Joe Biden-Vladimir Putin summit: US president tells Russian leader he will always raise issues of 'fundamental human rights' including Navalny - Sky News

US President Joe Biden says he told Russia's leader Vladimir Putin that he will always raise issues of "fundamental human rights", including jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

It comes after around four hours of talks between the two leaders in Switzerland - far less time than Mr Biden's advisers had said they expected.

Speaking at a news conference afterwards, Mr Biden said "human rights will always be on the table".

Mr Biden told reporters "I did what I came here to do" and said the summit was "good", adding the "last thing he (Putin) wants now is a Cold War" but the Russian leader "is not ready to lay down his arms".

He said a new Cold War is in "nobody's interest".

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Mr Biden said he told his Russian counterpart that "no US president could keep faith with the American people if they did not defend democratic values".

He said the US-Russia relationship must be stable and predictable and he and Mr Putin share a unique responsibility.

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Image: Mr Putin said the conversation was 'constructive'

Mr Biden also said he thought there was a "genuine prospect to significantly improve relations between the countries without us giving up a single thing based on principle and values".

The US president added the two leaders spent a great deal of time on cyber security and he told Mr Putin that critical infrastructure should be off-limits for attacks.

And he said both men agreed to work to ensure Iran does not get nuclear weapons.

Mr Putin earlier told a news briefing that there was no hostility during his meeting with Mr Biden and the summit was constructive.

Mr Putin said he saw a "glimpse of hope" for mutual trust with the US, describing the discussions also as pragmatic and fruitful.

In one of the main developments, he said he and Mr Biden have agreed to return their ambassadors to their respective posts in each other's capitals in an attempt to lower tensions.

• Mr Putin also accused US of cyberattacks against Russia

• Russian leader said Mr Navalny got what he deserved and defended jail sentence

• Mr Putin acknowledged Mr Biden raised human rights issues with him

• Russian leader deflected questions about mistreatment of Russian opposition leaders by highlighting US domestic turmoil, including Black Lives Matter protests and 6 January Capitol insurrection

• Mr Putin accused Ukraine of breaking terms of ceasefire agreement

• He said Moscow and Washington will resume arms control talks

During recent months, both nations had pulled back their top envoys to Washington and Moscow as relations chilled.

Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, was recalled from Washington about three months ago after Mr Biden called Mr Putin a killer.

And America's ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, left Moscow nearly two months ago, after Russia suggested he return to Washington for consultations. Mr Putin said the top diplomats were expected to return to their posts in the coming days.

Mr Putin said: "Our assessment of many issues differ, but in my view both sides demonstrated the desire to understand each other and looks for ways to get closer."

The conversation was constructive, he went on, describing his counterpart as a "very experienced partner".

But he cautioned there was "no friendship" as both leaders were defending the interests of their countries, adding: "I have no illusions about the US."

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Putin and Biden meet in Geneva

Prior to the summit, Mr Biden, who instigated the talks, has repeatedly called out Mr Putin for malicious cyberattacks allegedly by Russian-based hackers on US interests.

But Mr Putin hit back, saying at the news conference that cyberattacks on Russia are coming from the US.

He said he and Mr Biden have agreed to start consultations on cybersecurity, while he continued to deny US allegations the Russian government was behind a spate of recent high-profile hacks against American agencies.

Mr Biden has also criticised Mr Putin for a disregard for democracy with the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and alleged interference in American elections.

On the Navalny issue, Mr Putin said the opposition leader knew he would be detained when he returned to Russia from Germany but came anyway. And he said he got what he deserved when he was handed a prison sentence.

The novichok poisoning of Mr Navalny was blamed on the Kremlin, which it denies.

At the news conference, Mr Putin batted away a question about his crackdown on political rivals by changing the subject to what he said was disorder in America around the storming of the US Capitol and Black Lives Matter.

Mr Putin said he did not want to see riots in Russia or a movement akin to BLM.

He said: "What we saw was disorder, disruption, violations of the law, etc. We feel sympathy for the United States of America, but we don't want that to happen on our territory and well do our utmost in order to not allow it to happen."

