Pole Bartłomiej Kubkowski swam the Baltic Sea solo after 55 hours of swimming

In the final days before the 46th World Chess Olympiad and related international events in Samarkand, the concluding stages of preparations are approaching. The Uzbekistan Chess Federation and relevant organizations are actively engaged in organizing this global competition.

The Olympiad is scheduled to include events such as the 3rd World Chess Para-Olympiad, the Congress of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), and the 'FIDE Excellence Awards'. Numerous chess teams and delegates from various countries around the world are expected to arrive in Samarkand.

Issues regarding the election of the FIDE president are also being discussed: who is putting forward their candidacies for the post of President of the International Chess Federation? Furthermore, the reasons for Arkady Dvarkovich's withdrawal from participating in the elections, after temporarily stepping down from the position of FIDE President, are being raised.

In the context of preparations, questions about supporting Uzbek candidates for the FIDE presidency are being considered. A recent meeting between US and Uzbekistan chess teams in Miami sparked public interest regarding the results achieved.

The success of local chess players in international tournaments significantly influences the outcomes of the 46th World Chess Olympiad. The victories of Nodirbek Abdusattorov at the 'Tata Steel Masters' and 'Prague Masters' tournaments, Javohir Sindorov's participation in prestigious tournaments and championships over the last six months, as well as the regular participation of other chess players in world competitions, are noted.

Moreover, the selection of Geneva, Switzerland, as the venue for the 'battle' for the World Champion title between the reigning world champion Gukesh Dhummaraju from India and domestic Javohir Sindorov adds an additional impetus to the development of chess among players.

Organizational matters are also under discussion, including the number of judges who will participate in the competitions and the proportion of Uzbek specialists among them. With the approach of the 46th World Chess Olympiad, the number of discussions and questions among chess enthusiasts is growing.

A conversation was held with Bakhtiyor Jumaev, a leading specialist from the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, to obtain answers to these questions.

Political, economic, and geopolitical changes occurring in Central Asia are attracting the attention of the international community. In particular, the large-scale reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan, including a multi-vector foreign policy and strengthening good neighborly relations, are elevating cooperation within the Turkic States Organization to a higher level, which is giving new momentum to regional development.

Interview on Geopolitical Prospects

An Uzbek correspondent spoke with Turkish researcher, writer, and strategic analyst Gungur Yavuzaslan about the geopolitical prospects of the Turkic world, Uzbekistan's role in the region, and the future of Turkic state cooperation.

Yavuzaslan stated that he began his journalistic career in 2001 as a correspondent in local media and currently works for national and international television channels and digital information platforms. According to him, the job of a journalist is not just to report events, but to analyze the political, historical, and geopolitical factors behind them. His main research areas are related to Turkish foreign policy, the fight against terrorism, and the geopolitics of the Middle East and the Turkic world.

He considers it a matter of national responsibility and strategic vision to link the geopolitical future of Turkic peoples to the shift of the world's political and economic center from the Atlantic to the Asia-Pacific region, amidst the reshaping of global supply chains.

Uzbekistan's Role in the Region

Uzbekistan's multi-vector foreign policy and good neighborliness strategy significantly contribute to shaping a unique cooperative environment in Central Asia. As Yavuzaslan emphasizes, Uzbekistan has become one of the most active and proactive states in Central Asia in recent years. Under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country has entered a new phase of its development based on openness, mutual trust, and pragmatic cooperation.

This strategy is not just a diplomatic decision, but a strategic policy based on long-term national interests. Due to its historical heritage, population, and geographical location, the republic today plays an important bridge role between China, Russia, India, Turkey, and Europe. This foreign policy serves to strengthen regional cooperation, expand trade and economic relations, and enhance Central Asia's influence in the international community.

Geopolitical Changes in the Turkic World

When assessing the changes at the geopolitical center of the Turkic world, Yavuzaslan views this process not as a 'game of chess,' but as a historical expansion and mutual enrichment. He stresses that in today's geopolitical competitive environment, some external forces are trying to limit this integration process only to the Zangezur corridor, but Zangezur is only one part of a major strategic project.

The main goal is to form a comprehensive transport, trade, and economic space connecting Turkic states. From this perspective, the concept of the Turan route could become a vital link in the Eurasian transport and logistics system.

EAEU and Media Cooperation

Uzbekistan is one of the key participants in the Turkic States Organization, and this structure is no longer limited to general language and culture, but is also expanding practical cooperation in areas such as economy, transport, energy, digital technology, and logistics. Uzbekistan's active participation creates new opportunities for strengthening geographical and economic integrity, developing transport routes, energy networks, and digital infrastructure.

The issue of creating a unified media and information platform for Turkic states is very important from the perspective of information security. However, technically, the media infrastructure, digital technologies, languages, and alphabets are not fully harmonized. Legally, each state manages its national media system based on legislation. Therefore, the work being carried out under the joint media platform by Turkey and Azerbaijan is of great importance, and this cooperation should be expanded with the participation of all members of the Turkic States Organization.

In conclusion, today Central Asia, especially Uzbekistan, holds immense importance as a key center of international politics and economy, and the country is steadily striving to deepen solidarity that serves the common interests of the regional states.

The process of effectively working with public appeals, finding solutions to problems, and eliminating their causes plays an important role. For this reason, at the meeting of the Committee on Labor, Health, and Social Issues of the Legislative Chamber of the Supreme Assembly, information was heard regarding the handling of appeals from individuals and legal entities by various departments.

Departments' activities were analyzed

Particular attention was paid during this meeting to the appeal handling practices of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Poverty Reduction and Employment, the National Social Protection Agency, and the Migration Agency. The committee members extensively analyzed the implementation of these tasks at the local level, the quality of reviewing appeals, the practical effectiveness of adopted decisions, and the factors causing recurring appeals.

Statistics on Appeals

According to the data presented to the committee, during the first half of 2026, over 45 thousand appeals were received by the Ministry of Health system, nearly 54.5 thousand by the Ministry of Poverty Reduction and Employment, over 95 thousand by the National Social Protection Agency, and nearly 44.5 thousand by the Migration Agency. It was noted that positive results were achieved for the majority of these appeals.

Deputies' Discussions

During the discussions, deputies asked many questions regarding the nature of the appeals, the reasons for their occurrence, the situation across regions, the dynamics of recurring appeals, and the effectiveness of measures taken by the responsible agencies. Furthermore, the necessity of thoroughly studying each appeal, eliminating its causes, and preventing recurring appeals was emphasized.

It was stated that regular parliamentary oversight in this area, as well as improving legislative and practical mechanisms for continuously identifying and eliminating systemic problems, is necessary.