Category: Azer News

Another vessel has come under attack near the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, AzerNEWS reports, citing the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

The UKMTO said it received a report of an incident involving an unidentified tanker located about 19 kilometers east of Khasab, Oman. The vessel was struck by an unknown projectile, causing minor structural damage to its port side.

No crew members were injured in the incident, and there were no reports of environmental damage, the UKMTO said.

“All crew members are safe… No reports of any impact on the environment have been received,” the agency said in a statement.

As of Friday morning, only three commercial vessels had passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the previous 24 hours, marking the lowest daily transit level since May, according to information from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Shipping data showed that many vessels either stopped before entering the strategic waterway or changed their routes.

The IMO has also confirmed 56 shipping-related incidents connected to the regional conflict, resulting in the deaths of 17 seafarers.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, holding significant strategic importance as approximately 20% of global oil supplies and around 25% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports pass through it. Essentially, it serves as an energy artery for countries in Asia, Europe, and even the United States.

The strait separates Iran from Oman, and in some areas, the width of the shipping channel is only two miles on each side. Given its critical role in global energy supply chains, ensuring the safety and security of this vital waterway is paramount for international trade and economic stability.

Azerbaijani FIFA referee Elchin Masiyev has been appointed to officiate a UEFA Champions League match, AzerNEWS reports.

Elchin Masiyev will take charge of the second-leg match in the second qualifying round between Serbia’s Crvena Zvezda and Northern Ireland’s Larne.

He will be assisted by assistant referees Elshad Abdullayev and Parvin Talibov, while Aliyar Aghayev will serve as the fourth official.

The VAR referee will be Clay Ruperti from the Netherlands, with Nijat Ismayilli acting as the VAR assistant.

The match will be played on July 29 at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade and will kick off at 22:00 (Baku time).

The UEFA Champions League is a continental tournament that brings together the best teams from Europe’s top domestic leagues.

It is widely regarded as the pinnacle of club football, attracting millions of fans worldwide.

Clubs from UEFA’s member countries compete for the title, which is seen as the ultimate achievement for European club teams.

The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League is actively underway, having kicked off its qualifying rounds in July 2026.

The tournament will feature 36 teams in the league phase, culminating in the final at the Estadio Metropolitanoin Madrid, Spain, on June 5, 2027.

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.

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.

Azerbaijan is comprehensively implementing the principles of the New Urban Agenda in the liberated regions of Karabakh and East Zangezur, Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture Anar Guliyev said while presenting the country’s report at the High-Level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.

Guliyev stated that under the “Great Return State Program”, Azerbaijan is applying the “Build Back Better” approach to ensure the safe and dignified return of formerly displaced persons to their native homes.

He noted that master plans have been approved for eight of the region’s 12 cities, as well as 106 towns and villages. According to Guliyev, around 90,000 people currently live, work, and study in these territories.

“In parallel with housing construction, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and public services are being developed simultaneously. More than 15,700 residential units have been authorized for construction,” he said.

Guliyev added that three international airports, along with newly built highways and railway infrastructure, are significantly improving regional connectivity.

He reaffirmed that Azerbaijan fully supports this approach and that the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, the government body responsible for shaping and implementing urban planning policy, is committed to translating the principles of the New Urban Agenda into practical action at the national level.

Anar Guliyev also expressed Azerbaijan’s willingness to continue collaborating with the UN, UN-Habitat, UN Member States, and all stakeholders to advance sustainable urban development.

Pakistan has welcomed the creation of the World Organization for Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (WAICO), calling the initiative an important step toward global cooperation in the field of advanced technologies, AzerNEWS reports.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Mohammad Ishaq Dar described the establishment of WAICO as an ‘excellent initiative’ during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Shanghai ahead of the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC).

A Pakistani delegation arrived in Shanghai to participate in the conference and sign the agreement on the establishment of WAICO. Ishaq Dar emphasized that Pakistan is proud to become one of the founding members of the organization and expressed hope that the initiative will further strengthen cooperation with China and other countries in artificial intelligence research and development.

Wang Yi noted that Pakistan’s participation in WAICO corresponds to the long-term interests of the country and its people. According to him, China is actively contributing to the creation of the organization by promoting international dialogue, practical cooperation, and the development of technological capabilities. One of WAICO’s key objectives will be to ensure that all countries, especially developing nations of the Global South, have equal opportunities to benefit from advances in artificial intelligence.

The World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) has been held annually in China since 2018 and has become one of the largest global platforms for discussing AI development. This year’s event is being held under the theme ‘Partnership in Artificial Intelligence for a Brighter Future’ and has brought together more than 1,400 participants from different countries.

The program includes over 140 forums and discussions taking place from July 17 to 20. In addition, the conference features a large-scale exhibition covering more than 100,000 square meters, where around 3,000 AI-related products and technologies from approximately 1,100 companies are being presented.

Experts note that the creation of WAICO reflects the growing importance of international cooperation in artificial intelligence, as countries seek common approaches to AI development, regulation, and the responsible use of emerging technologies.

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.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy shared in a statement on Friday that the latest Iranian strike targeted a power and water desalination plant, AzerNEWS reports.

The ministry detailed that the attack caused a fire, with numerous electricity generation units damaged. Fire brigades were sent to the scene, managing to control and extinguish the fire, with the ministry currently assessing the full extent of the damage.

The ministry further mentioned that technical teams are doing everything in their power to “maintain stability of the main system and ensure continuity of services.”

Iranian armed forces said they conducted another “destructive” drone attack against US forces in Kuwait, hitting support facilities and logistical support centers in response to Washington’s attacks.

The US and Iran traded strikes throughout the night and early on Friday, as the security situation in the Middle East worsened.

Earlier, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) completed the latest round of strikes, focusing on Iranian logistics, air defenses, and maritime forces.

In accordance with the 2026 Training Plan approved by the Minister of Defense, training flights were conducted by Aviation Units of the Azerbaijan Air Force, AzerNEWS reports.

After receiving readiness reports from the flight crews, the pilots’ theoretical knowledge of the training flight requirements and flight safety procedures was assessed.

The pilots then carried out pre-flight inspections of the aircraft.

Under the training flight plan, JF-17C (Block III), Su-25ML, and L-39 aircraft conducted daytime takeoffs and landings along designated flight routes, while also executing assigned complex piloting and combat maneuver tasks at various altitudes.

Conducted to enhance the combat readiness of military pilots, the training flights focused on the precise and safe execution of assigned tasks under various tactical conditions, as well as on improving the effective combat employment capabilities of aviation assets.

During the training flights, the military pilots demonstrated a high level of professionalism.

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.