live Oil climbs past $119 a barrel as Iran crisis squeezes global supply - Monday 9 March
Global oil prices continue to rise, currently surpassing $119 a barrel this Monday, an almost four year high following fresh U.S.-Israeli...
The Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan announced a nationwide energy-efficiency programme designed to reduce consumption, modernise standards and meet key obligations under the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
According to the ministry, the reforms introduce 166 international standards across the construction and industrial sectors, with the share of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly materials expected to reach 25% by 2026 and 35% by 2030.
This includes standards for insulation, heating systems, lighting, industrial equipment and building-material production.
Energy audits conducted at 34 major enterprises have already helped reduce fuel waste, and the introduction of digital monitoring systems and artificial-intelligence tools is projected to reduce industrial production costs by 5–10%.
To strengthen product quality and safety in line with the new standards, 4 scientific projects are being implemented jointly with the Tashkent Chemical-Technological Institute, involving researchers from Germany, Korea and Türkiye.
These projects focus on upgrading production technology and developing new energy-efficient construction materials.
Beginning in 2026, the government will allocate 30 billion UZS (approximately $2.52 million) to support laboratory testing, certification systems and pilot production lines in the building-materials sector.
The first stage of implementation beginning in 2026 will include:
- conversion to LED lighting in all public institutions.
- expanded installation of smart meters in households and businesses.
- mandatory energy passports for buildings larger than 200 m².
- higher construction-efficiency standards aligned with international best practices.
- digitalisation of energy-management systems.
A nationwide public-awareness campaign on efficient energy use will also launch next year. To support these reforms, the government has allocated 100 billion UZS (around $8.39 million) for digitalisation and efficiency upgrades across priority sectors.
For reference, Uzbekistan began its WTO accession process on 21 December 1994, when its Working Party was formally established.
Officials emphasise that the current energy-efficiency programme is closely tied to the requirements of this long-running accession effort.
The Ministry states that the reforms will help modernise energy management, reduce system losses and increase the competitiveness of Uzbek goods in foreign markets.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
Global oil prices continue to rise, currently surpassing $119 a barrel this Monday, an almost four year high following fresh U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting oil depots. Stock markets shares slumped on fears the conflict with Iran could disrupt shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further attacks on Iran on Saturday (7 March), while the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia continued to shoot down missiles in their airspace. Meanwhile, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would stop attacking its neighbours.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Türkiye’s official anti-disinformation agency has issued a statement refuting what it described as online “disinformation” and reiterating the strength of relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
Almost 2,000 people have been evacuated from Iran via Azerbaijan since conflict erupted in the Middle East.
Kazakhstan has evacuated more than 7,300 citizens from the Middle East since regional tensions escalated, using both air and land routes to bring nationals home while closely monitoring political developments and potential economic effects linked to rising oil prices.
Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, has appeared in court on Monday alongside 400 co-defendants in a sprawling corruption case that critics say is designed to derail his political ambitions. The charges allege a network of corruption and organised crime linked to the mayor’s office.
Russian grain is once again moving by rail to Armenia along a route that had been closed for decades. The latest freight train departed from Baku on 9 March carrying hundreds of tonnes of grain.
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