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Washington CNN —Kim Kardashian will join Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on Thursday for a roundtable to discuss pardons issued by President Joe Biden earlier this month, a White House official said Thursday. Kardashian previously met with former President Donald Trump at the White House as part of her advocacy for criminal justice reform. In 2019, she delivered remarks from the White House East Room on a new initiative aimed at helping former inmates get jobs out of prison. She met with Trump at the White House again in 2020. Axios first reported Kardashian’s visit to the White House.

Persons: Washington CNN — Kim Kardashian, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Kardashian, Donald Trump, Alice Marie Johnson, Axios, Biden, Rolling Stone, “, ” Biden, Harris, Steve Benjamin Organizations: Washington CNN, White, Trump, Rolling, Administration Locations: Ottoman Empire, Armenia, Azerbaijan

☆ Oklahoma Was a Legal Marijuana Utopia. Then Came the Mass Murder
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Matt Stroud | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +32 min

Fourteen months after the murders, the garage of the abandoned marijuana farm on prairie tableland northwest of Oklahoma City sits frozen and dark. Broadway Avenue in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, about 30 miles south of where Wu Chen, 47, executed four people at a marijuana farm. When Oklahoma legalized medical marijuana, the only real requirement was that Oklahoma residents had to be involved in marijuana growing and selling. But Oklahoma required 75% of any marijuana business to be owned by an Oklahoma resident. Deputies from the Kingfisher County Sheriff's Office were the first to arrive at the scene of a quadruple homicide at an abandoned marijuana farm.

Persons: Wu Chen, Mike Simons, Kevin Stitt, Sean Hannity's, Dan Newhouse, Liu, Chen, Yi Fei Lin, Mark Woodward, —, OBN, Adria Berry, BI Adria Berry, I'm, Barb Miuccio, Jeremy Grable, Jeremy, Barb, she's, Barbara Miuccio, Treez, Matt Stacy, Stacy, Stitt, Jeremy they'd, he'd, OMMA, didn't, Barb didn't, Barbara, Stacy —, she'd, Stacy hadn't, BI Jonathan Riedlinger, Riedlinger, Lin, Qirong Lin, Hechun Chen, Qiang Chen, Fang Lee —, Wenbo Lin, Wu Chen —, Wenbo Lin didn't, Reidlinger, Jed Green, Matthew Alan Stacy, Barb —, — he's, He'd, Woodward, Helen Carillo, He's, Kevin Pham, Pham, BI Pham, ProPublica, recriminations, Green, It's, they're, I'd, Ken Thompson, Thompson, Chen didn't, He'll, Jonathan Riedlinger, Kiki, I've Organizations: Oklahoma City, Broadway, BI, Marijuana, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Republican, Sean Hannity's Fox, Fox News, Chen Inc, Narcotics, BI Adria, Oklahoma's Army National Guard, OBN, Business, Oklahoma State Bureau of, Sheriff's, Prosecutors, CSI Accounting Services, Whitney Economics, NBC, Cannabis, Virginia Slim, Florida . Police Locations: Oklahoma, Kingfisher County , Oklahoma, Ames , Oklahoma, Kingfisher , Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, California, Arkansas, Republican Washington, China, Kingfisher County, Dallas, Moore , Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, He's, Moore, Kingfisher, Hennessey , Oklahoma, OMMA, Mexico, Edmond, Tulsa, Russia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Steakhouse, Virginia, Florida, Miami Beach, Miami

☆ Russia accused a longtime ally of 'distorting history' in an effort to break off relations with Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRussia's foreign minister accused Armenia, a former ally, of "distorting history" in an effort to "break off" relations with Moscow. Last month, it said it had "frozen our participation" in the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The Collective Security Treaty Organization is considered Russia's equivalent to NATO , and Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped it could rival the Western military alliance. Advertisement"The Collective Security Treaty has not fulfilled its objectives as far as Armenia is concerned, particularly in 2021 and 2022. While tensions between Aremnia and Russia are clearly strained, experts on Russia and former Soviet Union countries say that relations between Russia and other CSTO members are also under pressure.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Sergey Lavrov, Lavrov, Nikol Pashinyan, Putin, Pashinyan, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg's Organizations: Service, Security, Organization, NATO, Business, Russian, Ukraine's Kyiv, Russian Federation, Soviet Locations: Armenia, Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, France, South Caucasus, Central Asia, Aremnia

