Azerbaijan's CICA chairmanship extended until 2028 as leaders gather in Baku
Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) has been extended until 2028, as lea...
Georgia is set to impose a transit fee on the second shipment of petroleum products from Azerbaijan to Armenia, according to Armenian media quoting a statement from Karen Ayiryan, Director of Mega Trade on Thursday (8 January).
Ayiryan said the introduction of a transit fee is unlikely to significantly affect fuel prices in Armenia because broader factors such as international market prices and currency fluctuations also shape retail costs.
The upcoming shipment, which includes both premium and regular petrol as well as diesel fuel, will be subject to charges.
The Georgian side hasn't released any statements on the topic.
The development follows the historic first commercial deliveries of Azerbaijani fuel to Armenia via Georgian territory last month.
The first batch was transited through Georgia free of charge after Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze instructed Georgian Railways to waive tariffs.
The transit was framed by Tbilisi as a sign of commitment to regional cooperation, with the Georgian government emphasising its role as a strategic partner for both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The new deliveries are part of a broader reopening of economic links between Armenia and Azerbaijan following decades of conflict and the trilateral peace declaration signed in August 2025 under U.S. mediation.
The first shipment, consisting of around 1,220 tonnes of SOCAR-produced AI-95 petrol dispatched from Baku on 18 December, was described by Armenia’s economy minister as the first commercial petrol trade between the two countries since independence.
According to multiple reports, the second shipment confirmed by Armenia’s Economy Ministry includes thousands of tonnes of fuel (with AI-92 petrol, AI-95 petrol and diesel) and is anticipated to help diversify energy supplies in Armenia and introduce competitive pricing.
Earlier local reporting also indicated that Armenian officials have discussed the possibility of alternative routes for transit if tariff issues are not resolved, underlining the economic stakes for Yerevan.
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) has been extended until 2028, as leaders gather in Baku for the organisation's seventh summit to discuss regional security and cooperation.
Azerbaijan exported 18.4 billion cubic metres of natural gas in the first nine months of 2026, with Europe taking the largest share, according to operational data shared by Baku’s Energy Ministry on Thursday.
The oldest shipwreck discovered to date is believed to have been found off the southern coast of Türkiye. Archeologist Professor Hakan Oniz said that the vessel, located off the uninhabited Kekova Island, is thought to be the oldest known because of amphoras found among the wreckage.
Torrential rain triggered widespread flooding across İstanbul, Türkiye, on Wednesday, killing a 14-year-old boy, inundating homes and businesses, and leaving residents stranded as emergency crews carried out rescue operations across several districts.
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