Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan target $1 billion in trade by 2030
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deep...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 17th of September, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Moscow and Minsk rehearse launch of nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus, Lukashenko says
Russia and Belarus concluded five days of Zapad war games involving 100,000 troops, with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko saying the drills included rehearsals for launching Russian tactical nuclear weapons. The exercises, which also featured Russia’s Oreshnik hypersonic missile, were observed by President Vladimir Putin in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
2. Japan will not recognise Palestinian state for now, Asahi reports
Japan will not recognise a Palestinian state for now, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will skip a related UN meeting this month, the Asahi reported. The move aligns Tokyo with the U.S. and Israel, diverging from France, Britain, Canada and Australia, while Germany and Italy also oppose immediate recognition.
3. Prosecutors to seek death penalty for suspect in Charlie Kirk assassination
Utah prosecutors said they will seek the death penalty for 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk with a sniper shot during an event at Utah Valley University. Court filings reveal text messages in which Robinson allegedly confessed, citing Kirk’s “hatred,” and prosecutors outlined evidence including DNA on the rifle, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering charges.
4. U.S. President Donald Trump arrives in Britain for historic second state visit
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Britain on Tuesday for his second state visit, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowing to deepen the “special relationship” through major investment deals and geopolitical talks. The visit includes royal ceremonies at Windsor Castle, business pledges from U.S. tech giants, and meetings at Chequers to address trade, Ukraine, and Gaza.
5. Jerusalem protests demand hostages' release as Israel escalates Gaza operation
Israel launched a major ground offensive in Gaza City on 16 September, deploying tanks and explosive-laden vehicles in an escalation against Hamas. In Jerusalem, families of hostages and activists protested outside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s residence, demanding a ceasefire and the captives’ release.
6. Qarabağ FK stun Benfica with 3-2 comeback win in Lisbon
Qarabağ FK made history on Tuesday, overturning a two-goal deficit to beat Benfica 3-2 in Lisbon and claim Azerbaijan’s first-ever Champions League group stage victory. Oleksiy Kashchuk’s 86th-minute strike sealed the comeback after goals from Leandro Andrade and Camilo Durán levelled the match.
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.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
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.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
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