Category: Azer News

Arzu Ursha’s film ‘Following the Dream’ has won in the ‘Documentary – Individual Sport’ category at the FICTS International Sports Film Festival held in Milan, Italy, Azernews reports.

According to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the documentary – produced with the ministry’s support and premiered in Baku on August 8 – portrays the inspiring journey of mountaineer Elmira Aslanova on her path to conquering Mount Everest.

On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the glorious Victory in the Patriotic War, SOCAR organized a special event titled ‘Football Day’ for the children of its employees who were martyrs and veterans that fought for the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The event was held in partnership with the ‘Neftçi’ and Turkish ‘Galatasaray’ football clubs, Azernews reports.

The children of martyrs and veterans first visited the ‘Palms Sports’ Football Center, where they were provided with detailed information about the ‘Neftçi’ club and shown a video on its history.

During the visit, the children met with the head coach of the ‘Neftçi’ club’s A team, Samir Abbasov, as well as the players, and took commemorative photos. They also enjoyed interactive games with the footballers in the recreation room.

The young visitors later watched a friendly match between the A and B teams of ‘Neftçi’ and received special commemorative gifts on behalf of the club.

In the second half of the day, the event continued at the SOCAR Head Office. Greeting the children of martyrs and veterans, Asad Mammadov, Head of SOCAR’s Social Responsibility Department, emphasized that care and support for the children of martyrs and veterans remain one of the key directions of Azerbaijan’s state policy. He also highlighted SOCAR’s ongoing efforts in this field.

The event concluded with the screening of a special video prepared by the ‘Galatasaray’ Football Club featuring messages from its players to the children of martyrs and veterans. The participants were presented with official ‘Galatasaray’ jerseys as a gesture of solidarity and remembrance.

The date for Nicolas Sarkozy’s imprisonment will be set tomorrow after the right-wing former French president was sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy in a scheme to finance his winning 2007 campaign with funds from Libya, Azernews reports.

Mr Sarkozy maintains his innocence, has denounced the verdict as ‘a scandal’ and filed an appeal.

He is the first former president of modern France sentenced to actual time behind bars.

Mr Sarkozy, who was involved in several other legal cases, was France’s president from 2007 to 2012. He has been retired from active politics for years but remains influential, especially in right-wing circles.

In a surprise decision, the Paris court said the prison sentence, which would otherwise have been suspended on appeal, is effective immediately.

Mr Sarkozy must be incarcerated without delay, the court explained, because ‘of the seriousness of the disruption to public order caused by the offence.’

Still, Mr Sarkozy was given 18 days from the ruling to ‘organise his professional life’ before his summoning by the National Financial Prosecutor’s office to set a date for incarceration.

The court said Mr Sarkozy, as a presidential candidate and interior minister, used his position ‘to prepare corruption at the highest level’ from 2005 to 2007, to finance his presidential campaign with funds from Libya – then led by Muammar Gadaffi.

Adding to the deep sense of political crisis in France, the country’s current President Emmanuel Macron renamed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister late on Friday just days after he stepped down and sparked a week of chaos.

A statement from the French Communist Party (PCF) described the reappointment of Mr Lecornu as an illustration of President Macron’s ‘refusal to change course.’

The PCF called for a broad mobilisation of unions, youth and other forces and that the time has come ‘to give the power over money, production and the Republic back to the people.’

Renewable energy sources are projected to overtake coal as the world’s largest source of electricity in the first half of 2025, Azernews reports IFLScience.

Experts describe this shift as a pivotal milestone in the global transition away from fossil fuels.

According to data from a recent report by Ember, solar and wind energy continue to expand rapidly, with solar power leading the growth. Solar energy alone accounts for 83% of the current increase, as its production rose by 31% in the first six months of last year.

Analysts note that this development highlights the accelerating pace of global decarbonization efforts and the growing role of renewables in ensuring sustainable energy security.

Sevil Aliyeva has been awarded the “Sharaf” Order for her services to the development of Azerbaijani musical art, Azernews reports.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the relevant decree.

As part of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons, participants of the international conference titled ‘Combining Efforts and Expanding Cooperation to Address the Problem of Missing Persons’ have begun their visit to Zangilan, Azernews reports.

The delegation traveled to the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, visiting Zangilan District as part of their program. During the trip, the participants visited the Victory monument located in the newly rebuilt Aghali village center.

