Australia condemns Israel over closure of Gaza aid worker case
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom ...
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of Turkmenistan’s Halk Maslahaty, visited Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region, where he was welcomed by President Ilham Aliyev at Fuzuli International Airport.
At the airport, Berdimuhamedov was briefed on Azerbaijan’s major infrastructure initiatives including international airports constructed in Fuzuli, Zangilan, and Lachin. He was also shown the master plan for Fuzuli city, which is undergoing full-scale redevelopment.
Emin Huseynov, Special Representative of the President in the Agdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavend districts, outlined the city’s reconstruction efforts. Fuzuli is being rebuilt as a modern urban centre spanning nearly 2,000 hectares, with plans to house 50,000 residents by 2040 under a master plan approved in 2021.
Planned projects include a memorial complex featuring museums, a creativity centre named after Kazakh composer Qurmangazy, a new city hospital, educational facilities, and green spaces—all designed with walkability and smart city features in mind. The administrative zone of the city will be structured into three key areas.
The two leaders then travelled to Shusha, where they paused for a commemorative photo overlooking Dashalty village. They later visited the first residential complex built in the city in recent years. Covering nearly eight hectares, the complex includes 23 buildings and 450 apartments, primarily allocated to returning families and public sector employees. So far, more than 370 families — over 1,400 people — have moved in.
Aliyev and Berdimuhamedov also visited a restored creativity centre located in a historic caravanserai once owned by Agha Gahraman Mir Siyab oghlu. Renovated by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and opened in May 2023, the centre features exhibits on Heydar Aliyev’s contribution to regional development, including the 1979 inauguration of the Aghdam-Khankendi railway, a major infrastructure link.
During the tour, the delegation received information about cultural monuments damaged in earlier years. These included statues of Natavan, Bulbul, and Uzeyir Hajibeyli, which were removed and later returned to their original sites in Shusha.
At the Bulbul House Museum — the residence of the renowned Azerbaijani singer — the leaders viewed the restored building and a newly unveiled bust. The museum was extensively renovated and reopened in 2021.
The visit continued at the Jidir Duzu plain in Shusha, where a presentation of Karabakh horses was held. In a symbolic gesture, President Aliyev gifted Berdimuhamedov a Karabakh horse named Dostlug — meaning “Friendship” — underscoring the close ties between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Syria says it assured Israel that Türkiye had no plans to establish a military presence at the Abu al-Duhur airbase before Israeli forces struck the site on Tuesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued his strongest warning yet over Türkiye's growing military role in Syria, saying Israel will not accept Turkish forces expanding their presence further south.
Azerbaijan’s support for Ukraine could provide a model for neighbouring countries seeking to strengthen their sovereignty, the director of development at an organisation supporting Ukraine’s armed forces has told AnewZ.
Two days inside Uzbekistan’s newsrooms, hospitals, factories and technology hubs reveal a country eager to show how it is changing — while that transformation is still under way.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for a two-day visit, marking the first trip by Syria’s top diplomat to Pakistan in 19 years as Damascus seeks to deepen ties with the country.
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