Category: Azer News

Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, Hikmat Hajiyev, has met with NATO’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Kevin Hamilton.

This was announced in the publication by the Presidential Assistant, shared on his X social media account.

‘I had a productive meeting with Kevin Hamilton, NATO’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia. Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of NATO, and we have achieved significant results across various areas of cooperation. In particular, we noted the progress made in enhancing interoperability between Azerbaijan and NATO. We also held substantive discussions on different aspects of the Azerbaijan-NATO partnership and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest,’ the publication noted.

Member of Parliament for Aleppo, Tarik Sulo Cevizci, has stated at the 2nd Forum titled “Turkman Heritage: Solidarity of Civil Societies” held in Baku that Azerbaijan will support the restoration of 100 schools and the reconstruction of 10 schools in Syria, AzerNEWS reports citing Azertag.

Tarik Sulo Cevizci noted that Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to establish contact with Syria’s new leadership following the beginning of a new era in the country. He added that Azerbaijan demonstrated its readiness to develop cooperation by sending diplomatic representatives to Syria, playing an important role in rebuilding relations between the two countries.

“Azerbaijan has supported Syria in economic, cultural, and social fields. In particular, assistance in the energy sector has contributed to Syria’s reconstruction and the improvement of basic services,” he said.

Tarik Sulo Cevizci also stated that for the first time this year, Syrian students will be brought to Azerbaijan under the “Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant” program.

He added that Syrian students have also been invited to summer camps organized by Azerbaijan for the first time.

All these developments demonstrate that relations between Syria and Azerbaijan are steadily strengthening across all areas.

Note that the 2nd forum titled “Turkman Heritage: Solidarity of Civil Societies” in Baku was organized by the Korpu Turkman Heritage Research Center Public Union in partnership with the Azerbaijan’s Agency on State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations.

Russian propagandist and media executive Margarita Simonyan has suggested that Armenians who support Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan should be permanently barred from entering Russia, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking publicly, Simonyan argued that support for Pashinyan amounts to support for Russophobia and hostility toward Russia.

“All Armenians who support Pashinyan should be banned from entering the Russian Federation forever. Because if you support Pashinyan, then you support Russophobia. If you support Russophobia, then you hate Russia,” she said.

Simonyan went on to criticize Pashinyan’s supporters, stating: “I, a pure-blooded Armenian, advocate that those who support Pashinyan, those who hate Russia, the ungrateful creatures who vote for him, be permanently banned from entering my home country, Russia.”

The remarks come amid continuing tensions in Armenia-Russia relations and ongoing political debates over Yerevan’s foreign policy orientation.

Simonyan was declared persona non grata in Armenia in 2022 following a series of controversial statements regarding the country’s domestic and foreign policy.

The Azerbaijan’s Culture Minister, Adil Karimli, has participated in a scientific-practical conference held as part of the 3rd International Maqom Art Forum in Namangan, Uzbekistan, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking at the conference titled “New Trends in Eastern Maqom: The Interconnection of Tradition and Innovation,” Adil Karimli underlined that Azerbaijani mugham art holds a special place in the nation’s cultural and national identity.

He noted that President Ilham Aliyev consistently provides strong support for all areas of culture, including the development and promotion of mugham art.

It was also highlighted that under the leadership of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has implemented a wide range of projects aimed at preserving Azerbaijani mugham and promoting it both within the country and internationally, making a significant contribution to its global recognition and development.

Established in 2018 and organized every two years, the International Maqom Art Forum is regarded as a highly respected global cultural platform that brings together academic conferences, concert performances, masterclasses, and artistic discussions.

One of its key objectives is to showcase the rich traditions of Eastern musical heritage to an international audience, foster intercultural dialogue among countries, and encourage wider creative collaboration.

The involvement of the Azerbaijani delegation is especially significant, as it helps present the country’s rich musical traditions on the world stage, supports the promotion of shared cultural values within the Turkic world, and contributes to the strengthening of cultural diplomacy.

The 3rd International Maqom Art Forum is currently underway in Namangan, Uzbekistan, taking place from June 23 to 26, 2026, under the auspices of UNESCO and ICESCO.

The forum has already begun with a large-scale opening ceremony attended by state leaders, ministers of culture, and representatives of international cultural organizations.

The opening session of the forum brought together participants from more than 80 countries, including cultural ministers, diplomats, musicians, and scholars. The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, officially opened the event and emphasized that maqom art is not only a musical tradition but also a spiritual and cultural bridge connecting peoples and civilizations.

The Azerbaijani delegation is actively participating in the forum. Azerbaijan’s Culture Minister Adil Karimli is attending high-level sessions alongside other cultural leaders from Turkic states and international organizations. The participation reflects broader cultural cooperation within the Turkic world and strengthens ties in the field of intangible cultural heritage, especially between maqom and mugham traditions.

