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Turkey and Armenia are moving closer to direct trading links as a sign of warming relations
The lifting of?some customs sanctions on Armenia by the Turkish government on Wednesday is a sign that the strained ties between the two nations are finally being normalised. The Turkish government closed its border with Azerbaijan and stopped direct trade in 1993 to support its close ally Azerbaijan during the Nagorno Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Since then, the neighbours have not had formal diplomatic relations due to a deep-seated historical 'hostility' stemming from World War One and the Ottomans' mass killing of Armenians. This was considered genocide in Armenia and many other countries. In a statement released on Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry explained that under new regulations, goods going from Turkey to a tertiary country, then onto Armenia or vice versa can have their final destination, or country of origin, listed as "Armenia", or "Turkey". A PEACE DEAL CAN TRANSFORM THE SOUTH CAUCASUS Armenia, whose economy is a fraction of Turkey's, and which relies heavily on energy supplies from Russia, Iran and other countries, was delighted by the news. Ani Badalyan, spokesperson for the Armenian Foreign Ministry, told the Armenpress news agency that the decision was significant in terms of expanding business and trade ties between Armenia and the United States, as well as promoting economic connectivity and peace throughout the region. There are currently ongoing negotiations between Yerevan, Turkey and Ankara for the reopening of their 311 km border. Ankara said that it "wants to reopen" the eastern border, but only after Armenia signs a treaty of peace with Azerbaijan with whom Turkey shares cultural and linguistic links. Yerevan also wants to see the border opened. Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace agreement in August last year, mediated by the United States. However, they have not yet signed a formal deal. A treaty of this kind could change the South Caucasus region, a region that produces energy and borders Russia, Europe, and Iran. It is crisscrossed with?oil pipelines and riven by longstanding ethnic conflict and closed borders. Oncu Keceli, a spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry, said that on Wednesday?work to reopen border crossings between Turkey and Armenia is continuing. Both countries signed a memorandum earlier this month for the restoration of Ani Bridge. This historic bridge, built in 10th century, spans a river on their shared border.
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Sources say that Russia's Perm refinery has halted processing following the May 7 drone attack.
Two industry sources reported that the Russian Perm oil refinery halted all processing following a drone attack by Ukraine on May '7, which caused a fire and damaged equipment. Dmitry Makhonin, the local governor, said that on Friday Ukrainian drones had attacked industrial facilities in Perm Region. This is located around 1,460 km (908 miles) east of Moscow. He did not name the facility. Ukraine is targeting Russia's infrastructure to cut off its funds and reduce its military capability. Sources?stated that three primary crude distillation units were urgently stopped?after strikes. They said that some secondary units had also been stopped. CDU-4 was idled since April 30, due to a?drone strike. Sources said that the repairs could take several weeks. Lukoil which owns this refinery did not respond to a comment request. Perm refinery will process around?12.6 millions tons of oil in 2024, which is 250,000 barrels per day. It produced a total of 2?million tonnes of gasoline, 5.3 million tons of 'diesel', 700,000 tones of coke, and 200,000 tones of fuel oil.
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IEA: Russia's crude oil production down by 460,000 bpd y/y during April.
The International Energy Agency reported that Russia's crude production fell by 460,000 barrels a day in April compared to the same month last year. This is despite Ukraine increasing drone attacks against energy targets. Since March, Ukraine has launched waves of drone strikes?on Russia’s largest Western oil ports. These attacks have caused massive?fires and also attacked refineries to drain the war economy in Russia. The IEA said that?Russian oil product -exports decreased in April by 340,000 bpd compared to March, reaching 2.2 million bpd. This is the lowest level recorded in the Paris-based organization's archives. The report said that Russia’s crude exports rose by 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 4.9million bpd last month from March. It said that "Russian exports recovered a bit in the second half April but they never reached the three-week average before the attacks on Baltic ports, which covered the period between the beginning of the Middle East conflict and the disruptions to the Baltic Sea. This peaked at 7,7 million bpd." Guy Faulconbridge, Guy Faulconbridge (Reporting)
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Zelenskiy warns Ukraine of Russian drone attacks in daylight
The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned against possible Russian drone attacks on Wednesday. He said that over 100 drones were in Ukraine's airspace. Moscow has shifted its tactics and is now attacking more during daylight hours. Zelenskiy wrote in a post to X that "Russia is continuing its strikes, and doing so brazenly – deliberately targeting our rail infrastructure and civil sites in our cities." Since the start of the war, more than four years ago now, Russia has carried out most major drone and missile attacks at night. During the daytime, Russia has sent hundreds of missiles and drones in recent weeks. On March 24, it set a record for the number weapons used. The civilians are most affected by attacks during the day. "It's important to resist every attack with resilience." Zelenskiy said that it is crucial to support Ukraine, and not be silent about Russia's conflict. Ukraine's air force has reported that Russia had attacked the country with 139 drones between 6 pm (1500 GMT) and 1 am (03:00 GMT) on February 14. Of these, 111 were either downed or neutralised. Moscow has denied intentionally targeting civilians, but it admits that thousands of civilians have been killed during the war. It also says that strikes on civil infrastructure are justified if they 'degrade Ukraine’s warfighting capabilities. Kyiv recently intensified its long-range attacks against Russia's energy sector, albeit on a smaller level. (Reporting and editing by Peter Graff. Anna Pruchnicka)
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Helsinki's expensive cycling campaign draws crowds and criticism
