Society news

Since the beginning of this year, more than 23,000 cases of acute intestinal infections have been recorded in Uzbekistan. This was reported by Upl.uz. In these diseases, mainly young children are more affected. The summer season is usually associated with an increase in such diseases, which is explained by hot weather, non-compliance with sanitary rules, and improper food storage. According to the information from the Ministry of Health's Committee for Sanitary-Epidemiological Wellbeing and Public Health, 23,558 cases of acute intestinal infections were registered across the country in the first six months of the year. Committee press service head Maftuna Saidova provided this information at a briefing held at the AOKA. The highest number of cases was identified in Tashkent city, Kashkadarya, Syrdarya regions, and Karakalpakstan. Especially among children, the incidence rate is high, with the following age groups showing many cases: over 5,000 in children under one year old, 7,678 in those aged 1 to 3, 3,184 in those aged 4 to 6, 1,998 in those aged 7 to 14, 756 in those aged 15 to 19, and 4,938 cases in those aged 20 and older. Experts have identified the main factors contributing to the spread of acute intestinal infections. Among them, the consumption of spoiled or improperly stored food, eating unwashed and wet fruits, swimming in contaminated open water bodies, contact with infected individuals, as well as the consumption of low-quality street food, refrigerated drinks, ayran, and juices play a significant role. Committee representatives emphasized the frequent occurrence of acute intestinal infections during the summer months, especially among children. These diseases are caused by various microorganisms, including typhoid fever, paratyphoid, salmonellosis, dysentery, viral hepatitis A, cholera, and other infectious diseases. Typically, such diseases are caused by bacteria and viruses. According to the World Health Organization, more than one billion cases of diarrhea are recorded worldwide each year, with between 5 to 10 million resulting in death. Therefore, it is very important to strictly adhere to sanitary rules and maintain a healthy lifestyle

The entrance exams for higher education institutions in Uzbekistan have begun. This was reported by Upl.uz. These exams will determine the future of thousands of applicants. The exams will be held over 10 days in two shifts. Parents and the public can monitor the testing processes online through the test2025.uz website. Applicants can also obtain information about the exam time and location through their personal accounts and receive their admission permits. Today, on July 14, thousands of applicants arrived at specially prepared auditoriums from 06:30 to 08:00 in the morning. To ensure the integrity and transparency of the examination process, each participant took their place after a strict check. At 08:00, the test assignments for the predetermined subjects began. The questions were printed on confidential papers and were opened in the presence of the applicants before the start of the exam. The exams are being held in 65 large-capacity closed buildings. The entire process will be under the supervision of video surveillance cameras and independent observers. In each shift, 35,070 applicants will participate, divided into 1,169 groups. A total of 70,140 applicants will take the exam in one day. For your information, this year, 671,397 applicants have registered. Of these, 426,685 or 63.6 percent are graduates of this year. Among the registered, 361,019 are girls (53.8%), and 310,378 are boys (46.2%). The highest number of participants registered from the following regions: Tashkent city — 115,989, Samarkand region — 72,305, Fergana region — 66,383, Kashkadarya region — 62,484, Andijan region — 56,025. The exams will continue until July 23.

Agents of the State Security Service have detained a dealer of psychotropic substances. This was reported by Upl.uz. The SGB press service provided information regarding this incident. A special operational event was conducted in Tashkent city in cooperation with representatives of the SGB and the customs department. During the event, a search was conducted in a rented apartment of a person born in 1992, located in the Akhangaran city area of the Yangihayot district of Tashkent region. During the search, it was discovered that this person was keeping 16,249 units of a potent drug called "Zardeks" for sale. It became known that this person had previously purchased this drug through the "Telegram" messenger and had taken it out from a hidden place located in the Sergeli district. After selling all the products, he was supposed to receive 16,000 US dollars for the drug. A criminal case has been initiated under part 5 of article 244 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan regarding this incident. This article refers to crimes related to the illegal circulation of substances that are not classified as narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances but are still subject to illegal circulation. For this crime, the individual may face imprisonment for a period of 7 to 10 years. Currently, investigative actions are ongoing.

According to the press service of the Namangan regional internal affairs department, a person related to the illegal drug trade has been arrested. This was reported by Upl.uz. Officers of the permanent road patrol post in the "Kushminor" neighborhood of Namangan city stopped and inspected a Nexia-2 model vehicle heading to Tashkent city. During the inspection, 13.77 grams of hashish was found in the bag of a passenger, who was born in 1993 and resides in the Khavast district of the Syrdarya region. This substance was identified as being taken for illegal trade. A criminal case has been initiated under the fifth part of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, "Illegal preparation, acquisition, storage, and other actions with narcotic substances, as well as their sale." The suspect may face a penalty of up to 20 years of imprisonment. This case is being seriously monitored within the legal framework, and the fight against illegal drug trafficking will continue.

