Voluntary vaccination against coronavirus of everyone over 18 years old begins in Tashkent, the press service of the Ministry of Health said.

The Republican Special Anti-Coronavirus Commission took a decision tightening the existing and adding new lockdown restrictions, the Ministry of Health said.

476 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Uzbekistan on June 24, (442 - a day earlier) and 2 deaths from complications caused from the disease, the Ministry of Health said.

At the sixteenth plenary session of the Senate on June 25, it was announced the creation of a Committee on Information Policy and Ensuring Openness in State Bodies, the press service of the Senate said.

The World Bank announced additional funding of US$ 19 million for the implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Program in the Aral Sea Basin.

Drills aimed at bringing troops to combat readiness began in the military districts of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry said in a statement.

Uzbekistan joins the Top 10 countries in the world for gold mining, the World Gold Council said. Uzbekistan significantly increased its output last year, from 94.6 tonnes in 2019 to 101.6 tonnes, the first time it’s exceeded 100 tonnes in one year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan issued a statement on the situation in Uzbekistan. “Uzbekistan is closely watching the development of the military-political situation in Afghanistan, including in the bordering northern provinces,” the Foreign Ministry said. - The increase in violence in the neighboring country is of utmost concern. The escalation of tensions amid the new wave of the coronavirus pandemic is making life more difficult for the Afghan people.”

The Deputy PM/Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Sardor Umrzakov met with Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Development Bank (EADB) Nikolai Podguzov in Moscow.

The Ministry of Justice, together with the Anti-Corruption Agency and a number of other departments, submitted for discussion the draft presidential  on anti-corruption decree and resolution.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed decree on June 23 creating New Uzbekistanuniversity in Tashkent. Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the presentation of the university on Wednesday, the presidential press service said.

The Delta (B.1.617.2) coronavirus variant has been confirmed in Uzbekistan, said Alisher Abdullayev, the Deputy Director of the Center for Advanced Technologies under the Ministry of Innovation.

On June 23, the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a telephone conversation with the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, the presidential press service said.

The Council of the European Union has appointed Ambassador Terhi Hakala to serve as the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Central Asia, starting on 1 July 2021.

On June 22, the Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov held a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Uzbekistan took a decision to join the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TURKPA), announced the first deputy speaker at the Senate Sodiq Safoev at a meeting with the delegation of TURKPA in Tashkent, the Anadolu reported.

On June 21, the Chilanzar District Criminal Court brought the CEO and founder of the Kun.uz publication Mahsudjon Askarov to administrative liability under Illegal production, storage, import or distribution of religious materials charge, the publication itself said.

From being a seller, Uzbekistan has turned into a buyer of Gazprom's gas, Interfax with reference to the statement and memorandum of the new issue of Eurobonds of Gazprom.

Uzbekistan and Russia are discussing the launching of production unit for Sputnik V vaccine at the Jurabek Laboratories in Tashkent. This was reported in the office of the Russian government on the eve of the meeting of the joint commission at the level of the heads of the governments of Uzbekistan and Russia, which will be held on June 22.

The Senate will convene for the sixteenth plenary session on June 25, the press service of the Senate said. At the meeting, the senators are set to consider the Official Statistics Bill, Freedom of conscience and religious organizations Bill, Courts Bill, the State language of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bill, the State budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2021 Bill and Amendments to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan related aimed at improving the procedure for combating the legalization of proceeds from criminal activity.