Category: Azer News

China has called on the United States and other G20 members to uphold ‘equal consultation’ after a meeting of the group’s finance ministers and central bank governors ended without a joint communiqué.

Beijing expressed ‘deep regret’ over the failure to reach consensus following the two-day meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, hosted by the United States, which holds the G20 presidency for 2026.

‘China had actively and constructively participated in discussions across all G20 tracks since the US assumed the group’s rotating presidency for 2026, working to promote practical outcomes,’ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing, according to the state-run Global Times.

Guo said the G20, as a major platform for international economic cooperation, should coordinate on global economic issues ‘in an objective, fair and balanced manner, based on consultations and equal participation.’

‘China hopes the US, as the presidency, and all members will follow these principles, respect the legitimate concerns of all parties and work toward positive outcomes’ at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami, he added.

The United States issued a chair’s statement at the conclusion of the meeting instead of a consensus-backed communiqué. According to the US Treasury, China objected to several elements of the statement.

The document said the global economy ‘has remained resilient in the face of multiple shocks, including ongoing wars and conflicts,’ while also calling on countries to address ‘non-market policies and practices that exacerbate imbalances.’

According to the Financial Times, Beijing objected to references to ‘imbalances’ and ‘non-market policies,’ reflecting broader differences between Washington and Beijing over trade and economic policy.

The disagreement highlights the difficulty of reaching consensus within the G20 as major economies pursue different approaches to trade, industrial policy and global economic governance.

US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, described the discussions in Asheville as involving ‘very productive and positive conversations.’

The meeting also marked the return of Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to a G20 finance gathering, in what was reported to be his first attendance at such a meeting since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022.

The latest disagreement comes ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami, where Washington is expected to seek agreement among member states on a broader range of global economic issues.

The absence of a joint communiqué from the finance meeting underscores the challenge facing the US presidency as it seeks to build consensus among the world’s major economies amid persistent trade and geopolitical tensions.

Germany will close Russia’s consulate in Bonn and terminate the lease of the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin after Berlin concluded that Russian state actors were behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced the measures on Tuesday, saying the Russian consulate in Bonn would be closed on September 18. Germany will also cancel the lease for the Russian House in Berlin, a Russian cultural and scientific centre that German officials have previously accused of being linked to Russian intelligence activities.

The measures follow Germany’s formal attribution of the August 4 incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport to Russian state actors. German authorities said an explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft at the airport and was successfully defused. Investigators also identified technical similarities between the device and equipment associated with previous Russian hybrid operations, according to German officials.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the German government had concluded that Russia was responsible for the attempted attack after assessing intelligence and investigative findings. Wadephul described the incident as part of a broader pattern of Russian hybrid activity in Europe.

‘This is not an isolated incident,’ German officials said, pointing to what they described as a wider campaign involving sabotage, disinformation, threats and other forms of destabilisation.

In addition to closing the Bonn consulate and Russian House, Berlin announced tighter entry controls for Russian nationals, increased pressure on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and support for additional European sanctions against Russian-linked individuals and organisations.

Russia has rejected Germany’s allegations and criticised Berlin’s response as an escalation. Moscow has said it will respond to what it described as anti-Russian measures.

The European Union and NATO have expressed solidarity with Germany over the incident, underlining the growing concern among Western governments over suspected Russian hybrid operations across Europe.

The decision marks a further deterioration in already strained relations between Berlin and Moscow and signals that Germany is prepared to impose diplomatic and economic costs in response to suspected Russian operations on German territory.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on Tuesday that his country will be “more dominant in both qualitative and quantitative” terms “in the subsequent periods” of war, while proclaiming that Tehran has been able to rebuild its military capability to a greater extent than its adversary.

In a video address, the official reiterated that Iran does not “waste even an hour or a moment” in preparing its forces for a potential resumption of hostilities. “We have the field in our hands and have led the enemy to the conclusion that he cannot stop our missiles,” Ghalibaf declared.

On Monday, United States President Donald Trump threatened to restart military action against Iran, triggering fresh concerns about prolonged conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking to AzerNEWS on the sidelines of the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan Duncan Norman said the international community has an important role to play in addressing Azerbaijan’s extensive landmine contamination, stressing that the United Kingdom will continue supporting mine clearance efforts.

Asked whether the international community is responding adequately to the humanitarian scale of Azerbaijan’s mine problem, he noted that the UK has supported the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) since 2020.

‘So the UK was the first country to support ANAMA back in 2020 and we continue to do so. There is, of course, an enormous amount to do, and it’s right that the international community plays a part in this,’ he said.

The ambassador stressed that the UK remains committed to working with Azerbaijani authorities on mine clearance until the problem is brought to an end.

‘The UK continues to work with the Azerbaijani authorities on mine clearance, and we will look to do that until this is ended. And unfortunately, of course, it takes a long time, but we’ve seen the impact that it has on people’s lives, and that’s something that I want to make sure that the UK plays its part in ending once and for all,’ Norman added.

