Category: Azer News

A coordinated disinformation campaign launched in recent weeks on social media against Azerbaijan, particularly targeting Ilham Aliyev and members of his family, is not the result of spontaneous emotional reactions or isolated online activity, according to informed sources, AzerNEWS reports.

Instead, the campaign is described as systematic, planned, and centrally coordinated, bearing the hallmarks of an organized information provocation. Sources familiar with the matter say the trail of coordination leads directly to the Kremlin, framing the operation as part of a broader hybrid strategy pursued by Russia against Azerbaijan.

According to a reliable source, this marks a new phase in Russia’s hybrid pressure campaign. While earlier stages relied heavily on cyberattacks, the current focus has shifted toward what officials describe as information terrorism, aimed at undermining psychological stability and public confidence.

In previous months, Azerbaijan faced large-scale cyber offensives targeting state institutions, media platforms, and critical infrastructure. Officials say Baku possesses detailed information about the technical architecture of these attacks, including server chains and coordination hubs. The latest shift, however, signals a tactical change: rather than technical disruption, the objective is now societal pressure and psychological impact.

Azerbaijan, sources stress, is closely monitoring developments. Baku is said to be fully aware not only of steps already taken but also of potential next moves. Officials reject any assumption that such actions will go unanswered, emphasizing that the country has built its own security architecture and response mechanisms, including in the information domain.

‘Hybrid warfare is silent in its execution, but loud in its consequences,’ one source noted, adding that external pressure tactics no longer yield results in Azerbaijan. ‘This is not the Azerbaijan of the past.’

Officials caution that any belief in Moscow that these actions will pass without a firm response is a dangerous illusion. Azerbaijan, they say, neither accepts pressure nor ignores covert plans, warning that every move carries consequences.

As part of ongoing efforts to engage with the public and address citizens’concerns, Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli has held a reception in Gakh district, AzerNEWS reports.

Before the reception, the minister and the head of the district executive authority Elvin Pashayev laid a wreath in front of the monument to the National Leader Heydar Aliyev erected in the city of Gakh, paying tribute to his dear memory.

At the reception held at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Gakh district, citizens from Shaki, Gakh, Oguz, Gabala, Zagatala and Balakan districts presented their applications.

The residents’ applications were mainly related to changing jobs, projects and initiatives related to the cultural sector, employment and other issues.

The Culture Minister listened to the requests and proposals of the citizens and said that appropriate steps would be taken to promptly investigate each of the mentioned issues and resolve them in accordance with the legislation.

At the reception, which was also attended by responsible employees of the ministry, instructions were given to pay special attention to and objectively consider the issues raised by the families of martyrs and veterans.

Social networks operating in the UK will be required to delete offensive photos and videos within 48 hours of receiving a complaint; otherwise, they could face heavy fines or even be blocked, AzerNEWS reports.

The amendments were introduced by the UK government to the draft Crime and Policing Bill currently under consideration in the UK Parliament. The new measures are primarily aimed at tackling so-called ‘revenge porn’ , the publication of intimate images by former spouses or partners after a breakup.

In addition, the creation and distribution of sexualised images without a person’s consen, including those generated using artificial intelligence tools such as deepfake technology will be classified as a ‘priority crime.’ This means that law enforcement agencies will treat such offences with the same level of seriousness as crimes involving violence against children or terrorism.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that such content must be removed within a strictly defined timeframe.

‘We are putting companies on notice: any image shared without consent must be removed within 48 hours. Violence against women and girls has no place in our society, and I will not stop until we have done everything possible to eliminate it,’ he said.

Failure to comply with the new rules could result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenue – potentially amounting to billions of pounds for major technology platforms.

Experts note that these changes reflect a broader global trend toward stronger regulation of online platforms and greater accountability for protecting users’ privacy and dignity in the digital age.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York was arrested on Thursday, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to Thames Valley Police. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the United Kingdom, AzerNEWS reports.

The police did not name Andrew, following standard UK legal practice, but confirmed that two addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk were searched as part of the investigation. Unmarked police vehicles were also spotted outside his Sandringham residence.

‘We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time,’ said Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright. ‘Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.’

The arrest follows weeks of scrutiny over Andrew’s friendship and dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein and expressed regret over their friendship.

The arrest marks a rare instance of a senior royal being taken into custody. The last comparable case involved Princess Anne, who in 2002 was convicted under the Dangerous Dogs Act after her dog injured two children – reportedly the first criminal conviction of a royal.

The case caps years of growing public and legal pressure on Andrew, the brother of King Charles III and son of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Authorities and media outlets are now closely monitoring developments.

‘We have been doing a really good job. Some of these leaders, who are with us helped me very much,’ US President Donald Trump said during his speech at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace.

Trump noted that he had settled eight wars during his presidency, ‘I think a ninth to come turned out to be a tougher one. I thought that was going to be the easiest one. But with war, you never know what’s easy and what’s not so easy. We’ve had a great relationship. And I have become friendly with so many of the people. And I appreciate you being here. These are great people. These are great leaders.’

The ‘Partner Countries Capability Adaptation Initiative – 2026’ training course is currently underway in Baku, the Ministry of Defense announced, AzerNEWS reports.

Organized within the framework of the Partnership for Peace Program between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense and NATO, the course is being held at the Institute of Military Management of the National Defense University. Participants were introduced to detailed briefings covering the training’s objectives, scenarios, and tasks.

The initiative aims to enhance interoperability and adaptability among participating forces during joint exercises, while also fostering the exchange of expertise among partner countries. It marks a significant step in strengthening Azerbaijan’s international military cooperation.

A total of 66 participants are taking part in the training, including 28 from Azerbaijan and 38 from NATO member and partner countries. Analysts note that such collaborative initiatives reflect a growing trend of regional forces aligning standards and practices with NATO procedures, enhancing readiness for joint operations and crisis response.