☆ The Moscow terror attack could drive a wedge between Russia and one of its longtime allies
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia says suspects in the Moscow terror attack came from Tajikistan, something the country denies. Tajikistan and Russia are allies, but tensions have been growing between them. AdvertisementRussia's response to the weekend terror attack in Moscow could drive a wedge between the country and one of its historic allies. Experts also said that ISIS likely took advantage of Russia being distracted by the conflict in Ukraine to attack. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that Russia could have stopped the attack if it wasn't attacking Ukraine.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, STRINGER, Emomali Rahmon, Putin, Rahmon, scold Putin, Vera Mironova, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Service, Crocus City Hall, Islamic, Security, Organization, NATO, Hall, Getty, Moscow Times, Terrorists, Regional, Collective Security, ISIS, Kyiv, Davis Center, Harvard University, Financial Locations: Russia, Moscow, Tajikistan, Soviet, Crocus, Islamic State, Central Asia, Soviet Union, Moscow's Crocus, China, North Korea, Ukraine

☆ 'The ultimate adventure': Why more Indian travelers are taking extreme road trips
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Kalpana Sunder | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

More Indians are taking road trips these days — both within the country and beyond, solo and in groups — as access to better vehicles and better roads grows in the country. However, Sai took her first road trip back in 2016, before it became a trend. Sai now runs an overland driving company that organizes road trips across countries like Namibia, Georgia, Armenia, Nepal and Mongolia. Source: Rishad Saam Mehta,Since then, Mehta has taken more than 100 road trips across some 50 countries. Agarwal has traveled to 92 countries and gone on road trips in six continents.

Persons: Meenakshi Sai, she's, Sai, There's, Pollachi —, Meenakshi, —, Saam Mehta, Rishad Saam Mehta, Mehta, Tushar Agarwal, Sanjay Madan, Agarwal, Madan Organizations: Tata Motors, Ferrari, Bavarian, Toyota, Ford, Discovery Locations: Coimbatore, India, St . Petersburg, Russia, Thailand, Manipur, India's, Bangkok, London, Mumbai, Poland, Uzbekistan, Meenakshi Sai, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Georgia, Armenia, Nepal, Mongolia, Delhi, Ladakh, China, Munich, Austrian, Spiti, Northern India, New England, Jordan, …, Australia

☆ A traditional Russian ally snubbed Moscow's latest fighter jets for competitors from Pakistan and Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Azerbaijan's biggest arms supplier has been Russia but it will likely acquire jets from elsewhere. AdvertisementThe small, oil-rich South Caucasus country of Azerbaijan has big plans to upgrade its modest fleet of fighter jets over the next decade. However, rather than turn to Russia, its traditional arms supplier for decades, Baku will likely acquire modern fighters from Pakistan and Turkey. "Neither Russia nor Western democracies are ideal suppliers, even though Russia has historically sold arms to Azerbaijan," Roblin told Insider. Turkey provided training and arms that enabled Azerbaijan to defeat Armenia's armed forces in the 2020 war over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

Persons: —, Frederico Borsari, Borsari, Sebastien Roblin, Roblin, Armenia's, Sukhoi Su, Tatyana Makeyeva Azerbaijan's, China's, Armenian Su Organizations: Service, Thunder, Turkey's TF, Center for, Business, Azerbaijan, Russian, Pakistan Aeronautical, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, REUTERS, Armenia, Azerbaijan's MiG Locations: Russia, Moscow, Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Baku, Pakistan, Turkey, Pakistani, Ukraine, China, Armenia, Ankara, Nagorno, Karabakh, Zhukovsky, Soviet

