Category: Azer News

Armenian separatists are once again trying to harp on the same string. This time, they are attempting to do it through the Corsican Assembly, which adopted a preliminary initiative concerning the so-called “Republic of Artsakh” and Armenian citizens facing criminal prosecution in Azerbaijan.

The Baku Initiative Group strongly condemned this move, describing it as one-sided, politically motivated, and provocative. That criticism is understandable. The initiative openly contradicts the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states. It also reflects the same political line that has repeatedly been promoted by official Paris.

What makes this situation even more striking is the hypocrisy behind it. Some politicians in France, including President Emmanuel Macron, often speak loudly about the rights of Armenians in Azerbaijan. Yet France itself continues to deny basic linguistic and political rights to peoples living under its own control.

In the context of Corsica, this may provide the most relevant example. French authorities in 2023 have restricted the use of the Corsican language in public institutions, despite repeated demands from Corsicans to protect their cultural identity and linguistic rights. Courts in France relied on the constitutional principle that French is the only official language of the Republic. The ban even provoked protests in the homeland of Napoleon Bonaparte.

In practice, this means that while French politicians lecture others about minority rights and self-determination, they refuse to grant meaningful recognition to such rights within their own state.

Besides, it’s no secret that the Corsican Assembly released it on its own. The links with those who want to divide the South Caucasus are clearly visible by raising topics related to Azerbaijan and Armenia again.

This double standard creates tension in relations between the two countries. The same political circles that speak emotionally about self-determination in the South Caucasus remain silent when it comes to the suppression of Corsican language rights. France signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages decades ago, but still has not ratified it. That alone says a lot about the gap between France’s rhetoric and its actual behavior.

Before interfering in the affairs of the South Caucasus, French political institutions should first look honestly at their own record. Why do they speak about justice abroad while ignoring unresolved injustices at home? Why do they use the language of decolonization in foreign matters, while continuing centralizing and assimilationist policies against peoples such as the Corsicans?

In contrast, Azerbaijan’s Constitution provides all peoples and ethnic communities living in the country with the opportunity to preserve and develop their languages, traditions, and culture. Azerbaijan has consistently supported the principles of international law, especially state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Baku Initiative Group was created on exactly these principles. It serves as a platform to support peoples who oppose colonial policies and seek freedom, dignity, and justice in international forums. Attempts by the French side to discredit this initiative only reveal its discomfort with scrutiny of its own colonial legacy and present-day practices.

If the Corsican Assembly truly wants to stand for justice, it should begin with the rights of the Corsican people themselves. It should demand full institutional recognition of the Corsican language, guarantees for its use in education and public life, protection of Corsican identity and culture, and respect for the political will of the Corsican people.

Real credibility begins at home. A state or political class that fails to protect the rights of its own peoples loses moral authority when it tries to lecture others.

BIG urges the Corsican Assembly to preserve its political and institutional independence and not allow itself to become an instrument of the French state’s political agenda. As the representative body of the Corsican people, the Assembly must defend the linguistic, cultural and political rights of the Corsican people, rather than allowing itself to be used to legitimize policies that erode Corsica’s identity and aspirations.

The K-pop boy band BTS has become a major force in the global economy, boosting local businesses and tourism wherever it performs during its ongoing ‘Arirang’ world tour, according to the British newspaper The Guardian, AzerNEWS reports, citing Korean media.

The publication reported that BTS, despite a four-year hiatus, is once again creating a significant economic impact across the United States. The spending generated by fans attending the group’s concerts is comparable to the economic activity created by major international sporting events, including the recently held FIFA World Cup 2026.

BTS began its US tour stops with a performance in Tampa, Florida, in late April, followed by concerts in Stanford, California, and Las Vegas in May.

In Las Vegas, four sold-out shows in May brought an estimated $340 million in economic activity. The impact was felt not only at large hotels and entertainment venues on the famous Las Vegas Strip but also at smaller local businesses, including restaurants and cafés in Chinatown.

