Category: General

G-20 leaders paid their respects at a memorial of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi on the final day of the summit in New Delhi.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed leaders and heads of delegations, at Rajghat, a Gandhi memorial.
The leaders laid wreaths at the memorial before attending a tree-planting ceremony.
“At the iconic Rajghat, the G20 family paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi – the beacon of peace, service, compassion and non-violence. As diverse nations converge, Gandhi Ji’s timeless ideals guide our collective vision for a harmonious, inclusive and prosperous global future,” Modi said on X.
The G-20 leaders also signed a Peace Wall.
The third and final session of the summit, “One Future,” is taking place at the newly inaugurated Pragati Maidan conference center.
Just before the session started, Modi received a sapling from Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, representing the G-20 presidencies of last year and the next year.
Following the session, the leaders are expected to hold sideline meetings.
At the closing session, term president India will hand over the presidency to Brazil.
The G-20 presidency will handed to Brazil in 2024 and South Africa in 2025.
Leaders, in the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended the “One Earth” and “One Family” sessions Saturday to make progress on trade, climate and other global problems.
The African Union (AU), a bloc of 55 countries, formally took a seat Saturday as a member of G-20 at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This will strengthen the G-20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South,” said Modi.

Source: Anadolu Agency

A watered-down G20 statement on the Russian war in Ukraine would have been much stronger if Canada had its way, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday.
Other countries – he did not name names – held views differing from Canada and that swayed the statement to be more muted than he would have liked, Trudeau said at a press conference in India, where leaders gathered for the G20 Summit ending Sunday.
“If it was just up to me, it would have been stronger,” he said. “This is an important time to come together and put pressure on countries that do not align with our values,” he said. “In that, we will continue to do that.”
The statement was weaker than the one the G20 made last year in which the countries criticized Russia for aggression in Ukraine and called for Moscow’s immediate withdrawal.
This year, the statement did not mention Russia by name, simply saying ‘all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition….’
It did call for ‘immediate and unimpeded’ deliveries of grain and fertilizer to Ukraine from Russia, as well as an end to attacks on infrastructure.
Meanwhile, a statement from Trudeau’s office left little doubt where Canada stood on the Russian staged elections held on the weekend in a bid to tighten Moscow’s hold on illegally seized territory – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Trudeau said Canada will not recognize the “sham” elections held by Russia in Ukraine.
‘…Canada will never recognize the results of the ongoing sham elections held by Russia in Ukraine, which are nothing but a cynical attempt to legitimize military conquest under the guise of democracy,’ the statement read.
Trudeau was expected to depart India Sunday but he and his delegation were forced to remain as the Canadian military found a mechanical problem that could not be fixed overnight, CTV News reported.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Three boats carrying Ukrainian soldiers and heading towards Crimea in the Black Sea were destroyed, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday.
In a statement, the ministry said three “Willard Sea Force” military speedboats carrying soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and advancing towards the Crimean coast in the western part of the Black Sea, northeast of Snake Island, were destroyed at night.
In a separate statement, the ministry said Kyiv’s attempt to attack Russian territory using drones was foiled at night.
The statement said eight Ukrainian drones were destroyed by Russian air defense systems in the Black Sea near the Crimean coast.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Niger’s military administration accused France of being ‘insincere’ Saturday after it said it made no concrete steps to withdraw troops as announced at the beginning of September.
Since Sept. 1, when the French forces commander in the Sahel announced a plan to withdraw troops from Niger, ‘no progress has been made in the implementation of the plan,’ according to a statement read on national television by government spokesman Col, Amadou Abdramane.
Nigerien authorities castigate ‘the lack of sincerity as well as the underhand and delaying maneuvers of the French authorities’ on the total withdrawal of its troops.
