The state and prospects of the development of Russian-Italian cooperation in various spheres, the situation in Syria and Libya will be in the focus of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte which is due to be held on October 24 in Moscow, TASS reports.

Russia and Uzbekistan are discussing proposals on creation of the Central Asian energy ring, which would link the energy systems of the regional states, Uzbek media quoted President Vladimir Putin as saying during his speech after the Uzbek-Russian talks.

Priority projects to be supported in Kazakhstan by the European Investment Bank in the future will be those which contribute to improving energy supplies and environmental protection, the EIB told Trend on October 8.

Russian president Vladimir Putin, who was on an official visit to Tashkent on October 18-19, held a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev and participated in the solemn ceremony to launch the construction project of the first nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan.

During a video conference in Tashkent on Oct. 19, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the project to build the first-ever nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, pressing a symbolic button, Uzbek media reported.

The Georgian Ministry of Health presented a new concept for the development of human resources in the medical field. According to the ministry, despite the implementation of a number of systemic reforms in this area, there are still important challenges - an excess of doctors and a shortage of nurses, GeorgiaToday reports.

Uzbekistan and Russia plan to increase the commodity turnover to $6 billion in 2019 and to $10 billion in the following years, Uzbek media reported.

During the World War II, the Armenian nationalists collaborated with the Nazis not only against the USSR, but also against other European countries, Oleg Kuznetsov, a well-known Russian historian and political scientist, said at a press conference dedicated to nationalism in Armenia.

Armenia, experiencing a deep demographic crisis, cannot put an end to this terrifying trend.

The main events of the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Uzbekistan began Oct. 19 at the presidential residence Kuksaroy, aka Green Palace, in Tashkent, Uzbek media reported.

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said the block has decided to put its plan aimed at creating a payment channel to preserve business with Iran and circumvent new US sanctions in place.

Relations between Russia and China are at their best level now and the two countries actively cooperate in multilateral formats, showing an example of responsible approach to solving international problems, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said, TASS reports.

President Vladimir Putin said that Islamic State militants had seized nearly 700 hostages in part of Syria controlled by U.S.-backed forces and had executed some of them and promised to kill more, Reuters reports.

Big events like Syria, Yemen, Daesh, Saudi Arabia and some changes in the Persian Gulf countries have taken place in the region, First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri said, IRNA reports.

The opening of the STAR oil refinery is a significant event for Turkey, general director of the refinery Mesut Ilter said, the Turkish media reported Oct. 19.

The Industrial Development & Renovation Organization of Iran (IDRO Group) and China’s ZSM signed an agreement whereby the Chinese firm will set up a water treatment facility in Iran’s western province of Ilam.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with representatives of European business circles in Brussels.

Vitaly Dragunov has been appointed First Deputy Director General of Uzatom, Agency for the Development of Atomic Energy under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, Uzbek media reported referring to the Telegram channel of the Justice Ministry.

Supplies of agricultural machinery from Russia to Uzbekistan increased by 7.5 times and exceeded $20 million over nine months of 2018 compared to the same period of 2017, Podrobno.uz. reported.

Pakistan assured Iran of full cooperation to trace the fate of the border forces of Iran, who had been abducted by terrorists at the border crossing point in Mirjaveh, IRNA reports.

Russia and Turkey plan to give more time for the implementation of their de-escalation deal in the Syrian province of Idlib, a “great relief” for an area of 3 million civilians, U.N. humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland told on Thursday, Reuters reports.

With the support of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development’s Agency Enterprise Georgia, and with the help of the UN International Trade Center, 18 Georgian companies will be able to exhibit food and drinks at SIAL Paris 2018, GeorgiaToday reports.

With its staying in a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal, Iran has showed its good-will and principled position for dialogue in all areas, Iran’s ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei said, IRNA reports.

A 4.2-magnitude earthquake occurred in the eastern Turkish province of Agri, Turkish media reported on Oct. 18.

Senior Iranian and German officials on Wednesday underlined the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), IRNA reports.