Category: Azer News

United States President Donald Trump underlined on Thursday that the country will soon be filling up its Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), adding that Washington is “taking a tremendous amount of oil out.” In an interview with Time magazine, Trump reiterated that the US has a “very good relationship” with Venezuela.

“When [former US] President [George] Bush knocked out Iraq, everybody got fired. There was nobody to run it. I did the opposite. I didn’t fire the police. I didn’t fire the armies. I didn’t fire. And [Venezuelan Acting President] Delcy [Rodriguez] was the one that was in charge of things. We work well together. Even now. They could have elections,” he commented.

Talking about elections in Venezuela, he mentioned that while he wants to see that, “it’s so raw now … I just think it’s too soon.”

Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress, owned by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., is testing a new VIP membership program called Elite, The Information reported on Wednesday.

According to a person familiar with the matter, the program does not require customers to pay a membership fee. However, it is invitation-only and currently available to users who have spent more than $800 on AliExpress over the course of a year.

Members of the Elite program could receive an additional 5% discount on a wide range of products, 24/7 access to customer support and easier, more convenient returns. The program is currently being tested in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Australia.

According to the report, AliExpress plans to expand the program to additional European countries and South Korea next month. The company reportedly expects to attract around 1 million Elite members by the end of 2026.

The move comes as major e-commerce platforms increasingly use loyalty programs to encourage customers to shop more frequently and spend more on their platforms. Instead of charging a traditional subscription fee, AliExpress appears to be targeting its most active shoppers by offering exclusive benefits based on their spending.

Interestingly, an annual spending threshold of $800 means that Elite is aimed primarily at frequent online shoppers rather than occasional buyers. If the program proves successful, it could become an important tool for AliExpress as it competes for loyal customers in international markets.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the creation of a new Autonomous Warfare Command (AutoWarCom) to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous and robotic military systems across the U.S. armed forces.

Speaking at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on September 30, Hegseth said the new four-star combatant command would have ‘service-like authorities’ and would be responsible for scaling autonomous and robotic capabilities across the joint force. The initiative is intended to bring together efforts involving drones, artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous command-and-control systems.

The Pentagon plans for AutoWarCom to become operational by October 1, 2027. The eventual command will be led by a four-star officer, although the Pentagon has not yet announced who will hold that position. In the meantime, an interim effort known as Project Agincourt will prepare the organizational and technological foundations for the new command.

Owen West, the director of the Defense Innovation Unit, and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser have been assigned to guide this interim phase. Project Agincourt is expected to bring military operators together with technology developers and manufacturers in an effort to shorten the time between the development of new systems and their deployment to operational units.

A central objective is to expand the production of relatively inexpensive unmanned systems while incorporating artificial intelligence and autonomous capabilities. Hegseth has argued that modern warfare is increasingly shaped by systems that can be produced at scale and deployed at substantially lower cost than many traditional weapons platforms.

The Pentagon is already pursuing several autonomous weapons programs. The Air Force and Navy, for example, are developing collaborative combat aircraft designed to operate alongside crewed fighter jets, while the Navy is developing the MQ-25 unmanned tanker aircraft.

The establishment of AutoWarCom would represent a major organizational change for the U.S. military as autonomous systems become increasingly integrated into combat operations, intelligence, surveillance and logistics.

Turkish Minister of National Defense Yasar Gler and the senior command of the Turkish Armed Forces have arrived in Azerbaijan to attend the Distinguished Observers Day of the “Power of Unity-2026” military exercises, organized by Azerbaijan with the participation of Trkiye and Uzbekistan.

Minister Yasar Gler went to the exercise area in Shusha accompanied by Chief of the General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroglu, Navy Commander Admiral Ercment Tatlioglu, Land Forces Commander General Metin Tokel, and Air Forces Commander General Rafet Dalkiran.

Gler also examined the weapons, ammunition, and technologies displayed in the exercise field and used in the exercise with Azerbaijan Defense Minister General Zakir Hasanov.

Following the Distinguished Observers Day events, the minister will participate in a trilateral meeting of the defense ministers of Trkiye, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

The Chief of the General Staff and the commanders of the Turkish Armed Forces’ will visit the Azerbaijan International Defense Exhibition, ADEX 2026, after attending the exercises.

As part of his visit to Azerbaijan, Gler will also attend ADEX 2026 on October 2 to review the products showcased at the exhibition.

SOCAR has announced the signing of a shareholders’ agreement with Serbia’s state-owned energy companies Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS) and Srbijagas for the development of a 500 MW combined-cycle gas-steam power plant in the Serbian city of Niš.

The agreement was signed in Belgrade by Elchin Ibadov, Advisor to the President of SOCAR and CEO of SOCAR Trkiye, Dušan Živkovic, CEO of EPS, and Dušan Bajatovic, CEO of Srbijagas.

According to SOCAR, the agreement provides for the construction of the 500 MW power plant and the establishment of a joint venture to implement the project.

‘Under the agreement, which envisages the construction of a 500 MW power plant and the establishment of a joint venture, the Serbian participants will hold a 50% stake, while the Azerbaijani side will hold the remaining 50%. The document outlines the rights and obligations of the parties, joint management principles, the requirement for unanimous decision-making during the preparatory phase, and the terms for financing the project,’ SOCAR said.

