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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made an important call at the Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), proposing that in 2026, member countries of the OTS hold a joint military exercise under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship.

President Aliyev emphasized that the OTS has gone beyond being merely a cooperation platform and has now become an influential geopolitical center on a global scale. He noted that the strategic importance of the OTS stands out thanks to its young and dynamic population, as well as its logistical and energy potential, while also placing special emphasis on security issues.

Aliyev stated that current global security challenges demonstrate the need for Turkic States to act together, saying: ‘In the face of the threats the world is confronting, it is of great importance for the Turkic States to act as a single power.’

Drawing attention to the strong military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Trkiye, Aliyev recalled that more than 25 joint exercises had been held between the two countries over the past year. In this context, he noted that the time had come to establish broader cooperation among OTS members in the fields of defense and security, adding: ‘I propose that in 2026, a joint military exercise be held in Azerbaijan with the participation of member countries of the Organization of Turkic States.’

Aliyev stated that the world is living in a period when the fundamental principles of international law are increasingly being violated, and in such an environment, defense and military-technical cooperation have become vital for countries. He emphasized that without security, regional stability and development would not be possible.

President Aliyev’s call is being viewed as a step that could pave the way for more comprehensive military integration among OTS member states.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said, ‘The European Union should today consider the OTS and Central Asia as strategic partners. Hungary has done this. Central Europe is also aware of this.’

In his speech at the summit, Orbán stated that there is mutual understanding within the Organization of Turkic States, saying: ‘We have energy security, growth, and at the same time, strong leaders. There is also a promising future for the further strengthening of Central Asia. I would like to congratulate you all.’

Saying, ‘We Hungarians are great supporters of the Turkic world in this regard,’ Orbán added: ‘I would also like to express my gratitude to President Erdogan. We thank Trkiye very much for being a reliable transit country for energy supplies. We also thank President Aliyev for ensuring safe energy delivery to Hungary. He made it possible to invest in the most important natural gas and oil fields. Thanks to this, Hungarians are entering the market in this field, and I am very grateful.’

President of Russia Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences over the crash of a passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL) during a one-on-one meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, Azernews reports.

It was noted that the investigation into the incident is ongoing and is expected to be completed soon.

Speaking about the incident, the Russian president stated that there had been airspace incursions into Russia on that day, and the Russian Air Force opened fire. Although the aircraft itself was not directly targeted, fragments struck it. In this regard, compensation will be provided, and those responsible will be held accountable.

Luis Moreno Ocampo, the Argentine lawyer and former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has long been surrounded by controversy. Known for his connections to offshore companies, tax evasion schemes, and questionable lobbying networks, Ocampo’s name has appeared in multiple scandals. Yet, despite his own ethical baggage, he continues to make bold and unfounded claims-especially when it comes to Azerbaijan.

His latest remarks criticizing the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UN WGAD) over its report on Ruben Vardanyan are a clear example of this pattern. In March 2025, the UN WGAD concluded that Vardanyan’s arrest in Baku was not arbitrary and rejected Yerevan’s claims that the criminal case against him was unlawful. Ocampo dismissed the report and called on the UN to invalidate it, accusing the Working Group of bias.

He went further by targeting Anna Yudkovska, the current chair of the Working Group. Without evidence, he claimed she was affiliated with a law firm that provides services to Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and alleged that her husband had ties to corruption and Baku. These accusations were not only baseless-they were deeply ironic.

Why ironic? Because Ocampo himself has been linked to unethical behavior. Leaked documents from his time at the ICC revealed that he had close ties to parties involved in major legal cases and earned large sums through consulting deals that raised serious questions. He has been accused of working with offshore entities and lobbying groups while holding one of the most powerful legal positions in the world. Yet now, he accuses others of misconduct without proof.

Even more troubling is Ocampo’s long-standing silence on war crimes committed by Armenian forces in Garabagh. During his time at the ICC, he never spoke out about the ethnic cleansing, mass killings, and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Meskhetian Turks, and others. But once the region was liberated, he suddenly became vocal-defending figures like Vardanyan and questioning Azerbaijan’s legal process.

This double standard is hard to ignore. The so-called “republic of garabagh” was never recognized by any country-not even Armenia or Ocampo’s own Argentina, despite its strong Armenian lobby. The UN passed multiple resolutions demanding the withdrawal of occupying forces from Garabagh. If the regime was illegal, then its leaders must be held accountable for the crimes committed under its rule.

Ocampo’s attempt to discredit Azerbaijan’s judicial process is not just unfair-it’s dangerous. The trials currently taking place in Baku are similar to the Nuremberg Trials, where Nazi leaders were held accountable for crimes against humanity. Just as the world supported justice then, it must support justice now. These trials send a clear message: no crime goes unpunished. Justice may be delayed, but it will come.

