Category: Azer News

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to ban the import of certain Canadian goods into the United States starting September 29. The measures will affect, among other products, certain types of alcohol, dairy products, and motorcycles. The White House announced the decision in documents published on September 8.

According to the documents, the listed goods will be ‘prohibited from being imported into the United States’ starting September 29. Washington justified the decision by citing what it described as ‘discriminatory actions’ by Canada in the trade sector.

The United States has also expanded the list of Canadian products subject to 50% tariffs. These measures will take effect on September 15 and will cover certain aluminum and steel products, furniture, and paper goods. At the same time, some products, including cement and industrial salt, have been excluded from the list.

On September 8, Trump also instructed U.S. government agencies to exclude Canadian products from federal procurement programs worth around $50 billion annually. The move could put additional pressure on Canadian businesses and further escalate tensions between the two countries.

In August, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that Ottawa had rejected a bilateral trade agreement that Washington considered beneficial. Against this backdrop, 50% U.S. tariffs on certain categories of Canadian goods came into effect on August 22.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that Ottawa had suspended trade negotiations with Washington and announced plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on American products. Carney said that a ‘trade war’ had already begun between the two countries and argued that Washington was responsible for starting it.

Trump later announced plans to impose 50% tariffs on Canadian cars, auto parts, and steel starting January 1, 2027. Meanwhile, Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products came into effect on September 8.

The escalating dispute is now affecting an increasing number of industries and could have significant consequences for businesses and consumers in both countries. The automotive sector is particularly vulnerable because U.S. and Canadian manufacturers rely heavily on cross-border supply chains, with parts often crossing the border several times before a vehicle is completed.

Interestingly, the United States and Canada are among each other’s largest trading partners. This means that a prolonged trade conflict could have an impact far beyond individual companies, potentially increasing prices for consumers and putting additional pressure on industries on both sides of the border.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Iran again on Thursday against attacking Israel, claiming that any strike would trigger a “powerful response.”

“Any attack against Israel, for any reason and from any location, will be met with a powerful response that will inflict severe damage on Iran on a scale it has not experienced to date, including strikes on key energy facilities,” Katz said in a video statement.

Moreover, the Israeli minister said that such an attack on Iran would set the country back “for decades” and further undermine Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s regime, “which the Iranian people deeply despise and long to see fall.”

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects Azerbaijan’s average daily oil production to reach 520,000 barrels in 2027, according to its September edition of the Short-Term Energy Outlook.

The forecast is unchanged from the agency’s August outlook.

The EIA expects Azerbaijan’s oil production to average 530,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2027, also maintaining its previous forecast.

Production is then projected to average 520,000 barrels per day in both the second and third quarters of the year, in line with the August outlook.

For the fourth quarter, the EIA forecasts average daily production of 510,000 barrels, again unchanged from its previous estimate.

Overall, the agency’s latest projections indicate that Azerbaijan’s oil output is expected to remain broadly stable throughout 2027, with production gradually declining toward the end of the year.

A drone attack caused a fire at port infrastructure in Makhachkala, Dagestan.

A fire also broke out at the Gamzat Tsadasa Avar Music and Drama Theatre, acting head of the republic Fyodor Shchukin said. According to him, there were no casualties or injuries.

Makhachkala Port is Russia’s only deep-water, ice-free port on the Caspian Sea. The port has an annual export capacity of up to 7.9 million tonnes of oil and petroleum products.

Drones also attacked Russia’s Voronezh Region. In Borisoglebsk, a drone crashed into a private house, triggering a fire and killing a 43-year-old woman, Governor Alexander Gusev said. Two other people were injured and received medical assistance at the scene.

Russian authorities had not officially commented on the reported strikes or the consequences of the attack at the time of publication.

President Ilham Aliyev addressed the Jewish community of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah.

AzerNEWS presents the address:

“Dear fellow compatriots,

I sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah, one of the most cherished holidays of the Jewish people, and extend my heartfelt wishes to you.

Azerbaijan has historically been a place where different civilizations have converged, fostering exemplary social relations based on mutual respect and trust, friendship and brotherhood among representatives of different peoples and faiths.

In modern Azerbaijan, democratic and legal conditions are ensured for the fundamental human rights and freedoms of everyone, regardless of language, religion, or ethnic origin. Within the environment of ethnic and religious tolerance that has prevailed in our society for centuries, the Jewish community, while preserving its national and spiritual values, language, and culture, actively participates in the socio-cultural life of our country, which is experiencing a period of great development and progress, and makes a unique contribution to strengthening civic solidarity.

On the occasion of Rosh Hashanah, which symbolizes renewal, spiritual purity, and feelings of kindness and solidarity, I once again convey my holiday greetings to each of you and wish happiness to your families and abundance to your tables.

Happy Holiday!”

Azerbaijan and Chinese energy company China Energy International Group have discussed renewable energy projects.

“During the meeting with Lin Xiaodan, Executive President of ‘China Energy International Group’, we discussed the completion of the study of Azerbaijan’s electricity transmission grid and the advancement of renewable energy projects in line with its findings. We also reviewed the implementation of the company’s first investment project in Azerbaijan a 160 MW solar power plant and discussed the next steps in our cooperation on offshore wind development in the Caspian Sea,” Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov wrote on social media X.

Azerbaijan is implementing large-scale projects to increase electricity generation and diversify its energy system. The development of renewable energy sources is one of the key priorities of the country’s energy strategy.

Major investment projects to build solar and wind power plants are currently being carried out in Azerbaijan in partnership with BP, Masdar, ACWA Power, China Gezhouba Group Overseas Investment, SOCAR Green and other companies.