Commenting on the prospects for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia and whether mine-related cooperation could serve as a confidence-building measure, the ambassador said London remains supportive of the ongoing peace process.

‘Absolutely, I think the peace process is going well, we’re very supportive of that,’ he said.

According to Mr.Norman, the continued presence of landmines serves as a reminder of the conflict’s legacy, making mine action an important component of efforts to move beyond the past.

‘But, of course, the mines are a constant reminder of the past, and what we all want to do is put the conflict behind us and look to move forward. And mine action work is an important part of that,’ the ambassador said.

Moshe Feiglin, the former Likud lawmaker who once described Adolf Hitler as an ‘unparalleled military genius,’ is set to return to Israel’s Knesset as part of an electoral alliance between his Zehut party and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism, according to ClashReport.

Under the emerging agreement, Feiglin is expected to occupy the second position on the joint list ahead of Israel’s October parliamentary election, potentially putting him in a strong position to return to parliament.

Feiglin, who served as a Likud Knesset member between 2013 and 2015, has long advocated a hardline approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has called for Israeli control and settlement of the Gaza Strip.

His political record has attracted particular attention because of remarks he made about Hitler in the 1990s. In 1995, Feiglin described Hitler as an ‘unparalleled military genius’ and said that the Nazi leader had lifted Germany ‘from a low to a fantastic physical and ideological status.’ Feiglin later maintained that describing Hitler as a military genius did not amount to support for his ideology.

Feiglin has also outlined a far-reaching position on the future of Gaza.

In 2024, he referred to Hitler while discussing the Gaza war and argued that the territory should be made ‘Hebrew,’ while calling for Israel to establish control over the Strip.

In a May 2025 appearance on Israel’s Channel 14, Feiglin said: ‘Every child in Gaza is the enemy… every baby in Gaza is the enemy,’ adding that ‘not a single Gazan child’ should remain there.

Feiglin has advocated the full Israeli conquest of Gaza, the establishment of Israeli settlements in the territory and the removal of its Palestinian civilian population.

His prospective return to the Knesset comes as Israel’s right-wing parties seek to consolidate their support ahead of the October election. The agreement with Religious Zionism could provide Feiglin’s Zehut with a route back into parliament after failing to secure representation in previous elections.

Feiglin’s potential return is expected to bring renewed public and political attention to his longstanding positions on Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also places his past statements and proposed policies back into the broader debate over Israel’s political direction and the future of Gaza.

Ukraine has called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to completely prohibit civilian aircraft from flying over Russian territory, arguing that the growing intensity of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has created heightened risks for commercial aviation.

According to Ukraine’s Zerkalo Nedeli, cited by APA, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Mykola Kalashnyk made the appeal in a letter to ICAO, warning that the continued presence of civilian aircraft in Russian airspace could expose passengers and crews to significant dangers amid the escalation of aerial attacks.

‘Ukraine, exercising its inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, is compelled to respond appropriately to Russia’s terrorist air attacks,’ Kalashnyk said in the letter.

‘Against the backdrop of the escalation provoked by the Russian Federation, we understand that the presence of civilian aircraft in the airspace of the Russian Federation may entail particularly high risks. This is an impartial warning regarding the aforementioned threat,’ he added.

The Ukrainian appeal comes shortly after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a similar warning to international airlines and aviation insurers, saying that the increasing scale of Ukrainian drone operations inside Russia could make the country’s airspace effectively unusable for civilian aviation.

In a September 1 address, Zelenskyy said Russian airspace was ‘becoming completely unsafe’ and urged airlines, insurers and operators using major Russian airports to take the risks into account.

‘Ukraine does not threaten civilian aviation as such – not a single civilian aircraft. There will simply be drones in Russia’s skies on a scale that has to be taken into account,’ Zelenskyy said. He added that Russian airspace would ‘effectively be closing’ as a consequence of the ongoing war.

Zelenskyy’s warning was directed particularly at airlines that continue to use Russian airspace, including carriers operating through Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major Russian destinations. While many Western airlines have avoided Russian airspace since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, carriers from several Asian and Middle Eastern countries continue to use routes through Russia, partly because they can offer shorter and more fuel-efficient connections.

The aviation risks have become more prominent as Ukraine has expanded its long-range drone operations against targets inside Russia. Russian airports, including those serving Moscow, have experienced temporary disruptions during periods of intensified Ukrainian drone activity, while Russian air defenses have also been operating against incoming threats.

Ukraine has kept its own airspace closed to civilian aviation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian civilian aviation, meanwhile, has continued operating, although parts of the country’s airspace have been restricted and airports have periodically faced disruptions linked to the war.

‘Humanitarian demining stands at the very foundation of urban recovery and the creation of safe human settlements. Azerbaijan has faced this challenge in its most severe form,’ said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his address to the participants of the 4th International Mine Action Conference themed ‘Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements.’

