The BRICS Journalists Association has formally appealed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, calling on the UN to condemn the recent detention of Russian journalists in Azerbaijan and to take urgent action for their immediate release.

The appeal follows a Monday raid by Azerbaijani police on the office of Sputnik Azerbaijan in Baku, during which seven staff members were detained, including the outlet’s editorial director, Igor Kartavykh, and editor-in-chief Yevgeny Belousov. The arrests were reportedly made without substantiated charges.

In a letter signed by Ivan Melnikov, head of the BRICS Journalists Association’s department for the protection of journalists’ rights, the organization expressed grave concern over the violations of journalists’ rights and of Russian citizens’ freedoms. The letter described the arrests as an assault on press freedom and civil liberties, urging Guterres to take decisive action.

Melnikov criticized the use of force in the arrests and cited international legal frameworks, such as the Geneva Convention, the Declaration on the Media and Human Rights, and the Convention Against Torture, as being violated by the Azerbaijani authorities. He further demanded that the detained journalists be released without delay, and that their rights as professionals and individuals be respected and restored.

The Russian state-run media group Rossiya Segodnya, which owns Sputnik, described the detentions as politically charged and without merit. It said the Baku office was unlawfully obstructed from fulfilling its journalistic work, and that both consular officials and family members have been denied access to the detainees. The group also raised alarm about Kartavykh’s health condition, stressing he needs regular insulin.

Dmitry Kiselev, CEO of Rossiya Segodnya, condemned the arrests as an attempt to intentionally strain Russian-Azerbaijani relations, calling the situation “unfair” and professionally damaging. The organization has demanded that Azerbaijani authorities comply with the law and release the journalists immediately.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that Baku had never raised concerns about Sputnik Azerbaijan prior to the raid, suggesting an ulterior motive behind the sudden crackdown. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Moscow was monitoring the situation closely and would pursue the journalists’ release through diplomatic channels.

Responding to the developments, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told RIA Novosti on Tuesday that the UN hopes journalistic freedom in Azerbaijan would be upheld amid the controversy surrounding Sputnik’s operations in the country.

AL MAYADEEN, 2.7.2025

TEHRAN, Jul. 02 – The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) reminded the enemies that it is impossible to destroy the country’s nuclear industry with bombardment.

Speaking to reporters after a weekly cabinet session on Wednesday, Mohammad Eslami denounced the Israeli and US military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites as a blow to the United Nations Charter.

The military attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites signalled that the law of the jungle is prevailing in the world and one cannot survive without strength, he said, adding, “The Iranian nation has realized it very well.”

The AEOI chief emphasized that Iran’s nuclear industry is not something that could be eliminated with bombs, because it is a homegrown industry and technology embedded in the country.

Progress in the nuclear industry of Iran will always continue decisively, he stated.

MEHR, 2.7.2025

TEHRAN, Jul. 02 – Iran’s transportation ministry has announced that the country’s western and central airspace will be closed to all flights just days after it allowed international transit flights to use the skies over those regions.

The spokesman of the Iranian Roads and Urban Development Ministry or the transportation ministry in short Majid Akhavan said on Wednesday that the decision to close the airspace had been made by a coordination committee of Iran’s civil aviation authority while taking into account security and safety issues.

“… the country’s central and western airspace was closed again to international overflights, but the eastern half of the country’s airspace is open to domestic, international, and transit flights,” said Akhavan, Press TV reported.

He reiterated that airports in the south, north, and west of Iran, including Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini airports in the capital Tehran, would still remain closed, adding that domestic and international flight cancellations for the area had been extended until Thursday, 14:00 local time.

Iranian authorities opened skies over central and western Iran for international overflights on Saturday, four days after a war with the Israeli regime ended as part of a ceasefire.

The Iranian airspace had been partially opened on June 25, a day after the ceasefire was announced.

That allowed Iran to return tens of thousands of pilgrims remaining in Saudi Arabia since early June, when they finished performing their hajj rituals.

It was not clear why authorities had decided to close Iran’s central and western airspace on Wednesday, although there have been speculations that the Israeli regime may violate the ceasefire and launch renewed attacks on the country.

Israel’s aggression on Iran, which started on June 13, prompted a fierce response from the Iranian armed forces as they targeted various areas in the Israeli-occupied territories with missiles and drones, causing a major disruption to international aviation services in the entire West Asia region.

Iran has warned that its response to any new attack would be much harder than those shown last month.

MEHR, 2.7.2025

LOS ANGELES, July 2 – Seven people are unaccounted for after a series of explosions at a fireworks warehouse sparked a wildfire on Tuesday in Northern California, the United States, local authorities said Wednesday.

The explosions occurred at a facility in Yolo County, northwest of Sacramento, igniting the fire around 6 p.m. Tuesday local time (0100 GMT Wednesday) in the town of Esparto.

The fire was not contained as of Wednesday noon, according to an update of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Yolo County officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for a one-mile radius surrounding the site. The County Sheriff’s Office advised residents to avoid the area for several days while investigations into the cause of the explosions continue.

As of late morning Wednesday, Cal Fire reported that seven individuals remained missing. Emergency personnel are actively working to determine their whereabouts.

The accident also caused power outages affecting nearly 2,200 customers of Pacific Gas and Electric in the surrounding area.

XINHUA

OSLO, July 2 – Norway has introduced its first-ever national strategy for radiation protection and nuclear safety, a move aimed at strengthening the country’s health preparedness and security amid rising global tensions, Norwegian authorities said in a press release on Wednesday.

The new strategy defines Norway’s international obligations in the areas of radiation protection, nuclear safety, and emergency preparedness. It also addresses the shortcomings identified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during its review of Norway’s radiation safety systems in 2019.

“I am very pleased that we are now putting in place the country’s first national strategy in this area. It helps to increase health preparedness and security in our country,” said Jan Christian Vestre, minister of health and care services.

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide emphasized the growing relevance of nuclear safety issues. “Tensions in the world have increased, and issues related to radiation protection and nuclear safety have not been more important.” He added that Norway intends to play an active role in international cooperation on these matters.

The national strategy commits Norway to maintaining a high level of radiation protection to safeguard human health and the environment. It sets out 10 key goals, including ensuring independent regulatory oversight, strengthening safety regulations, adopting a life-cycle approach to radiation-related activities, and minimizing the risk of radiation and nuclear incidents.

Norway also aims to improve patient safety in the medical use of radiation, enhance the management of radiation sources beyond governmental control, and ensure all radiation-related activities in the country prioritize safety as the highest concern. Additionally, the strategy underscores the importance of openness, transparency, and coordination in Norway’s radiation protection and nuclear safety systems.

XINHUA