Uzbekistan–Serbia Diplomacy: Uzbekistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Muzaffarbek Madrakhimov met Serbia’s Marko Đurić in Belgrade, with both sides highlighting rising political ties, signed documents, and plans for Uzbekistan’s participation in Expo 2027. Uranium & Nuclear Fuel: A parliamentary panel in India says domestic uranium covers only about 30% of needs for PHWRs, urging faster mining and clearer rules—while pointing to imports that include Uzbekistan. Oil & Gas Tech Talks: Uzbekneftegaz and China’s Sinopec discussed deeper geological exploration, deep well drilling, and modern refining technologies, including work tied to the Ustyurt region. Digital Payments in the Region: VEON’s Banglalink received Bangladesh Bank approval for its Mukto Pay digital payments service, signaling continued push toward fintech and AI-enabled infrastructure. Internet Freedom Gap: A new Freedom on the Net look shows Central Asia lacks a single internet—Uzbekistan is rated “Not Free,” with heavy blocking and VPN markets growing. Climate & Water Stress: Kazakhstan is turning to cloud-seeding to fight drought in cotton regions, aiming to boost precipitation and protect harvests. Critical Minerals Push: Uzbekistan is positioning critical minerals for deeper processing, inviting technology and investment to move beyond raw exports. Sports Tech & Heat: Wearable data suggests Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev faced dangerous heat strain during a World Cup match, raising questions about decision-making under extreme temperatures.