Sen. Robert Menendez, the New Jersey Democrat who is a stalwart of the mainstream pro-Israel lobby in the Senate, told Benjamin Netanyahu that his partnership with an extremist leader could shatter support for Israel in the United States.
Menendez raised what he said were “concerns” about Itamar Ben-Gvir with the former — and hopeful — Israeli prime minister during a visit to Israel in early September, Axios reported on Sunday. At the time, Netanyahu had just hosted Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, another right-wing party leader, at his Caesarea home.
The visit was part of Netanyahu’s effort to work with Ben-Gvir, an adherent of the racist beliefs of the late rabbi and politician, Meir Kahane, to unite far-right parties into a single bloc so they can maximize their clout in Israel’s Nov. 1 election. Ben-Gvir, who has also lionized Baruch Goldstein, the Jewish extremist who massacred 29 Palestinians at worship in 1994, would likely secure a cabinet position in a Netanyahu-led government.
According to the Axios report, Netanyahu was peeved at Menendez’s statement, but the senator pressed the matter further, saying Ben-Gvir’s inclusion would seriously erode bipartisan support for Israel.
Otzma Yehudit head MK Itamar Ben-Gvir is seen on the Temple Mount on Jerusalem Day, on May 29, 2022. (credit: TEMPLE MOUNT ADMINISTRATION)
Major pro-Israel groups made a similar warning three years ago when Netanyahu, then the prime minister, was contemplating a similar arrangement. In the end, Netanyahu did not need the extremists to form a government.
Menendez is one of Israel’s most outspoken supporters in the Senate, earning huge cheers when he attends pro-Israel events. He is also influential, chairing the Foreign Relations Committee. Earlier this year he warned the Biden administration that he would oppose reentry into the Iran nuclear deal — a key Biden priority and a move Israel opposes — if the terms turned out to be as they were reported at the time.
Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, speaks during a press conference after announcing that U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) was indicted on corruption charges charges at the SDNY office on September 22, 2023 in New York City.
Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images
Senator Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, is facing federal bribery charges. Federal agents found hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gold at his home.
Menendez is remaining defiant and says he will not resign. The senator has faced previous corruption charges — the case ended in a hung jury. We discuss why these types of cases can be so challenging for prosecutors to win.
The podcast is was produced by Casey Morell and Elena Moore. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.
Unlock access to this and other bonus content by supporting The NPR Politics Podcast+. Sign up via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
A supporter of Ghana’s presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) holds a party flag as she reacts at party’s headquaters in Accra, Ghana December 8, 2016. REUTERS/Luc Gnago/File Photo
Ghana’s former trade minister said on Monday he would resign from the ruling party and run as an independent candidate during the next presidential election in December 2024, dividing a government faced with dwindling support as it grapples with the worst economic crisis in a generation.
Alan Kyeremanten, who has served twice as trade minister for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), made the announcement at a briefing and said his contributions were not appreciated. He had already resigned from his ministerial role in January.
“The new movement will be led and powered by the youth,” he told his supporters at the event.
“The (NPP) party has been hijacked by a selected group of party leaders and elders,” he said.
The NPP described Kyeremanten’s resignation as “unfortunate” in a statement.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the Accra last week for three days of anti-government protests linked to economic hardship.
Gold-, oil- and cocoa-producing Ghana’s worst economic crisis in a generation was brought on by spiralling public debt.
Last year, protests over soaring prices and other economic challenges led to clashes with police and pushed authorities to ask the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for help.
The government has since focused on restructuring debt and reducing its spending to gain access to a $3 billion, three-year IMF loan programme.
But detractors said authorities have done too little to help those struggling to make ends meet as economic growth slows.
The NPP has yet to name its candidate to succeed President Nana Afuko-Addo, who will step down after serving two terms.
Kyeremanten had already withdrawn from an internal contest in November to elect the party’s candidate over allegations of irregularities in the selection process.
It is widely believed that Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia will be put forward.
Ghana has been ruled by two parties since it transitioned from military to democratic rule in 1992 – the NPP and the main opposition National Democratic Congress party.
Kyeremanten, 67, served as Akufo-Addo’s trade and industry minister during both of his terms.
U.S. Republican presidential contender and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will debate California counterpart Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, for 90 minutes on Nov. 30 on Fox News Channel, the network said in a statement on Monday.
Earlier this year, the two men clashed after Florida acknowledged a role in sending two flights of migrants to California. Newsom, 55, described the 45-year-old DeSantis as a “small, pathetic man” and called for criminal and civil investigations.
DeSantis blames liberal states such as California for policies that he says encourage illegal migration.
Fox News billed the Nov. 30 event as a debate between so-called red and blue states, referring to Republicans and Democrats respectively. The event will be hosted by its commentator Sean Hannity.
“This will mark the first time the two prominent governors will face off in a debate,” Fox News said.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month showed DeSantis trailing front-runner Donald Trump by nearly 40 percentage points in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
Refugees load their cars as they leave the Red Cross registration center, in Goris, on September 25, 2023. Photo: AFP / Alain Jocard
More than 6,500 people have so far crossed into Armenia from the enclave, which is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians.
