INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 124

June 27, 2017

POLITICS
President of Uzbekistan visited patients

OFFICIALLY
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree on the organization of the Navoi branch of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan

SCIENCE
Uzbek Scientists Secure US Patent

ECOLOGY
FAO recommends aggressive methods

FESTIVAL
The fortieth ecological and tourist festival of the author’s song Chimgan Echo-2017", traditionally took place in the tract "Twelve springs" at the foot of the Great Chimgan

POLITICS

President of Uzbekistan visited patients
The month of Ramadan is of great importance for the spiritual life of our people, strengthening the atmosphere of harmony and mutual understanding in society. Our people have been taking special care of patients, supporting the needy in this sacred month since ancient times. This kind of tradition is consonant with the policy of strong social protection implemented in our country.
In accordance with the decree of the head of our state “On celebration of Ramadan hayit” of June 20 this year, this holiday is held in the spirit of kindness, people of respectable age, patients are surrounded by attention and care.
On June 26, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Tashkent city clinical psychiatric hospital.
Tashkent city clinical psychiatric hospital was built in 1896. There are 18 different departments in the hospital. Clinic-biochemical laboratory, radiography cabinets, ultrasound, encephalography and others are equipped with necessary equipment and provided with qualified specialists. The hospital is the clinical base for departments of psychiatry of Tashkent medical academy, Tashkent pediatric medical institute, Tashkent institute of postgraduate medical education.
In accordance with the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan on measures of further improving activity of psychiatric service of July 25, 2013, the work on construction and reconstruction is going on in the hospital. In 2015-2016, 4 new buildings were commissioned. Now another two-story building is under construction.
The President of our country got acquainted with projects on renovation of the hospital buildings, examined conditions created for patients.
All necessary conditions should be created for patients, said the head of our state. Instructions are given on repairing the hospital, raising the level of social protection of medical workers, in particular providing them with housing.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev also visited “Muruvvat” house in Mirzo-Ulugbek district, got acquainted with conditions.
The house was built in 1979. Currently, this building needs to be repaired.
The President of our country was told about the project on expanding the territory and building additional boarding houses. Men with disabilities and with mental diseases are treated in this boarding house.
Each of us should pay special attention to taking care of sick people in these days of the holy holiday of Ramadan-hayit, said the head of our state.
The President of our country gave instructions on construction of new buildings on the territory next to the boarding house, based on specific treatment of each disease.
(Source: UzA)

OFFICIALLY

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree on the organization of the Navoi branch of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan
The document establishes that the conditions of payment and material incentives for work provided for the respective posts of scientific research institutions of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic are also applied to its employees. In addition, a separate residential complex will be emerged for temporary residence of scientific consultants invited from Uzbekistan and foreign countries.
An interdepartmental scientific and technical council was established at the Navoi branch of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

SCIENCE

Uzbek Scientists Secure US Patent
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent for the technology of knockout (deactivation) of cotton genes.
The issuance of the US patent for high-tech development by the scientists of the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics under the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan is an unprecedented event and unquestionable recognition of the achievements of our scientists in the field of high technologies.
This technology was developed by domestic scientists in 2008, and further research led to the creation of high-yield, early-ripening, long-fiber, drought-resistant and salt-resistant varieties of cotton of the “Porlok” series on its basis. It allowed to improve several valuable features of this crop which has not been known yet in the world history of breeding and plant genetic engineering.
Currently, “Porlok” varieties are sold at 12% more expensive than conventional varieties; they are very demanded on the world market. In 2017, these seeds were planted on the territory of more than 52 thousand hectares in the country. Further expansion of crops is expected.
It should be noted that submitting even just application to the US Patent Office - a labor-intensive and complex process which is related with a detailed verification of the results. And it is even more difficult if the applicant is another country.
"The application was submitted in April 2012. American specialists repeatedly revised the details of the development to ensure their reliability and patentability, as not every country is capable of such developments in the field of molecular technologies. We spent five years actively communicating and reasonably responding to the comments of the patent office. And finally, after many years of persistent negotiations, the US Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent", said the Director of the Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Professor Ibrohim Abdurakhmanov.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

ECOLOGY

FAO recommends aggressive methods
Drought is a common occurrence in Central Asia. However, climate change and rapid economic development exacerbate its consequences, including those related to the scarcity of water resources in the region.
A new report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is devoted to the fight against drought in Central Asia. Under the aegis of the organization, a study was conducted in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Its authors recommended the countries of the region where the steppes and deserts surrounded by mountain ranges predominate, to adopt more aggressive methods of combating drought. They advised to provide the population with suitable varieties of sowing crops, as well as to intensify the fight against soil salinization, a problem that is especially urgent for Kazakhstan. In addition, experts stressed that the leaders of the region should remember the importance of sharing trans-boundary water resources. After all, the basins of rivers flowing into the Aral Sea are in joint use by most countries in the region.
More than 60 million people live in Central Asia. Most of the moisture is formed as a result of the melting of snow carried by rivers. Summers are hot and arid. Agriculture, mainly irrigation, accounts for a quarter of the region’s GDP, and the share of employment in agriculture is even higher. In addition, water supply is of great importance for hydropower, which almost completely provides the region with electricity.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

FESTIVAL

The fortieth ecological and tourist festival of the author’s song Chimgan Echo-2017", traditionally took place in the tract "Twelve springs" at the foot of the Great Chimgan
The history of the festival began in 1977. Originating as a bard song contest, it gradually grew into a significant cultural, environmental and sporting event. Now, in addition to the vocal and musical part, the festival program includes an environmental action to clean up the gorge from garbage, competitions for high-speed climbing, rock climbing, orienteering and mountain biking.
However, the International Festival of Tourist Authors’ Song, which gathers 500-600 participants not only from Uzbekistan, but also from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and other countries, remains the visiting card of the festival for 40 years.
This time in the contest program there were classical songs of famous bards: Bulat Okudjava, Vladimir Vysotsky, Yuriy Vizbor, Oleg Mityaev, Elena Frolova, songs for verses by Sergey Yesenin, Eduard Asadov, Rasul Gamzatov, Tashkent poets Vladimir Bagramov, Stepan Balakin, Oleg Bordovsky and other authors.
The first evening was remembered by bright performances of poets and musicians, in particular, participant of the first bardic festival of Vladimir Polishchuk, 87-year-old poet from Tashkent Oleg Bordovsky and others.
— The fortieth international festival of author’s song was successful – such conclusion was made by the chairman of the jury of the festival Vladimir Shabalin. In his opinion, the results of the event attest to the high level of training of all its participants from different regions of Central Asia.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

Reference to the source is a must in reproducing materials