So the question remains: whose side is Ocampo really on? Is he defending justice, or protecting impunity? His selective outrage and silence on real atrocities speak volumes. If he truly believes in human rights, he should start by acknowledging the suffering of the victims-not shielding those responsible.

Russia is providing full assistance in investigating the causes of the AZAL plane crash, said President of Russia Vladimir Putin during a meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, Azernews reports.

‘We are, of course, as agreed, providing every possible assistance to the investigation. The investigation is nearing completion,’ the Russian President added.

New evidence presented at the Baku Military Court has shed light on Armenia’s large-scale recruitment of foreign mercenaries during the 44-day war, Azernews reports.

The court heard excerpts from classified letters submitted by several Azerbaijani state agencies as part of the ongoing criminal case against Armenian citizens accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

A document dated October 24, 2020, revealed that Armenia made extensive efforts to recruit foreign citizens into its armed forces in the then-occupied territories of Azerbaijan to compensate for battlefield losses. The Armenian government and diaspora organizations abroad reportedly urged members of the Armenian community to take part in combat, organized special ticket sales campaigns, and established assembly points in various countries.

As a result, foreign terrorist fighters from France, the United States, Syria, Russia, and other countries were brought into military operations on Azerbaijani territory. The proceedings also noted the participation of the Yerevan-based military training center ‘VoMA,’ the ASALA terrorist organization, and other extremist groups.

One of the identified mercenaries, Artur Hovhannisyan from Marseille, France, reportedly took part in fighting in the Hadrut and Jabrayil regions of Azerbaijan as part of the Armenian armed forces during the war. Another document revealed that a criminal case has been launched against Gilbert Minasyan, a member of ASALA, and 15 individuals with military experience who engaged in illegal actions in Azerbaijani territory.

The court also cited evidence showing that mercenaries from Syria, Russia, Spain, Canada, France, Greece, Lebanon, and countries across the Middle East and Latin America, as well as members of various terrorist organizations, took part in operations against the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Initially invited to train Armenian troops in sabotage and reconnaissance tactics, many of these fighters were later deployed directly to combat zones.

The trial continues for Armenian citizens accused of a wide range of grave offenses – including crimes against peace and humanity, terrorism, the financing of terrorism, genocide, and violations of the laws and customs of war – committed during Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.

On October 9, the Heads of State of the CIS were invited to an informal dinner in Dushanbe, Azernews reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is attending the event.

The famous Colombian painter and sculptor, Fernando Botero, who created the “Boterismo” style by presenting oversized representations of people, animals, and various figures, will have his works exhibited for the first time in Baku on October 31, as part of the “Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW” project organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Azernews reports.

More than 100 art works by the artist will be showcased at the Heydar Aliyev Center in the solo exhibition titled “The Triumph of Form.” These works represent over 70 years of the artist’s creative journey. Among them are early watercolor works created by Botero when he was just 14 years old, depicting scenes from bullfighting, as well as paintings created using his distinctive technique on canvas. His works are known for their vibrancy and life-affirming qualities. The artist even presents Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” in his own style, in a larger-than-life form. Botero’s sculpture “The Horseman” was sold for $4.3 million at a 2022 Christie’s auction, while his 2023 auction record was set with the sale of the piece titled “Musicians,” which fetched $5.1 million. In total, Botero has created over 3,000 paintings and more than 200 sculptures.

Fernando Botero has attracted widespread attention worldwide. With more than 100 museum exhibitions in over 30 countries and millions of followers, the artist left Colombia at the age of 20, yet his homeland has always remained a source of inspiration for him. Describing himself as “the most Colombian of Colombians,” the central themes of Botero’s works often include childhood memories, Latin American life, still lifes, and bullfights. Through this, he combines the universal spirit of the Italian Renaissance with the life energy of Latin America.

The artist has created sketches for Spain’s “Lope de Vega” theater company, lived in Madrid and Paris in the 1950s, studying the works of great masters, learned fresco techniques at the University of Florence, discovered abstract expressionism in the United States, and illustrated Gabriel García Márquez’s short story “Tuesday Siesta.” Since 1973, he has been working with sculpture, turning to three-dimensional forms.

A documentary film titled “Botero”, dedicated to the life and work of the artist, was released in 2023. The film has won numerous awards in various categories at many festivals.

Efforts to identify Azerbaijanis who went missing during the First Garabagh War continue to yield results, reflecting the country’s ongoing commitment to restoring the dignity of those who disappeared during the conflict, Azernews reports.

Ali Nagiyev, Chairman of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing and Hostage Citizens, announced during the international conference on ‘Joining efforts and expanding cooperation to resolve the problem of missing persons’ that the identities of 251 missing individuals have been established so far.

