Category: Azer News

The International Mugham Center has hosted a concert titled “The Voice of the Saz, the Breath of the Word,” featuring performances of traditional ashiq music, Azernews reports.

The event was dedicated to the memory of the celebrated master ashiq Edalat Nesibov, honoring his lasting influence on the art form.

Speaking at the event, the director of the International Mugham Center, Honored Artist, and Uzbekistan Cultural Ambassador Sahib Pashazade said that the concert was the first event within the “Sazin s?si, sözn n?f?si” (The Sound of the Saz, the Breath of the Word) project.

He stated that the project will continue throughout the year with monthly events.

The aim of the project is to present the performance and master-apprentice tradition of classical ashig art to the audience in a stage format. The project is both educational and artistic-aesthetic in nature. The main goal is to convey the historical value of Azerbaijani classical ashig art to a wide audience. It is intended to promote the creativity of master ashigs, provide a platform for young ashigs to perform, and present the folk heritage in a new style on the modern stage.

Professor Asif Rustamli stated that the implementation of such projects is commendable. Ashig Edalet did not only play the saz; he also presented the saz as a cultural phenomenon, made the audience love it, and turned the sound of the saz into a carrier of national memory and spiritual existence.

During the evening hosted by Ilhame Qesebova, PhD in Philology, associate professor, and ashig scholar, it was announced that the concerts of the project will include solo saz performances, examples from our dastans, performance skills, deyisme (poetic duels), and choral lyrics. Here, the ashigs will also recite selected pieces of ashig poetry. In musical performance, our ashigs will prefer classical melodies.

Ashig Chingiz Mehdipour, Ashig Ilham Aslanbeyli, Ashig Shaig Inceli, Ashig Nazim Guliyev, Ashig Elmeddin Mammadli, Ashig Nargile Mehdiyeva, Ashig Eldar Baghirov, Ashig Ali Zeynalabdinov, and Ashig Vuqar Kamandaroglu delighted the audience with their magnificent performances.

Ashiq art in Azerbaijan is a traditional form of musical storytelling where the performer, known as an ashig, sings poetry while playing the saz, a long-necked string instrument. It is one of the most important expressions of Azerbaijani folk culture, combining music, poetry, and oral narrative.

Ashiqs often perform songs that tell stories of love, heroism, social life, and moral values, and their art is based on improvisation, emotional expression, and strong connection with the audience. The tradition is passed down through generations using the master-apprentice system, where experienced ashigs teach younger performers both musical skills and poetic techniques.

Azerbaijani ashiq art has received international recognition through UNESCO. In 2009, UNESCO inscribed Azerbaijani ashiq art on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The UNESCO recognition also helps promote ashig art globally, supporting its preservation through cultural programs, festivals, and educational initiatives.

President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree granting the 2026 Presidential Award for Youth to a group of young achievers in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

Under the decree, the following individuals, recognized for their outstanding achievements in science, education, culture, youth policy and engagement, public and social initiatives, innovation, and entrepreneurship, will be honored with the 2026 Presidential Awards for Youth:

Sarkhan Aghadadashov

Shahmar Aghayev

Elmina Hasanova

Leyla Hasanova

Aynur Ismayilli

Mahmud Ismayilov

Lamiya Mammadova

Nilgun Mammadova

Samad Novruzov

Mahir Taghizade

Multiple U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft have been tracked moving toward and across the Mediterranean and Middle East region, signaling a significant reinforcement of American airpower logistics amid growing regional tensions, Azernews reports.

The deployment coincides with a broader U.S. military buildup, including the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman, along with other naval assets, as part of an expanded force posture overseen by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

Why this matters

Aerial refueling tankers such as the KC-135 are key to extending the reach and endurance of combat and support aircraft, enabling U.S. and allied fighter jets, bombers and reconnaissance platforms to operate over long distances without requiring nearby bases. Their deployment typically increases operational flexibility and readiness for sustained air operations.

The tanker movements align with recent reinforcement of U.S. fighter squadrons in the region, including F-15E Strike Eagles that have been deployed to enhance deterrence and defense capabilities, supported by KC-135 refueling aircraft.

The increased activity comes amid rising concerns over Iran’s regional posture, continued protests inside Iran, and speculation about possible U.S. or allied action against Iranian nuclear or missile facilities. The U.S. has simultaneously been conducting multi-day aerial readiness exercises to validate rapid airpower deployment and sustainment across the Middle East, reflecting heightened vigilance and coordination with partners.

