Category: Azer News

Azerbaijan’s newly appointed Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Fakhraddin Ismayilov, has presented his credentials to UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany.

The meeting at UNESCO headquarters focused on the current state of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the organization, as well as prospects for expanding ties in the future. The sides discussed ways to further develop cooperation across various fields.

Ismayilov also spoke about preparations for the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, which is scheduled to take place in Baku from October 27 to 29. He highlighted the importance of close cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNESCO in organizing the forum at a high level and ensuring its success.

The two sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

The meeting reflected Azerbaijan and UNESCO’s continued efforts to strengthen their cooperation and expand their partnership in areas of shared interest.

Azerbaijan and UNESCO have maintained diplomatic and cultural ties since 1992, when Azerbaijan became a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Since then, cooperation has expanded across culture, education, science and the preservation of cultural heritage. Azerbaijan has worked closely with UNESCO on the protection and promotion of its cultural heritage, while Azerbaijani cultural traditions and heritage sites have gained international recognition through UNESCO programmes.

Azerbaijan’s engagement with UNESCO has also grown through major international initiatives and events. The country has hosted UNESCO-related meetings and cultural programmes and has supported efforts to promote intercultural dialogue. Baku has also become a venue for international discussions on culture, heritage and dialogue between societies.

One of the notable areas of cooperation has been the inclusion of Azerbaijani heritage on UNESCO’s international lists, bringing greater attention to the country’s cultural traditions and historic sites.

Azerbaijan has also taken part in UNESCO’s work on intangible cultural heritage, contributing to the international recognition of traditions such as mugham, Azerbaijani ashug art and the art of carpet weaving.

The death toll has risen to five in the Gyirong area of China’s Tibet Autonomous Region following severe flooding in neighboring Nepal.

According to a statement from the Chinese side, 558 people are currently reported missing as a result of the natural disaster. Search-and-rescue operations and efforts to deal with the aftermath of the disaster are continuing in the affected area.

A meeting on disaster relief and recovery was held under the chairmanship of Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which relevant instructions were issued to the authorities.

The flooding occurred on August 26 in a region of Nepal bordering China. As a result, a border crossing between the two countries was inundated by floodwaters.

On the Chinese side, the road leading to the border crossing was also blocked, while communication and electricity lines were damaged.

According to the latest information, 475 people have died and 667 remain missing on the Nepalese side, while 1,545 people have been rescued. More than 13,000 security personnel have been deployed to search-and-rescue operations.

Authorities on both sides continue to assess the damage and carry out emergency response efforts as search operations remain underway.

Azerbaijan participated in the fifth substantive session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee tasked with preparing the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation, the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy reported.

Azerbaijan was represented at the session by Jeyhun Ismayilov, a member of the OECD expert group and Deputy Head of the General Department for International Taxation and Tax Monitoring of the State Tax Service.

The negotiations focused on the fair distribution of taxing rights among countries, combating illicit financial flows and harmful tax practices, and strengthening the institutional capacity of developing countries.

Participants also reviewed preliminary draft protocols concerning the taxation of income from cross-border transactions, including digital services, as well as the prevention and resolution of tax disputes.

During the discussions, Ismayilov emphasized the importance of developing practical and applicable international tax rules, preventing double taxation and ensuring effective technical support for developing countries.

According to the State Tax Service, the development of a new international framework would allow developing countries to play a greater role in shaping global tax rules, protect their taxing rights, reduce the risks of double taxation, improve the application of transfer pricing rules and strengthen tax administration.

Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have signed a document aimed at expanding cooperation in the film industry as part of the Lachin International Film Festival (LIFF 2026).

The document was signed by Amil Amal, director of the festival and head of the Hoçazfilm Creative Studio in Lachin, and Uzbek producer Eldar Yuldashev. Under the agreement, films produced by Hoçazfilm are planned to be screened in cinemas across Uzbekistan.

The agreement is expected to strengthen professional ties between the two countries’ film industries, broaden film exchanges and create new opportunities for creative cooperation between Azerbaijani and Uzbek filmmakers.

The signing took place during LIFF 2026, the first international film festival held in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur.

The festival took place in Lachin from August 24 to 27. Azerbaijani and international cinema professionals participated in screenings, discussions and other industry events.

This year’s festival received nearly 300 film submissions from 47 countries, with 38 films – 20 international and 18 Azerbaijani productions selected for the official programme.

The festival welcomed participants from Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Iran, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Greece, Norway, France, Ukraine, Pakistan, Germany, Poland, Spain, Indonesia, Moldova, Serbia and India.

The new Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan agreement adds a practical dimension to the festival’s international programme, creating a direct route for Azerbaijani productions to reach Uzbek audiences and strengthening links between filmmakers from the two countries.

SOCAR-CAPE LLC generated more than $500,000 in export revenues in January-July 2026, according to the August issue of the Export Review published by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication.

The publication noted that SOCAR-CAPE’s export revenues for the same period of 2025 were not disclosed.

SOCAR-CAPE is among the Azerbaijani state-owned companies engaged in non-oil export operations. It ranks alongside the Marketing and Economic Operations Department of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), AzerGold CJSC, SOCAR Polymer LLC, AzerAluminum LLC, Azerpambiq Agrarian Industrial Complex LLC, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), SOCAR’s Gas Export Department, Azerenergy OJSC and Nakhchivan Energy LLC.

The Marketing and Economic Operations Department of SOCAR remains the leading state-owned entity in terms of non-oil exports.

