Category: Azer News

Footage of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Shamakhi with First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva has been published on the head of state’s social media pages.

Footage reads:

“President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the Shamakhi district”

The 2026 European Boxing Elite Championships have kicked off in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Both members of the Azerbaijani national team who entered the ring on the opening day secured victories.

Nabi Iskandarov (70kg) faced Milos Poganovic of Montenegro in his opening bout. Winning all three rounds, the Azerbaijani boxer secured a 4-1 victory on points (29:28, 30:27, 28:29, 30:27, 30:27). He will face Fabian Tomkic of Croatia in the round of 16 on September 19.

Seyid Seyidov (85kg) also won his round-of-32 bout, defeating Idris Leganesi of Belgium 4-1 (29:28, 27:30, 29:28, 30:27, 29:28). He will meet Adrian Ricardo of Spain, who received a bye in the opening round, in the round of 16 on September 18.

A total of 406 athletes from 43 countries are taking part in the championships.

The winners of the 2026 European Boxing Elite Championships will be determined on September 25.

Boxing is known as one of the oldest sports in the history of humankind.

The earliest evidence of boxing dates back to Egypt around 3,000 BC.

This sport was introduced to the ancient Olympic Games by the Greeks in the late 7th century BC.

In 1924, the International Amateur Boxing Federation (FIBA) was established.

Since 1946, it has been referred to as the International Boxing Association (AIBA). Boxing made its Olympic debut at the 1904 Games in St. Louis.

In 1926, the boxing championship was held for the first time in Azerbaijan, where national boxers took first place.

Since 1992, the Azerbaijani Boxing Federation has been a full member of the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

Azerbaijani boxers have won many prestigious awards at many international championships.

Aghasi Mammadov has entered Azerbaijan’s history of boxing as the first national boxer to win a gold medal at the world championship.

Another Azerbaijani boxer, Fuad Asadov, was among the medallists at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

Many times, Azerbaijan has been chosen as the host country for major boxing championships.

The AIBA Youth World Championships were held in Baku in 2019. This world championship was the first licensed youth tournament to qualify for the 2010 Olympic Games held in Singapore.

The country also hosted the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships, which was the first major qualifying event for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Hungarian Minister of Economy and Energy Istvan Kapitany said that Budapest expects to ensure its gas supplies without Russian gas by October 2027.

In an interview with Telex, Kapitany noted that the government was holding active talks with neighboring countries, including Romania, as well as companies supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG), as Budapest looks for alternatives to pipeline gas from Russia.

Asked whether Hungary would be able to halt Russian pipeline gas imports by October 2027, in line with the European Union’s requirements, Kapitany pointed to existing cross-border infrastructure and alternative supply routes.

“Thanks to the infrastructure of the import routes and the availability of different sources, Hungary’s gas supply will be secured next October,” Kapitany emphasized. The minister also added that if developments proceed as currently expected, Hungary’s gas demand could be met through alternative sources, although he cautioned that the situation remains difficult to predict.

Kapitany is serving as Hungary’s economy and energy minister in Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s government, which was formed in May 2026. Earlier Magyar insisted that the country would seek compensation from Brussels for abandoning Russian energy resources.

The comments come as Hungary examines ways to diversify its energy supplies and reduce dependence on Russian energy.

Baku will host its first National Costume Day festival on September 19 at the Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve, offering a full-day programme dedicated to the richness, beauty and distinctive character of Azerbaijan’s national costume heritage.

The festival will be held at two main venues – Gosha Gala Square and the grounds of the Shirvanshahs’ Palace Complex.

A key feature of the event will be the participation of all guests, officials, representatives of state institutions and media outlets in national costumes. In this way, national dress will serve not only as an object of display, but also as the main symbol connecting everyone taking part in the festival.

The programme at Gosha Gala Square will run from 11:00 to 18:00. An exhibition of Azerbaijani national costumes and information materials about them will be open throughout the day, while an exhibition of historical costumes used in the film “Taghiyev” will run from 12:00 to 18:00.

The square will host a series of national dance performances, beginning at 13:30. From 13:40 to 14:00, visitors will see a presentation of costumes reflecting the historical period depicted in the film “Taghiyev.”

A presentation of national costumes featuring Icherisheher residents will follow from 14:35 to 14:50, while ethnic costumes accompanied by national music will be presented from 14:50 to 15:10.

Students of the College of Industry and Technology will present national costumes from 15:20 to 15:50, followed by another national dance performance.

From 16:00 to 16:35, local designer Mehriban Khalilzade will present her original collection. At the same time, from 16:00 to 18:00, visitors will be able to watch the process of making and producing kelaghayi and take part in the “Arachin in My Hands” master class.

Nargiz Surkhayeva’s original collection will be presented from 16:50 to 17:20. Students of the Azerbaijan State Children’s Philharmonic will perform national dances from 17:20 to 17:30, followed by a presentation of an original collection by local designer Gunay Hasanli from 17:30 to 18:00.

The evening programme will continue at the Shirvanshahs’ Palace Complex from 18:00 to 20:40, beginning with a procession.

