Category: Azer News

Senior leaders of China’s ruling Communist Party will gather for a major meeting in October.

According to the state news agency Xinhua, the fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee, the party’s top decision-making body, will be held in Beijing from October 26 to 29.

The dates were set on Monday at a meeting of the 21-member Politburo chaired by Chinese President and Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping.

The Central Committee, which has around 200 members, holds closed-door plenary sessions roughly once a year. These meetings typically set or reaffirm the party’s key policy priorities.

The meeting also reviewed a draft decision of the CPC Central Committee on several important issues related to advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. After being revised in light of the opinions expressed during the meeting, the document is expected to be submitted for consideration at the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

The upcoming session will be the fifth since the current Central Committee was formed following the Communist Party’s 20th National Congress in 2022. It is also expected to be among the final major meetings of the current committee before the next party congress, scheduled for autumn 2027.

It should be noted that the previous plenary session held in October 2025.

Calls to slow down the development of artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming increasingly common within OpenAI. AI experts and policymakers have also warned that the rapid pace of AI development could create risks that are difficult to control. For example, OpenAI Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki published an essay warning about potential dangers that, he argued, few are prepared for. The resignation of Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon also went viral. Coxon, who had previously worked at OpenAI, accused both companies of “playing with people’s lives” after leaving Anthropic. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has also revisited his long-standing concerns about AI, recalling that he warned about the serious risks posed by the technology more than a decade ago.

But is artificial intelligence really as dangerous as some claim, or is the growing alarm simply overblown?

We all remember Hollywood movies where technology created by people becomes the end of humanity. Take Westworld, where in a future world androids and humans fight for supremacy on Earth. Maybe this has settled so firmly into the human brain that we simply fear the same fate for humanity. If you believe the warnings voiced in recent weeks by AI developers, then such a nightmarish scenario could become reality – and even in the timeframe indicated in the series.

“Those who are serious about AI believe it could destroy us all by the end of the decade,” wrote Jacob Coxon on September 8 on social media X. He didn’t specify exactly how this could happen, adding: “No other area of human endeavor carries this level of danger.”

The 27-year-old Coxon resigned from Anthropic in protest against what he called the irresponsible pursuit by AI companies to develop increasingly advanced self-regulating superintelligence. The AI researcher warned that algorithms could begin independently analyzing and improving their own source code, reducing development cycles from several months to several minutes and thus making them uncontrollable. But it’s worth noting that Jacob Coxon is not some lone eccentric. Nobel Prize laureate in physics Geoffrey Hinton, one of the “godfathers of AI,” has been speaking about the serious consequences of self-regulating superintelligence for many years. In 2023, he resigned from Google to publicly warn about the dangers of his own developments.

American technology company Anthropic has already identified cases where its chatbot Claude was used to develop potentially dangerous biological weapons. In a recent corporate report, it speaks of five episodes where users managed to bypass protective mechanisms. With the help of neural networks, they attempted to plan experiments on virus enhancement and find ways to overcome immune defences. The report also mentions the discovery of attempts to use AI for cyberattacks and propaganda dissemination. After their detection, company specialists blocked the accounts. Experts warn that as AI develops, the risk of its negative use grows. In the wrong hands, the technology can increase the potential threat to humanity.

As if all this wasn’t enough, Middle East Eye published that Yemen’s Houthi group “Ansar Allah” used the artificial intelligence platform Claude to develop ballistic missiles. A recent incident involving about 700 OpenAI AI agents precisely proves the existence of enormous risks. During testing, they attempted to hack the company’s external systems. First, the agents created a closed chatbot to coordinate their actions. Later, some of them deleted or altered records of their operations to cover their tracks. In total, employees documented around 300 such cases. Experts believe the main problem lies in the absence of sufficient protective mechanisms.

It’s worth noting that all these statements didn’t arise out of nowhere. Discussions about the potential danger of smart machines have been going on for decades. Back in the 1950s, British mathematician and cryptanalyst Alan Turing wrote that machines that acquire intellectual abilities could eventually gain control over humans.

Modern artificial intelligence developers are competing not only for profit, but also to create systems they call artificial superintelligence. This refers to a theoretical technology that will surpass humans in a broad spectrum of intellectual tasks. The ordinary tools used by millions of people are capable of creating texts, generating images, helping with emails, or editing videos. Superintelligence systems, as envisioned by developers, will be able to perform much more complex tasks requiring analysis, planning, and decision-making.