Meanwhile, SOCAR Vice President Afgan Isayev said in an interview with Trend on the sidelines of the US-Azerbaijan Trade and Business Conference in Washington that SOCAR continues to expand cooperation with international partners and implement projects focused on modernizing production, decarbonization and developing new areas of activity.

‘SOCAR attaches special importance to increasing the export potential of its assets and introducing advanced technologies,’ Isayev said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Friday it conducted two strikes in the Gaza Strip the previous day.

One operation in the Al-Shati area killed Ibrahim Nabil Ibrahim Bass, identified as a commander in Hamas’s military wing, who the IDF says entered Israel during the October 7 attacks. A separate strike in the Sabra area killed Hamdi Ahmad Hamid Kahlil, described as an observation platoon commander for Islamic Jihad.

The military stated both individuals were advancing attacks against its troops and Israeli civilians, violating the ceasefire. It added that precautions, including precise munitions and surveillance, were used to reduce civilian risks.

Trend News Agency has been recognized as the leading media outlet among media organizations in the Caspian region and Central Asia in the first half of 2026, according to data from the independent Medialogia platform.

According to the service, Trend ranks first in terms of citation rate, outperforming its closest competitors across the region’s media markets in the first half of 2026. The charts below present data confirming the agency’s position.

Over its 30-year history, Trend has grown into one of the region’s largest media outlets, covering developments not only in Azerbaijan, but also across the South Caucasus, Central Asia, Trkiye and Iran. The agency has evolved beyond the traditional news agency model into a digital startup developing intelligent ecosystems with subscription-based models and interactive services.

Azerbaijan will be represented by 14 judokas across nine weight categories at the Lausanne Judo Grand Slam 2026, Switzerland, from August 28 to 30.

The competition will award qualification points for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

The Azerbaijani team consists of 10 men and four women. A total of 518 judokas from 78 countries, including 309 men and 209 women, will compete in the three-day tournament.

In the women’s events, Gultaj Mammadaliyeva and Leyla Aliyeva will compete in the 52kg category, Sudaba Agayeva in the 70kg category and Madina Kaisinova in the +78kg category.

Among the men, Ahmad Yusifov will compete in the 60kg category, while Turan Bayramov and Ruslan Pashayev will compete in the 66kg division. Kamran Suleymanov and Rashid Mammadaliyev will contest the 73kg category, with Omar Rajabli and Vusal Galandarzade competing at 81kg.

Vugar Talibov will represent Azerbaijan in the 90kg category, while Kenan Nasibov and Ushangi Kokauri will compete in the +100kg division.

The tournament is part of the World Judo Tour. Nazim Umbayev, a member of the Azerbaijan Judo Federation’s Refereeing Committee and an international referee with an A-category licence, will also serve among the officials.

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.

Aibek Dadebay has been elected Chairman of the Kurultai of the first convocation. This was announced in a statement by the press service of the Kurultai.

The election was conducted through a direct secret ballot in line with Article 11 of the Constitutional Law “On the Kurultai of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Status of Its Deputies.” A special counting commission comprising members of the Kurultai was established to supervise the voting and tally the ballots.

Opening the first session of the Kurultai of the first convocation, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated the newly elected deputies and wished them success in their work.

In his address, Tokayev said Kazakhstan was entering a particularly important stage of its development, describing the launch of the country’s new unicameral legislative body as a landmark event of historic significance.

According to the President, the beginning of the Kurultai’s work marks a new phase in the modernization of Kazakhstan’s political system. He noted that historically, kurultais served as platforms where major issues concerning the life of the state were openly discussed and collective decisions were reached.

Tokayev stressed that the institution is expected to play an equally important role in the modern political system. He said the Kurultai would fundamentally transform the country’s governance framework, strengthen the efficiency of the state apparatus and contribute to improving the quality of national legislation.

The President also described serving as a member of the first convocation of the Kurultai as a unique and particularly significant opportunity, calling it, in his words, a “special and, without exaggeration, happy moment.”

Europe’s Ariane 6 launch vehicle successfully lifted off from the Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana, carrying the MTG-I2 meteorological satellite into space.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the launch took place at 17:11 local time, or 19:11 Baku time. It was the ninth flight of Ariane 6 since the rocket entered service in July 2024.

After separating from the launch vehicle, MTG-I2 will first be placed into a geostationary transfer orbit. The satellite will then use its own propulsion system to reach a geostationary orbit about 36,000 kilometres above Earth. From this position, it will be able to continuously monitor Europe and North Africa.

The main mission of MTG-I2 is to observe the atmosphere and improve the accuracy of weather forecasting. The satellite will help meteorologists detect and track rapidly developing weather events, including severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and powerful storm systems. It will also provide continuous observations of lightning activity from space.

One of the most interesting features of the new satellite is its ability to observe atmospheric changes at very short intervals. This means meteorologists can follow the development of thunderstorms almost in real time, potentially giving people more time to prepare for dangerous weather.

MTG-I2 is part of Europe’s Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellite programme, designed to significantly improve weather monitoring and forecasting across Europe and surrounding regions. The data collected by the satellites will also contribute to a better understanding of atmospheric processes and long-term climate change.

Ariane 6 is Europe’s new-generation launch vehicle, developed to replace Ariane 5, which operated from Kourou between 1996 and 2023. The rocket is available in two main configurations: Ariane 62, equipped with two solid-fuel boosters, and Ariane 64.