Azerbaijan taps former oil industry leader to head this year's climate talks

Azerbaijan has selected its minister of ecology — a former state oil executive — to helm the United Nations climate talks later this year, in a move that stands to fuel debate about the oil and gas industry's role in international negotiations aimed at reducing fossil fuel use. Mukhtar Babayev worked for the country’s state-owned oil company SOCAR for nearly 25 years before...

Read More

Ramaswamy wants the US out of NATO

Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has told multiple people he would withdraw the U.S. from NATO as president, the furthest anyone vying for the Oval Office has gone on the idea of ending America’s role in the alliance. The remarks made to different groups experts and supporters, detailed to POLITICO by three people familiar with his comments, signal NATO’s days may be...

Read More

Florida attorney and Dem fundraiser John Morgan floats potential run for governor

Prominent Florida trial attorney John Morgan, known as the godfather of Florida’s medical marijuana amendment and a Democratic fundraiser, may add another title to his résumé: Florida governor. Morgan this week teased a potential 2026 run on social media, saying “maybe I should run for Governor… as an Independent” in response to a recent story about Gov. Ron DeSantis touting...

Read More

Eric Adams sues for $700 million from Texas bus companies in latest move against Gov. Abbott

NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams is suing 17 Texas charter bus companies in his latest move to thwart Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's policy of busing thousands of migrants from his state's border to New York City. The lawsuit seeks $708 million to cover the costs of caring for migrants transported to the city, the mayor said. “New York City has and will always do our part to manage...

Read More

Kirby: Russia used North Korean missiles in Ukraine

Russia recently used North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine and is seeking Iranian missiles, a top White House official said Thursday. "Our information indicates that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea recently provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles. On Dec. 30, 2023, Russian forces launched at least one of these North Korean...

Read More

‘The grassroots have left DeSantis’: Trump crushes Florida governor in Miami-Dade GOP straw poll

MIAMI — Donald Trump trounced Ron DeSantis in the Florida governor’s home state. Again. Miami-Dade County Republicans overwhelmingly chose Trump over DeSantis to be their presidential nominee in a straw poll the party’s executive committee held this week. Of 65 party members who met in Miami Wednesday night, 53 votes went for Trump. Only five voted for DeSantis. “[Trump]...

Read More

New Jersey considered $5 million to handle migrant influx but didn't follow through, records show

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration considered setting aside $5 million in federal Covid-19 aid for a “rapid response plan” for migrants coming into the state from the southern border last summer but the plan never came to fruition, according to records and his office. That proposal, mentioned in a June application to use relief funds and obtained by POLITICO through...

Read More