Helsinki, the capital of Finland, has spent billions on bicycle lanes and public transport -- and is planning to spend more -- despite mixed reactions from its residents. Around 50,000 people attended the April opening of Finland's longest 1.2 km (0.75 miles) pedestrian, bicycle and tram bridge. Others, however, are not impressed by the lack car lanes or the price of 326 million Euros ($383 millions), which included two adjacent bridges, tramway investments and billions of dollars already spent on transport infrastructure and cycling infrastructure over the last decade. Helsinki's cycling traffic team leader Oskari Kaipinmaki said that the biggest reason for opposition to this bridge was its high price. Helsinki's cycleways are around 1,300 km long, with 100 km of them being a "superhighway network". The city is planning to add another 80 km by 2029. The investments, so far, have not increased cycling in the Nordic capital, located on the Baltic Coast, where the winters can be harsh and the winds are often biting. The share of cycling in transport has been flat between 9%-11%, Kaupinmaki reported. He said, "We haven't finished the network yet." The major tram network is also being expanded. A plan was approved last week to close one of central streets, in front of the main railway station, to cars, giving priority for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport. Marcus Rantala is a city councillor who was a major opponent of the bridge. He said that he "criticised the price tag of the project and the realistic budget" which "kept increasing over the years." But he conceded he's pleased with the "impressive result". Johanna Jarvinen is a musician and a cyclist who lives in the city's inner suburbs, now connected by the new bridges. She said that in the summer when there is less wind, she will save 10 minutes on her commute.
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E.ON announces slight increase in core earnings for the first quarter, but keeps outlook
E.ON, Europe's largest network operator, reported a 2% increase in 'core profit' in the first quarter. This was partly due to its industrial customers in Germany, its home market. The shares of the Frankfurt-listed company rose 1.5% at the start of trading. Jefferies analysts attributed the rise to the higher retail energy prices that began the year. The company reported that the adjusted core profit for the period of January to March was $3.87 billion. It also confirmed its outlook?for the year. The company said that investments in the period fell to 1.4 billion euros, down from 1.5 billion euros last year. It cited the cold weather in Germany, which caused delays in network infrastructure upgrades. Finance chief Nadia Jakobi stated that "we are building the infrastructure Europe's electrified energy systems needs in economically and geopolitically difficult times -- high-performing digital and future-proof." E.ON has announced plans to purchase a British energy retailer, Ovo Energy. The company still expects an adjusted core profit this year of 9.4 to 9.6 billion euro. According to a survey conducted by the company, analysts expect adjusted core profit of 9.6 billion euros and adjusted net profits of 2.9 billion euro. ($1 = 0.8522 euro) (Reporting and editing by Kirstiknolle, with Christoph Steitz)
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Why are Britons so angry?
In less than two-years, Britain's ruling Labour Party went from a landslide victory at the last week's local/regional votes to an historic defeat that put Prime Minister Keir starmer's position on the line. Starmer, the sixth leader of Britain since the referendum, has promised change, but struggled to deliver. Opinion polls show that a number of national and local sources of frustration are the main causes of voter anger. Many households in the industrialized world feel a sense of decline when it comes to their current living standards, and future prospects. The disparity between the richest and the rest of the society is exacerbated in Britain by the large earnings gap. OECD data shows higher than average levels of income inequality, and a 'big gap' between the earnings of those at the top and those at the bottom. The inflation rate in Britain is higher than the Eurozone, which pushes up house owner's mortgage payments. The high gas prices in Britain also mean that the economy has been hit harder by the Iran War than other countries. Tax revenue is also expected to reach an historic high. This has angered many voters. As a major concern for voters, immigration and asylum are often more polarising than the economy. In the 2016 referendum, controlling immigration was a major concern for pro-Brexit supporters. However, net arrivals have reached record highs since the country left the EU. This has boosted the ratings of Nigel Farage's Reform UK anti-immigration party. Net immigration forecasts for 2023 have been revised downward, in part because Britons are now leaving the country more than ever before. PUBLIC SERVICES: Improving public services, which were eroded after years of austerity following the global financial crises of the late 2000s, was one of Starmer's key election promises in 2024. This included revitalising a state run National Health Service that had been stretched to the breaking point due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The waiting lists for healthcare reached a high in 2023, and since then have fallen. However, they are still above the pre-pandemic level with long backlogs. Exasperation is also widely expressed at the under-resourced justice and local government services as well as patchy access to NHS dental care. Local Issues - A survey conducted by YouGov, a market research firm, before the elections revealed that dissatisfaction over the state of Britain's road was the top local concern. 37% of respondents said it was the most important issue in their area. Media attention has focused on the dangers of unrepaired road potholes, despite additional funds being provided to local authorities. In March, a widely quoted industry estimate said that the backlog in repairs meant that only half of the road network was in good condition. CRIME: Although headline statistics show that crime rates have been falling for many years, surveys reveal that one in five people considers crime and insecurity to be the biggest problem facing the country. Analysts believe that the media portrayal of crime or its inclusion in television shows could have contributed to this. Some people are concerned about the increase in certain crimes like shoplifting. Others express concern over the low conviction rate for other crimes, and the delays in justice caused by a lack of resources within the prosecutor's office.