The official opening will take place from 18:30 to 18:35, with opening remarks by Rufat Mahmud, chairman of the Board of the Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve.

A folklore ensemble will give a concert from 18:35 to 18:50, followed by national dance performances.

At 19:00, Gulzada Abdulova will present her collection “From the Past to the Present.” National dance performances will continue from 19:20 to 19:30, followed by a presentation of Gulnara Khalilova’s national costume collection from 19:30 to 19:50.

The programme will then turn to the traditional clothing of different peoples. Dances of the peoples of the world will be performed from 19:50 to 20:00, followed by a presentation of national costumes from different countries with the participation of foreign embassies from 20:00 to 20:10.

The festival will conclude with the multimedia performance “The Breath of Baku,” scheduled from 20:10 to 20:40.

The organizers say the festival will combine exhibitions, costume presentations, traditional crafts, music, dance and contemporary design, giving visitors an opportunity to explore Azerbaijan’s national costume heritage in the historic setting of Icherisheher.

During anti-terrorist and operational-search measures carried out by the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, criminal acts related to the secret organization, preparation for terrorism, and financing of terrorism by citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan and foreign nationals were discovered.

Within the framework of those measures, it was established that Vugar Abdullayev, who was previously convicted for committing criminal acts as a member of the terrorist group “Sumgayit Jamaat,” entered into criminal relations with Azerbaijani citizens Jalal Hajiyev, Javid Aliyev, Nijat Ahmadov, Nazim Aliyev, Ilkin Hasanzade, and others in order to assassinate public and religious figures in Azerbaijan. Their secret meetings and telephone conversations were recorded and documented accordingly.

It was determined through the investigation and operational measures conducted as part of the initiated criminal case that the members of the criminal association, in order to assassinate Azerbaijani citizens they had selected as targets in advance, gathered information by investigating their regular movement routes and personal security arrangements, and agreed to flee to conflict regions abroad after committing the planned criminal acts.

Also, through investigations, it was determined that Jalal Hajiyev, a member of the criminal association, directly, as well as through Azerbaijani citizens Aykhan Huseynov, Elshan Askerov, Fakhreddin Imanov, Nail Rasulov, Elgun Ismayilov, and others, organized the financing of persons participating in armed conflicts on the basis of religious radicalism outside the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as internationally known terrorist organizations, through cryptocurrency systems.

Through fake announcements published on social networks in connection with the commission of terrorist financing crimes by the mentioned persons, numerous reliable pieces of evidence were obtained regarding the source of funds collected under the name of performing various religious rituals, as well as the mechanisms used to transfer the money.

As a result of joint measures with the security and special services of other states, a wide circle of the criminal association, consisting of people living in different countries and participating in the financing of international terrorism, was exposed. As a result of parallel anti-terrorist measures carried out in the territories of five countries, a total of 10 members of the group were detained. Among the persons detained abroad, Elshan Asgarov was extradited to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Members of the criminal group Vugar Abdullayev, Jalal Hajiyev, Javid Aliyev, Nijat Ahmadov, Nazim Aliyev, Ilkin Hasanzade, Aykhan Huseynov, Elshan Askerov, Fakhraddin Imanov, Nail Rasulov, and Elgun Ismayilov have been charged under Articles 214-1, 218.1, 28, and 277 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan (financing of terrorism, creation of a criminal association (organization), preparation to attempt to assassinate the life of a public or state figure), as well as other articles. They were brought to justice as accused persons in the criminal case under investigation, and by court decision, preventive measures were taken against them.

At present, investigative and operational measures are continuing in the criminal case.

The exhibition “Familiar Strangers: On the Mutations of the Everyday” was held in Berlin as part of the HOLOBIONT 2026 project and the 15th Berlin Art Week. The exhibition was curated by Azerbaijani curator Zuleykha Ibad and featured works by artists Ewelina Wegiel, Anna Raczynska, and Viktor Petrov.

The exhibition took place at RWK Studios by 3CA, an arts and production complex located in Berlin’s Zehlendorf district and occupying an area of approximately 16,000 square meters, according to a statement from the project’s curator.

At the heart of the exhibition are ordinary objects from everyday life that we gradually stop noticing: furniture, curtains, kitchen utensils, car windshields, and even a coal mine. The artists invite viewers to look at these objects from a new perspective and consider them as carriers of personal memory, social relationships, and historical change.

The title of the exhibition refers to the concept of the “familiar stranger,” introduced by American social psychologist Stanley Milgram. The term describes people whom we regularly see but never interact with. The curator extends this idea to everyday objects as well. Many things are constantly around us, yet over time they become almost invisible.

A central work in the exhibition was Bulgarian artist Viktor Petrov’s Some Missing Parts (2026). It is a 1:7 scale model of a post-socialist residential building made from Märklin metal construction pieces. The model also recreates a courtyard, a garage, and a playground. The perforated metal elements make the walls transparent, allowing viewers to explore the connection between private life and architectural memory.