Mr Putin also accused Kiev of breaking the terms of a ceasefire agreement with pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.

And he said there was nothing of substance to discuss about Ukraine's possible membership in NATO.

He also said Moscow and Washington will resume arms control talks.

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Biden: Putin is a worthy adversary

The two men have had face-to-face discussions at a villa on the shores of Lake Geneva.

The first round of talks involved both leaders, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a pair of translators.

A second session involved other senior officials on both sides.

President Biden gave a thumbs up as he left the villa and then entered his limousine, TV footage showed.

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Russia's View: Exclusive interview with Putin

Opening the talks earlier, Mr Putin said he hoped for a "productive" meeting, while Mr Biden called it a discussion between "two great powers" and insisted "it is always better to meet face to face".

As they appeared together for the first time since 2011, both men appeared to avoid looking directly at the other during a brief and chaotic photocall before jostling reporters and photographers.

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2021-06-16 17:37:06Z
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Joe Biden-Vladimir Putin summit: US president tells Russian leader 'human rights is always going to be on the table' - Sky News

US President Joe Biden says he told Russia's leader Vladimir Putin that "human rights is always going to be on the table".

It comes after around four hours of talks between the two leaders in Switzerland - far less time than Mr Biden's advisers had said they expected.

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Biden said he will continue to raise issues of fundamental human rights, including the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Mr Biden told reporters "I did what I came here to do" and said the summit was "good", adding the "last thing he (Putin) wants now is a Cold War" but the Russian leader "is not ready to lay down his arms".

He said the US-Russia relationship must be stable and predictable and he and Mr Putin share a unique responsibility.

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Image: Mr Putin said the conversation was 'constructive'

Mr Biden said he told his Russian counterpart that no US president could keep faith with the American people if they did not defend democratic values.

Mr Biden also said he thought there was "genuine prospect to significantly improve relations between the countries without us giving up single thing based on principle and values".

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Mr Putin earlier told a news briefing that there was no hostility during his meeting with Mr Biden and the summit was constructive.

Mr Putin said he saw a "glimpse of hope" for mutual trust with the US, describing the discussions also as pragmatic and fruitful.

In one of the main developments, he said he and Mr Biden have agreed to return their ambassadors to their respective posts in each other's capitals in an attempt to lower tensions.

• Mr Putin also accused US of cyberattacks against Russia

• Russian leader said Mr Navalny got what he deserved and defended jail sentence

• Mr Putin acknowledged Mr Biden raised human rights issues with him

• Russian leader deflected questions about mistreatment of Russian opposition leaders by highlighting US domestic turmoil, including Black Lives Matter protests and 6 January Capitol insurrection

• Mr Putin accused Ukraine of breaking terms of ceasefire agreement

• He said Moscow and Washington will resume arms control talks

During recent months, both nations had pulled back their top envoys to Washington and Moscow as relations chilled.

Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, was recalled from Washington about three months ago after Mr Biden called Mr Putin a killer.

And America's ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, left Moscow nearly two months ago, after Russia suggested he return to Washington for consultations. Mr Putin said the top diplomats were expected to return to their posts in the coming days.

Mr Putin said: "Our assessment of many issues differ, but in my view both sides demonstrated the desire to understand each other and looks for ways to get closer."

The conversation was constructive, he went on, describing his counterpart as a "very experienced partner".

But he cautioned there was "no friendship" as both leaders were defending the interests of their countries, adding: "I have no illusions about the US."

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Putin and Biden meet in Geneva

Prior to the summit, Mr Biden, who instigated the talks, has repeatedly called out Mr Putin for malicious cyberattacks allegedly by Russian-based hackers on US interests.

But Mr Putin hit back, saying at the news conference that cyberattacks on Russia are coming from the US.

He said he and Mr Biden have agreed to start consultations on cybersecurity, while he continued to deny US allegations the Russian government was behind a spate of recent high-profile hacks against American agencies.

Mr Biden has also criticised Mr Putin for a disregard for democracy with the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and alleged interference in American elections.

