkumcement and Bekabadcement followed in second and third place...

According to TASS, the Russian group Holding Aqua increased its mineral water supplies to Uzbekistan by 27% in 2024.

The company produces several types of mineral waters, including Essentuki and Narzan, alongside other soft drinks.

Holding Aqua exported over 750 mln liters of water in 2024, marking an annual growth rate of 35%. The company also expanded its product shipments to Belarus and Azerbaijan, increasing by 130% and 22%, respectively.

The most popular brands among customers remain Essentuki and Narzan, although interest in Arkhyz and Gorji is also rising.

According to the Statistical Agency of Uzbekistan, the country...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has completed his short-term labour leave as of January 10, as announced by Sherzod Asadov, the press secretary of the head of state.

Mirziyoyev began his leave on January 6.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the President has signed a law regarding the state budget for the upcoming year.

Uzbekistan is set to implement a system to evaluate civil servants for their likelihood of engaging in bribery, according to Akmal Burkhanov, director of the Anti-Corruption Agency.

This initiative assesses the potential for corruption among executives and candidates for managerial positions. It will help identify individuals who have entered the civil service with the intent of illicit enrichment, Burkhanov explained.

Approximately 40% of Uzbeks believe giving valuable gifts to officials is corrupt, while 74% of citizens are willing to report corrupt activities.

Additionally, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported that the head of the anti-corruption department of the RES branch...

Rumours are circulating on social media suggesting that users may have money automatically deducted from their bank accounts when answering calls from unknown numbers. The Central Bank has denied these claims and emphasised that mobile banking applications and payment systems have security measures in place.

To link a bank card to an app, a user must enter the phone number associated with the card, input a one-time SMS code, and undergo biometric verification. The card cannot be connected if the phone numbers do not match. Additionally, new users are restricted from using the card in the application for more...

According to the zoo’s press service, new animals have arrived at the Tashkent Zoo, including three alpacas and one llama.

The zoo has welcomed five cranes of three different species. A particularly notable addition is the arrival of a mate for the female Japanese crane, which had been alone for quite some time.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that a giraffe at the Tashkent Zoo has passed away.

By 2030, Tashkent Region is set to be fully supplied with drinking water. The regional khokimiyat has announced that 287.4 bn soums will be allocated for this purpose.

The project will involve the installation of 554.5 kilometres of water supply networks and the construction of 76 infrastructure facilities.

As of the beginning of this year, 79.9% of the region’s residents had access to drinking water. The lowest access rates are in the Kuyichirchik and Urtachirchik districts, with only 54.2% and 55.1% of residents receiving adequate water supply.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that two water reservoirs and treatment plants...

Banks are currently buying the dollar for between 12,880 and 12,910 soums and selling it for between 12,945 and 13,025 soums.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also provides insights on the expected dollar rate in Uzbekistan for 2025.

Uzbekistan plans to export $1.2 bn worth of construction materials by 2025, as announced by Zhamshid Shermetov, spokesman for the Uzpromstroymaterialy association.

This year, the projected production volume of construction materials in the country is expected to reach 50 trillion soums. The association aims to produce the following quantities:

– 18 mln tonnes of cement

– 48.2 mln square meters of glass

– 52 mln square meters of ceramic tiles

– 95 mln square meters of plasterboard and other products

The industry will undertake 204 investment projects valued at $100 mln, creating jobs for 14,200 Uzbeks.

To enhance exports, Uzbek...

The American edition of The New York Times (NYT) has listed Bukhara as one of the 52 cities to visit in 2025, according to the Committee on Tourism of Uzbekistan.

The NYT highlights the inaugural Bukhara Biennale, which will take place from September 5 to November 20.

This event will showcase works by renowned artists and sculptors, including the British artist Anthony Gormley.

Gormley, born in London in 1950, has held over a hundred solo exhibitions. He is best known for his sculptures such as the Angel of the North, Quantum Cloud, and the installation Another Place.

The...

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in the UK has conducted discussions with recruitment companies Pro-Force Limited and HOPS Labour Solutions Ltd regarding the employment of Uzbek citizens in the UK agricultural sector, as reported by the Dunyo news agency

The initiative aims to recruit Uzbeks to work in agricultural enterprises across the UK. Following these discussions, it was agreed that representatives from Pro-Force Limited will visit Tashkent in February to facilitate the phased employment of 3,000 Uzbek workers.

HOPS Labour Solutions Ltd, in collaboration with the Migration Agency, will launch online testing for migrants from Uzbekistan.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also...