While such movements are often precautionary and not proof of imminent strikes, analysts note they significantly enhance U.S. capacity for rapid response to crises, deterrence missions and protection of interests and allies across the region. Past large-scale tanker deployments have occurred in contexts where U.S. aerial combat operations were anticipated or underway.

The tanker surge is part of a wider U.S. force presence that also includes naval deployments, readiness exercises and the positioning of strike aircraft. Together, these movements underscore Washington’s intent to maintain strategic flexibility and reassure partners as geopolitical tensions persist across the Middle East.

A presentation of Azerbaijan’s Sea Breeze ‘city of the future’ mega infrastructure project, located along the Caspian Sea coast, was held at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in the United Kingdom.

The Embassy told Azernews that the event brought together more than 100 guests, including representatives of UK-based real estate and investment companies, banks and financial institutions, business leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, and government officials.

During the presentation, Emin Agalarov, founder of Sea Breeze, provided an overview of the project, its future development prospects, and plans for the coming years. He emphasized that expanding the Sea Breeze project remains a key priority and outlined progress made under its new development phases.

Agalarov noted that cooperation agreements have been reached with a number of international brands and hotel chains, with related construction work already underway. He also highlighted rapid progress on Half Moon Island, a core component of Sea Breeze, adding that half of the island is expected to be completed by the summer.

He further announced that Europe’s largest and the world’s fifth-largest casino is being built within the Sea Breeze complex. In addition, the project already includes two schools, a kindergarten, an arts center, and a hospital, reinforcing its vision as a fully integrated urban environment.

Agalarov underlined that investment opportunities at Sea Breeze are being developed in parallel with construction. According to him, the project’s sales and leasing models are designed to ensure long-term profitability, while its service and management system aims to minimize seasonality and provide investors with stable and sustainable returns.

Speaking at the event, Darren Comber, CEO of architectural firm Scott Brownrigg, said that Sea Breeze is not merely a residential development but is being shaped as a new city in scale, aligned with Azerbaijan’s national development priorities. He added that the project’s master plan is based on the principles of Azerbaijan’s 2030 development agenda.

In his remarks, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the UK Elin Suleymanov highlighted the country’s rapid development under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, noting that large-scale projects such as Sea Breeze clearly reflect Azerbaijan’s broader economic progress. He invited event participants to visit Azerbaijan and explore the country’s ongoing projects firsthand.

The presentation also featured a promotional video of Sea Breeze, alongside information on the Sky Breeze mountain resort concept and the Sea Breeze Uzbekistan project. Guests were provided with brochures and magazines detailing the development. The Sea Breeze ‘city of the future’ mega project attracted strong interest from attendees.

Russia is prepared to evacuate its personnel from Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant if the security situation deteriorates, Director General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) Alexey Likhachev said on Thursday, as regional tensions surrounding Iran continue to escalate, Azernews reports.

Speaking to Russian state media, Likhachev stressed that Moscow still hopes all parties will respect international commitments regarding the safety of nuclear facilities. ‘We hope that the parties to the conflict will maintain their commitments regarding the inviolability of the Bushehr nuclear power plant,’ he said. At the same time, he underlined that contingency planning is already underway.

‘As they say, we are keeping our finger on the pulse. In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense, we will be ready to carry out evacuation measures if necessary,’ Likhachev noted, according to TASS.

Despite the heightened rhetoric and military activity around Iran, Likhachev described Bushehr, located near Iran’s southern port city on the Persian Gulf, as ‘the safest place in Iran’ during the US and Israeli strikes carried out in the summer of 2025. He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally raised the issue of the plant’s safety and the protection of Russian specialists in direct discussions with both US and Israeli officials.

The Rosatom chief also warned against potential restrictions on Russian nuclear fuel exports, arguing that such measures would have serious consequences for Europe. According to him, a ban on Russian nuclear fuel purchases would ‘jeopardize’ nuclear safety across the continent and undermine the economic performance of Europe’s nuclear energy sector. He said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) shares these concerns, expressing hope that ‘common sense will prevail over the desire to increase the number of anti-Russian sanctions.’

Tensions around Iran intensified last June after Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, followed by retaliatory actions from Tehran. The United States later joined the escalation by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites. At the height of those developments, Likhachev warned that any strike on the Bushehr plant could result in a catastrophe ‘comparable’ to the 1986 Chornobyl disaster, the world’s worst nuclear accident.

Against the backdrop of renewed US warnings to Tehran, Israeli security preparations, and growing speculation about possible further strikes, Moscow’s comments on Bushehr underline both Russia’s concern over nuclear safety and its attempt to position itself as a key stakeholder in preventing a wider regional disaster.

