Category: Azer News

Tehran and Muscat have reached an understanding on the main parameters of an agreement aimed at restoring maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, AzerNEWS reports, citing Al Arabiya.

The agreement could reportedly be announced in the coming days, although it still requires approval from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. The proposed deal is expected to remain in effect for 60 days and is designed to break the current deadlock and pave the way for technical negotiations.

Despite the apparent progress toward addressing Iran’s demands, sources rejected claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that a deal to reopen the strait was imminent, saying that several important details still need to be finalized.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei described the negotiations between Tehran and Muscat as “professional” and “moving forward,” adding that the two sides had reached a mutual understanding regarding the geographical parameters of the maritime route under discussion.

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.

A public hearing is continuing today at the Baku Court of Appeals regarding appeals filed by citizens of Armenia who were convicted by the Baku Military Court over alleged crimes including crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, preparation and conduct of an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, and other serious offenses allegedly committed as a result of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.

The appeals were filed by Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others.

The court proceedings on the submitted appeals concluded on July 31. On the same day, the panel of judges retired to deliberate before issuing its decision.

It is noted that, according to the February 5, 2026 verdict of the Baku Military Court, Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, and David Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison, Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan to 19 years, Garik Martirosyan to 18 years, Davit Allahverdyan and Levon Balayan to 16 years, while Vasili Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Erik Ghazaryan received 15-year prison sentences.

Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Corp., Stellantis, and Honda have announced voluntary recalls of a combined 512,393 vehicles across 13 models in South Korea to fix safety-related defects, according to the country’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

The recalls involving Hyundai and Kia are related to several technical issues, including software defects in collision-assistance systems and hybrid control units. Some vehicles also have problems with improperly secured engine components, which could increase the risk of accidents or, in certain cases, fires.

Stellantis will recall Jeep Cherokee SUVs due to defects in the drivetrain assembly that may cause a loss of power while driving. Honda is addressing issues with rearview camera covers on Odyssey minivans, where moisture exposure could affect camera performance and reduce visibility for drivers.

The companies are expected to provide inspections and necessary repairs for affected vehicles free of charge. Vehicle recalls are a common safety measure in the automotive industry and help manufacturers identify and correct potential problems before they lead to serious incidents.

With the increasing complexity of modern vehicles, especially those equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems and hybrid technology, software and electronic components are becoming an important focus of safety checks for automakers worldwide.

Kazakhstan is updating its school curriculum to include artificial intelligence education and prepare students for the growing role of digital technologies in everyday life, AzerNEWS reports.

As part of the changes, the subject ‘Digital Literacy’ for grades 1-4 will be renamed ‘Digital Literacy and Artificial Intelligence,’ while ‘Computer Science’ for grades 5-11 will become ‘Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence.’ This means that students will begin learning about AI concepts from their first years at school.

For younger students in grades 1-4, the new ‘Media Literacy and AI’ section will include 17 learning objectives. Children will explore artificial intelligence through simple examples connected to everyday life, while also learning about online safety, personal data protection, and responsible behavior in the digital world.

Overall, the updated curriculum will include 43 learning objectives related to artificial intelligence. Students will gradually learn how AI works, how it can be used in different fields, and what ethical issues may arise from the development of new technologies.

In addition, Kazakhstan is preparing special methodological guidelines to help teachers use artificial intelligence safely and effectively in the classroom. These recommendations will support educators in introducing modern digital tools while maintaining a balance between technology and traditional learning methods.

The reform reflects a global trend toward AI education, as many countries are increasingly focusing on preparing younger generations for a future where artificial intelligence will play an important role in science, business, and everyday communication.

Azerbaijan will be represented by 14 judokas at the 2026 World Cadet Judo Championships to be held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, from August 20 to 23, AzerNEWS reports.

The national team will compete in nine weight categories with a squad consisting of 10 boys and four girls.

The women’s team includes Sunay Salamova and Zahra Guliyeva (40 kg), Parvin Sevkhanli (44 kg), and Konul Eyvazli (48 kg).

The men’s team features Farid Rzazade (50 kg), Farid Khudiyev and Ibrahim Talibo (55 kg), Ilkin Garayev (66 kg), Yusuf Nazar and Sadiq Mammadov (73 kg), Aykhan Hasanli and Yagub Mammadov (81 kg), as well as Omar Akhundov and Nureddin Aliyev (90 kg).

The 2026 World Cadet Judo Championships will bring together 459 athletes from 61 countries, including 242 boys and 217 girls, who will compete for medals across the four-day tournament.