The forum program includes not only academic discussions but also international competitions for maqom ensembles, solo performers, and instrumentalists, as well as concerts featuring artists from Uzbekistan and abroad. These performances aim to showcase both traditional forms and modern interpretations of maqom music.

Alongside artistic events, the forum also serves as a platform for cultural diplomacy. Representatives of organizations such as TURKSOY, the Organization of Turkic States, and UNESCO are participating in discussions focused on preserving and promoting shared musical heritage across regions.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev shared a post dedicated to June 26 – Armed Forces Day on his social media accounts.

Russia is waiting for Armenia to make a decision regarding its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), Russian Permanent Representative to the organisation Viktor Vasilyev told RIA Novosti, AzerNEWS reports.

Responding to a question about what actions Moscow expects from Yerevan, he said: ‘To make a decision – whether they remain in the organisation or prefer another scenario.’

‘They must inform us about this,’ Vasilyev added.

Previously, Russia’s permanent representative to the CSTO said that the bloc’s leadership would carefully discuss Armenia’s further membership in the organisation.

On June 11 however, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia would accept any decision by the members of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation regarding the country’s membership in the bloc, while also confirming his willingness to visit Russia if officially invited.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Pashinyan commented on reports that CSTO member states had agreed to consider applying provisions of the organisation’s charter to Armenia over its failure to pay membership fees for more than two years.

Armenia suspended its participation in the CSTO in 2024 and has not paid membership contributions since then.

‘I cannot comment on CSTO matters. I know that there is a mechanism for expelling a member from the CSTO. If member states decide to remove Armenia, we will have to take note of that decision. We would have nothing else to do,’ Pashinyan said.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the successful development and testing of a new aerospace system linked to the nuclear program, which integrates artificial intelligence, advanced supercomputing, and 3D-printing technologies, AzerNEWS reports.

According to Fox News, the project, known as Aires Tide, was developed by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The system is designed to replicate the extreme conditions – including high temperatures, intense pressure, and strong vibrations – that nuclear weapons may experience during flight.

Officials emphasize that the device itself is not a weapon, but rather a sophisticated testing platform used to evaluate the durability and reliability of nuclear-related components under realistic stress conditions. By combining AI-driven simulations with physical testing, researchers can significantly improve accuracy while reducing the need for costly real-world experiments.

Brandon Williams, head of the NNSA, described the project as a major technological milestone, comparing its significance to the early breakthroughs of the Manhattan Project. He stated that the new system could greatly accelerate the modernization, testing, and maintenance of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, while also improving safety and efficiency.

One of the key innovations of the program is the use of digital simulation models – often described as ‘digital twins’ – which allow scientists to recreate the behavior of complex nuclear systems in a virtual environment. This approach is increasingly seen as a cornerstone of next-generation defense technology.

Interestingly, experts note that the integration of AI into nuclear research marks a broader shift in strategic defense: from physical testing toward highly advanced computational modeling. This reduces reliance on traditional underground testing, which has been largely suspended for decades.

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that the United States is also considering expanding the deployment of dual-capable aircraft within NATO countries in Europe. These aircraft are capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons, reflecting ongoing adjustments in NATO’s deterrence strategy amid rising global tensions.

Overall, these developments highlight how modern nuclear infrastructure is evolving – increasingly shaped not only by engineering and physics, but also by artificial intelligence, data science, and advanced simulation technologies.

A parliamentary delegation from the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria visited Azerbaijan as part of its participation in the 20th Session of the Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), AzerNEWS reports.

The delegation, led by Algerian Parliament member Bouguerra Soltani, met with Shahid Ismayilov, Chair of the Committee on Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis and head of the Azerbaijan-Algeria interparliamentary relations working group.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and future prospects of interparliamentary cooperation between Azerbaijan and Algeria.

It was noted that political and diplomatic relations between the two countries are developing successfully. The sides expressed satisfaction with the existing level of cooperation in foreign policy and highlighted Azerbaijan’s active role within the Non-Aligned Movement.

The participants emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in advancing both bilateral and multilateral relations. Shahid Ismayilov stated that Azerbaijan is interested in further expanding ties with Algeria and pointed to the shared values that unite the two nations and peoples.

The sides also stressed the significance of strengthening interparliamentary cooperation, cultural and humanitarian relations, as well as youth and student exchange programs. Existing projects and future opportunities for cooperation in these areas were discussed.

Boudjerra Soltani underscored the importance Algeria attaches to developing relations with Azerbaijan. He recalled that Azerbaijan was among the first countries to recognize Algeria’s independence, noting that this serves as a strong foundation for the friendship between the two nations.

