Category: Azer News

Azerbaijan is set to host the country’s first-ever large-scale Opera Festival, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s People’s Artist and renowned opera singer Fidan Hajiyeva, as well as the 30th anniversary of her professional artistic career, AzerNEWS reports.

The third Fidan Hajiyeva International Opera Festival will begin on September 7 and continue for three months. The festival’s artistic director will be People’s Artist and maestro Yalchin Adigozalov. Fidan Hajiyeva will take part in the concert programs, accompanied by the Niyazi State Symphony Orchestra.

The large-scale project will extend far beyond the capital. Over the course of three months, concert programs will be presented in various regions of Azerbaijan as well as in several foreign countries. The festival aims to showcase the richness and distinctive character of Azerbaijani opera to international audiences and bring outstanding musicians, performers, and young talents together on one stage.

A special place in the program will be given to the “Voice of the Young – Support for the Young” project, aimed at supporting talented emerging performers. The initiative will give young artists an opportunity to demonstrate their vocal abilities, gain professional stage experience, and present their work to a wider audience.

The culmination of the three-month festival will be the anniversary gala concert, “Carmen: Half a Century of Artistic Life,” which will take place on December 7 at the Heydar Aliyev Palace.

On this evening, opera and the art of flamenco will come together for the first time as part of Fidan Hajiyeva’s anniversary program in a large-scale musical show. The People’s Artist will perform alongside a renowned Spanish flamenco ensemble and a symphony orchestra.

Under the direction of maestro Yalchin Adigozalov, the Niyazi State Symphony Orchestra will perform selected works from the world opera repertoire, while the Spanish artists will present vibrant and passionate flamenco performances.

Thus, the anniversary evening will become a unique dialogue between two great musical traditions – opera and flamenco – where the drama of vocal art will meet the passion and energy of Spanish dance.

For Fidan Hajiyeva, the festival will be more than a celebration of her 50th anniversary and three decades on the professional stage. It is a large-scale creative project aimed at promoting Azerbaijani opera culture, advancing the country’s national musical heritage on the international stage, and supporting a new generation of performers.

Don’t miss this special evening, where timeless opera, passionate flamenco, and the artistry of one of Azerbaijan’s leading opera singers will come together in a unique musical experience.

Tickets for the anniversary gala concert are available on the iTicket.az website and at iTicket box offices.

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

Unknown burglars have stolen items worth a total of pound 500,000 from the home of a Saudi prince in the French city of Cannes, AzerNEWS reports.

French television channel TF1 reported the incident, citing an informed source.

According to the report, the stolen items included luxury leather goods and jewelry. The burglary took place between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. local time, when the prince was not at home.

The identities of the suspects have not yet been established. Investigators are expected to examine surveillance camera footage as part of the investigation.

President Ilham Aliyev has signed an Order to allocate 258 million manats to accelerate the socio-economic development of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, AzerNEWS reports.

The order aims to ensure the expansion of the use of alternative and renewable energy sources, the renewal of road, transport and education infrastructure, as well as the ongoing development of landscaping and construction works in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for 2026-2027.

The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministries of Finance and Economy, and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have been tasked with addressing issues arising from the Order.

Global crude oil production is forecast to average 74.89 million barrels per day in 2026, AzerNEWS reports.

The forecast was included in the May edition of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short-Term Energy Outlook, published by the U.S. Department of Energy.

According to the EIA’s quarterly production forecast, global crude oil output is expected to average 77.27 million barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026, 71.27 million barrels per day in the second quarter, 73.96 million barrels per day in the third quarter and 77.08 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, the EIA forecasts global crude oil production at 81.27 million barrels per day in 2027. According to the agency’s projections, global crude oil output is expected to average 80.08 million barrels per day in the first quarter of 2027, 80.95 million barrels per day in the second quarter, 81.60 million barrels per day in the third quarter and 82.43 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter.

According to the State Statistics Committee, Azerbaijan produced 13.270 million tons of crude oil, including gas condensate, in January-June this year.

The figure was 421,800 tons, or 3.1%, lower than in the same period last year.

Of the total crude oil production during the reporting period, 13.236 million tons consisted of marketable crude oil, down 424,200 tons, or 3.1%, from the same period a year earlier.

Overall, the value of output in Azerbaijan’s mining industry amounted to 19.3 billion manats in January-June, representing a 2.8% decline from the corresponding period of the previous year.

