Category: Azer News

A new Azerbaijani House and its affiliated weekend school were officially inaugurated in Stuttgart, marking another milestone in the Azerbaijani diaspora’s cultural outreach. Azernews reports that the event began with the playing of the Azerbaijani national anthem and a minute of silence in honor of the country’s fallen heroes.

The opening ceremony was attended by Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Samir Rzayev, Counselor at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Germany; Makbule Koçak Kaçar, Consul General of Turkey in Stuttgart; as well as Azerbaijani community members from across Europe, leaders of Azerbaijani Houses abroad, and representatives of the local public.

Gunay Mirzayeva, Chairperson of the Azerbaijani-German Cultural Center, delivered a report-style speech on the Center’s work uniting Azerbaijanis living in Germany, as well as the activities of the German-Azerbaijani Alliance Board.

Fuad Muradov spoke about Azerbaijan’s modern diaspora policy under President Ilham Aliyev and the expansion of joint diaspora initiatives worldwide. He highlighted the opening of Azerbaijani Houses and weekend schools in various countries, congratulating the community on the Stuttgart opening and noting it as a tangible demonstration of the Azerbaijani state’s care for its citizens abroad.

The ceremony emphasized the role of Azerbaijani Houses, weekend schools, and the ‘Garabagh’ online schools-initiated by First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva-in preserving the mother tongue among third- and fourth-generation diaspora members. Muradov stressed the particular significance of implementing this model in regions like Stuttgart, where many Azerbaijanis live in compact communities.

Video clips featuring President Aliyev’s speeches were also presented during the event.

Several speakers, including Altay Rustamli, Chairperson of the German-Azerbaijani Alliance Board, board member Amir Ali Sardari Irevani, and Consul General Makbule Koçak Kaçar, praised the Azerbaijani House as a symbol of unity for the diaspora.

Participants also enjoyed ‘Nar,’ an exhibition of works by Italian cultural figure Francesco Macco, before the ceremony continued with a cultural program.

Currently, there are 32 Azerbaijani Houses operating in 20 countries worldwide, with more than 90 weekend schools functioning in 24 countries. Some of these schools operate under Azerbaijani Houses, while others are affiliated with diaspora organizations or cultural centers. The State Committee on Work with Diaspora provides textbooks and teaching materials for all weekend schools abroad. Azerbaijanis and enthusiasts of Azerbaijani culture can access these services free of charge. Under the president’s guidance, the number of weekend Azerbaijani schools abroad continues to grow, expanding the scope of cultural and linguistic education for the diaspora.

A roundtable dedicated to the events of January 20 and the victims of the tragedy was held in Baku.

Azernews reports tha the discussion, titled ‘If the Homeland Calls Me a Son, What Would I Complain About’, was organized by the public association Women’s World. Participants included family members of martyrs, former military personnel, veterans, historians, representatives of public organizations, and youth.

The event began with a moment of silence in memory of the martyrs, followed by the national anthem.

Kifayat Niftaliyeva, chairperson of Women’s World, spoke about the January 20 tragedy, honoring the victims and the patriots who sacrificed their lives for the homeland. She noted that the national unity that began during the January 20 events strengthened further during the 44-day war, culminating in Azerbaijan’s victory under the leadership of President and Supreme Commander Ilham Aliyev.

Tofiq Alizade, head of the Support for the Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis society, highlighted the historical facts behind violent acts committed against Azerbaijan and its people. Historian and writer Dr. Nazim Tapdiqoglu emphasized that the Garabagh events began in 1988, and the national awakening and unity were directly linked to the sacrifices of January 20 martyrs.

Reyhan Ismayilova, sister of January 20 martyr Javad Ismayilov, shared personal memories of her brother and the family’s painful experiences. Other speakers stressed the importance of educating youth about the causes of the tragedy, the national liberation movement that followed, and the First Garabagh War.

The organizers noted that such events play a crucial role in promoting awareness of the January 20 events among young people.

Residents of Delhi woke up to hazardous air quality on Sunday as a thick blanket of toxic smog and fog engulfed the Indian capital region, pushing air pollution into ‘severe’ levels for the first time this year, Azernews reports, citing Arab News.

