Category: Azer News

Ridley Scott’s new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure novel Treasure Island has officially received a release date. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on November 11, 2027, just ahead of the holiday season.

The project was first announced in June 2026, revealing that Scott would reunite with Australian actor Hugh Jackman for a new take on the beloved pirate adventure. Scott has confirmed that production is set to begin on November 1, with the Canary Islands serving as the main filming location. The director has already visited the islands to scout locations for the upcoming production.

The screenplay was written by Jack Thorne, known for his work on several major film and television projects. Jackman is expected to take on one of the leading roles, while Hugh Grant and Owen Cooper are reportedly in talks to join the cast. The filmmakers have yet to reveal the full lineup or confirm which characters the actors will portray.

The story is based on Stevenson’s 1883 novel and follows young Jim Hawkins, who discovers a mysterious treasure map and joins a dangerous voyage across the sea. What begins as a search for buried gold soon turns into a deadly struggle for survival involving the charismatic pirate Long John Silver.

Scott’s version is also expected to introduce a surprising new element. Although Blackbeard does not appear in Stevenson’s original novel, the legendary pirate is reportedly set to play a role in the new adaptation. This suggests that the film may expand beyond the original story rather than simply retelling the classic novel.

For Scott, Treasure Island marks a return to the adventure genre following Gladiator II. With spectacular ocean locations, pirates, sea battles, hidden treasure and an impressive cast, the film could offer a much darker and more cinematic interpretation of Stevenson’s famous tale.

Treasure Island is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 11, 2027.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said on Friday that an “emergency meeting” of the Strategic Political Defense Committee of the Mecca Defense Alliance will be held next week in Riyadh in response to attacks by Houthis against Saudi Arabia, as per a translation of Iran International.

Dar did not provide further details on the exact date of the meeting, which is seen as a first assessment of the new security pact.

Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, weeks before the Houthis began attacks against Saudi Arabia and amid the war between Iran, the US and Israel.

Fans of The Mummy franchise have finally got their first look at Rachel Weisz and Brendan Fraser back in their iconic roles for the long-awaited fourth film.

New set photos released this week show Weisz filming as Evelyn O’Connell in London, while Fraser was photographed on set in Suffolk, England, returning as adventurer Rick O’Connell. The two actors last appeared together in the roles in 2001’s The Mummy Returns.

Weisz was seen outside London’s British Museum wearing a vintage-inspired outfit featuring a mustard-yellow polka-dot skirt, brown jacket, wide-brimmed hat and leather gloves. Fraser, meanwhile, was photographed behind the wheel of a vintage silver-and-red rocket car during a sequence reportedly connected to 1957 speed trials.

The reunion marks Weisz’s return to the character of Evelyn after she did not appear in 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, where Maria Bello played the role.

Several other familiar faces are also returning. John Hannah, Oded Fehr and Kevin J. O’Connor are among the returning cast, while Michael Johnston and Numan Acar are joining the franchise.

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the new film is keeping its plot details under wraps. Fraser previously teased that the movie would bring the original “band” back together and revisit locations associated with the earlier films.

The Mummy 4 is currently scheduled to hit cinemas on October 15, 2027.

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday an $8.4 billion enhanced oil recovery project under the United States’ deal with South Korea, saying the initiative would support American energy production.

“I am thrilled to announce the Republic of Korea Deal keeps getting BETTER! 8.4 Billion Dollars for an enhanced Oil Recovery Project,” the president said on Truth Social.

Trump did not identify the project’s location, participating companies, or financing arrangements. The announcement follows the framework outlining an expected $200 billion in investment in liquefied natural gas and nuclear energy projects.

The number of international flights at Tehran’s main international airport has fallen by 42% following the entry into force of U.S. sanctions against Iranian airlines.

According to Asharq Al-Awsat, despite the decline, flights on some of the most in-demand routes from Tehran’s airport are still operating.

The United States imposed sanctions on Iran’s entire aviation sector in early September. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures were aimed at increasing pressure on the Iranian economy.

Bessent said that no company would be allowed to refuel or service Iranian aircraft or sell tickets for them, warning that companies violating the restrictions could be excluded from the dollar-based financial system.

According to flight-tracking platform Flightradar24, after the sanctions came into effect on September 23, the average number of daily international flights to and from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport fell to 53, compared with 91 previously.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s Transport Ministry said on Tuesday that the United States had authorized the country’s national airline to operate flights between the city of Najaf and Iran starting in October.

Despite the U.S. sanctions, some of the most popular air routes to Tehran have remained in operation.

Peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia must be established not only on paper but also implemented in practice, Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, said Friday.

Hajiyev made the remarks while speaking on the second day of the CAMCA 2026 Regional Forum in Baku.

‘We have always said that we won the war, but there was another task that had to be accomplished – it was important to win in peace as well. This is indeed a difficult task,’ Hajiyev said.

He noted that Azerbaijan is effectively living in a state of peace today, but stressed that the peace process should not remain merely a document on paper.

‘We are de facto living in peace on the ground, but peace should not remain on paper,’ the presidential aide emphasized.

According to Hajiyev, Azerbaijan is seeking to establish a regional architecture based on peace that will ensure long-term peace and stability for both the Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples.

Hajiyev also said that Azerbaijan expects provisions in Armenia’s Constitution containing territorial claims against Azerbaijan to be amended.

‘After that, I think the signing of a final peace agreement will become a reality,’ he said.