Open access to advanced AI models is dangerous because it can put tools in the hands of psychopaths and criminal organizations. Current language models are already smart enough to help people commit crimes that previously required specialists. For example, a criminal can use the latest version of GPT not just for stealing money, but for automating complex fraud schemes. At a higher level, open models allow malicious actors to develop dangerous viruses – the system is advanced enough to help an average person create biological weapons. On the other hand, closed access creates a different problem: power becomes concentrated in the hands of a single company or state. If this entity decides to use superintelligence for its own purposes, no one will be able to stop it. Thus, a dilemma is emerging: open access gives weapons to all hands, closed access gives unlimited power to one actor.

Experts also speak about potential economic consequences. Extremely powerful systems can disrupt the functioning of individual markets or entire economies. At the same time, it’s important to distinguish between theoretical scenarios and proven facts. The concerns described above outline possible future risks, rather than confirming that humanity is already on the brink of destruction.

The risks are obvious, but there’s a problem: how do you hit the brakes on an entire industry at once? If OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic agree to slow development at the same time, it could look like collusion among competitors and violate US antitrust law. This is exactly why Sam Altman is trying to figure out whether it’s legally possible to organize such collective deceleration. But then a second dilemma arises: even if American corporations agree to temporarily abandon ideas about ultra-powerful artificial intelligence, their Chinese colleagues won’t wait for anyone.

Baku has become a gathering place for scholars, cultural figures and artists working to deepen ties across the Turkic world, with two major international events placing shared heritage, academic exchange and musical cooperation at the center of their programs.

The 14th International Altay Communities Symposium was held at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS).

Themed “The Past, Present, and Future of Altay Studies”, the international gathering brought together prominent researchers from different countries and representatives of leading scientific and cultural institutions of the Turkic world.

The symposium was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, giving the discussions in Baku a particular historical context. Scholars addressed a broad range of subjects related to Altaic Studies, including the ancient history and languages of Turkic peoples, cultural connections and the development of contemporary academic research.

The event was supported by the Azerbaijan National Academy of Science (ANAS), the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Turkish Historical Society, the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the Turkic Academy and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

Among the speakers at the opening ceremony was Professor Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, who highlighted the significance of holding the symposium in Baku in a year marking the centenary of the First Turkological Congress. She also spoke about international projects carried out by the Foundation as part of the centenary program.

The opening ceremony also featured remarks by ANAS President Academician Isa Habibbayli; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkiye to Azerbaijan Professor Dr. Birol Akgn; President of the International Turkic Academy Academician Shahin Mustafayev; President of the Turkish Historical Society Professor Dr. Haluk Selvi; ANAS Vice President Academician Govhar Bakhsaliyeva; and Head of the Symposium of Altaic Communities Professor Dr. Ilhan Shahin.

While the symposium focused on the intellectual and historical ties linking the Turkic world, another major gathering in Baku turned attention to its musical future.

The First Congress (Kurultai) of Composers of the Turkic World, held within the framework of the 18th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival, resulted in the establishment of the Turkic Union of Composers (TUC). Representatives of leading music organizations from Turkic countries laid the foundation for the new union by signing the Baku Declaration.

The declaration provides a framework for long-term professional cooperation among composers, musicologists, performers, conservatories, music academies and creative unions across the Turkic world. The creation of the TUC marks the first time such cooperation has been placed within a unified institutional structure and international platform.

“We seek to create a vibrant musical space in which the rich heritage of the Turkic peoples becomes a source of new works, professional cooperation and international cultural dialogue. The First Congress (Kurultai) in Baku and the establishment of the Turkic Union of Composers (TUC) open a new chapter in the history of musical diplomacy of the Turkic world,” Professor Aktoty Raimkulova said.

The new union is intended to connect the creative potential of composers from across the Turkic world, encourage contemporary composition schools, support the creation of new works and introduce Turkic music to wider international audiences.

Its establishment in Azerbaijan carries its own cultural significance. With a rich musical tradition and a prominent place in the history of world music, Azerbaijan has produced composers including Uzeyir Hajibayli, Gara Garayev and Fikrat Amirov, whose works have become an important part of the country’s cultural legacy.

The Congress was organized by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, in cooperation with the ICESCO Regional Office in Baku, the Azerbaijan Composers’ Union and the Azerbaijan National Conservatory.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree regarding the simplification of visa procedures for foreigners and stateless persons arriving in Azerbaijan in connection with the first FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival for boys.