☆ Biden administration sanctions makers of commercial spyware used to surveil US
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Bad actors have used commercial spyware to target at least 50 US government officials, the Biden administration said last year as it unveiled an executive order banning federal agencies from using the technology. In 2021, the US government said NSO Group’s spyware had been used against roughly a dozen State Department employees serving in Africa. The US government has sought to build international support for curbing the use of commercial spyware, and last month, it announced visa restrictions for anyone seeking to enter the United States who has been involved in the commercial spyware industry. The use of commercial spyware “has been linked to arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings in the most egregious of cases,” the State Department said at the time. On Tuesday, the Biden administration vowed to watch closely for signs that Intellexa may seek to circumvent the sanctions.

Persons: Washington CNN —, ”, Tal Jonathan Dilian, Sara Aleksandra Fayssal Hamou, Côte, Biden, Oregon Democratic Sen, Ron Wyden Organizations: Washington CNN, Biden, Treasury Department, Intellexa Consortium, US, Google, Pegasus, Intellexa, Amnesty International, State Department, Commerce Department, Oregon Democratic Locations: Egypt, Armenia, Greece, Madagascar, Côte d’Ivoire, Serbia, Spain, Indonesia, Africa, States

☆ A longtime Russia ally suspended participation in Putin's NATO rival after calling it ineffective
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Armenia, formally a key ally of Russia, has suspended its participation in a Russia-led international alliance, according to its prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan. The Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, is considered Russia's equivalent to NATO, and Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped it could rival the Western military alliance. But splinters have emerged in the group since Russia invaded Ukraine, and Armenia has repeatedly challenged its usefulness. Pashinyan has frequently expressed frustration with Russia and the CSTO in recent years, accusing the alliance of being ineffective and describing Armenia as no longer an ally of Russia. Frustrations with Russia have also risen among other CSTO members, experts told Business Insider last year.

Persons: Nikol, Vladimir Putin, Pashinyan, France24, Putin, snubs, Jaroslava Barbieri Organizations: NATO, Security, Organization, Moscow Times, Soviet Union, University of Birmingham Locations: Armenia, Russian, CSTO, Russia, Ukraine, Soviet, Azerbaijan, France, Eurasia, Nagorno, Karabakh, Iran, North Korea, China, tatters

So The New York Times asked more than 5,300 people in the U.S. with this heritage how they describe themselves …No Box to Check: When the Census Doesn’t Reflect YouEgyptian, Iranian, Lebanese, Amazigh, Arab, American. In the 2020 census, “Lebanese” and “Egyptian” were offered as examples for the “white” box on the race question. The other categories were “Black or African American,” “American Indian or Alaska Native,” “Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander” and a variety of Asian ancestries. After all, there’s no agreed-upon set of countries or ethnicities that would fall under a Middle Eastern and North African category. The chart shows these responses after the MENA category was added: 69% chose “MENA,” 15% chose “MENA, White,” 3% chose “Another Race,” 5% chose “White” and 8% chose other combinations.

Persons: Brown, New York Times callout, Biden, ”, —, “, ” Martin Zebari, ” Samera Hadi, ” Imene Said Kouidri, ’ ” Faisal Ali, ” Joseph Hallock, Maya Berry, there’s, Margo J, Anderson, “ You’re, Tiffany Kindratt, ” Khelil, ‘, Dusty Haddad, “ White, Jeffrey S, ” Nadine Naber, Naber, I’m, ” Ceylan Swenson, ” Blake Bachara, ” Amin Younes, We’re, ” Rita Obeid, Barack Obama, It’s, ” Thomas Simsarian Dolan, ” Gabrielle Barbara Guliana, Christina Boufarah, I’ve, ” Michele Magar, ” Soufiane, ” Azita, Moustafa, ” Nawar Organizations: U.S ., New York Times, Arab, Israel, American Community, Management, Federal, Arab American Institute, University of Wisconsin, Census Bureau, Survey, North, Cornell University, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, University of Texas, The Times, Times, Pew Research, University of Illinois, Bureau, West Virginian Locations: Eastern, Sudanese, Southwest, U.S, East, North Africa, United States, Michigan, Gaza, Europe, Lebanese, Alaska, American, MENA, Milwaukee, —, Arlington, America, White, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Lebanon, Iran, N.Y.C, Israel, Turkey, Southwest Asia, Afghanistan, Armenia, West, I’m