Azerbaijani judokas have established themselves among Europe’s and the world’s elite, consistently winning medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships, and other major international competitions.

This success has been driven by the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, which has played a key role in developing the sport at all levels.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art worldwide.

The President of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation is Rashad Nabiyev, who also serves as the Minister of Digital Development and Transportation.

The country’s modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.

A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.

However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 73 kg division.

The list of the country’s top judo fighters includes Hidayat Heydarov, Zelym Kotsoiev, Zelim Tckaev, Balabay Aghayev, Ushangi Kokauri, Gultaj Mammadaliyeva, Leyla Aliyeva, Fidan Alizade, Aisha Gurbanli, etc.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has begun an official visit to Ukraine, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said on August 6.

As part of the visit, Bayramov is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and other senior Ukrainian officials, AzerNEWS reports.

The meetings are expected to focus on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

Bayramov’s visit comes as Azerbaijan and Ukraine continue to strengthen political dialogue and cooperation. The two countries have maintained regular high-level contacts, including talks between Bayramov and Sybiha on bilateral cooperation and regional and international developments.

Azerbaijani taekwondo fighters has won a total of 22 medals at the Batumi Open International Tournament held in Batumi, Georgia, AzerNEWS reports.

The national team finished the competition with 8 gold, 6 silver, and 8 bronze medals.

The gold medalists were Ayan Aliyeva (27 kg), Darya Huseynova (30 kg), Fidan Gafarova (33 kg), Rada Asad (44 kg), Ruqayya Humbatli (51 kg), Sabrin Bayramova (52 kg), Harun Salmanzade (58 kg), and Gulnaz Abdullazade (59 kg).

The silver medals were won by Umid Shahbazov (41 kg), Ulvi Mammadov (45 kg), Zeyd Sadikhov (45 kg), Esmanur Azayeva (47 kg), Farid Khalimov (48 kg), and Fatima Ramazanli (55 kg).

The bronze medalists were Umid Aslanov (25 kg), Esma Abdullazade (29 kg), Ahmad Murvatov (33 kg), Yagut Ismayilli (33 kg), Nazli Hajiyeva (37 kg), Malikajdar Galabayov (41 kg), Elgun Mammadli (49 kg), and Javad Heydarli (53 kg).

Taekwondo is one of the most popular sports in the country, attracting athletes of all ages.

The Azerbaijan Taekwondo Federation has trained many prominent athletes since its foundation in 1992.

In 2018, Radik Isayev (80 kg) was crowned European Champion for the second time in his career.

Another national taekwondo fighter, Milad Beigi Harchegani (80 kg), became the world taekwondo champion in 2019.

In 2021, Azerbaijani female taekwondo athlete Minaya Akbarova claimed a bronze medal at the European Taekwondo Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. She won the bronze medal in the 46 kg weight class.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani taekwondo team won five medals at the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games.

The taekwondo fighters won one gold, two silver, and two bronze in Konya, Turkiye.

The medals came from Farida Azizova (gold medal), Javad Aghayev, Minaya Akbarova (silver medals), Hashim Mahammadov, and Patimat Abakarova (bronze).

In total, Azerbaijani sportsmen captured 99 medals at the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games, including 29 gold, 36 silver, and 34 bronze.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, taekwondo fighter Gashim Magomedov (58 kg) and boxer Alfonso Dominguez (92 kg) enriched the country’s medal haul with silver medals.

The national team secured a total of seven medals, including two gold, two silver, and three bronze.

Intensive energy diplomacy conducted between Ankara and Baghdad throughout July has culminated in a major step forward, ensuring that both nations continue to expand their energy cooperation. Just four days after a meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, the two sides reached a one-year agreement to enable the efficient operation of the Iraq-Turkiye Crude Oil Pipeline.

The “Crude Oil Transport Agreement,” negotiated between Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS) and Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) alongside the North Oil Company (NOC), was signed yesterday during a ceremony in Ankara. The event was attended by Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alpaslan Bayraktar and Iraqi Minister of Oil Basim Muhammad Hudayir.

Under the signed agreement, a daily capacity of 750,000 barrels of the pipeline system has been allocated to Iraq’s state-owned oil companies, SOMO and NOC. This arrangement aims to ensure a more efficient utilization of the Silopi-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline System (SCP). Until a long-term, comprehensive cooperation model is established between the two countries, the duration of the crude transport agreement has been set for one year to guarantee that ongoing oil flows remain uninterrupted.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alpaslan Bayraktar stated, “We are capping off a historic week with a historic agreement. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s visit to our President ushered in a process where bilateral relations are being advanced, and new projects are discussed and put into motion. In addition to this, Turkish Petroleum becoming a partner in the Kirkuk oil fields was truly a historic and vital milestone.”

