Category: Azer News

‘Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan view the OTS not only as a platform for interstate cooperation, but also as an important association that carries our shared history, culture and spiritual values into the future,’ President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with the Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA).

‘Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan’s contribution to the development of political dialogue, economic cooperation, transport and logistics connectivity, and cooperation in the fields of education, science, culture and humanitarian affairs within the OTS further contributes to the deepening of integration among the Turkic states,’ the head of state emphasized.

Trkiye has requested the issuance of Interpol Red Notices for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli official Afek Moskovitch in connection with a criminal case involving the alleged interception and detention of activists attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Trkiye’s Justice Minister Akin Grlek announced the move, saying that the relevant documents had been forwarded to the Foreign Ministry following arrest warrants issued by an Istanbul court on July 14, 2026.

Grlek said the judicial proceedings over the alleged attack on activists aboard the humanitarian aid flotilla in international waters were continuing.

The case, registered as 2026/108 at the Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court, involves 35 defendants, including Netanyahu and Moskovitch.

“In accordance with the arrest warrants issued on July 14, 2026, for Benjamin Netanyahu and Afek Moskovitch on charges of ‘Genocide,’ our Ministry of Justice has requested the Ministry of Interior to issue red notices for their international arrest, and the relevant documents have been forwarded to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Grlek said.

According to the minister, Netanyahu and Moskovitch are accused of crimes against humanity, genocide and aggravated assassination in connection with the alleged armed intervention against civilians in international waters who were attempting to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

The defendants are also being prosecuted over allegations including deprivation of liberty, intentional injury, torture, damage to property, aggravated robbery and hijacking of transportation vehicles, Grlek said.

The case relates to the interception of the humanitarian flotilla and the subsequent detention of activists. Turkish authorities maintain that the incident involved armed intervention against civilians in international waters.

The request for Red Notices represents a further step in Trkiye’s judicial proceedings against Israeli officials over alleged crimes connected to the Gaza conflict.

An Interpol Red Notice is a request to law-enforcement authorities in member countries to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or other legal proceedings. It does not itself constitute an international arrest warrant, and individual countries determine what legal effect to give such a notice under their domestic law.

A majority of respondents in Azerbaijan support banning access to social media platforms for people under the age of 16, according to a survey conducted by the Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan.

According to the survey results, 88.2% of respondents said they support restricting social media access for those under 16.

Support was even higher among respondents who have children under the age of 16. 91.2% of this group backed the proposed restriction, while 67.9% said their children currently use social media platforms.

The survey also found that 87.5% of respondents believe children’s use of social networks has a negative impact on their education and upbringing.

Meanwhile, 93.1% said they consider it appropriate for the state to regulate social media platforms.

The survey was conducted by the Media Development Agency between July 25 and August 2, 2026, through face-to-face interviews.

A total of 1,200 people aged 18 and above participated in the survey.

The findings indicate strong public support in Azerbaijan for tighter regulation of children’s access to social media, particularly among parents of children under 16.

President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree approving the ‘Agreement on the Main Directions for the Development and Deepening of Economic Cooperation between the Government of the Azerbaijan and the Government of Turkmenistan.’

This was reported by the press service of the President of Azerbaijan.

The text of the document has been published on the official website of the President of Azerbaijan.

The decree approves the ‘Agreement between the Government of Azerbaijan and the Government of Turkmenistan on the Main Directions for the Development and Deepening of Economic Cooperation,’ signed on June 22, 2026, in Baku.

Upon the entry into force of the Agreement referred to in Part 1 of this Decree, the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan would ensure the implementation of its provisions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan would notify the Government of Turkmenistan of the completion of the internal procedures necessary for the Agreement to enter into force.

Baku is getting ready for another week of top-level women’s volleyball. The 2026 CEV Women’s Volleyball European Championship begins today, August 21, with Baku hosting Pool C of the tournament.

National Gymnastics Arena is opening its doors to six national teams in Pool C: Azerbaijan, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

The first match for the hosts is against Portugal tonight. It is the beginning of a tournament that will keep European volleyball in Baku for eight days, with 15 matches scheduled at the arena between August 21 and 28.