☆ My kids went to school in Bolivia and Armenia. It was coming back to the US that was hardest for them to adjust.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Lia Miller | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

School shootings in the US impacted their mental health. AdvertisementMy children have had the unique and wonderful opportunity to grow up overseas and attend school in Bolivia and Armenia. We lived in Bolivia when they were in lower elementary school and Armenia when they were in middle and upper elementary school, respectively. I had to listen to the thoughts and fears my children expressed to understand the impact that school shootings were having on them. and "Why are school shootings happening in the United States so often and not as much overseas?"

Persons: — Organizations: Service Locations: Bolivia, Armenia, United States

☆ I was in Moscow the day Putin invaded Ukraine, and some Russians were in tears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Russian police officers detain a woman during an unsanctioned protest rally against the military invasion on Ukraine, March,6, 2022, in Central Moscow, Russia. These quickly ceased when they saw Russian colleagues in tears, whose life savings had halved overnight. Russian friends began referring to Tbilisi as the "new Constantinople," referencing the city where anti-Bolshevik Russians fleeing the Communist revolution had taken refuge a century before. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) meets French President Emmanuel Macron (R) on February 07, 2022 in Moscow, Russia. I stood at the glass window silently as the Russian border guard inspected my passport and now useless work permit.

Persons: —, Cameron Manley, Russia's, didn't, Vladimir Putin, Putin idi nakhui, Putin, Mir, Pushkin, Konstantin Zavrazhin, Alexey Malgavko, Stringer, Zelenskyy, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Karen Minasyan, pragmatically, gossiped, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Service, Business, REUTERS, National Guard, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Armed Forces of, Facebook, Bolshevik, Communist, Kremlin Press, AP, Saint Locations: Edinburgh, Scotland, Moscow, Ukraine, Russia's, Europe, Russia, Central Moscow, Russian, Omsk, Kyiv, Armed Forces of Ukraine, seeping, Belarus, Yerevan, Armenia, AFP, Istanbul, Dubai, Tbilisi, Constantinople, St Petersburg, Helsinki, West, Switzerland, Saint Petersburg, Finland

☆ Armenia's PM: 'We Are Not Russia's Ally' in War Against Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two major wars in the past 30 years over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region has long been recognised as part of Azerbaijan and Azeri troops secured full control over it last September. The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 ImagesIn his remarks to Britain's Daily Telegraph, Pashinyan said he had said from the outset of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine that it could not stand alongside Moscow as an ally. Photos You Should See View All 21 Images"I said, in the Ukraine situation, we are not Russia’s ally. He repeated that Armenia was considering whether to stay in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation.

Persons: Nikol Pashinyan, Pashinyan, Ilham Aliyev, Ron Popeski, Diane Craft Organizations: Reuters, Britain's Daily Telegraph, U.S, NATO, Nato, Security Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Nagorno, Karabakh, Moscow, France, Russian

☆ Russia's wartime economy is flush with resources and is weathering Western sanctions, European economist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Economists have said Russia's economy is in rapid decline, evidenced by the plunge in the ruble and soaring inflation. Russia's only problem appears to be its worker shortage, Santi says. AdvertisementEconomists are divided over whether Western sanctions have successfully crimped Russia's economy, or if Moscow has managed to sidestep most of the consequences. Russia, for its part, has put up a show of defiance against Western sanctions, with Putin repeatedly emphasizing the resilience of the economy. In January, the Kremlin's budget deficit was five times smaller than it was last year, Russia's finance ministry said on Wednesday.