On the Navalny issue, Mr Putin said the opposition leader knew he would be detained when he returned to Russia from Germany but came anyway. And he said he got what he deserved when he was handed a prison sentence.

The novichok poisoning of Mr Navalny was blamed on the Kremlin, which it denies.

At the news conference, Mr Putin batted away a question about his crackdown on political rivals by changing the subject to what he said was disorder in America around the storming of the US Capitol and Black Lives Matter.

Mr Putin said he did not want to see riots in Russia or a movement akin to BLM.

He said: "What we saw was disorder, disruption, violations of the law, etc. We feel sympathy for the United States of America, but we don't want that to happen on our territory and well do our utmost in order to not allow it to happen."

Mr Putin also accused Kiev of breaking the terms of a ceasefire agreement with pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.

And he said there was nothing of substance to discuss about Ukraine's possible membership in NATO.

He also said Moscow and Washington will resume arms control talks.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Biden: Putin is a worthy adversary

The two men have had face-to-face discussions at a villa on the shores of Lake Geneva.

The first round of talks involved both leaders, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a pair of translators.

A second session involved other senior officials on both sides.

President Biden gave a thumbs up as he left the villa and then entered his limousine, TV footage showed.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Russia's View: Exclusive interview with Putin

Opening the talks earlier, Mr Putin said he hoped for a "productive" meeting, while Mr Biden called it a discussion between "two great powers" and insisted "it is always better to meet face to face".

As they appeared together for the first time since 2011, both men appeared to avoid looking directly at the other during a brief and chaotic photocall before jostling reporters and photographers.

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2021-06-16 17:15:00Z
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Italian cable car crash: New footage shows moments leading up to the disaster - Daily Mail

20 seconds from death: Footage shows moment Italian cable car shoots down the mountain then flies to its doom, killing 14 on board, after wire snaps with the cabin just a few feet from the top

• A video of the tragic accident that left 14 dead last month has been released
• It shows the cable car - carrying 15 passengers - flying back down the cables
• As it reaches a pylon, the carriage is seeing falling from the cable and out of view
• One person, five-year-old Eitan Biran, from Israel, miraculously survived
• At the end of May, all three people held over the disaster were released 

By Chris Jewers For Mailonline

Published: 16:24 BST, 16 June 2021 | Updated: 17:33 BST, 16 June 2021

Harrowing new video has emerged of the Italian cable car tragedy which killed 14 people last month showing how close the passengers were to safety before the cabin shot down a mountain to its doom.

The cable car was carrying the passengers up a mountain overlooking Lake Maggiore in the western Alps when it dropped 1,000ft away from the station shortly after 12pm on May 23.  

Together, the two new videos - recorded from inside and outside the mountain-side station and released by Italian media - show the 20 seconds of terror leading up to the fatal crash.

One of the videos shows the carriage was just feet away from arriving at the station, when the passengers would have been unaware they would never arrive.

Seconds later, a cable snaps, sending the car and the passengers inside careening back down the mountain while they were being brutally thrown around the cabin. 

The second video outside the station shows the car as it flew down the cables at 60mph, before ultimately crashing at the bottom, killing 14 onboard. There was just one survivor, five-year-old Eitan Biran, from Israel.

Seconds from disaster: A still grab from the harrowing video shows the moments leading up to the Italian cable car crash on May 23. The cabin is seen approaching the station while a worker prepares to greet the 15 sightseers onboard 

The carriage almost reaches the station, before it jerks backwards as a cable snaps and shoots back down the mountain. An engineer is seen standing still in disbelief, before running frantically around the station, unsure what to do about the unfolding disaster

The cable car is seen jerking backwards, causing the passengers inside to be thrown to the floor of the carriage, likely unaware of what was happening

The footage - which MailOnline has chosen not to use - first shows the cabin full of sightseers looking out of the window at the spectacular views of the Italian alps. 

But as the carriage nears the station, a cable snaps causing it to suddenly jerk backwards, beginning 20 seconds of terror for those inside. 

The passengers inside are thrown to the floor of the carriage as it begins to hurtle back down the cables.

Another angle shows how close the cable car got to arriving at its destination, before it started to slide back down the hill.