Expressing Algeria’s interest in expanding political, economic, and humanitarian cooperation with Azerbaijan, Soltani described Azerbaijan’s successful hosting of major international events as a reflection of the country’s commitment to international cooperation.

The sides also highlighted the importance of broadening student exchange programs and deepening bilateral contacts. It was noted that the Algerian delegation’s visit to Azerbaijan represents another manifestation of the mutual political will to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

The Perseverance rover has detected the presence of complex organic molecules in two different shale deposits in the western part of Mars’ Jezero Crater – an area where, in 2025, the first potential organic ‘biosignatures’ were already identified. This discovery strengthens the hypothesis that complex organic compounds may be widely preserved on Mars over geological timescales, AzerNEWS reports.

‘Our analysis of hundreds of samples from two shale deposits at the bottom of an ancient river system confirmed the widespread presence of complex organic materials. We cannot determine whether they are of abiotic or biotic origin, but their occurrence even in exposed rock surfaces suggests that such molecules can persist on Mars for very long periods of time,’ the researchers noted.

The findings were made by an international team of planetary scientists led by Kyle Akert from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, based on data collected by Perseverance instruments in the western Jezero Crater, within the Neretva Vallis region. This area contains clay-rich and shale formations that formed at the bottom of an ancient Martian lake.

A year earlier, unusual shale deposits in this region were found to contain layers rich in phosphates and sulfides, along with complex organic compounds not previously detected on Mars. This prompted a more detailed investigation of adjacent rock layers and their chemical structure, using the rover’s SHERLOC spectrometer.

The measurements revealed the presence of complex organic compounds, including large carbon-based molecular structures, at hundreds of sampling points across these shale layers. Notably, these compounds were detected not only in well-protected mineral interiors but also in exposed rock surfaces that have likely been subjected to intense radiation and erosion for millions of years.

According to Akert and his colleagues, when combined with recent results from the Curiosity rover, these findings suggest that organic molecules may be widespread in at least two regions of Mars separated by more than 3,000 kilometers. This supports the idea that early Mars had environments capable of preserving potential traces of ancient life, if it ever existed.

Interestingly, on Earth, such organic molecules are often associated with biological processes. However, on Mars they can also form through non-biological chemistry, such as water-rock interactions or ultraviolet radiation-driven reactions. This leaves an open and important question: are these molecules chemical remnants of a once-habitable environment, or possible traces of ancient Martian biology?

The Perseverance rover, launched in 2020 and successfully landed in February 2021, continues to explore the ancient river delta in Jezero Crater. Beyond studying Martian geology, it is also collecting and caching rock samples in sealed containers for a future return mission to Earth under the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program.

One particularly intriguing aspect of this mission is that some of the collected samples may contain ‘time capsules’ – microenvironments of ancient water or clay where organic molecules could have been shielded from harsh surface conditions for billions of years. If returned to Earth, these samples would allow scientists to analyze them with far greater precision than is possible with onboard instruments.

Astronomers have discovered an unusual system of two giant exoplanets with record-low densities orbiting a single star. According to NASA, this finding could help scientists better understand how planetary systems form and evolve over time, AzerNEWS reports.

The planets, designated TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, are located approximately 1,110 light-years from Earth in the constellation Volans. Although both worlds are similar in size to Jupiter, their masses are surprisingly small.

Researchers estimate that the average density of TOI-791 b is about 0.038 grams per cubic centimeter, while TOI-791 c has a density of roughly 0.047 grams per cubic centimeter. For comparison, these values are close to the density of cotton candy and more than ten times lower than that of Jupiter, making them some of the ‘lightest’ giant planets ever observed.

The discovery was made using data from NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), which detects exoplanets by measuring tiny dips in a star’s brightness as planets pass in front of it.

What makes this system especially interesting is the gravitational interaction between the two planets. Their orbits are closely linked, allowing scientists to refine measurements of their masses and confirm their unusually low densities with higher accuracy than usual for such distant worlds.

One leading hypothesis suggests that these planets possess extremely inflated atmospheres dominated by hydrogen and helium. Intense heat from their host star may be causing their outer layers to ‘puff up,’ making them appear much larger and less dense than expected. In extreme cases, such planets are sometimes referred to as ‘super-puff’ worlds.

Interestingly, this system could provide a rare natural laboratory for studying atmospheric escape – a process where a planet’s atmosphere gradually evaporates into space. Over time, this may even transform such giants into much smaller, rocky remnants.

Future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are expected to analyze the chemical composition of their atmospheres in greater detail, potentially detecting elements like water vapor, methane, or exotic hazes that could explain their unusual structure.

Overall, the discovery of TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c adds another piece to the puzzle of planetary diversity, showing that nature can produce worlds far stranger – and far ‘lighter’ – than anything found in our own Solar System.