According to the Ministry of Energy, 7.9 million tons of production during the reporting period came from the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli field, 1.7 million tons from Shah Deniz and 0.3 million tons from the Absheron field. SOCAR’s oil production, including condensate, amounted to 3.4 million tons.

A total of 10.5 million tons of oil, including condensate, was exported during the period. Of this amount, 9.5 million tons came from the consortium, 0.7 million tons from SOCAR and 0.3 million tons from JOCAP.

The ministry said that during the first six months of the year, crude oil production averaged 61,000 tons, or 449,000 barrels, per day, while condensate production averaged 12,000 tons, or 103,000 barrels, per day. Total oil production averaged 73,000 tons, or 552,000 barrels, per day.

Oil refining amounted to 2.9 million tons during the reporting period.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that U.S. forces opened fire on the Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova after the commercial vessel attempted to sail through the Gulf of Oman toward Iran, AzerNEWS reports.

CENTCOM announced the incident on its official X account, saying the vessel was attempting to breach the U.S. blockade imposed on Iran.

According to the command, a U.S. Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the vessel’s engine compartment after the ship’s civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from U.S. forces.

The strike was intended to stop the vessel from continuing toward Iran. CENTCOM said the Vela Nova is no longer proceeding toward Iran in violation of the U.S. blockade, which it described as remaining fully in effect.

CENTCOM also provided figures on its enforcement operations. As of August 11, U.S. forces had redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, disabled three vessels that failed to comply with U.S. demands, and boarded and inspected two vessels.

The incident involving the Vela Nova highlights the growing risks facing commercial shipping in the region. The Gulf of Oman and surrounding waterways are critical routes for international trade, and military enforcement measures could have broader consequences for shipping companies, maritime insurance costs and regional trade.

Crude oil inventories in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) have fallen below 300 million barrels for the first time in more than four decades, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the US Department of Energy, the reserve declined by another 6.1 million barrels last week, reaching 298.7 million barrels – the lowest level since January 1983.

The decline comes amid growing pressure on global oil supplies and heightened tensions surrounding the conflict with Iran. The US has been drawing on its strategic reserves to help stabilize the market and limit the impact of supply disruptions.

The SPR has a total storage capacity of around 714 million barrels, meaning current inventories are now below half of their potential capacity.

The situation is particularly significant because rebuilding the reserve to previous levels could take years and would require billions of dollars in purchases.

With global oil markets already facing geopolitical risks, further disruptions could put additional upward pressure on crude prices and fuel costs worldwide.

A meeting has been held with members of Azerbaijan’s national cadet judo team ahead of the Guayaquil World Championships Cadets 2026, AzerNEWS reports.

The athletes received recommendations ahead of the prestigious competition, with particular emphasis placed on demonstrating determination, discipline, and responsibility on the tatami.

The Guayaquil World Championships Cadets 2026 will take place in Guayaquil, Ecuador, from August 20 to 23.

Azerbaijan will be represented by 14 judokas, including 10 boys and 4 girls across nine weight categories.

A total of 479 judokas from 62 countries will compete in the tournament.

Azerbaijani judokas have built a strong reputation on the international stage, regularly competing for medals at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, and other major tournaments.

Their achievements have helped establish Azerbaijan as one of the prominent judo nations, with athletes known for their technical ability, fighting spirit, discipline, and determination.

A major role in the development of the sport has been played by the Azerbaijan Judo Federation. Established in 1972, the federation oversees the development and promotion of judo in the country and represents Azerbaijani judo internationally.

The federation is currently headed by Rashad Nabiyev, who also serves as Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transportation.

The foundations of Azerbaijan’s modern judo success were laid in the late 1990s. Mehman Azizov won a silver medal at the 1998 World Championships, marking one of the notable achievements of the new era. In 1999, Rasul Salimov, who had won the World Youth Games in Moscow, claimed bronze at the European Championships in Slovakia. A year later, Elchin Ismayilov became European champion in Wroclaw.

Azerbaijani judo continued to make significant strides in the following years. One of the landmark moments came at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where Elnur Mammadli won the gold medal in the 73 kg category.

In recent years, Azerbaijan’s judo success has been represented by a new generation of accomplished athletes, including Hidayat Heydarov, Zelym Kotsoiev, Zelim Tckaev, Balabay Aghayev, Ushangi Kokauri, Gultaj Mammadaliyeva, Leyla Aliyeva, Fidan Alizade, and Aisha Gurbanli, among others.