The press service of the Tashkent city Emergency Situations Department reported that the fire of dry grass has been extinguished. This was reported by Upl.uz. On July 13, at 20:55, a report of a fire came from near house 1B on the Nurafshon ring road in the Yunusabad district. Emergency services arrived at the scene within two minutes and determined that dry grass was burning in an open area. As a result of prompt and effective actions to extinguish the fire, the flames were completely eliminated by 21:06. No one was injured in the fire, and no material damage was reported. The causes of the fire will be determined by the investigative authorities.

The press service of the Tashkent city Emergency Situations Department reported that a fire occurred in a production workshop located in the Yunusabad district. This was reported by Upl.uz. On July 14, at approximately 07:40, the Tashkent city Emergency Situations Department received a report about a fire in the production workshop on Ahmad Donish Street in the Yunusabad district. Six fire and rescue brigades were dispatched within 5 minutes to reach the scene, and they immediately began to combat the fire. At 08:14, the fire was localized, and it was completely extinguished by 08:51. The leadership of the district fire department and representatives of the city Emergency Situations Department arrived at the scene, and an investigation is underway. No one was injured as a result of the fire. Currently, the causes of the fire and the extent of material damage are being determined. All necessary measures are being taken regarding the incident.

Today, on July 14, hot water will be temporarily turned off in Mirzo Ulugbek and partially in Yashnobod districts due to continuous repair work. This was reported by Upl.uz. This was reported by UPL correspondent. According to the information, hot water will be turned off from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The reason for this is a technical malfunction in the section of the R-4-9 main heating network that is fed from the TTs-1 heat source. During the inspection, it was found that the fittings were worn out and it is necessary to urgently replace the valves that control the heating supply. The hot water outage will affect the following streets and areas: Sayram, Buyuk Ipak Yo‘li, M. Yusuf, Lashkarlar, M. Ulugbek Avenue, Parkent, Mustaqillik, Qibray, Mirxosilboy, Olchabog‘, Buz, Kalandar, Musavvirlar, Chust, as well as the Riyoziy neighborhood and M. Ulugbek and Botkin streets. Representatives of Veolia company announced that after the repair work is completed, the hot water supply will be fully restored. It was also noted that Tashkent residents are expressing their dissatisfaction with utility services on social networks. The city residents are demanding the authorities to seriously monitor the situation due to the frequent emergencies and frequent power outages. These issues are causing the most dissatisfaction among the population.

The incident that occurred in Margilan has sparked widespread discussions on social media. This was reported by Upl.uz. According to the press service of the Fergana Regional Department of Internal Affairs, on May 10, 2025, on Zukhro Street, the driver of a Lacetti car, a 55-year-old woman (born in 1970), hit a three-year-old child (born in 2022) in the yard of a multi-storey building. The woman did not see the child and continued driving without noticing the incident after the collision. As a result of the traffic accident, the child sustained various injuries. Currently, their condition is assessed as satisfactory. A criminal case has been initiated regarding this incident under Article 266, Part 1 (Violation of traffic safety rules) and Article 117 (Leaving in a dangerous situation) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The case materials have been submitted to the court. The driver may face up to three years of imprisonment.

In Uzbekistan, youth are encouraged to regularly participate in sports clubs and art studios. This was reported by Upl.uz. The press service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan provided this information. According to the legislation, if young people participate continuously in sports clubs and art studios for six months, they will be reimbursed for expenses related to purchasing special sports clothing, equipment, and musical instruments. This measure aims to reduce the financial burden on families and expand opportunities for young people to develop their talents. The reimbursement amount can be up to ten times the basic calculation amount. This will help more young people to be active in the fields of sports and arts.

