Number of Internet users in Uzbekistan exceeded 9.1 million point in the result of the first quarter of 2012, the Uzbek Agency for Communication and Information (UzACI) said.

Committee on Information and Communication Technologies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis held an extended meeting, where the Minister of Cultural and Sport Affairs and Chairman of the State Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan informed on the execution of requirements of the laws \"On electronic document\" and \"On electronic digital signature\".

This day serves as a reminder for us of the fundamental principles of press freedom, allowing us to assess the state of press freedom, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Uz-Kor Silikon, an Uzbek-South Korean joint venture, is planning to commission silicon production capacities in Navoi region in June 2012. The newspaper “Znamiya Drujbi” reported that the assembly of equipment has been started at the enterprise, which is located in Navoi region.

The volume of the gross domestic product (GDP) of Uzbekistan made up 17.65 trillion soums (Official exchange rate: 1USD-1859,07 soums) in the first quarter of 2012, which grew by 7.5% year-on-year, the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan said.

Nine innovation projects have been represented to the view of experts, activists and attendees of the discussion organized by members of the Center for Innovation Ideas and winners of the Kelajak Ovozi Republican Contest of Gifted Youth.

New Space Monitoring Center has been commissioned in Uzbekistan. The center was launched at the Center for hydrometeorology service under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.

A scaled coverage of the processes of deepening democratic reforms and modernization of the country, ensuring the active participation of independent mass media in addressing the priorities of state and public administration, informing of the activities of state authorities, ensuring of broad public access to information and many other aspects are now the challenges faced by domestic media.

Lukoil Uzbekistan Operating Company in partnership with South Korean Hyundai Engineering is designing gas processing plant and construction of Kandym group of fields.

The number of drugs approved for medical use on the territory of Uzbekistan has exceeded six thousand items. They cover all pharmacological groups recommended by the World Health Organization. Now all medical prescriptions in the country are drug- provided.

The developed program of measures for financial support and full load of capacity of enterprises to create jobs, provide for the modernization, technical and technological re-equipment of approximately 1,000 companies in all regions of Uzbekistan.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed a law “On family entrepreneurship” on 26 April 2012.

As in previous years, the upcoming Asrlar Sadosi (Echo of Centuries) Festival of Traditional Culture, a collaborative effort between Fund Forum and the UNESCO Tashkent Office, offers a broad variety of exciting events that will reflect Uzbek history, art and traditions.

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed a law “On accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (Geneva, 21 May 2003)” on 24 April 2012.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan hosted a business meeting of Uzbekistan and China on 24 April 2012.

Uzbekistan Airways has successfully completed the \"Umrah\" program.

State Committee of Uzbekistan on Demonopolization and Development of Competition held a session of the Board to sum up results of the first quarter of 2012.

The Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan, Tashkent city administration, Chamber of Commerce, State joint-stock company Uzpharmsanoat, international exhibition company ITE Uzbekistan are the organizers of the event.

An exhibition of creative works of the famous artist Anatoly Burmakin and Anastasia Nikitina organized by the Fund “Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan” opened at the Tashkent House of Photography.

Traditional annual “Fine Art+5” creativity week opened at the Central Exhibition Hall of Uzbekistan Arts Academy.