NEWS

Baku, Makhachkala, and Tehran will launch new flights between themselves in 2020.

Report says, citing Russian media, that the Director-General of Makhachkala Airport JSC in Russia’s Republic of Dagestan, Arsen Pirmagomedov said the sides were negotiating the launch of the flights.

The new flights may start after the commissioning of the new international terminal of Makhachkala airport.

Azerbaijan saw 13,000 earthquakes in 2019, the Republican Seismological Service Center under the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences told Report.

Six thousand recorded earthquakes were local, while 7,000 were regional.

"The magnitude of 84 earthquakes was more than 3. The strongest earthquake (5.2-magnitude) hit the Shamakhi-Ismayilli-Aghsu region on February 5 last year. Another strong earthquake occurred in this region on February 13. The 4.9-magnitude earthquake hit Zagatala in August.

The turnover on payment cards through ATMs and POS terminals in Azerbaijan amounted to over 2.1 billion manat ($1.2 billion) in November 2019, which is 28.1 percent more than in the same period of 2018.

According to the CBA report, total number of transactions with payment cards amounted to over 14.8 million transactions (an increase of 29.3 percent) worth just over 2.1 billion manat ($1.2 billion) for the reporting period.

More than 1.7 million transactions worth 133 million manat ($78 million) were carried out outside the country.

The number of transactions with debit cards (both domestically and abroad) amounted to over 12.9 million transactions worth over 1.9 billion manat ($1.1 billion), of which over 6.1 million transactions worth 1.4 billion manat ($847 million) were carried out using ATMs in Azerbaijan, and over 1.6 million operations worth 154 million manat ($90 million) via POS terminals.

In November 2019, bank customers carried out over 1.9 million transactions worth 147 million manat ($86 million) via credit cards (both domestically and abroad). Moreover, 268,000 operations worth 45 million manat ($26.4 million) were carried out using ATMs within the country, and 796,000 operations worth 45 million manat ($26.4 million) were carried out using POS terminals in the country.

Number of payment cards, ATMs and POS terminals

By the end of November 2019, the number of payment cards increased by 10.2 percent (compared to the same period of last year) to just over 7.2 million cards.

Most of the cards (i.e. 6.5 million cards) consist of debit cards. The number of credit cards in November amounted to 751,000.

As of Dec. 1, 2019, 2,627 ATMs were operating in the country, 1,412 of them in Baku and 1,215 in other Azerbaijani cities and districts. The number of ATMs has increased by 117 units or 4.5 percent since early 2019.

The number of POS terminals in the country amounted to 66,290, of which 39,529 were installed in Baku and 25,976 in other Azerbaijani cities and districts.

The number of POS terminals has increased by 288 or 0.43 percent since early 2019.

The volume of transactions in ATMs and POS terminals

In November 2019, 3,800 people accounted for one ATM, while 150 people accounted for each POS-terminal in Azerbaijan.

An average of 2,400 operations worth 547,400 manat ($322,000) were carried out per one ATM in November. The volume of one operation per one ATM amounted to 229.5 manat ($135).

There was an average of 36.9 operations worth 3,010 manat ($1,770) per one POS terminal in September. The volume of one operation in the POS terminal amounted to 81.9 manat ($48.1).

A passenger plane skidded off the runway in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Tuesday, temporarily shutting down the airport.

The Boeing 737-800 from Sharjah, operated by Turkish low-cost airline Pegasus, skidded as it landed at Sabiha Gokcen Airport early in the morning. Report says, citing the private DHA news agency, that emergency slides evacuated passengers.

Istanbul governor's office said there were no deaths or injuries, and all 164 passengers were safely evacuated. Storms and heavy rain have affected the city and transportation since Sunday night.

The official Anadolu news agency said the international airport would be closed until 0820 GMT.

Works of Nizami Ganjavi, the most prominent figure of medieval Azerbaijani philosophical poetry, occupies a special place in Azerbaijani literature. His five poems, collectively known as the Khamsa (Quintet), are considered the treasury of Azerbaijani poetry.

A monument to the prominent poet will be erected in Kharkov, Ukraine. In 2020, it is also planned to open a park named after Nizami Ganjavi. The park will be laid in the center of Kharkov city.

In addition, Days of Azerbaijani Culture will be held in Ukraine all year round.

Over the past two years, monuments to such famous personalities as Muslim Magomayev and Nasimi have been also erected in Ukraine.

Nizami's legacy is of great importance for Azerbaijani culture. The poet, who began by writing lyrics in short forms – gasida, gazal, rubai has gained popularity all over the world.

The works of Nizami Ganjavi were translated into many languages. The rare manuscript copies of his works are kept and preserved like precious pearls in famous libraries, museums and literary foundations in cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Baku, Tashkent, Tabriz, Tehran, Cairo, Istanbul, Delhi, London, Paris and others.

In Khamsa (Quintet), the poet revealed the living pages of history. The attack of the Russians on Barda city, a fairy tale of the Russian Princess, the beautiful Shirin amazons, battles, described in various poems of Nizami - all this is historically and geographically related to medieval Azerbaijan and the Caucasus.

The description of a man's inner world, his feelings, and thoughts along with the dynamic development of the main hero's characters underlies the basic aim and content of Nizami’s literary school.

Nizami Ganjavi passed away in 1209 in his native city of Ganja. A grandiose tomb was raised over his grave.

Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry, with financial and technical support from the Asian Development Bank, is implementing a pilot project on the exchange of knowledge and technical support for the development of floating solar panels, Zaur Mammadov, the head of the ministry's office.

Mammadov was commenting on the new projects related to the use of renewable energy sources.

According to Zaur Mammadov, this project provides for the creation of a system of solar panels with a capacity of 100 kilowatts on the Boyuk Shor Lake.

"The project also provides for the formation of business models to encourage private sector participation in the use of solar energy and strengthen national capacity in this area through training," Mammadov added.

The ministry official added that tenders are being held and after the selection of the relevant companies, construction will begin.

Renewable resource may replace traditional energy sources such as oil, natural gas and coal, which, when burned, emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to an increase in the greenhouse effect and global warming. The reason for the search for alternative energy sources is the need to receive it from the energy of renewable or practically inexhaustible natural resources, while environmental friendliness and economy can also be taken into account.

UEFA put tickets up for sale for EURO 2020.

Report informs that the cost of tickets to matches in Baku and Bucharest starts from 30 euros, in other cities - from 50 euros.

Number of tickets allocated to participating countries:

Group stage: Copenhagen - 14,000, Amsterdam, Baku, Bilbao, Budapest, Bucharest, Glasgow, Dublin and St. Petersburg - each team 20,000, Munich, Rome - 24,000, London - 28,000

1/8 finals: Amsterdam, Bilbao, Budapest, Bucharest, Glasgow, Dublin, Copenhagen and London - 12,000

1/4 finals: Baku, Munich, Rome and St. Petersburg - 12,000

1/2 finals: London - 24,000

Final: London - 26,000 tickets.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Leyla Badirbeyli.

January 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of birth of famous representative of Azerbaijan’s cinema and theatre, Laureate of State Awards of the USSR and the Republic of Azerbaijan, People’s Artist Leyla Badirbeyli Aghalar (Javanshirova).

The Ministry of Culture has been tasked with implementing an action plan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the national actress. The Cabinet of Ministers has been tasked resolve the issues, arising from the Order.

Leyla Badirbeyli left a bright mark on the history of Azerbaijani art. For many years, she has served as a source of inspiration for young artists. Her internal spirit made her an outstanding actress and dancer.

When she was a child, she often visited an all-girls club with her mother, where she discovered her dancing and artistic skills.

Her passion for art strived future actress to continue dancing lessons even when she went to school. However, in 1936 dancing turned from hobby to livelihood when Leyla was offered a spot in the Song and Dance Ensemble named after Muslim Magomayev, successfully touring throughout the Soviet Union.

Meanwhile, Leyla recognized in herself an actor talent and became an actress of the Azerbaijan Drama Theater.

A timeless duet between Rashid Behbudov and the beautiful Leyla Bedirbeyli championed the film "Arshin Mal Alan" to audiences in almost 50 countries! The film, created in a time of war, delighted the entire post soviet area.

Bedirbeyli’s art coincided with the "golden age" of Azerbaijani theater in the 1940s to 70s, when the nation’s greatest artists of several generations met on the stage at the same time.

The Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora has opened yet another House of Azerbaijan in Europe – this time in Budapest, Hungary, the committee reported in its website.

During the opening ceremony of the House, participants emphasized that the House is a great gift presented on the eve of Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis, which shows the state care of the Azerbaijanis who live in Hungary and who waited for establishment of an Azerbaijani house for many years.

Moreover, it was stated that the Azerbaijani houses abroad are a public place for discussions and meetings for all those who love their state and people and respect the national interests of Azerbaijan.

The participation of Hungarians in the event was appreciated as a sign of recognition of Azerbaijani people's close integration into the societies where they live. It was also stressed that the Azerbaijani people uphold traditions of multiculturalism.

The Azerbaijani houses are opened abroad in accordance with the Strategic Roadmap of the State Committee in terms of joint activities, networking of compatriots and their unification around the Azerbaijani ideals.

The event was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Hungary Vilayat Guliyev, Head of Sector of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora Salhat Abbasova, representative of the Azerbaijani Diaspora Support Fund under the State Committee for Work with Diaspora Ibrahim Safarli, members of the Coordination Council of Eastern Europe Azerbaijanis, diaspora activists and members of the media attended the ceremony.

It should be noted that this is the third Azerbaijani house opened abroad in the past week. Prior to this, similar opening ceremonies were held in Berlin and Cologne cities of Germany on December 24 and 25 respectively.

Azerbaijani Houses were opened in Spain, Hungary, Italy, Ukraine, Estonia, Belgium, Poland, Georgia during 2019.

It planned to open the "House of Azerbaijan" in eight more countries in 2020.

Currently, there are hundreds of Azerbaijanis in Hungary.

Note that the diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Hungary were established on November 27, 1992.

On November 11 in 2014, the strategic partnership agreement was inked between two countries, in addition to an aviation document on restarting direct flights between Budapest and Baku, a scholarship agreement for 200 Azerbaijani students and further agreements on sports, youth and tourism that have been signed to this date.

There's nothing like a traditional Nutcracker to get you in the mood for the festive season. For many years, this enchanting production mesmerizes children and adults all over the world.

The iconic ballet was presented at the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater within two days. The ballet is a kind of New Year gift to all spectators.

The fairytale brought together Honored artists Nigar Ibrahimova, Jamila Karimova, Makar Fershtandt, Samir Samadov, as well as soloists Timur Odushev, Yulia Fershtandt, