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Baku has ordered the suspension of the BBC News Azerbaijani office, allowing only one journalist to remain active in the country, the BBC said on Feb. 20.
The British broadcaster confirmed that it had taken the "reluctant decision" to close the office following verbal instructions from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
Azerbaijani authorities did not disclose reasons for the decisions but said their steps are always "guided by the principle of reciprocity in all its decisions and relations with the media of foreign countries."
Observers have pointed to deteriorating freedom of the press in the South Caucasus state, which Reporters Without Borders ranked 164th out of 180 countries last year.
"We deeply regret this restrictive move against press freedom, which will hinder our ability to report to and from Azerbaijan for our audiences inside and outside the country," the BBC said in a statement.
The BBC News Azerbaijani has been in operation since 1994, providing Azerbaijani-language news to roughly 1 million people weekly via radio and online platforms, the news agency said.
How Ukraine should deal with Trump, according to Ukrainians
Despite a long history of controversial and bombastic statements, U.S. President Donald Trump still managed to stun those watching this week by calling President Volodymyr Zelesnky a “dictator” and blaming Ukraine for Russia’s full-scale invasion. Trump’s comments were the latest example of increas…
The Kyiv IndependentChris York
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12:03 PM
Ukrainian edtech company Headway joins global entrepreneur network Endeavor.
The selection marks a milestone for Ukraine's tech sector, coming during the third year of Russia's full-scale invasion and following Endeavor's launch in the country in October 2024.
11:37 AM
Russia wants to declare 'victory' over Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukrainian intel claims.
According to the Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia aims to sow despair among Ukrainians, destabilize the situation in the country, and discredit Ukraine among its allies.
11:28 AM
Azerbaijan suspends local BBC News office.
The British broadcaster confirmed that it had taken the "reluctant decision" to close the office following verbal instructions from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
10:48 AM
UK, Norway discuss Arctic defense pact over Russian threat.
"With Russia continuing to militarise the High North and Arctic, this new agreement will boost security for the U.K., Norway, and our NATO allies, bolstering defenses on NATO’s northern flank," the British government said in a statement.
10:27 AM
Trump-Putin meeting depends on progress on ending war, Rubio says.
"The only way is to test them (Russia), to basically engage them and say, okay, are you serious about ending the war, and if so, what are your demands. Are your public demands and your private demands different?" U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "It may turn out that they don’t want to end the war."
9:51 AM
Ukraine launching faster drone supply model for military.
According to the new model, military units will be able to choose the unmanned systems best suited to their needs. The system also aims to support manufacturers through advance orders, allowing them to plan for scaling up their production.
9:09 AM
12 killed, 6 injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over past day.
Russia launched 160 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Eighty-seven drones were shot down, while 70 were lost without causing damage, according to the statement.
8:59 AM
'No appetite' for new Ukraine aid bill, US House speaker says.
"We have to bring (the war) to an end. And I can tell you that our European allies understand the necessity as well. It's (dragged) on too long," U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
8:08 AM
General Staff: Russia has lost 864,860 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.
This number includes 1,280 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
7:46 AM
Europe needs 'massive defense plan,' US 'can't be weak' with Putin, Macron says.
Europe is not likely to form a common army, Macron clarified, but can work to create joint defense capabilities and autonomy from the U.S.
7:02 AM
China backs US-Russia 'consensus' on Ukraine war.
Beijing is prepared "to play a constructive role in the political settlement of the crisis," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement during the G20 foreign ministers meeting.
6:08 AM
Tusk proposes 3-point plan to strengthen Ukraine, European security.
The EU must fund Ukraine with frozen Russian assets, strengthen borders, and boost defense spending, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Feb. 20.
4:54 AM
US, Russian participants held unofficial talks on Ukraine in Switzerland, Reuters reports.
The informal meetings were described as "track two meetings," a type of unofficial diplomacy meant to lower tension, three unnamed sources told Reuters.
4:20 AM
Meeting with Kellogg 'restores hope,' Zelensky says.
"A meeting that restores hope, and we need strong agreements with America — agreements that will really work," President Volodymyr Zelensky said after meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg.
2:34 AM
UK’s Lammy sees no Russian willingness for peace at G20 meeting.
In his speech, released by the U.K. Foreign Office, David Lammy accused Russia of engaging in "Tsarist imperialism" and failing to learn from historical colonial wars.
12:17 AM
Russian hackers target Signal accounts in growing espionage effort.
Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has identified a rise in Russian state-backed hacking attempts to compromise Signal messenger accounts.
10:45 PM
Trump administration presents 'improved' minerals draft to Ukraine after Zelensky's rejection, Axios reports.
"This is a negotiation. And in a negotiation, you negotiate. Ukraine wants to negotiate minerals, so we're talking about it," a White House official was quoted as saying.
9:41 PM
Moscow demanded NATO withdrawal from eastern Europe during US-Russia talks, FT reports.
The U.S. delegation reportedly rejected the demand, but concerns remain over what concessions President Donald Trump might consider to secure a deal on ending war with Russia.
9:39 PM
8:21 PM
Zelensky-Kellogg meeting ends with no joint statements at US request, spokesperson says.
The meeting in Kyiv was expected to be followed by a press briefing, but Washington requested that no joint statements be made, Zelensky's spokesperson, Serhii Nykyforov, told reporters.
8:04 PM
Ukraine needs to 'tone it down,' sign US minerals deal, Waltz says.
"They need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal," U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told Fox News.
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