WUF13 in Baku highlights public-private cooperation on sustainable urban development
The World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13) in Baku has placed a strong emphasis on strengthening cooperation between the pub...
The ancient city of Sardis and the Bin Tepe tumuli in western Türkiye have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List, bringing the country’s total to 22 sites.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee on 12 July officially inscribed the ancient city of Sardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin Tepe, both located in Manisa province, during its 47th session in Paris.
Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy celebrated the recognition on social media, noting that Sardis — once the capital of the Lydian civilisation and the birthplace of the world’s first coin — now holds its place among the world’s shared heritage.
“This unique geography is now recognised as part of humanity’s shared legacy,” Ersoy said, expressing gratitude to all contributors and encouraging visitors to experience the newly illuminated site through the night museum programme.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also hailed the decision, highlighting that the addition of Sardis and Bin Tepe has raised Türkiye’s total number of UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites to 22.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have agreed to resume daily passenger train services on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route from 26 May, 2026, marking a major step in restoring regional rail connectivity after services were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green housing, smart cities, public spaces and urban rights taking place on Wednesday (20 May) at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya warned on Tuesday (19 May) that Moscow could retaliate against Baltic states if Ukraine launches military drones from that region. Latvia, the United States and Ukraine responded strongly during a UN Security Council meeting.
Russia is considering the possibility of joint projects with the United States and China, Kirill Dmitriev, Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, (Russia's sovereign wealth fund), was quoted as saying by state media on Wednesday.
FormeFormer Cuban President Raúl Castro has been indicted in the United States, according to a senior Trump administration official. The move marks a significant escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Cuba’s communist leadership.
The red carpet had barely been rolled up after Donald Trump’s departure before Beijing was laying it out again. Vladimir Putin arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday for talks with Xi Jinping, just days after Trump’s own high-profile visit.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed Türkiye-EU relations and rising Middle East tensions during a phone call on Tuesday.
The visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to China, just days after U.S. President Donald Trump left Beijing, has highlighted intensifying great-power signalling amid a rapidly fragmenting global order.
The European Union has moved closer to implementing tariff cuts under last year’s U.S. trade agreement after negotiators agreed on a provisional legislative text.
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