An engineer is shown in the station preparing for the arrival of the carriage when it slows, and a second later, lurches backwards, shooting away from the station. 

For a moment, the man stands still in disbelief, before running frantically around the station, unsure what to do about the unfolding disaster.  

In a matter of seconds, the carriage reaches a pylon on the hill holding the cables, where it can be seen flying off and falling out of view behind the crest of a hill where it crashed, killing 14 people onboard.  

The horrifying footage shows the cabin flying back down the cable at about 60mph before it crashed down to the ground 

In a matter of seconds, the carriage reaches a pylon holding the cables, where it can be seen falling from them and out of view behind the crest of a hill, where it crashed

Images from the crash site near the top of the Stresa-Mottarone line in the Piedmont region of the western Alps showed the crumpled car in a clearing of a thick patch of pine trees near the summit of the Mottarone peak overlooking Lake Maggiore, a popular tourist spot. 

May 23 was a sunny day in the area, and many families were taking advantage of the weather to enjoy a day out after lockdown.   

It is thought that 13 passengers were killed instantly, while two young children aged five and nine were airlifted to Turin's Regina Margherita children's hospital. 

Had the emergency brake worked, the car would have remained hanging on the supporting cable. Investigators are still trying to ascertain why the first cable broke. 

Only Eitan Biran, from Israel, miraculously survived the tragedy in the Alps, but his mother and father, younger brother and great-grandparents were all killed.  

Hospital spokesman Pier Paolo Berra said the other child died after several attempts to restart his heart failed and 'there was nothing more we could do'. 

The cable car was left a crumpled heap on the slopes of the mountain after it was sent crashing to the ground

Rescuers work by the wreckage of a cable car after it collapsed near the summit of the Stresa-Mottarone line in the Piedmont region, northern Italy, May 23, 2021

The accident was Italy's worst cable car disaster since 1998, when a low-flying US military jet cut through the cable of a ski lift in Cavalese in the Dolomites, killing 20.

Italy's government announced a commission to investigate the disaster, which is likely to ask questions about the quality and safety of Italy's transport infrastructure. 

In 2018, 43 people died when the Morandi bridge in Genoa collapsed following years of neglect. 

In 2009, a freight train carrying gas derailed at the Viareggio station near Lucca and exploded, killing 32 people. Poorly maintained axels of the train were blamed.

Graphic shows the cable car's route after the cable snapped as the car neared the station at the top of the mountain

The three men who were arrested over the cable car crash were released from jail at the end of May, after a judge found a 'total lack of evidence' against two of them.

Officials said that service manager Gabriele Tadini was put under house arrest, while technical director Enrico Perocchio and the head of the cable car operating company, Luigi Nerini, were released.

All three remain under investigation for suspected involuntary manslaughter and negligence over the tragedy.

In Italy, judges must approve continued detention of suspects and usually order pre-trial detention only under special circumstances, for example when the accused is a flight risk.

The three men were detained after Tadini admitted to investigators that he had deactivated an emergency brake system that could have prevented the crash.

He said he did it because the system was malfunctioning and had halted service several times, and insisted that he acted in agreement with the two other suspects.

But judge Donatella Banci Bonamici found a 'total lack of evidence against Nerini and Perocchio', according to a ruling quoted by the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

According to the judge, Tadini tried to shift some of the blame on his two superiors after acting 'with total disregard for human life, with bewildering carelessness'.

Tadini's lawyer Marcello Perillo said his client 'will have to face consequences' for his admission, adding that the extent to which the other two men had indeed being informed of his actions was yet to be established.

'There is no proof at present they were also responsible. They are people who should have known, but it's not clear if they did,' Perillo said.

Perocchio has claimed he had no idea that the brakes had been blocked. 'I've got 21 years of experience with lifts that use cables, I know that's something you don't ever, ever do,' Perocchio said, according to La Repubblica. 

Local media reported that none of the men were ruled to be a flight risk and there was no risk of evidence being tampered with. 

