Day: February 16, 2026

Kremlin message to Tbilisi

Russia is ready to expand cooperation with Tbilisi and is urging the Georgian authorities to consider the potential economic benefits of restoring diplomatic relations, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with the state news agency TASS.

Georgia and Russia severed diplomatic relations after the August 2008 war. Since then, economic ties have gradually been restored, although political dialogue has remained limited. It is against this backdrop that the Kremlin’s message comes.

Mikhail Galuzin said that “Moscow is open to expanding Russian-Georgian ties” and described economic cooperation as the main driving force behind the process. He said cooperation with Russia was one of the key factors behind Georgia’s “unprecedented economic” recovery.

The deputy foreign minister added that the absence of political dialogue between the two countries “sharply contradicts” the economic dynamics, and suggested that achievements could be even greater if diplomatic relations were restored.

“That is their choice,” Galuzin said of the Georgian government, adding that Moscow is open to expanding cooperation wherever it brings mutual benefit.

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In the interview, Galuzin also praised Georgia’s current government, saying it was seeking to “restore the country’s sovereignty”. At the same time, he criticised the previous government of Mikheil Saakashvili, whose policies, he said, were aimed at reorienting Georgia towards the West at the expense of cooperation with Russia.

Galuzin also said Georgian-Russian relations had a “natural character” and were “based on spiritual unity and centuries-old historical and cultural ties”, which, he argued, contradicted what he described as the Western narrative that such relations had been artificially imposed by Moscow.

He added that trade between the two countries reached a record $2.7bn in 2025. Galuzin also provided detailed figures on the share of Georgian products on the Russian market:

“Two-thirds of Georgian wine exports come to our market, more than half of its spirits, 40% of mineral water and 90% of fruit. Russia, in turn, is the leading supplier of wheat and oil to Georgia. The situation is similar in the tourism industry, which is crucial for Georgia. Nearly every fourth tourist comes from our country. I think cooperation with Russia is one of the main factors behind Georgia’s unprecedented economic growth,” Galuzin said.

Russian propagandists cheer Georgia’s decision to bar emigrants from voting abroad

According to the Foreign Ministry, more than 1.5 million Georgian citizens reside abroad.

Kremlin message to Tbilisi

We found the following answers for: Boeing 757 e.g. crossword clue. This crossword clue was last seen on May 8 2022 Daily Themed Mini Crossword puzzle. The solution we have for Boeing 757 e.g. has a total of 3 letters.

Emergency services launched an operation at the scene as concerns mounted over potential casualties, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Regional police confirmed the incident in a statement posted on the social media platform X, saying: “Derailment of train, probably with injuries, operation ongoing.” The derailment occurred at approximately 7:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) in the village of Goppenstein. Officials indicated that additional details would be released as soon as they became available.
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When contacted by AFP, police said no further immediate information could be provided about the circumstances or the extent of injuries.
Switzerland’s federal rail operator, Swiss Federal Railways (CFF), announced on its website that rail traffic between Goppenstein and Brig had been suspended due to an avalanche, with disruptions expected to last until February 17. However, it remained unclear whether the avalanche directly caused the train to leave the tracks.
According to public broadcaster RTS, the train was traveling from Goppenstein to Brig at the time of the incident and was carrying approximately 80 passengers.
The region had already experienced severe winter conditions in recent days. On February 12, an avalanche struck the area, disrupting both rail and road traffic. Valais police shared an image on social media showing a tunnel entrance obstructed by heavy snow, underscoring the impact of the weather
Switzerland is internationally recognized for its dense and highly punctual rail network, which connects cities, towns, and even remote villages with frequent services. The country’s scenic routes, many of which traverse steep alpine terrain, attract rail enthusiasts from around the globe.
Swiss residents are the most frequent rail travelers in Europe when measured by kilometers traveled per person. Despite steadily increasing passenger numbers, railway accidents have declined over the past decades, according to official statistics.
In 2023, fifteen people were injured when two trains derailed roughly 20 minutes apart during a powerful storm near the capital, Bern, highlighting the vulnerability of rail operations to extreme weather conditions.

The post Train derails in southwestern Switzerland, injuries feared appeared first on azeritimes.com.