‘As a result of nearly 30 years of occupation of its territories by Armenia, our country has become one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world,’ the head of state noted.

Belgian football club Union Saint-Gilloise will have to find an alternative venue for its Europa League home fixture after authorities in Leuven refused permission for the match to be played at the city’s stadium.

The Belgian league runner-up had planned to play all four of its European home matches in Leuven because its own stadium in Brussels does not meet UEFA requirements for European competitions.

Leuven Mayor Mohamed Ridouani said Monday evening that the city would not authorize the match, citing public safety concerns, even if the stadium were to be closed to spectators.

Ridouani said the decision was consistent with Leuven’s previous position on hosting matches involving Israel, noting that the city has also opposed Belgium’s national teams playing against Israel in Leuven.

UEFA said Tuesday that it had been informed of the city’s position regarding the Europa League fixture.

‘It’s the duty of the host club to find an alternative venue,’ UEFA said, referring to Union Saint-Gilloise’s responsibility to arrange another stadium. The European football governing body added that the replacement venue would be announced ‘in the coming days.’

The development comes against the backdrop of UEFA’s security arrangements following the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023. Since then, Israeli clubs and national teams have been required to play their European home fixtures at neutral venues.

Hapoel Beer-Sheva, for example, played its home matches in Hungary and Romania during this season’s Champions League qualifying rounds.

However, the relocation of an Israeli team’s away fixture because of a host city’s position is considered unusual.

Union Saint-Gilloise must now secure a venue that meets UEFA standards and is approved to host the Europa League fixture.

Speaking to AzerNEWS on the sidelines of the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, Mark Connelly, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in Cyprus at the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), highlighted the importance of mine risk education in emergency situations and said funding remains a major challenge for mine action programmes worldwide.

Asked about potential communication challenges with civilians in emergency situations and how the UN works to ensure people are aware of mine and explosive ordnance risks, Connelly said risk education is an essential component of early mine action responses.

‘Because we arrive in an emergency situation early on in the situation, we have been dealing with that in many, many programs in many countries. And so we’re very aware that risk education is a very vital part early on in the situation,’ he said.

According to Connelly, UNMAS invests significant effort in developing risk education materials and tailoring them to different groups within affected communities.

‘We spend a lot of time developing risk education material, ensuring that we’re able to target the many audiences that we may find,’ he said.

Connelly also pointed to an institutional challenge facing mine action programmes in countries affected by emergencies, noting that there is not always a government body responsible for mine clearance.

‘The issues that we have predominantly are that often many of the countries that we work in, there isn’t necessarily a government or a department that is in charge of mine clearance. And so the UN takes on that de facto role,’ he said.

In such circumstances, he explained, the UN must identify the relevant authorities and stakeholders to establish priorities and determine where clearance operations should be concentrated.

‘And so then we have to try and work out who is going to be the agencies, the people that we need to talk to in order to work out what the priorities are and where the clearance needs to focus,’ Connelly added.

Asked what form of international support would make the greatest difference to mine action at present – funding, equipment, expertise or technology – Connelly said financing is a challenge across the sector.

‘The funding is an issue in every country at the moment. I mean, that is a global issue because there are many, many issues going on globally around the world,’ he said.

At the same time, Connelly stressed that financial support is not the only challenge, pointing to the technical demands and time required to train personnel capable of conducting mine clearance safely.

‘In addition to that, as you say, we have technical issues of the time it takes to train people up to conduct clearance. So we have many issues going on around the world,’ he concluded.

Azerbaijani judokas have finished Cracow Judo Open 2026 at the top of the overall team standings, collecting seven gold, two silver and two bronze medals in Kraków, Poland.

The tournament featured competitions in several age groups, including U16, U18 and the senior category. Azerbaijan was among the international teams competing at the event.

Balabay Aghayev won gold in the senior men’s 66-kilogram division, while Agil Nagiyev (55 kg), Huseyn Shikhaliyev (66 kg) and Mahammadali Mehdi (81 kg) claimed gold in the U16 category.

Earlier, Azerbaijan’s U18 judokas had secured five medals. Ali Abdullayev (60 kg), Huseyn Shikhaliyev (66 kg) and Omar Atayev (81 kg) won gold, while Dunyamali Asdanli (66 kg) and Ruslan Kazimov (+90 kg) took silver. Ravan Mammadli (55 kg) and Ali Jafarov (66 kg) added bronze medals.

Azerbaijan finished first in the team standings at Cracow Judo Open 2026, securing 11 medals overall.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art worldwide.

The President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation is Rashad Nabiyev, who also serves as the Minister of Digital Development and Transportation.

The country’s modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.

A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.

However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 73 kg division.

The list of the country’s top judo fighters includes Hidayat Heydarov, Zelym Kotsoiev, Zelim Tckaev, Balabay Aghayev, Ushangi Kokauri, Gultaj Mammadaliyeva, Leyla Aliyeva, Fidan Alizade, Aisha Gurbanli, etc.