The visitors were also briefed on the conditions created for the return of residents to Aghali village, one of the first smart villages reconstructed in the liberated territories.

It should be noted that a day earlier, conference participants visited a mass grave discovered in the Balligaya village area of Aghdara District and the former Shusha prison, where Azerbaijani captives were held during the Armenian occupation.

The visit aims to provide international participants with a deeper understanding of the human and humanitarian consequences of Armenia’s aggression and to highlight Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to address the issue of missing persons and support the safe return of displaced citizens to their ancestral lands.

During his visit to Ukraine, Executive Director of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers and Commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Mohamed Elsanousi, met with Elshad Ibrahimov, Deputy Chairman of the United Diaspora of Azerbaijanis in Ukraine (UABD).

Azernews reports that the meeting focused on the situation of religious and ethnic minorities living in Ukraine, their integration into society, and efforts to strengthen mutual understanding.

Elshad Ibrahimov emphasized that the Azerbaijani community serves as a cultural, humanitarian, and spiritual bridge between the peoples of Azerbaijan and Ukraine. He noted that Azerbaijanis have long been an integral part of Ukrainian society and remain committed to the country’s multicultural values.

‘Azerbaijanis freely practice their religion and beliefs. The Ukrainian state respects religious freedom and provides an environment of mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence among different faiths. This represents an exemplary model of tolerance for both Ukraine and Azerbaijan,’ he said.

Ibrahimov added that members of the diaspora actively participate not only in religious holidays but also in national and cultural events. Despite the ongoing war since 2022, the Azerbaijani community has preserved its spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance.

‘Azerbaijani businessmen and philanthropists in Ukraine have provided medical, humanitarian, and social support to soldiers, demonstrating loyalty to both the Ukrainian people and universal human values,’ he remarked.

During the meeting, Ibrahimov presented a photo album showcasing the diaspora’s social, cultural, and humanitarian projects, including charity events, iftar dinners, and community initiatives organized during wartime.

Commissioner Elsanousi described the meeting as not only an introduction to the Azerbaijani diaspora’s activities but also as a reaffirmation of religious tolerance, multiculturalism, and international peace. Representatives of Finland’s largest humanitarian organization, Finn Church Aid, also attended, emphasizing the importance of compassion, dialogue, and mutual respect among nations and religions.

A concert dedicated to the 140th anniversary of Azerbaijani composer Üzeyir Hacib?yli and the 150th anniversary of Lithuanian composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis was held at the Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic named after M. Magomayev.

Azernews reports that the event began with speeches by Kestutis Vaškelevicius, Lithuania’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Azerbaijan, and Professor Farhad Badalbeyli, Rector of the Baku Music Academy named after Ü. Hacib?yli. They highlighted the diplomatic and cultural ties between the two countries and celebrated the creative legacy of the two distinguished composers.

Following the speeches, cellist ?sm?r K?rimli performed alongside the Üzeyir Hacib?yli Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Lithuanian conductor Vilmantas Kaliunas, delighting the audience with a repertoire honoring both Hacib?yli and Ciurlionis.

The Azerbaijan Basketball League continues today with another exciting clash in the second round of competition. Defending champions Sabah will go head-to-head against NTD in what promises to be one of the standout games of the week.

Azernews reports that the game will take place at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The match is expected to draw considerable attention from basketball fans eager to see whether Sabah can maintain its winning momentum and reaffirm its dominance in Azerbaijani basketball.

So far, Round 2 has produced several dynamic performances. Neftçi secured a commanding 92-68 victory over Shaki, while Ordu convincingly defeated Quba 96-68. Meanwhile, Absheron Lions narrowly edged Ganja in a high-intensity battle, winning 96-94.

The second round of the Azerbaijan Basketball League will officially conclude on October 12, setting the stage for what promises to be a competitive and action-packed season ahead.

As part of celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, North Korea held a military parade, Azernews reports.

The parade took place late on the night of October 10 at Kim Il Sung Square in the capital, Pyongyang. Attending the event were North Korea’s Head of State Kim Jong Un, as well as foreign guests visiting for the anniversary, including To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam; Li Qiang, Premier of China; and Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council.

During the parade, a wide range of military hardware was displayed, culminating in the showcase of North Korea’s most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-20. This missile is reportedly capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and has the range to strike any point in the United States.

The demonstration underscores Pyongyang’s ongoing focus on developing strategic weapons and serves both as a display of military strength to domestic audiences and a signal of its capabilities to the international community.