Armenia has formalised a strategic partnership with the United States, as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan prepares for parliamentary elections amid rising pro-Russia sentiment. The agreement, signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, includes a framework for critical minerals and a transit corridor.

Israeli airstrikes on the village of Mashghara in the Bekaa Valley have resulted in at least 12 fatalities and additional injuries, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. The attacks, described by the Israeli military as targeting over 100 Hezbollah sites, coincide with escalating tensions and a fragile ceasefire.

US military conducts strikes on Iranian missile launch sites and boats in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting self-defence amidst ongoing ceasefire discussions.

Starbucks Korea has experienced a “very significant” decline in sales following backlash over its marketing campaign referencing the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. Shinsegae Group chairman Chung Yong-jin publicly apologised, emphasising accountability for the incident, as public calls for boycotts escalate in response to the controversy.

A Cessna collided with a paraglider over the Austrian Alps, causing minor injuries to the pilot, who safely deployed an emergency parachute during the incident.

A man sprayed an unknown substance at Ginza Six shopping centre in Tokyo, causing 20 people to fall ill as police investigate the incident.