Home to 30 million people, Delhi has not recorded a single ‘clean air’ day since September 2023, with Air Quality Index readings hitting high above the 50 score throughout the past two years.

On the AQI scale from 0 to 500, good air quality is represented by levels below 50, while levels above 300 are dangerous.

Based on Central Pollution Control Board data, the overall AQI was around 439-444, with several stations across Delhi reaching almost 500 – the worst since the peak winter smog season in early November.

The air quality is so bad that a Danish badminton star, Anders Antonsen, withdrew from the ongoing India Open, saying the city was not fit to host the tournament. Antonsen, who is the discipline’s No. 3, said in an Instagram story that the decision was due to ‘extreme pollution.’

While the athlete chose to pay a $5,000 fine rather than spend a few days in Delhi, its residents are left with little choice but to endure its toxic air.

‘To protect myself, I use an N90 mask and drink lots of water. Still, in the first week of January, the smog impacted me with a bad throat and cold, hitting me badly. You are always exposed and risk your health,’ said Akriti Chaudhary, a student activist in Delhi.

‘The situation is worse for those people who live in the industrial area of Delhi and don’t have the luxury of green cover. They suffer a lot. Different parts of the population suffer differently, but the fact is that all suffer one way or another.’

For Dr. D. Raghunandan, a climate expert and member of a newly launched citizen initiative, SSANS, which acts as a pressure group to urge the government to act to improve air quality, the pollution has already become unavoidable.

‘You just have to live with it. There is no way you can avoid it. Like 90 percent of Delhi’s population can’t escape it. Those who have a lot of money can stay indoors with air purifiers,’ he said.

‘We are concerned that not much is being done to contain the problem. What little is being done is cosmetic. You just have a few small water guns going around the city on tempos and spraying water.’

He compared Delhi’s problem to what China’s capital faced before.

‘Look at the way the badminton event has panned out. Gradually, the pollution will start hitting. Ten years ago, Beijing was worse than Delhi in air pollution. And many large companies and corporations decided to leave Beijing,’ Raghunandan told Arab News.

‘Do you think those guys are going to stay in Delhi? If the pollution stays like this, they’ll move out.’

A transformed Manchester United kicked off interim manager Michael Carrick’s second stint in charge with an exhilarating 2-0 derby day defeat of Manchester City in the Premier League at a vibrant Old Trafford on Saturday, Azernews reports.

Carrick’s attack-minded side swept away the gloom hanging over the club with second-half goals by Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu underlining their dominance of a disappointing City whose title hopes suffered a crushing blow.

Mbeumo, just back from Africa Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon, finished sweetly in the 65th minute and Dorgu got on the end of Matheus Cunha’s cross to put the home fans in dreamland 10 minutes later.

But for a superb display by City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and three disallowed goals, United would have enjoyed a far greater margin of victory while the visitors barely threatened as goal machine Erling Haaland hardly got a look-in.

Not only was it a humbling loss for City against their cross-town rivals, it put a huge dent in their hopes of reeling in Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

Instead of closing the gap at the top to a manageable three points they could find themselves nine adrift if Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest later on Saturday.

For United it was the perfect start to Carrick’s tenure as they moved provisionally into fourth place.

The 13th round of the Azerbaijan Basketball League will conclude today with two matches scheduled in Group A.

Azernews reports that the final game day of the round will feature a pair of important encounters at the Baku Sports Palace. The first game will tip off at 15:00, with Sabah taking on Sheki. Sabah currently sits second in the standings with 21 points, maintaining pressure on the group leaders. Sheki, meanwhile, is fifth with 14 points and will look to improve its position as the regular season progresses.

The second match of the day is set for 18:00, when NTD face Absharon Lions. Absharon Lions lead Group A with 23 points and enter the contest as clear favorites. NTD, on the other hand, are at the bottom of the table in sixth place with 12 points and will aim to cause an upset against the league leaders.

Both matches will be played at the Baku Sports Palace.

Araz-Nakhchivan will play another friendly match as part of its preparations for the upcoming fixtures.

