live U.S. military redirects 82 commercial vessels as Iran blockade continues
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces have redirected 82 commercial vessels as part of efforts to enfo...
Fitch Solutions (FS) forecasts Azerbaijan’s annual inflation to stay below 5% over the next decade.
The country's average inflation over the past ten years was 5.5%. While high food prices and the Russia-Ukraine war continue to exert pressure, inflation is expected to ease gradually.
FS projects inflation at 4% in 2025, rising to 4.7% by 2027, then slowing to 2.7% in 2029 and 0.1% by 2034. The exchange rate is expected to remain stable, supported by steady oil and gas revenues.
The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) targets inflation at 4±2% and relies on exchange rate control for price stability. Unlike the sharp devaluation in 2015, CBA is now in a stronger position, though high dollarization (48.4% of deposits in foreign currency) limits monetary policy effectiveness.
A four-year plan aims for inflation targeting by 2026, potentially increasing exchange rate flexibility.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has dismissed media reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow earlier this week to warn Russia against attacking NATO, dismissing them as "scare stories," which had nothing to do with reality.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for greater economic cooperation among Muslim countries, saying their combined economic weight remains disproportionately small compared with their population, strategic location and resources.
Iran is setting conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including an end to the war, the lifting of the U.S. blockade and sanctions. At the same time, Washington is stepping up economic pressure on Tehran through what the White House calls “Operation Economic Outcast.”
Mail sorting centres used by Nova Poshta, Ukraine's largest private postal company, were destroyed in Russian strikes overnight, the firm said. Elsewhere, four people were injured after drones struck an apartment building in Sevastopol, Crimea, according to the Moscow-installed governor.
The Israeli-U.S. invasion of Iran, which began on 28 February, entered its seventh month on Friday, as Tehran wrapped up a week of high-level visits the region, with officials from Pakistan, Oman and Qatar helping to negotiate a way out of the current stalemate in the conflict.
Central Asia is moving towards a more connected digital financial system, as rising cashless payments, expanding digital wallets and growing cross-border trade create demand for faster and cheaper ways to move money across the region.
Around five years ago, British prosecutors reportedly decided against pursuing war crime charges against Asma al-Assad, the then First Lady of Syria, because she was unlikely to return to the UK.
Central Asia is emerging as a new market for fintech investment, with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan leading the region’s push to attract venture capital, develop startups and build digital financial infrastructure.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Kyrgyzstan next week to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where he is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with regional leaders.
Kazakhstan’s government has stepped down as the newly elected unicameral parliament, known as the Kurultai, begins its first session, marking the next stage of political restructuring under the country’s new Constitution.
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