Oil & Refining: Georgia’s Kulevi refinery operator Black Sea Petroleum says it will stop processing Russian crude and switch to entirely non-Russian feedstock in August–September 2026, after processing 650,000+ tons in H1 2026; the plan also includes Honeywell automation upgrades and new output targets like road bitumen (Q1 2027) and aviation fuel (Q2 2027). Regional Energy Infrastructure: SOCAR formally took over operatorship of the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline from bp during a BTC 20th-anniversary handover ceremony, covering BTC and joint operatorship with the South Caucasus Pipeline systems. Power Projects: Armenia and Iran discussed progress on a 400 kV Iran–Armenia overhead line, aiming to raise electricity flows from 350 MW to 1,200 MW. Local Construction & Industry: Batumi is dismantling illegally placed structures in the “City of Dreams” to start a new kindergarten for 300 children, including support for affected families. Trade & Exports: A Georgia–Uzbekistan business forum in Tbilisi drew about 70 Uzbek companies across construction, logistics, agriculture, healthcare/pharmacy, and textiles, as Uzbekistan’s president arrives for a landmark state visit focused on logistics and the Middle Corridor. Education & Mining Tech: GTU’s mining-geology museums welcomed Israeli visitors interested in mineralogy and rock research.