Weekly flights between Nukus and Atyrau start on November 29

The strong tropical cyclone Mursu is preparing to make landfall along the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh, between Nellore and Narsapur, early Tuesday morning. The storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall and wind gusts up to 120 km/h. The cyclone's approach has placed several coastal states on high alert, disrupted air travel, and triggered evacuation and relief measures.

At least 19 domestic flights were cancelled in Andhra Pradesh, affecting airports in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Tirupati. In response to the natural disaster, Tamil Nadu state provided assistance to the neighboring state by dispatching three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 90 people, as well as 25 power grid teams with 500 personnel and necessary equipment.

Heavy rainfall in Chennai, schools closed

Light rains have also fallen on parts of Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur districts, continuing since Sunday. Meanwhile, the state of Odisha has intensified efforts to evacuate the population from vulnerable areas, as the cyclone was expected to bring heavy precipitation to its southern districts, including Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri.

Farmers fear further crop losses

The approaching cyclone has heightened concerns among farmers whose crops have already been affected by Cyclone Arnab and subsequent flooding. Rohitashwa Ranjan, a digital journalist for The Times of India, covers Indian politics, viewing it as a carefully staged performance with scripts and subtext.

The Uzbek airline Centrum Air has launched direct flights between Tashkent and Mattala in Sri Lanka. According to the news agency Dunyo, the new route will operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and will be valid until the end of March 2027.

The first flight arrived at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport at 5:30 PM local time on October 28, carrying 160 passengers. The arrival was marked by a traditional water welcome and an official opening ceremony.

The launch of this route was the result of negotiations involving the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Islamabad, Centrum Air, and relevant Sri Lankan organizations. Representatives of the host side expressed gratitude for the introduction of a direct service on the Tashkent–Mattala–Tashkent route.

This new service is expected to strengthen transport links between Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka, as well as create additional opportunities for the development of trade, investment, and tourism. Furthermore, the direct flights will allow Uzbekistan to act as a transit hub for air transport between Sri Lanka and Central Asian countries.

Residents of Tatarstan can now reach the Fergana Valley without needing to make transfers. The airline Nordwind Airlines will begin operating direct flights between Kazan and Fergana starting November 25th.

According to the schedule, flights will operate weekly, and the travel time will be approximately three and a half hours. This route was opened thanks to agreements between Uzbekistan Airports and Nordwind Airlines, which were discussed, in particular, at the NETWORK 2026 aviation forum held in Moscow.

Schedule and details of the new route

It is planned that the flights will take place on Wednesdays, and Airbus A321 aircraft will be used for the flights. The introduction of this new service will significantly facilitate travel for people going to relatives, traveling, or going on business trips.

Fergana will become the fourth settlement in Uzbekistan served by Nordwind Airlines from Kazan. It is worth noting that in the summer of 2026, the carrier has already started serving routes to Tashkent, Samarkand, and Namangan.