The final court decision (verdict) was announced in an open court session on the criminal case against Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan, who was charged with crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, as well as terrorism, financing terrorism, and other serious offenses under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

AzerNEWS reports that the hearing took place at the Baku Military Court, chaired by judges Zeynal Agayev, Jamal Ramazanov, and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samedova). The accused was provided with a Russian-language interpreter and a state-appointed defense lawyer.

The session was attended by the accused and his defense attorney, victims and their legal heirs along with their representatives, prosecutors representing the state prosecution, and Rufat Mammadov, Head of the Cabinet of Ministers’ Office, recognized as the victim on behalf of the Azerbaijani state.

According to the verdict, R. Vardanyan was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. It is noteworthy that during the trial, the prosecutor had sought life imprisonment for the accused.

Unilever and Google Cloud announced on Tuesday a five-year strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the consumer goods giant’s digital transformation through advanced artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

According to the companies, the agreement will focus on enhancing marketing effectiveness, improving brand discovery, and advancing so-called ‘agentic commerce’ – a new model in which AI-powered assistants and conversational platforms increasingly influence purchasing decisions. As more consumers rely on chatbots, recommendation engines, and voice assistants to shop, brands must adapt to remain visible and competitive.

The collaboration will leverage Google Cloud’s AI infrastructure, data analytics capabilities, and generative AI tools to optimize supply chains, forecast demand more accurately, and personalize customer interactions at scale. By integrating real-time data insights into decision-making processes, Unilever aims to respond faster to changing consumer trends and improve operational efficiency across its global portfolio of brands.

‘As brands are increasingly discovered and chosen in environments shaped by AI, we must lead this shift,’ said Willem Uijen, Chief Supply Chain and Operations Officer at Unilever. ‘This collaboration with Google Cloud sets a new benchmark for how technology can power commerce and growth in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, ensuring Unilever remains agile, future-ready, and capable of unlocking value at every level of the company.’

Industry analysts note that partnerships of this scale signal a broader transformation in the retail sector. Beyond marketing and e-commerce, AI is expected to reshape product development, sustainability tracking, and inventory management. For Unilever, which owns hundreds of household brands worldwide, embedding AI deeply into its operations could provide a significant competitive advantage in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Gold and silver markets experienced a sharp downturn recently, with an estimated $1.28 trillion in combined value erased in just a few hours as prices plunged amid heightened volatility and rapid liquidations, AzerNEWS reports.

According to market data, gold prices fell about 2.8 %, translating to roughly $1 trillion lost in market capitalization, while silver tumbled around 5.2 %, erasing approximately $280 billion in value. The sudden losses occurred during a period of thin trading and strong moves in the U.S. dollar, which makes dollar-priced bullion less attractive to international buyers.

Analysts point to a mix of profit taking after record rallies in precious metals earlier this year, expectations of firmer U.S. monetary policy, and technical selling once key price levels broke as key drivers of the downturn. In recent weeks, gold and silver have been exceptionally volatile, with prices swinging dramatically from multi-year highs.

Market participants noted that a stronger U.S. dollar, coupled with reduced safe-haven demand, has put additional pressure on bullion prices, especially during periods of low liquidity such as holiday-affected sessions.

Economists also say the sharp moves in the precious metals sector risk reverberating into broader financial markets as traders reassess risk positions across commodities, equities and fixed income. While some see the selloff as a healthy correction after an extended rally, others caution that extreme intra-day swings reflect deeper structural imbalances and rapid unwinding of leveraged positions in metals futures and ETFs.

An exoplanetary system located about 116 light-years from Earth may be reshaping scientists’ understanding of how planets form. It was discovered using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the European Space Agency’s CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (Cheops), AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

Four planets orbit the red dwarf star LHS 1903 – the most common type of star in the universe. What makes this system unusual is the order of its planets. The innermost planet is rocky, the next two are gas-rich, and the outermost planet is rocky again.

This configuration challenges the standard model of planetary formation, which we observe in our own solar system: rocky planets form close to the star, while gas giants form farther away. The prevailing theory explains this pattern through the structure of the protoplanetary disk. Near the young star, temperatures are extremely high, allowing only heat-resistant materials like iron and silicates to condense into solid bodies – forming rocky planets.

Farther out, beyond the so-called ‘snow line,’ temperatures are low enough for water and other volatile compounds to freeze into ice. These icy materials help planetary cores grow rapidly. Once a core reaches roughly 10 times Earth’s mass, it can gravitationally capture large amounts of hydrogen and helium, leading to the formation of a gas giant.

However, in this system the outermost planet, LHS 1903 e, defies that expectation. With a radius about 1.7 times that of Earth, it is classified as a ‘super-Earth’ and appears to have a rocky composition despite its distant orbit.

Researchers suggest that the planets may have formed sequentially from the inside outward. In this ‘gas-depleted’ formation scenario, the outermost planet formed millions of years after the inner ones. By that time, much of the gas in the protoplanetary disk had already dissipated, preventing it from growing into a gas giant.

What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is that red dwarfs like LHS 1903 are the most abundant stars in our galaxy. If similar ‘inside-out’ formation processes occur elsewhere, planetary systems may be far more diverse than previously thought.

The system also presents exciting opportunities for future study. Observations with the James Webb Space Telescope could analyze the atmosphere of LHS 1903 e, if it has one. Because the planet may be relatively cool, water vapor – or even clouds – could potentially exist there, offering valuable clues about its composition and evolution.

Ultimately, this discovery serves as a reminder that planet formation is more complex than simple textbook models suggest. Each new system we uncover expands our understanding of how worlds are built – and sometimes forces us to rethink the rules entirely.