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Residents of Uzbekistan submitted 58,691 Schengen visa applications in 2024 — the highest number in the past decade. Compared to 2023, demand grew by 26.2%, according to data from SchengenVisaInfo.com.

How Many Schengen Visas Were Approved for Uzbekistan?

In total, 51,604 visas were issued to Uzbek citizens last year. This corresponds to an approval rate of 87.29%. On average, 1.51 visas were granted per 1,000 residents of the country.

At the same time, 9,250 applications were denied — a 15.76% rejection rate. The number of rejections rose by more than 1,200 compared to 2023. The denial rate per capita stood at 0.27 per 1,000 residents.

Which Schengen Countries Received...

As of July 6, 2025, Uzbekistan’s solar and wind power plants have generated a combined 5 bn kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity since the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Energy reports.

At present, 11 solar photovoltaic stations and 4 wind power stations with are installed. Their total capacity reaches 4,119 megawatts (MW). They are operating across 10 regions of Uzbekistan.

The latest figures show a significant increase from previous years. In 2022, following the grid connection of the first solar plants in Navoi and Samarkand, the country produced 434 mln kWh of green electricity. This rose to nearly...

Uzbekistan’s telecom market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 12.7% over the next three years — more than double the projected pace across the CIS. According to new research by Nexign and TelecomDaily, modernisation of infrastructure, 5G rollout and digital service expansion will drive this growth.

Between 2020 and 2024, the value of Uzbekistan’s telecom sector doubled from UZS 10.2 trln to UZS 20.9 trln. Although growth slowed slightly in 2024 due to market saturation in basic services, the country still posted an 18.6% increase over the previous year — outpacing Kazakhstan (11%), Kyrgyzstan...

Visitors planning to use the Tashkent Metro should be aware of recent changes: cash payments at ticket counters have been suspended at several key stations. The announcement, made via the metro’s official Telegram channel, marks a shift towards a fully cashless fare system.

Ticket offices are now closed at the following stations:
Mirzo Ulug’bek, Xalqlar Do’stligi, Paxtakor, Hamid Olimjon, Pushkin, Do’stlik, Toshkent, Oybek, Tinchlik, Shahriston, Bodomzor, Minor and Abdulla Qodiriy.

In their place, automated machines will be installed on a trial basis to make buying tickets quicker and more efficient.

Better Value for Tourists Using Card or App

While...

Uzbekistan is constructing six new hydropower plants (HPPs) on the Naryn River in Namangan Region with a combined capacity of 228 MW. According to Uzbekhydroenergo, this is the largest hydropower initiative in the region’s history.

The first facility in the cascade, HPP-1, is scheduled to launch before the country marks 34 years of independence in September. The announcement was made by Uzbekhydroenergo Chairman Abdugani Sanginov.

Once operational, the plants are expected to generate around 1 bn kWh annually. This would supply electricity to approximately 430,000 households.

The project aims to improve energy reliability in the eastern part of Uzbekistan...

On July 5 2025, Tashkent hosted the Uzbekistan–South Korea Business Forum, held during the official visit of a delegation from the South Korean city of Ulsan, the government portal reports. The event brought together more than 100 representatives from business and government circles of both countries, underscoring their growing economic partnership.

The forum was co-chaired by Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev and Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo Gyeom, who highlighted the strong momentum in bilateral ties and reaffirmed their readiness to expand economic cooperation.

Green Energy Agreement with Major Korean Corporations

A key outcome of the forum was...

US President Donald Trump has warned that countries aligning with BRICS’ «anti-American agenda» will face a 10% tariff, raising concerns for Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Both countries obtained official BRICS partner status on January 1, 2025.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated there would be «no exceptions» to the new tariff policy. The announcement comes months after he threatened to introduce 100% tariffs on BRICS states if they attempted to replace the US dollar in global trade. At the time, Russian officials said no such discussion had taken place within the group.

Uzbekistan currently holds...

Kazakhstan delivered a commanding performance at the World Boxing Cup 2025, hosted in Astana under the aegis of World Boxing, with its fighters securing numerous gold and silver medals, Kazinform reports.