The equal ownership structure will see SOCAR holding half of the venture, with the remaining 50% belonging to the Serbian participants.

The signing ceremony also featured remarks by Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Ðedovic Handanovic, Ibadov, Živkovic and Bajatovic.

The officials highlighted the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Serbia, noting that projects of this scale have been made possible by the political relationship developed between the two countries under President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

The planned Niš power plant is expected to contribute to strengthening Serbia’s energy security and improving the stability of the country’s electricity system.

Czech defense company Czechoslovak Group (CSG) plans to launch the production of self-propelled howitzers in Azerbaijan in partnership with a local company beginning in 2027.

The company announced the plans in a statement issued in connection with its participation at the ADEX 2026 exhibition in Baku.

According to CSG, it intends to establish a second joint venture in Azerbaijan with a local partner in December 2026, paving the way for the subsequent launch of howitzer production.

The project is expected to go beyond assembly, with production technologies and innovations associated with the self-propelled howitzer gradually transferred to Azerbaijan.

CSG estimates that the project could generate approximately pound 1.8 billion in revenue over its seven-year implementation period.

The company has not disclosed either the specific model of self-propelled howitzer to be manufactured in Azerbaijan or the identity of its Azerbaijani partner, citing confidentiality agreements.

The planned venture would mark a further expansion of CSG’s presence in Azerbaijan’s defense industry.

CSG has previously established the VEXA DS LLC joint venture in Azerbaijan. The company specializes in the repair, maintenance and modernization of armored vehicles and other ground-based military equipment.

The new project would therefore broaden the Czech group’s activities in Azerbaijan from servicing and modernizing existing military equipment to the local production of artillery systems, accompanied by a gradual transfer of relevant manufacturing technologies.

‘We attach special importance to the development of our relations with China, our friendly country and reliable strategic partner,’ President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in his letter of congratulations to Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, on the occasion of China’s Founding Day.

‘The high-level political dialogue, mutual trust, and understanding established between us, along with the continuous support our countries demonstrate for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, are characteristic features of Azerbaijan-China relations. The elevation of our interstate ties to an entirely new historical stage – the level of comprehensive strategic partnership – is a vivid practical expression of our firm political will and joint, consistent efforts,’ the Azerbaijani leader emphasized.

‘Covering 90% of the Asian continent and bringing together 28 member states, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia is regarded as a significant and unique dialogue platform that contributes to peace, security and stability in the region and helps strengthen mutual trust and cooperation among member countries to promote sustainable development,’ President Ilham Aliyev said in his address to the participants of the CICA Media Forum on ‘Building Trust through Media in a Polarized World,’ organized by the Media and Broadcasting Council.

‘Chairing this organization over the past two years, Azerbaijan has spared no effort to enhance CICA’s institutional capacities, broaden practical joint activities, and further increase the role of this organization in the system of international relations, while demonstrating determination and consistency in advancing mutual confidence-building measures,’ the head of state emphasized.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in artificial intelligence solutions and related digital technologies has been signed between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and SpaceXAI.

The agreement provides for exploring the use of AI solutions based on SpaceXAI’s Grok models in government services and other priority areas of Azerbaijan’s digital transformation. The main goal is to develop higher-quality, more accessible and efficient public services.

The memorandum is not limited to a single area of application and will cover government institutions more broadly. The parties will jointly assess opportunities for using artificial intelligence and consider expanding successful solutions across the public sector.

The signing ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister Rashad Hasanov and representatives of SpaceXAI, including Dustin Yelinek, Head of Global Government Affairs and Latin America; Reem Sadek, Global Government Affairs and Market Development Lead for the Middle East, North Africa and Trkiye; and Neil Perkins, Head of Market Access, Global Government Affairs.

During the meeting, Rashad Hasanov stressed that Azerbaijan has moved from discussing AI to implementing it, noting that the MoU with SpaceXAI will explore using its AI capabilities to improve government services and integrate solutions into the national digital infrastructure.

Dustin Yelinek said the company was pleased to work with the ministry to bring Grok to government and help provide faster, higher-quality services to citizens.

The parties also agreed to collaborate in strengthening local capacity, sharing knowledge and expertise, and developing relevant skills. The aim is to ensure that AI solutions contribute to Azerbaijan’s long-term national digital development goals.

Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov has met with World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam.

The press service of Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers said the meeting focused on the significance of hosting the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Baku for the first time.

The sides noted that holding the competition in Azerbaijan would help strengthen the country’s standing in international sport and raise interest in swimming domestically.

The meeting also covered the development of swimming in Azerbaijan, the country’s modern sports infrastructure and its experience in hosting major international competitions.

Asadov and Al-Musallam also discussed the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and World Aquatics and possible ways to expand the partnership in the future.

The World Aquatics Swimming World Cup is being held at the Baku Aquatic Palace from October 1 to 3, with 216 swimmers from 44 countries taking part.

Baku is the opening stop of the 2026 Silk Road Tour, which will continue in Tashkent from October 8 to 10 and conclude in Astana from October 15 to 17. The Baku competition is the first World Aquatics event to be held in Azerbaijan.