Eurovision 2026: Where did it all go wrong for the South Caucasus?
Eurovision Song Contest once again proved how unpredictable its outcome can be, with Bulgaria’s Dara turning a late surge into a...
Kazakhstan sharply increased oil shipments to Europe in January, exporting 310,000 tonnes to Germany and sending a further 106,000 tonnes via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.
In response to a Reuters query, state pipeline operator KazTransOil said exports to Germany last month rose by 183,000 tonnes compared with January 2025, highlighting Astana’s growing focus on expanding deliveries to European markets.
Kazakhstan supplies crude to Germany mainly through the Druzhba pipeline system, while additional volumes are transported via the BTC pipeline to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.
These routes allow Kazakhstan to ship oil to Western markets without using Russian seaports, where the economics of shipments have been affected by Western sanctions and shifting trade flows since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Steady European demand for oil
In 2025, Kazakhstan increased oil exports to Germany by 44% year on year to 2.146 million tonnes, according to KazTransOil. During the same period, shipments of Kazakh crude from the Caspian port of Aktau towards the BTC route fell by 11% to 1.263 million tonnes.
Kazakhstan plans to raise oil exports to Germany in 2026 to 2.5 million tonnes, reflecting expectations of steady European demand and continued use of alternative export corridors.
Kazakhstan is among the world’s leading oil producers and exports most of its crude. While the majority of volumes traditionally move through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium route to Russia’s Black Sea coast, the country has stepped up the use of alternative pipelines and transport routes to reduce exposure to geopolitical and operational risks.
For Germany, higher imports of Kazakh oil form part of a broader effort to replace Russian energy supplies as Europe continues to reshape its energy system.
KazTransOil said export flows in 2026 will depend on market conditions, technical capacity and demand from buyers.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has held a series of high‑level meetings with world leaders and delegations on the sidelines of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku, with discussions focusing on energy, economic cooperation and international partnerships.
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanitation conditions and mounting waste deepen the humanitarian crisis across overcrowded camps, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Uzbekistan has launched a nationwide environmental initiative titled ‘Day Without Cars’, which will take place twice a month as part of efforts to improve air quality and reduce vehicle emissions.
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum will open in Baku on Sunday, bringing together government representatives, city leaders, urban planners, international organisations, businesses and civil society to discuss the future of sustainable urban development.
Matiul Haq Khalis, Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency, has travelled to Baku to attend the 13th World Urban Forum, where climate change and safer cities will be discussed.
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