At the same time, Hajiyev stressed that Azerbaijan wants to establish peace not only with the government of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, but also with the Armenian people.

‘We would like to make this peace with the Armenian people,’ Hajiyev said.

He added that trade and business ties between Azerbaijan and Armenia are already developing, while measures are being taken to strengthen mutual trust in areas that would have appeared impossible only a few years ago.

China’s railway network has set a new record for daily passenger traffic. On October 1, more than 25.2 million passenger trips were recorded across the country, according to the China State Railway Group.

Railway authorities expect another 20.39 million passenger trips on October 2. To handle the surge in demand, an additional 1,462 trains are scheduled to operate across the national rail network.

The sharp increase in passenger traffic is linked to the start of China’s week-long National Day holiday, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Millions of people traditionally use the holiday to visit relatives, travel to major cities, and explore popular tourist destinations.

Authorities expect approximately 284 million railway passenger trips to be made nationwide during the holiday period. To accommodate the huge number of travelers, railway operators have added extra services and coordinated with other forms of public transportation, including buses, to improve connections and reduce congestion.

The exceptionally high level of travel is expected to continue through October 8, when the holiday period comes to an end. Railway officials are also closely monitoring passenger flows at major stations and transport hubs to help maintain safe and efficient operations.

The record highlights the enormous scale of China’s railway system, which plays a crucial role in connecting the country’s major cities and regions. During major holidays, the network effectively becomes one of the world’s busiest transportation systems, handling tens of millions of journeys within just a few days.

Kyrgyzstan has successfully launched a new Earth observation satellite into orbit. The launch took place on October 1 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket operated by SpaceX.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov attended the launch ceremony during his working visit to the United States. The Kyrgyz satellite was deployed into orbit alongside a group of other spacecraft and will be operated from a dedicated control center in Bishkek.

The satellite is designed to provide detailed monitoring of Kyrgyzstan’s natural resources and environment. Its capabilities will allow authorities to observe agricultural land, glaciers, rivers and other water bodies, forests, and pastures, while also tracking changes in ecosystems over time.

The data is expected to have a number of practical applications. It can be used to identify the illegal extraction of natural resources, unauthorized landfills, and other sources of environmental pollution. Satellite imagery could also help authorities monitor remote areas that are difficult or costly to inspect from the ground.

Another important task will be the early detection and monitoring of natural hazards, including droughts, floods, landslides, mudflows, and forest fires. According to the presidential administration, access to timely satellite data will help identify potential threats earlier and allow authorities to respond more quickly, potentially reducing damage to communities and the environment.

The launch marks an important step in Kyrgyzstan’s efforts to expand its use of space-based technologies for environmental monitoring and disaster management. Beyond scientific research, the satellite could provide valuable data for agriculture, water management, land-use planning, and the protection of the country’s mountainous ecosystems.

With much of Kyrgyzstan covered by mountains and glaciers, satellite monitoring is particularly valuable for tracking environmental changes in remote and hard-to-reach regions.

A meeting between delegations of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan and the Customs Administration of Greece was held in Athens as part of the sixth meeting of the Joint Commission on cooperation between the governments of Azerbaijan and Greece in the economic, industrial and technological fields.

According to the State Customs Committee’s Press and Public Relations Department, the Azerbaijani delegation was headed by First Deputy Chairman and Major General of Customs Service Bahruz Guliyev, while the Greek delegation was led by Dimitrios Bourikos, Director General for Customs and Excise Duties at the Independent Authority for Public Revenue of Greece.

The sides discussed the exchange of best practices and ways to expand cooperation.

The Greek side briefed the Azerbaijani delegation on recent improvements to the country’s customs system, the expansion of digitalization, and the development of a risk- and data-based customs management model through the use of modern technologies.

In this regard, the Greek side expressed interest in Azerbaijan’s experience in conducting and analyzing Time Release Studies (TRS), noting that an exchange of expertise in this area could be beneficial.

The Azerbaijani side also shared information on its experience with TRS, the organization and development of customs canine services, cooperation within the framework of the World Customs Organization, and efforts to strengthen institutional capacity.

The meeting also addressed the establishment of ties between the customs academies of the two countries, expanding the exchange of experience concerning authorized economic operators, creating expert working groups in priority areas, and preparing a joint Action Plan outlining key areas and specific measures for bilateral customs cooperation.

Minecraft Dungeons II is now available, giving players a new world to explore in the latest chapter of the Minecraft spin-off series.

The action RPG was released on September 29 for Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It is also included with Game Pass.

The game introduces the Sift, a new dimension that has not previously appeared in Minecraft. It is the first new dimension added to the franchise in more than 14 years.

Players enter the Sift after strange rifts begin appearing in the Overworld. The new realm has its own environments, creatures and dangers. Players must also deal with the Illagers, who are trying to use the mysterious dimension for their own purposes.

The sequel expands on the original Minecraft Dungeons with a larger world and more freedom to explore. Players can move between different areas, take on side quests and search for dungeons and other challenges.

New equipment and character-building options have also been added. The game supports solo play as well as local and online co-op.

The Sift will not remain exclusive to Minecraft Dungeons II. Mojang plans to bring the new dimension to the main Java and Bedrock versions of Minecraft in 2027.

For now, players can explore the Sift for themselves in Minecraft Dungeons II, where the new dimension serves as the setting for a new adventure.