Category: Azer News

A specialized radar system brought from the United States has detected various underground anomalies and cavities with straight edges during research into the possible remains of Noah’s Ark in Turkiye’s Agri province.

The research is being conducted in the Dogubayazit district near mount Agri Dag, where scientists are using advanced underground imaging technology to examine a geological formation long associated with claims about the biblical vessel.

Project leader and archaeology professor Cenk Atilla said the research began on June 28, 2026. Since then, the team has produced three-dimensional models of the area, recorded GPS coordinates and prepared detailed maps before moving on to underground surveys.

The research team is now examining whether the structures detected underground could be natural geological formations or possible remains associated with an ancient vessel.

Researchers used ground-penetrating radar systems to examine what lies beneath the formation. According to Atilla, the scans were aimed at identifying possible cavities, wood-like remains and other structures that could indicate the presence of a large ship-shaped object.

“We tried to understand whether there are cavities, wood remains or other fragments underground that could have formed the shape of a ship,” Atilla said, according to Turkish newspaper Milliyet.

The Durupinar formation measures approximately 164 meters in length. Supporters of the Noah’s Ark theory have pointed to its dimensions, noting that they are close to the 300 cubits given in the Old Testament for the Ark. The site has consequently become one of the most frequently discussed locations in Turkey in connection with the biblical story of Noah. According to the biblical account, Noah was instructed by God to build an ark to protect his family and representatives of the animal world from a catastrophic flood.

Although France is an ally of the United States, it will join military operations only when they are in line with the country’s national interests, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said in an interview with LCI.

Responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of France for not participating in the U.S. and Israeli military operation against Iran, Lecornu emphasized that Paris remains an “independent ally.”

According to the French prime minister, France does not intend to blindly follow Washington’s policies. Instead, it assesses developments independently and prioritizes the country’s national interests.

Lecornu recalled that France also refused to participate in the U.S.-led military operation against Iraq in the early 2000s.

At the same time, he noted that Paris does join military operations when necessary, including as part of various international coalitions.

Iran considers itself the winner of the recent conflict because the United States “failed to achieve its stated objectives”, Iranian Army Commander-in-Chief Amir Hatami told the Fars news agency.

Hatami moted that the US had sought to weaken Iran’s missile and drone capabilities, but Iranian forces continued using their available weapons against the opposing side “with maximum intensity until the very end.”

He explained that, under conventional military logic, the attacking side is regarded as victorious if it manages to accomplish its objectives. In a defensive war, however, the situation is different: if the attacker fails to achieve its goals, the defending side can be considered the winner.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington escalated again on July 8. The US carried out several waves of strikes on Iranian territory, saying they were in response to an attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes came after a memorandum had been signed between the two countries.

US President Donald Trump announced the end of the ceasefire with Iran on the same day. Tehran subsequently launched attacks against US facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Oman.

Brexit is costing the United Kingdom around £11.7 billion in export revenues every year, according to new estimates by Logistics UK, one of the country’s largest trade associations.

The organization said the decline in export revenues compared with 2019 amounts to approximately £400 per household per year.

Logistics UK has called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to seek closer alignment with European Union rules. At the same time, various campaign groups are increasing pressure on the government to rejoin the EU single market and customs union,The Independent reported.

A new business survey conducted by European Movement UK found that 72.8% of companies believe Brexit has had a negative impact on their operations.

Meanwhile, 96.4% of respondents said Brexit had negatively affected the communities where they live, while 98.2% said they wanted the UK to rejoin the EU single market.

Trade groups and politicians are urging the government to slash red tape and reduce border complexity by aligning more closely with EU regulations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Friday that there was no increase in radiation levels at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZPNN) following recent strikes.

“One drone attack on 25 August reportedly occurred near the cooling pond, injuring two plant employees. The following day, another drone detonated on the site of the dry spent nuclear fuel storage while a third drone – also on 26 August – reportedly hit the sprinkling device of the ZNPP’s power units system. Radiation levels at the site remain normal,” the agency said in a statement.

Furthermore, the IAEA cited Director General Rafael Grossi, who stated that attacks on nuclear infrastructure are “unacceptable” and urged maximum military restraint to avoid incidents.

The next seven to eight months will be among the most critical periods for the security of Ukraine, Poland and Europe as a whole, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, according to Rzeczpospolita.

“We must prepare ourselves for various scenarios, and it is absolutely clear that the next seven to eight months will be critical. The Russia-Ukraine war is at a turning point,” Tusk noted.

He emphasized that the situation on the battlefield could change rapidly, warning that Europe could see Ukraine gaining a strategic advantage one day, only to face a very different reality shortly afterward.

“From Europe, it may seem one day that Ukraine has gained a certain strategic advantage, but two days later it may become clear that the risks of losing this war are also very real,” Tusk said.

Polish PM added that some information must remain confidential when it comes to security issues, but this did not mean that the public should be deprived of information about the most important threats.