Among the standout international victories, Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Hamidova stunned the boxing world by defeating Olympic and triple world champion Busenaz Sürmeneli of Turkey, clinching gold in the 65 kg category with a unanimous decision.

Tashkenbay, Orolbay and Akkalykov Lead Kazakhstan’s Charge

World Champion Sanjar Tashkenbay claimed his third win of the tournament and the gold medal in the 51 kg division, dominating the final against the Philippines...

Five prominent Palestinian religious leaders from Hebron, including Wadi al-Jaabari, have proposed the creation of a new local governance model — the «Hebron Emirates» — as an alternative to the Palestinian Authority. The Wall Street Journal reported the development, citing a letter addressed to Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat.

In the letter, the sheikhs offered to recognise Israel as a Jewish state, renounce support for terrorism and join the Abraham Accords — a regional normalisation initiative between Israel and several Arab countries. In return, they ask Israel to recognise the Hebron Emirates as the official representative of the Arab...

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has classified the 2014 arrest of Gulnara Karimova, daughter of Uzbekistan’s first president, as unlawful and arbitrary. The conclusion appears in a document published on the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

According to the report, authorities detained Karimova without a warrant and placed her under house arrest for 18 months along with her child. One court hearing reportedly took place in her kitchen on 21 August 2015.

«The judgment itself did not attempt to conceal that the hearing occurred...

Centrum Air redirected its Samarkand–St Petersburg flight to Helsinki due to airspace closure over Russia’s northern capital following a drone attack, the airline’s press service reported.

The company stated that updated information regarding the aircraft’s arrival time in St Petersburg would be announced later.

Centrum Air also notified passengers of several changes to its domestic flight schedule on 6 July. Flight C6091 from Tashkent to Urgench departed at 08:40 and landed at 10:10. The departure of flight C6094 from Urgench to Samarkand was moved to 10:40, while flight C6092 from Samarkand to Tashkent was rescheduled to 12:40.

Flight...

Authorities delayed UTair flight UT 881 from St Petersburg to Samarkand by 30 minutes due to temporary restrictions at Pulkovo Airport. The disruption followed an overnight drone attack in the Leningrad Region.

The flight was scheduled to depart at 11:05 local time but was rescheduled for 11:35, with boarding beginning at 10:55. According to official data, air defence systems intercepted three unmanned aerial vehicles overnight, prompting heightened security measures at the airport.

As a result, at least 11 flights were cancelled and more than 60 delayed.

Pulkovo has since resumed normal operations. Uzbekistan Airways is expected to...

OPEC+ has agreed to increase oil production quotas by 548,000 barrels per day in August 2025, according to the organisation’s press service. Analysts had expected a more modest rise of around 411,000 barrels per day.

The decision reflects the bloc’s view on the resilience of the global economy, steady energy demand and a decline in oil inventories worldwide. The move follows a gradual upward adjustment in production since April 2025.

Despite the planned quota increases, Brent crude prices climbed 5.1% over the past month. Market uncertainty intensified amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran and a US airstrike...

Elon Musk has confirmed his intention to form a new political party, following the results of an online poll he conducted on X. The American billionaire said the party aims to challenge the current two-party system and block costly or disadvantageous legislation.

Musk stated that the new political force could secure two to three seats in the US Senate and up to ten in the House of Representatives. This, he believes, would be enough to make the party’s voice decisive in key debates between Republicans and Democrats.

He first floated the idea after a public disagreement with...

Uzbekistan’s national women’s football team have secured a place in the play-offs of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in 23 years after defeating Nepal, the Ministry of Sports reported.

The decisive match took place on 5 July at the Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent. Uzbekistan had previously beaten Sri Lanka and Laos. The fixture against Nepal was critical — the winner would qualify for the Cup while the loser would exit the tournament.

Uzbekistan took the lead in the opening minute with a goal by Diyorakhon Khabibullayeva, assisted by Feruza Turdiboyeva. Ten minutes later, Lyudmila Karachik...

Sotheby’s has auctioned a rare copy of the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution, which abolished slavery, for $12 mln, My Weekend reports. Including fees, the total price reached $13.7 mln.

The document bears the signature of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. The 13th Amendment was passed by the US Senate in 1864 and by the House of Representatives in 1865.

