Category: Azer News

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to announce a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Tuesday.

The measure is expected to bring the UK into line with a July 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which found Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful and said states have obligations to oppose the situation.

Under the expected measures, the UK could prohibit investment in businesses operating within Israeli settlements.

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, said on Monday that states have an obligation to avoid recognising or supporting the continuation of the settlement system.

‘All states carry an obligation – not a preference of an obligation – not to recognise the situation as legal, and not render aid and assistance in maintaining it,’ Albanese said.

She argued that a settlement trade ban should form part of a broader shift in policy aimed at implementing the ICJ’s 2024 advisory opinion.

The Labour Muslim Network (LMN) and International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) last week called for a comprehensive ban on British citizens and businesses conducting economic and financial activities in Israeli settlements and activities supporting the wider settlement economy.

The groups argued that the UK is bound by international humanitarian law and has an obligation under Common Article 1 of the Geneva Conventions to ensure respect for the law.

The expected British measures come as Israel advances its E1 settlement project east of Jerusalem, which critics say could effectively divide the occupied West Bank into two.

Israel has already warned London against imposing such measures. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar threatened retaliation last week, saying: ‘If Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain.’

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed on Monday a partnership deal with the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland, including a pound 200 million investment package for 2026 and 2027. “This will create new opportunities and a strong and engaged EU in both Greenland and the Arctic.

Because Greenland is a strategic ally and a trusted friend,” she stated during a visit to the island.

Von der Leyen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also signed a joint declaration committing to expand and strengthen bilateral relations and economic cooperation, as well as working on countering hybrid threats, foreign information manipulation and interference, and Arctic resilience, amid renewed claims from the Trump administration that it should incorporate Greenland into its territory. “Greenland’s future is for the people of Greenland and Denmark to decide, no one else,” Von der Leyen repeated.

Azerbaijan has emerged as a key hub in the evolving Black Sea-Caspian transport architecture, Orkhan Yolchuyev, Director and Co-Founder of the Baku-based CASPIA Center, said during the 5th International Conference and Exhibition, Black and Caspian Freight Forum 2026: Corridors, Infrastructure, Investments.

According to Yolchuyev, several major transport corridors and routes intersect in the region, including the North-South Corridor and Black Sea routes, placing Azerbaijan at the center of the emerging logistics network.

He noted that Azerbaijan has already built important advantages through its railway, port and other transport infrastructure, as well as its international logistics capabilities.

“However, the next stage will be significantly more difficult,” Yolchuyev emphasized, pointing to the increasingly complex geopolitical environment surrounding international logistics.

He stressed that the region’s infrastructure should be transformed from separate transport capabilities into “a unified, predictable and commercially attractive transport product.”

Yolchuyev also highlighted the growing importance of Central Asian countries in regional connectivity. He noted that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are strengthening their roles in east-west transport flows, while Azerbaijan provides a link between Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Georgia and the Black Sea, meanwhile, play a crucial role in connecting the region with European markets, he added.

Azerbaijan Airlines will resume scheduled flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 15 September 2026.

Flights on the Baku-Jeddah-Baku route will operate four times a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The new schedule will give passengers greater flexibility when planning trips for leisure, business and other purposes.

Located on the Red Sea coast, Jeddah is one of Saudi Arabia’s leading economic, tourism and transport centres. In addition to its role as a major business and tourism destination, the city serves as a key air gateway for passengers travelling to Mecca and Medina.

The resumption of direct flights to Jeddah will expand travel options between Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia and provide passengers with more convenient air connections between the two countries.

Tickets are available through Azerbaijan Airlines’ official website and mobile app, as well as the airline’s sales offices and accredited travel agencies.

Adidas is facing calls for a boycott over an advertising campaign for its Single Shoe Service in Israel featuring Shalev Biton, a former Israeli military serviceman.

The campaign has drawn criticism from activists and social media users, who have questioned Adidas’ decision to feature Biton because of his military background, particularly amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

Much of the backlash has focused not on the Single Shoe Service itself, but on the choice of Biton as the campaign’s representative.

Adidas’ Single Shoe Service is intended to provide greater accessibility for people who need only one shoe, including those who use prosthetic limbs or have different shoe requirements for each foot.

Critics argue that promoting the service through a former Israeli soldier is particularly insensitive given the scale of injuries and amputations reported during the Gaza war, where many Palestinians have lost limbs and require long-term rehabilitation and prosthetic care.

The controversy has consequently turned an accessibility-focused campaign into a wider debate over corporate responsibility, representation and the optics of advertising during an ongoing conflict.

Activists calling for a boycott have urged Adidas to reconsider its association with Biton, while the campaign has continued to generate discussion over the intersection of disability, rehabilitation and the politics surrounding the war in Gaza.

Canada and Australia have reaffirmed their support for the Afghan people and condemned the Taliban’s record on human rights five years after the group seized control of Afghanistan.

In a joint statement, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai said Afghanistan was facing a worsening humanitarian, political and human rights crisis, accusing the Taliban of institutionalizing ‘an ideological system of extreme repression’ against women and girls.

‘Millions of Afghan girls remain barred from education while women are denied opportunities to work, to move and speak freely and to live a dignified life without fear and violence,’ the Canadian officials said.

Ottawa also accused the Taliban of restricting journalists, human rights defenders and civil society organizations, while alleging that ethnic and religious minorities continue to face persecution.

‘The Taliban have taken no steps toward establishing an inclusive and representative government,’ the statement said, adding that terrorist organizations continue to operate in Afghanistan in what Canada described as a permissive environment.

Canada said it would not support the normalization of relations with the Taliban until there is ‘demonstrable progress’ on human rights, inclusive governance and fundamental freedoms.

