MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Sunday for a two-day state visit, Russian news agencies reported.
Russian television broadcast images of the Russian president’s plane as it arrived in Baku in the evening.
His visit to the Caucasus country, a close partner of both Moscow and Turkiye but also a major energy supplier to Western countries, comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented Ukrainian military offensive on Russian soil.
Putin is due to hold talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on bilateral relations and “international and regional problems,” the Kremlin said.
The two leaders are dining Sunday evening at the Azerbaijani president’s official residence, local official news agency Asertac said.
On Monday, Aliyev and Putin will sign joint documents and make statements to the press, said Russian agency Ria Novosti.
Putin will also lay a wreath on the tomb of Heydar Aliyev, father of the current leader, who was president from 1993 to 2003.
Earlier, the Kremlin said they would also discuss “the question of settling (the conflict) between Azerbaijan and Armenia.”
Azerbaijan reconquered the mountainous enclave in September 2023 from the Armenian separatists who had held it for three decades.
Armenia accused Russia of inadequate support in its conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Since then, Armenia has sought to deepen its ties with Western countries, especially the United States, much to the annoyance of Moscow, which considers both former Soviet republics to be in its sphere of influence.
Azerbaijan is a major producer of natural gas, to whom many European countries turned to make up for the sharp reduction in Russian deliveries after the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022.
It is also hosting the COP29 climate conference in November.
Putin’s last visit to Azerbaijan was in September 2018.
Putin has been under an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court since March 2023 for the “deportation” of Ukrainian children to Russia, an accusation the Kremlin denies.
While the threat of arrest has limited Putin’s travels abroad, Azerbaijan is not a signatory to the Rome Statute treaty that established the ICC.
Putin arrives in Azerbaijan for state visit
https://arab.news/yecqs
Putin arrives in Azerbaijan for state visit
- Putin is due to hold talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on bilateral relations and “international and regional problems,” the Kremlin said
US again vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding permanent Gaza ceasefire
- It marks the 6th time the US has used its power of veto to block such a move since the war between Israel and Hamas began nearly 2 years ago
- The other 14 members of the council voted in favor of the resolution, which was tabled by its 10 elected members
NEW YORK: The US on Thursday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid deliveries to the enclave.
The draft resolution, tabled by the 10 elected members of the 15-member council, received 14 votes in favor. It was the sixth time since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas nearly two years ago that the US has used the power of veto it holds as one of the five permanent members of the council.
The veto was delivered by US representative Morgan Ortagus and the resolution therefore failed despite the near-unanimous support.
Washington has consistently argued that UN ceasefire resolutions risk undermining peace negotiations on the ground, as well as Israel’s ability to take action against Hamas and its “right to self-defense.” Critics accuse US authorities of shielding Israel from international accountability.
“Colleagues, US opposition to this resolution will come as no surprise,” Ortagus, a senior US policy adviser, said before the vote.
“It fails to condemn Hamas or recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, and it wrongly legitimizes the false narratives benefiting Hamas, which have sadly found currency in this council.”
Other council members “ignored” US warnings about the “unacceptable” language and instead adopted “performative action designed to draw a veto,” she added.
The text of the resolution expressed alarm at reports of a growing famine and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, condemned the use of starvation as a weapon of war, and voiced concern over the expansion of Israeli military operations. It also reaffirmed obligations on states under the principles of international law, including the protection of civilians and the rejection of forced displacements.
It demanded three key measures: an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire agreement respected by all parties; the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups; and the lifting of all Israeli restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid, alongside the restoration of essential services in Gaza. It asked the UN secretary-general to report back to the council within 30 days on implementation of the resolution.
Algeria, one of the leading proponents of the resolution, expressed dismay at another failure by the Security Council to act on the situation in Gaza, and apologized to Palestinians for not doing enough to save the lives of civilians.
The country’s ambassador to the UN, Amar Bendjama, said that despite the failure to pass the resolution, “14 courageous members of this Security Council raised their voice. They have acted with conscience and in the cause of the international public opinion.”
Trump wraps up UK state visit with gratitude for his hosts while largely sidestepping tough issues
- Trump’s abundance of kind words bestowed on the host country suggested that an all-out charm offensive by the royal family and British PM Keir Starmer had its desired effect
- Asked about Peter Mandelson during the news conference, Trump said only that he did not know the former ambassador, despite photographs showing the pair together in the Oval Office
AYLESBURY, England: President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was “tremendously thankful” for the pageantry and splendor lavished on him during his second state visit to the United Kingdom as he wrapped up a trip that largely sidestepped major public disagreements over difficult trade and geopolitical issues.
