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Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces reach Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire deal

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Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces reach Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire deal

Armenian forces surrender all their ammunition to the Azeri army as the warring sides confirm a ceasefire mediated by Russian peacekeepers.

Ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh say they have agreed to a Russian proposal for a ceasefire, a day after Azerbaijan began an offensive to take control of the contested enclave and demanded a full surrender.

The agreement for a ceasefire starting at 1pm local time [09:00 GMT] on Wednesday was also confirmed by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense. The office of President Ilham Aliyev separately confirmed talks with Armenian separatists on the “reintegration” with Azerbaijan on Thursday in the town of Yevlkah.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence also said a ceasefire agreement had been reached, adding that it would be implemented in coordination with Russian peacekeepers stationed in the region.

According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, it was also agreed that the remaining units of the Armenian army would be withdrawn from Nagorno-Karabakh and that Karabakh fighters would surrender their weapons. Whether this will actually be implemented was initially unclear. Armenia says it has not had troops in the region since August 2021.

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Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but its population of 120,000 is overwhelmingly ethnic Armenian. The territory has its own government, which has enjoyed close links to neighbouring Armenia but has not been officially recognised by it or other United Nations member states.

Azerbaijan began its military operation on Tuesday after some of its troops were killed in what it said were attacks from the mountainous region, which it had blockaded for nine months.

It said it was targeting only military sites but significant damage was visible on the streets of the regional capital, with shop windows blown out and vehicles punctured, apparently by shrapnel. Dozens of people were also reported killed.

On Wednesday, the ethnic Armenian forces said Azeri troops had broken through their lines and seized a number of heights and strategic road junctions.

“In the current situation, the measures taken by the international community to end the war and resolve the situation are insufficient,” Armenpress news agency quoted an authority statement as saying. “Taking this into account, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh accept the proposal of the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent regarding a ceasefire.”

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The region in the South Caucasus has been claimed by both Azerbaijan and Armenia for decades, with two wars fought since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

The second war in 2020 ended with Azerbaijan recapturing areas in and around Nagorno-Karabakh after a 44-day offensive.

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Video: South Korea’s Political Instability Deepens With New Impeachment

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Video: South Korea’s Political Instability Deepens With New Impeachment

Lawmakers from South Korea’s governing party protested on Friday against a vote to impeach the country’s acting president, Han Duck-soo. The motion, which passed 192-0, came less than two weeks after President Yoon Suk Yeol was also ousted by the opposition in the National Assembly.

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Man on vacation with family goes overboard on Norwegian cruise ship in Bahamas

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Man on vacation with family goes overboard on Norwegian cruise ship in Bahamas

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The frantic search for a Norwegian Cruise Line passenger who went overboard has been called off.

A spokesperson for the cruise line confirmed to Fox News Digital that the 51-year-old went overboard from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic late Thursday afternoon. 

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The incident was first noted at approximately 3 p.m. as Norwegian Epic was sailing from Ocho Rios, Jamaica en route to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. 

The passenger was on the cruise with his family, the spokesperson said. The cruise left from Port Canaveral, Florida on Saturday, Dec. 21 and was a seven-night Western Caribbean voyage.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE NO LONGER ACCEPTING PHOTOCOPIES OF GUEST BIRTH CERTIFICATES

The cruise liner Norwegian Jewel built at the ship yard Meyer in Papenburg, northern Germany, goes down the river Ems.  (AP Photo/Joerg Sarbach, File)

The cruise line said that authorities were quickly notified and search and rescue efforts were immediately implemented. 

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SOCIAL MEDIA USERS GET DRAMATIC AFTER CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP HITS ICE IN ALASKA: ‘TITANIC MOMENT’

“After an extensive search that was unfortunately unsuccessful, the ship was released by the authorities to continue its voyage,” the spokesperson said. 

cruise ship at sea

The Norwegian Epic, which was built in 2010 and refurbished in 2020, has 19 decks.  (Norwegian Cruise Line)

Norwegian Cruise Line said the passenger’s loved ones on board were “being attended to and supported during this very challenging situation.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time,” the spokesperson added. 

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The Norwegian Epic, which was built in 2010 and refurbished in 2020, has 19 decks. It can accommodate 4,070 passengers with double occupancy of its cabins and has 1,724 crew members. 

It was not immediately clear what caused the man to go overboard. The man has not been identified.

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Olive oil, milk and cereals: How did food prices fluctuate in 2024?

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Olive oil, milk and cereals: How did food prices fluctuate in 2024?

After food prices soared in 2021 and 2022, over five essential food products saw price drops in 2024, including milk and cereals.

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In 2024, agricultural prices in the European Union saw a modest decline, falling by 2% compared to 2023.

This price decline followed sharp increases in 2021 and 2022 that occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather conditions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Despite a surge in olive oil prices in 2024, the prices of cereals dropped by 15%, eggs by 8%, and vegetables and horticultural products declined by 2%.

The price of pigs and poultry also shrank by 7% and 8%, respectively.

According to Eurostat figures, milk prices decreased in 16 EU countries in 2024.

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The sharpest decline was recorded in Finland with a 12% drop in prices, followed by Portugal with 10% and Spain with 8%.

By contrast, the sharpest increase was in Ireland with a 15% rise in prices, followed by Lithuania with 11% and Latvia with 10%.

In terms of production, the cost of seeds and veterinary services rose by 3%.  

However, prices for fertilisers and soil improvers plummeted by 18%, food for animals by 11%, and plant protection products and pesticides by 2%. 

Commission measures between farmers and buyers

After a year in which farmers have protested regularly, the EU Commission has presented an initiative to ensure they receive fair compensation and are no longer forced to sell products below production costs.

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The proposed measures include mandatory written contracts that require buyers to clearly outline key terms such as price, quantity, and delivery timelines, taking into account market conditions and cost fluctuations.

The package also introduces a regulation to enhance enforcement of the Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) Directive, which was adopted five years ago but remains largely unimplemented.

Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz

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