Donald Tusk stressed that the issue was now no longer limited to the CIA director’s visit to Moscow.

The funeral ceremony for Norway’s King Harald, who died at the age of 89, will be held on September 5.

Following the ceremony, the monarch will be laid to rest in a new sarcophagus at Akershus Fortress in Oslo. The design of the sarcophagus is being kept secret and will only be revealed after it has been used.

Around 3,000 military personnel are expected to take part in the funeral, which is being organized by Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Preparations for the military participation are being overseen by Brigadier General Gyda Ellefsplass Olssen, commandant of Akershus Fortress. She has held the position since 2024 and is the first woman to serve as commandant since the post was established in 1653.

Queen Sonja will also be buried in the same crypt in the future.

Two years ago, the Norwegian government allocated 20 million kroner for the construction of the new sarcophagus. The project was entrusted to the award-winning architectural firm Snøhetta and Professor Kjetil Trædal Thorsen.

During his lifetime, King Harald spoke about his future burial place with his characteristic sense of humor.

On the day of the monarch’s death, 21 artillery salutes were fired at Akershus Fortress at 30-second intervals. A ceremony of this kind had last been held in Norway in 1991.

Interestingly, the guns used for the salute were purchased from Sweden before the dissolution of the Swedish-Norwegian union in 1905. At the time, Norway acquired 146 guns from the Swedish state, which were considered modern for their era.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) conducted its second non-binding straw poll as part of the selection process for the next UN Secretary-General, with Guyana’s Ambassador to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, emerging as the frontrunner among the declared candidates.

Uganda’s Olara Otunnu gained the sharpest percentage increase support for his candidacy. Yet no nominee drew the required nine yes votes from the Council poll to fully command a lead.

The secret straw polls are designed to gauge the level of support among the 15 members of the Security Council and gradually narrow the field before the Council makes a formal recommendation to the UN General Assembly. The General Assembly typically endorses the Security Council’s choice.

During the confidential voting procedure, Security Council members are asked to mark each candidate on the ballot as “encourage,” “discourage,” or “no opinion.” The results are not officially published, but the assessments are confidentially communicated to the countries that nominated the candidates.

The term of current UN Secretary-General António Guterres expires at the end of December 2026. The candidates seeking to succeed him include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister María Fernanda Espinosa, and Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.

Whoever succeeds Guterres will face significant challenges amid escalating global conflicts and growing criticism of international institutions from far-right populist movements.

The next UN chief will therefore be tasked with revitalizing an organization facing a decline in influence and mounting pressure for institutional reform.

In a formal Security Council vote, a candidate must secure at least nine of the 15 votes to advance. However, any of the five permanent members – the United States, China, France, Russia, or the United Kingdom – can veto a nominee, making the support of the permanent members crucial to the selection process.

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Russia Rahman Mustafayev and Astrakhan Region Governor Igor Babushkin discussed the development of freight transportation along the International North-South Transport Corridor during a meeting in Astrakhan.

During the working meeting, the sides discussed the current state and prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Astrakhan Region, particularly in the trade, economic, cultural, and transport sectors. Particular attention was paid to developing freight transportation between the region and Azerbaijan along the International North-South Transport Corridor.

Speaking about humanitarian cooperation, Babushkin proposed considering the possibility of holding joint opera gala concerts and open-air performances in front of the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, involving the M.F. Akhundov Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater and the Astrakhan State Opera and Ballet Theater.

“The Republic of Azerbaijan is our most important partner in the Caspian region. I intend to continue making every effort to further strengthen comprehensive cooperation,” Babushkin noted.

At the Governor’s invitation, Ambassador Rahman Mustafayev attended as an honored guest the premiere of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, staged by the Astrakhan State Opera and Ballet Theater. The performance was held as part of the “Russian Operas in the Astrakhan Kremlin” project, which has become something of a hallmark of the region.

The Azerbaijani diplomat also visited several facilities built in Astrakhan by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, including the monument to Grand Prince Vladimir the Great and infrastructure facilities on Baku Street, which has become a center of modern urban development in Astrakhan.

Armenia has reportedly chosen its candidate for the position of ambassador to Russia, with former representative to NATO Samvel Mkrtchyan being considered for the post.

According to Armenian publication Hraparak, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has nominated 67-year-old Mkrtchyan as Armenia’s next ambassador to Moscow.

Mkrtchyan is a career diplomat with previous experience working in Armenia’s diplomatic missions, including at NATO and in Warsaw.

He was Armenia’s official representative to NATO from 2004 to 2010, and served as Armenia’s ambassador to Poland in 2018-2023. The official spent a significant part of his diplomatic career in European countries.

On August 21, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan decided to recall Armenia”s ambassador to Russia, Gurgen Arsenyan.

Pashinyan is reportedly dissatisfied with Arsenyan’s performance. According to Armenian media, the prime minister believes that the ambassador has failed to ease tensions in relations between Armenia and Russia.