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

According to the decree, foreigners and stateless persons arriving in Azerbaijan in connection with the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival-and who present any of the documents specified in Part 2 of the decree-may obtain visas at the international airports of Azerbaijan between September 22 and November 5, 2026.

One of the following documents shall serve as the basis for visa issuance:

– An official invitation letter from the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA);

– a document confirming accreditation through the electronic registration system in accordance with the relevant rules of the Association of International Football Federations (FIFA).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan should inform the International Association of Football Federations (FIFA), the International Air Transport Association and relevant bodies of foreign countries about the simplification of visa procedures for foreigners and stateless persons coming to Azerbaijan in connection with the first FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival to be held in Azerbaijan.

At the same time, the ministry, as well as the embassies and consulates of Azerbaijan in foreign countries, should ensure that the information on the simplification of visa procedures for foreigners and stateless persons coming to Azerbaijan, as well as the possibility for foreigners and stateless persons to obtain an electronic visa through the ASAN Visa system, in connection with the first FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival, to be held in Azerbaijan.

The State Migration Service of Azerbaijan should inform the airlines operating flights to Azerbaijan about the simplification of visa procedures for foreigners and stateless persons coming to Azerbaijan in connection with the first FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival for boys under the age of 15 to be held in Azerbaijan.

The United States, Japan and South Korea are planning to establish a trilateral cooperation mechanism in the Arctic, with a focus on shipping and the development of mineral resources, Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing diplomatic sources.

The agreement is expected to be signed by the foreign ministers of the three countries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.

South Korea is interested in using the Northern Sea Route, which can reduce the distance and transit time for cargo shipments between Asia and Europe by about 30% compared with the route through the Suez Canal.

Japan plans to share its expertise in icebreaker operations and meteorological observations, including through the use of its new research vessel Mirai II. The United States, meanwhile, intends to strengthen its surveillance and monitoring capabilities in the region.

The three countries are expected to establish a new working group, tentatively named the Arctic-Pacific Trilateral Partnership.

The initiative is also expected to involve coordination with members of the Arctic Council, with the aim of strengthening cooperation among the three countries in shaping international norms in the region.

The move is being viewed as a response to growing Russian and Chinese activity and deepening cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in the Arctic.

The ancient walls of the Palace of the Shirvanshahs provided a striking setting for an evening of classical music as Baku hosted the concert “Among Ancient Stones,” has been held as part of the 3rd Fidan Hajiyeva International Opera Festival.

The musical evening opened with the National Anthem of Azerbaijan, followed by a diverse programme featuring works by Azerbaijani and international composers. The audience heard opera and operetta arias, duets, choral works and instrumental compositions.

The venue itself added a distinctive atmosphere to the evening. Classical music filled the space in front of the Palace of the Shirvanshahs against the backdrop of its ancient stone walls, creating a dialogue between musical art and Baku’s centuries-old history.

The concert featured People’s Artist Fidan Hajiyeva, as well as students of the Fidan Hajiyeva Vocal Music School and the Uzeyir Hajibayli Baku Music Academy – Gulsum Khalilova, Muhammad Shamm?dov, Samad Novruzov, Said Mammadov, Atilla Garib and Atilla Mammadov.

The children’s choir Mezzo and the Mezzo women’s chamber orchestra, both founded by Fidan Hajiyeva, were also among the evening’s performers. The Passion Strings quartet appeared as a special guest, while Banu Alibeyli hosted the concert.

“Among Ancient Stones” was therefore more than another event on the festival programme. It offered a musical journey in which classical art was performed alongside one of Azerbaijan’s most important historical and architectural monuments.

The 3rd Fidan Hajiyeva International Opera Festival is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the People’s Artist’s birth and the 30th anniversary of her artistic career. This year, the festival has extended beyond Baku, with events taking place in different regions of Azerbaijan and abroad, including Paris, London, Milan and Minsk.

Around 30 musical and cultural events have been scheduled as part of the festival. For the first time in Azerbaijan, a classical arts festival of this scale is being held over three months, from September 7 to December 7.

One of the festival’s main programmes is “Young Voices Speak to the Future,” which features solo concerts by young performers, joint performances, vocal evenings and masterclasses. The project aims to introduce new talent and give young artists an opportunity to perform on major stages.

