Category: Azer News

The exhibition “Inspired by Czechia” has opened at Fabrica Gallery, showcasing the results of a creative workshop held as part of the Ambassadors Cultural Club project, Azernews reports.

The event was jointly organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Azerbaijan, Arts Council Azerbaijan, and the NGO S?yah?t.

The exhibition brings together works created by Azerbaijani artists during the workshop. The showcased artists include Leylifer Museibova, Nigar Muslimova, Oksana Kazimova, Asmer Asadi, Leyla Orujova, Eldar Babazadeh, Naila Maharramova, Roya Hasan, Aidan Mammadli, Nargiz Guliyeva, Tarana Aliyeva, Raul Sadigov, Sevinj Ahmad, and Ulviya Kheyrullazade.

At the opening ceremony, Dadash Mammadov, head of Arts Council Azerbaijan, spoke about the exhibition’s mission to further develop cultural bridges between countries, highlighting the artists’ contributions to the successful implementation of the project.

Czech Ambassador Milan Sedlácek emphasized the productive nature of cultural cooperation within the framework of the project, expressed gratitude to the participants, and presented the artists with certificates.

During the event, Dadash Mammadov was awarded a diplomatic commemorative badge of the Czech Republic, along with a corresponding certificate, in recognition of his contribution to strengthening cultural ties between the two countries.

The “Inspired by Czechia” exhibition stands as a successful outcome of joint cultural collaboration and marks another important step in strengthening cultural relations between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic.

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

Azerbaijan continues to assert itself as a key player in the global energy sector. Its oil resources have long been central to regional and international markets, Azernews reports citing the State Customs Committee.

In 2025, the country maintained strong export activity despite fluctuations in global oil prices.

Last year, Azerbaijan exported approximately 23.4 million tons of crude oil and oil products. The total value of these exports exceeded 12.1 billion dollars.

This represents a slight decline in monetary terms compared to the same period in 2024.

Revenues fell by 2.3 billion dollars, or sixteen point two percent. However, the volume of exports grew by 215 thousand tons, or zero point nine percent. This growth reflects continued robust production in the country.

Italy remains the top importer of Azerbaijani oil. The country took in 13.1 million tons worth 6.7 billion dollars.

It is followed by the Czech Republic, which imported 1.4 million tons valued at 742.2 million dollars. Croatia imported 1.3 million tons, exceeding 666.6 million dollars in value.

Azerbaijani oil is transported to neighboring countries and global markets through three main pipelines: Baku-Novorossiysk, Baku-Supsa, and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC). Currently, transport via the Baku-Supsa pipeline has been suspended.

Despite the slight drop in revenue, the continued increase in export volumes highlights Azerbaijan’s resilience in the global energy market.

Strong demand from key European partners further reinforces the country’s role as a reliable energy supplier.

Country Import Volume (tons) Import Value (USD)

Italy 13,111,475.61 6,727,698,250

Czech Republic 1,405,059.25 742,159,080

Croatia 1,255,021.16 666,587,010

Romania 1,122,055.58 598,454,150

Germany 956,716.48 502,018,650

Portugal 803,374.35 430,730,820

Greece 702,354.87 367,729,040

United Kingdom 648,255.19 336,954,560

Ireland 577,056.93 289,696,230

Tunisia 432,028.56 227,895,520

The seventeenth round of the Azerbaijan Premier League wraps up today, with two matches scheduled to close the tour, Azernews reports.

The first match will see Turan Tovuz host Sumqayit. Although the game will take place at Mehdi Huseynzade Stadium at 16:00, Turan Tovuz will be the nominal home team.

Later in the day, Sabah will face Karvan-Yevlax at home. Kickoff is scheduled for 18:30.

Fans can expect an exciting finish to the seventeenth round as teams continue their push in the league standings.

The Azerbaijan Premier League was first organized in 2007 and succeeded the Top Division, which existed from 1992 to 2007. FC Qarabag won the title in the 2022-2023 season for the tenth time.

The 2024-25 Azerbaijan Premier League marks the 33rd season of Azerbaijan’s top-tier football competition.

On April 27, 2025, during the 32nd round of the Premier League, Qarabag FC clinched the title with four matches to spare after a 1-1 draw against Sabah.

This victory made them the champions for the 12th time overall and for the fourth consecutive season.

This season is the final one featuring 10 teams, as the league will expand to 12 teams starting from the 2025-26 season.

An unmanned aerial vehicle illegally entering Azerbaijani airspace from Iran has been neutralized near the state border, Azernews reports via the State Border Service.

According to the information, the incident occurred in the service area of the Horadiz border detachment of the Border Troops Command. The UAV was being used to transport narcotics from the Islamic Republic of Iran into Azerbaijan.

As a result of coordinated operational and search measures carried out jointly by the State Border Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the drone was detected in a timely manner and neutralized before completing its mission.

An inspection of the scene revealed 6 kilograms and 600 grams of marijuana attached to the UAV.

Operational and investigative measures are currently ongoing to identify those involved in the attempted drug smuggling operation.