The group is scheduled to hold 14 more concerts across six US cities this month and in September. Analysts expect the economic influence of BTS fans – known as ARMY – to rival the spending power of football supporters who travelled to watch the World Cup final, where BTS also performed.

BTS recently held a two-night ‘Arirang’ concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, attracting a combined audience of around 157,000 people. During the event, New York’s Koreatown experienced a surge of visitors as thousands of fans gathered to celebrate the group and Korean culture.

Michael Mariano, head of economic development at research firm Tourism Economics, noted that BTS concerts have a similar economic effect to major sporting events because fans often spend money on hotels, transportation, food, shopping, and cultural experiences.

The influence of BTS has extended beyond concerts. Their performances have helped introduce Korean culture to wider audiences, increasing interest in Korean music, fashion, beauty, food, and art.

The Korean Cultural Center in New York created special experiences for fans, allowing them to explore K-beauty trends and decorate BTS-inspired light sticks. Meanwhile, the Arte Museum in Manhattan opened a BTS-themed exhibition featuring digital artwork inspired by the group’s music.

‘It’s about sharing our culture, great heritage and Korean contemporary digital art through the lens of BTS,’ said Lee Sang-jin, head of the creative team at d’strict, the company behind the museum.

Experts say BTS’s success demonstrates how entertainment can become a powerful form of cultural and economic influence. The group is not only selling concert tickets – it is creating tourism, supporting local businesses, and introducing millions of people around the world to Korean culture.

BTS will continue its ‘Arirang’ world tour with upcoming performances in Foxborough, Massachusetts, followed by shows in Baltimore, Arlington (Texas), Toronto, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

An open-air screening of the classic Azerbaijani film “A Road Story” has been held at the Seaside National Park as part of celebrations marking Azerbaijan Cinema Day, AzerNEWS reports.

The event brought together film enthusiasts, who gathered on Baku Boulevard to enjoy one of the country’s best-loved comedies under the open sky. The screening formed part of the “Cinema Evenings” project, which aims to introduce audiences to classic works of Azerbaijani cinema in an outdoor setting.

The series will continue on August 8, when another landmark Azerbaijani film, Ulduz (1964), will be shown at the same venue.

Azerbaijan Cinema Day has been celebrated annually on August 2 since 2000, following a decree signed by national leader Heydar Aliyev.

The date commemorates the first public film screening held in Baku on August 2, 1898, organized by French photographer and filmmaker Alexandre Michon, one of the pioneers of cinematography in Azerbaijan.

During that historic screening, audiences watched short documentary films capturing scenes from everyday life, including The Oil Gusher at the Bibi-Heybat Oil Field, Fire at the Bibi-Heybat Oil Field, Caucasian Dance and other local subjects.

Those early screenings laid the foundation for Azerbaijan’s film industry, making the country one of the first in the region to embrace the new art form only a few years after the invention of cinema by the Lumiere brothers. In the decades that followed, Azerbaijani cinema developed through silent films, documentaries and feature productions, with the establishment of the national film studio, later known as Azerbaijanfilm, in 1922.

Azerbaijani cinema has produced many films that have become part of the country’s cultural heritage. Among them are “The Cloth Peddler”, “If Not That One, Then This One”, “A Road Story”, “Star”, Bakhtiyar”, and “Our Teacher Jabish”, all of which continue to be enjoyed by new generations of viewers.

The films selected for this year’s open-air screenings are among the classics of Azerbaijani cinema. Directed by Rasim Ojagov and released in 1980, “A Road Story” remains one of the country’s most popular comedy films. The film “Star”, directed by Agharza Guliyev and released in 1964, is another enduring favorite, remembered for its memorable performances, music and humor.

Today, Azerbaijan’s film industry is undergoing a period of modernization supported by new state initiatives and legislative reforms. A key role in this process is played by the Azerbaijan Cinema Agency (ARKA), established under the Ministry of Culture in 2022 to oversee state support for filmmaking, promote Azerbaijani cinema internationally and encourage cooperation with foreign partners.