The projects are expected to add thousands of megawatts of new generation capacity to Azerbaijan’s energy mix in the coming years. This will help reduce domestic demand for natural gas and allow more gas to be exported.

According to Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov, the share of renewable energy in Azerbaijan’s energy mix is expected to reach around 43% by 2035 as a result of these projects.

The minister also said that Azerbaijan is implementing strategic projects aimed at creating a ‘new energy’ and investment platform linking Central Asia with neighboring regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, said on Thursday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi could visit Russia in 2027 if his schedule doesn’t allow it before the end of the year.

“The leaders have agreed to meet at least once in one country or the other; that is, on a rotating basis. Last year we were in New Delhi; this time it’s the Indian prime minister’s turn – he is well aware of this – and the leaders have raised this issue on numerous occasions,” Ushakov told reporters.

In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to fly to India this evening and participate in the BRICS summit, which will take place in New Delhi on September 12-13. The Russian head of state will also have several bilateral and multilateral meetings, including with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The price of Azerbaijan’s Azeri Light crude oil has risen above $113 per barrel on a CIF basis at Italy’s Augusta port.

According to information provided by oil market participants, the price of Azeri Light increased by $5.14, or 4.75%, compared with the previous indicator, reaching $113.32 per barrel.

On an FOB basis at Turkiye’s Ceyhan port, the price of Azeri Light rose by $4.88, or 4.65%, to $109.87 per barrel.

Meanwhile, the price of Russian Urals crude increased by $3.65, or 4.45%, to $85.60 per barrel.

The price of North Sea Dated Brent also rose significantly, increasing by $5.58, or 5.13%, to $114.26 per barrel.

At $113.32 per barrel on a CIF basis at Augusta, Azeri Light was trading $0.94 below Dated Brent, while its Ceyhan FOB price was $4.39 below the benchmark.

The Azerbaijani state budget for 2026 was calculated based on an average oil price of $65 per barrel.

A large-scale attack has targeted the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi, with reports of strikes involving sea drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The attack took place on the evening of 9 September, according to Russian regional authorities and local reports. A warning over a possible sea-drone attack was issued in Sochi before officials also reported a threat from aerial drones.

Russia’s Krasnodar regional operational headquarters confirmed that unmanned surface vessels had attacked the city and said a fire broke out on the Sochi waterfront. Preliminary reports indicated that at least one person was injured. Emergency and special services were deployed at the scene.

Local authorities urged residents and visitors to move to safe locations and avoid approaching windows while the attack was underway.

The latest incident comes less than a week after a separate attack on Sochi’s port on 3 September. On that occasion, Ukrainian sea drones reportedly targeted the port, with footage showing an explosion and smoke in the harbour area. The attack was described as one of the first known Ukrainian unmanned surface vessel strikes on the resort city.

Sochi has increasingly come into focus as a target in the wider Black Sea dimension of the Russia-Ukraine war. Previous attacks have also affected energy and military infrastructure around the city, including an oil depot and an air-defence position in the nearby Sirius federal territory.

The latest attack also highlights the growing use of combined aerial and maritime drone operations against Russian infrastructure along the Black Sea coast.

Further details about the extent of the damage and the targets remain unclear.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Republic of Azerbaijan, in partnership with the Moroccan Association Joussour des Arts et de la Créativité, will host Moroccan Heritage Days in Azerbaijan from September 10 to 14, 2026, bringing the colors, sounds, flavors and craftsmanship of Morocco to the heart of Baku.

Over five days, Azerbaijani audiences will be invited to discover the diversity of Moroccan heritage through fashion, photography, music, gastronomy, traditional craftsmanship and tourism.

A special place will be given to the Moroccan caftan, one of the Kingdom’s most emblematic expressions of cultural heritage. In 2025, UNESCO inscribed ‘Moroccan Caftan: Art, Traditions and Skills’ on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing the traditional knowledge, craftsmanship and skills associated with this living heritage.

Far more than a garment, the Moroccan caftan is a cultural legacy developed, enriched and refined over many centuries, transmitted from generation to generation and continuously renewed by Moroccan artisans and designers. Its fabrics, embroidery, sfifa, buttons and ornamental techniques reflect the extraordinary diversity of Morocco’s cultural traditions. Its inscription by UNESCO represents an important international recognition of this centuries-old heritage and of the knowledge and skills that continue to sustain it today.

Alongside the caftan, the showcase will feature the Mlehfa, the distinctive traditional dress associated with the women of Morocco’s southern provinces. Rooted in the cultural heritage of the Moroccan Sahara, the Mlehfa reflects a distinctive aesthetic characterized by flowing forms, vibrant colors, refined simplicity and traditional textile craftsmanship.

This enduring commitment to safeguarding, promoting and transmitting Morocco’s cultural heritage is part of the broader cultural vision promoted under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which places the preservation and valorization of the Kingdom’s cultural heritage at the heart of Morocco’s cultural development.

Music, photography, handicraft and gastronomy will complete the experience, offering visitors a glimpse of a Morocco where centuries-old traditions coexist with contemporary creativity from the imperial cities and historic medinas to the Atlantic coast and the Sahara.

Moroccan Heritage Days are more than a cultural showcase. They are an invitation to discover Morocco and to strengthen the human and cultural ties between two countries that share a profound appreciation for heritage and tradition.

Morocco and Azerbaijan have developed close and steadily expanding relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992. The entry into force of the Morocco-Azerbaijan visa exemption agreement in August 2024 has further opened new opportunities for tourism, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco expresses its sincere gratitude to the Association Joussour des Arts et de la Créativité, its partners and sponsors, as well as the Azerbaijani authorities, whose support has contributed to bringing this celebration of Moroccan heritage to Baku.