The three men were detained after Tadini (pictured) admitted to investigators that he had deactivated an emergency brake system that could have prevented the crash

Officials said that service manager Gabriele Tadini was put under house arrest, while technical director Enrico Perocchio (right) and the head of the cable car operating company, Luigi Nerini (left), were released. All three remain under investigation for suspected involuntary manslaughter and negligence over the tragedy

The accident left a five-year-old boy from an Israeli family who lived in Italy as the only survivor. He lost his parents, younger brother and great-grandparents.

After the crash, Eitan Biran was airlifted to a hospital in Turin in northwest Italy, where he was intubated and sedated and treated for multiple injuries.

He regained consciousness on the Thursday after the accident, and the hospital said the following Sunday that his condition was 'significantly improving', reporting that he had resumed eating 'soft and light food'. 

The accident left a five-year-old boy from an Israeli family who lived in Italy as the only survivor. He lost his parents, younger brother and great-grandparents. Pictured: Eitan Biran (in striped shirt) was the sole survivor of the crash. He is pictured here with his father Amit, mother Tal and brother Tom, who were killed

Alessandro Merlo and Silvia Malnati, 29 and 27, died in the tragedy. Friends said the couple had been engaged for 10 years and were planning to marry

Angelo Vito Gasparro, 45, wife Roberta Pistolato (together left and right), died when the cable car plunged 65ft during a trip to the mountains to celebrate Roberta's 40th birthday

Vittorio Zorloni and Elisabetta Persanini (together left, and Vittorio pictured right) were also killed in the accident, along with their five-year-old son Mattia. The couple were engaged and due to be married next month, Italian media reported

'At the moment the child remains in intensive care as a precaution,' with his aunt and grandmother assisting him, the hospital added.

Among the dead were Eitan's family - parents Tal, 26, and Amit, 30, brother Tom, 2, and great-grandparents Itshak and Barbara Cohen, 82 and 70 - Alessandro Merlo, 29, his fiance Silvia Malnati, 27; husband Angelo Vito Gasparro, 45, and wife Roberta Pistolato; Vittorio Zorloni, his fiancee Elisabetta Persanini, 38, and the couple's five-year-old son Mattia; and couple Serena Cosentino, 27, and Mohammadreza Shahaisavandi, 23.  

The Mottarone mountain served by the cable car is a popular tourist location, as it offers scenic views of Lake Maggiore and of the more distant Alps.

On the website of the cable car, it is advertised as 'one of Italy's most beautiful natural balconies'.

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2021-06-16 16:33:47Z
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Joe Biden-Vladimir Putin summit: Leaders agree to return ambassadors to posts in bid to lower tensions - Sky News

Russia's Vladimir Putin says there was no hostility during his meeting with US President Joe Biden and the tone was constructive.

It comes after around four hours of talks between the leaders at a summit in Switzerland - far less time than Mr Biden's advisers had said they expected.

Speaking at a news conference, President Putin said he and Mr Biden have agreed to return their ambassadors to their respective posts in an attempt to lower tensions.

During recent months, both nations had pulled back their top envoys to Washington and Moscow as relations chilled.

Image: Mr Putin said the conversation was 'constructive'

Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, was recalled from Washington about three months ago after Mr Biden called Mr Putin a killer.

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And America's ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, left Moscow nearly two months ago, after Russia suggested he return to Washington for consultations. Mr Putin said the top diplomats were expected to return to their posts in the coming days.

Mr Putin said: "Our assessment of many issues differ, but in my view both sides demonstrated the desire to understand each other and looks for ways to get closer."

More from World

The conversation was rather constructive, he went on, describing his counterpart as a "very experienced partner".

But he cautioned there was "no friendship" as both leaders were defending the interests of their countries and the dialogue was "pragmatic", adding: "I have no illusions about the US."

Prior to the summit, Mr Biden has repeatedly called out Mr Putin for malicious cyberattacks allegedly by Russian-based hackers on US interests.

But Mr Putin hit back, saying cyberattacks on Russia are coming from the US.