In 2026, ARKA announced new competitive funding programs for feature films, documentaries, animation, short films and international co-productions. The initiatives are designed to support local filmmakers, strengthen the private film sector and encourage joint productions between Azerbaijani and foreign production companies.

Another important step came in February 2026, when Azerbaijan adopted amendments to the Law on Cinematography. The changes introduce clearer legal definitions for national, foreign and co-produced films, distinguish between local and foreign producers and expand the legal framework for state support of the film industry. The reforms are intended to bring Azerbaijan’s cinematography legislation closer to international standards and improve the investment climate for filmmaking.

The development of the film industry also forms part of the Azerbaijan Culture-2040 Concept, approved by President Ilham Aliyev in January 2026.

The strategy calls for reform of the state film commissioning system, diversification of funding sources, modernization of film distribution and exhibition, and closer cooperation between public institutions and the private sector.

Turkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed serious concern over drone attacks targeting commercial vessels owned by Turkish businesses in the Black Sea, AzerNEWS reports.

According to a statement released by the ministry, the merchant ships Yasar and Nadejda came under attack on August 3 after departing Russia’s Port of Novorossiysk.

Several crew members, including Turkish nationals, were injured in the incident.

The ministry emphasized that ensuring the safety and security of Turkish citizens remains a top priority, adding that the condition of the injured is being closely monitored.

Ankara also voiced growing concern over the continued expansion of military hostilities between Russia and Ukraine into the Black Sea, warning that the conflict is increasingly affecting civilian maritime traffic.

The Foreign Ministry cautioned that, unless preventive measures are taken to curb the escalation, the deteriorating security situation could have serious consequences, including threats to global food security.

Pakistan has invited senior Iranian negotiators to visit Islamabad as soon as possible to discuss the resumption of suspended direct talks with the United States and diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions, AzerNEWS reports.

According to Pakistani media, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed regional and international issues during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi. The Iranian foreign minister also briefed Pakistan’s foreign policy chief on talks between Tehran and Muscat aimed at restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq invited Iran’s chief negotiator, Bagher Ghalibaf, to visit Pakistan. However, no exact date has been set for the Iranian officials’ visit to Islamabad.

The latest contacts came after US President Donald Trump on Saturday called off planned military strikes against Iran. Trump said US allies had urged him to postpone the attacks and that reaching an agreement was inevitable.

On Monday, Pakistani government sources said that no date or location had yet been determined for the resumption of suspended direct talks between the two sides. They added that Pakistan and Qatar were in contact with Washington and Tehran to determine the date and venue for the direct negotiations.

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have begun the organizational and technical procedures required for the official transfer of the villages of Chon-Kara and Tash-Dobo, which previously belonged to Uzbekistan’s Fergana Region, as part of their border demarcation agreements.

AzerNEWS reports that a joint working group that started operations on August 3 is registering residents and carrying out the necessary documentation process in the two villages.

Once the registration process is completed, the approximately 2,500 residents-most of whom are ethnic Kyrgyz-will be granted Kyrgyz citizenship.

Under the terms of the agreement, Kyrgyzstan will compensate Uzbekistan by transferring an equivalent area of land, completing a key step in the implementation of the two countries’ border settlement deal.

Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for a drone strike targeting Najran Airport in southern Saudi Arabia, AzerNEWS reports.

According to a statement published on the official Telegram channel of the Ansar Allah movement, the attack was carried out using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The Houthis said the strike was launched in response to what they described as Saudi Arabia’s use of drones to violate Yemeni airspace over the Saada and Hajjah governorates.

“We declare that any violation of our airspace will not go unanswered,” the group said in its statement.

The claim has not been independently verified, and Saudi authorities had not immediately commented on the reported attack.

Wildberries is continuing to strengthen its presence in Kazakhstan by constructing two major logistics centers in Almaty and Astana with a combined area of more than 260,000 square metres, AzerNEWS reports.

The announcement was made by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev, during a government briefing.

