Fuel station emotions, a New Year's Eve terrorist attack, and an arrest warrant for the president – highlights from the week's news.

President's New Year Greetings and Plans for 2025

On the night of January 1st, just before the clock struck midnight, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, extended New Year greetings to the people of Uzbekistan.

In his address, he emphasized that despite the challenging global situation, the past year was prosperous for Uzbekistan.

The President declared 2025 as the Year of Environmental Protection and "Green Economy." The focus will be on the social sector, increasing salaries, pensions, scholarships, and benefits.

Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash: New Investigation Details

This week, it was revealed that preliminary findings from the investigation into the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane near Aktau will be announced within 30 days. This was stated by Kazakhstan's Deputy Minister of Transport, Talgat Lastayev.

According to him, the field phase of the investigation is currently ongoing. “This means that we are gathering complete evidence of the crash site, taking special casts, and collecting fragments of the aircraft in a designated hangar. We have organized a hangar at Aktau Airport for this meticulous work, which is being carried out by experts,” the deputy minister added.

Earlier, Kazakhstan sent the flight recorders of the AZAL plane to Brazil.

Viral Video from a Methane Filling Station and Consequences for the Author

Long queues at methane filling stations continue. It is clear that this situation is causing frustration among drivers, many of whom are already at their breaking point. Recently, yet another man lost his temper. A video showing a citizen expressing his dissatisfaction with the closure of the filling station after waiting in line for six hours went viral on social media.

Following this incident, citizen Gayrat Dustov was arrested for 15 days.

According to court documents reviewed by Kun.uz, Dustov, in a fit of rage at the time of the station's closure, insulted the station staff and shouted loudly. In court, he expressed regret for his actions and promised not to repeat such behavior, requesting leniency in his punishment.

This news sparked discontent among the general public and activists.

Former deputy and advisor to the Ministry of Ecology, Rasul Kusherbayev, for instance, labeled this incident a sign of intolerance to criticism.

“This was done in vain. It is a clear indication that any objection and criticism are met with intolerance. As the poet said: ‘Cowardly beks, do not boast, but be magnanimous!’ But our ‘beks’ did not show magnanimity,”  noted Kusherbayev.

Journalist Mukhrim Azamkhodjaev reminded that the imprisonment of this citizen for 15 days will not resolve Uzbekistan's energy issues.

On January 3rd, the ruling of the Bektemir District Court dated December 26, 2024, imposing 15 days of administrative arrest on Gayrat Dustov for petty hooliganism was altered by the appellate court.

In accordance with Article 183 of the Administrative Offenses Code, he was sentenced to 8 days of arrest, which was declared served, and Gayrat Dustov was released from the courtroom.

Long-Awaited Comment on Charging Stations from the Ministry of Energy

The Deputy Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan, Umid Mamadaminov, commented on the disconnection of charging stations for electric vehicles in Tashkent.

According to his statements , in mid-December, relevant authorities conducted a raid to check the compliance of sub-consumers with established requirements.

Mamadaminov stated that as a result of the inspection, several stations were disconnected. After the intervention of the Ministry of Energy, the stations that did not have violations were reconnected to the network. Only for 11 stations with issues regarding technical conditions and other obligations, a deadline was set to resolve documentation issues. As of now, these stations have also been reconnected, and there are no disconnected charging stations in Tashkent today.

I remind you that we reported on the mass disconnection of charging stations in Tashkent from the power grid on December 17th. According to entrepreneurs, responsible officials at the local level explained the situation as a “directive from above.”

Employee Sentenced for Beating a Citizen to Death in Bekabad Police Station

On June 19, 2024, around 5:30 PM, brothers Dilmurad and Dilshod Yusupvaliev were forcibly taken to the police station after allegedly resisting the lawful demands of the officers. Without bringing Yusupvaliev to the interrogation room, Muradullayev struck him several times, causing severe injuries that led to his death on the spot.

It was also established that Muradullayev hit the second brother, Dilshod Yusupvaliev, causing him minor injuries.

In court, Muradullayev did not admit his guilt, claiming that Yusupvaliev's injuries were accidental, and expressed his willingness to compensate for moral and material damages. However, his guilt was proven through witness testimonies and other evidence.

The defendant was found guilty of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm and exceeding his official authority.

The court sentenced Muradullayev to 9 years in prison.

Blogger Case: Environmental Pollution for Hype

On December 31, a video circulated on social media showing a group of people collecting toilet paper packaging and destroying it with a vehicle. Later, footage emerged showing that the paper was left on the ground, polluting the environment.

As reported on January 2, the head of the press service of the Traffic Safety Department of the Tashkent Police, Kahramon Khudoyberganov, stated that blogger Jasurbek Shodiyev was held accountable for this offense.

According to the blogger, he did this “for content,” and the video garnered over 4 million views on social media. Shodiyev apologized and promised that such an incident would not happen again.

In addition to the fine imposed by the Traffic Safety Department, environmental inspectors also fined the blogger an amount equal to five times the base calculation amount for environmental pollution.

Furthermore, the vehicle featured in the video was located, impounded, and the driver was issued an administrative protocol.

In 2025, Banks Will Assist Mahallas in Employing Citizens

In Uzbekistan, it is planned to employ 5.2 million people in 2025, with 3 million of them receiving assistance from banks.

The Central Bank and its deputies will travel to regions to streamline the operation of bank branches in mahallas. By February 1, 2025, special departments will be established at district bank branches to work with mahallas. "Mahalla bankers" will be appointed in each mahalla, along with selected assistants for interaction with them.

New Decree Regarding Foreign Citizens Adopted in Russia

Foreigners residing illegally in Russia must regularize their legal status or leave the country by April 30, 2025. The corresponding decree was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation, whose information is subject to inclusion in the register of controlled persons, are required to independently leave the Russian Federation or regularize their legal status from January 1 to April 30, 2025,” – states the document.

Additionally, foreigners must not have grounds for the annulment of patents, work permits, or temporary residence permits, as well as residence permits.

Furthermore, Russian authorities have reduced the period of stay in the country for foreigners without visas from 180 to 90 days. The corresponding law came into effect on January 1, 2025. A special expulsion regime for foreigners will also be implemented.

Court in South Korea Approves Arrest Warrant for Yoon Suk Yeol

A court in South Korea has approved an arrest warrant for the temporarily suspended, but still sitting president, Yoon Suk Yeol, marking a historic first for the country.