The French commander reportedly had announced the planned withdrawal during a meeting with Niger’s army Chief of Staff in the eastern Nigerien city of Zinder.
Niger’s transition Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine said Monday that the military government is in talks with France to ensure a ‘rapid’ withdrawal of French troops.
The military that deposed President Mohamed Bazoum more than a month ago, claimed that France continues to deploy troops in countries that are part of the West African bloc, ECOWAS, including Senegal, Benin and Ivory Coast, as part of a ‘preparation for aggression’ against Niger, according to the statement.
There was no immediate reaction from France. But Abdramane claimed from Sept. 1, two military transport aircraft and a Dornier 328 were deployed as reinforcements in Ivory Coast, while two multi-role helicopters type super PUMA and 40 armored vehicles were deployed in Benin.
And Sept. 7, he added, a French military ship docked in Benin’s capital of Cotonou with military personnel.
Thousands of protestors have been demonstrating in Niger’s capital Niamey against the presence of French troops.
The military leaders that in July accused France of seeking to ‘intervene militarily’ to reinstate Bazoum, appealed Saturday to the population to remain ‘vigilant and never to demobilize until the inevitable departure of French troops from our territory.’
On Aug. 3, military leaders announced the scrapping of military agreements with France, a decision Paris rubbished, citing a lack of legitimacy.
Niger’s military administration has accused France of ‘blatant interference’ following remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron who hailed the courage of Ambassador Sylvain Itte — who a defied 48-hour ultimatum to leave Niger.
Macron has rejected the military administration in Niger.
Niger hosts 1,500 French troops as part of a regional counter-insurgency force.
Niger was plunged into turmoil July 26 when Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard, led a military intervention that ousted Bazoum.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Iran’s Embassy in Paris said the situation is under control after reports of an attack on the diplomatic compound on Saturday.
Iranian state news agency IRNA cited the media advisor of the embassy as saying there was “no disruption in the activities of the consulate” and that the situation was “under control.”
“The situation of the Iranian consulate building in Paris is under control following a hostile attack by a group of anti-revolutionary elements, and there has been no interruption in its activities,” the official said.
He said the perpetrators of the attack are “wanted.”
Earlier on Saturday, reports emerged about an attack on the Iranian Embassy in the French capital, inflicting damage to the backdoor of the diplomatic mission.
Images circulating on social media showed the embassy backdoor on fire, though they could not be independently verified.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, but sections of the Iranian media accused Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MKO), an anti-Iran opposition group headquartered in Albania which also operates in France.
One report said MKO operatives pelted Molotov cocktails at the embassy compound.
It is not the first time Iran’s Embassy in Paris has come under attack. In September 2018, some individuals threw objects and smashed the embassy windows, which sparked tensions between Tehran and Paris.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry hasn’t reacted to reports of the latest attack so far.
Tensions between Tehran and Paris have dramatically escalated since last year’s violent protests in Iran after French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a group of exiled Iranian activists in Paris.
In January this year, Iran’s Foreign Ministry ordered the closure of the cultural center at the French Embassy in Tehran over the publication of sacrilegious cartoons by the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which further inflamed tensions between the two sides.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Iran’s foreign minister on Saturday expressed readiness to provide relief to Morocco following Friday’s deadly earthquake.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressed his sympathy with the affected people, praying for those who lost their lives and wishing speedy recovery to those injured.
‘I extend my condolences to the Muslim people and the Moroccan government, especially my colleague (Foreign Minister) Mr. Nasser Bourita, and I renew the Red Crescent’s readiness to provide relief,’ he said on X/Twitter.
At least 1,305 people were killed and 1,832 others injured following a powerful earthquake that struck Morocco late Friday.
Fatalities from the magnitude 7.0 quake occurred in various regions, including Al Haouz and Marrakesh provinces, as well as the cities of Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant, the ministry said in a statement.