He said he and Mr Biden have agreed to start consultations on cybersecurity, while he continued to deny US allegations the Russian government was behind a spate of recent high-profile hacks against American agencies.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Putin and Biden meet in Geneva

Mr Biden has also criticised Mr Putin for a disregard for democracy with the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and alleged interference in American elections.

On the Navalny issue, Mr Putin said the opposition leader knew he would be detained when he returned to Russia from Germany but came anyway. And he said he got what he deserved when he was handed a prison sentence.

The novichok poisoning of Mr Navalny was blamed on the Kremlin, which it denies.

At the news conference, Mr Putin also said Moscow and Washington will resume arms control talks.

The two men have had face-to-face discussions at a villa on the shores of Lake Geneva.

The first round of talks involved both leaders, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a pair of translators.

A second session involved other senior officials on both sides.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Biden: Putin is a worthy adversary

President Biden gave a thumbs up as he left the villa and then entered his limousine, TV footage showed.

Opening the talks earlier, Mr Putin said he hoped for a "productive" meeting, while Mr Biden called it a discussion between "two great powers" and insisted "it is always better to meet face to face".

As they appeared together for the first time since 2011, both men appeared to avoid looking directly at the other during a brief and chaotic photocall before jostling reporters and photographers.

Mr Biden instigated the summit, and for months the two leaders have criticised each other.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Russia's View: Exclusive interview with Putin

Mr Putin has pointed to the US Capitol riot on 6 January to argue America has no business lecturing on democratic norms.

And he insisted the Russian government has not been involved in any election interference or cyberattacks despite US intelligence showing otherwise.

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2021-06-16 15:45:00Z
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Israeli PM Naftali Bennett orders fresh air strikes in Gaza Strip - Financial Times

Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett ordered fresh air strikes in the Gaza Strip overnight, after incendiary balloons launched by Palestinian militants Hamas provided an early test for the new premier.

The Hamas balloons came after Bennett’s government allowed rightwing settlers to march to the Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem on Tuesday to celebrate Israel’s conquest of the Holy City in the 1967 war. The number of balloons increased as social media carried images of Israeli police on horseback beating back Palestinian youths and throwing stun grenades to keep them hundreds of metres away from the right-wing settlers.

The retaliatory strikes by the three-day-old government were the first such attacks since an 11-day aerial bombardment last month. The Israeli military on Wednesday said it struck “military compounds and meeting sites” overnight. There were no casualties.

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and whose balloons caused small fires near the border, did not retaliate with rockets. This suggested that the ceasefire hammered out by Egypt, the US and the UN that ended the conflict in May was holding.

But the flare-up underscored the challenges Bennett inherited from ousted prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His predecessor had endorsed a policy of “quiet for quiet” with Hamas, responding to attacks with limited air strikes. This changed when the militants’ rockets reached deep inside Israel on May 10, triggering the recent conflict.

As education minister in a previous government, Bennett, an ultranationalist tech millionaire, had demanded the military shoot Palestinians lighting incendiary balloons. The balloons, carried into Israel by the sea breeze, start fires in Israel’s agricultural areas surrounding the Gaza Strip.

But Bennett is now in charge of an eight-party coalition, stretching from the far right to the left and reliant on votes from an Islamist Arab party that supports his government. He is also facing pressure from the right wing to prove his ultra-nationalist credentials with a harsher response, and to signal his independence from the Islamist Arab party that supports his government.

“For the first time in Israel, we have a minority Zionist government — it depends on its existence on a party that is part of the Muslim brotherhood just like Hamas,” said retired brigadier general Amir Avivi, who heads Habithonistim, a group of 2,000 former Israeli generals, officers and Mossad operatives that lobby for stronger military action. “If they are the ones who decide whether this government will exist or not, they have a huge political power — and we are worried about Israel’s national security.”

There is no indication that Bennett’s decision to attack was influenced by his coalition partners, and the limited air strikes in response to the balloons are part of an established “escalation ladder” that the Israeli military has followed for years.

Tuesday’s attacks came after the march by rightwing settlers, some screaming “Death to Arabs” and “Let your cities burn,” from West Jerusalem to East Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate. The Flag March was cancelled on May 10, after weeks of clashes between East Jerusalem Palestinians and Israeli police and just before Hamas fired a round of rockets towards Jerusalem to warn Israel to halt a series of planned expulsions of Arabs and the march. That volley triggered the recent conflict.

