Category: Azer News

A transition in Venezuela following the US capture of President Nicolas Maduro must be peaceful and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people, Anadolu Agency reported citing France’s president, Azernews reports.

“The upcoming transition must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people,” Emmanuel Macron wrote on the US social media company X, accusing Maduro of “trampling on fundamental freedoms.”

Saying that Maduro “gravely undermined” the dignity of his own people,” he added that the Venezuelan people can only rejoice after Maduro’s capture by the US.

Macron said he hopes opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia swiftly ensures this transition.

“I am currently exchanging with our partners in the region. France is fully mobilized and vigilant, including to ensure the safety of its nationals during these uncertain times,” he added.

US President Donald Trump later confirmed a “large scale” strike, adding that President Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country.”

The attacks came after months of growing US pressure on Maduro, who Washington accuses of being involved in drug trafficking. The Venezuelan leader had denied the claims and voiced readiness for talks.

The UK and France have carried out a joint airstrike on an underground ISIS (Daesh) facility in central Syria, according to a statement from the British government on Saturday, Azernews reports citing Anadolu.

British Defense Secretary John Healey described the strike as part of ongoing efforts to prevent Daesh from rebuilding its capabilities and spreading what he called its ‘dangerous and violent ideologies.’

‘This action shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East,’ he said in a statement.

‘This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our Armed Forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad,’ he added.

The UK Defense Ministry said Royal Air Force aircraft had been conducting routine patrols over Syria to prevent any resurgence of the group following its military defeat in 2019.

‘Careful intelligence analysis identified an underground facility in the mountains some miles north of the ancient site of Palmyra. This facility had been occupied by Daesh, most likely to store weapons and explosives. The area around the facility is devoid of any civilian habitation,’ the statement said.

‘RAF Typhoon FGR4s, supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker, therefore joined French aircraft in a joint strike on the underground facility on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 3,’ it noted.

‘Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility; whilst detailed assessment is now underway, initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully. There is no indication of any risk having been posed to civilians by the strike, and all our aircraft returned safely,’ the statement concluded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed sanctions on 95 individuals and 70 legal entities, most of whom are Russian citizens and residents.

According to Azernews, citing the RBK-Ukraine Telegram channel, the decision was approved by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The restrictions target companies and executives linked to the Russian military-industrial complex.

The sanctions apply in particular to entities operating in communications, radio-electronic warfare, microelectronics, as well as the chemical, metallurgical, mining, and fuel and energy sectors.

‘The purpose of these sanctions is to complicate the activities of the Russian military-industrial complex and limit the production of weapons for the war against Ukraine,’ the report said.

Ukraine is also working to synchronize these measures with its international partners. Some of the restrictions may be incorporated into the European Union’s upcoming twentieth package of sanctions.

Developments in Venezuela, where the United States is reportedly conducting a special operation targeting President Nicolas Maduro, could push global oil prices higher, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.

According to Azernews, Orban made the remarks in a post on his Facebook page, noting that the Hungarian government had already held urgent consultations with the country’s energy companies.

‘We have consulted with key players in the energy sector to protect the country from the consequences of the Venezuelan crisis that could lead to a rise in oil prices. The Hungarian government is working on this,’ Orban wrote.

The prime minister avoided commenting on the political aspects of the US operation in Venezuela, adding that no Hungarian citizens were harmed in the course of the events.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a U.S. delegation on January 4, Azernews reports.

The delegation included Markwayne Mullin, a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Republican Senator from Oklahoma; Jason Smith, a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means, Republican from Missouri; Ronny Jackson, a member of the House of Representatives, Republican from Texas; and Jimmy Panetta, a member of the House of Representatives and House Committee on Ways and Means; Democrat from California.

Expressing their gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the reception, the delegates said that the development processes they witnessed in Baku made a deep impression on them.

The delegates conveyed their congratulations to the head of state on the achievements attained in Washington regarding the advancement of the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the congratulations.