The mutual warmth, along with Trump’s abundance of kind words bestowed on the host country, suggested that an all-out charm offensive by the royal family and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had its desired effect, even though there was a notable lack of progress on some key matters.
Trump’s helicopter carrying him to Stansted airport made an unscheduled landing at a local airfield due to what the White House called a “minor hydraulic issue.” No one was injured, and a backup took him to Stansted, where he boarded Air Force One and departed for Washington.
Trump and Starmer signed what both sides hailed as a historic agreement on science and technology, and they held a roundtable with global business leaders where they suggested the deal could mean significant job gains. Among the topics tackled mostly in private talks between Trump and Starmer were the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and US tariff rates on steel imported from Britain.
“The bond between our countries is like no other anywhere in the world,” Trump said at a news conference at Chequers, the 16th-century manor house northwest of London that serves as a rural retreat for British leaders. The US and UK, the American president said, have “done more good for the planet than any other nation in history.”
Joining in the bonhomie, Starmer said that “time and time again, it is British and American men and women, side by side, changing the path of history and turning it toward our values, toward freedom, democracy and the rule of law.”
The mutual admiration followed King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s feting of Trump and first lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle on Wednesday with all the pomp the monarchy can muster, including the biggest military honor guard ever assembled for a state visit.
Trump called the king and queen “two fantastic people” and said he was” “tremendously thankful” and “grateful beyond words” for the hospitality.
Even high-profile points of dissent, such as Britain’s impending move to recognize a Palestinian state, stayed cordial. “I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score,” Trump said, adding that “it’s one of our few disagreement, actually.”
When Trump was asked about his lack of progress in brokering a deal to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine and he acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “let me down,” Starmer escalated the flattery a notch. The prime minister said he and Trump had discussed how to “decisively increase the pressure on Putin” and that Trump had “led the way here.”
There was disagreement, too, over immigration policy.
Trump urged Britain to take a harder line and insisted he had made clear to Starmer that when too many people enter illegally, it “destroys countries from within.” Still, when Starmer sharply criticized Hamas, Trump reached over from his podium and slapped the prime minister on the back in support.
‘Genuinely like each other’
At an earlier signing ceremony for the agreement meant to promote tech investment, Starmer referred to the Republican president as “my friend, our friend” and spoke of “leaders who respect each other and leaders who genuinely like each other.”
The Trumps’ final day in Britain began by bidding farewell to the king and queen at Windsor Castle and flying by helicopter to Chequers for more spectacle: a ceremonial honor guard with bagpipers, in a nod to Trump’s Scottish heritage, and a parachute demonstration. He also was shown the archive of wartime leader Winston Churchill, who coined the term “special relationship” for the bond between the allies.
It’s something Trump’s British hosts have stressed repeatedly, almost 250 years after that relationship endured a rocky start in 1776.
To coincide with the visit, Britain said US companies had pledged 150 billion pounds ($204 billion) in investment in the U.K, including 90 billion pounds ($122 billion) from investment firm Blackstone in the next decade. Investment will also flow the other way, including almost $30 billion by pharmaceutical firm GSK in the US
UK officials say the deal will bring thousands of jobs and billions in investment in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nuclear energy. It includes a UK arm of Stargate, a Trump-backed AI infrastructure project led by OpenAI, and a host of AI data centers around the UK American companies are announcing 31 billion pounds ($42 billion) in investment in the UK’s AI sector, including $30 billion from Microsoft for products including Britain’s largest supercomputer.
British officials said they have not agreed to scrap a digital services tax or water down Internet regulation to get the deal, some details of which have yet to be announced.
There was less movement on tariffs.
In May, Starmer and Trump said they had agreed to reduce US tariffs on Britain’s key auto and aerospace industries. Talks on lowering duties on steel and aluminum to zero from their current level of 25 percent have stalled even with a promise four months ago of a settlement within weeks.
Few advancements on Ukraine, while Epstein is largely avoided.
The British government has grown increasingly critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the suffering of Palestinian civilians. Starmer said the situation was “a humanitarian catastrophe” as he acknowledged a divide with the president on recognizing a Palestinian state.
While the prime minister has played a major part in European efforts to shore up US support for Ukraine, Trump’s visit offered few major advancements. Trump even insisted at one point, that the conflict “doesn’t affect the US”
The president has expressed frustration with Putin, but has not made good on threats to impose new sanctions on Russia. The king, in his state banquet speech Wednesday night, offered Trump a gentle nudge, noting “as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace.”