The rescheduled march had been re-routed to avoid the Muslim quarter of the old city of Jerusalem, a political decision by Bennett’s government and a concession to his coalition allies. A smaller number of settlers were allowed to approach the old city while Damascus Gate itself was closed to keep them from entering the deserted Muslim quarter.

For Netanyahu’s allies, the decision to change the route was a failure of Bennett’s government. “I personally don’t believe that we should be cancelling something because of threats from terrorists — it’s not like we are telling anybody in Gaza when and where to march,” said Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Jerusalem deputy mayor, who has championed more Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.

“All of this is ours,” said Orly Hasid, 50, who had travelled from the coast to join the march. “We won the war, so we own this city — the Muslims need to remember this.”

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2021-06-16 11:28:19Z
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Palestinian woman shot dead by Israeli troops near Jerusalem - Al Jazeera English

Mai Afanah, 29, from Abu Dis, was shot by Israeli forces and left bleeding at the scene, Palestinian media reported.

Israeli forces have shot a Palestinian woman dead allegedly for attempting to carry out a car-ramming attack northeast of Jerusalem, according to the Israeli army.

Palestinian media, which identified the victim as doctoral student Mai Afanah, 29, from Abu Dis, said she was shot and left bleeding at the scene of the incident on Wednesday.

A photo of martyr Mai Afanah, 29 years old, who was shot dead today by Israeli occupation forces near the village of Hizma in the occupied West Bank. pic.twitter.com/4DF7KVE0hd

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 16, 2021

A military statement said the woman attempted to ram her car into a group of Israeli soldiers before exiting the vehicle with a knife near the town of Hizma, northeast of Jerusalem.

An Israeli soldier was slightly wounded, according to Israeli media.

The Palestinian health ministry said the woman died of her wounds.

“The Palestinian civil liaison informed the health ministry of the death of a woman shot by [Israeli forces] in Hizma,” it said in a statement, citing the body that coordinates with Israel on military and civilian issues concerning the occupied West Bank.

Videos shared on social media showed an abandoned car that allegedly belonged to Afanah at the entrance to the town.

Palestinian media reported that no ambulance arrived at the scene after she was shot.

The vehicle which appears in this video belongs to a #Palestinian woman who was shot at and wounded by Israeli occupation soldiers today near the village of Hizma, northeast of Jerusalem. The Israeli occupation army claimed the woman hd attempted to run over soldiers. pic.twitter.com/BuAE7sciIL

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 16, 2021

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in recent months allegedly for attempting to carry out stabbing or car-ramming attacks.

Palestinian rights groups accuse Israeli forces of deliberately killing Palestinians who pose no risk to their lives or safety.

Rising tensions

Wednesday’s incident came amid rising tensions following a march in occupied East Jerusalem by Jewish nationalists marking Israel’s occupation of east Jerusalem in 1967. The march drew Palestinian condemnation and anger.

Israel also launched air raids on the Gaza Strip after incendiary balloons were sent into southern Israel from the besieged enclave.

There were no reports of casualties on either side following the overnight air raids, which came less than a month after Israel’s 11-day bombardment of Gaza in May that killed at least 256 Palestinians, including 66 children.

Rockets launched by Palestinian groups during the 11-day Israeli assault killed at least 12 people, including two children, in Israel. The escalation ended with an internationally brokered ceasefire on May 21.

Last Thursday, Israeli special forces killed a member of Islamic Jihad and two Palestinian security officers in an exchange of fire in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

Two Palestinians were killed in separate incidents on Friday and Saturday, the first in the occupied West Bank and the second at a military checkpoint near Jerusalem.

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2021-06-16 11:01:09Z
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Biden-Putin summit: US and Russian leaders set for tense Geneva talks - BBC News

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are preparing sit down for their first, highly-anticipated summit.

The talks in Geneva, Switzerland, come at a time when both sides describe relations as being at rock bottom.