Some US states only ratified the amendment decades later. Among them were Kentucky in 1976 and Mississippi in 1995.

The buyer, hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, also purchased a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation from...

Russia’s recognition of Afghanistan’s caretaker government has sparked cautious optimism among Afghan economic experts and business leaders, who see the move as a potential catalyst for regional trade and investment.

Currently, Afghanistan maintains over $300 mln in annual trade with Russia. With Moscow now officially recognising the Islamic Emirate, stakeholders anticipate the possibility of easing financial restrictions and re-establishing formal commercial channels.

According to Khanjan Alokozai, board member of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, the decision marks a shift with economic implications.

«Recognition by a regional power like Russia could support both...

New figures from the Central Bank show that borrowing has become a common feature of household finances in Uzbekistan. As of June 1, 2025, over 5 mln citizens had at least one outstanding loan.

The data indicates a steady expansion of the consumer credit landscape. Among borrowers, 27% — or more than 1.4 mln people — now hold two or more loans. About 16% of total borrowers are managing exactly two.

Multi-loan borrowing is becoming increasingly common. Five years ago, just 5% of individuals had three or more loans. That figure has more than doubled to 11% in...

Mark Snow, the composer behind the unmistakable theme of The X-Files, has died at 78, Variety reports. No cause of death has been confirmed.

Snow scored more than 200 episodes of the series and created its iconic title music, which became a hallmark of 1990s television. His work helped shape the eerie atmosphere that defined the show’s legacy.

In addition to The X-Files, Snow composed for Smallville, which explored the early years of Superman, and contributed to Millennium, another mystery series developed by X-Files creator Chris Carter.

First airing in 1993, The X-Files followed FBI agents investigating paranormal cases and government coverups. The series ran until 2002 and returned...

Singapore sold 5 tonnes of gold in May 2025, surpassing Uzbekistan’s 1-tonne sale and taking the lead in monthly gold sales, according to the latest report from the World Gold Council (WGC).

Despite losing the top spot for May, Uzbekistan remains the leading seller of gold in the first five months of 2025, having sold a total of 27 tonnes. Singapore follows with 10 tonnes sold by early June.

Kazakhstan emerged as the most active gold buyer in May, with its central bank purchasing 7 tonnes. Since the start of the year, Kazakhstan has acquired 15 tonnes of gold...

Uzbek judoka Diyora Keldiyorova has joined the International Judo Federation (IJF) Athletes’ Commission for the 2025–2029 term, according to the Ministry of Sports of Uzbekistan.

The commission includes nine athletes, among them Azerbaijani judoka Hidayat Heydarov, who won gold at the Paris Olympics last year.

Keldiyorova became the first woman from Uzbekistan to win a gold medal in judo. She defeated Kosovo’s Distria Krasniqi in the final of an international tournament to secure the title.

The IJF Athletes’ Commission represents the interests of judokas and serves as a link between athletes and the federation’s leadership. It also...

Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover reached new levels in January–May 2025, with China, Russia, and Kazakhstan ranking as the top three trading partners, according to the State Committee on Statistics.

China remains Uzbekistan’s largest trade partner with a total turnover of USD 5.4 bn. Russia follows with USD 4.8 bn, while Kazakhstan takes third place with USD 1.8 bn. These three countries continue to account for the highest share of Uzbekistan’s international trade activities.

Among other significant partners, Turkey recorded USD 1.1 bn in trade with Uzbekistan, while the Republic of Korea reached USD 709.8 mln. Afghanistan maintained its position...

The Termez Dialogue Forum was held for the first time in the city of Termez, aimed at strengthening ties between Central and South Asia. In connection with this event, the Center for Progressive Reforms produced a special documentary film. The forum was organized in cooperation with the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, the Center for Progressive Reforms, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The forum marked a practical outcome of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy course, which emphasizes open dialogue and regional cooperation. It was conducted within the framework of...

A UFC tournament will take place on the grounds of the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump announced, as reported by Fox News.

The mixed martial arts event is planned for 2026, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, and is expected to attract an audience of around 20,000–25,000 people.

«Anyone here watch UFC? The great Dana White (UFC president)? We’re going to host a UFC fight. Think about it — a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House. We’ve got a lot of land out there,» Trump said.