In Uzbekistan, all unpaved internal neighborhood roads will be improved by 2030. This was reported by Upl.uz. This was announced by the Minister of Transport Ilhom Mahkamov during the "Government Hour" held in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis. The minister's speech was a response to the criticisms from deputies regarding the condition of local roads. Deputies emphasized that the quality of roads deteriorates especially during the autumn-winter season, and dirt roads become almost unfit for walking. They also discussed the inability of neighborhood residents to participate in the "Open Budget" program and the lack of opportunities to vote on infrastructure projects. Deputies raised questions about the sufficiency of funds allocated for the maintenance of local roads. They stressed the need to conduct accurate calculations and verify the sufficiency of funds, despite the fact that the roads have been transferred to the balance of local authorities and funds have been allocated. Complaints were mentioned regarding citizens traveling to schools and kindergartens via poor roads. Deputies stated that it is wrong to place the responsibility solely on local authorities and that the legitimate demands of the population should be adequately addressed. Ilhom Mahkamov acknowledged that there was no information provided about the program for improving local roads in his report, but he emphasized that such a program exists and is actively being implemented. He stated that although the roads have been transferred to the balance of local authorities, the overall policy is managed by the Ministry of Transport. Special funds will be allocated from the budget for the repair of roads, and there is also the possibility of directing remaining funds from their own reserves to road repairs. The minister confidently stated that the issue of unpaved roads in neighborhoods will be completely resolved within five years. Currently, 70 percent of dirt roads have been converted to gravel or asphalt surfaces, and the remaining 30 percent will be fully converted to gravel surfaces within two years. Mahkamov emphasized that by 2030, there will be no village or neighborhood in Uzbekistan that is impassable by roads. He mentioned that the program may seem like a large-scale initiative, but confirmed that it has been adopted and is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministries of Economy and Finance.

A video that quickly spread on social media drew significant public attention in Tashkent. This was reported by Upl.uz. The footage shows a road incident in which a driver of a Lacetti car, armed with a knife, threatens another driver in a Cobalt car. Due to the doors being locked, the attacker struck the rival's car window with the knife and immediately fled the scene. A woman was also present in the car. The press service of the Tashkent city police department provided a prompt explanation of the situation. It was revealed that the incident occurred on June 14, 2025, around 11:00 AM on Rixsili Street in the Yunusabad district. The driver of the Lacetti was a man born in 1981, while the Cobalt was driven by a man born in 1996. Fortunately, no one was injured. The cause of this sharp conflict was a road dispute between the drivers. An administrative case was initiated against the Lacetti driver under Article 183 (Minor hooliganism) of the Administrative Responsibility Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The case materials are being reviewed by the district court for a legal decision.

A video depicting an incident that occurred at a private kindergarten in Tashkent city has gone viral on social media and sparked widespread discussions. This was reported by Upl.uz. The video shows the kindergarten caregiver making children who made mistakes stand against the wall with their hands raised as a form of punishment. This incident took place at a private preschool institution in the Yakkasaroy district of the capital. The press service of the Tashkent city department of preschool and school education responded quickly to this situation. It was revealed that the incident occurred on July 7 during lunchtime at a non-governmental preschool institution named "Karyera obrazovaniya." According to the explanation provided by the kindergarten administration, at the time of the incident, the caregiver was feeding a child from the preparatory group who had difficulty eating by himself. At that moment, other children left the kitchen without permission. In order to ensure their safety and control the situation, the caregiver made the children stand in a line against the wall and kept them under observation for 2-3 minutes. Following the incident, the kindergarten administration requested an explanation from the preparatory group caregiver N. A.dan. Additionally, a meeting was held with the participation of all caregivers and staff, warning that such incidents should not be repeated. These actions are being carried out as part of measures aimed at ensuring the rights and safety of children.

In Uzbekistan, registration for higher education institutions for second and subsequent specialties has begun. This was reported by Upl.uz. The registration process is carried out entirely online through the single portal my.edu.uz. The deadline for submitting applications is until August 10, 2025. Applicants for second higher education must complete several simple steps. First, passport details and personal identification number (PINFL) must be provided. Then, scanned copies of the diploma and attached documents are uploaded. After that, the desired university and field of study are selected. Education for the second specialty is conducted on a contractual basis. Admission quotas are determined based on the resources and capabilities of higher education institutions. The opportunity to obtain a second higher education is in high demand among those who want to change their field of activity, expand their professional skills, or improve their qualifications. Additionally, documents are currently being accepted for the master's degree program at state higher education institutions. Applications are accepted until July 30, 2025.

Discussions regarding a video that spread on social media were widely debated. This was reported by Upl.uz. It featured a road patrol service officer and a girl riding a motorcycle side by side. Many users speculated that the inspector was racing with the girl on the motorcycle. The press secretary of the Tashkent City Department of Internal Affairs Traffic Safety Department, Qahramon Khudoyberganov, stated that this information was incorrect while commenting on the situation. According to him, the reason for moving together was entirely different. It was revealed that there were violations in the documents of the girl on the motorcycle. For this reason, a decision was made to take her motorcycle to the impound lot. The important aspect is that the girl herself brought the vehicle to the impound lot, and the inspector was only accompanying her. The road patrol service inspector drew up an administrative report against the girl. Currently, her vehicle is being kept at the impound lot, as reported by the Traffic Safety Department. Thus, the incident, which was perceived by many as an unauthorized race, was actually part of the process of formalizing an administrative violation.