The number of hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) in Uzbekistan has increased from 36 to 77 over the past seven years, according to Surayo Pulatova, an advisor to the chairman of Uzbekhydroenergo JSC. During this time, their total capacity has risen from 1,800 to 2,200 megawatts.

As of the beginning of this year, 13 of these plants have been modernised.

On average, HPPs generate approximately 20 mln kWh of electricity each day, which accounts for about 9-11% of the total daily electricity demand in the country.

From January 1 to January 9, 8.2 bn kWh of electricity was produced, marking a...

Manchester City plans to purchase Uzbek footballer Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens, according to sports journalist Florian Plettenberg on his X page.

Plettenberg reports that the English club is prepared to offer Lens 50 mln euros for Khusanov. Previously, it was noted that other prominent clubs such as Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus were also interested in the player from Uzbekistan.

Khusanov was born on February 29, 2004. He began his football career with the youth team of Bunyodkor, later playing for Belarus’ Energetik-BGU. Since 2023, Khusanov has been with the French club Lens, where he signed a four-year...

Image: tom.griger / depositphotos.com
Uzbekistan ranks second in Central Asia for foreign direct investment (FDI) in greenfield enterprises, according to a report by the UN’s Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), as noted by Kursiv Uzbekistan.

This year, the country attracted $4 bn in FDI for new projects, a decrease of 49% compared to the previous year.

Kazakhstan leads the region with an 88% increase in FDI, reaching $15.7 bn. This amount represents 63% of such investments in North and Central Asia.

Kazakhstan’s growth is largely attributed to the investment activity of Qatari company UCC Holding...

Importers and producers of plastic packaging will be required to organise its recycling or pay a recycling fee, according to the draft National Programme of Uzbekistan for 2025.

The relevant law is expected to be developed by November 1, 2025, and the new regulations will take effect in 2026, as stated by the Uzbek Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change.

Plastic waste collection equipment is planned for installation in supermarkets, shopping centers and markets.

The introduction of environmental responsibilities among packaging producers will be gradual. Companies producing soft drinks will be required to recycle 50% of plastic...

Uzbekistan has secured 58th place in the Global Firepower (GFP) ranking of the world’s strongest armies, published annually by the analytical agency Global Firepower.

This year, the country has climbed seven positions compared to last year’s result.

Kazakhstan, with the strongest army in Central Asia, ranked 57th. Turkmenistan placed 77th, Kyrgyzstan came in 105th, and Tajikistan ranked 108th.

The United States remains at the top of the list, while Bhutan occupies the last position.

Global Firepower is a military strength ranking developed by American blogger Daniel Puchek. The index takes into account 50 different military, demographic, financial, logistical, and...

Iran has cancelled the entry fee for Uzbek trucks, Kursiv Uzbekistan reports, citing the press service of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport.

The decision to eliminate the fee was made on a reciprocal basis. Starting from January 1, 2025, Iranian drivers gained the right to enter Uzbekistan free of charge.

This benefit for Uzbek carriers entering Iran came into effect on January 10.

In 2024, the entry fee for trucks entering the Islamic Republic of Iran was $400 per vehicle.

The cancellation of the fee follows negotiations between the transport ministries of both countries. The zero rate applies to both...

Japan will provide grants totalling $215,000 to three medical centres in Uzbekistan for the purchase of equipment, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan reports.

The agreement was signed during a meeting between ministry representatives and the head of the Japanese diplomatic mission, Hatori Takashi. The total grant amount is $215,000.

The funds will be allocated to the Scientific-Practical Medical Centre of Paediatric Oncology, Haematology, and Immunology, the Republican Perinatal Centre, and the Bukhara branch of the Republican Centre for Emergency Medical Assistance.

In addition, this year, the Japanese company Sojitz will begin constructing a clinic...

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to arrange a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reports.

While Trump did not specify a date for the meeting, he emphasised that Putin has expressed interest in holding talks.

“Putin has publicly stated his desire to meet, and we need to work towards ending this war. It’s a tragic situation,” Trump said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also indicated that Putin is open to engaging with the U.S. president-elect, highlighting a willingness for dialogue.

Reuters suggests that Trump’s election has raised hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict between...

Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex (AMMC) plans to open a copper enrichment plant in July 2025, as outlined in the draft state programme for the year.

In its first phase, the plant will process up to 60 mn tonnes of copper ore annually. The ore will be transported from the Yoshlik deposit via a conveyor system.

AMMC and loans from foreign banks fund the construction of the copper enrichment plant. One of the largest creditors is Russia’s Gazprombank, while a consortium of German banks also finances the development of the deposit.

The total cost of the mining modernisation project...