Highlighting that Trkiye has maintained the operational readiness of the two pipeline systems running from Silopi to Ceyhan for nearly 50 years, Bayraktar noted: “BOTAS is responsible for operating this pipeline, as well as managing the storage and loading operations in Ceyhan. Our vision is for these lines, which hold a daily capacity of 1.5 million barrels, to operate at full capacity moving forward. We want to transport oil coming from Iraq-and perhaps in the future from Kuwait and other Gulf nations-along this route to global markets through Ceyhan.”

Minister Bayraktar also noted that during President Erdogan’s meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister al-Zaidi, an initiative was raised for Iraq to supply 1 million barrels of crude oil required by refineries in Trkiye, describing it as a major development.

“This is genuinely crucial for our country’s oil supply security,” Bayraktar remarked. “Decades ago, our refineries in Trkiye were designed specifically to process oil from neighboring countries. Consequently, Iraqi and Kirkuk crude are the products most utilized by our refineries.”

Extending his wishes that all the agreements forged this week bring prosperity to both nations, Bayraktar reaffirmed the significance of Turkish Petroleum’s partnership in the Kirkuk fields and indicated that further joint ventures lie ahead.

“After Monday, we are opening a brand-new page,” Minister Bayraktar concluded. “On this new page, we will advance collaboration across all energy domains-primarily oil, natural gas, and electricity-as well as other economic sectors, pushing our bilateral trade volume far beyond its current $17 billion mark.”

On August 6, an open court hearing continued at the Baku Court of Appeals regarding appeals filed by citizens of the Republic of Armenia – Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others – who were convicted by the Baku Military Court of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.

The court hearing at the Baku Court of Appeals was held under the chairmanship of Judge Elmar Rahimov, with the participation of judges Emin Mehdiyev and Mehriban Garayeva. Each person involved in the criminal case and undergoing appellate proceedings was provided with interpreters in the languages they understand, as well as lawyers to ensure their rights of defence.

Representatives of the victims, as well as prosecutors representing the state prosecution – Abbas Abbasli, head of a department at the Department for Maintaining State Prosecution of the Prosecutor General’s Office, and prosecutors of the same department, Anar Alakbarov and Sevinj Gasimova participated in the court hearing.

Representatives of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan attended the hearing as observers.

The court announced its decision on the defendants’ appeals.

The court decision stated that the verdict issued by the Baku Military Court on February 5, 2026, regarding Arayik Vladimirovich Harutyunyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Klimovich Babayan, Levon Henrikhovich Mnatsakanyan, Arkadi Arshavirovich Ghukasyan, David Azatovich Manukyan, Davit Rubenovich Ishkhanyan, Madat Arakely Babayan, Melikset Vladimirovich Pashayan, Garik Grigorievich Martirosyan, Erik Robertovich Ghazaryan, Vasili Ivanovich Beglaryan, Levon Romikovich Balayan, Davit Nelsonovich Allahverdyan, and Gurgen Homerosovich Stepanyan shall remain unchanged concerning the appeals filed against the criminal case.

It should be recalled that, according to the February 5, 2026 verdict of the Baku Military Court, Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, and David Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment. Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison, Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan to 19 years, Garik Martirosyan to 18 years, Davit Allahverdyan and Levon Balayan to 16 years, while Vasili Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Erik Ghazaryan were sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Urban birds tend to take flight earlier when approached by women than by men, according to a study titled “Sex matters: European urban birds flee approaching women sooner than approaching men”, AzerNEWS reports.

The international research team examined flight initiation distance (FID)-the point at which a bird decides to flee from an approaching person. The study was carried out in urban parks and green spaces across Czechia, France, Germany, Poland, and Spain.

To ensure consistent results, the researchers recruited male and female participants of similar height wearing comparable clothing. They were instructed to walk slowly toward birds in a straight line while scientists recorded the distance at which the birds flew away.

According to the research, birds consistently reacted sooner to women, allowing men to approach about one meter closer on average before taking flight. The pattern was observed across 37 bird species and was based on more than 2,700 observations.

The researchers note that the reasons behind this behavior remain unclear. They suggest that subtle differences, such as scent, movement, or other behavioral cues, may influence how birds respond to people, although further research is needed to confirm these possibilities.

The authors say the findings contribute to a better understanding of interactions between humans and wildlife in urban environments and could help guide future research on animal behavior.