They left after the government in Yerevan announced plans to move those made homeless by the fighting.
It also warned that those who stayed could face ethnic cleansing.
Azerbaijan has said it wants to re-integrate the ethnic Armenians as “equal citizens”.
The first group of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees since Azerbaijan’s lighting assault against the separatist region entered Armenia . Photo: AFP / Alain Jocard
The BBC has spoken to some of the refugees who arrived in the city of Goris on Sunday, close to the border between Armenia and Karabakh.
“I gave my whole life to my homeland,” said one man.
“It would be better if they killed me than this.”
A woman, Veronica, told the BBC that this was the second time she had become a refugee. The first time was during the conflict in 2020.
The main square of Goris was crowded. The theatre nearby was turned into a base for the Red Cross.
Tatiana Oganesyan, doctor and head of a foundation of doctors and volunteers that is now helping refugees in Goris, told the BBC that people who come to the doctors are exhausted, malnourished and psychologically crushed.
“People are shocked, they are telling us: I need pills, they are blue,” she said. Doctors then need to figure out their medication and find it for them.
“We have nothing,” said an elderly woman who just arrived in Goris. She pointed at her jumper, saying it was all she could bring with her from home. Her son was on crutches near her.
In the nearby village of Kornidzor, refugees who were being processed said they did not believe they could be safe under Azerbaijani rule and did not expect ever to be able to return home.
The Armenian government said in a statement on Sunday that hundreds of the refugees had already been provided with government-funded housing.
But it has not released a clear plan of how it could cope with an influx of people. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced last week that plans were in place to look after up to 40,000 refugees.
Armenians the BBC has spoken to have said they are prepared to take refugees into their homes.
Meanwhile, more than 140 people have been arrested in Yerevan on Monday following the latest anti-government protests, according to local media quoting the country’s interior ministry.
The Tass news agency said special forces had begun detaining demonstrators who blocked roads in Yerevan.
Police were also stationed outside the main government building, which houses the prime minister’s offices and which demonstrators have been trying to break into.
Protests first broke out last week over the government’s handling of the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pashinyan has been accused of granting too many concessions to Azerbaijan and there are calls for his resignation.
The Armenian separatist forces in the territory agreed to disarm on Wednesday, following a lightning-fast Azerbaijani military offensive.
Armenia has repeatedly said a mass exodus from the region would be the fault of the Azerbaijani authorities.
In a TV address on Sunday, Pashinyan said many inside the enclave would “see expulsion from the homeland as the only way out” unless Azerbaijan provided “real living conditions” and “effective mechanisms of protection against ethnic cleansing”.
He repeated that his government was prepared to “lovingly welcome our brothers and sisters”.
But David Babayan, an adviser to Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian leader Samvel Shahramanyan, told Reuters he expected almost everyone to leave.
His people “do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan – 99.9 percent prefer to leave our historic lands”, he said.
“The fate of our poor people will go down in history as a disgrace and a shame for the Armenian people and for the whole civilised world,” he told Reuters.
“Those responsible for our fate will one day have to answer before God for their sins.”
Nagorno-Karabakh – a mountainous region in the South Caucasus – is recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan, but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians for three decades.
The enclave has been supported by Armenia – but also by their ally, Russia, which has had hundreds of soldiers there for years.
Five Russian peacekeepers were killed – alongside at least 200 ethnic Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers – as Azerbaijan’s army swept in last week.
On Sunday, Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said it had confiscated more military equipment including a large number of rockets, artillery shells, mines and ammunition.
Despite Azerbaijan’s public reassurances, there are fears about the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, with only one aid delivery of 70 tonnes of food having been allowed through since separatists accepted a ceasefire and agreed to disarm.
Ethnic Armenian leaders say thousands are without food or shelter and sleeping in basements, school buildings or outside.
Following the ceremony of signing documents, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made press statements.
First, the head of state made his statement.
Statement by President Ilham Aliyev
– My dear brother.
Distinguished guests.
Welcome to Nakhchivan. I am sincerely greeting you.
My dear brother, this is your second visit to Nakhchivan, and the documents signed during the visit will serve the development of Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations.
The construction of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline is an important event in the history of our fraternal relations. It will give a new impetus to our relations and largely ensure the energy security of Nakhchivan.
