Category: Azer News

Twenty-five road projects outlined in the ‘State Program on Improving Transport Infrastructure in Baku City and Surrounding Areas for 2025-2030’ are related to the construction of road infrastructure.

As reported by Azernews, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rahman Hummatov made the remarks today during a roundtable discussion dedicated to the implementation of the State Program for 2025.

He noted that construction is currently underway on four of the projects, including the Bilgah-Novkhani-VAZ Circle-Khirdalan-M-4 road, the Academic Hasan Aliyev Street-Koroghlu metro station connection, the Khagani Rustamov-Agha Nematulla road, and the VAZ Circle-M-4 Shamakhi highway.

Hummatov added that construction is expected to begin this year on four additional roads: the Mohammad Khiyabani-Circular Road-1 section, the M-4-Khirdalan (city center) tunnel, the Khirdalan Circle, and the Abdulvahab Salamzadeh-Ziya Bunyadov road.

The Vietnamese government has approved a plan to introduce time-limited visa exemptions for foreign nationals who qualify for special incentives due to their contributions to the country’s socio-economic development, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

The program will apply to a wide range of highly skilled professionals, including scholars, scientists, professors, and experts from universities and research institutions, as well as chief engineers and other high-level specialists working in the digital technology sector.

The initiative will also cover investors, corporate leaders, and senior executives of major global companies, reflecting Vietnam’s broader strategy to attract international talent and strengthen its position in high-tech and knowledge-based industries.

Under the plan, the Ministry of Public Security has been tasked with developing detailed eligibility criteria and compiling a list of authorized research institutes, colleges, universities, and leading enterprises that will be allowed to invite foreign nationals under the new visa incentive scheme.

Vietnam has become one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing technology hubs, with its digital economy expected to contribute more than 20% of GDP by the end of the decade, making policies like this a key tool in competing for global talent.

The move highlights Vietnam’s efforts to create a more open and attractive environment for international professionals while accelerating innovation and economic growth.

Sima Safarova, a rescuer with the Special Risk Rescue Service of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), has successfully completed a technical ascent of Mount Aconcagua (6,962 m), Azernews reports.

The climb was carried out at the initiative of the Azerbaijan Mountaineering Federation.

After reaching the summit, Safarova unfurled the Azerbaijan National Flag.

She also raised the flag bearing the emblem of the Azerbaijan Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Rising to 6,961 meters (22,840 feet) above sea level, Aconcagua is the highest point in South America.

It also holds the distinction of being the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.

The mountain is part of the Andes range. It is also one of the legendary Seven Summits, representing the highest mountains on each of the world’s seven continents.

Sen. Ted Cruz called for the U.S. to arm Iranian protesters Tuesday as unrest continues inside the nation and Iran-backed militias issued threats against Washington, Azernews reports via Fox News.

“We should be arming the protesters in Iran. NOW,” Cruz wrote in a post on X.

“For the Iranian people to overthrow the Ayatollah – a tyrant who routinely chants ‘death to America’ – would make America much, much safer,” the Texas Republican added.

Cruz was responding to another post from Tehran Bureau, which cited a source inside Iran detailing what was described as a rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground as security forces continued to crack down on demonstrations.

“From trusted source in Tehran: Tell all of your friends [abroad] – everyone you know: there is absolutely nothing else we can do here inside Iran,” the post read.

“They are killing people in such ways, they’ve descended upon people so brutally, they’re attacking us in such ways… We’ve lost so many lives that no one dares go out anymore. They shoot directly with bullets. They kill outright. And even after killing, they come and behead you, and do countless other violent things to you,” it continued.

“Going out into the streets is literally suicide. It’s not about bravery anymore. It’s madness. You go out and they shoot you point-blank. They don’t even ask why you came. They just kill you,” the post continued. “There is absolutely no way for us to gather unless we had weapons, unless we were armed like them. Otherwise they have weapons everywhere.”

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, activist groups estimate that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Iran, with additional cases still under review.

The protests began in late December amid widespread anger over economic hardship, political repression and corruption, according to reports.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that there will be no war with Azerbaijan, while stressing that Armenia will continue to develop its army and strengthen its defense capabilities, Azernews reports via Armenpress.

Speaking on the issue, Pashinyan stated that Armenia is carrying out fortification work along its borders and equipping its armed forces with modern weapons, but emphasized that the army’s mission is limited to protecting the country’s internationally recognized territory.

