Category: Azer News

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Friday that China will offer 5,000 AI-related training and seminar opportunities to developing countries over the next five years, AzerNEWS reports, citing Xinhua.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, Xi said the initiative aims to strengthen international cooperation in artificial intelligence.

He also revealed plans to establish international AI application cooperation centers in partnership with ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and BRICS.

In addition, Xi said China will support 30 countries in using the AI-powered MAZU meteorological early warning system to improve disaster preparedness and help protect lives and property.

China will expand AI cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS countries, Xi said. He promised to provide access for 30 countries to a Chinese-developed AI meteorological system that provides early warning systems.

A day earlier, 29 countries including Pakistan, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement with China to establish a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization. State media described it as an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Shanghai promoting global AI governance.

A Russian couple is facing possible deportation from Trkiye after being detained for allegedly reading passages from the Bible inside Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, AzerNEWS reports..

The couple, identified as Viktoria Filonova and Igor Filonov, were detained earlier this week after Igor reportedly read aloud from the Bible while visiting the historic site, which was reconverted from a museum into a mosque in 2020. The incident reportedly took place in the visitor section of Hagia Sophia after the couple had arrived in Istanbul from Moscow.

According to Russia’s state-owned RIA Novosti, the pair were initially taken to a police station before being transferred to a deportation center, where Turkish authorities are considering their removal from the country. The Russian Consulate General in Istanbul said it is in contact with the couple’s lawyer and Turkish officials regarding the case.

Turkish media reported that prosecutors are investigating the couple on suspicion of inciting hatred or hostility, while authorities continue to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Hagia Sophia, originally built as a Byzantine cathedral in the sixth century, served as a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople before becoming a museum in 1935. In 2020, Trkiye officially restored the site’s status as a mosque, while keeping parts of the monument open to visitors outside prayer times.

A presentation ceremony for the book “Collection of Articles Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the First Turkological Congress” has been held at the Nariman Narimanov Memorial Museum in Baku, AzerNEWS reports.

The event participants discussed the publication’s content, its academic significance, and the role of the First Turkology Congress in preserving national and cultural heritage while advancing Turkological studies.

Speakers highlighted the historic importance of the First Turkology Congress in the development of Azerbaijani and broader Turkic scholarly thought. They emphasized that the congress played a key role in strengthening scientific and cultural ties among Turkic peoples and made a lasting contribution to the advancement of Turkological research.

Note that the First Turkological Congress, held in Baku from February 26 to March 6, 1926.

The historic congress gathered 131 delegates, including linguists, historians, ethnographers, writers, scholars, and public figures from Turkic-speaking regions of the former Soviet Union, along with invited participants from abroad.

Among its landmark achievements was support for adopting a Latin-based alphabet for Turkic languages. Participants endorsed replacing the Arabic script with a common Latin alphabet to promote literacy, improve language standardisation, and advance modern education.

The congress also played a defining role in establishing Turkic linguistics as a modern academic field by encouraging research into grammar, dialectology, etymology, and comparative language studies.

In addition, it strengthened scholarly ties among researchers from across the Turkic world, fostering lasting academic cooperation and cultural exchange.

The discussions held during the congress also helped advance the study of Turkic history, culture, folklore, and ethnography, providing an important foundation for future research into the shared heritage of Turkic peoples.

President Ilham Aliyev signed a law amending the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan ‘On the Customs Tariff.’

The text of the document has been published on the official website of the President of Azerbaijan.

According to the amendment, goods of Azerbaijani origin that are wholly produced or have undergone sufficient processing in accordance with the processing criteria by a legal entity in the Alyat Free Economic Zone, and that are included in the list of goods for foreign economic activity approved by the relevant authority (institution), designated by the authorized executive authority, shall be exempt from customs duties upon importation from the Alyat Free Economic Zone into the main economy in accordance with the procedure established by the relevant authority (institution) designated by the authorized executive authority, provided that at least 50 (fifty) % of the volume of such goods is exported outside the country.

This exemption from customs duties is valid for 15 years from the date of establishment of the Free Zone legal entity that manufactures or processes the relevant goods.

The law takes effect on January 1, 2027.

In addition, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the implementation of the law amending the ‘Customs Tariff’ Act and amending the decree ‘On the Implementation of the ‘Customs Tariff’ Act’ dated July 4, 2013.

According to the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers is required, within three months, to determine the list of goods of the Republic of Azerbaijan imported from the ‘Alat’ Free Economic Zone into the main economy without payment of customs duties, that are wholly produced by a legal entity within the free zone or properly processed in accordance with the processing criteria set forth in the Commodity Nomenclature for Foreign Economic Activity, as well as the procedure for importing these goods from the free zone into the main economy, and to notify the President thereof, and to resolve other issues arising in connection with the updated law.

Three Israeli men were arrested after allegedly causing a disturbance aboard a foreign airline flight preparing to depart from Ben Gurion Airport on Friday, Israeli media reported on Friday citing police sources.

According to authorities, the passengers ignored repeated instructions from both the cabin crew and responding officers to leave the aircraft after their behavior was deemed a risk to passengers and crew.

Police said the suspects resisted removal and assaulted officers during the arrest, leaving four officers injured, with some reportedly requiring treatment for bite wounds. Local media said one of the men shouted that he hoped police would “suffer another October 7” during the confrontation.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed it carried out a strike against a U.S. command center near the town of Al-Tanf in southern Syria, AzerNEWS reports.

According to a statement cited by the Iranian news agency Mehr, the attack destroyed a radar system and several specialized helicopters at the facility.