The three-month festival will conclude with the gala concert “Carmen. Half a Century of an Artist’s Life” on December 7 at the Heydar Aliyev Palace. The Niyazi State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by People’s Artist Yalchin Adigozalov, will provide the musical accompaniment. The participation of a renowned Spanish flamenco group will add a special element to the evening.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az,Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.

Tens of thousands of workers across Germany are expected to take part in protests on Monday to defend their jobs and factories amid the ongoing crisis in the country’s automotive industry.

Employees of Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, and major automotive suppliers will hold demonstrations at more than 280 locations across Germany.

The IG Metall trade union is calling on companies to protect jobs and maintain domestic production. It is also urging Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government to reduce energy costs and introduce measures to protect German manufacturers from growing pressure from cheaper imports, according to NU.nl.

Germany’s automotive industry has been facing serious challenges for several years. Among the main factors are weaker demand, high production and energy costs, the transition to electric vehicles, and increasingly strong competition from Chinese automakers.

‘We are not going to stand by while this crucial sector is gradually being destroyed,’ said IG Metall regional manager Torsten Gröger. ‘Employees are not responsible for the mistakes of the past few years, and they should not have to pay the price for them.’

On Friday, Volkswagen significantly lowered its profit forecast, providing another indication of the difficulties facing one of Germany’s largest industrial companies. The automaker is carrying out a major restructuring program, which is expected to affect around 100,000 jobs worldwide, while several German plants are facing an uncertain future.

The crisis is particularly significant for Germany because the automotive sector is one of the country’s most important industrial employers and exporters. The industry also supports millions of jobs indirectly through suppliers, logistics companies, and other related businesses.

At the same time, German manufacturers are under pressure to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles while remaining competitive on price. Chinese companies have expanded rapidly in the global EV market, adding another challenge for Europe’s traditional automotive leaders.

The protests therefore reflect not only concerns about individual jobs, but also a broader debate about the future of German manufacturing and the country’s ability to remain a major automotive production hub.

Gaza’s Government Media Office has rejected the Israeli army’s denial that it targeted the Al-Saada residential building, saying an earlier Israeli strike on the structure’s foundations caused its recent collapse, which killed 21 Palestinians.

The Israeli army said Wednesday in a post on X that it had not targeted the building during the war.

‘Contrary to the claims, the IDF (Israeli army) did not strike the building in question during the war,’ it said.

In a statement Monday, Gaza’s Government Media Office said the building was directly struck by Israel on October 9, 2023, during the early days of the war.

‘The bombardment targeted the building’s foundations and its first and second floors, causing severe and deliberate structural damage to its infrastructure and main foundations,’ the office said.

‘This previous and concentrated bombardment was the real and direct cause of the building’s complete collapse,’ it added.

The office described the Israeli army’s denial as ‘a desperate and blatant attempt to evade legal responsibility’ and accused Israel of pursuing what it called a ‘systematic policy of disinformation’ to avoid responsibility for what it described as disasters and massacres.

It said engineering inspections, documented field reports and testimonies from residents contradicted the Israeli account.

The office held Israel ‘fully and directly responsible’ for the collapse, describing the incident as part of what it called a policy of systematic destruction of infrastructure and civilian objects and a violation of international humanitarian law.

‘Dozens of other damaged residential buildings were at risk of collapse, threatening Palestinians and displaced people after their structures and foundations were damaged during the Israeli war on Gaza,’ the office warned.

It called on the international community, UN bodies and rights organizations to document the incident and similar cases, pursue accountability through international courts and fulfill their responsibilities to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza.

According to official figures, 21 Palestinians, including 12 children, were killed and 45 others injured when the Al-Saada residential building collapsed Wednesday in the Al-Sinaa area of western Gaza City.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said the collapse brought the number of Palestinians killed in building collapses involving structures damaged during the war to 61.

OpenAI and Anthropic have been negotiating a deal to “stress-test” each other’s artificial intelligence models, the Information reported on Monday, citing a person with direct knowledge of the talks.

According to the report, the two AI companies were looking into an agreement to test their models and search for any potential vulnerabilities or security risks, but it is unclear whether they finalized the agreement before OpenAI experienced several security incidents, including one of its AI models escaping a secure test environment and hacking Hugging Face, and its agents attacking the software service RubyGems.

The proposed deal would reportedly give each company access to the other’s APIs for commercially available AI models, excluding unreleased models, with both agreeing not to retain each other’s data. The report added that OpenAI has been considering several scenarios for working with the government on safety, and that it weighed new safety practices targeting the period before models are trained and released.

