Kerry arrives in Brussels to show solidarity, offer assistanceMarch 25, 2016 - 13:18 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Brussels on Friday, March 25, to show solidarity and offer U.S. assistance after Tuesday's Islamic State-claimed bombings which killed 31 people and injured about 270. Kerry, traveling from Moscow, landed at Brussels airport where one of Tuesday's attacks occurred. He will meet with Belgian officials including Prime Minister Charles Michel and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, as well as EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Before departing, he will lay a wreath at the site of the airport attack. Two government ministers offered to step down over security lapses that have drawn international criticism of an apparent reluctance to tackle Islamist radicals effectively, but Prime Minister Charles Michel rejected their resignations. Kerry will repeat a U.S. offer to help with the investigation and efforts to fight terrorism. Brussels is a large diplomatic and military base for Americans working at U.S. missions in the city as well as at the European Union and NATO. About a dozen Americans were among those hurt in the attacks, although it is not clear if any were killed. The attacks came four months after Islamic State militants carried out bombings and shootings in Paris that killed 130 people. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |