Trump secures deal for 15% tariff on South Korean imports
The U.S. will impose a 15% tariff on imports from South Korea under a new trade deal that also includes a $350bn (about £264bn) South Korean investme...
Azerbaijan Railways and China State Railway Group agreed on Thursday to raise freight traffic on the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars line to as many as 10 trains a day, aiming to turn the route into a high-capacity artery between East and West.
The memorandum of understanding, signed in Baku, commits the two state rail operators to expand track, port and container facilities so that goods from Chinese factories can reach Türkiye and onward European markets more quickly, the companies said.
Central to the deal is the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway, a 846-kilometre link that forms the spine of the so-called Middle Corridor running from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean. Under the agreement, daily block-train capacity will rise to “up to ten” by the end of the decade, from only a handful today.
The partners will also deepen co-operation on Caspian Sea logistics, increase container services and explore joint investment in rolling stock. Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) completed a major modernisation of the Georgian section of the BTK in 2023–24, paving the way for heavier loads and faster transit times.
EU-backed studies estimate that east-west trade volumes through the Middle Corridor could triple by 2030 if bottlenecks are removed. By linking into Türkiye’s rail network, the BTK bypasses congested Black Sea ports and avoids Russian territory—a route that has gained importance since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Officials in Baku say the deal with Beijing cements Azerbaijan’s role as a regional hub. China already uses the line for test shipments of electronics and auto parts bound for Europe, but limited track capacity has so far capped throughput.
Further talks will focus on digital customs systems and harmonised tariffs to make the corridor competitive with maritime services via the Suez Canal.
Both sides said the memorandum “opens a new chapter” in Sino-Azeri transport ties and supports wider Belt and Road initiatives.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Türkiye continues to confront the devastating legacy of past earthquakes, Istanbul is taking a major step toward future precautions—with the launch of an AI-powered disaster response system.
The Russian state news agency has reported that Shahin Shykhlinski, head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg, has been declared wanted in connection with a criminal offense.
A two-day official visit by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Türkiye concluded with the signing of 20 agreements aimed at expanding the strategic partnership between the two countries in key areas, including mining and rare earth minerals, space and technology, energy, and logistics.
The 5th meeting of the Kazakhstan–Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, chaired by the two countries’ leaders was held on Tuesday in Ankara. The meeting was focused on strengthening cooperation in the areas of economy, transport, and investment.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Türkiye on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
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