Culture & Creative Economy: President Mirziyoyev met culture and arts leaders, announcing new support measures including creative associations across 21 fields, an annual National Creative Forum, and monthly payments for widely recognized creative workers. Agri-exports to Malaysia: Ferghana’s delegation wrapped up a Kuala Lumpur visit with deals in agriculture and healthcare; first air shipments of apricots and peaches (plus cherries) have entered the Malaysian market. Energy Tech & Oil-Gas Planning: Uzbekneftegaz and BP discussed accelerating Ustyurt project steps through 2029, including geophysical exploration timing and digital seismic analysis using high-performance computing. Digital Government & AI: Uzbekistan’s digital technologies ministry met Finland’s HAUS and Estonia’s ESTDEV on secure data exchange, digital ID, GovTech ecosystems, and adding AI to public services, alongside cybersecurity cooperation. Telecom 5G & Smart Infrastructure: Talks with Elisa focused on large-scale 5G rollout, AI-driven telecom automation, fraud prevention, and expanding fiber and digital solutions for industrial IoT, logistics, and data centers. Water & Food Security Warning: A water expert warned that salinization from saltwater intrusion can undermine irrigation, threaten food security, and drive migration pressures. Pasture Restoration Results: Khatlon’s pasture monitoring under a resilient landscapes project reported improved forage productivity from rotational grazing, fenced restoration, and pasture user unions. Science & Heritage Discovery: A Bronze Age child’s skull from Uzbekistan shows trepanation marks, described as the oldest known evidence of surgery in Central Asia. World Cup Prep (Local angle): Uzbekistan’s Namangan set a Guinness record by planting 29.4 million flowers for the International Flower Festival, with the event expected to draw millions of visitors.