Persons: —, Michael Santi, Santi, Putin Organizations: Service, Business, Gallup, Bloomberg, Carnegie Endowment Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, European, Russia, Switzerland, Armenia, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Europe

☆ Armenia Can No Longer Rely on Russia for Military and Defence Needs - PM Pashinyan Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Armenia can no longer rely on Russia as its main defence and military partner because Moscow has repeatedly let it down so Yerevan must think about forging closer ties with the United States and France, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said. Armenia, a tiny former Soviet republic bordered by Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey, has long relied on Russia as a big power ally, though Pashinyan has angered the Kremlin by questioning the foundations of the alliance. Pashinyan said Armenia should think about what security ties it should build with the United States, France, India and Georgia. Pashinyan says Russia failed Armenia when Azerbaijan launched a lightning-fast military operation that took back control over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, triggering an outflow of ethnic Armenians living there. Azerbaijan has accused France of sowing the seeds of a new war by supplying arms to Armenia, which is also being courted by the United States.

Persons: Nikol Pashinyan, Pashinyan, Guy Faulconbridge, Andrew Osborn Organizations: Armenian Public, Russian Federation Locations: MOSCOW, Armenia, Russia, Moscow, Yerevan, United States, France, Soviet, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, India, Israel, Gaza, Soviet Union, Karabakh, South Caucasus

☆ Pope Francis takes on vested interests to speak out on humanitarian crises
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Analysis Christopher Lamb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Pope Francis received an emotional welcome on the island during a visit showing solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis confesses in St. Peter's Basilica during the Vatican's Penitential Celebration on Friday, March 4, 2016. Alessandro Di Meo/AP Pope Francis arrives for his visit with prisoners in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Friday, July 10, 2015. Franco Origlia/Getty Images Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I address the faithful in Istanbul on Sunday, November 30, 2014. Gokhan Tan/Getty Images Pope Francis speaks during the feast-day Mass while on a one-day trip to Italy's Calabria region in June 2014.

Persons: Pope Francis, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Francis, “, ”, Regina Coeli, Vincenzo Pinto, Juan Manuel Santos, Santos, Alessandra Tarantino, L'Osservatore Romano, VINCENZO PINTO, Simon Bar Sabbae, Pope, FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, Karekin, TIZIANA FABI, Giuseppe Ciccia, MAX, Pope Francis tries, Pope Benedict XVI, Alessandro Di Meo, Evo Morales, OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Federico Lombardi, Lombardi, Gregorio Borgia, Getty Pope Francis, Raul Castro, Castro, GABRIEL BOUYS, ANDREAS SOLARO, Kurukkal SivaSri, Mahadeva, Pope Francis in, Eranga, Franco Origlia, Bartholomew I, Gokhan Tan, San Gregorio Magno, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh, Oli Scarff, Barack Obama, SAUL LOEB, Santa Sabina, Max ROSSI, Daniele De Sanctis, Pope Francis ', FABIO FRUSTACI, Benedict XVI, Benedict, L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Osservatore Romano Pope Francis, Vinicio Riva, Riva, CLAUDIO PERI, Rainbow Association Marco Iagulli Onlus, Fotografia, Father Don Renzo Zocca, Osservatore Romano, LUCA ZENNARO, Jorge Saenz, Dan Kitwood, Jesus, Internationalis Paulus VI, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Roman Catholic Church's, Peter Macdiarmid, Pope Francis Prev, it’s, He’s, Filippo Monteforte, Donald Trump’s, Czerny, Trump, Donald Trump, Melania, Evan Vucci, Reuters “, ” Cardinal Czerny, Cardinal Czerny, doesn’t, Francis ’, “ Jesus Organizations: CNN, Getty Images, Colombian, Revolutionary Armed Forces, International Catholic Rural Association, Vatican, AFP, Getty, Catholic Chaldean, St, Mercy, ARIS MESSINIS, MAX ROSSI, Getty Images Bolivian, Cuban, Sunday, Queen, getty, Rainbow Association, Renault, Catholic, Roman Catholic, Intelligence, Warner Bros, Discovery, “, Republican, Reuters Locations: St, AFP, Colombia, Rome, Tbilisi , Georgia, Auschwitz, Birkenau, Poland, Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, Armenia, Vatican City, Moria, Lesbos, Peter's, Mexican, Havana, Cuba, Mexico, Santa Cruz , Bolivia, South America, Ecuador, Paraguay, La Paz, Bolivia, Italian, Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Havana and Washington, Vatican, Pope Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Istanbul, Italy's Calabria, Jerusalem's Old City, Argentina, Roman Parish, San, Rome's, Santa, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Argentine, America, Gaza, Nove, Lampedusa, Italy, Ciampino, Czechoslovakia, Canada, United States, Africa

