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Based on open-source data, the BBC alongside Mediazona and a volunteer team has identified the names of 118,139 Russian military personnel killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. More than 500 of the deceased were foreign citizens from 28 countries—including Central Asian states.

These figures include only those foreign nationals who had no Russian citizenship when they signed up, and whose deaths could be confirmed via sources such as official announcements, relatives’ posts on social media or gravestone photos. The actual number of foreign recruits killed is expected to be much higher.

When compiling the list, no data was...

The original Hermès Birkin bag, once owned by Jane Birkin herself, sold for a record-breaking $10 mln at a Sotheby’s Paris auction, making it the most expensive handbag ever sold.

This was no ordinary accessory—it was the first Birkin prototype, custom-made for the British actress in 1984 after a chance meeting with Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas. Birkin famously sketched the design on an air sickness bag, leading to the birth of the now-iconic luxury handbag.

The worn black leather bag features her initials, a pair of silver nail clippers, and faded humanitarian stickers, giving it unmatched historical and personal...

Threads user @baibolov_a01 posted a photo of the menu from the Uzbek restaurant Uzbek Corner in London and expressed outrage over the price of plov.

«Uzbeks in London, have you lost your minds? Plov for £12 [206,000 Uzbek soms]? When I see Asian cuisine, I expect reasonable prices — 4 or 5 max. You’re not some hyped-up trendy cuisine abroad to show off with price tags. Get back to reality, please,» he wrote.

Prices for other Uzbek dishes at the venue are not far behind. A bowl of mastava or moshkhurda is priced at...

President Donald Trump arrived in central Texas on Friday to survey the catastrophic aftermath of flash floods that struck over the July 4 holiday, killing at least 120 people and leaving dozens still unaccounted for, as reported by Reuters.

The visit comes amid mounting criticism of the federal response to what has become the deadliest natural disaster of Trump’s second term. Torrential rains unleashed a wall of water down the Guadalupe River last Friday, sweeping through the Texas Hill Country in the early morning hours and catching communities off guard.

«It’s a horrible thing,» Trump...

In a symbolic move marking the start of a potential peace process, 30 members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) burned their weapons in northern Iraq on Friday, following a renewed call by the group’s imprisoned leader to disband, as reported by Reuters.

At a ceremony near the mouth of a cave, militants — including both men and women — placed their AK-47 rifles, ammunition belts, and other arms into a large cauldron. The weapons were set ablaze in the presence of Turkish, Iraqi, and Kurdish officials, including representatives from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM party.

The event marks one of...

Kazakhstan is strengthening its cooperation with Afghanistan following a high-level visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu to Kabul on July 10, as reported by The Astana Times.

Nurtleu met with Afghan officials, including Acting Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, to discuss expanding collaboration in trade, agriculture, infrastructure and transit.

The two sides signed a memorandum on developing the Central Asia–South Asia railway and agreed to boost bilateral trade to $3 bn. Kazakhstan pledged to increase exports of food, fuel, and industrial goods, while opening new channels for...

Regional authorities are increasingly challenged by the dual threat of heroin smuggling and the rapid spread of synthetic drugs, as explains the report of Special Eurasia consulting and media agency specialising in geopolitical intelligence and risk assessment.

Afghan Trafficking Fuels Regional Networks

Most of the narcotics intercepted originate in Afghanistan, exploiting porous borders and systemic corruption. The so-called «northern route» — which connects Afghanistan to Russia and Europe via Central Asia — continues to be a key artery for heroin and opium transport. However, authorities now warn that the region is no longer just a transit zone: domestic...

Sanat Kalandarov is a farmer and scientist from Khorezm who has devoted his life to melons.
He cultivates dozens of varieties on the saline soils along the banks of the Amu Darya, preserves rare seeds and develops new types that can last until spring. His goal is to make the Khorezm melon a recognisable export and tourism brand for Uzbekistan.

Kursiv Uzbekistan spoke with the farmer and discovered: a melon is more than just a fruit. It is science, tradition, business and a symbol of sunny Uzbekistan.

Khorezm. Early morning in the village of Vazir

A dense, sweet aroma drifts...

Preparations are under way in Uzbekistan for the country’s first large-scale joint census of population and agriculture, EastFruit reports. As part of this initiative, Rasmiya Aliyeva, a statistician from the Regional Office of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for Europe and Central Asia, visited the country to provide technical support during the planning and coordination phase.