According to the minister, the largest facility is being built in Almaty and will cover approximately 160,000 square metres, while a second logistics complex of around 100,000 square metres is under construction in Astana. Both projects are expected to be completed and become operational in the first quarter of 2027.

At present, Wildberries operates in Kazakhstan by leasing around 46,000 square metres of warehouse space. The new logistics hubs will significantly increase the company’s storage capacity, allowing it to process orders more efficiently and reduce delivery times for customers across the country.

Shakkaliyev also noted that the Ministry of Trade and Integration has not received any official requests from Wildberries regarding the construction of additional warehouse facilities beyond the two projects currently underway.

The expansion reflects the rapid growth of e-commerce in Kazakhstan, where demand for online shopping continues to rise. Larger logistics centers are expected to improve supply chains, create new jobs, and support local businesses by making product distribution faster and more efficient.

Kyrgyzstan has officially banned the cremation of human remains following the signing of amendments to the country’s law “On Burial and Funeral Services” by President Sadyr Japarov, AzerNEWS reports.

Under the new legislation, all legal provisions allowing the burial of urns containing human ashes have been removed, while previous regulations recognizing cremation as a method of human burial have been declared invalid.

The revised law introduces a new definition of “cremation,” limiting the term exclusively to the sanitary incineration of biological materials generated through medical activities. As a result, crematoriums are now legally defined as specialized facilities used for the thermal disposal of medical biological waste rather than for the cremation of deceased individuals.

The amendments also clarify procedures for the burial of unidentified or unclaimed bodies, as well as aborted and stillborn fetuses. According to the law, these remains will be buried by specialized funeral services in designated sections of cemeteries with the approval of the relevant internal affairs authorities.

In addition, a separate section of the legislation now regulates the establishment and operation of crematoriums, specifying that such facilities may only be used for the sanitary destruction of biological materials produced by medical institutions.

The changes reflect Kyrgyzstan’s traditional and religious approach to funeral practices. As a predominantly Muslim country, burial has long been the customary method of laying the dead to rest, while cremation has remained extremely rare. Supporters of the amendments say the new law brings the legal framework into line with the country’s cultural and religious traditions, while also providing clearer rules for the handling of medical biological waste.

Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: A Brand New Day has become one of the biggest cinematic events of 2026, earning approximately $355 million at the North American box office during its opening weekend, AzerNEWS reports.

In the film industry, the term ‘opening weekend’ usually refers to the period from Thursday – when premieres begin in many countries – through Sunday. This initial box office performance is considered one of the most important indicators of a movie’s commercial success and audience interest.

According to Variety, Spider-Man: A Brand New Day achieved the second-biggest opening in Hollywood history, ranking just behind another Marvel blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame. The new Spider-Man movie earned $355 million in the United States and Canada, while international markets contributed an additional $573 million. As a result, the film’s worldwide opening total reached an impressive $927 million.

For comparison, Avengers: Endgame, released in 2019, opened with around $357 million in North America and earned approximately $1.2 billion worldwide during its debut period, excluding inflation.

Although Spider-Man: A Brand New Day narrowly missed surpassing Avengers: Endgame in total opening weekend revenue, it managed to set a new record for first-day earnings in North America. The film collected $167 million on its first day in the United States and Canada, beating Avengers: Endgame, which earned about $157 million on its first day in 2019.

The movie marks Tom Holland’s fourth solo appearance as Peter Parker. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film also features Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal, and Jacob Batalon. The previous installment, Spider-Man: No Way Home, became one of the most successful superhero films ever, earning around $1.91 billion worldwide.

The worldwide premiere of Spider-Man: A Brand New Day took place on July 31. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the production budget was estimated at $225 million, while the global marketing campaign reportedly cost around $309 million. One of the most unusual promotional moves was the participation of Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi in one of the film’s advertising videos, helping the movie reach an even wider audience.

The film’s record-breaking debut once again demonstrates the enormous popularity of the Spider-Man franchise. With a beloved character, a large international fan base, and Marvel’s powerful marketing strategy, A Brand New Day has quickly become one of the most talked-about releases of the year.