☆ Belarus adopts new military doctrine involving nuclear weapons
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mariya Knight | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Belarus on Friday adopted a new military doctrine that – if approved – would be the first step toward deploying nuclear weapons across the country. The Union State of Belarus and Russia Treaty sets up a legal basis for a wide-ranging alliance between the two countries. Baltic states reinforce bordersThe move by Belarus came as neighboring Baltic states signed an agreement to reinforce their borders with Belarus and Russia. During an interview with state news agency Belta in August last year, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said his country did not “bring nuclear weapons here in order to scare someone.”“Nuclear weapons represent a strong deterring factor. But these are tactical nuclear weapons, not strategic ones.

Persons: Viktor Khrenin, ”, Khrenin, “, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Hanno Pevkur Organizations: CNN, ” Belarusian, Belarus ’, Collective Security, Organization, Union State, NATO, The Union, The Union State of, Russia Treaty, Belarusian People’s Assembly, Novosti, UN, OSCE, ” Minsk, Estonian Defense Ministry, Estonian Minister of Defense, Belta Locations: Belarus, Republic of Belarus, Russian, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, The Union State, The Union State of Belarus, Ukraine, NATO, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Baltic, Estonia, Estonian

☆ Karabakh refugees in Armenia face uncertainty and poverty in exile
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] Elada Sargsyan, 54, a refugee from Nagorno-Karbakh region, poses for a picture in a disused kindergarten, where she now lives temporarily along with dozens of other refugees from Karabakh, in the town of Masis, Armenia November 22, 2023. Born in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, Sargsyan fled her hometown in 1988, aged 19, as the Soviet Union began to fall apart. In 2020, they lost another home, when Azerbaijan - by now closely allied with Armenians' bête noire, Turkey - reconquered much of Karabakh including their village in a second war. Like many refugees, they have struggled to find work in Armenia. Alvina, a grandmother aged 65, has become the family’s main breadwinner, earning a little money selling homemade "jingalov hats" or "green bread", a flatbread stuffed with herbs that is a staple for Karabakh Armenians.

Persons: Elada Sargsyan, Irakli, Sargsyan, I’ve, they’ll, Masis, Alina Harutyunyan, Harutyunyan, I'd, Lilia Abrahamyan, Felix Light, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, Soviet Union, Mount, Karabakh, Thomson Locations: Nagorno, Karabakh, Masis, Armenia, Azerbaijan, MASIS, Baku, Soviet, Soviet Armenia, Aknaghbyur, Turkey, Armenia’s, Yerevan, Mount Ararat, Harutyunagomer, Ottoman Turks, Karabakh's, Vanadzor, Alvina

Greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are the biggest cause of climate change. "We have a world which has more fossil fuels than ever," said Ani Dasgupta, president of the World Resources Institute, a climate NGO. U.S. officials and others are hopeful a recent climate deal between the U.S. and China may also set a positive tone for the talks. Another test is whether wealthy nations announce money for the fund at COP28 - to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. "Speaking from previous experience, unfortunately most of the global agreements, most of the global climate related pledges went uncompleted," said Najib Ahmed, National Consultant at Somalia's Climate Ministry.