The IRGC also stated that Iran continues to maintain “full control” over the Strait of Hormuz, describing the strategic waterway as remaining under the control of Iranian forces.

Separately, Iranian media reported that the United States launched a missile strike on Iran’s Iranshahr Airport using fighter aircraft. According to Tasnim News Agency, three explosions were heard in the area.

No information has yet been released regarding possible casualties or damage to the airport’s infrastructure.

In accordance with the decision adopted at the AFFA Executive Committee meeting on June 25, 2025, renovation works are underway at Bayil Stadium and the administrative building located on its premises, AzerNEWS reports.

The project is being carried out as part of the implementation of the Football Development Center pilot initiative.

The the installation of a FIFA Quality Pro certified artificial turf is currently underway at the stadium.

In addition, major renovation works are nearing completion in the administrative building, including the changing rooms, referees’ room, medical room, doping control room, offices, and accommodation rooms, as well as the stadium’s lighting system.

Following the renovation, the stadium is planned to be dedicated entirely to youth and grassroots football. As part of this initiative, the “Stars of Tomorrow” tournament is scheduled to be held at Bayil Stadium in August this year in cooperation with the Baku Football Federation.

Formed in 1992, the Azerbaijan Association of Football Federations (AFFA) is the governing body of football in Azerbaijan.

The Association is responsible for overseeing all aspects of amateur and professional games in its territory.

It runs numerous competitions, the most famous of which is the Azerbaijan Cup. AFFA is a member of both UEFA and FIFA.

The Jahangir Jahangirov Choir of the International Mugham Center has successfully participated in the 4th International Istanbul Choir Festival held in Istanbul, Turkiye, AzerNEWS reports.

The festival, held under the motto “Voices of the World Unite in Istanbul!”, brought together professional and amateur choir groups from Turkiye and various countries around the world.

Festival concerts were organized at renowned concert halls and open-air venues across Istanbul. The performances by the Jahangir Jahangirov Choir received high appreciation from audiences.

The ensemble showcased the rich traditions of Azerbaijani choral art and the country’s musical heritage with a high level of professionalism.

The choir’s artistic director, Honored Teacher and Presidential award recipient Tarana Yusifova, said they were proud to represent Azerbaijan at the festival. She also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture for the attention and support provided to the collective.

The choir’s participation in international festivals plays an important role in promoting Azerbaijani choral art worldwide, preserving and showcasing national musical heritage, and expanding creative cooperation with musical groups from different countries.

The International Mugham Center is one of the country’s leading cultural landmarks.

The venue was established on the initiative of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva, in accordance with the presidential decree dated April 6, 2005.

The center, which laid its foundation that same year and is known as one of Baku’s unique architectural projects, opened its doors in 2008.

The design of the building was based on the elements and shapes of the tar, an Azerbaijani musical instrument used in performing mugham. The center was built with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

In 2024, the Mugham Center became the first cultural institution in Azerbaijan to be awarded “international” status by legislation.

The Center regularly organizes large-scale music festivals and concerts by highly acclaimed cultural figures.

It also takes important steps towards bolstering cultural ties with Turkiye, Poland, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Morocco, and other countries.

The International Mugham Center is determined to further expand its work and promote Azerbaijani musical culture.

Numerous projects are being carried out by the center in the direction of studying and promoting mugham art, including “Evening of Mugham Music”, aimed at preserving, developing, and promoting Azerbaijan’s rich classical and spiritual musical heritage.

On July 17, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Bernard Jörg Leopold de Garcia Klingl, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Azerbaijan, AzerNEWS reports.

The ambassador presented his credentials to the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev then held a conversation with the ambassador.

Commending the development of bilateral relations, the head of state emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in the political, economic, trade, investment, and tourism fields, as well as increasing contacts at various levels.

President Ilham Aliyev wished the ambassador success in his diplomatic mission and expressed confidence that his tenure would contribute to the further development of Azerbaijan-Brazil relations.

Expressing his honor at being appointed ambassador to Azerbaijan and meeting with the President of Azerbaijan, Bernard Jörg Leopold de Garcia Klingl hailed the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The ambassador also praised the successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Brazil in the context of COP.

Bernard Jörg Leopold de Garcia Klingl said that, as ambassador, he would spare no effort to further expand bilateral relations.

During the meeting, the sides highlighted the successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Brazil within international organizations and underscored the strong commitment of both countries to multilateral diplomacy.

Pakistan-based English-language news outlet Dispatch News Desk (DND) has published an analytical article examining the outcomes of the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum, describing the event as an important platform for addressing the evolving role of media in an increasingly complex information environment.

In the article, the author argues that the forum demonstrated how journalism is being reshaped by rapid technological advances, particularly the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the spread of disinformation. According to the publication, participants stressed that media organizations must adapt to these challenges while preserving professional ethics, credibility and public trust.

The analysis also highlights discussions on the responsibility of journalists in an era of digital transformation, noting that the widespread use of AI-powered tools has created new opportunities for content production but has also increased the risks associated with misinformation and manipulated content. The publication suggests that these developments require stronger international cooperation and more effective mechanisms for verifying information.

The article further points to President Ilham Aliyev’s participation in the forum, saying his remarks focused on regional developments, Azerbaijan’s foreign policy priorities, transport connectivity and the country’s post-conflict reconstruction efforts. According to DND, the President’s address provided participants with broader insights into the geopolitical dynamics of the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan’s vision for regional cooperation.

The publication concludes that the Shusha Global Media Forum has evolved beyond a traditional gathering of journalists into an international platform where media professionals, policymakers and experts exchange views on the future of journalism, technological innovation and the growing importance of reliable information in a rapidly changing global landscape.