By By Kathryn Armstrong & Nataliya Zotova for BBC Refugees load their cars as they leave the Red Cross registration center, in Goris, on September 25, 2023. Photo: AFP / Alain Jocard More than 6,500 people have so far crossed into Armenia from the enclave, which is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians. They left after…
Following the ceremony of signing documents, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made press statements. First, the head of state made his statement. Statement by President Ilham Aliyev – My dear brother. Distinguished guests. Welcome to Nakhchivan. I am sincerely…
Official Yerevan on Thursday hit back at Moscow’s assertion that the actions of the Armenian government, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, are to be blamed for Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the resulting humanitarian crisis in Artsakh. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a press briefing on Thursday that…
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev Monday. The Prime Minister’s Office informed that Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the close cooperation and consistent work between the Ministries of Internal Affairs of the two countries in the fight against crime and in other fields. Kolokoltsev touched…
“Following the recent victory, new windows of opportunity have been opened for a comprehensive normalization of the situation in the region. I believe this opportunity must be appreciated,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a press statement
19:46, 25 September 2023 YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met on Monday with the delegation led by USAID Administrator Samantha Power, which included U.S. State Department Acting Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim. PM Pashinyan welcomed Power’s visit in this difficult period for Armenia,…
20:25, 25 September 2023 STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. A Russian-mediated meeting took place on September 25 between representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. The meeting took place in Ivanyan (Khojaly) at the base of Russian peacekeepers, the Nagorno-Karabakh InfoCenter reported. A number of humanitarian issues were discussed,…
Azerbaijan’s military victory in the extended 35-year conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh is a notable geopolitical setback for Russia, traditionally Armenia’s partner and ally.Moscow’s post-Soviet strategy has often been to stoke conflicts to weaken its near neighbours, creating crises in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. But on this…
21:05, 25 September 2023 YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. There must be an international presence in Nagorno-Karabakh to assess whether Azerbaijan is implementing its commitments, USAID Administrator Samantha Power said at a press conference in Yerevan. “We call on Azerbaijan to adhere to the ceasefire and take concrete steps to protect the…
Changes in Armenia’s foreign policy course After the September military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh, expert circles in Armenia are increasingly talking about the uselessness of the Russian presence in the region. Analysts focus on the inactivity of Russian peacekeepers stationed on the territory of the unrecognized NKR. There are statements that…
The Administrator of the US International Development Agency, Samantha Power, conveyed the letter of US President Joe Biden to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The letter reads: Dear Mr. Prime Minister, I send my best wishes to you and the people of Armenia as you celebrate your Independence Day. This year, as we mark this proud occasion, we are…
The explosion of a gasoline tank near Stepanakert has left several dozen injured with various burns, the press secretary of the Minister of Health of Artsakh told NEWS.am. “At the moment, we do not have information about the casualties and the injured. At the moment, we have several dozen wounded with various burns. Right now, that’s all, if there…
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has again announced the so called Zangezur corridor. He made the statement after the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Nakhichevan. “The construction of the railway connecting Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan and Turkey is progressing successfully. Most likely, the works in the territory…
Mr. President, Secretary-General, Dear Colleagues, Dear Friends, It is an honor to address the United Nations General Assembly once again. I represent Georgia, a strong nation that values freedom, cherishes its rich heritage and embraces progress amid an ever-changing geopolitical landscape. As you are aware, my country experienced a full-scale…
Shocking images of Armenians fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh as the murderous Azerbaijani army takes control of the mountainous enclave have emerged on social media today. Images show the queues of cars, all heading in one direction, attempting to leave Stepanakert, the capital of ethnically and historically Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh, for the Republic of…
Armenians are hard-wired to fear genocide – and many fear the worst Diana Magnay Moscow correspondent @DiMagnaySky Seeing the images of Karabakh Armenians fleeing, suitcases in hand, makes for sombre viewing. This region has seen mass exodus before, but there is a degree of finality to this latest episode. The local Armenian authorities in…
Davit Galstyan, who owns a company that imports, sells weapons, has been released, his lawyer Armen Harutyunyan told NEWS.am. He said that the court rejected the motion to extend Galstyan’s detention.Davit Galstyan was under arrest for several months. Former Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan is also under arrest within the same case. Armenia News…
What will happen to peacekeepers in Karabakh After the counter-terrorist operation of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh on September 19-20, the country fully ensured its territorial integrity. But at the same time the question of relevance of the presence of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in the region has arisen due to the absence of…
Kosovar police officers secure a road leading to the monastery in the village of Banjska on September 24. Authorities in Kosovo say the situation around a Serbian Orthodox monastery complex in the mostly Serb-populated north of the country was calm on September 25, which President Vjosa Osmani has declared a day of mourning,…
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that it rejects Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s accusation that his country was abandoned by Moscow after Azerbaijan last week launched a military operation in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan on Sunday blasted the Russian-Armenian strategic partnership as “insufficient,” signaling…
Refugees load their cars as they leave the Red Cross registration center, in Goris, on September 25, 2023. Photo: AFP / Alain Jocard
More than 6,500 people have so far crossed into Armenia from the enclave, which is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians.
They left after the government in Yerevan announced plans to move those made homeless by the fighting.
It also warned that those who stayed could face ethnic cleansing.
Azerbaijan has said it wants to re-integrate the ethnic Armenians as “equal citizens”.
The first group of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees since Azerbaijan’s lighting assault against the separatist region entered Armenia . Photo: AFP / Alain Jocard
The BBC has spoken to some of the refugees who arrived in the city of Goris on Sunday, close to the border between Armenia and Karabakh.