Persons: Sultan al, Jaber, ADNOC, Ani Dasgupta, Narendra Modi, Britain's King Charles, Joe Biden, Gayane, Najib Ahmed, Valerie Volcovici, Josie Kao Organizations: OPEC, United Nations, International Energy Agency, BBC, World Resources Institute, Indian, European Union, Reuters, U.S, FINANCE, EU, Climate Ministry, “, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS, Dubai, UAE, U.S, China, India

☆ Wales miss automatic Euro 2024 place after draw with Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

CARDIFF, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Wales will have to take their chances in the playoffs for Euro 2024 after the country's automatic qualifying hopes were dashed following a 1-1 draw with Turkey in their final Group D game on Tuesday. Needing to beat Turkey to have a chance of qualifying at the expense of Croatia, who were hosting Armenia, Wales made a dream start as Neco Williams fired them ahead after seven minutes. Hope then ebbed further away when Yusuf Yazici equalised for Turkey from the penalty spot after 70 minutes. "We're disappointed we haven't qualified automatically, but I'm off tomorrow to find out who we've got in the draw for the playoff. Turkey improved in the second half though and were awarded a soft-looking penalty when Wales skipper Ben Davies was harshly-adjudged to have fouled Kenan Yildiz.

Persons: Neco Williams, Hope, ebbed, Yusuf Yazici, Brennan, we'll, Robert Page, We're, haven't, we've, We'll, Williams, Johnson, Ben Davies, Kenan Yildiz, Yazici, I've, Martyn Herman, Ken Ferris Organizations: CARDIFF, Cardiff City, Wales, Croatia, Thomson Locations: Wales, Turkey, Croatia, Armenia, Germany, Ukraine, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Estonia

☆ Budimir seals Croatia qualification for Euro 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Borna Sosa's cross from the left was perfect for the forward to get ahead of his marker and score from six yards out. Turkey topped the pool with 17 points from their eight games, one more than Croatia. Wales had to settle for a place in the playoffs, while Armenia's dream had been extinguished before their final game. It is a sixth successive qualification for the continental finals for Croatia, and their seventh overall, having finished second and third at the last two World Cups, but never gone beyond the quarter-finals at the Euros. Croatia had to be patient but when Budimir headed them in front just before the break, it eased the tension and was just reward for their ambition.

Persons: Ante Budimir, Marcelo Del Pozo, Ante Budimir’s, Budimir's, Luka Modric, manfully, Kamo, Dominik Livakovic, Budimir, Modric, Mario Pasalic’s, Nair Tiknizyan, Andre Calisir, Ognjen Cancarevic, Nick Said, Toby Davis Organizations: Soccer Football, Copa, Copa del Rey, Real Madrid, Osasuna, Estadio, La, Armenia, Croatia, Wales, Thomson Locations: Copa del, Seville, Spain, Croatia, Germany, Zagreb, Armenia, Turkey

☆ US to Provide Over $4 Million in Aid for Those Affected by Nagorno-Karabakh Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Daphne PsaledakisWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will provide over $4.1 million in aid for people affected by the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, the United States Agency for International Development said in a statement, after Azerbaijan's recapture of the region prompted a mass exodus of Armenians. USAID said the additional aid, which has not been previously reported, will support efforts to provide assistance for almost 74,000 refugees and displaced people from the region who are sheltering in Armenia. The aid will increase food assistance and provide humanitarian protection and emergency shelter, according to the statement. The additional aid will bring the total U.S. humanitarian assistance for the Nagorno-Karabakh response to nearly $28 million since 2020, according to the statement. "The U.S. stands with civilians affected by Azerbaijan’s military operation and supports the Armenian government’s efforts to help those in need," the statement read.

Persons: Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON, Samantha Power, Power, Daphne Psaledakis, Matthew Lewis Organizations: United States Agency for International Development, USAID Locations: United States, Nagorno, Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenia, U.S, Baku, Soviet, Soviet Union, Washington

☆ Azerbaijan’s 10 best castles and fortresses
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Tom Marsden | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

It grew up around a fortress built in the 1750s by Panah Ali Khan, founder of the Karabakh Khanate (1748-1822). Kamilla Rzayeva Tea culture: Azerbaijani tea culture originated in Lankaran and the hospitable locals will often welcome visitors with a refreshing glass. Kamilla Rzayeva Yanar Bulag: Yanar Bulag, meaning "burning spring" is a natural spring which percolates methane gas. Kamilla Rzayeva Hirkan National Park: Home to endangered Persian leopards, Hirkin National Park is a great place for hiking and cooling off. Kamilla Rzayeva Ironwood trees: Hirkan National Park's famous ironwood trees are believed to have survived the last Ice Age.

