Two senior Islamic State leaders were killed in an air strike in northeastern Syria on July 13, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

Sixteen Asia-Pacific nations started a new round of negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 13 to eliminate import duties. 

The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is calling for nominations for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) People’s Award 2015 in conjunction with the establishment of the ASEAN Community (AC) at the end of this year. 

Car bombs and suicide attacks targeting mainly Shi'ite Muslim districts of Baghdad killed 35 people on July 12, one of the heaviest recent tolls in the Iraqi capital, which has faced a wave of bombings by Islamic State militants.

Iran and six world powers were close to nailing down a historic nuclear deal that would bring sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on Tehran's atomic program, but the Iranian foreign minister said no agreement would be announced on July 12.

Islamic State on July 13 released an audio tape it said was of the movement's leader for Afghanistan, contradicting reports that he was killed in a US drone strike.

Skeptical euro zone finance ministers demanded on July 11 that Greece go beyond painful austerity measures accepted by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras if he wants them to open negotiations on a third bailout for his bankrupt country to keep it in the euro.

The top Islamic State commander in Afghanistan has been killed by a US air strike in the country's east, officials said on July 11, the fourth ex-Taliban who declared loyalty to the Middle East-based militants to be assassinated within a week.

Seven fatalities and a dozen injuries have resulted from recent violent attacks and bomb detonations in Thailand’s war-torn south.

A suicide bomber driving a three-wheeled vehicle detonated near the office of state security in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri on July 11, two security sources said.

Saudi-led air strikes and heavy shelling between warring factions shook several cities in Yemen on July 11, residents said, violating a United Nations humanitarian truce which took effect just before midnight.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras won backing from lawmakers on July 11 for painful reform proposals aimed at obtaining a new international bailout, but he faced a rebellion in his own party that could threaten his majority in parliament.

The Greek government sent a package of reform proposals to its euro zone creditors on July 9 in a race to win new funds to avert bankruptcy and will seek a parliamentary vote on July 10 to endorse immediate actions.

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which is set to be established at the end of this year, will not be the same as the European Union (EU), said Singaporean Foreign Minister Shanmugam.

The United States and other major powers are not in a rush to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on July 9, suggesting an accord was unlikely hours ahead of a deadline set by the US Congress for a quick review.

Some large Greek banks may have to be shut and taken over by stronger rivals as part of a restructuring of the sector that would follow any bailout of the country, European officials have told Reuters.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has stated that his government’s vision is to see Thailand in the years 2015-2020 enjoying "Stability, Prosperity, and Sustainability.”

Yemen's government told the United Nations on July 8 it would agree to a truce to end more than three months of fighting provided key "guarantees" were met, a spokesman said.

Lawmakers on July 8 sharply criticized long-announced US Army plans to cut nearly 60,000 soldiers and civilian personnel due to tight budgets, warning it was risky and short-sighted at a time of Middle East conflict and rising tensions with Russia.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on July 7 he had sent a delegation to Pakistan to meet with representatives of the Taliban, his first acknowledgement of official talks with the insurgents fighting to topple the government in Kabul.

Euro zone members have given Greece until the end of the week to come up with a proposal for sweeping reforms in return for loans that will keep the country from crashing out of Europe's currency bloc and into economic ruin.

Iran and major powers gave themselves at least until July 9 to negotiate an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, but a source from one of the powers said on July 7 they had to wrap up in the next 48 hours.

The ASEAN Secretariat has announced a new programme of work to strengthen close coordination between the Australia-Asia Programme to Combat Trafficking in Persons (AAPTIP) and ASEAN member countries and the Secretariat.

President Barack Obama pledged to increase US support for the moderate opposition in Syria's civil war on July 6 and said the United States needed to do more at home to prevent attacks and combat Islamic State efforts to recruit followers.

Nearly 100 people were killed on July 6 in air strikes across Yemen, the Houthi-run state news agency reported, as a Saudi-led coalition stepped up attacks that are likely to weigh on efforts to broker a humanitarian truce.

Euclid Tsakalotos, the mild-tempered professor who was appointed as Greece's new finance minister on July 6, is a clear change in style from his combative predecessor Yanis Varoufakis.

Greece's outspoken finance minister resigned on July 6, removing a major obstacle to any deal to keep Athens in the euro zone after Greeks voted resoundingly to back the government in rejecting the austerity terms of a bailout.

Islamic State suicide bombers and fighters attacked the center of Iraq's northern oil refinery town of Baiji overnight, forcing the army and Shi'ite fighters to pull back, military sources and the local mayor said on July 5.

An Iranian nuclear agreement is possible this week if Iran makes the "hard choices" necessary, but if not, the United States stands ready to walk away from the negotiations, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on July 5.

(VOV)- The General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that the investigation on whether Iran is developing nuclear weapons or not is expected to complete late this year with Iran’s cooperation.