It seemed like questions about Jeffrey Epstein would dog Trump throughout the trip, especially given that his visit began days after Starmer fired Britain’s ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, over the envoy’s past friendship with the convicted sex offender, who authorities say killed himself in 2019.
But Trump largely avoided the issue. Police did arrest four people over a stunt that saw an image of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein projected on a tower at Windsor Castle.
Asked about Mandelson during the news conference, Trump said only that he did not know the former ambassador, despite photographs showing the pair together in the Oval Office.
Death toll in Mexico gas truck blast rises to 21
- 27 people are still being treated in hospital.
- The truck’s tank ruptured in the crash, allowing the gas to escape and ignite
MEXICO CITY: Two more people have died of injuries sustained in a major gas truck explosion in Mexico City last week, bringing the death toll to 21, local authorities said Thursday.
The truck was carrying nearly 50,000 liters of fuel when it overturned and blew up while traveling through the city’s eastern Iztapalapa district.
Twenty-seven people are still being treated in hospital.
The truck’s tank ruptured in the crash, allowing the gas to escape and ignite.
Investigators say the accident was likely the result of speeding.
Mayor Clara Brugada has said that her administration will regulate the traffic of fuel trucks in the mega-city of 9.2 million people to try to prevent future tragedies.
Trump says trying to ‘get back’ Bagram air base from Afghanistan
- Donald Trump: ‘We’re trying to get it back, by the way, that could be a little breaking news. We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us’
- Trump: ‘One of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons’
CHEQUERS, United Kingdom: President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was working to “get back” the Bagram air base in Afghanistan, which the United States gave up control of shortly before the Taliban takeover of the country in 2021.
“We’re trying to get it back, by the way, that could be a little breaking news. We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us,” Trump said at a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“We want that base back,” Trump said, adding that “one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”
US officials did not immediately clarify what Trump meant when he said Washington was trying to get the base back.
Bagram, Afghanistan’s biggest air base, was the linchpin of US-led operations in the country for two decades after its operation to topple the Taliban following the September 11 attacks on Washington and New York.
But US and NATO troops pulled out of the base in July 2021 as the resurgent Taliban took over swathes of Afghanistan before finally taking control of the entire country.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the loss of the base since returning to power, linking it to his attacks on his predecessor Joe Biden’s handling of the US pullout from Afghanistan.
Trump has also complained about superpower rival China’s growing influence in Afghanistan.
Lawsuit targets militant groups as complicit in deaths of US citizens in Hamas attack
- The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Washington, also names Iran, Syria and North Korea, which are already facing legal action in the US for the Oct. 7 assault
- There are more than 140 plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which seeks at least $7 billion
WASHINGTON: Lawyers for US victims of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel are suing various groups that have been designated by the federal government as terrorist organizations, alleging they participated, aided or provided material support for the assault.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Washington, also names Iran, Syria and North Korea, which are already facing legal action in the US for the Oct. 7 assault, which led to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
“Our son’s life was senselessly cut short,” David and Hazel Brief said in a statement released by the Anti-Defamation League. “We believe it is critical that those responsible for the horrific terror inflicted that day are held accountable in a court of law, to ensure the record is clear as to who helped support, plan and carry out the violence that day.”
There are more than 140 plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which seeks at least $7 billion. They’re US citizens who died or were wounded or their American family members, the ADL and law firm Crowell & Moring said.
Iran, Syria and North Korea have not formally responded to a similar lawsuit filed by others in 2024. The US has deemed them to be state sponsors of terrorism, and Washington has designated Hamas as what’s known as a specially designated global terrorist group. The lawsuit also names the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and other groups.
The lawsuit cites the findings of a report published by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry.
Under federal law, foreign governments can be held liable, in some circumstances, for deaths or injuries caused by acts of terrorism or by providing material support or resources for them.
The plaintiffs, if successful, might qualify for payments from a fund created by Congress that allows American victims of terrorism to receive payouts. The money comes from seized assets, fines or other penalties leveled against those that do business with a state sponsor of terrorism.
The war in Gaza began in 2023 when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 others. Forty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals.
The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 65,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. It does not say how many were civilians or combatants but says women and children make up nearly half the dead.
The Justice Department last year filed criminal charges against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants, saying they conspired to murder US nationals in the Oct. 7 attack. Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces in October 2024.
Hamas, which does not accept Israel’s existence, says it is waging an armed struggle for Palestinian rights and is not at war with the United States.