According to Report, the Nakhchivan-based club will face First League side Zagatala during its ongoing training camp. The match is intended to give the coaching staff an opportunity to assess the team’s current form, test tactical variations, and provide match practice for players ahead of official competitions.

The friendly is scheduled to kick off at 13:00 and will be held at the auxiliary pitch of the Baku Olympic Stadium. Such test matches are a key component of the club’s training program, allowing the squad to build match fitness and improve coordination on the field.

Araz-Nakhchivan has been actively using the training camp period to fine-tune its lineup, while the encounter against Zagatala is expected to offer a competitive challenge. Both teams aim to make effective use of the match as they continue preparations for the second half of the season.

The Georgian government plans to complete the construction of highways linking Azerbaijan, Trkiye, and Armenia under the Middle Corridor project by 2026.

According to Azernews, Georgia’s government plan stipulates that construction of the Rustavi-Red Bridge highway leading to Azerbaijan, the Algeti-Sadakhlo road toward the Armenian border, and the Batumi-Sarpi highway connecting to the Turkish border should be fully completed within the current year. Funding for these projects has been allocated in the 2026 state budget.

The document states that completion of these projects will finalize key sections of the Middle Corridor connecting Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Trkiye.

It is noted that the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route was established in February 2014 with the participation of leading maritime and railway transport companies from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia.

The corridor currently runs from the China-Kazakhstan border, passing through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea, and onward through Azerbaijan and Georgia to Europe.

Heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures currently affecting several regions of Azerbaijan have significantly complicated traffic conditions on major roads, Azernews reports, citing the Main State Traffic Police Department (MSTPD).

MSTPD has issued a public warning to drivers, urging heightened caution amid deteriorating weather conditions.

The department noted that slippery road surfaces, reduced visibility, and sudden changes in weather substantially increase the risk of road accidents. Analysis shows that one of the leading causes of traffic incidents during snowy conditions is the use of worn-out or seasonally inappropriate tires.

In light of these risks, drivers are strongly advised to take the following precautions:

Avoid long-distance travel and trips to mountainous areas unless absolutely necessary;

Ensure vehicles are in proper technical condition, with particular attention to winter tire suitability, tread depth, and tire pressure;

Use winter tires rather than standard tires on snowy and icy roads;

Adjust speed to road and weather conditions and maintain a safe following distance;

Refrain from driving while fatigued or drowsy.

The MSTPD added that traffic police units are operating under an ????ened regime in affected regions. Increased monitoring is underway on hazardous road sections, while officers continue to engage drivers through on-site briefings and safety awareness efforts.

Authorities stress that strict adherence to these recommendations is essential to preventing accidents and ensuring road safety during severe winter weather.

United States President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that he will impose tariffs on European nations starting on February 1 over Greenland, Azernews reports.

Trump threatened Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland with a 10% tariff on goods entering the US, rising to 25% on June 1. He warned “World Peace is at stake” and accused China and Russia of seeking control there.

Trump argued the US hs protected without compensation and said the tariffs will remain until a deal is reached for Greenland’s purchase. “The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades,” he said.

Trump suggested, incorrectly, that residents of Greenland ‘currently have two dogsleds as protection’ – and claimed ‘China and Russia want Greenland’ to the detriment of the US.

‘Nobody will touch this sacred piece of land, especially since the national security of the United States, and the world at large, is at stake,’ Trump wrote.

The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said recently that Greenland’s defence is a ‘common concern’ for the whole of Nato. The Guardian reported that European troops had deployed to Greenland, in part, to establish what a more sustained ground deployment on the territory could look like, and partly to reassure the US that European Nato members were serious about Arctic security.

United States District Judge Katherine Menendez issued a preliminary injunction barring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from retaliating against peaceful protesters in Minnesota, Azernews reports.

According to the decision, federal agents are not allowed to arrest peaceful protesters, use pepper-spray or other nonlethal crowd dispersal tools, and stop or detain people in vehicles unless there is reasonable suspicion they are “forcibly obstructing or interfering” with agents’ work.

The lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE was filed by a group of activists on December 17, 2025, before an incident in which Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. It is currently unclear whether the DHS will appeal the ruling.