“I gave my whole life to my homeland,” said one man.
“It would be better if they killed me than this.”
A woman, Veronica, told the BBC that this was the second time she had become a refugee. The first time was during the conflict in 2020.
The main square of Goris was crowded. The theatre nearby was turned into a base for the Red Cross.
Tatiana Oganesyan, doctor and head of a foundation of doctors and volunteers that is now helping refugees in Goris, told the BBC that people who come to the doctors are exhausted, malnourished and psychologically crushed.
“People are shocked, they are telling us: I need pills, they are blue,” she said. Doctors then need to figure out their medication and find it for them.
“We have nothing,” said an elderly woman who just arrived in Goris. She pointed at her jumper, saying it was all she could bring with her from home. Her son was on crutches near her.
In the nearby village of Kornidzor, refugees who were being processed said they did not believe they could be safe under Azerbaijani rule and did not expect ever to be able to return home.
The Armenian government said in a statement on Sunday that hundreds of the refugees had already been provided with government-funded housing.
But it has not released a clear plan of how it could cope with an influx of people. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced last week that plans were in place to look after up to 40,000 refugees.
Armenians the BBC has spoken to have said they are prepared to take refugees into their homes.
Meanwhile, more than 140 people have been arrested in Yerevan on Monday following the latest anti-government protests, according to local media quoting the country’s interior ministry.
The Tass news agency said special forces had begun detaining demonstrators who blocked roads in Yerevan.
Police were also stationed outside the main government building, which houses the prime minister’s offices and which demonstrators have been trying to break into.
Protests first broke out last week over the government’s handling of the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pashinyan has been accused of granting too many concessions to Azerbaijan and there are calls for his resignation.
The Armenian separatist forces in the territory agreed to disarm on Wednesday, following a lightning-fast Azerbaijani military offensive.
Armenia has repeatedly said a mass exodus from the region would be the fault of the Azerbaijani authorities.
In a TV address on Sunday, Pashinyan said many inside the enclave would “see expulsion from the homeland as the only way out” unless Azerbaijan provided “real living conditions” and “effective mechanisms of protection against ethnic cleansing”.
He repeated that his government was prepared to “lovingly welcome our brothers and sisters”.
But David Babayan, an adviser to Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian leader Samvel Shahramanyan, told Reuters he expected almost everyone to leave.
His people “do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan – 99.9 percent prefer to leave our historic lands”, he said.
“The fate of our poor people will go down in history as a disgrace and a shame for the Armenian people and for the whole civilised world,” he told Reuters.
“Those responsible for our fate will one day have to answer before God for their sins.”
Nagorno-Karabakh – a mountainous region in the South Caucasus – is recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan, but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians for three decades.
The enclave has been supported by Armenia – but also by their ally, Russia, which has had hundreds of soldiers there for years.
Five Russian peacekeepers were killed – alongside at least 200 ethnic Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers – as Azerbaijan’s army swept in last week.
On Sunday, Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said it had confiscated more military equipment including a large number of rockets, artillery shells, mines and ammunition.
Despite Azerbaijan’s public reassurances, there are fears about the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, with only one aid delivery of 70 tonnes of food having been allowed through since separatists accepted a ceasefire and agreed to disarm.
Ethnic Armenian leaders say thousands are without food or shelter and sleeping in basements, school buildings or outside.
Following the ceremony of signing documents, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made press statements.
First, the head of state made his statement.
Statement by President Ilham Aliyev
– My dear brother.
Distinguished guests.
Welcome to Nakhchivan. I am sincerely greeting you.
My dear brother, this is your second visit to Nakhchivan, and the documents signed during the visit will serve the development of Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations.
The construction of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline is an important event in the history of our fraternal relations. It will give a new impetus to our relations and largely ensure the energy security of Nakhchivan.