Source: Anadolu Agency

India on Sunday handed over the G-20 presidency to Brazil and proposed a virtual meeting of the world’s biggest economies later this year.
On the final day of the summit in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and handed him the ceremonial gavel of the presidency
India, taking over from Indonesia, has presided over the G-20 since Dec. 1, and will continue to hold the position until Nov. 30. Brazil will take over the presidency on Dec. 1.
“It is my proposal that we hold another session of the G-20 virtually in November-end … we can review the issues that have been agreed upon during this summit,” Modi said. “Our teams will share the details.”
Lula, for his part, said “social inclusion, fight against hunger, energy transition and sustainable development’ would be Brazil’s priorities at G-20.
He said the UN Security Council ‘needs new developing countries as permanent, non-permanent members to regain political strength.’
‘We want greater representation for emerging countries at the World Bank and the IMF,” he added.
During the two-day summit, the bloc adopted a consensus declaration that called on states to refrain from seizing territory through the use of force, admitted African Union as a G-20 member and made commitments on several issues, including food and energy security, climate change and global debt vulnerabilities.
The consensus was a breakthrough as the Group of 20 is divided over the war in Ukraine, with the West said to be pushing for condemnation in the declaration.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping did not attend the summit.
India’s G-20 Sherpa, or negotiator, Amitabh Kant described consensus as the most “complex part.” He said there were 200 hours of non-stop negotiations, 300 bilateral meetings and 15 drafts that went into achieving consensus on the Ukraine conflict.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it was due to Ankara’s efforts that the bloc condemned attacks on holy books.
“We strongly deplore all acts of religious hatred against persons, as well as those of a symbolic nature without prejudice to domestic legal frameworks, including against religious symbols and holy books,” the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration had said.
The ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor was also launched, which will see investments in ships and rail, connecting South Asia across two continents.
Strict traffic regulations were implemented in the Indian capital during the meeting.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Belgium is preparing to send cash and in-kind aid to Morocco following the earthquake disaster, the country’s development minister said on Sunday.
Federal Minister for Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez announced on X/Twitter that pound 5 million ($5.3 million) have been allocated for earthquake relief and reconstruction.
Gennez also said that a medical unit made up of members of the Belgian Emergency Response Team (B-FAST) was being prepared to be sent in case of a request from Morocco.
Meanwhile, an account number has also been set up for donations to the Red Cross.
The municipalities of Brussels, Evere, Koekelberg, Molenbeek, Anderlecht and Sint-Gillis, where the Moroccan population lives, have started to organize relief operations.
From next Tuesday, supplies such as tents, mattresses, hygiene products, blankets and even emergency generators will be collected at a warehouse in Anderlecht.
Around 500,000 people of Moroccan origin live in Belgium, a country of 11.5 million inhabitants.
At least 2,012 people were killed and 2,059 injured in the quake that struck the North African country late Friday.
Fatalities from the magnitude 7 tremor occurred in various regions, including El-Houz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Tiznit, Marrakech, Azilal, Agadir, Casablanca and Youssoufia.

Source: Anadolu Agency

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday Trkiye is ready to help quake-hit Morocco “with all means” available.
“As a country that experienced the ‘disaster of the century’ six months ago, we are ready to help our Moroccan brothers with all our means,” Erdogan told a news conference after the G-20 summit in New Delhi, India.
At least 2,012 people were killed and 2,059 injured in the quake that struck the North African country late Friday.
Fatalities from the magnitude 7 tremor occurred in various regions, including El-Houz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Tiznit, Marrakech, Azilal, Agadir, Casablanca and Youssoufia.
Erdogan conveyed condolences to those who lost their lives, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Turkish institutions and organizations have prepared a relief and rescue team comprising 265 individuals to be dispatched to Morocco to help earthquake victims.
Eleven provinces in southern Trkiye were hit by twin quakes on Feb. 6, leading to widespread damage and destruction. Reconstruction works, however, continue at full pace.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Tens of thousands of Israelis Saturday protested against the controversial judicial overhaul plan as the ongoing demonstrations entered their 36th week.
The official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that tens of thousands of people participated in the central demonstration on Kaplan Street in downtown Tel Aviv.
The Israeli police closed a number of main roads in Tel Aviv, following the start of the demonstration.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that a number of Israeli demonstrators raised Palestinian flags.
Demonstrations were also held in Rehovot city, and the Karkur Junction in Hadera city.
Israel has been in political turmoil in recent months over a government plan to introduce judicial reforms seen by the opposition as a power grab in favor of the executive authority.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, insists that the reform would enhance democracy and restore the balance among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the government.
*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat

Source: Anadolu Agency