Heatwave warnings have been issued in several regions of Spain and Portugal due to high temperatures, AzerNEWS reports, citing EFE.

According to Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), temperatures in the country could rise to 40°C. In response, the agency has raised the alert level across most of the country to yellow (risk) and orange (high risk).

Meteorologists have also warned that the risk of wildfires will be very high in the coming days.

Portugal’s Institute for Sea and Atmosphere has also issued heat warnings for four districts in the northeast of the country. Temperatures in these areas are also expected to approach 40°C.

As previously reported, heatwave warnings were issued in 78 departments in France due to abnormally high temperatures. In the UK, the government’s emergency COBRA meeting has been scheduled in response to an approaching heatwave.

In recent weeks, Europe has again recorded extreme heatwaves, posing an increasingly serious threat to public health. These soaring temperatures are leading to an increase in heat stress and fatalities, particularly among the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

Australian researchers have created human heart valve tissues from stem cells that could help advance treatments for childhood heart disease, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) said Wednesday, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

The Melbourne-based institute said the three-dimensional tissues mimic key molecular features of human heart valves, providing researchers with a new platform to study how valves form, grow and become damaged.

The research, led by MCRI, was published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Heart valve disease affects around 28 million people worldwide and occurs when one or more of the heart’s four valves fail to open or close properly. It can result from developmental problems, infections or aging.

There are currently no treatments that can repair damaged heart valves, leaving many patients reliant on surgery to replace them.

For children, existing replacement valves do not grow with the body, meaning they may require multiple open-heart surgeries as they develop.

“By creating heart valve tissues that mimic the molecular features of a human version we can now test and advance new treatments at scale in the lab,” lead author Dr. Holly Voges of MCRI said in the institute’s statement.

The researchers also demonstrated that the lab-grown tissues could be used to model inflammatory valve disease, which can lead to rheumatic heart disease.

Australia has some of the world’s highest recorded rates of rheumatic heart disease, a largely preventable condition that disproportionately affects Indigenous Australians.

Enzo Porrello, director of stem cell medicine at MCRI, said engineered stem cells allowed researchers to recreate the complex structure of heart valves.

“In the future, this technology could be used to more accurately model valve disease and support the development of stem cell-derived replacement valves that grow and adapt with a patient,” he said.

With the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and organized by the Baku Public Choir, Azerbaijan’s first “AVAZ” Youth Choir Camp has been held at the Shaki Olympic Sports Complex, AzerNEWS reports.

On the first day of the camp, participants visited the monument to National Leader Heydar Aliyev in Shaki.

The opening ceremony that followed provided information about the aims and program of the camp, while talented young participants performed selections from Azerbaijani and world music.

Throughout the camp, various training sessions and activities aimed at the musical and personal development of young people were organized. Participants took part in sessions on yoga, “Choreographic Stage Movement and Stage Speech,” “Project Management,” “Team Building,” and “The Use of Digital Tools in Creativity.” An intellectual competition was also held among the young participants.

As part of the camp, a public discussion titled “Integrating Musicians into the Business Environment and Developing the Music Industry” was held. During the meeting, the participants’ questions were answered, while current challenges in the music sector and possible ways to address them were discussed.

Concert meetings featuring composer and pianist Tural Mammadli and popular guitarist Rahman Mammadli included performances of various musical pieces. The participants also exchanged views on promoting Azerbaijani musical culture internationally and expanding creative opportunities for musicians.

Interactive choir sessions led by Dmitry Babayev, senior lecturer at the Baku Music Academy, as well as master classes by Honored Artist Anar Shushali and Shola Safaraliyeva, contributed to developing the participants’ vocal and performance skills, increasing their interest in choral art, and enriching their stage experience.

On August 8, the “AVAZ” participants performed a concert program at the Iç?ri Bazar fortress complex in the Gakh district, followed by a performance at the Shaki Khan’s Palace on August 9. In addition to solo performances by the young participants, the choir performed such works as “Karabakh”, “Student”, “Bayatilar”, “Love” and “Sari Gelin”.

The main goal of the “AVAZ” Youth Choir Camp is to bring young people together around choral art, support the development of their musical and creative potential, and bring a new impetus to the development of Azerbaijan’s choral culture.

The Baku Public Choir, meanwhile, aims to make choral art accessible to a wider audience based on the principle that “music is for everyone” and to contribute to the development of an inclusive, modern, and sustainable choral culture in Azerbaijan.