By By Kathryn Armstrong & Nataliya Zotova for BBC Refugees load their cars as they leave the Red Cross registration center, in Goris, on September 25, 2023. Photo: AFP / Alain Jocard More than 6,500 people have so far crossed into Armenia from the enclave, which is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians. They left after…
Following the ceremony of signing documents, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made press statements. First, the head of state made his statement. Statement by President Ilham Aliyev – My dear brother. Distinguished guests. Welcome to Nakhchivan. I am sincerely…
Official Yerevan on Thursday hit back at Moscow’s assertion that the actions of the Armenian government, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, are to be blamed for Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the resulting humanitarian crisis in Artsakh. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a press briefing on Thursday that…
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev Monday. The Prime Minister’s Office informed that Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the close cooperation and consistent work between the Ministries of Internal Affairs of the two countries in the fight against crime and in other fields. Kolokoltsev touched…
“Following the recent victory, new windows of opportunity have been opened for a comprehensive normalization of the situation in the region. I believe this opportunity must be appreciated,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a press statement
19:46, 25 September 2023 YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met on Monday with the delegation led by USAID Administrator Samantha Power, which included U.S. State Department Acting Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim. PM Pashinyan welcomed Power’s visit in this difficult period for Armenia,…
20:25, 25 September 2023 STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. A Russian-mediated meeting took place on September 25 between representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. The meeting took place in Ivanyan (Khojaly) at the base of Russian peacekeepers, the Nagorno-Karabakh InfoCenter reported. A number of humanitarian issues were discussed,…
Azerbaijan’s military victory in the extended 35-year conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh is a notable geopolitical setback for Russia, traditionally Armenia’s partner and ally.Moscow’s post-Soviet strategy has often been to stoke conflicts to weaken its near neighbours, creating crises in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. But on this…
21:05, 25 September 2023 YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. There must be an international presence in Nagorno-Karabakh to assess whether Azerbaijan is implementing its commitments, USAID Administrator Samantha Power said at a press conference in Yerevan. “We call on Azerbaijan to adhere to the ceasefire and take concrete steps to protect the…
Changes in Armenia’s foreign policy course After the September military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh, expert circles in Armenia are increasingly talking about the uselessness of the Russian presence in the region. Analysts focus on the inactivity of Russian peacekeepers stationed on the territory of the unrecognized NKR. There are statements that…
The Administrator of the US International Development Agency, Samantha Power, conveyed the letter of US President Joe Biden to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The letter reads: Dear Mr. Prime Minister, I send my best wishes to you and the people of Armenia as you celebrate your Independence Day. This year, as we mark this proud occasion, we are…
The explosion of a gasoline tank near Stepanakert has left several dozen injured with various burns, the press secretary of the Minister of Health of Artsakh told NEWS.am. “At the moment, we do not have information about the casualties and the injured. At the moment, we have several dozen wounded with various burns. Right now, that’s all, if there…
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has again announced the so called Zangezur corridor. He made the statement after the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Nakhichevan. “The construction of the railway connecting Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan and Turkey is progressing successfully. Most likely, the works in the territory…
Mr. President, Secretary-General, Dear Colleagues, Dear Friends, It is an honor to address the United Nations General Assembly once again. I represent Georgia, a strong nation that values freedom, cherishes its rich heritage and embraces progress amid an ever-changing geopolitical landscape. As you are aware, my country experienced a full-scale…
Shocking images of Armenians fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh as the murderous Azerbaijani army takes control of the mountainous enclave have emerged on social media today. Images show the queues of cars, all heading in one direction, attempting to leave Stepanakert, the capital of ethnically and historically Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh, for the Republic of…
Armenians are hard-wired to fear genocide – and many fear the worst Diana Magnay Moscow correspondent @DiMagnaySky Seeing the images of Karabakh Armenians fleeing, suitcases in hand, makes for sombre viewing. This region has seen mass exodus before, but there is a degree of finality to this latest episode. The local Armenian authorities in…
Davit Galstyan, who owns a company that imports, sells weapons, has been released, his lawyer Armen Harutyunyan told NEWS.am. He said that the court rejected the motion to extend Galstyan’s detention.Davit Galstyan was under arrest for several months. Former Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan is also under arrest within the same case. Armenia News…
What will happen to peacekeepers in Karabakh After the counter-terrorist operation of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh on September 19-20, the country fully ensured its territorial integrity. But at the same time the question of relevance of the presence of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in the region has arisen due to the absence of…
Kosovar police officers secure a road leading to the monastery in the village of Banjska on September 24. Authorities in Kosovo say the situation around a Serbian Orthodox monastery complex in the mostly Serb-populated north of the country was calm on September 25, which President Vjosa Osmani has declared a day of mourning,…
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that it rejects Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s accusation that his country was abandoned by Moscow after Azerbaijan last week launched a military operation in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan on Sunday blasted the Russian-Armenian strategic partnership as “insufficient,” signaling…
“My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion,” a play by Ukrainian playwright Sasha Denisova, made its debut at Washington, D.C.’s Woolly Mammoth theater earlier this month. The play was inspired by online chats its creator had with her 82-year-old mother who lives near Kyiv. Maxim Adams has the story. Camera: David Gogokhia.
After five grueling days of negotiation, the screenwriters in the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have reached a tentative agreement with the studios and streamers, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), to end a strike that began in May. The key word here is tentative: Picketing has paused, but writers are still technically on strike until the deal is ratified.
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While we won’t see the fine print of the contract until the final language is agreed upon by both sides, the WGA did craft a residual formula for streamers—like Netflix, Max, Hulu, and Prime Video—in which TV shows and movies that reach certain performance benchmarks are essentially given bonuses. And a formula was created in which the number of episodes in a season will determine, on a sliding scale, how many writers must be hired to work on a show. Using AI to generate content—a major concern for both writers and actors—seemed to be a sticking point, and were among the last details debated before bargaining ended.
“We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional—with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership,” the WGA wrote in an email to its members. “What we have won in this contract—most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd—is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days.”
What does a tentative agreement mean for screenwriters?