In 2025, Azerbaijan imported 638.4 tons of mutton worth $3.3 million, marking a significant year-on-year increase, AzerNEWS reports, citing the State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan. Compared to 2024, the value of mutton imports rose by…

According to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNRGC), at least 59 people have died nationwide since the cyclone made landfall on February 10, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
More than 16,000 people have been displaced by rising floodwaters. A previous official report had listed 43 fatalities.
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The majority of the deaths were recorded in the eastern port city of Toamasina, formerly known as Tamatave. With a population of around 400,000, it is Madagascar’s second-largest urban centre and bore the brunt of the storm’s destruction.
Nearly a week after the cyclone struck, 15 people remain unaccounted for, BNRGC said.
The scale of damage to infrastructure and housing has been extensive. Authorities reported that around 25,000 homes were destroyed, another 27,000 flooded, and more than 200 classrooms either partially or completely damaged.
Cyclone Gezani hit Madagascar with winds exceeding 250 kilometres (160 miles) per hour, prompting the government to declare a national emergency. Images from the affected areas showed widespread devastation, with central streets in Toamasina still submerged under muddy water and debris scattered among shuttered shops and damaged houses.
Residents have been lining up for food assistance at makeshift relief centres, including a primary school converted into an aid distribution hub. Health workers have been screening families for malaria as cleanup operations begin and authorities assess the full impact of the disaster.
The World Food Programme warned on Friday that “the scale of destruction is overwhelming,” noting that Toamasina was operating on roughly five percent of its electricity supply and remained without running water.
International assistance has begun to arrive, with China and France providing support for search-and-rescue operations.
While the cyclone inflicted severe damage in Madagascar, neighbouring Mozambique was largely spared after the storm tracked about 50 kilometres (30 miles) off its coast. Authorities there reported at least four deaths.
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV expressed condolences and offered prayers for “the people of Madagascar, who have been struck by two cyclones in quick succession.”
Earlier in February, Madagascar’s northwest was hit by Tropical Cyclone Fytia, which killed at least seven people and displaced more than 20,000. The back-to-back storms have highlighted the island nation’s vulnerability to increasingly extreme weather events, which scientists link to climate change.

The post Cyclone Gezani death toll in Madagascar rises to 59 appeared first on azeritimes.com.

Money transfers from abroad to Georgia totaled USD 282.64 million in January, a 16.6% increase from the same month last year, according to data released by the National Bank of Georgia (NBG).

Transfers from European Union countries and the United States remained the largest, together accounting for 63.8% of total inflows, or USD 180.4 million.

Transfers from EU countries totaled USD 128.41 million, representing 45.43% of overall inflows and a 17.46% increase compared to January 2025.

By individual countries, Italy ranked first with USD 53.18 million (18.82% of total inflows), followed closely by the United States with USD 52.04 million (18.41%). Russia accounted for USD 33.51 million (11.86%), Israel for USD 24.66 million (8.72%), and Germany for USD 24.11 million (8.53%).

China recorded the sharpest year-on-year growth, with transfers increasing nearly 16 times to USD 1.43 million. Growth was also reported from the United Kingdom, up 44.6% to USD 4.91 million; Tajikistan, up 41% to USD 1.14 million; Spain, up 40.3% to USD 7.4 million; and Russia, where inflows rose by 31.6%.

By contrast, Kyrgyzstan saw the biggest decline, with transfers falling 34.2% year-on-year to USD 4.07 million.

Meanwhile, money transfers from Georgia totaled USD 31.2 million in January 2026, up 10.2% from USD 28.3 million in January 2025.

According to the World Bank’s 2024 data, personal remittances to Georgia account for 11.9% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Also Read:

• 26/01/2026 – Money Transfers to Georgia Rise 18% in December, EU and U.S. Remain Top Sources
• 26/12/2025 – Money Transfers to Georgia Up 11.9% in November, EU and U.S. Lead
• 26/11/2025 – EU, U.S. Top Money Transfers to Georgia in October

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A conceptual exhibition titled “Antinomy” by visual arts theorist and artist Elchin Shamilli has been launched at the Azerbaijan National Art Museum, AzerNEWS reports.