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InPost's strong parcel growth and Yodel integration costs offset the high profit forecast for InPost.
InPost, the parcel locker company that was the target of an 'offer by a FedEx and Advent led consortium, reported a core profit in the first quarter of the year, which exceeded market expectations. Growth in Poland and in the Eurozone helped offset costs associated with the integration of Yodel into Britain. The adjusted earnings before interest taxes, depreciation, and amortisation were 902.2 million Zlotys (249.0 millions) in the third quarter. This was above a consensus estimate from the company of 856million Zlotys. InPost's Poland division, which is still its main source of profit, saw its first-quarter deliveries increase 8%, to 188,000,000?parcels, while revenues grew 9.2%, to 1.8 billion?zlotys. Poland contributes to?47%, while international markets bring in a combined?53% of revenue. InPost stated that the Yodel integration cost is primarily due to the parcel transformations in Britain after the 2025 acquisition. The focus will be on cost per parcel optimisation, consolidation of the logistics network, and middle mile efficiency. InPost processed 359 million parcels during the first quarter of this year, up 32% compared to the same period last year. Yodel’s consolidation led to a 220% increase in UK and Ireland volumes, while those in the euro zone grew by 28%, and those in Poland rose by 8%. The second quarter volume growth is expected to be in the mid-teens. The company announced its 'outlook' for 2026. It aims to increase a'market share with mid-to-high-teens in growth of processed parcel volume and mid-teens in growth of overall revenue.
Human rights groups call on Poland to stop supporting US deportation flights into Ukraine
Amnesty International, Human Rights First and other organizations urged Poland on Wednesday to stop cooperating with U.S. flights that transfer Ukrainian nationals through its territory. They said the practice could be in violation of international law.
In a statement issued jointly, the groups stated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had conducted at least two similar operations via Poland between November 2025 and march 2026 and deported more than 50 individuals to Ukraine.
Uzra Zeya is the CEO and President of Human Rights First. She said, "Forcing Ukrainians to be transferred into a war zone where missiles are being fired at all over the country shocks our conscience and violates International Law."
She added that "Poland should refuse to facilitate Trump's forced transfers of Ukrainian refugees back to life-threatening situations."
The groups claimed that they wrote to Polish authorities to express their concerns on April 17, but received no reply. They decided to publish the correspondence. "Poland does not have an agreement or arrangement regarding deportations with the United States." "This is an issue between two countries - Ukraine and the United States," Polish Interior Ministry spokesperson?Karolina galecka said. She added that Poland was a transit country, and the country wasn't directly involved. Its Border Guard was only performing clearance procedures. "Perhaps, a Ukrainian national who is about to be deported to Ukraine from the United States has no right to enter Poland." "Here, a simple inspection is carried out in the framework of statutory authorities," Galecka stated.
Bartosz Gorski is the vice president of Rzeszow Jasionka Airport. He declined to comment on the deportation flight and refused to answer any questions about the involvement of the Polish government.
Requests for comment from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security were not immediately responded to.
FLIGHTS WERE RECORDED IN APRIL. Since Donald Trump took office in the United States last year, he has intensified an immigration crackdown, led by ICE. This has resulted in increased detentions and expulsions.
Rights groups claim that the policy violates free speech and due process, but the administration claims it's a way to curb illegal immigration and improve security. Amnesty & Human Rights First said that a second flight carrying Ukrainians had landed at Rzeszow Jasionka Airport, although the exact number of passengers on board was not known.
The groups stated that the conditions in Ukraine are not safe to return, and added that under international law Poland cannot send people where their freedom or lives could be put at risk.
Amnesty International Poland director Anna Blaszczak Banasiak said: "Polish authorities need to investigate these incidents, find out where the victims are, protect them from refoulement and treat them with dignity. They also need an effective remedy." (Kanishka Singh, Barbara Erling, Layli Faroudi, and Amina Mayberry edited the article. Additional reporting was done by Kanishka in Washington DC and Layli in Paris.
(source: Reuters)