Category: Azer News

During a limited-format meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev addressed the strengthening of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere and highlighted the development of Lachin, Azernews reports.

The head of state noted: ‘At today’s meeting, I would like to touch upon enhancing cooperation in the humanitarian sphere. I express my gratitude to the heads of CIS states for supporting the candidacy of the city of Lachin in Azerbaijan’s East Zangezur region as the CIS Cultural Capital for this year.’

Emphasizing that the opening ceremony of the ‘CIS Cultural Capital Year’ took place in Lachin in June, President Ilham Aliyev stated that the event provided insights into the history and cultural heritage of this ancient Azerbaijani land. ‘The guests of the event witnessed firsthand the rapid revival of Lachin following its liberation from 30 years of Armenian occupation,’ he added.

President of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) Rovshan Najaf and Vice President Konul Mehdiyeva have been appointed to FIFA’s Standing Committees, Azernews reports.

This follows structural changes approved during the 74th FIFA Congress, where the organization announced the restructuring of its Standing Committees to better reflect its growing global responsibilities and enhance member association involvement in decision-making.

As part of this process, the FIFA Council has confirmed the chairs, vice-chairs, and members of the Standing Committees for the 2025-2029 term.

Under the new appointments, AFFA President Rovshan Najaf will serve as a member of FIFA’s Commercial and Marketing Advisory Committee, while Vice President Konul Mehdiyeva has been named to the Women’s Football Development Committee.

These appointments are in line with FIFA’s renewed governance approach, aimed at fostering wider participation and strengthening gender balance in global football leadership.

Formed in 1992, the Azerbaijani Association of Football Federations (AFFA) is the governing body of football in Azerbaijan.

The Association is responsible for overseeing all aspects of amateur and professional games in its territory.

It runs numerous competitions, the most famous of which is the Azerbaijan Cup. AFFA is a member of both UEFA and FIFA.

On October 10, an official banquet was hosted in Dushanbe by President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon in honor of the CIS heads of state, Azernews reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev participated in the event.

The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Azerbaijan, in cooperation with the embassies of EU member states, will hold the third edition of the European Delights Culinary Festival, Azernews reports.

The open-air event aims to showcase European cuisine to the Azerbaijani public.

Anyone interested in learning more about European cuisine and participating in masterclasses and culinary competitions is welcome to attend the festival, which will take place on October 11 from 13:00 to 19:00 at European Games Park (behind the Water Sports Complex).

At the festival, the embassies of Belgium, France, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine will present dishes from their national cuisines to guests.

At the EU Delegation’s stand, well-known food bloggers Elmira Gadirova and Nezaket Jafarova will host culinary master classes. Local farmers will also offer organic food products produced with the support of EU-funded projects.

“We are delighted to organize the European Delights Culinary Festival in Baku for the third time. We invite everyone to join us on a culinary journey through Europe and enjoy unforgettable flavors, live music, culinary quizzes, and much more,” said Gediminas Varanavicius, Chargé d’Affaires of the EU Delegation.

Winners of the quizzes held during the event will receive various prizes, including the “European Delights” cookbook, a collection of traditional recipes from all 27 EU member states, published by the EU Delegation and translated into Azerbaijani. The book is also available in electronic format on the official website of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan.

The event will also feature an award ceremony for the winners of culinary and art competitions on European cuisine, organized by the “Azeri Home Chef” Facebook page. Dishes prepared by the competition participants will be showcased at the event.

The festival will be accompanied by live performances by local musicians singing in both Azerbaijani and European languages.

A master class in the tar specialty has taken placeat the Kevkab Safaraliyeva Children’s Music School No. 16, Azernews reports.

The session was led by the eminent tar player, teacher, People’s Artist, and Professor Vamig Mammadaliyev, and attended by both teachers and students.

People’s Artist Vamig Mammadaliyev spoke about the tar and the unique features of playing the instrument. After listening to the students’ performances, he offered his recommendations and answered questions from both teachers and students.