Within the framework of the visit of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to Ankara, the President of the Republic of Trkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, delivered strong messages regarding the Turkic world. Drawing attention to the shared vision, President Erdogan stated, ‘As long as we stand shoulder to shoulder, we are confident that we will leave the imprint of the Turkic world on the century we are living in.’

Upon the invitation of the President of the Republic of Trkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, visited Ankara on 29 January 2026 to attend the Fourth Meeting of the Trkiye-Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. President Mirziyoyev was officially welcomed with a ceremony at Esenboga Airport by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Within the scope of the working visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Trkiye, bilateral and inter-delegation meetings were held at the Presidential Complex of the Republic of Trkiye in Ankara. Following the meetings, the Fourth Meeting of the Trkiye-Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was convened, and a signing ceremony for various agreements between the two countries was held.

In this context, President of the Republic of Trkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Joint Declaration of the Fourth Meeting of the Trkiye-Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, as well as the ‘Decision on the Cooperation Mechanisms of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Relations between the Republic of Trkiye and the Republic of Uzbekistan.’

In addition, in the presence of the two leaders, numerous agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed covering the fields of health, transportation and international transport corridors, cooperation in the cultural field for the 2026-2027 period, mining, higher education and light industry, free and special economic zones, economy and finance, and education. Through these agreements, the institutional and sectoral cooperation between Trkiye and Uzbekistan was further deepened.

Speaking at the joint press conference held with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Trkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated, ‘We are confident that we will leave the imprint of the Turkic world on the century we are living in.’ President Erdogan emphasized that the economy of Uzbekistan has entered an important restructuring process under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and highlighted that Turkish companies, with investments exceeding five billion dollars, currently rank among the top three investors in Uzbekistan. President Erdogan also stated that Trkiye is determined to contribute to the prosperity of Uzbekistan and Central Asia.

In his remarks at the joint press conference, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that approximately one hundred flights are operated weekly between Trkiye and Uzbekistan, and that a project portfolio worth nine billion dollars has been formed with the participation of Trkiye’s leading companies.

Within the scope of the said press conference, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of the Republic of Trkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan specifically stated that they will carry the trade volume and cultural relations between Trkiye and Uzbekistan to more advanced levels.

The views and opinions expressed by guest columnists in their articles may differ from those of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect its views.

On January 30, Leyla Aliyeva visited the “Azerbaijan Room” at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Leyla Aliyeva was briefed on the design concept and national elements used in the “Azerbaijan Room”. It was mentioned that few countries have their own rooms at the UN Geneva office. These rooms serve as venues for various sessions and meetings during UN events. In this regard, the “Azerbaijan Room” at the UN Geneva office plays a pivotal role in showcasing nation’s heritage and presence.

The “Azerbaijan Room,” set up at the UN Geneva office by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, features the up-to-date equipment, enabling the hosting of meetings and conferences.

The design of the room features various national elements, including photos depicting Azerbaijan’s rich nature, history, as well as the elements of Shabaka, Azerbaijani traditional stained glass technique. Moreover, it also highlights the Garabagh carpet, and Azerbaijani musical instruments – tar, kamancha and gaval – essential for Mugham.

On January 30, a launch ceremony for the Poti-Baku express block train was held at the Port of Poti in Georgia, with the participation of the senior management of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC and Georgian Railways JSC.

As reported by Azernews, Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) announced that the event highlighted the strategic importance of the new express service. It was noted that the service will allow cargo owners to save not only time but also costs related to the storage of cargo and empty containers at terminals.

The block train operating on the Poti-Baku route will connect Black Sea ports with Azerbaijan’s ports and terminals. At the same time, it offers a simplified logistics solution, enabling cargo owners to receive containers between Poti and Baku and vice versa at fixed times without delays.

Georgia and Azerbaijan are actively cooperating to enhance the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor and attract additional cargo flows. In this context, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Rovshan Rustamov, who is on a visit to Tbilisi, met yesterday with Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tamar Ioseliani and General Director of Georgian Railways JSC Lasha Abashidze.

During the meeting, particular attention was paid to the official launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway and the opportunities for increasing cargo turnover along this route, within the broader framework of bilateral cooperation in railway transport. It was noted that Georgian Railways will carry out cargo transportation on the Marabda-Kartsakhi railway section.

The main rail transport between the two countries is conducted via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line. Of the railway’s total length of approximately 850 kilometers, 504 kilometers pass through the territory of Azerbaijan, 263 kilometers through Georgia, and 79 kilometers through Turkiye.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway significantly reduces delivery times for cargo transported from China to Europe compared to maritime routes. The railway, which contributes to regional stability and security, is expected to carry up to 5 million tons of cargo at the initial stage, 17 million tons at the second stage, and even larger volumes thereafter.

