Category: Azer News

NASA announced that the International Space Station’s Crew-11 mission will return to Earth no earlier than Wednesday, January 14, following a medical issue affecting one crew member, Azernews reports.

The four astronauts are scheduled to complete their return by landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour early on January 15.

The decision to bring the crew back ahead of their originally planned departure was made as a precautionary measure to ensure the health and safety of all crew members.

The European Union and the Mercosur bloc are set to sign their long-awaited trade agreement on Saturday, marking a major milestone in relations between Europe and South America.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Paraguay on 17 January for the signing ceremony, a Commission spokesperson confirmed. She will be accompanied by European Council President António Costa, according to his cabinet.

The move follows a vote on Friday in which a majority of EU member states backed the signing of the agreement, clearing the final political hurdle after years of negotiations.

Once in force, the EU-Mercosur deal would create the world’s largest free-trade area, covering around 700 million people. From Brussels’ perspective, the agreement represents a significant geopolitical gain at a time when China’s economic influence in Latin America is expanding and US trade policy has become increasingly protectionist under President Donald Trump.

The deal aims to reduce tariffs and deepen trade links between the EU and Mercosur, which comprises Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Supporters argue the agreement will boost exports, investment and strategic ties on both sides of the Atlantic, while critics within Europe have raised concerns over environmental standards, agricultural competition and enforcement mechanisms.

Saturday’s signing is expected to open the door to ratification processes in both the EU and Mercosur member states, a step that could still face political challenges in several European capitals.

The supply of petroleum products from Azerbaijan to Armenia is continuing, with a new shipment dispatched on January 11, Azernews reports.

A train consisting of 18 rail wagons loaded with 979 tonnes of AI-92 grade petrol departed from Bilajari station towards Böyk K?sik. The cargo will be delivered to Armenia in transit through Georgia.

Earlier, on January 9, 2026, Azerbaijan sent a total of 2,698 tonnes of fuel to Armenia, including 1,742 tonnes of AI-95 petrol and 956 tonnes of diesel fuel, transported in 48 rail wagons.

Prior to that, on December 18, another shipment of 1,220 tonnes of AI-95 automotive fuel was delivered to Armenia.

The ongoing deliveries highlight the continued logistical and energy trade flows between the two neighbouring countries despite longstanding political tensions.

Recently, the argument surrounding a possible Nobel Peace Prize for US President Donald Trump has begun to gain considerable momentum. The situation has reached a point where even the Nobel Committee itself has intervened in the matter in a critical capacity.

The issue concerns María Corina Machado, who seeks to come to power in Venezuela following the recent overthrow of Maduro, more precisely, her intention to bestow the Nobel Peace Prize upon President Donald Trump. Upon learning of this proposal, the Nobel Committee immediately rejected the opposition leader Machado’s ‘generous’ offer.

‘Once awarded, a Nobel Prize ‘cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,’ the committee said on Jan. 9

The warning came after Machado said she wants to give Trump the award, and after a report stated that accepting the honor sullied her chance of becoming Venezuela’s new leader

After Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado shared her desire to give her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump, the Nobel Committee spoke out, stating that the honor cannot be transferred to anyone but the recipient.

Interestingly, against the backdrop of strong dissatisfaction within the Nobel Committee, President Trump has displayed a notably calm and unperturbed attitude towards Machado’s initiative. In an interview with the international media on the matter, he did not hide the fact that he believes he has made considerable efforts in pursuit of the Peace Prize. It is precisely in this context that the 79-year-old president’s expression of consent in response to Machado’s proposal should be understood.

Equally intriguing is how the public perceives the question of whether President Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Does he truly merit such an award? Naturally, obtaining a definitive answer would require engaging not just one, but the populations of several countries. For now, however, it is Trump himself who asserts that he has taken successful steps towards achieving peace in many parts of the world. Yet on the ground today, it is increasingly evident that Trump’s ‘lightning-fast’ peace plan on Ukraine is advancing only slowly. Ultimately, words alone are not enough; results must follow in practice. In this regard, a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus, expected to be signed in the near future, is also waiting in line. Trump has given his word, and it is assumed that, sooner or later, he will remain true to it.

Countries must now accelerate their renewable energy strategies, not only to meet climate objectives but also because renewables offer the most sustainable, low-risk path for economic growth, energy security, decarbonisation, and competitiveness.

Azernews reports that this was highlighted by Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), during his address at the agency’s 16th Assembly in Abu Dhabi.

‘The market has already made its choice. Last year, 92% of newly installed power capacity came from renewable energy sources. This year, we are moving towards another record, with approximately 700 gigawatts of new renewable capacity expected to be commissioned,’ La Camera said.

He also emphasised that the competitiveness of future economies will largely depend on the ability to move electrons and molecules at the lowest possible cost, while providing clean, safe, and accessible energy services.

The 16th IRENA Assembly is hosting nearly 1,600 participants, including 45 ministers from member countries. Discussions will focus on strategies to accelerate the global energy transition, ensure equitable access to clean energy, and enhance economic resilience.

IRENA, which counts 171 members (170 countries plus the European Union), promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar, and wind energy, while supporting low-carbon economic growth, energy security, and sustainable development.

Azerbaijan joined IRENA in 2009 and became a full member after the ratification of the agency’s statute by the Milli Majlis on May 2, 2014. In the agency’s 13th Assembly, Azerbaijan was elected to the IRENA Council for the 2023-2024 term, demonstrating its growing engagement in shaping global renewable energy policy.

