Day: September 2, 2025

The pitching phase of the 2025 State Support for Film Projects competition will be held in September at the Nizami Cinema Center by the Azerbaijan Film Agency, operating under the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, Azernews reports.

Manturov: Russia is preparing to deploy laser systems against drones

Russia is developing and already supplying laser systems to combat drones, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said in an interview with TASS Director General Andrei Kondrashov. According to Manturov, prototypes of these systems already exist and are being supplied to the military in small quantities. In June 2025, tests were conducted on new systems that will eventually be incorporated into a unified Russian air defense system. Manturov emphasized that as production increases, these systems will begin to be actively used. The interview was timed to coincide with the Eastern Economic Forum, which will be held in Vladivostok from September 3 to 6 and will bring together more than 4,500 participants from 70 countries (TASS).

Intended effect: The material highlights Russia’s technological superiority and its ability to defend itself effectively against drones, portraying it as a country at the forefront of military development. This should strengthen the domestic audience’s confidence in the Russian Federation’s military potential and showcase the advanced technology to partners at the Eastern Economic Forum.

Kosyrev: China ready to take away most valuable thing from U.S.

The SCO was originally conceived as a mechanism for security and economic cooperation in Central Asia, but over a quarter of a century it has become a powerful engine of Eurasian development, writes Russian political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev in his article on RIA Novosti. According to him, the organization has expanded to include Russia, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, and other countries, and its partnership formats cover the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. According to his data, trade between members has grown 100-fold in 20 years, and their share in world trade has more than tripled. Kosyrev notes that the SCO and BRICS are gradually merging: both structures are building a system of cooperation without sanctions and pressure, offering dozens of states real alternatives to Western mechanisms. China is a key player in this system, strengthening its position as the guarantor of a new world order, the author claims (ria.ru).

Intended effect: The article emphasizes that the center of global development is shifting to Eurasia, where China and its partners are establishing an alternative to the Western world. This gives the impression that the U.S. is losing its leadership role, and that new integration projects are replacing old institutions, offering countries a more equitable and promising model for the future.

India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application to join the SCO

At the 25^th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tianjin, China, India has once again vetoed Azerbaijan’s application to join the organization as a full member, Komsomolskaya Pravda reports, citing a source from the AnewZ portal. India’s decision contradicts the principles of the SCO’s multi-vector policy, the source claims. Despite the latest rejection, Azerbaijan’s leadership intends to continue striving to join the organization, Komsomolskaya Pravda writes. Commenting on the situation during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that India is trying to “take revenge on Baku” for supporting Pakistan. He noted that India allegedly views Azerbaijan as an ally of Pakistan, which influences its position on Baku’s accession to the SCO (Komsomolskaya Pravda).

Intended effect: The article highlights the internal conflict within the SCO, creating the impression that the U.S. and the West are losing influence in Eurasia, while regional players are shaping the balance of power independently, which demonstrates the multipolar nature of world politics.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will close its mission in Azerbaijan on 3 September 2025, following a decision by the Azerbaijani government, Azernews reports, citing the ICRC’s Azerbaijan office.

Baku and the Absheron Peninsula are expected to experience predominantly dry weather on September 3, Report informs, citing the National Hydrometeorological Service of Azerbaijan.

These incentives not only strengthen investor confidence but also boost foreign direct investment (FDI). In the first half of 2025, credit investment in Azerbaijan’s economy grew by more than 12 percent, reaching 30.2 billion AZN [$17.8 billion]. Over the same period, foreign investment in fixed capital increased by 28.6 percent in real terms, exceeding 2 billion AZN [$1.18 billion]. Private investment also rose by 16.5 percent to 4.1 billion AZN [$2.41 billion], while private sector investment in the non-oil and gas sector grew by 27.8 percent to nearly 2.2 billion AZN [$1.29 billion].

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, sent a congratulatory letter to the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, His Excellency Mr. Luong Cuong, Azernews reports.

From October 6 to 12, the OIC Cultural Festival: Baku Creative Week – 2025 will be held in the capital, organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, Azernews reports citing the ministry.

In Khankendi, the demolition of the administrative building long used as the symbolic “Foreign Ministry” of the so-called separatist regime has officially begun, Azernews reports, citing Azertag.