Ewelina Wegiel explores informal forms of knowledge, folk stories, rumors, and narratives that circulate outside official history. In her video installation Coal (2024), a coal mine in the Polish city of Belchatów acquires its own voice and tells its story in the first person. Her textile work Fireplace (2025) is made from threads from a closed sewing workshop, fragments of old curtains, and soil taken from a drainage ditch.

Anna Raczynska alters the form, material, and scale of everyday objects, transforming their visual language into something abstract and unsettling. In leave everything behind (2019), a car windshield becomes a boundary between two socio-economic spaces. In the short 3D animation Elsewhere (2020), the artist explores the experience of the Polish diaspora following 2004. The work raises questions about migration, labor, money, and the sense of belonging.

Curator Zuleykha Ibad noted that the exhibition focuses on the theme of proximity. It explores what it means to live side by side with people we never speak to and to use objects that we almost never take the time to look at closely.

“Three artists from Poland and Bulgaria, and an Azerbaijani curator. The four of us are united by a state of being between different places and cultural contexts. The exhibition does not explain migration. Instead, it draws on a state of perception that emerges through migration: everything is almost the same as before, but nothing completely corresponds to what it once was,” Ibad said.

Zuleykha Ibad was born in Baku in 1998 and works as a curator between Berlin, Baku, and Budapest. She specializes in contemporary art from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Ibad holds a bachelor’s degree in scenography and a master’s degree in curatorial studies. She is also a co-founder of the Berlin-based curatorial platform Luna Serpent.

The exhibition “Familiar Strangers” was one of seven independent exhibitions presented by the 3CA platform as part of HOLOBIONT 2026. The project explores how familiar objects, spaces, and everyday situations change in meaning when a person finds themselves in a new social and cultural environment.

A small spotted cat found in the forests of Bolivia has been confirmed as a previously unknown species, giving scientists a new insight into the remarkable biodiversity of South America.

The feline is roughly the size of a domestic cat and had remained unnoticed for years because its distinctive spots and stripes closely resemble those of several other wild cat species found in the region.

However, genetic analysis has revealed that the Bolivian cat is genetically distinct, confirming that it belongs to a species of its own. The discovery highlights how much remains to be learned about some of the world’s most elusive mammals, even in regions that have been studied for decades.

Scientists hope the finding will also increase attention on tiger cats, a group of small wild felines native to Central and South America. Compared with iconic predators such as lions, leopards and tigers, these animals receive considerably less public and scientific attention.

Interestingly, identifying small wild cats can be particularly difficult because several species can look almost identical in the field. DNA analysis has therefore become an increasingly important tool for distinguishing closely related animals that cannot always be reliably identified by appearance alone.

Researchers say the discovery is a reminder that new species are not necessarily found only in unexplored parts of the world. Sometimes, they can be hiding in plain sight – mistaken for a species that scientists already know.

The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported a new incident in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the information, the tanker sailing near the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile, causing a fire on board.

No injuries were reported in the incident. The nationality of the vessel has not been disclosed.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, holding significant strategic importance as approximately 20% of global oil supplies and around 25% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports pass through it. Essentially, it serves as an energy artery for countries in Asia, Europe, and even the United States.

The strait separates Iran from Oman, and in some areas, the width of the shipping channel is only two miles on each side. Given its critical role in global energy supply chains, ensuring the safety and security of this vital waterway is paramount for international trade and economic stability.

At least 15 people have been killed and more than 50 injured in an explosion near a mosque in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Police said the blast occurred during Friday prayers. The injured, including police officers, have been taken to a district hospital for treatment.

The mosque is located near a police station. A local police official told Geo News that a vehicle loaded with explosives crashed into the gate of the police station before detonating.

The explosion caused significant damage to the mosque, with one of its walls collapsing. Nearby buildings were also damaged.

After the attack, police and security personnel cordoned off the area and began a search operation to find the attackers.

On September 17, 2026, Honored Artist of Azerbaijan, pianist Nargiz Aliyarova, gave a solo concert at the Auditorium Maximum of the University of Warsaw as part of the Chopin International Music Festival.

Alongside the works of Frédéric Chopin, the concert program featured pieces by prominent Azerbaijani composers Uzeyir Hajibayli, Gara Garayev, Fikrat Amirov, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, and Faig Sujaddinov. Presenting works that reflect the diverse facets of Azerbaijani composers’ creativity alongside Chopin’s famous piano masterpieces created an artistic dialogue between the musical traditions of Azerbaijan and Poland, drawing great interest and enthusiastic applause from the audience. A composition dedicated to the martyrs of the Patriotic War was received with special attention and deep reverence.

The concert was attended by representatives of Poland’s cultural and academic circles, faculty members and students of the University of Warsaw, as well as members of the Azerbaijani diaspora. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Poland, Fuad Isgandarov, and embassy staff, who were in attendance, were introduced by the organizers as distinguished guests of the festival.

The concert served to foster cultural dialogue in the musical sphere between Azerbaijan and Poland, promote the mutual presentation of both countries’ rich musical heritage, and convey the creativity of Azerbaijani composers along with our national values to the Polish audience.