live Armenia voters head to polls in major test of future political direction
Armenia heads to the polls on 7 June in a key parliamentary vote seen as a test of its democratic reforms and political direction since 2018. Prime Mi...
Azerbaijan has pledged to play a leading role in advancing international sustainability efforts as it prepares to host the 2026 World Environment Day and the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku.
The announcements were made during this year’s World Environment Day event held on Jeju Island, South Korea, under the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution.”
Speaking at the event, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Umayra Taghiyeva, emphasized her country’s growing influence in the global climate agenda. “Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan successfully hosted COP29, one of the most important conferences under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,” she noted.
Taghiyeva affirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to continuing its COP29 presidency into 2025 and maintaining momentum on global climate action. “We are determined to continue what we have started — to raise climate ambitions and provide a platform for concrete action,” she said, highlighting initiatives such as the "Baku Climate Finance Goal" and cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
She underscored the vital role cities play in achieving environmental targets: “COP29 underscores the importance of cities as drivers of climate action and as hubs for innovative environmental solutions.”
Taghiyeva also expressed appreciation for South Korea’s contributions to smart city development, saying, “It is a great honor for Azerbaijan to host World Environment Day in 2026 and to continue promoting this vital initiative.”
The 2026 World Environment Day in Baku will focus on climate change and is expected to reinforce the outcomes of COP29 while aligning with the goals of the World Urban Forum. Azerbaijan aims to use the opportunity to showcase sustainable urban solutions and share best practices with the international community, positioning itself as a regional leader in climate and environmental policy.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed, and three others were injured after two cargo vessels were hit in a drone attack in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday, as Russia blamed Ukraine for the strike.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
Armenia heads to the polls on 7 June in a key parliamentary vote seen as a test of its democratic reforms and political direction since 2018. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is seeking re-election amid domestic polarisation, security challenges and regional diplomatic tensions.
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with around 600 mothers dying for every 100,000 live births.
In a workshop surrounded by the wreckage of war, workers in Gaza are giving a second life to small leisure boats once used for family outings and swimming trips.
A seven-month-old Palestinian baby has been killed and his parents injured after Israeli forces fired at a vehicle in Hebron, Palestinian health officials say.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
Azerbaijan is once again at the centre of global climate diplomacy, hosting World Environment Day 2026 and bringing together international leaders, policymakers and organisations to address urgent environmental challenges.
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