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Murad Nazarov, founder of Murad Buildings, has proposed a review of Uzbekistan’s current moratorium on tree cutting. Speaking at a meeting held on July 17 with the participation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the entrepreneur addressed the unintended consequences of the ban in the construction sector.

Nazarov pointed out that despite the existing ban, trees are often damaged by construction equipment. «Trees, of course, get in the way. One way or another, they are still cut down. The moratorium was introduced in response to a public outcry after trees were cut recklessly in...

Uzbekistan has been named the 25th safest country in the world, according to Numbeo’s 2025 mid-year Safety Index, which compares 148 nations.

Uzbekistan Leads Central Asia in Safety

The country scored a safety index of 73.4 and a crime indicator of 26.6, placing it in the «low crime» category. That makes Uzbekistan the safest nation in Central Asia.

Kazakhstan ranked 73rd with a safety indicator of 54.4. Kyrgyzstan came 101st. Turkmenistan and Tajikistan were not included in the ranking.

Global Safety Rankings: Who’s on Top

Numbeo ranked the UAE, Andorra, and Qatar as the world’s safest countries in 2025. The least safe were Haiti, Papua New Guinea, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and South Africa.

In...

On July 17, the capitals of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan marked a milestone in regional cooperation as foreign ministers from the three nations met in Kabul for the first time. During the meeting, an intergovernmental framework agreement was signed, paving the way for a feasibility study on the railway route Termez – Naibabad – Maidan Shar – Logar – Kharlachi.

The agreement was concluded between Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works and Pakistan’s Ministry of Railways.

Strategic corridor to boost Eurasian connectivity

Given the global geopolitical significance of the proposed transport corridor and Uzbekistan’s proactive...

Uzbekistan received $8.2 bn in remittances between January and June 2025. That is up 27% from the same period last year. The data comes from the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.

Russia Sends Most of the Funds

Russia remains the top source of remittances. It accounted for $6.4 bn of the total. Other key countries include Kazakhstan, the US, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, and EU member states.

The growth is linked to strong demand for labour abroad. It also reflects a stable exchange rate at home.

Remittances See Fastest Growth

Traditional money transfer services handled $4.3 bn, or 53% of all inflows. But the biggest jump came from bank-to-bank (P2P) transfers. They rose 40%, reaching $3.6 bn.

SWIFT...

Banks have updated the rates for buying and selling currencies on July 18. This article contains information about the most favorable rates.

Here are Central Bank Reference Rates to exchange USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY, or KZT into soums:

Several banks offer better buy rates to exchange USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY, or KZT into soums:

Financial institutions may change the value of currencies throughout the...

The Humo Token is not intended for use in specific countries, according to an official statement from the payment system’s press service.

“It is being developed as a universal infrastructure tool, applicable in various environments, provided all relevant legal requirements and regulatory procedures are met,” the company emphasised.

The HUMO Token project complies with Uzbekistan’s legislation and is based on principles of transparency and legal stability, the company noted.

Earlier, RBC reported that the Humo token could facilitate cross-border payments, including for companies from Russia, citing Pavel Bibik. At the same time, Fintech...

Electronic Arts has unveiled the trailer for its upcoming football simulator EA Sports FC 26, set to be released on September 19, according to gaming portal DTF.

The game will be available on Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch and the new Switch 2 consoles.

EA promises enhanced gameplay in the latest installment, including improved dribbling, smoother controls, and more dynamic sprinting. A new archetype system inspired by real-life football stars will also be introduced.

The standard edition cover will feature Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, while Zlatan Ibrahimović

Oil market indicators continue to suggest the physical market remains tight. Photo: Shutterstock

Oil prices saw moderate gains on Thursday, with Brent crude rising 0.5% to $68.83 per barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) up 0.9% to $66.99, as reported at midday GMT.

The uptick comes despite signs of easing global trade tensions, as analysts point to persistently low inventories and renewed geopolitical risks in the Middle East. Drone attacks in Iraq’s Kurdish region have disrupted oil production by as much as 150,000 barrels per day, further tightening supply.

