Category: Azer News

The Baku Military Court continued hearings on November 6 in the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

The court session focused on the presentation of documents and evidence confirming the roles of the accused within the criminal organization. Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General, Vusal Aliyev, presented evidence related to Arayik Harutyunyan, emphasizing his direct and indirect participation in crimes committed by the organization from December 1991 to September 2023.

Evidence examined in court indicated that Harutyunyan, together with his brother, took part in the crimes committed against Azerbaijan in the early 1990s, including during the battles in Karkijahan and Khojaly. The prosecution noted that he was not merely a participant but played a critical role in maintaining the combat capability of illegal armed groups and ensuring their continuous supply.

Video materials reviewed in the trial also confirmed that the accused frequently visited the formerly occupied Azerbaijani territories, inspected combat positions, and coordinated operations aimed at sustaining military activities. Prosecutors stated that these findings prove Harutyunyan’s involvement in organizing, supporting, and publicizing acts of aggression against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The trial forms part of ongoing legal proceedings against Armenian citizens charged with war crimes, including genocide, terrorism, the conduct of a war of aggression, and violations of international humanitarian law

The draw for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers has been held in Nyon, Switzerland, Azernews reports.

The draw, which took place in Nyon, Switzerland, has determined the opponents of the Azerbaijani national team in the C League.

Azerbaijan, placed in the second pot, will compete in Group 3 against Hungary, North Macedonia, and Andorra.

The 2027 World Cup qualifiers will begin in February 2026.

The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the 9th edition of the prestigious international tournament for women’s national football teams, and it is scheduled to take place in 2027.

Although the exact host country has not been determined yet, several nations have expressed interest in hosting the event.

This World Cup will be significant as it will feature 32 teams, up from the 24 teams in the 2023 edition, continuing the trend of expanding women’s football globally.

The qualifying process for the tournament began in 2022 and will continue through 2026. Teams from around the world will compete in regional qualifiers, and the final number of teams from each confederation will be decided by FIFA.

Historically, teams like the United States, Germany, Norway, Japan, and France have been strong contenders, with the USA being the most successful, having won the tournament four times (1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019).

While the official dates are yet to be confirmed, the tournament is expected to take place during the summer, following a similar schedule to the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which was held from July 20 to August 20.

Preparations have been held in Baku for the military parade marking the fifth anniversary of Azerbaijan’s victory in the Patriotic War, Azernews reports.

The units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan conducted parade drills, and military equipment was showcased as part of the preparations.

It should be noted that 8 November is celebrated in Azerbaijan as Victory Day.

In addition, military bands led commemorative marches across Baku today to mark the fifth anniversary of Victory Day. Marches took place along several symbolic routes, including the Alley of Martyrs – Flame Towers Complex – Icherisheher metro station – Qala Gate – Azerbaijan State Puppet Theatre – Azneft Square – Bahram Gur monument; as well as the Olympic Star Sports and Entertainment Center – Samad Vurghun Street – Officers Park – Baku State Circus – Heydar Aliyev Palace – Imadaddin Nasimi monument – Neftchilar Avenue.

Japan’s service sector continued to expand in October, with the S and P Global Japan Services PMI staying above the neutral 50 mark, despite a softer increase in new orders, according to the latest report, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

The headline figure registered 53.1 in October, slightly down from 53.3 in September. Meanwhile, the S and P Global Japan Composite PMI Output Index rose modestly from 51.3 to 51.5 over the same period.

‘The service sector continued to drive overall growth in Japan’s private sector in October, offsetting another decline in factory output. Employment also saw further gains. However, price pressures have intensified across both sectors and will be important to monitor in the coming months,’ said Annabel Fiddes, Economics Associate Director at S and P Global Market Intelligence.

The resilience of Japan’s service sector highlights a shift in the economy toward domestic consumption and services, even as manufacturing struggles with global supply chain disruptions.

Analysts note that how businesses manage rising prices could shape Japan’s economic trajectory heading into 2026.

The Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia has imposed a travel ban on the country’s former President Serzh Sargsyan in connection with a 2019-related corruption episode, Azernews reports.

According to his lawyer, Amram Makinyan, the restriction was recently announced through a social media post.

Deputy Chairman of the ‘Republic’ party Armen Ashotyan stated that the case concerns remarks made by the late businessman Mikhail Bagdasarov, which he said were misinterpreted due to translation errors. ‘Bagdasarov later denied these statements during the confrontation. Yesterday, Serzh Sargsyan was summoned to court three times, while there was a death in the judge’s family. After the courts rejected the relevant petitions, they were forced to stage this cheap spectacle,’ Ashotyan said.

It is noteworthy that a day earlier, the court had rejected the prosecutor’s petition to impose a travel ban on Sargsyan, according to Sputnik Armenia.

Željka Cvijanovic, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has sent a congratulatory letter to the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on the occasion of Azerbaijan’s Victory Day anniversary.

According to Azernews, the letter reads:

His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Your Excellency, Mr. President,

It is my honour and privilege to extend to you and the friendly people of Azerbaijan my most sincere congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of Victory Day, along with heartfelt hopes for the continued progress and prosperity of your country.

This day holds deep significance for the people of Azerbaijan, serving as a reminder of the strength, perseverance, and unity demonstrated in the pursuit of your national goals.

We follow with particular respect the development and success of your country, as well as the efforts you are making to safeguard stability and prosperity in the region.

I am confident that the friendly relations between the peoples of Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan will continue to develop in a spirit of mutual understanding and respect, to our shared benefit.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration and my best wishes for your personal health and success, and for peace and prosperity for the people of Azerbaijan.