Issues include arms control, sanctions and US allegations of Russian cyber-attacks and election interference.

No major breakthroughs are expected but there are hopes of finding small areas of agreement.

The arrangements for the meeting have been carefully choreographed, with the Russian president due to arrive first at a grand villa overlooking Lake Geneva where the summit is taking place, followed by Mr Biden.

• What do young Americans admire about Russia?
• What Putin really wants from Biden
• In pictures: A history of US-Russian summits

The meeting comes on the tail end of Mr Biden's first foreign trip as US president, in which he has also attended meetings with G7 and Nato leaders. Going into the summit, Mr Biden has stressed that he has the backing of his Western partners.

The choice of Geneva as the setting harks back to the Cold War summit between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985.

Getty Images

Neither the US nor Russia currently has an ambassador in-country, and Russia recently included the US on its official list of "unfriendly states".

However, Mr Biden has said the meeting is an important step if they are to ultimately find "stability and predictability" in relations, while Mr Putin told state TV there were "issues where we can work together".

But Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putin's foreign affairs adviser, told journalists there was "not much" ground for optimism.

Meanwhile, asked if the leaders - who previously met while Mr Biden was vice-president - would share a meal together, one senior US official told AFP news agency: "There will be no breaking of bread."

The US and Russian flags are out in Geneva, armed police in speed boats are patrolling the waterfront and a lakeside beach has been shut to sunbathers opposite the quietly stylish Swiss mansion that will host this summit.

It won't be a friendly affair: how could it be, when Joe Biden has called Vladimir Putin a killer and claims he has no soul? In return, Russian TV reports on the meeting today opened by praising the elderly US leader for making it down the stairs of his plane without falling.

There is plenty to discuss, and potentially cooperate on - from arms control to cybersecurity, the new battleground.

The US also has a long list of concerns to raise about Russia's "malign activity" abroad and human rights at home. Vladimir Putin will shrug them off - he has years of practice at that.

There are hints of possible progress in talks on the fate of US prisoners in Russia, including the former US marine Paul Whelan, convicted of espionage: Moscow has long been pushing for a swap for its own high-profile detainees in America.

A truce in the long-running "diplomatic war" is also possible, with ambassadors perhaps finally returning to their posts.

This encounter will produce no "reset" in relations, the hostility is here to stay. But it is a chance for the leaders of two nuclear powers to look each other in the eye again - to be frank - and to set out their respective stalls. At the very least, it's a chance to stop things getting any worse.

What are some of the big issues?

• Diplomacy: The two sides are expected to discuss the withdrawal of their ambassadors, who returned home amid the heightened tensions. The US has expelled dozens of Russian diplomats and shut down two compounds in recent years, while US missions in Russia are to be barred from employing locals, meaning dramatic cuts in services including visas
• Arms control: Officials also believe there could be common ground on arms control. In February, the countries extended their New Start nuclear arms control treaty. Russia wants this to be further extended
• Cyber-attacks: Mr Biden is expected to raise concerns over recent cyber-attacks that the US has linked to Russia-based hackers. Mr Putin has denied Russian involvement
• Elections: The issue of alleged Russian interference in US elections is also likely to come up. Again, Mr Putin denies this
• Prisoners: The families of two former US marines who are being held in Russian prisons have pressed for their release ahead of the summit. Asked if he would be willing to negotiate on a prisoner swap, Mr Putin told NBC News "of course"
• Navalny: The Russian side has called the alleged poisoning and imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny an internal political matter. But a senior US official told AP news agency there is "no issue that is off the table for the president"
• Ukraine: Relations with the US deteriorated when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014. There have been warnings this year of a build-up of Russian troops in Crimea and near Ukraine's border, sparking concerns of preparations for war. Mr Putin has also baulked recently at the idea of Ukrainian membership of Nato
• Syria: Mr Biden is expected to appeal to Russia not to close the only remaining UN aid corridor from Turkey into opposition-held northwest Syria. A vote on re-authorising the corridor will be held by the UN Security Council, where Russia - which supports Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad - has veto power

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2021-06-16 10:00:31Z
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