RAEX-Europe upgrade Uzbekistan’s Sovereign government credit rating (SGC) in foreign currency to ‘B+’ with positive outlook, the agency said in a report.

President of the Islamic Development Bank Bandar Al Hajjar, accompanied by the delegations of the IDB Group and the Coordination Group of the Arab Development Institutions today arrived in Uzbekistan, the Committee for Investments said in a statement.

Uzbekistan Railways is negotiating with South Korean Hyundai and Spanish Talgo to buy high-speed trains, the Tourism development committee said in a statement.

Delegation of India led by the State Minister of Foreign Affairs Mobashar Jawed Akbar will on Spetember 14 arrive in Uzbekistan on a working visit. The delegation will attend the 5th meeting of the India-Central Asia dialogue in Samarkand.

A draft law on the accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms (Geneva, October 29, 1971), the World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty (Geneva, December 20, 1996) and the World Intellectual Property Organization Performances and Phonograms Treaty (Geneva, December 20, 1996) has been published for consultation of draft legal acts discussion portal.

Uzbekistan slightly improves in the World Press Freedom Index to 165th among 180 countries. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) noted that still much has to be done in Uzbekistan for the press freedom adding that the president Shavkat Mirziyoyev has promised to improve the human rights situation. Well-known detained journalists have been freed and the signs of a thaw are growing.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko noted that the bilateral trade turnover had the potential to reach US$ 1 billion.

Bakhrom Ashrafkhanov, Uzbekistan's ambassador to Russia as of 2016, has been appointed chairman of the board of Uzbekneftegaz, replacing Alisher Sultanov, who will keep the post of Deputy Prime Minister, a source in the government told The Tashkent Times.

The prominent journalist Sharof Ubaydullayev was elected as the deputy chairman of the Nuroniy Foundation at the September 12 meeting of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, UzA reported.

The first outlet of KFC in Uzbekistan opened on Wednesday near Tashkent's Buyuk Ipak Yuli metro station.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko today arrived in Uzbekistan on an official visit. At the Tashkent airport, he was welcomed by the Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, UzA said.

Uzbek Foreign Ministry today hosted a meeting with visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economy and Business Brian McFithers, the ministry said.

The Uzbek Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting with the Secretary-General of Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Bjorne Engesland, the ministry said.

Headwall Power International will invest US$ 1.2 billion in renewable energy in the Surkhandarya province, the Surkhandarya governor’s office said.

As reported earlier, several bloggers were arrested in the end of August for their Facebook posts on religious issues, in particular their protest against the ban of hijab in schools. The arrests caused wide public outcry on social networks, with authorities making no statement.

Tashkent city deputies council took a decision Tuesday to rename Yakkachinor street in downtown Tashkent to Yakub Kolas street, a prominent Belarusian poet and public figure.

On the 17th anniversary of September 11 attacks, the Islam Karimov Foundation posted a statement on its Facebook page on why Islam Karimov allowed to opening of U.S. base in Uzbekistan's khanabad:

8-10 officials of Cotton Campaign may be allowed to visit Uzbekistan’s cotton fields for monitoring, the Minister of Employment and Labor Relations Sherzod Kudbiev said.

In Uzbekistan, Ambassador Brownback will meet with senior government officials to discuss Uzbekistan’s recent positive steps on religious freedom policies and encourage legislative reforms that ensure Uzbekistan upholds its international obligations on freedom of religion or belief.

Mayor of Tashkent's Yunusabad district Bakhtiyor Abdusamatov was caught taking US$ 400 thousand in bribe from an investor after promising he would in return allocate him a land plot, Kun.uz said.