Ottawa also highlighted its humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. Since 2021, Canada says it has provided more than $143 million for basic needs, including healthcare and education, as well as more than $315 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance covering food, nutrition, emergency healthcare, water, sanitation and protection services.

Australia similarly marked five years since the Taliban takeover, paying tribute to its military and civilian personnel who served in Afghanistan.

The Australian government said more than 39,000 Australian Defence Force and civilian personnel conducted or supported operations in Afghanistan over two decades. It also remembered the 41 Australian soldiers killed during operations and those who died after returning home.

Canberra also recognized Afghan Locally Engaged Employees who worked alongside Australian personnel, thousands of whom have since settled in Australia with their families.

‘The Taliban’s takeover in August 2021 marked a devastating turning point for Afghanistan,’ the Australian statement said.

Australia said the takeover triggered one of the largest humanitarian operations in its history, with Australian Defence, foreign affairs and home affairs officials and border personnel working to evacuate Australian citizens, visa holders and Afghan employees amid the chaotic withdrawal.

Since September 2021, Australia says it has provided $310 million in humanitarian assistance through international partners, including UN agencies, while expanding migration pathways for displaced Afghans.

Canberra also condemned what it described as the Taliban’s systematic efforts to remove women and girls from public life by restricting their access to education and employment.

Australia said it had worked with international partners to pursue action against discrimination against Afghan women under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It has also established an autonomous sanctions framework for Afghanistan and imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on senior Taliban figures.

Both countries said they would continue supporting the Afghan population while seeking to hold the Taliban accountable for its policies and human rights record.

Climate disasters could put even more pressure on vulnerable economies, COP29 President and Azerbaijani President’s Climate Representative Mukhtar Babayev said.

Speaking at a panel discussion titled “From Baku to COP31: Sustaining Fragmented Momentum,” held during the fourth UN Climate Change Conference Climate Week, Babayev said environmental cooperation should serve as a bridge rather than create new divisions.

He noted that Azerbaijan’s experience in Baku had shown how difficult it can be to reach consensus.

“Countries came to COP29 with very different priorities and expectations, but they nevertheless remained at the negotiating table. This culture of dialogue is precisely what matters. As we move toward COP31, we need to preserve it. If international climate cooperation weakens, climate change will not slow down as a result. We will simply face stronger impacts with weaker tools for managing them,” Babayev emphasized.

He added that this was one of the reasons the Baku Climate Action Week was important.

“The platform gives us an opportunity to address difficult questions between negotiations, maintain dialogue and bring international commitments closer to implementation,” the official stressed.

The fourth UN Climate Change Framework Convention Climate Week (CW4) is being held in Baku through September 11, hosted by the Republic of Azerbaijan and organized by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Government and state officials from various countries, representatives of international organizations, experts, financial institutions, the private sector and civil society are expected to take part in the events.

The Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) has released data on mine clearance operations carried out in the liberated territories from August 31 to September 6.

According to ANAMA, mine clearance teams operating in Tartar, Aghdara, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Khojaly, Khankendi, Khojavand, Lachin, Shusha, Fuzuli, Gubadli, Jabrayil and Zangilan detected and destroyed 140 anti-personnel mines, 28 anti-tank mines and 1,390 other unexploded ordnance items.

A total of 1,706.4 hectares of land were cleared of mines and other unexploded ordnance during the week.

Humanitarian demining remains a critical component of Azerbaijan’s post-conflict recovery strategy. Large areas of land in these regions remain contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance, posing a significant threat to civilians and slowing the pace of reconstruction projects and the safe return of internally displaced persons.

Russian President Sergey Lavrov claimed on Sunday that the German allegations against Russia over its alleged involvement in the attempted drone attack on the Leipzig/Halle airport mark the “beginning of a real war.”

“Leipzig, the airport. They found some drone. They said it was a Russian drone, no one bothered to investigate. This is basically the beginning of a real war. They kicked out the consulate general from Bonn and announced they had terminated the agreement. They’re closing the Russian House in Berlin. I remember that before the start of World War II, or rather the Great Patriotic War, the Germans also closed their diplomatic missions,” Lavrov told Russian news outlet Vesti.

Earlier this week, Germany said its intelligence findings concluded that those behind the incident in August acted on behalf of Russia, which led to multiple European countries summoning Russian envoys. Meanwhile, Moscow has denied any responsibility for the attack.

Aziz Sancar has been awarded the “Shohrat” Order.

President Ilham Aliyev signed the relevant decree. The text of the document was published on the official website of the President of Azerbaijan.

According to the decree, Sancar was awarded the “Shohrat” Order for his special services in strengthening international scientific and humanitarian cooperation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Aziz Sancar is a Turkish-American physician, biochemist and molecular biologist best known for his pioneering research into DNA repair. Born in 1946 in Savur, Turkiye, Sancar initially studied medicine at Istanbul University and worked as a physician before turning to biochemistry and molecular biology. He later moved to the United States, earning his PhD from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1977.

Sancar is a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he has conducted much of his internationally recognised research. His work has focused particularly on how cells detect and repair DNA damage caused by ultraviolet radiation and other environmental factors. His research helped map the molecular mechanisms of nucleotide excision repair, a process that protects the integrity of genetic information and has important implications for understanding cancer and other diseases.

In 2015, Sancar was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, jointly with Tomas Lindahl and Paul Modrich, for their mechanistic studies of DNA repair. He became the second Turkish-born Nobel laureate and has remained an influential figure in international scientific cooperation.

Sancar has maintained strong links with Turkiye and has also participated in scientific and educational initiatives involving the wider Turkic world. His recognition by Azerbaijan with the Shohrat Order adds a new dimension to his longstanding contribution to international scientific and humanitarian cooperation.