According to PVM Oil Associates, market attention is shifting back to regional conflicts...

The European Union has delayed imposing sanctions on Israel over its conduct in Gaza, prompting sharply contrasting reactions from Israeli and Palestinian officials, as reports Euronews.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the EU’s decision a «diplomatic feat,» praising European allies for rejecting «obsessive attempts» to penalize Israel. In contrast, Palestinian representative Varsen Aghabekian-Shahin described the move as «shocking and disappointing,» citing a recent EU report identifying 38 violations of Palestinian rights.

Despite evidence of humanitarian violations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said that sanctions remain “on the table” should Israel fail to...

Microsoft is fast approaching a $4 trillion market valuation, narrowing the gap with NVIDIA, which recently became the first company to surpass the milestone. With its current market cap at $3.76 trillion, Microsoft is well-positioned to challenge the chipmaker’s lead, as reported by Windows Central.

Under CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has capitalised on the AI boom through early investments in OpenAI and a strong focus on Azure cloud services. Its strategic cloud partnerships have paid off, even powering Apple’s recent AI features. Microsoft stock has risen over 15% in 2025 alone, outpacing the S&P 500.

The company’s robust portfolio...

Defence Secretary John Healey has issued a formal apology in Parliament for a massive 2022 data leak involving Afghans who sought relocation to the UK due to ties with British force, as reported by The Independent. The breach, caused by a Ministry of Defence official, exposed sensitive information and triggered a secretive evacuation of 16,000 people, with around 8,000 still awaiting transfer.

Though Healey revealed certain details in the Commons, the media remains under a stringent High Court injunction preventing the publication of key facts. A superinjunction on the incident was lifted after two years, but a second gag...

After lifting the Club World Cup with a dominant win over PSG, Chelsea are shifting focus to their summer clear-out. According to The Athletic’s Simon Johnson, the club has listed seven players for sale as they seek to trim the wage bill and reshape the squad, as reported by Chelsea club.

The list includes Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Joao Felix, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Axel Disasi. Notably, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are not on the market, though offers for them would be considered.

Sterling and Chilwell, both high earners, remain top priorities for offloading but...

Britain and Germany are set to co-develop a new long-range missile system dubbed the «super-Taurus,» with a reported range of 2,000 kilometres, according to German media. The advanced weapon is expected to be developed within the next decade and builds on Germany’s existing Taurus missiles, which have a 500km range.

The project is part of a broader UK-Germany defence partnership, including a landmark treaty signed Thursday in London between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The treaty features mutual defence commitments, expanded arms cooperation, and joint action against cross-channel migration.

This move reinforces a growing trilateral...

Russia is grappling with a serious demographic challenge that could have far-reaching consequences for its economy. With a rapidly aging population, shrinking workforce, and record-low birth rates, experts warn that the crisis could soon overshadow even the impact of Western sanctions, as reported by Daily Express.

According to Russian Labour Minister Anton Kotyakov, the country needs to bring 10.9 mln people into the workforce by 2030 to replace the 10.1 mln expected to retire by then. Speaking at a high-level cabinet meeting chaired by President Vladimir Putin, Kotyakov warned of a looming labour shortfall if productivity does not...

For centuries, humanity has pondered one of its most profound questions: how did we get here? A new scientific project based in the UK may be bringing us closer than ever to an answer, by recreating the universe itself, as reported by Indy100

In a groundbreaking effort to understand how the cosmos developed after the Big Bang, a team of scientists is running a series of ultra-advanced computer simulations designed to mirror the universe’s evolution. The project, called FLAMINGO (short for Full-hydro Large-scale structure simulations with All-sky Mapping for the Interpretation of Next Generation Observations), is based at the...

The Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan (INP) has officially joined Rosatom’s international research programme based on the multi-purpose fourth-generation research reactor (MBIR), currently under construction in Russia. Project is part of the country’s national initiative for technological leadership under the New Nuclear and Energy Technologies programme, UzAtom reports.

The agreement was signed on 16 July 2025 by Ilham Sadikov, Director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, and Vasily Konstantinov, CEO of the consortium leader MCI MBIR.