For Azerbaijan, there is a sense of familiarity about the occasion. The European Championship was last played in Baku in 2017, when the city hosted the later stages of the tournament and the national team produced one of the finest performances in its history.

That campaign is still remembered by Azerbaijani volleyball fans. Azerbaijan won all three of its pool matches and then beat Germany in the quarter-finals. The semi-final against the Netherlands was a five-set contest that went down to the final points. The Dutch eventually won 15-12 in the deciding set. Azerbaijan later lost to Turkiye in the bronze-medal match and finished fourth.

Fourth place remains Azerbaijan’s joint-best result at the Women’s European Championship, alongside the finish achieved in 2005.

The 2017 tournament also gave Baku one of its most memorable volleyball nights. The final was played at the National Gymnastics Arena, where Serbia defeated the Netherlands 3-1 to become European champions. For Azerbaijan, the tournament ended without a medal, but the performance of the national team established a standard that has remained difficult to match.

Nine years on, the European Championship is returning to the same venue, although the tournament itself has changed. The 2026 edition is being shared by four countries – Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Czechia and Sweden. Twenty-four teams are taking part, with 76 matches scheduled from August 21 to September 6.

Baku has been given Pool C. Istanbul is hosting Pool A and the final stages, Brno is home to Pool B, while Gothenburg hosts Pool D. For the Azerbaijani capital, this means a full week of international volleyball without the demands of hosting the entire championship.

The group itself should provide plenty of interest. The Netherlands are the biggest name and arrive with a strong record in recent European competitions. They won bronze at EuroVolley 2023 and remain one of the teams expected to challenge near the top of the tournament.

Their presence also adds a personal connection to Baku. The Dutch were the team that stopped Azerbaijan from reaching the 2017 final. This time, the two sides will meet again, with the Netherlands scheduled to be Azerbaijan’s final opponent in the group stage.

Belgium brings its own experience, while Romania and Spain have been regular participants at European Championship level. Portugal, Azerbaijan’s opening opponent, will have its own ambitions in Baku, making the opening match an important test for both sides.

With four of the six teams advancing from the group, Azerbaijan does not have to finish first. But the margin for mistakes is still small. A good opening match against Portugal could make the rest of the week considerably easier.

Azerbaijan knows from 2017 that playing a major tournament in Baku can change the atmosphere around the national team. The National Gymnastics Arena was packed for some of the most important matches of that championship, and the support helped create an environment in which the hosts were able to compete with some of Europe’s strongest sides.

The current team is different. A younger generation has taken on more responsibility, while Polina Rahimova is preparing for what is expected to be her final European Championship with the national team. CEV has described the 2026 tournament as the end of Rahimova’s EuroVolley journey.

For a player who has been one of the most recognisable names in Azerbaijani volleyball for many years, finishing that journey in front of the home crowd is fitting. Her experience will be particularly valuable in a squad that does not have the same depth of international experience as some of its opponents.

There is no guarantee that home advantage will produce another semi-final run. The level of competition has changed, and the Netherlands, Belgium and the other teams in the group will arrive with their own ambitions.

But there is something Azerbaijan can control: the start. Portugal is the first test. After that come the other group matches, each carrying its own importance. By the time the Netherlands arrive for the final game, the qualification picture could already be clear or everything could still be open.

Hosting European Championship volleyball puts the city in the centre of the sport for more than a single evening. Six national teams will spend the week in Baku, alongside coaches, officials, journalists and travelling supporters. The National Gymnastics Arena will host match after match, giving local fans the chance to see different European teams and styles of play in one place.

It is also an opportunity for younger Azerbaijani players. Watching a European Championship from the stands is one thing; seeing it played in your own city, with your national team on the court, is another. Major tournaments can leave an impression long after the final match has finished.

Baku has already shown that it can handle this level of competition. The return of EuroVolley to the National Gymnastics Arena is, in part, a recognition of that experience.

There is also a wider European context. Women’s volleyball has developed into one of the continent’s biggest indoor sports, with countries such as Turkiye, Serbia, Italy, Poland and the Netherlands regularly attracting large crowds and producing world-class players. Azerbaijan has been part of that scene for years, both through its national team and its club sides.