He underlined that Armenia is not preparing for war, describing peace as the most reliable foundation for national security.

‘Armenia is not preparing for war, because there will be no war. Peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and there is no more reliable security guarantee than peace,’ Pashinyan said.

He further assessed that, in recent years, a vast amount of modern weaponry and military equipment has been acquired, of a quality and specification that our army has never had before. Significant financial resources have been invested in this, as the equipment is both expensive and substantial in quantity.

However, a very important question must also be addressed: why was the same not done in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022?

Nearly all of our international partners with the potential to sell weapons and military equipment were politely refusing to sell arms to the Republic of Armenia, citing two main reasons:

1) They were not confident that the weapons would not be deployed outside the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Armenia.

2) They were not confident that the classified specifications of these weapons would remain secure from the CSTO, to which Armenia’s membership was also an obstacle in concluding such deals.

Meanwhile, as of September 2022, CSTO partners were refusing to fulfill their contractual obligations toward the Republic of Armenia to guarantee its security and territorial integrity. They were also refusing to deliver hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of weaponry and military equipment for which Armenia had already made payments.

This constituted an existential threat to the Republic of Armenia, and it became evident that a decision had been made to eliminate our statehood and reduce our sovereignty to zero.

This existential danger was overcome thanks to two decisive developments: the political agreement reached on October 6, 2022, in Prague in a quadrilateral format, under which the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration; and the freezing of Armenia’s membership in the CSTO.

We will consistently continue this strategy. We clearly state-and will continue to state-that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia have no mission, and will have no mission, beyond defending its internationally recognized territory of 29,743 square kilometers, except for participating in peacekeeping missions based on international treaties.

The remarks come amid ongoing discussions on regional stability and the normalization agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia, with Yerevan reiterating its stated commitment to a peace-based security framework.

Kazakhstan has expressed strong interest in implementing Azerbaijan’s electronic export model, following a working meeting between the ‘Azexport.az’ portal and ‘GazTrade,’ the Trade Policy Development Center of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, Azernews reports.

According to the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications, the main aim of the meeting was to study Azerbaijan’s experience in electronic exports and explore the possibility of applying this model to a similar digital platform planned in Kazakhstan.

During the visit, the Kazakh delegation-representing one of Central Asia’s leading countries in digital solutions-became familiar with the operational mechanisms of the Azexport portal. Legal and technical specialists from GazTrade received detailed briefings on the portal’s management principles, integration with international e-commerce organizations, export order processing, and logistics management systems.

The discussions also focused on adapting Azexport’s digital infrastructure to Kazakhstan’s export potential, as well as opportunities for mutual technological exchange between the two countries.

Looking ahead, the parties plan to broaden cooperation by developing joint digital exhibition and trade platforms, supporting the startup ecosystem, and organizing training programs in the digital economy, signaling a deeper partnership in regional digital trade development.

Indonesia’s IDX Composite index plunged 8% on Wednesday after MSCI (formerly Morgan Stanley Capital International) announced it would stop adding Indonesian stocks to its emerging markets indexes. The decision was driven by concerns over limited transparency, insufficient free float, and restricted market accessibility, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

MSCI also stated that it would freeze adjustments to the weighting of Indonesian stocks that are already included in its indexes, a move that could further reduce foreign investor interest.

As a result, the IDX Composite fell 8% by 7:43 a.m. CET, reaching its lowest level since November, amid heavy selling pressure and heightened market volatility.

MSCI index decisions often have an outsized impact on emerging markets, as trillions of dollars in global investment funds track its benchmarks. Even small changes in index inclusion can trigger massive capital inflows-or sudden withdrawals-within hours.

The sharp decline underscores how sensitive emerging markets like Indonesia are to shifts in global investor confidence and international index policies.

Astronomers using artificial intelligence have discovered more than 1,300 rare astrophysical objects hidden in archived data from the Hubble Space Telescope, Azernews reports.

The team analyzed nearly 100 million small images from the Hubble Legacy Archive in just two and a half days. More than 800 of the detected objects had never been previously described in scientific literature, highlighting how much valuable information can remain unnoticed in existing datasets.

Among the unusual findings are merging and interacting galaxies, gravitational lenses, galaxies hosting massive bursts of star formation, and so-called ‘jellyfish galaxies’ with long gas ‘tentacles’ stripped by their environment. The researchers also identified protoplanetary disks whose shapes resemble hamburgers, as well as several dozen objects that do not fit into any current astronomical classification.

