Asia

Samarkand, Uzbekistan: Participants in the International Media Forum visited the historic city of Samarkand on August 27, touring the Imam al-Bukhari Memorial Complex and some of the city’s most prominent cultural and religious landmarks. The visit formed part of the forum’s programme introducing international media delegates to Uzbekistan’s Islamic heritage, history and architecture. Participants were divided into language groups for guided tours. A major stop was the Imam al-Bukhari Memorial Complex in Khartang village, about 25 kilometres from Samarkand. The complex houses the tomb of Imam al-Bukhari (810–870), one of the most influential hadith scholars in Islamic history and compiler of Al-Jami’ al-Sahih, commonly known as Sahih al-Bukhari. The visit comes as Samarkand strengthens its profile as a centre of Islamic culture and heritage. The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) designated Samarkand as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2025. According to a tour guide, the first mausoleum at Imam al-Bukhari’s burial site was built during the Shaybanid period in the 16th century. The site underwent major redevelopment in 1997–1998 under Uzbekistan’s first president, Islam Karimov, when it was expanded to about 10 hectares and a mosque with capacity for approximately 1,500 worshippers was added. A far larger reconstruction project was launched in 2021 under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The renovated complex opened in March 2026 and now covers approximately 44–45 hectares. The expanded complex includes Imam al-Bukhari’s mausoleum, a mosque accommodating about 10,000 worshippers, a museum, library, hotels, madrasa (school) and other facilities for visitors. The complex receives up to 65,000 visitors a day. The redevelopment combines traditional Islamic and Central Asian architectural elements with modern construction. White marble dominates the facades, while landscaped avenues, open squares, water features and a reflecting pond shape the surrounding grounds. One of its notable architectural features is an (iwan), a covered terrace characteristic of Islamic architecture. The structure is supported by 154 intricately carved wooden columns, traditionally said to symbolise the trees of the Garden of Paradise. The museum, spread across nine interconnected pavilions, traces Imam al-Bukhari’s life, travels and scholarship, as well as the historical period in which he lived. Its exhibitions incorporate modern technology, including 3D reconstructions, digital presentations and artificial intelligence-based displays. A separate interactive section has also been developed for children. Part of the museum is devoted to the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and major events that became central to the hadith traditions subsequently collected and studied by Islamic scholars. At the heart of the exhibition is Imam al-Bukhari’s Al-Jami’ al-Sahih. The displays explain his methods of collecting, examining and authenticating hadith, work that has influenced Islamic scholarship for more than a millennium. Interactive panels allow visitors to explore hadith texts in several languages, while multimedia presentations trace al-Bukhari’s journeys across major centres of the Muslim world in pursuit of knowledge. Digital films also depict his childhood, education and dedication to scholarship. The complex has become part of Uzbekistan’s broader effort to position Samarkand as an international centre for Islamic scholarship, heritage and religious tourism. The media delegation also toured some of Samarkand’s best-known historical monuments, including Registan Square, Shah-i-Zinda and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque. At Registan Square, delegates viewed the Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilla-Kari madrasahs, an architectural ensemble renowned for its monumental facades, domes and intricate tilework. The delegation also visited Shah-i-Zinda, a historic necropolis containing elaborately decorated mausoleums and regarded as an important historical site. The tour offered International Media Forum participants a glimpse into the city’s centuries-old role as a crossroads of religion, scholarship, trade and culture in Central Asia. With its historic monuments and newly redeveloped religious and cultural institutions, Samarkand continues to draw on that heritage as it seeks a greater role in international cultural and religious tourism.

Asia

Hong Kong: Hong Kong's provisional estimate of total retail sales value rose 4.5 percent from a year earlier to mark a 15th consecutive month of expansion, official data showed Monday. Total retail sales for July were provisionally estimated at 31 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 4 billion U.S. dollars), data from the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government showed. Sales of jewelry, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts jumped 19.7 percent year on year in July, while those of motor vehicles and parts dropped 18.2 percent from a year ago, the data showed. Last month, online retail sales grew 9.5 percent from a year ago to 2.8 billion Hong Kong dollars, accounting for 9.1 percent of total retail value, the data showed. A spokesperson for the HKSAR government said that retail sales growth momentum remained resilient last month, adding that continued economic expansion, rising household incomes, and stable labor market conditions should bolster consumer sentiment. A series of upcoming mega-events is also expected to sustain growth in visitor arrivals, providing further support to retail businesses, the spokesperson said.

Gulf

Muscat: The Central Bank of Oman said Monday that the total value of government Treasury bills allocated for issuance this week amounted to OMR 26.9 million. In a statement released Monday, the CBO specified that treasury bills with a 91-day maturity accounted for OMR 20.4 million, registering an average accepted price of OMR 99.051 and a lowest accepted price of OMR 99.050 per OMR 100. The average discount rate stood at 3.80651 percent, with an average yield of 3.84298 percent. Meanwhile, bills maturing in 182 days totaled OMR 5.5 million, with an average accepted price of OMR 98.065 and a lowest accepted price of OMR 98.065 per OMR 100. The average discount rate for this tranche was recorded at 3.88063 percent, and the average yield at 3.95720 percent. Treasury bills with a 364-day maturity amounted to OMR 1 million, securing an average accepted price of OMR 96.210 and a lowest accepted price of OMR 96.210 per OMR 100, alongside an average discount rate of 3.80041 percent and an average yield of 3.95012 percent. The statement noted that the repurchase agreement (repo) rate on these treasury bills with the Central Bank of Oman is set at 4.25 percent, while the CBO discount rate for treasury bill facilities stands at 4.75 percent. Treasury bills serve as short-term, secured financial instruments issued by the Ministry of Finance to provide licensed commercial banks with investment outlets. The Central Bank of Oman acts as the issue manager for these instruments.