Information about 187 of them has already been made public, and their remains have been returned to their families for burial in accordance with national and religious traditions. The names of 14 more identified persons are expected to be announced today, while data on another 50 will be disclosed following the completion of legal and investigative procedures.

Nagiyev noted that anthropological studies conducted on the discovered remains confirm they belong to Azerbaijanis who went missing during the First Garabagh War. ‘Currently, the necessary work is being continued by the State Commission to identify other discovered remains,’ he said.

Following the end of the Second Garabagh War in November 2020, a comprehensive process of locating graves, conducting excavations, and identifying remains began in February 2021.

According to Nagiyev, as of October 1, 2025, the remains of about 800 missing persons have been recovered from the liberated territories. ‘From 29 mass graves discovered in those areas, the remains of 218 individuals believed to belong to them were identified and exhumed with the participation of investigative bodies,’ he stated.

He added that large-scale construction activities in the liberated areas have led to the discovery and exhumation of the remains of 342 people. In addition, 210 individuals who perished during the First Garabagh War and were buried without identification in 31 cemeteries across 20 cities and regions were also exhumed from graves of unknown martyrs.

These efforts mark a significant step toward bringing closure to hundreds of Azerbaijani families and ensuring that the memory of those who went missing in the First Garabagh War is honored with the respect they deserve.

The Baku Fintech Forum 2025 has officially opened, bringing together leading voices from the global financial technology ecosystem, Azernews reports.

Organized by the Azerbaijan Fintech Association (AzFina) in partnership with the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Banks Association, the forum serves as a key platform for discussing the future of financial technologies.

The event has attracted participants from numerous countries, including representatives of international financial institutions, fintech companies, banks, and other financial organizations.

Today’s agenda focuses on Open Banking – a transformative development in the financial services industry that promises to enhance connectivity, transparency, and customer control. In the second panel session, titled “Open Banking – A New Era of Financial Connectivity,” key industry leaders will share their insights and experiences.

The discussion will be moderated by Mustafa Baltaci, CEO of Czdan, and will feature speakers including:

Yuliya Salekhova, Deputy Chairwoman of the Association of Payment Organizations of Kazakhstan

Fidan Tofidi, Head of Fintech and Innovations Department at the Central Bank of Azerbaijan

Edgar Abdullayev, Executive Director of United Payment

Rasim Khammadov, CEO of Expresspay

Nazrin Ismayilova, Chief Product Officer at Epoint

Throughout the forum, local and international experts will engage in discussions on recent innovations in the fintech sector. Participants will also share their forecasts for the industry and exchange views on how fintech is shaping the broader financial landscape.

The agenda includes panel discussions on a wide range of topics such as digital payments, artificial intelligence, fraud prevention, and cybersecurity. The forum will also feature the signing of new partnerships, further strengthening collaboration in the fintech sphere.

The closing ceremony of the third Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Games, hosted by Azerbaijan for the first time, has successfully taken place at Ganja Stadium, Azernews reports.

The closing ceremony began with an artistic performance, followed by a general video highlight of the games.

Samir Sharifov, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the third CIS Games, then addressed the audience, stating that the games had concluded successfully:

“Over the course of eleven days, the cities of Ganja, Shaki, Gabala, Yevlakh, Mingachevir, Goygol, and Khankendi, which hosted the Games, became both witnesses to and active participants in this magnificent sports festival. Athletes from eight CIS member states, along with participants from five other countries, showcased their talents and determination across 23 sports. They competed for 235 sets of individual and team medals, bringing unforgettable joy, excitement, and pride to millions of sports fans. The success of this grand sports event is a testament to the vision and commitment of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, to the development of sports in our country. We can confidently say that the third CIS Games held in Azerbaijan have met the highest standards of organization.”

Afterward, the flag of the third CIS Games was lowered, and the National Anthem of Azerbaijan was played.

The ceremony continued with another artistic performance.

Azerbaijan concluded the Games with an impressive total of 184 medals, including 33 gold, 56 silver, and 95 bronze, securing second place in the overall medal standings.

This result marked Azerbaijan’s best performance at the CIS Games since their inception in 2021.

In the first edition of the Games, Azerbaijan won 60 medals (16 gold, 16 silver, and 28 bronze), and in the second edition, 62 medals (10 gold, 17 silver, and 35 bronze).

Russia topped the medal table with 231 (130-61-40) medals. Belarus secured third place, claiming 122 medals (32-38-52).

Seven cities in Azerbaijan, including Ganja, Shaki, Gabala, Yevlakh, Mingachevir, Goygol, and Khankandi proudly hosted the third CIS Games.

A total of 1,624 athletes from 13 countries are participating in the third CIS Games.

Event mascots Babir and Leyla are helping to generate enthusiasm among young fans.