Iran and Italy have exchanged updates on talks over the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, as Tehran says an agreement with Oman on new shipping arrangements is close.
Georgia suffered its third nationwide power outage in two weeks on Wednesday evening, disrupting transport networks, cutting water supplies in some areas and reigniting concerns about the stability of the country's electricity infrastructure.
Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and six senior clerics will appear in court on 7 August for the first hearing in a criminal case. The trial comes amid deepening tensions between the Church and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said on Thursday, while Israeli retaliatory attacks killed at least one person, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Azerbaijan is introducing new requirements for social media platforms, including a ban on account creation for users under-16 and mandatory age verification measures to regulate children's access to online services.
Nearly 270,000 Israelis left the country for at least three months between 2023 and 2025, according to a new study by researchers at Tel Aviv University, raising concerns about a sharp increase in long-term emigration and its potential impact on the country's future.
Iran says it is holding “positive” talks with Oman on reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic, while an official source familiar with the negotiations has said an “agreement is within reach”.
Top Arab and Muslim foreign ministers agreed at a meeting in Amman on Wednesday to establish a mechanism to document alleged Israeli violations in Jerusalem, urging coordinated international action to protect the city's religious sites.
Pakistan has stepped up flood preparedness after the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that El Niño is expected to strengthen from August, increasing the risk of more extreme weather worldwide as monsoon rains continue across the country.
Afghanistan has launched a five-year national health strategy to strengthen healthcare services as the country faces severe funding shortages, rising humanitarian needs and mounting pressure on its health system.
At least 14 people have been killed and several others injured after lightning struck across the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, highlighting the dangers of the country's annual monsoon season.
Uzbekistan has successfully launched the Samarkand-2028 hyperspectral Earth observation satellite into orbit, marking a major milestone in the country's national space programme and technological cooperation with China.
Tehran and Yerevan are drawing up plans to turn Armenia into a transit corridor for Iranian gas, alongside a four-country power grid, a second border bridge, an oil refinery and a new hydroelectric scheme.
Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, plans to acquire 270,000 square metres of warehouse space in Kazakhstan, the country's trade minister has said. The announcement comes as Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged around 10 per cent of the company's warehouse capacity in Russia.
The Israeli army carried out separate incursions into Syria's southern provinces of Daraa and Quneitra on Tuesday, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Lebanon has marked the sixth anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, with victims' families gathering to remember those killed while cautiously hoping the long-delayed investigation is finally nearing its conclusion.
More than 800 Afghan families returned from Pakistan and Iran over two days as Afghan authorities continued receiving thousands of people arriving through deportations and voluntary returns from neighbouring countries.
Türkiye has urged Russia and Ukraine to protect civilian shipping in the Black Sea after a drone struck a Turkish-owned cargo ship, reportedly injuring three crew members. Ankara said attacks on commercial vessels risk further destabilising maritime security.
Central Asian countries are adapting their energy strategies as Russia’s fuel sector comes under mounting pressure from Ukrainian drone attacks on oil infrastructure and continuing export restrictions.
Georgia has unveiled a new funding model for public universities, highlighting the different ways higher education is financed across the South Caucasus. While Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia all provide state support, their funding systems differ significantly.