A new era in traffic control has begun in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent. This was reported by Upl.uz. At ten pedestrian crossings in Tashkent, cameras operating on artificial intelligence have been deployed as a trial. These devices automatically detect drivers who do not stop when pedestrians enter the crosswalk and impose fines. This news was announced by blogger Nikita Makarenko. When a pedestrian appears at the crosswalk, all drivers who do not stop will be fined. In just three days, the new systems recorded approximately 1700 violations. In the near future, this initiative is planned to be expanded, and similar cameras will be installed at another 30 intersections in the city. The implementation of such systems is considered an important step in ensuring road traffic safety. However, it should also be noted that the announcement of such significant news through a personal blog instead of official traffic safety service channels raises questions. It would be appropriate for official media to convey such news to the wider public.

Law enforcement agencies in St. Petersburg have detained a citizen of Uzbekistan. This was reported by Upl.uz. He is suspected of defrauding the state. This was reported by the information and socio-political electronic newspaper "Fontanka.ru," published in St. Petersburg. The 33-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan was detained on Gjatka Street. During a document check, it was revealed that he was on an international wanted list. He is suspected in connection with a criminal case involving our compatriot. Previously, he was a successful entrepreneur, but he is accused of hiding part of his company's income. As a result of these actions, the Uzbek state budget was deprived of nearly 10 million rubles in tax revenue. Investigations are ongoing regarding the incident. Law enforcement agencies are taking legal action.

Starting from the 2025/26 academic year, the requirements for the qualifications of foreign language teachers in Uzbekistan will be strengthened. This was reported by Upl.uz. From now on, the presence of an international certificate confirming the language proficiency level will be mandatory for all teachers working in general education, secondary special, and vocational education institutions. The certificate level must be at least B2. This important change was established in the government decision dated May 19, 2021. If teachers are unable to present the required certificate by September, their employment contracts may be terminated. Thus, a new system is being introduced to improve the quality and effectiveness of foreign language teaching in the state education system. This aims to enhance the qualifications of teachers and ensure a level of knowledge that meets international standards. This decision of our president and government serves to improve the quality in the field of education

Significant changes are being made in the public transport sector in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent. This was reported by Upl.uz. The city's official authorities are planning to install more than 2000 modern bus stops. These stops will be equipped with the latest technologies. According to the city administration, the new stops will feature an online schedule showing bus arrival times, video surveillance cameras, automated ticket vending machines, and emergency signal buttons. In particular, the stops will be conveniently adapted for individuals with disabilities. This project aims to enhance convenience and safety for passengers, as well as to modernize and make public transport more efficient. The quality of service in the transport sector for the city's residents will significantly improve. This will make movement within the city easier and encourage the use of public transport.

Residents of Tashkent region were arrested for 12 days due to a scandalous video taken in a car truck. This was reported by Upl.uz. In the Akkurgan district, a group of citizens engaged in dangerous activities in a moving car truck, violating the accepted norms of morality in society without knowing them. They deliberately acted against social order. Specifically, bloggers turned the truck of a Labo car into a pool and held a picnic inside the moving vehicle. They ate shashlik and drank beverages, recording the incident on video and posting it on social networks. Internal affairs officers identified this situation after watching the video. Law enforcement agencies noted that the citizens seriously violated the rules of morality in society and the rules for transporting passengers. As a result, all individuals involved in this incident were sentenced to 12 days in prison. This event once again reminds us of the importance of maintaining order and discipline in society.

The Uzbekistan insurance market is showing stable growth. This was reported by Upl.uz. In the first five months of 2025, the volume of insurance services provided reached 4.5 trillion soums. This figure is 1.1 trillion soums higher compared to the same period in 2024. This information was provided by the State Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Analyzing the composition of insurance services, a large part of the market, namely 88.1 percent, corresponds to services such as insurance against accidents, insurance of vehicles and other means of transport, and insurance of cargo and property. In January-May 2025, life insurance services accounted for 6.4 percent of total insurance services. Additionally, the share of reinsurance services constitutes 5.5 percent. Overall, the insurance market is expanding, providing customers with more services. This is of significant importance in ensuring the stability of the economy. Growth in the insurance sector is expected to continue in the future