Air Cargo Expansion: Turkmenistan says Belgian charter carrier Air Belgium will begin cargo flights via Ashgabat International Airport in early August, after talks between Turkmen ambassador Sapar Palvanov and Air Belgium CEO Georges Chachati focused on technical readiness, refueling and support services, and a possible launch ceremony. Culture Week Spotlight: Ashgabat’s Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theatre staged the 80th-anniversary opera “Leyli and Mejnun,” directed by Aynazar Batyrov, with performances by conservatory and theatre musicians and a pre-show exhibition on Turkmen theatrical art. Agriculture Update: Mary velayat’s Turkmengala etrap reports a strong wheat harvest, with flour and pasta production running around the clock and grain reception points expanded for the campaign. Diplomacy & Neutrality: Turkmenistan’s deputy foreign minister Myahri Byashimova attended Croatia’s Dubrovnik Forum on multipolarity, highlighting Turkmenistan’s neutrality and its approach to peace and dialogue. China Education Link: China’s embassy in Ashgabat held the first “Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship” awards for 2026, backing Turkmen students studying Chinese. Regional Disruption: A 6.2 earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush, with tremors felt across Pakistan, northern India including Delhi-NCR and Jammu & Kashmir, and also reported in Turkmenistan.