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Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdra...
Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, used a visit to Uzbekistan to press for easier trade and transit, focusing on boosting exports, establishing an export centre in Balkh, and strengthening regional economic ties.
Azizi attended the INNOPROM Central Asia industrial exhibition in Tashkent, where, according to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, more than 60 Afghan companies participated over three days. The ministry said the firms showcased products from the cotton, coal, spices, agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors.
In a meeting with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Jamshid Khodjayev, the two sides discussed trade, transit and Afghan exports to Uzbekistan. According to an official statement, they also discussed “establishing an export centre for Afghan products in Balkh province, as well as the mechanism for operating this centre.”
The visit also included a trilateral meeting with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on the sidelines of the exhibition. According to the ministry, the three sides discussed “providing facilities in the areas of transit and trade, especially for Afghanistan’s export goods to the republics of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan”. The statement said they agreed to form a joint working group and confirmed Afghanistan’s membership in the exhibition.
In Namangan, Azizi met Governor Shavkat Abdurazzaqov. According to the ministry, the two sides discussed expanding trade and increasing exports to Uzbekistan, “especially cotton and coal”. The ministry said Azizi also invited Uzbek investors to invest in textile factories, mineral processing plants and pharmaceutical production in Afghanistan.
Azizi also met Belarusian Industry Minister Andrey Yevgenyevich Kuznetsov in Uzbekistan. According to the ministry, they discussed “increasing the level of trade between the two countries, as well as purchasing diesel fuel and petrol from the Republic of Belarus.” The ministry said both sides agreed to form a deputy minister-level working group to follow up on the talks.
The meetings point to a broader Afghan effort to increase exports of cotton, coal, spices, agricultural goods and pharmaceuticals, while also seeking fuel imports and foreign investment.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Police officers were pelted with missiles during violent clashes at a protest near the Southampton, UK, home of convicted murderer Vickrum Digwa, as anger continued to grow over the handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
An Iranian drone and missile attack struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging Terminal 1 and forcing flight diversions, Kuwaiti authorities said.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
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Disruptions to global energy routes have transformed energy security from an economic concern into a matter of national security, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday.
Artificial intelligence, digital innovation and youth engagement in environmental governance took centre stage at Eco Expo Central Asia 2026 in Samarkand, as experts and young leaders explored new approaches to climate resilience and sustainability.
A series of signals from Washington, including congressional testimony, a U.S. Embassy statement and a senior diplomat's visit to Tbilisi, has given Georgia's ruling party reason to declare a diplomatic reset. But Washington's message is more nuanced than Tbilisi is suggesting.
Afghan and Uzbek business officials have discussed ways to expand trade, ease transit bottlenecks and address customs challenges facing traders, according to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI).
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