WUF13 in Baku highlights public-private cooperation on sustainable urban development
The World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13) in Baku has placed a strong emphasis on strengthening cooperation between the pub...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday (February 3) one day after the U.S. and India signed a trade deal.
The meeting followed an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that the agreement would reduce tariffs to 18% from 50% in exchange for India halting Russian oil purchases and easing trade barriers.
Trump said the deal also increased Indian imports of U.S. energy, coal, technology and agricultural products, describing it as the first stage of a broader agreement to be negotiated later.
According to the U.S. State Department, Rubio and Jaishankar discussed formalising cooperation on the exploration, mining and processing of critical minerals.
The talks were held ahead of the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, which Rubio is set to host at the State Department on Wednesday (4 February).
Delegations from more than 50 countries are expected to attend, with the aim of strengthening and diversifying global critical minerals supply chains.
During the meeting, both officials welcomed the trade agreement reached between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They underscored the importance of working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance shared energy security goals, according to the State Department.
Rubio and Jaishankar also reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation through the Quad grouping - comprising of the United States, Japan, Australia and India, and noted that a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains central to their shared interests.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have agreed to resume daily passenger train services on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route from 26 May, 2026, marking a major step in restoring regional rail connectivity after services were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green housing, smart cities, public spaces and urban rights taking place on Wednesday (20 May) at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya warned on Tuesday (19 May) that Moscow could retaliate against Baltic states if Ukraine launches military drones from that region. Latvia, the United States and Ukraine responded strongly during a UN Security Council meeting.
Russia is considering the possibility of joint projects with the United States and China, Kirill Dmitriev, Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, (Russia's sovereign wealth fund), was quoted as saying by state media on Wednesday.
FormeFormer Cuban President Raúl Castro has been indicted in the United States, according to a senior Trump administration official. The move marks a significant escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Cuba’s communist leadership.
The red carpet had barely been rolled up after Donald Trump’s departure before Beijing was laying it out again. Vladimir Putin arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday for talks with Xi Jinping, just days after Trump’s own high-profile visit.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed Türkiye-EU relations and rising Middle East tensions during a phone call on Tuesday.
The visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to China, just days after U.S. President Donald Trump left Beijing, has highlighted intensifying great-power signalling amid a rapidly fragmenting global order.
The European Union has moved closer to implementing tariff cuts under last year’s U.S. trade agreement after negotiators agreed on a provisional legislative text.
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