The 2026 championship gives the country another chance to stay visible in that conversation.

For the supporters arriving at the arena today, though, the wider picture will matter less once the first whistle goes.

Filming for part of “Armour of God 4: Ultimatum”, starring Jackie Chan, has wrapped in Azerbaijan.

The production marks the largest foreign film project to be carried out in the country to date.

More than 200 Azerbaijani professionals and dozens of local companies took part in the production, with 26 government agencies involved in coordinating the filming.

A video of Jackie Chan has now surfaced on social media, showing the actor receiving a unique gift during his time in Azerbaijan.

A specially made backgammon set was presented to the Hollywood star, featuring images of Baku’s landmarks along with symbols associated with the upcoming film.

In the footage, Chan can be seen examining the gift with interest before showing it to the camera.

“Armour of God 4: Ultimatum” will continue the popular action-adventure franchise, with Jackie Chan returning to the lead role.

The new instalment has attracted particular attention in Azerbaijan due to the scale of its local production and the involvement of Azerbaijani film professionals and businesses.

For Jackie Chan, the project marks another return to one of his best-known action franchises. The actor first appeared as Asian Hawk in the original “Armour of God” in 1986, followed by “Armour of God II: Operation Condor” in 1991.

The new film brings the beloved franchise back to the screen, with Jackie Chan once again at the centre of its action and adventure.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has done more than interrupt tanker traffic. It has exposed a fundamental weakness in the global energy system. During the first half of last year, an average of 20.9 million barrels of oil and petroleum products passed through the strait each day. This volume was equivalent to approximately one-fifth of global oil consumption.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz directly affects the energy exports of Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Azerbaijan, however, is in a different position. Unlike these countries, it exports its oil to international markets mainly across the Caspian Sea and through pipelines. Consequently, the closure of the strait does not directly block Azerbaijan’s oil exports. Its effects on the country are primarily indirect and are transmitted through global oil prices, demand, transportation costs, insurance rates, and changes in international oil flows.

Over the 20 years since BTC began operating, more than 560 million tons of Azerbaijani crude oil and condensate have been exported through the pipeline. The 1,768-kilometer route was commissioned in June 2006. From that date to the end of June of the current year, approximately 631 million tons of crude oil, equivalent to more than 4.7 billion barrels, were transported through BTC. At Ceyhan, this oil was loaded onto 6,276 tankers and delivered to global markets.

The Baku-Supsa and Baku-Novorossiysk pipelines are also part of Azerbaijan’s oil export infrastructure. The Baku-Supsa pipeline has a daily transportation capacity of 150,000 barrels, while the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline can carry 100,000 barrels per day.

The key advantage of these routes is that they bypass the Strait of Hormuz. A closure of the strait therefore does not create a physical obstacle preventing Azerbaijani oil from reaching export markets. BTC carries Azerbaijani oil directly to the Mediterranean Sea, providing the country with access to international buyers without relying on the Persian Gulf route.

The planned transfer of BTC’s operation from bp to SOCAR in July 2026 further demonstrates the infrastructure’s strategic importance to Azerbaijan. The existence of BTC, Baku-Supsa, and Baku-Novorossiysk also allows the country to diversify its export routes instead of depending entirely on a single corridor.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has substantially reduced the supply of oil reaching the global market. Under such conditions, the likelihood of a further rise in the price of Brent crude increases. Heightened tensions around Hormuz since the beginning of August have already caused volatility in oil markets. The price of a barrel of Brent crude exceeded $91 for the first time since July 30.

At first glance, this development is beneficial for Azerbaijan. If the price of exported oil rises while export volumes remain unchanged, the country’s oil revenues increase. However, the consequences cannot be assessed solely through the prism of more expensive oil. Higher prices may increase Azerbaijan’s export income in the short term, but a prolonged energy shock could weaken the global economy and eventually reduce demand.

