Uzbekistan Governance & Law: Uzbekistan codified rules on the right to strike, setting strict procedural hurdles and heavy penalties for unauthorized work stoppages, as a new omnibus labor package moves through implementation. Competition & Consumer Protection: The Competition Committee said it recovered tens of millions of soums for citizens after probes into delayed vehicle deliveries, canceled flights, and other service failures, while also fining a flour producer for bypassing mandatory exchange trading. Digital Economy & Oversight: Uzbekistan will deploy covert “mystery patient” inspections across hospitals and clinics after complaints surged, and it is pushing IT outsourcing and cloud access for exporters via IT Park’s push at London Tech Week. State Modernization: Officials discussed adopting kaizen-style management reforms to speed public services and upgrade industrial operations, alongside ADB training for 250-plus officials on AI and “new economy” planning. Investment & Diplomacy: Tashkent hosted major investment outreach and talks with Sweden and South Korea, while Uzbekistan signed a decree to modernize Namangan’s industrial, tourism, and education infrastructure. Regional Security: Uzbekistan and France signaled plans to expand defense cooperation through more structured dialogue. International Context: A U.S.-led push on critical minerals brought a new Central Asia dialogue in Astana, underscoring Uzbekistan’s strategic role in supply chains.