Month: January 2024

Azerbaijan takes over chairmanship in GUAM  AzerNews.Az

At least seven suspects were killed in a shootout between police and suspected members of a criminal gang in southern Brazil, local media reported.

Britain is reportedly considering airstrikes on Houthi rebels after the US said its navy sank three boats that had been targeting a container ship in the Red Sea, Report informs, citing the Guardian.

As of today, the chairmanship of GUAM has passed from Ukraine to Azerbaijan.

The United States’ Central Command said its navy forces responded Sunday to a distress call from a merchant boat in the Red Sea reporting being under Yemeni Houthi attack, sinking three Houthi boats and killing all their crews.

The Singapore-flagged “container ship MAERSK HANGZHOU issued a second distress call in less than 24 hours reporting being under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats … originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen,” the U.S. Central Command wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The Houthi militants fired “small arms weapons at the MAERSK HANGZHOU, getting to within 20 meters of the vessel, and attempted to board the vessel,” it said.

“U.S. helicopters from the USS EISENHOWER (CVN 69) and GRAVELY (DDG 107) responded to the distress call and in the process of issuing verbal calls to the small boats, the small boats fired upon the U.S. helicopters … The U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats, and killing the crews. The fourth boat fled the area,” it said.

“There was no damage to U.S. personnel or equipment,” the U.S. Central Command added.

Hours earlier, the U.S. Central Command said that the container ship reported that it was struck by a missile while transiting the southern Red Sea and there were no injuries among its crew.

“While responding, the USS GRAVELY shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward the ships,” the U.S. Central Command said in a post on X.

“This is the 23rd illegal attack by the Houthis on international shipping since Nov. 19,” it added.

The Houthis have made no comment yet.

The Houthi militia has escalated their attacks on ships since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on Oct. 7, demanding that food and medicine aid be allowed to enter the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip.

The Houthi rebel militia controls much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

In a strategic move to fortify trade routes on the cusp of the New Year, Russia has unveiled significant upgrades to the Upper Lars automobile checkpoints, situated on the border with Georgia, and the Yarag-Kazmalyar checkpoint bordering Azerbaijan.

The meticulous implementation of the reconstruction project at Yarag-Kazmalyar has yielded remarkable…

Chinese leader Xi Jinping exchanged congratulations with U.S. President Joe Biden on the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday, Report informs, citing The Japan Times.

In January–November 2023, Azerbaijan-based insurers collected 535.414 million manats ($314.95 million) in premiums on non-life insurance, up 26.2% from the same period of the previous year, Report informs, citing the Central Bank of Azerbaijan.

In January–November 2023, the premiums on various types of life insurance amounted to 572.820 million manats ($336.95 million), up 27% from the previous year, Report informs, citing the Central Bank of Azerbaijan.

In January-November of this year, Azerbaijan exported carbamide worth $72.5 million (-$126.1 million, or 2.73 times), Report informs, citing the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication.