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On November 4, a meeting was held at the Bulbul Secondary Music School with Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Azernews reports.

During the visit, Leyla Aliyeva became acquainted with the school’s activities, educational process, music rooms, and the creative achievements of talented students.

Afterward, a concert program featuring performances by the school’s students was presented.

The concert included works by both Azerbaijani and international composers.

At the end of the visit, Leyla Aliyeva took a commemorative photo with the school staff.

Within the framework of a working visit to Kenya, a delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) Samir Poladov held discussions on strengthening cooperation in humanitarian mine clearance, Azernews reports.

According to ANAMA, the visit included meetings between Samir Poladov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Kenya Sultan Hajiyev, and the leadership of the International Peace Support Training Center, which operates in the field of mine clearance in Kenya.

During the meeting, Poladov provided detailed information on the mine contamination in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, its humanitarian and socio-economic consequences, and ongoing clearance efforts carried out mainly through national resources. He underlined the crucial role of mine clearance in ensuring the safe implementation of large-scale reconstruction and resettlement projects, emphasizing the need for enhanced international support and cooperation in addressing mine-related challenges.

The Kenyan side, in turn, briefed the delegation on the Center’s activities and international initiatives aimed at improving capabilities and expertise in humanitarian demining. It was highlighted that the growing partnership between Kenya and Azerbaijan creates favorable opportunities for institutional collaboration.

Both sides stressed the importance of advancing cooperation in humanitarian demining through knowledge and experience exchange, joint training programs, innovative clearance methods, as well as capacity building and technical support.

As part of the visit, the Azerbaijani delegation also toured the Center’s Humanitarian Peace Support School, where they were introduced to its technological equipment, military training complex, and specialized training facilities

The minimum need criterion in Azerbaijan will be increased to ?300 in 2026, which is expected to lead to a rise in social assistance payments next year, Azernews reports.

Member of Parliament Vugar Bayramov announced the change during a joint meeting of the Milli Majlis Committees on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, and on Labor and Social Policy, where the draft law ‘On the Budget of the State Social Protection Fund for 2026’ was discussed.

According to the MP, setting a higher need threshold is essential for both increasing the average amount of targeted social assistance and expanding the number of eligible applicants.

‘Raising the need criterion will increase the monthly payments provided to citizens under the targeted social assistance program from next year,’ Bayramov said.

‘It will also allow more low-income families to apply for this support. Currently, about 80,300 low-income families, including 353,300 individuals, receive targeted state social assistance. This means a significant number of families will benefit from the upcoming increase.’

As part of his official visit to Algeria, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov was received by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Azernews reports.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the current state and future prospects of bilateral relations, highlighting their foundation of friendship and mutual respect.

Both parties expressed mutual interest in deepening political dialogue and expanding cooperation in a wide range of areas, including economy, education, humanitarian affairs, energy, transport, agriculture, tourism, and science and technology.

They emphasized that the signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of a Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Governments of Azerbaijan and Algeria marks a key step toward advancing bilateral relations.

Discussions also underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation within international and regional organizations, such as the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Both sides praised Azerbaijan’s initiatives and leadership during its chairmanship of major international platforms, noting their contribution to global dialogue and regional stability.

Minister Bayramov informed President Tebboune about the history of Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan, the country’s vision for lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus, and the ongoing reconstruction and restoration efforts in the liberated territories.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, reaffirming both countries’ commitment to broadening their partnership on multiple fronts.

Azerbaijan has nominated its candidate for the position of Deputy Chair of the International Telecommunication Union’s Development Sector (ITU-D) Study Group 1 for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.

According to Azernews, the nomination was made by Azercosmos, the country’s Space Agency. The position will be represented by Ilgar Abdullayev, Adviser on Space Law to the Chairman of the Azercosmos Board.

The election of the new composition of the ITU-D Study Groups will take place in November 2025 in Baku, during the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-25). The process will be held in accordance with Article 20 of the ITU Constitution.

The upcoming conference will serve as an important global platform for member states to discuss research outcomes and recommendations related to digital development, connectivity, and innovation.

ITU-D Study Groups play a critical role in advancing global progress in telecommunications and communication technologies. They focus on exploring emerging technologies and addressing contemporary challenges in the telecommunications sector – from digital inclusion to infrastructure development.

Azerbaijan’s growing engagement within the ITU framework underscores the country’s ambition to become a regional digital hub and a key contributor to international telecommunications policy.

Korean streaming platform Tving is set to launch a dedicated content hub on Disney+ in Japan as part of a strategic partnership with the U.S. entertainment giant, Azernews reports, citing Korean media.

The collection, titled ‘Tving Collection,’ will go live on Wednesday within the Japanese version of Disney+ and will feature original Tving series such as Dear X, alongside hit titles from its parent company CJ ENM, Tving announced on Tuesday.

The launch marks the first time Disney+ has opened an internal content hub in the Asia-Pacific region for an external brand. Tving hopes to leverage Disney+’s established presence in Japan to reduce market entry risks and reach a broader audience.

‘As a local streaming service with the largest library of Korean content, we see this as a valuable opportunity to showcase Tving’s brand power in Japan,’ said Tving CEO Choi Ju-hui at a partnership event on Tuesday.

The collaboration also gives Disney+ a chance to differentiate itself in Japan’s competitive streaming market through popular Korean content.

‘We plan to expand our lineup by combining Tving’s compelling Korean storytelling with Disney+’s blockbusters and local hits,’ said Tamotsu Hiiro, Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company Japan.

Tving has accelerated its global expansion this year, as domestic growth has slowed. Annual growth in South Korean streaming subscribers has hovered around 5% since 2020, according to the Korea Information Society Development Institute. The Korean market, currently valued at roughly 6 trillion won ($4.1 billion), is projected to plateau over the next three to four years.

Facing continued dominance by Netflix in Korea, Tving is increasingly turning to international markets for growth. Last month, the platform expanded into 17 Asia-Pacific regions, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, through a partnership with Warner Bros.’ global streaming platform HBO Max.

By combining Tving’s Korean content with Disney+’s global reach, this partnership could help accelerate the ‘K-wave’ in Japan, introducing a new generation of viewers to K-dramas and original series. Analysts predict that such collaborations could make Korean content a key differentiator for streaming platforms across Asia-Pacific in the coming years.

Those who grew up in the early 2000s surely remember The Rasmus, the Finnish rock band that defined a generation with hits like “In the Shadows,” “Livin’ in a World Without You”.

Teenagers everywhere sang along, air-guitars in hand, to the hits that topped the charts and played endlessly on MTV.

Even years later, their songs still bring back vivid memories of adolescence and school days. For many, The Rasmus remains a symbol of 2000s nostalgia.

The Rasmus, formed in 1994 in Helsinki, has long been recognized for their unique blend of alternative rock and gothic tones. Over the years, they built a reputation for creating powerful, memorable songs that combine dark atmospheres with catchy melodies. Their global breakthrough came with the 2003 album “Dead Letters”, which sold over two million copies worldwide and set records for Finnish music royalties abroad.

Finally, after years of anticipation, Finnish rock band took the stage in Baku for the very first time.

The concert at the Heydar Aliyev Palace was brimming with energy as the audience sang along to the old hits like “In the Shadows”, “Livin’ in a World Without You”, and “Jezebel”.

Songs from the band’s new album “Weirdo” were also met with great enthusiasm and interest throughout the concert.

As band members Emppu Suhonen and Eero Heinonen previously shared in an interview with AZERNEWS, The Rasmus’ latest album, “Weirdo”, is musically a bit harder and heavier. With so many difficult things happening in the world right now, they wanted to create a rock album that reflected the times.

They worked closely with acclaimed producers Desmond Child and Marti Frederiksen to craft the sound. In the final phase of production, Joseph McQueen contributed additional rock and metal elements to complete the album

Fans filled the hall with lively cheers, hand-waving, and dancing, following Lauri’s lead through every song.

The moment The Rasmus struck the first chord, the hall seemed to breathe with them.

Lights twisted and danced like flames, projections painted the walls with color and motion, and the band moved with a presence that made the air itself feel electric.

By the night’s end, it was obvious this was just the beginning. With the band promising a return, Azerbaijani fans left buzzing with excitement, already looking forward to the next chance to see them live.