To tackle this challenge, researchers at the European Space Agency (ESA), David O’Ryan and Pablo Gómez, developed a neural network called AnomalyMatch. The system is designed to recognize rare and unexpected features in astronomical images, mimicking how the human brain processes visual information but doing so at vastly greater speed.

Manually examining such an enormous volume of data would be virtually impossible. After the algorithm flagged the most unusual candidates, the scientists carefully reviewed the results and confirmed more than 1,300 genuine anomalies.

Tools like AnomalyMatch are expected to become essential for future astronomical research. Upcoming observatories – including the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, the Euclid mission, and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory – will produce unprecedented amounts of data, far beyond what humans alone can analyze.

Some of the ‘anomalies’ identified by AI today could represent entirely new classes of cosmic objects, suggesting that the universe may still be hiding phenomena we haven’t even imagined yet.

Azerbaijan has embarked on comprehensive reforms in the management system of state theatres, with the aim of modernizing their organizational structures and adapting them to contemporary management principles, Azernews reports citing the Culture Ministry.

The reforms include updates to theatre charters, management structures, and staffing schedules.

The main goal is to make management mechanisms in state theatres more efficient, flexible, and transparent, improve decision-making processes, and create better conditions for the realization of creative potential.

As part of the new approach, positions such as chief director, chief artist, artistic director, and similar roles have been removed from the existing management structure.

This decision was based not on the formal existence of these roles but on functional effectiveness.

The responsibilities of the omitted positions have been redistributed within a more agile and results-oriented management model.

These functions will now be carried out under collegial management principles through newly established structural units.

The primary objective is to move away from decision-making centered on a single individual and instead foster a system of collective responsibility, with clearly defined roles that promote greater transparency and efficiency across theatre operations.

The number of calls to the ‘Women Helpline Service’ increased significantly over the past year. Rising from 1,623 in 2024 to nearly 4,000 in 2025, this 2.5-fold growth reflects the growing confidence women place in the available support resources.

The service, operated with the support of Azercell, is designed to strengthen women’s safety, safeguard their rights, and enhance social well-being. According to statistics, over the course of 2025, women primarily sought psychological support, legal guidance, and assistance in situations of violence. Thus, 1,105 calls were related to psychological counseling, while 655 involved cases of violence. The majority of these calls concerned domestic violence, though 101 cases of cyber violence were also reported, highlighting a concerning rise in online abuse.

Legal support was requested in 583 cases, while 336 calls addressed family law issues, including separation and divorce. Other areas of concern included social and financial well-being, cited in 267 calls, requests for temporary shelter, reported in 257 cases, and education-related matters, raised in 207 calls. In addition, 77 calls involved situations of exploitation and vulnerable circumstances, including leaving abusive households, forced labor, early marriage, or other forms of coercion, while 47 calls focused on access to healthcare rights.

Analysis of the calls shows that women face multiple forms of violence, including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, as well as other forms of mistreatment. Most women experienced several forms of abuse concurrently. Notably, 32 calls involved suicidal ideation, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive, multi-dimensional support services for women.

To expand the social support ecosystem, Azercell, in partnership with the ‘Ümidli G?l?c?k’ Public Association, launched the large-scale initiative ‘Offline Women’ in 2025. Introduced on 25 November during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the UN’s ‘Orange Day’ campaign, the project aims to raise public awareness of violence against women and provide accessible, safe resources for women in challenging circumstances.

As part of the initiative, the oflaynqadinlar.az platform was launched, offering reliable, structured guidance on legal, psychological, social, and economic support in accordance with Azerbaijani legislation. The platform allows women to access information about their rights, explore initial support options through video tutorials, take psychological self-assessment tests, and connect with organizations ready to assist.

Also, within the 2025 initiatives, the Spanish-language guide for the ‘Women Helpline Service’ was presented with the support of the Embassy of Mexico in Azerbaijan.

The ‘Women Helpline Service’ was launched in 2022 at the initiative of Azercell and is managed by the ‘Ümidli G?l?c?k’ Social Initiatives Public Association, with the support of Azercell and the State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Since its inception, the helpline has received more than 12,000 calls between 2022 and 2025, reflecting its growing role as a vital support resource for women.