Persons: ”, Alexander the Great, Timur, Russia –, Elchin Aliyev, who’s, Akhsitan I, Ilisu, Ivan Paskevich, Imam Shamil, Potemkin, Sergei Einstein’s, Panah Ali Khan, Persian Shah, Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, Joseph Stalin, Kamilla, Stalin, Yanar, Zindan Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Sheki, of Sheki, Zaqatala Locations: Europe, Asia, Azerbaijan, Russia, USSR, jostle, Old City, Baku, Mardakan, Shabran, Persia, Chirag, Sheki, Caucasus, Ilisu, Ilisu Sultanate, Soviet, Zaqatala, Lesser Caucasus, Shusha, Karabakh, Persian, Alinja, Azerbaijan’s, Nakhchivan, Armenia, Iran, Turkey, Machu Picchu, Azerbaijani, Lankaran, Ironwood, ironwood, Talysh

☆ Jerusalem Christians rally round Armenian Church over land deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Crispian Balmer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An Armenian priest enters a church at the monastery compound in the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City June 8, 2010. The Armenian community says the investor behind the land lease deal is an Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rubinstein, who owns a company registered in the United Arab Emirates - Xana Capital Group. Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, from Jordanian forces in a 1967 war. "We are aware of a plan to encircle the outside the Old City with settlement projects. We suspect this Armenia Quarter deal is meant to be a continuation of this plan inside the city walls," Seidemann told Reuters.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Danny Rubinstein, Rubinstein, Hagop Djernazian, Daniel Seidemann, Seidemann, Crispian Balmer, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Armenian, Synod, Roman Catholic Churches, United Arab Emirates, Xana Capital, Catholic, Jerusalem's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Jerusalem's Old, Jerusalem, JERUSALEM, Old City, Ottoman, Australian, Armenia, James's, City, Israel, East Jerusalem, Jordanian

☆ Armenia and Azerbaijan Have Agreed on Basic Peace Treaty Principles -TASS Cites Armenian PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) -Armenia and Azerbaijan have been able to agree on the basic principles for a peace treaty but are still "speaking different diplomatic languages", Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Saturday, according to Russia's TASS news agency. "We have good and bad news about the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process," TASS quoted Pashinyan as saying in Yerevan. "It is good that the basic principles of peace with Azerbaijan have been agreed. "The most important bad news is that we still speak different diplomatic languages and very often do not understand each other," Pashinyan said. Pashinyan said Armenia had also proposed swapping all Armenian prisoners for all Azerbaijani prisoners, TASS reported.

Persons: Nikol Pashinyan, Pashinyan, Charles Michel, Alexander MarrowEditing, Andrew Osborn Organizations: Reuters, Armenian, TASS, European Locations: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno, Karabakh, Yerevan, Brussels

☆ Russia lifts gasoline export ban - energy ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It said it could reimpose export bans if necessary, adding that stocks of gasoline had risen to around 2 million metric tons. "A decision was made to terminate the temporary ban on the export of motor gasoline." Russia, the world's top seaborne exporter of diesel, introduced a ban on fuel exports on Sept. 21 in order to tackle high domestic prices and shortages. The government eased restrictions on Oct. 6, allowing the export of diesel by pipeline, but kept measures on gasoline exports in place. Diesel is Russia's biggest oil product export, at about 35 million metric tons last year.

Persons: Tatiana Meel, Vladimir Soldatkin, Andrew Heavens, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Diesel, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka Bay, Nakhodka, Russia, Soviet, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, OPEC

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