Although picketing has been suspended, the strike itself is still in effect, meaning that screenwriters will not yet be returning to work. Once the nitty-gritty language in the contract is finalized, the WGA negotiating committee—the people who were actually at the table with the AMPTP—will vote. That will determine whether the contract will go to a vote by the leaders of the WGA.
If both of those votes go through, then the roughly 11,000 members of the WGA will also decide whether or not to accept the terms. If everyone agrees to the new contract, it will last for three years, until it’s once again up for reapproval.
“To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild,” the WGA wrote in its statement. “We are still on strike until then. But we are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week.”
What does this mean for the SAG strike?
Of course, even if the writers return, there won’t be anyone to perform their work until the actors’ strike, by those in the Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), also ends. Nor will actors be able to promote their work, a concern that has prompted studios and streamers to push back some releases.
“SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency, and solidarity on the picket lines,” SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. “Since the day the WGA strike began, SAG-AFTRA members have stood alongside the writers on the picket lines. We remain on strike in our TV/Theatrical contract and continue to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair deal that our members deserve and demand.”
The streaming residual formula that the WGA accomplished should help lay the groundwork for a similar revenue-based residual system for SAG-AFTRA, something the latter has been striking for. For now, it seems likely that the coming end of the WGA strike may convince studios and streamers to move more quickly with SAG-AFTRA as well.
Refugees load their cars as they leave the Red Cross registration center, in Goris, on September 25, 2023. Photo: AFP / Alain Jocard
More than 6,500 people have so far crossed into Armenia from the enclave, which is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians.
They left after the government in Yerevan announced plans to move those made homeless by the fighting.
It also warned that those who stayed could face ethnic cleansing.
Azerbaijan has said it wants to re-integrate the ethnic Armenians as “equal citizens”.
The first group of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees since Azerbaijan’s lighting assault against the separatist region entered Armenia . Photo: AFP / Alain Jocard
The BBC has spoken to some of the refugees who arrived in the city of Goris on Sunday, close to the border between Armenia and Karabakh.
“I gave my whole life to my homeland,” said one man.
“It would be better if they killed me than this.”
A woman, Veronica, told the BBC that this was the second time she had become a refugee. The first time was during the conflict in 2020.
The main square of Goris was crowded. The theatre nearby was turned into a base for the Red Cross.
Tatiana Oganesyan, doctor and head of a foundation of doctors and volunteers that is now helping refugees in Goris, told the BBC that people who come to the doctors are exhausted, malnourished and psychologically crushed.
“People are shocked, they are telling us: I need pills, they are blue,” she said. Doctors then need to figure out their medication and find it for them.
“We have nothing,” said an elderly woman who just arrived in Goris. She pointed at her jumper, saying it was all she could bring with her from home. Her son was on crutches near her.
In the nearby village of Kornidzor, refugees who were being processed said they did not believe they could be safe under Azerbaijani rule and did not expect ever to be able to return home.
The Armenian government said in a statement on Sunday that hundreds of the refugees had already been provided with government-funded housing.
But it has not released a clear plan of how it could cope with an influx of people. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced last week that plans were in place to look after up to 40,000 refugees.
Armenians the BBC has spoken to have said they are prepared to take refugees into their homes.
Meanwhile, more than 140 people have been arrested in Yerevan on Monday following the latest anti-government protests, according to local media quoting the country’s interior ministry.
The Tass news agency said special forces had begun detaining demonstrators who blocked roads in Yerevan.
Police were also stationed outside the main government building, which houses the prime minister’s offices and which demonstrators have been trying to break into.
Protests first broke out last week over the government’s handling of the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pashinyan has been accused of granting too many concessions to Azerbaijan and there are calls for his resignation.
The Armenian separatist forces in the territory agreed to disarm on Wednesday, following a lightning-fast Azerbaijani military offensive.
Armenia has repeatedly said a mass exodus from the region would be the fault of the Azerbaijani authorities.
In a TV address on Sunday, Pashinyan said many inside the enclave would “see expulsion from the homeland as the only way out” unless Azerbaijan provided “real living conditions” and “effective mechanisms of protection against ethnic cleansing”.
He repeated that his government was prepared to “lovingly welcome our brothers and sisters”.
But David Babayan, an adviser to Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian leader Samvel Shahramanyan, told Reuters he expected almost everyone to leave.
His people “do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan – 99.9 percent prefer to leave our historic lands”, he said.
“The fate of our poor people will go down in history as a disgrace and a shame for the Armenian people and for the whole civilised world,” he told Reuters.
“Those responsible for our fate will one day have to answer before God for their sins.”
Nagorno-Karabakh – a mountainous region in the South Caucasus – is recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan, but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians for three decades.
The enclave has been supported by Armenia – but also by their ally, Russia, which has had hundreds of soldiers there for years.
Five Russian peacekeepers were killed – alongside at least 200 ethnic Armenians and dozens of Azerbaijani soldiers – as Azerbaijan’s army swept in last week.
On Sunday, Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said it had confiscated more military equipment including a large number of rockets, artillery shells, mines and ammunition.
