Australia returns ancient Chinese statue heads stolen from imperial tombs
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China....
A nationwide poll conducted by the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) shows that a majority of respondents support the peace treaty being negotiated with neighbouring Azerbaijan.
A plurality of 47% of respondents would like to see reaching a lasting peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the two countries have been engaged in a territorial conflict for decades.

At the same time, security and peace are regarded as the most important issues in Armenia, with a plurality of respondents (35%) considering national security and border concerns as the main problems facing the country.
Additionally, the majority believes that establishment of peace (22% of respondents) and ensuring country's security are two key issues that Nikol Pashinyan’s government should address in the next six months.

The data was collected via telephone administered interviews with 1,505 Armenian residents and Nagorno-Karabakh refugees from 16–26th June.
According to the results, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emerged as the most trusted politician in Armenia, with 13% of respondents expressing confidence in him. He was followed by Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan at 5%, and opposition leader and former President Robert Kocharyan at 4%.
Meanwhile, only 38% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the Prime Minister’s office, a continued decline from over 80% in the aftermath of the 2018 Velvet Revolution.
Notably, 61% of respondents said they did not trust any political figure.
Regarding Armenia’s international relations, most respondents described the country’s relationship with France as “very good,” while the relationship with Azerbaijan was overwhelmingly viewed as “very bad.”

The poll found that 49% of respondents would vote to join the European Union if a referendum on Armenia’s prospective membership were held this coming Sunday. When asked about the main benefit of joining the EU, 37% of respondents cited strengthened security, while 18% pointed to economic improvement. Additionally, 10% highlighted national development, 5% mentioned visa liberalization, another 5% noted the advancement of democracy, and 4% identified peace as the primary benefit.
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia remains willing to rebuild relations with European countries but warned that any wider conflict on the continent would leave no winners, as he commented on recent diplomatic contacts with Nordic leaders and growing security concerns in the Baltic region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are stepping up efforts to boost trade, strengthen transport links between Asia and Europe and resolve a longstanding border dispute, as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership.
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using their usual banking apps. Central banks from the five countries are working on linking their national payment systems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
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