The Central Bank has issued directives and recommendations to commercial banks, payment system operators, and payment organizations to improve the operational quality of ATMs, the regulator said in a statement.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the opening ceremony of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum, currently taking place in Baku under the auspices of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

Security forces have intercepted an attempt to smuggle nearly 600 kilograms of illicit drugs—specifically 593 kg of hashish and 3 kg of opium—from Afghanistan into Uzbekistan. The major smuggling attempt was thwarted during a joint operation conducted by the operational units and Border Troops of the State Security Service (DXX), alongside the Customs Committee.

Regardless of their weekly work schedule, all workers will have May 27–31 off. In 2026, Eid al-Adha (Qurbon Hayiti) falls on Wednesday, May 27.

Uzbekistan has ranked among the countries with the highest daily water consumption in the world, the online statistics platform Worldometer said in a report.

Foreign nationals will now be legally prohibited from working as tour guides in Uzbekistan. A draft government decree has already been formulated to strictly regulate tour guiding activities. The use of audio and electronic guide services is also on the legislative agenda.

State Security Service and customs officials at Tashkent International Airport successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle nearly one kilogram of the Alpha-PVP synthetic drug into the country during a coordinated sting operation.

Uzbekistan has officially integrated the concept of "eco-friendly zones" into its national Law on Protected Natural Areas. The amendments, signed into law by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on May 14, are set to take effect on August 15.

The administrative building of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Economy, located in Tashkent's Shaykhantahur district, has been sold at auction for 196.6 billion soums.

Two trucks caught fire following a traffic accident in the Samarkand province. The incident occurred at around 4:50 AM on May 16 in the Pakhtachi district. A truck driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle and crashed into another truck parked on the shoulder of the road. Preliminary reports suggest that the driver of the moving truck had fallen asleep at the wheel.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward a series of digital development initiatives for the Turkic world at the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held in Turkistan, Kazakhstan, on Friday. The summit focused on the theme of "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development."

The Tashkent Traffic Management Center (TMMC) has announced a major crackdown on illegal parking and stopping violations across the capital.

A controlled blast took place on April 15 in the Oqbuyra tourism village of Samarkand district, which caused stone fragments to rain down on residential homes, cracked walls, and left young children and the elderly in a state of panic. The Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Starting in 2027, Uzbekistan plans to phase in the calculation and official publication of median salaries, wage distribution curves, modal intervals, and the proportion of low-wage workers, the press service of the National Statistics Committee reported.

On the sidelines of the informal Turkic Summit in Turkistan of Kazakhstan, the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting with President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The celebrated historical novel The Treasure of Ulughbek by Odil Yoqubov, a beloved writer, has been published in English and presented to readers worldwide.

Uzbekistan will raise electricity and natural gas rates for both households and legal entities starting June 1. The government resolution authorising the hikes was enacted on May 15, exactly 15 days before the new pricing takes effect. On average, consumer utility rates will increase by approximately 9.9%. Gazeta previously reported on the planned price adjustments in late April.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, currently on a visit to Turkistan, joined Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday to visit a newly constructed mosque built by Uzbekistan as a gift to its neighbor, the Uzbek leader's press service reported.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a government meeting to outline measures for expanding high-yield, industrialized orchards across the country's provinces Thursday.

Uzbekistan is bracing for an exceptionally hot weekend, with temperatures in some regions soaring close to 40°C (104°F), Uzhydromet reported.