Despite Azerbaijan’s public reassurances, there are fears about the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, with only one aid delivery of 70 tonnes of food having been allowed through since separatists accepted a ceasefire and agreed to disarm.
Ethnic Armenian leaders say thousands are without food or shelter and sleeping in basements, school buildings or outside.
Following the ceremony of signing documents, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made press statements.
First, the head of state made his statement.
Statement by President Ilham Aliyev
– My dear brother.
Distinguished guests.
Welcome to Nakhchivan. I am sincerely greeting you.
My dear brother, this is your second visit to Nakhchivan, and the documents signed during the visit will serve the development of Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations.
The construction of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline is an important event in the history of our fraternal relations. It will give a new impetus to our relations and largely ensure the energy security of Nakhchivan.
Nakhchivan is the ancient land of Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, in 1920, Western Zangezur was severed from Azerbaijan by Soviet authorities, and thus, the geographical link between the rest of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan was cut off. When Armenia began to pursue the policy of aggression against Azerbaijan, it had territorial claims against Nakhchivan. Fierce battles were going on here as well, and precisely at that time, under the leadership of Heydar Aliyev, the great son of Azerbaijan – at that time he was the head of Nakhchivan – Nakhchivan put the enemy back in its place and managed to protect its territory. However, since Nakhchivan’s energy supply came from the rest of Azerbaijan at that time, Armenia cut off all electricity and gas lines, and Nakhchivan was practically under siege. There was no electricity, no gas, winters are very cold, so Nakhchivan lived without gas for 15 years.
However, according to the agreement signed with the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2005, the supply of gas from Iran to Nakhchivan was ensured as an exchange deal. The construction of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline will create conditions for supplying natural gas to Nakhchivan through a second line.
In a few days, or rather, in three days, the Third Türkiye-Azerbaijan Energy Forum will be held in Nakhchivan with the participation of Turkish and Azerbaijani officials and international organizations, and I am sure that the results of this forum will be successful. Although Nakhchivan does not have gas or oil, it has the sun, and we have major plans for the construction of solar power plants in Nakhchivan. If these plans come true, Nakhchivan can become a green energy zone. Because there is a great potential for the construction of both solar and wind power plants, as well as hydropower plants, it will be possible to export at least 1000 megawatts of green energy from Nakhchivan to Türkiye in the future.
Five days ago, Azerbaijan fully secured its sovereignty. Whereas three years ago, as a result of the second Karabakh war, we ended the occupation, and on April 23 of this year we fully restored our territorial integrity by establishing a border checkpoint on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border in the direction of Lachin, five days ago we fully restored our sovereignty. As a result of the anti-terror measures carried out within 24 hours, actually even less than that, the Armenian army illegally stationed in the territory of Azerbaijan surrendered, accepted our conditions, and thus Azerbaijan fully secured its state sovereignty.
Although five days have passed, humanitarian aid has already started coming in from Azerbaijan to its Karabakh region and its ethnic Armenian population. Fuel, oil, diesel, gasoline, food, medicines and other humanitarian aid are being provided, and this once again shows that people living in the Karabakh region are citizens of Azerbaijan regardless of their ethnicity. Their security and rights will be ensured by the state of Azerbaijan.
A few days ago, a meeting was held between the representatives of the ethnic Armenians of Karabakh and representatives of the state bodies of Azerbaijan in the city of Yevlakh. A second meeting is being held today, the results of which I have not yet been informed about. However, I am sure that the process of integration of the Armenian population of Karabakh into Azerbaijani society will be successful.
My dear brother, when this incident happened, you were in America, in New York, attending a session of the UN General Assembly, and there, from the highest lectern in the world, you made statements expressing the interests of the state of Azerbaijan. You made fair statements, you made statements based entirely on international law: Karabakh is the land of Azerbaijan. This is both true and at the same time fully consistent with international law. At the same time, it is yet another fraternal step shown by Türkiye. During the second Karabakh war, you and the entire Turkish people were with us. In the first hours of the war, your words “Azerbaijan is not alone, Türkiye is with Azerbaijan” were a serious signal and message for many. The people of Azerbaijan have never and will never forget that political and moral support.
Two years ago, in the city of Shusha, which was liberated after a long occupation, the Shusha Declaration, a declaration of alliance, raised our relations to a new level. Today, these relations are at their highest, and we are now experiencing a very active period of our relations in all directions. We laid the foundation of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline today. At one time, we laid the foundation of the TANAP project together, we inaugurated the TANAP pipeline, and today we are starting work on the construction of a gas pipeline from Türkiye to Nakhchivan, which is a part of Azerbaijan. The signing of the Protocol of Intent on the construction of the Kars-Nakhchivan railway is also a historic event. I am sure that this project will be successfully implemented and serve Azerbaijan, Türkiye and other countries as a component of the Middle Corridor.