The census will cover all regions and administrative units of Uzbekistan, aiming to collect reliable and comprehensive data on both demographic trends and key aspects of the agricultural sector. Modern statistical approaches will be used to create a unified and comparable...

Uzbekistan has begun exporting metallic rhenium for the first time, marking a new milestone in the country’s industrial development. The Tashkent Metallurgical Plant (TMK) is now producing the rare and valuable metal, and its first export shipment has been sent to Estonia under a contract with the company VLCor Baltic OU.

Rhenium is a highly sought-after element used in the aerospace and space industries, as well as in the production of heat-resistant alloys capable of withstanding extreme temperatures.

Over the first six months of 2025, TMK achieved export sales totalling $21.3 mln — double the amount recorded during the...

Jennifer Lopez’s upcoming concert in Tashkent is expected to attract around 15,000 local fans, with a total of 25,000 tickets set for sale, according to the Art and Culture Development Foundation, as reported by Kursiv Uzbekistan.

Preliminary figures show that 40% of the tickets have already been purchased by foreign nationals, highlighting the concert’s international appeal.

Sponsors and Business Boost Anticipated

The Foundation also revealed that talks are under way with major Uzbek companies to secure sponsorships for the high-profile event.

“Negotiations are ongoing with the country’s leading firms, allowing them to showcase their brands...

Double Olympic taekwondo champion Ulugbek Rashitov has been banned from competition for two years due to anti-doping violations, according to the International Testing Agency (ITA).

Missed tests lead to sanctions

The ITA states that Rashitov failed to provide his whereabouts on three separate occasions. This breach of protocol blocks out-of-competition testing and is treated as a doping rule violation.

The agency has also nullified all of Rashitov’s results from February 3, 2025 onward. According to Taekwondo Data, he has not taken part in official competitions since the 2024 Olympics.

Rashitov did not contest the ITA’s decision and...

Boho style is making a comeback in 2025. It is all about natural fabrics, relaxed silhouettes, and handcrafted details. While oversized fashion remains popular for its comfort and ease, it often lacks softness or a distinctly feminine touch. Boho style combines freedom with lightness, intricate details, and a sense of quiet romance.

In Uzbekistan, the trend feels especially relevant. The long, hot summers make light clothing a necessity, and there is a growing interest in sustainable fashion. The local market now includes both designer and mass-market options.

In this guide, we will cover:

Uzbekistan’s national payment system HUMO has launched a pilot digital token. It is backed by government bonds and aims to boost trade within the CIS.

Registered token backed by secure assets

HUMO Digital issued the token. It is listed in the national registry maintained by the National Agency of Perspective Projects (NAPP). Crypto depository Asterium will monitor the security of the underlying assets.

The token is secured by Uzbek state bonds. This helps ensure price stability and increases investor confidence.

Pilot phase to test financial use cases

The trial phase will explore how the token works in...

In March 2025, Uzbekistan saw a record-breaking surge in microloan activity, according to figures released by the Central Bank.

During the first quarter of the year, microloan issuance totalled more than 18.7 trln UZS — 2.29 times higher than the same period in 2024. Of that, 5.56 trln UZS were issued in January (a 2.14-fold increase year-on-year), 5.97 trln in February (up 2.25 times), and 7.16 trln in March — a monthly record and 2.46 times higher than the previous year.

Microcredit Share Rises Alongside Stricter Regulation

Microcredit volumes also experienced substantial growth. In Q1 2025, microcredit issuance...

Uzbekistan will build a modern pharmaceutical plant in partnership with South Korea’s DK Consulting. The plan was announced after a July 9 meeting between Abdulla Azizov, Director of the Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency, and representatives of the investor.

Full-cycle pharmaceutical production in Uzbekistan

The project will cover the full production cycle. This includes architectural planning, engineering, construction, and the launch of manufacturing lines. The plant will meet GMP and EU-GMP standards to ensure high-quality pharmaceutical output.

Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2025.

Government pledges full support

Azizov confirmed the Uzbek government will provide full administrative support. This includes assistance...

Authorities in Afghanistan and Kazakhstan have signed a memorandum launching an investment project to construct a railway linking the Afghan city of Herat with Turgundi, near the Turkmenistan border. The deal, worth $500 mln, will be financed by Kazakhstan, according to the Afghan state news agency Bakhtar, citing the press office of the Islamic Emirate’s economic administration.