Although Azerbaijani oil does not pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the country cannot remain completely isolated from disruptions in global shipping and insurance markets. Higher security risks surrounding tanker transportation increase both insurance premiums and operating costs. Demand for oil tankers used to transport crude from the Persian Gulf has risen sharply, pushing vessel prices to record levels. According to data from shipbroker Braemar cited by the Financial Times, Middle Eastern countries are seeking ways to continue transporting oil and petroleum products despite ongoing disruptions to traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

By the end of the second quarter, the average price of both new and used oil tankers had exceeded $130 million. This was the highest level recorded since 2008. One-year charter rates for supertankers also reached historically high levels. The increase in demand and prices is linked to oil-exporting countries’ desire to possess their own fleets. Because of security problems in the Strait of Hormuz, third-party carriers and oil purchasers are demanding either larger discounts on crude or higher transportation fees.

The shipping crisis is also affecting routes outside the immediate Hormuz area. In August 2026, the cost of transit through the Panama Canal increased sixteenfold compared with the previous year, reaching an average of $1.1 million per day. This increase was also linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the conflict in Iran.

According to the International Energy Agency, most of the crude oil passing through Hormuz in 2025 was destined for Asian markets. The available capacity of alternative pipelines is insufficient to replace the entire volume normally transported through the strait. As a result, Asian countries have a stronger incentive to seek crude from alternative suppliers. Azerbaijani oil may gain importance as one of these alternative sources. The ability to transport Caspian oil to international markets through the Mediterranean gives Azerbaijan a geoeconomic advantage.

The importance of this advantage becomes clearer when the scale of the Hormuz disruption is considered. Goldman Sachs estimated that calculated oil flows through the strait had fallen to 2 million barrels per day, equivalent to only 10% of the normal level. This meant that the market was receiving 17.1 million fewer barrels of oil each day. By March 2026, global oil prices had increased by 47% since the beginning of the US and Israeli military operation against Iran in late February. Amid Iranian strikes against Middle Eastern countries in July 2026, Brent crude futures rose by 3.08% to $78.35 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate futures increased by 3.09% to $73.62 per barrel.

These developments reinforce Azerbaijan’s position as an oil supplier. Nevertheless, the country cannot remain entirely insulated from the broader economic and logistical consequences of a global energy crisis.

The Spanish government condemned on Friday Israel’s decision to build more than 1,200 homes in the so-called E1 zone, a part of the West Bank adjacent to East Jerusalem that Israel has sought to populate with its settlers and seemingly cut East Jerusalem’s direct ground connection to Palestine.

“The Government reiterates that all Israeli settlements in occupied territory are contrary to international law, hinder the implementation of the two-State solution and constitute an obstacle to peace,” according to the statement shared by the Spanish Foreign Ministry.

Furthermore, Spain called on Israel to cancel the plans and return to the two-state solution as the key to regional peace and stability.

Azerbaijan’s Qarabag secured a 1-0 away victory over Dutch side Twente in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League play-off round.

The match, played at De Grolsch Veste stadium in Enschede, saw the Agdam-based side claim a narrow victory and gain an important advantage ahead of the second leg.

Qarabag scored the only goal of the match in the 52nd minute.

The result puts Qarabag in a strong position heading into the return fixture, which will be played in Baku on 27 August.

The Agdam club reached the play-off round after overcoming Dynamo Kyiv in the third qualifying round. Qarabag overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit by winning the return match in Baku 2-0.

The UK, Australia and Canada condemned on Friday Israel’s decision to close its investigation into the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza, calling the move “shameful” and demanding accountability.

The three governments said the Israeli military had failed to adequately explain why it would not pursue criminal proceedings over the April 2024 drone strikes on the humanitarian convoy. They accused Israel of delaying justice for the victims and their families and stressed that the case reflected a broader lack of accountability for attacks involving aid workers in Gaza. “This decision is both too little, and too late,” the three countries said in statement while criticizing an IDF decision published on Wednesday,

The WCK aid convoy attack occurred on April 1, 2024, when Israeli drones struck three WCK vehicles in Gaza, killing seven aid workers, including British, Australian, Polish, Palestinian and dual American-Canadian nationals