At the same time, we have exchanged ideas regarding the expansion of the potential of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, and I informed you that the capacity of this railway will be increased from 1 million tons to 5 million tons in the coming months. The construction of the railway connecting Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan and Türkiye is also progressing successfully. The work in the territory of Azerbaijan will most likely be completed by the end of next year. In other words, all these historic projects show again how interconnected and close our countries are. By supporting each other, we also channel regional issues in the right direction. So, it is our common interest that there should be peace and tranquility in the region, there should be no wars, and the territorial integrity of countries should be ensured. Your support for Azerbaijan during the second Karabakh war, before and after, is an important factor in achieving this goal.
We are living in truly historic moments, days and years for Azerbaijan. The second Karabakh war, our historic Victory, the restoration of our sovereignty as a result of a successful operation five days ago are historic events, and we are rightly proud of them.
Important steps have been taken in all directions, including those to increase our turnover. Our turnover last year was more than 6 billion dollars, but it has increased by 40 percent in seven months of this year, and I am sure it will increase even more. It is true that the target is measured in high numbers. Some time ago, we aimed for a turnover of 15 billion dollars. At that time, the turnover was at about 2 billion dollars, but now it exceeds 6 billion dollars. We will probably reach it in the near future. A preferential trade agreement has also been signed, and the number of products on that list is also increasing. Therefore, I am sure that we will successfully achieve this.
My dear brother and distinguished guests, I sincerely welcome you to Nakhchivan again. I would like to once again express the immense love and affection of the Azerbaijani people for you. I wish you and the brotherly people of Türkiye continued successes and new victories. Thank you.
x x x
Then the President of Türkiye made a statement.
Statement by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
– Dear Mr. President, my dear Brother.
Ladies, gentlemen.
Dear representatives of the media!
I greet you with the most sincere feelings on behalf of myself and my delegation.
After the presidential elections, I made my first trip to Baku and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in June. This time, I am very pleased to be together with you in Nakhchivan, which connects Türkiye with the Turkic world. I am proud to observe the progress achieved by Nakhchivan since my last visit in 2008. On the 100th anniversary of his birth, I pay tribute to Heydar Aliyev, the National Leader of Azerbaijan, who played a tremendous role in enabling Nakhchivan to reach its current level.
Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are at an exceptional level that is unparalleled in the world. Within the framework of the motto “One nation, two states”, we continue our activities to strengthen our relations and cooperation in all fields. The Shusha Declaration I signed together with my brother Ilham has been a turning point that raised our relations to the level of alliance. Nakhchivan has a special place in our relations with Azerbaijan due to its strategic importance throughout history. Today, Nakhchivan has great potential in terms of economy, transport and energy lines. Together with the creation of regional transport lines, we will have the opportunity to fully unlock this potential.
The importance of the International East-West Middle Corridor passing through the Caspian Sea has been better understood as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the wars in our region. In this regard, the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline project, which we laid the foundation of a little while ago, will further deepen our partnership with Azerbaijan in the field of energy and also contribute to European energy security. In addition to the Kars-Nakhchivan railway project, contracts for residential buildings and electricity were signed a little earlier. Thus, we have once again expressed our determination to develop our relations in the fields of transport, logistics and energy.
On behalf of myself and my nation, I would like to thank our Azerbaijani brothers for their strong support in healing the wounds of the February 6 earthquakes. We will never forget the sincerity of our brothers who loaded their belongings on their cars and set off to help our nation.
After our press statements, we will inaugurate the military restoration and production complex, which we have modernized. This project will also make significant contributions to our cooperation in the field of defense industry.
Dear representatives of the media, critical processes took place in our region in recent days. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan could not find the necessary response to its legitimate and justified concerns, which it had been repeatedly expressing in the last three years after the second Karabakh war. As a result, it was forced to implement anti-terror measures in its sovereign territories. It was a source of pride for us that these measures were successfully completed in an extremely short time, with great care for the rights of civilians. I pray for Allah’s mercy on our brothers who were martyred during the events and extend my condolences to their relatives. I wish speedy recovery to our wounded.
We were lucky enough to see this prayer by the late Huseyn Javid, a prominent poet of Nakhchivan and a close friend of Mehmet Akif, being accepted a century ago:
Our country was spared from all troubles,
Long live our glorious army…
I heartily congratulate the victorious Azerbaijan Army on the occasion of both its historic victory and its humane treatment of civilians. Our Azerbaijani brothers have once again shown the justice and mercy characteristic of Turks to the whole world.
Following the recent victory, new windows of opportunity have been opened for comprehensive normalization of the situation in the region. I believe this opportunity must be appreciated. We expect Armenia to accept the hand of peace extended to it and be sincere. As I always emphasize, there are no losers in peace. The creation of peace, stability and prosperity in our region is our duty to our people. We are determined to fulfill this duty and we are sincere. We want the other side to show the same sincerity.
With these thoughts, I once again express my satisfaction to be visiting Azerbaijan. I once again thank the President and my dear brother Ilham Aliyev and all our Azerbaijani brothers for the hospitality shown to me and my delegation. May Allah make our love and brotherhood permanent. Thank you.