Gateway to advanced nuclear research

By joining the international consortium, the Uzbek institute...

Microsoft created Windows, Word, Xbox, the world’s first smartwatches, and more. This is the story of how Bill Gates and Paul Allen built a company in a garage, and within 15 years, their software ran on most of the world’s computers.

As you read on, you will learn:

— Where it all started?

— One magazine article that changed everything

— How programming became their breakthrough

— Windows empire: What started Microsoft

— What is MS-DOS?

— Allen steps away, gates builds Windows

— What has Microsoft invented over the years?

...

Uzbek footballer Eldor Shomurodov has made his first appearance for Turkish club Istanbul Başakşehir in a friendly match against Austrian side Reichenau, Championat.Asia reports.

The match ended in a 4–1 victory for the Turkish team, with Omer Beyaz scoring twice. Shomurodov spent around 60 minutes on the pitch.

The Uzbek player joined Istanbul Başakşehir on loan from AS Roma in July this year. During his time in Italy, he made 85 appearances for Roma and scored 13 goals.

As of July 17, Transfermarkt estimates Shomurodov’s market value at €5 mln.

Kursiv also reports that Malaysia will not participate...

The US President Donald Trump announced on July 16 that Coca-Cola has agreed to sweeten its US-produced beverages with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, following his discussions with the company, Reuters reports.

«I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so. I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola,» Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.

A Coca-Cola spokesperson responded by saying that the company, based in Atlanta, would be sharing updates...

In Q2 2025, Kazakhstan saw a significant decline in the number of active companies with Russian founders. Between April 1 and July 1, the figure fell by 728 to 17,600 enterprises, according to data from the Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan.

This marks the fifth consecutive quarter of decline, with the downward trend only accelerating. The previous drop was already the largest in over six years of observations. Following a sharp increase in 2022 driven by geopolitical tensions, the number of Russian-linked businesses now appears to be returning to pre-crisis levels. Since April 1, 2024, the total has...

The international sustainability initiative Better Cotton has identified promising prospects for Uzbekistan’s cotton sector as reforms reshape the once-controversial industry.

For years, Uzbekistan’s cotton was excluded from many Western markets due to widespread state-imposed forced and child labour. However, following sweeping structural changes and the end of state quotas, the country is gradually rebuilding its reputation as a responsible cotton producer. According to the World Bank, state involvement in cotton production has significantly decreased, bringing forced labour practices to near elimination.

Private clusters take over production

Today, cotton in Uzbekistan is cultivated by privately-owned clusters that operate integrated...

A meeting was held with representatives of the international investment group ROX Group (Vietnam), which is implementing several major infrastructure projects in Kyrgyzstan. The news was reported by the presidential envoy’s office in Issyk-Kul Region.

The main topic of discussion was the construction of a 1.9 GW solar power plant in the village of Toru-Aygyr, a project being carried out by ROX Group. Completion is scheduled for 2027, and once operational, the facility is expected to create over 500 jobs.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the progress of the project, future cooperation plans and the need for swift...

Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister, Bakhtiyor Saidov, met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Tianjin this week. According to a joint statement, the two officials discussed strategies to strengthen mutually beneficial economic ties, enhance regional connectivity, foster stability and advance shared objectives through multilateral cooperation.

Wang Yi — also a member of the Political Bureau of China’s Communist Party — reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening its relations with Uzbekistan. He highlighted plans to implement agreements reached by Presidents Xi Jinping and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and voiced Beijing’s intention to elevate bilateral ties to higher quality and higher level.

A pivotal topic of discussion was the...

As of July 1, 2025, Uzbekistan has registered 115,100 product names in its national catalogue of digitally labelled goods, according to the State Tax Committee.

Digital Product Labelling in Uzbekistan

Since its phased rollout in 2021, the digital labelling system has covered a growing number of goods. The goal is to improve product traceability, combat counterfeits, and strengthen tax compliance.

Currently, 1,000 domestic producers and 3,400 importers are active participants. Tashkent city, along with Tashkent and Samarkand regions, lead in the number of registered producers.

Which Industries Are Covered

By July, the system included:

Other...