Respectfully,

The amendments to Azerbaijan’s Tax Code were prepared with the objective of stimulating strategic sectors, improving the investment climate, and increasing capital inflows, according to Orkhan Nazarli, Head of the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy, Azernews reports.

Nazarli made the remarks during discussions on the draft law ‘On Amendments to the Tax Code’ at the Milli Majlis Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship.

‘The draft also takes into account tasks such as the introduction of tax and social insurance benefits within the framework of the socio-economic development program of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, expanding state support for the fisheries and agricultural sectors, based on relevant decrees and orders of the country’s president,’ Nazarli said. ‘The draft proposals also envisage the regulation of existing tax benefits for hired labor after 2026, the alignment of excise policy with international requirements, the promotion of local automobile production, the reduction of import dependence and the protection of the domestic market, the increase of tax compliance and transparency, as well as the strengthening of the fight against illegal entrepreneurship.’

He noted that the draft consists of three main blocks and includes 145 changes in 45 articles overall. ‘The main directions of the draft are to stimulate the investment climate and entrepreneurial activity, reduce the tax burden on business entities, effectively regulate tax revenues and budget revenues, improve the tax theory mechanism and strengthen the fight against the ‘shadow economy’,’ he said.

According to Nazarli, the proposed changes cover several strategic sectors of the economy, including local automobile production, shipbuilding, the oil and gas industry, public-private partnerships, fisheries, public catering, and the labor market. ‘The aim of making tax policy more flexible and introducing concessional mechanisms in these areas is to increase economic activity, expand export potential and maintain the stability of state revenues,’ he added.

The exclusive ‘?sg?rcell’ offer will keep soldiers connected with their families during military service, Azernews reports.

‘Azercell Telecom’ LLC and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to introduce dedicated communication services for military personnel.

Under this partnership, Azercell is launching a special offer called ‘?sg?rcell,’ aimed at ensuring secure and reliable communication between soldiers and their families throughout the service period.

Under the ‘?sg?rcell’ offer, starting from 2026, each serviceman will be able to obtain a mobile device and a new SIM card on exclusive terms. Every soldier may register up to five phone numbers on a ‘whitelist,’ enabling them to make and receive calls exclusively with these contacts. Access to essential emergency numbers, such as ambulance, police, and fire services, will also remain available. To safeguard communication security and ensure proper use of the service, features such as SMS, mobile data, international, and roaming calls will be disabled on these lines.

Soldiers will be able to obtain devices and SIM cards at temporary Azercell service points set up within military units. Azercell representatives will manage registration and SIM activation on-site.

Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev has met with Muhammad Suleiman Al-Jasir, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, to discuss strengthening cooperation and exploring new partnership opportunities, Azernews reports.

According to the Ministry, the meeting focused on establishing effective collaboration with companies under AZCON Holding and identifying potential financing mechanisms for future projects. Both sides exchanged views on expanding mutual cooperation in areas of shared interest.

Minister Nabiyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s readiness to enhance experience exchange and deepen cooperation with the IsDB Group, particularly in the fields of digital transformation and transport infrastructure development.

In turn, Muhammad Suleiman Al-Jasir praised Azerbaijan’s achievements in digitalization in recent years, noting that the country’s progress reflects its strong commitment to innovation and sustainable development.

The meeting reaffirmed the mutual interest in further strengthening strategic ties between Azerbaijan and the Islamic Development Bank Group, particularly in advancing digital connectivity and regional infrastructure initiatives.

In a historic moment for Azerbaijani football, Qarabag FC secured their first-ever unbeaten result against an English club in European competition, Azernews reports.

The Agdam-based side played to a 2-2 draw with Chelsea in Baku during the fourth round of the UEFA Champions League group stage. This draw marked a significant milestone for the Azerbaijani champions, who had previously faced English opposition seven times and suffered defeat in every encounter.

Before this match, Qarabag had endured a challenging record against English teams, with a goal difference of 1-21 across their previous European meetings. Their first taste of English opposition came in the 2017/18 Champions League season, where they were comprehensively beaten by Chelsea in both home and away fixtures, losing 0-6 at Stamford Bridge and 0-4 at home.

The club also faced Tottenham Hotspur three times in the Europa League. In the 2015/16 group stage, they were defeated 1-3 away and 0-1 at home. The following season, Qarabag met Spurs again in the Europa League, suffering a 0-3 loss in London. During the 2018/19 Europa League group stage, Qarabag also took on Arsenal, with the London side claiming victories of 3-0 in Baku and 1-0 in London.

Despite these previous setbacks, Qarabag’s 2-2 draw against Chelsea represents a major achievement in the club’s history. The team will now look to build on this positive result as they prepare for their next Champions League match away to Napoli on November 25.

For Gurban Gurbanov and his squad, this result not only boosts morale but also demonstrates their growing resilience on the European stage, proving they can hold their own against some of Europe’s top teams.

The UEFA Champions League is a continental tournament that brings together the best teams from Europe’s top domestic leagues.

It is widely regarded as the pinnacle of club football, attracting millions of fans around the world. Clubs from UEFA’s member countries compete for the title, which is seen as the ultimate achievement for European club teams.

The format of the UEFA Champions League has evolved over time.

The current structure includes several stages: Qualifying Rounds, Group Stage, Knockout Rounds and Final.

The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League marks the 71st edition of Europe’s top club football competition, and the 34th since it was rebranded from the European Cup to the UEFA Champions League.

The final will take place on May 30, 2026, at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.