Describing the agreements reached as historic, the head of state particularly emphasized U.S. President Donald Trump’s role in this matter. President Ilham Aliyev underscored that Azerbaijan would continue its efforts to advance the regional peace agenda. Noting that trade relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have already been established, the head of state emphasized that Azerbaijani oil products are exported to Armenia, adding that wheat from Kazakhstan and Russia is exported to Armenia via the territory of Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev expressed his hope that the TRIPP corridor would create new opportunities in terms of regional transport connectivity.

The head of state said that the unjust Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act does not correspond to the essence of the current development of relations between the two countries. President Ilham Aliyev hailed the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend the enforcement of Section 907, expressing hope that members of Congress would continue their efforts to completely abolish it.

During the meeting, the sides hailed the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the U.S., noting that there are ample opportunities for expanding cooperation in political, economic, energy, defense and defense industry, education, information technologies, artificial intelligence and other domains.

They also exchanged views on the prospects for cooperation between the two countries’ legislative authorities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed sanctions on 95 individuals and 70 legal entities, most of whom are Russian citizens and residents.

According to Azernews, citing the RBK-Ukraine Telegram channel, the decision was approved by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The restrictions target companies and executives linked to the Russian military-industrial complex.

The sanctions apply in particular to entities operating in communications, radio-electronic warfare, microelectronics, as well as the chemical, metallurgical, mining, and fuel and energy sectors.

‘The purpose of these sanctions is to complicate the activities of the Russian military-industrial complex and limit the production of weapons for the war against Ukraine,’ the report said.

Ukraine is also working to synchronize these measures with its international partners. Some of the restrictions may be incorporated into the European Union’s upcoming twentieth package of sanctions.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Saturday that while Spain did not recognise Nicolas Maduro’s government, it will also not recognise the US military intervention in Venezuela, arguing it violates international law and threatens regional stability, Azernews reports.

“Spain did not recognise Maduro’s regime. But neither will it recognise an intervention that violates international law and pushes the region towards a future of uncertainty and warmongering,” Sanchez said on X.

He also called for de-escalation and dialogue to resolve the crisis.

A transition in Venezuela following the US capture of President Nicolas Maduro must be peaceful and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people, Anadolu Agency reported citing France’s president, Azernews reports.

“The upcoming transition must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people,” Emmanuel Macron wrote on the US social media company X, accusing Maduro of “trampling on fundamental freedoms.”

Saying that Maduro “gravely undermined” the dignity of his own people,” he added that the Venezuelan people can only rejoice after Maduro’s capture by the US.

Macron said he hopes opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia swiftly ensures this transition.

“I am currently exchanging with our partners in the region. France is fully mobilized and vigilant, including to ensure the safety of its nationals during these uncertain times,” he added.

US President Donald Trump later confirmed a “large scale” strike, adding that President Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country.”

The attacks came after months of growing US pressure on Maduro, who Washington accuses of being involved in drug trafficking. The Venezuelan leader had denied the claims and voiced readiness for talks.

Former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will face criminal prosecution following an indictment issued in New York, the U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said.

Azernews reports that Bondi announced the development in a post on the social media platform X, stating that Maduro and Flores would be held criminally liable in connection with the charges brought against them in New York.

In her post, Bondi emphasized that the couple would soon face ‘the full force of American justice’ on U.S. soil and in American courts.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been detained and removed from the country. Trump said the United States had carried out a ‘successful large-scale operation’ against Venezuela and its leader.

A state of emergency has been declared in Venezuela, according to an official statement from the country’s authorities, Azernews reports, citing international media outlets.

The corresponding decree was signed by President Nicolás Maduro.

According to Venezuela’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Maduro has ordered the implementation of the decree to ensure the protection of citizens’ rights, guarantee the full functioning of republican institutions, and enable an immediate transition to armed response measures across the country.

Earlier on Saturday morning, residents of Caracas reported hearing loud explosions, the roar of aircraft flying overhead, and observing at least one column of smoke rising into the air.

Witnesses also said that power outages were recorded in the southern part of the capital, near a major military base, adding to concerns over the rapidly deteriorating security situation.