Constructed along the historic Silk Road, the project enhances the region’s transport attractiveness and facilitates access to European and global markets for Central Asian countries – including Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan – as well as Afghanistan. It plays an important role in the development, integration, and expansion of their trade and economic relations.

The year 2026 may be one of the decisive years for the S and P 500 index. This index, considered the main indicator of the U.S. stock market, has for decades served investors both as a reliable unit of measurement and as a mirror of economic trends. However, in the coming period, the dynamics of the S and P 500 will be determined not only by the performance of existing giants, but also by the entry of new technology companies, especially players operating in the field of artificial intelligence, into the stock exchange.

History shows that the technology sector has played a decisive role in the long-term rise of the S and P 500. Especially after the 1990s, the rapid development of the internet, digital platforms, and global technology companies fundamentally changed the structure of the index. Today, technology companies make up about 25-30 percent of the S and P 500, and it is precisely this sector that has the greatest impact on the overall performance of the index. This share is not limited only to software and hardware manufacturers; social networks, search and advertising platforms, cloud technologies, and in recent years, rapidly developing generative artificial intelligence products are the main pillars of this growth.

Against this background, expectations are strengthening that 2026 will be the ‘IPO year’ for the technology sector. According to market sources, OpenAI has entered a serious preparation stage for public listing in the near future. The company is negotiating with Wall Street banks, strengthening its finance and investor relations teams, and these steps show that OpenAI’s intention to move from the private market to the public market has already passed from the theoretical to the practical stage. It is reported that OpenAI’s market value is measured in hundreds of billions of dollars, which could make it one of the largest technology IPOs in history.

In parallel with OpenAI, one of its main rivals, Anthropic, does not hide the possibility of going public either. The company is evaluating a suitable time window for listing amid rapidly growing revenues, demand for its products, and investor interest. Although both companies have not yet fully reached profitability, the market at this stage values not so much profit as the potential of technology to integrate into the economy. Artificial intelligence has already become not only an element for the technology sector, but also a key infrastructure element for finance, industry, logistics, media, and even government administration.

The IPO of such large AI companies will not be just a statistical change for the S and P 500. New listings will further increase the share of the technology sector in the index and strengthen the already dominant position of this sector. If OpenAI, Anthropic, and similar large-scale companies are included in the index, the share of technology rising above 30 percent becomes a realistic scenario. This means that the movement of the index in the coming decades will depend more on the fate of AI and the platform economy.

The important point here is that this process differs from past technology waves. In the internet boom of the 1990s, technology mainly created new markets, whereas artificial intelligence is already reshaping all existing markets. This makes its long-term impact deeper and more sustainable. That is why analysts predict that technology companies, especially AI-based platforms, will remain the main driving force of the S and P 500 over the next 15-20 years.

The 61st Venice Biennale will feature the project “The Attention” by People’s Artist Faig Ahmad, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation of Azerbaijan, with the support of the Culture Ministry and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy, Azernews reports.

The exhibition at the Azerbaijani national pavilion will be open from May 9 to November 22.

“The Attention” is Azerbaijan’s contribution to one of the most significant international platforms for contemporary art.

At the center of the pavilion, a carpet, which is a key and recurring element in Faig Ahmad’s artistic practice, will be presented. The carpet, associated with cultural memory and collective identity, becomes an element guiding visitors throughout the exhibition.

Conceptually, the project is inspired by the philosophical and poetic heritage of the prominent Azerbaijani poet and thinker, a representative of the Hurufi tradition, Imadaddin Nasimi. The project is envisioned as an immersive, multimodal artistic environment that unfolds through a sequence of interconnected spaces.

The project addresses themes of inner consciousness and reconnection in response to the uncertainty, anxiety, and information overload that characterize the modern world – here, art is seen as something that can arise from chaos.

“The Attention” integrates advanced technologies, including quantum-based systems, as well as neuro-reactive and data-driven processes, alongside traditional approaches. In this context, Hurufi thought and contemporary quantum concepts of reality are presented in direct parallel. While Hurufism frames the world as a meaningful code made of letters and signs, quantum physics describes reality as probabilistic, informational, and interconnected. In both systems, reality is not a fixed entity but forms through interpretation, interaction, and attention. “The Attention” clearly demonstrates this parallel, presenting quantum information as the modern counterpart to the Hurufi understanding of the universe.

The curator of Azerbaijan’s national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale will be Gwendolyn Collaço. Her research and curatorial expertise focus on Islamic art, material culture, and cross-cultural exchange.