On the initiative of the Culture Ministry’s Scientific, Methodological, and Qualification Center for Culture (MEMIM), with the organizational support of the Azerbaijan Cultural Workers’ Trade Union, and assistance from the Baku City Main Department of Culture and the Absheron-Khizi Regional Department of Culture, a series of master classes are being held from October 8 to 18. These sessions are intended for teachers and students of music and art schools under the aforementioned institutions.

In their remarks, MEMIM Acting Director, PhD in Art Studies, Associate Professor Vugar Humbatov; Head of the Main Department of Culture of Baku City Ibrahim Aliyev; and Chairman of the Azerbaijan Cultural Workers’ Trade Union Elkiyar Ziyadov, stressed the importance of the project, which aims to align the educational process in music and art schools with specialized program requirements, enhance the professionalism of teachers, and enrich students’ knowledge and skills.

The speakers pointed out that this year, by the order of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the country is solemnly celebrating the 140th anniversary of the birth of Uzeyir Hajibayli. His unique contributions to the development of Azerbaijani culture are gratefully remembered. The enlightening traditions established by the great composer, who gifted the nation with masterpieces of musical culture, are successfully continued and developed today.

Masterclasses are being held in 12 specialties: tar, kamancha, saz, balaban, qanun, khanende vocal art, piano, violin, clarinet, cello, academic vocal, and choreography.

On the same day, a masterclass on playing the qanun was organized at Baku’s 11-Year Music School No. 20 named after Shovkat Alakbarova.

Head of the MEMIM Strategic Analysis and Training Organization Department, Honored Cultural Worker Lala Karimova, delivered a speech about the project and spoke of Uzeyir Hajibayli’s exceptional contribution to the country’s culture.

During the lesson led by Honored Artist, PhD in Art Studies, and Professor Tarana Aliyeva, student performances were heard. Tarana Aliyeva discussed the characteristics of the qanun and gave her recommendations on performance techniques.

The master classes held in music and art schools across Baku, Khirdalan, and Sumgayit are being conducted by prominent musicians, professors, and teachers of the republic.

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

At the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Azerbaijan presented key achievements in the socio-economic sphere and outlined its progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the meeting of the Third Committee on ‘Social Development’, Azernews reports.

According to Shahriyar Hajiyev, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the UN, the country continues to implement consistent measures aimed at improving the well-being of citizens, enhancing social protection, and raising living standards.

He emphasized that these efforts align with the ‘Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development’ framework, approved by President Ilham Aliyev, which envisions a comprehensive set of reforms to promote inclusive growth and sustainable development.

By submitting its fourth Voluntary National Review (VNR) in 2024, Azerbaijan demonstrated tangible progress toward the 2030 Agenda, presenting detailed information on the implementation of national commitments from 2021 to 2024.

Hajiyev noted that as a result of the ongoing socio-economic policy, the monthly minimum wage in Azerbaijan has increased 3.3 times, and the minimum pension has grown 2.4 times over the past decade – reflecting the government’s long-term focus on strengthening social welfare and human capital development.

Hyundai Motor announced on Friday that its groundbreaking Xcient Fuel Cell truck has been selected as one of TIME magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025. The recognition highlights the truck’s pioneering role as the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicle,Azernews reports,citing Korean media.

Developed in partnership with California-based autonomous driving technology firm PlusAI, the 8-ton Xcient truck combines cutting-edge hydrogen fuel cell technology with advanced automation. PlusAI is best known for its SuperDriveS system, a Level 4 autonomous driving solution that allows vehicles to operate entirely without human intervention under certain conditions.

For over 20 years, TIME has been curating its annual Best Inventions list, celebrating 300 innovations that are transforming how people live, work, and interact with the world. Entries are evaluated based on criteria such as originality, effectiveness, ambition, and societal impact. Hyundai’s Xcient stood out in categories such as sustainability, mobility, and robotics.

The Xcient truck is powered by a 350-kilowatt high-efficiency electric motor, supported by a 180-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell stack and a 72-kilowatt-hour high-voltage battery. Since its global debut in 2020, the truck has been deployed across 10 countries-including South Korea, the U.S., Switzerland, Germany, New Zealand, and Israel-and has collectively logged nearly 10 million miles in real-world commercial use.