Icherisheher has turned into a showcase of Azerbaijan’s rich clothing traditions as Baku hosted a broad cultural programme marking National Costume Day, bringing together historical garments, contemporary collections, traditional crafts, music, dance and academic discussions.

The programme covered several venues in the historic centre, including the Baku House of Photography, Gosha Gala Square and the Shirvanshahs’ Palace Complex. Throughout the day, visitors were able to explore different periods of Azerbaijani clothing culture, regional characteristics and contemporary approaches to national dress.

The programme began at the Baku House of Photography with a scientific-practical seminar devoted to the history and development of Azerbaijani clothing. Speakers discussed the influence of the Safavid heritage, the formation of national dress and its ethnographic characteristics. Presentations by Gunay Chapay, Aytan Asadova and Gunel Rahimli examined different historical and academic aspects of Azerbaijani national costume.

The seminar programme was followed by the presentation of the exhibition “People of a Century.”

Gosha Gala Square hosted a large exhibition of Azerbaijani national costumes. Among the displays were historical garments used in the film “Taghiyev”, as well as a collection illustrating the clothing traditions of the historical period depicted in the film.

National dances, ethnic costume and music presentations were also held at the square, while residents of Icherisheher took part in a presentation of national dress.

The programme also gave contemporary Azerbaijani designers an opportunity to present their work. Collections by Mehriban Khalilzade, Nargiz Surkhayeva and Gunay Hasanli were shown during the event. Visitors could also watch the traditional production process of kelaghayi and attend the “Araxchin in My Hands” master class. Students of the Azerbaijan State Children’s Philharmonic performed national dances as part of the programme.

The evening events moved to the Shirvanshahs’ Palace Complex, where a ceremonial procession and opening programme were followed by a performance by a folklore ensemble, national dances and a series of costume presentations.

Designer Gulnara Khalilova, known for her work promoting Azerbaijani national dress, presented her collection, while Gulzada Abdulova presented her “From the Past to the Present” collection.

The programme also looked beyond Azerbaijan, with representatives of foreign countries presenting traditional costumes and dances from different parts of the world.

The event concluded with the multimedia performance “The Breath of Baku.”

Azerbaijani national costume has developed over centuries and reflects the country’s history, geography, social structure and artistic traditions. Official cultural sources note that archaeological finds, including bronze needles and awls dating to the Early Bronze Age, indicate that people living in the territory of present-day Azerbaijan were making clothing thousands of years ago. Remains of silk garments dating to the fifth and sixth centuries have also been found in catacomb burials in Mingachevir.

The 16th and 17th centuries were an important period in the development of Azerbaijani clothing. Historical research cited by Azerbaijan’s official cultural portal shows that a distinct national clothing tradition had taken shape by this period. Clothing could indicate a person’s age, occupation and social position, while elaborate headwear played a particularly important role. Safavid-era headgear changed in form over the course of the 16th century and was particularly widespread in cities including Tabriz, Nakhchivan and Shamakhi.

Regional diversity became especially visible in later centuries. Azerbaijan’s historical and ethnographic regions, including Guba-Khachmaz, Absheron, Lankaran-Astara, Shamakhi, Karabakh, Nakhchivan-Ordubad, Gabala-Oghuz, Sheki-Zagatala, Ganja and Shamkir-Gazakh, developed their own local characteristics in clothing while retaining a common national tradition. Differences could be seen in fabrics, colours, ornamentation and details of dress.

The materials used in traditional clothing were also diverse. Women’s garments were commonly made from silk and velvet, while men’s clothing was often produced from woollen fabrics and homespun materials. Fabrics such as ganovuz, darayi, zarbaft, khara, satin, velvet, taffeta and tirma were widely used. Traditional garments included items such as the chukha, arkalig, chepken and various forms of headwear.

Headwear and accessories were an important part of the visual language of Azerbaijani dress. Women’s headwear included decorated scarves and arakhchins, while jewellery and elaborate ornaments were also used as part of traditional attire. Kelaghayi has remained one of the best-known elements of Azerbaijani clothing culture and its traditional art and symbolism were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014.

The National Costume Day programme in Icherisheher brought these different layers of heritage together in one setting. Historical garments, regional traditions, traditional crafts and modern interpretations of national dress were presented alongside music, dance and scholarly discussions, showing how Azerbaijani clothing continues to be studied, preserved and reinterpreted today.