Category: Azer News

The Cloudflare platform has released its 2025 Internet traffic report, revealing some striking trends. Human activity now accounts for less than half of global web traffic, with non-AI bots generating 47.9% of traffic and AI-powered bots contributing an additional 4.2% of HTML query traffic, Azernews reports.

According to Cloudflare, Googlebot remains the largest single source of bot traffic, used both for search indexing and AI training purposes. Microsoft’s Bingbot performs similar functions but on a smaller scale. Geographically, the United States dominates bot traffic, generating 40% of the total.

Overall, global Internet traffic grew 19% in 2025, compared to 17% in 2024. Mobile devices accounted for 43% of requests, up from 41% last year. Cloudflare’s security systems blocked or restricted 6.2% of all traffic as potentially malicious, and the company recorded over 25 record-breaking DDoS attacks during the year. Notably, almost half of the observed Internet outages were government-imposed, often to prevent exam cheating or enforce regulations.

In terms of the most visited services, Google remains at the top, followed by Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. Among social networks, X dropped to sixth place, behind LinkedIn and Snapchat. In the AI sector, ChatGPT was the most visited service, with Anthropic Claude in second place, ahead of Perplexity and Google Gemini. Elon Musk’s Grok ranked ninth, slightly ahead of China’s DeepSeek.

The year also saw two internal Cloudflare outages, highlighting the fragility of even advanced digital ecosystems. In November, a change in database access rights caused widespread disruptions, and in December, a web firewall adjustment temporarily disabled many websites of large organizations.

Cloudflare’s report also points to structural vulnerabilities in the Internet beyond cyber attacks. One notable issue is the slow adoption of IPv6, designed to solve the IPv4 address shortage. Less than a third of requests from dual-stack devices (supporting both IPv4 and IPv6) use IPv6, as providers continue relying on NAT technology to extend the life of IPv4 infrastructure. While this approach preserves legacy systems, it slows the transition to a more scalable and secure architecture-critical for combating DDoS attacks and the growing presence of AI-training bots.

The report underscores a key trend: the Internet of 2025 is increasingly automated and bot-driven, and its resilience depends not only on cybersecurity but also on technological modernization.

Azerbaijan and Turkiye are set to reinforce their mutual military security, according to discussions held during today’s plenary session of the National Assembly.

The session highlighted that the ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Mutual Military Security between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Turkiye’ was signed on July 22, 2025, in Istanbul by the respective defense ministers of both countries.

The memorandum aims to enhance defense cooperation between the two nations to ensure the security and territorial integrity of their states, as well as to safeguard their sovereignty and independence.

Under the agreement, both countries commit to providing mutual assistance in the event of armed aggression against either party, in accordance with the right of individual and collective self-defense recognized under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Military assistance between the parties will be provided upon request and in line with the procedures established by their national legislation. During peacetime, Azerbaijan and Turkiye will regularly conduct joint military exercises and maneuvers to strengthen operational readiness.

The memorandum focuses exclusively on military cooperation and security matters, covering mutual defense support, training, logistics, and measures to enhance joint operational capabilities.

Additionally, both parties will strengthen the exchange of military information and intelligence cooperation, in accordance with their national laws. This includes sharing data obtained in the field of military security and using it for joint operations if necessary.

The law approving the ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Mutual Military Security between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Turkiye’ was put to a vote and adopted in its first reading.

General Motors Co. announced on Monday that Apple Music will be integrated into its upcoming vehicles, starting with select 2025 and newer Cadillac and Chevrolet models. The rollout begins today, offering drivers a seamless in-car music experience, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

The automaker emphasized that Apple Music will leverage GM’s software platform, as well as each vehicle’s processing power and premium audio systems. Audio streaming will be available as a standard feature in all 2025 and newer models in the United States and Canada through the OnStar Basics subscription, at no additional cost.

‘We are bringing the Apple Music app to GM vehicles in a way that fully utilizes our industry-leading audio capabilities,’ said Tim Twerdahl, GM’s Vice President of Global Product Management. ‘This is the latest example of how we are expanding entertainment options directly built into our vehicles, creating a richer in-car experience for our customers.’

Industry analysts note that this integration reflects the growing trend of infotainment ecosystems in modern vehicles, where music, streaming services, and connected apps are increasingly central to the driving experience. By combining Apple Music’s extensive library with GM’s advanced audio technology, the company aims to differentiate its vehicles in a market where in-car entertainment is becoming a key selling point.

President Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to His Majesty the King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Azernews reports.

“Your Majesty,

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I am pleased to extend to you, and through you to your entire people, my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of the national holiday of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The establishment of Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Bahrain this year is a clear reflection of our bilateral relations reaching a new level and demonstrates the importance we attach to developing our relations, which hold great potential, across all areas.

I am confident that we will successfully continue our joint efforts to deepen the traditional friendly relations and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bahrain, built on mutual trust and respect, in line with the interests of our peoples and countries.

On this remarkable day, I wish you good health, happiness, and success in your high state duties, as well as lasting peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Bahrain,” the letter reads.

Over the years since its establishment, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) has carried out extensive inspection, supervision, and rescue activities across the country, conducting on average nearly 70,000 fire safety inspections annually, according to official data.

As reported by Azernews, speaking at an event held at the MES Academy to mark the Professional Holiday of MES employees and the 20th anniversary of the ministry, Emergency Situations Minister, Colonel General Kamaladdin Heydarov, highlighted the scope of the ministry’s work. He also noted annual inspections at around 4,000 construction sites, technical examinations of more than 3,300 high-risk facilities and equipment, oversight of nearly 200 sites for nuclear and radiological safety, and technical inspections of over 1,700 small vessels each year.