As part of the NorCAL ZERO project in California, the Xcient truck is already helping to reshape freight transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Valley by providing a zero-emission alternative to diesel-powered fleets. The initiative is one of the largest commercial deployments of hydrogen fuel cell trucks in the United States to date.

‘This recognition by TIME is a powerful testament to what innovation and collaboration can achieve,’ said Park Chul-youn, Senior Vice President and Head of Hyundai Motor’s Global Commercial Vehicle Business Division. ‘Through hydrogen-powered mobility, we’re working to build a safer, cleaner freight ecosystem. Our partnership with PlusAI is a key part of that vision.’

In addition to its technical achievements, the Xcient truck also represents Hyundai’s broader commitment to carbon neutrality and the future of clean logistics. With plans to scale up hydrogen infrastructure and expand its commercial fuel cell lineup, Hyundai is positioning itself as a leader in the next generation of sustainable transportation.

On October 10, the Baku Military Court continued the trial of citizens of the Republic of Armenia accused of committing war crimes and crimes against peace and humanity, Azernews reports.

During the hearing, the court reviewed documents detailing criminal incidents, as well as statistical information received from Azerbaijani state institutions regarding the number of people killed and missing, and the extent of damage caused by the Armenian armed forces’ attacks on Azerbaijani territories.

The materials presented included data on destruction of administrative and residential buildings, ecological harm, and damage inflicted on religious and cultural monuments.

These documents were compiled based on information submitted by ministries, committees, agencies, regional and city executive authorities, and other relevant institutions.

It was emphasized that as a result of Armenia’s military aggression, the trial of its citizens accused of war crimes, terrorism, genocide, the forcible seizure and retention of power, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law continues in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani boxer Bilalhabashi Nazarov (50 kg) has won the gold medal at European Boxing U19 Championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Azernews reports.

In the final, Bilalhabashi Nazarov faced Italian boxer Tommaso Orlando.

The match ended with a confident victory for the national boxer. He defeated his opponent with a 5-0 score, securing his second consecutive European champion title.

Banuchickek Nasirli (48 kg), on the other hand, competed against Matilda Fraqnye (France) in the final. After a hard-fought contest, Nasirli claimed the silver medal as her opponent emerged victorious.

Thus, the Azerbaijani team won a total of 5 medals at the European Championship. Previously, Zidan Humbatov (55 kg), Subhan Babayev (60 kg), and Ilkana Ahmadova (+80 kg) had each secured third place.

The Azerbaijani boxers who won 1 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze medals will return to their homeland on October 11.

Approximately 105 female and 189 male boxers from 33 countries are participating in the tournament.

Boxing is recognized as one of the oldest sports in human history, with the earliest records of the sport dating back to ancient Egypt around 3,000 BC.

The Greeks introduced boxing to the ancient Olympic Games in the late 7th century BC.

In 1924, the International Amateur Boxing Federation (FIBA) was founded, and in 1946, it was renamed the International Boxing Association (AIBA). Boxing made its Olympic debut at the 1904 Games in St. Louis.

Azerbaijan hosted its first boxing championship in 1926, with national boxers claiming first place. Since 1992, the Azerbaijani Boxing Federation has been a full member of AIBA.

Azerbaijani boxers have earned numerous prestigious accolades in international competitions. Aghasi Mammadov made history by becoming Azerbaijan’s first gold medalist at the World Championships. Fuad Asadov also earned a spot on the podium at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Azerbaijan has been selected several times to host major boxing events.

The country previously hosted the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships, which served as the main qualification tournament for the London 2012 Olympics.

In 2019, Baku hosted the AIBA Youth World Championships, marking the first youth competition to act as a qualifier for the 2010 Singapore Olympics.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrived at the Palace of the Nation in Dushanbe to take part in the meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council, Azernews reports.

President Ilham Aliyev was welcomed by President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.