Egypt’s election authority on 10 January announced the final results of a months-long parliamentary election, confirming a sweeping victory for a pro-government coalition in a vote critics say will further entrench President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s grip on power.

According to the election body, half of the parliament’s seats were allocated through closed party lists, with the remaining half filled by individual candidates. Five per cent of MPs are appointed directly by the president, while a quarter of all seats are reserved for women. The Egyptian parliament comprises 596 seats in total.

Of the seats contested by individual candidates, parties belonging to the pro-government ‘National List for Egypt’ coalition secured 164 seats. Most of the remaining individual seats were won by smaller parties or independents who are also widely viewed as aligned with the government.

The 12-party coalition is led by the pro-Sisi Mostaqbal Watan (Nation’s Future) party and the National Front party, headed by former housing minister Essam al-Gazzar.

The election authority said it had annulled voting results in more than 30 constituencies nationwide in November and December, ordering re-runs after appeals related to vote-counting procedures.

Critics have long argued that Egypt’s parliament plays a limited role in governance, citing the absence of a genuine opposition and the dominance of parties linked to the executive.

Analysts note that the timing of the elections gives them particular significance, as the new parliament will be the last elected body before Sisi’s third and final term ends in 2030.

Under constitutional amendments approved in 2019, presidential terms were extended from four to six years, with Sisi’s earlier term retroactively counted as his first, allowing him to remain in office until 2030.

Sisi’s government, which has faced sustained criticism over its human rights record, launched a national dialogue in 2022 in what was presented as an effort to engage the weakened opposition. Rights groups, however, say the crackdown on dissent has continued, estimating that tens of thousands of political prisoners remain in detention.

The U.S. military announced on Saturday that it had carried out multiple strikes in Syria against Islamic State (ISIS) militants, part of an ongoing operation launched in December following an attack on American personnel.

The strikes are part of a broader campaign led by the U.S.-coalition to dismantle Islamic State networks in the region. In recent months, coalition forces have conducted airstrikes and ground operations targeting ISIS suspects, often in coordination with Syrian security forces, according to officials.

The operation underscores the United States’ continued commitment to counterterrorism efforts in Syria, despite ongoing regional instability and the complex political landscape involving multiple local and foreign actors.

U.S. military officials did not provide details on casualties or specific locations, citing operational security, but stressed that the strikes were carefully planned to target Islamic State infrastructure and leadership cells.

Analysts note that these operations come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, with the U.S. seeking to prevent a resurgence of ISIS in areas of Syria still affected by civil war and militant activity.

Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has accused Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, of exploiting protests in Iran in an attempt to destabilise the country.

Speaking about the unrest, Fidan alleged that foreign intelligence services were using internal demonstrations to undermine Iran’s stability. He specifically claimed that Mossad was seeking to manipulate the protests to advance external political objectives.

The Turkish foreign minister did not provide evidence to support the accusation, and there was no immediate response from Israeli officials. Israel has previously rejected similar allegations of interference in Iran’s internal affairs.

Iran has experienced repeated waves of protests in recent years, driven by economic hardship, political grievances and social restrictions. Iranian authorities have frequently blamed foreign powers, including Israel and the United States, for fomenting unrest.

Fidan’s comments come amid heightened regional tensions, as relations between Iran and Israel remain deeply strained and Ankara seeks to position itself as a key diplomatic and security actor in the Middle East.

Ukrainian forces have released footage showing night raids on offshore oil and gas platforms in the Caspian Sea, part of an escalating campaign to hit Russian energy infrastructure linked to its war effort, according to military sources.

The video, shared by Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces on social media, appears to show strikes on three ice-resistant drilling platforms owned by Russian energy company Lukoil. The facilities targeted include the V. Filanovsky, Yuri Korchagin and Valery Grayfer installations in the Caspian Sea, the Ukrainian General Staff has confirmed.

Ukraine’s long-range drones struck the platforms during the early hours of the operation, with images showing impacts on key structures. The strikes came after a series of deep-strike drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including previous hits on oil-production sites in the Caspian and Black Seas.

Officials say the platforms were used to supply fuel and resources supporting Russian military operations, and that the attacks have disrupted production at the affected sites. Independent confirmation of the extent of the damage was not immediately available.

The Caspian strikes represent a continuation of Ukraine’s strategy to target logistical and energy assets far beyond its immediate borders, a campaign Kyiv describes as aimed at reducing Russia’s ability to finance and sustain its invasion.

The release of night-strike footage coincides with renewed tensions across multiple fronts of the conflict, as both sides carry out long-range attacks on each other’s infrastructure and military targets.

Iran has been experiencing an almost complete nationwide internet blackout for more than 60 hours, according to multiple sources. The disruption comes amid ongoing unrest and widespread protests, limiting access to online information, social media, and communication both inside and outside the country.

The blackout has raised concerns among human rights groups and international observers, who warn that cutting off internet access may embolden hard-line security forces to escalate crackdowns on demonstrators.

Experts say prolonged internet shutdowns not only hinder the free flow of information, but also affect businesses, healthcare, and essential services, compounding the humanitarian impact of unrest.

Authorities have not provided a clear explanation for the prolonged outage, and it remains unclear when connectivity might be restored.