Heydarov emphasized that MES fire and rescue units have demonstrated a high level of professionalism in responding swiftly and effectively to a wide range of emergencies. These include fires in residential, industrial, and commercial facilities, such as large shopping centers, as well as forest and open-area fires, floods, landslides, collapses, earthquakes, industrial accidents, and other emergency situations.

According to the minister, the number of recorded natural and man-made incidents increased from 4,517 in 2007 to 14,856 in 2024, reflecting growing urbanization and industrial activity. Despite this rise, the number of fatalities declined significantly – from 131 deaths in 2007 to 83 in 2024 – a trend Heydarov described as a key indicator of the ministry’s rapid and effective response capabilities.

Since its establishment and through 2024, the Ministry of Emergency Situations has rescued nearly 29,000 people during fires, collapses, and other emergencies, including around 5,700 individuals at risk of drowning in water bodies.

The minister also noted the growing public reliance on emergency services, stating that the ministry’s ‘112’ emergency hotline received nearly 2.2 million calls last year, averaging more than 6,000 calls per day.

Representatives of Sino-Foreign Economic Cooperation (Beijing) Science and Trade and its partner company Wuyan Jiangsu Biotechnology, which act as the investor and operator of Azerbaijan’s trade houses in China, have paid a visit to Azerbaijan.

As reported by Azernews, the visit was organized jointly by the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO) and the office of Azerbaijan’s Trade Representative in China. As part of the visit, the delegation toured several regions of the country and familiarized themselves with the operations of local enterprises engaged in the production of food, wine, and cosmetic products within the agricultural and chemical industries.

During meetings with Azerbaijani companies, discussions were held on expanding opportunities for exporting locally produced goods to the Chinese market. The talks focused on strengthening trade ties and increasing the presence of Azerbaijani products in China.

An exhibition, “A Life Preserved on Canvas”, commemorating the artist Rasim Nazirov (1949-2023), has opened at the Vajiha Samadova Exhibition Hall of the Azerbaijan Artists’ Union, Azernews reports.

Speaking at the opening, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Artists’ Union, People’s Artist and Professor Farhad Khalilov, reflected on Nazirov’s creative legacy, noting that the display of his paintings and graphic works marks the artist’s first solo exhibition.

Rasim Nazirov was a member of the Azerbaijan Artists’ Union and had been an active participant in national and international exhibitions since 1979. Working in both painting and graphic art, he was particularly recognized for his still lifes, portraits, and landscapes.

His works have been exhibited in Georgia, Russia, Poland, Afghanistan, Turkiye, and other countries. In addition to his artistic practice, Nazirov authored scholarly publications addressing key issues in contemporary visual art.

The opening ceremony also included remarks by Deputy Culture Minister Murad Huseynov; Member of the Azerbaijani Parliament and Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Culture, Gunay Afandiyeva; and Rector of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts, People’s Artist Natig Aliyev.

They spoke about Nazirov’s life and artistic journey, highlighting the distinctive qualities of his work and the high artistic merit of the exhibited pieces. The artist’s spouse, Sevil Badalova, conveyed her heartfelt gratitude to the Azerbaijan Artists’ Union for organizing the exhibition.

At the end of January, two twin pandas are scheduled to be returned to China from Tokyo Zoo, Japan, Azernews reports. This will mark the first time in 53 years that there will be no pandas in Japanese zoos.

The agency notes that the first pandas were sent to Japan from China in 1972 as a symbol of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. However, amid rising tensions between Beijing and Tokyo, the prospects for new pandas appearing in Japanese zoos remain uncertain.

It is important to remember that all giant pandas are considered the property of China: even those born abroad are only loaned to foreign zoos under strict lease agreements. This policy is part of the so-called ‘panda diplomacy,’ a unique tool Beijing has used for decades to strengthen its international influence. Some experts suggest that these adorable ambassadors are not only symbols of friendship but also subtle instruments of geopolitical strategy.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolence to Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia, Azernews reports.

”Esteemed Mr. Prime Minister,

We were deeply shocked by the news of the numerous deaths and injuries resulting from the terrorist attack during the Hanukkah celebration in Sydney.

We are profoundly outraged by this horrific act of terror targeting peaceful people and resolutely condemn all manifestations of terrorism.

On this tragic occasion, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my deepest condolences to you, to the families and loved ones of those who perished, and to the entire people of Australia, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” the letter reads.

The Azerbaijan Institute of Standardization (AZSTAND), operating under the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of Azerbaijan, has approved the National Standardization Program for 2026-2028, Azernews reports, citing the Agency.

The program was developed in line with the Law on Standardization and the rules for the formation and amendment of the national standardization program approved by a Cabinet of Ministers decision dated May 27, 2024. Its preparation took into account opinions and proposals from more than 50 public and private sector institutions.

When drafting the program, AZSTAND considered reference standards to be adopted for ensuring compliance with key requirements of technical regulations, relevant legal and regulatory acts, work plans of technical committees on standardization, and regulatory documents of international and regional standardization organizations. The program also reflects the results of modern scientific and technological research and aligns with the country’s overall socio-economic development strategy.

The document envisages the development of new standards aimed at promoting the use of modern technologies and solutions across all sectors of the economy, while ensuring the production of safe, high-quality, and competitive goods and services. As part of the program’s implementation, the adoption of up to 3,000 state standards is planned over a three-year period.

The National Standardization Program covers a wide range of strategic areas, including services and tourism, environmental protection, occupational safety and health, metrology and testing, mechanical and hydraulic systems, energy and electrical engineering, information technology and telecommunications, transport and transport infrastructure, jewelry, packaging, textile and leather technology, food and agriculture, chemical technology, mining and minerals, oil and related technologies, metallurgy and machine building, wood and furniture technology, glass and ceramics, rubber and plastics, paper and cardboard, paints and coatings, construction materials, civil engineering, children’s products, and other key sectors.