Chinese automaker Chery has acquired Nissan’s manufacturing assets in Rosslyn, South Africa, including land, buildings, and an adjacent plant, marking a major shift in the local automotive industry, Azernews reports.

As part of the deal, most of Nissan’s employees in the area will be offered positions with Chery under similar terms, protecting jobs and ensuring continuity of the local supply chain.

Nissan Africa CEO Jordi Vila explained that the decision was influenced by external factors affecting plant utilization and long-term profitability. He emphasized that the move considers the interests of employees, partners, and customers.

Despite the sale, Nissan will continue its sales and service operations in South Africa and plans to introduce several new models in 2026, including the Nissan Tekton and Nissan Patrol.

The acquisition allows Chery to strengthen its footprint in Africa while maintaining employment stability and operational continuity in the region.

United States President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday to impose a 100% tariff on Canada if it reaches a trade deal with China, Azernews reports.

“If Governor [Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life.”

Trump has recently been critical of Carney after the latter seemingly accused the US of “using economic integration as weapons.” Carney even described Ottawa’s relations with Beijing as “more predictable” than those with the Washington. Trump then claimed that Canada “lives” because of the US and called for gratitude.

The average transit time for freight trains operating along the Middle Corridor railway route between China and Azerbaijan decreased in early 2026, highlighting the growing efficiency of the Trans-Caspian logistics network.

Azernews reports that Wang Sui Dun, Managing Director of Beijing Cross-Eurasia International Logistics, shared the update on social media, citing operational data for January 2026. According to him, cargo delivery on the Xi’an-Baku route took an average of 16 days, one day faster than in December 2025, when transit time stood at 17 days. In January, eight freight trains were dispatched along the route, compared to eleven trains in December.

The Middle Corridor, officially known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, has been steadily expanding since regular container train services between Xi’an and Baku were launched in 2019. In 2025 alone, more than 400 train journeys were carried out along this route. Its geographical reach was further extended with the launch of a new service from Beijing on June 30, 2025.

A key factor behind the improved performance has been infrastructure upgrades. The modernization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway in 2024 boosted its annual capacity from one million tons to five million tons, significantly easing bottlenecks. In August 2024, China Railway and Container Shipping Corporation joined the Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd joint venture, strengthening institutional and operational coordination. By early 2026, the first train of the year arriving in Baku demonstrated an even sharper improvement, with transit time reportedly reduced to as little as 11 days.

The Middle Corridor serves as a strategic land bridge linking Asia and Europe, offering an alternative to traditional northern and southern routes. Starting in China, it crosses Central Asia, traverses the Caspian Sea, and continues through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Trkiye before reaching Europe. As geopolitical and supply-chain considerations reshape global trade, the corridor’s shorter transit times and diversified routing are increasingly positioning Azerbaijan as a critical hub in Eurasian logistics.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described on Saturday the ceasefire negotiations between his country and Russia, mediated by the United States and held in Abu Dhabi, as constructive, Azernews reports.

Writing on X, Zelensky remarked that the parties discussed conditions needed to end the conflict. He hailed the fact that all sides agreed to resume the talks, possibly next week. He added that the military experts involved in the negotiations mapped out the list of issues to be discussed at the next meeting.

Earlier in the day, Zelensky urged Ukraine’s allies to provide his country with more military assistance after Russia again targeted its energy infrastructure. Previously, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that Moscow’s troops struck a plant that produces long-range drones in an attack it described as retaliatory.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed on Saturday that Ukraine is “openly interfering” in the upcoming parliamentary election in his country, scheduled for April 12, by issuing what he described as “threats”, Azernews reports.

Writing on X, Orban reiterated that Hungary has the right to decide, independently from the rest of the European Union, if it wants to provide aid to reconstruct Ukraine after a ceasefire with Russia is achieved. “We do not want Hungarian families’ money to be sent to Ukraine, and we do not want Hungary to be dragged into a war,” he said.

Orban’s reaction came after, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized his stance. After Orban said Hungary would not agree to Ukraine joining the EU for the next 100 years, Sybiha responded that “your master in Moscow won’t last 100 years,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Top international airlines have cancelled flights to the Middle East amid rising geopolitical tensions. Dutch KLM, Lufthansa, and Air France are among the major international carriers that have suspended flights to the region over fears of a military confrontation between the US and Iran, Azernews reports.

Major destinations like Israel, Dubai, and Riyadh are among those hit due to the cancellations.

Citing the geopolitical situation, Air France said that it will temporarily stop service to Dubai. Meanwhile, Dutch airline KLM stopped flights that would require them to enter the airspace of Iran, Iraq, and other countries in the region.

The sudden flight disruption is caused by a risk of the US using military force against Iran, raising fears that the superpower could engage in a confrontation with Tehran, ostensibly over a violent crackdown on recent protests that erupted in the Islamic Republic against the Ali Khamenei regime.

US President Donald Trump has said that a US “armada” was heading toward Iran, despite earlier indications that downplayed chances of military action. The White House confirmed last week that Tehran had paused the execution of protesters, but that doesn’t appear to have changed the US’s military preparations.