The agreement was signed in Kabul during a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs.

Boosting Trade and Connectivity...

Akim of East Kazakhstan Nurymbet Saktaganov met with Uzbek Ambassador Bakhtiyor Ibragimov in Ust-Kamenogorsk. The parties reviewed joint projects and discussed new trade routes and exports.

Kazakhstan offers nuclear fuel for Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan may supply nuclear fuel for Uzbekistan’s first nuclear power plant. The two sides also plan to exchange experience in waste processing and storage.

New agro-export opportunities

East Kazakhstan is preparing to export vegetable oil and honey to Uzbekistan. Both countries aim to expand food trade and build new agro-industrial partnerships.

Direct flights and train routes to resume

Tourism was also on the agenda. This season, a train route will resume between Ust-Kamenogorsk and Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara. New direct flights will...

An Uzbek company, PetAgroOil, will invest KZT 33.7 bn (approx. $75 mln). The company plans to build a large oil extraction plant in Lisakovsk, Kostanay region, Kazakhstan.

Regional authorities call the project a key step for agro-processing growth.
It is also seen as a driver for attracting more foreign direct investment (FDI).

Annual capacity to reach 200,000 tonnes

The plant will process up to 200,000 tonnes of raw materials annually. That includes 170,000 tonnes of sunflower seedsand 30,000 tonnes of rapeseed.

The expected output is 90,000 tonnes of finished oil products each year.

A new Kazakh company, Lisakovsk Oil Extraction Plant LLP, has been registered to...

Kazakhstan’s external debt soared to a record $170.5 bln by the end of the first quarter of 2025, marking a sharp increase of $5.7 bln since the start of the year, according to data from the National Bank. This is the highest level ever recorded since official statistics began in 2001, surpassing the previous peak of $167.4 bln set in 2018.

The National Bank attributed the rise to a combination of balance of payments operations, which added $3.4 bln, and currency, valuation and other adjustments amounting to $2.3 bln.

Private Sector Drives Debt Growth

The composition of Kazakhstan’s...

The Central Bank of Uzbekistan has announced modest declines in the official exchange rates for the U.S. dollar, euro, pound sterling, Swiss franc, Japanese yen and Kazakh tenge against the Uzbek soum.

U.S. dollar declined by 18.98 UZS, now at 12 634.34 UZS per USD.

While the Central Bank rates serve as official benchmarks, commercial banks typically offer more favourable terms — especially when selling UZS for foreign currency.

Next is the table for best exchange rates for buying UZS.

From today’s commercial offerings:

Turkish club Istanbul Başakşehir is close to finalising a loan deal for AS Roma striker Eldor Shomurodov, according to insider Fabrizio Romano. The agreement is reportedly worth €3 million, with an option to buy the player for an additional €2.7 mln.

Shomurodov joined Roma in the summer of 2021 and is under contract with the Serie A side until 2026. During his time in Italy, the Uzbekistan national team forward has also played for Genoa, Spezia and Cagliari. Before moving to Italy, he played in the Russian Premier League for Rostov and in Uzbekistan for Bunyodkor and Mash’al.

In the...

In a stunning upset on Centre Court, American Amanda Anisimova reached her first Grand Slam final by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling Wimbledon semi-final.

Anisimova, seeded 13th, outlasted Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a dramatic two-hour-and-35-minute battle played under the scorching London sun. The 23-year-old showed remarkable composure, saving 11 of the 14 break points she faced and finally closing the match on her fourth match point, reports BBC.

Waving and blowing kisses to the cheering crowd, Anisimova was visibly emotional after her breakthrough victory.

«This doesn’t feel real,» she said...

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Shaykhantakhur and Chilanzar districts of Tashkent to review recent improvements to the urban environment. The main focus of the visit was Bunyodkor Avenue, where a 1.5-kilometer section of the street was recently transformed into a pedestrian and gastronomic zone.

Fountains, lighting, and landscaping elements have now been installed along the road. The area is home to 90 businesses, 45 of which are newly opened. All establishments operate 24/7, creating 500 jobs.

Located nearby are the Kamolon, Yangi Kamolon, and Kamolon Darvoza mahallas, home to 18,000 residents. The street improvements are expected to...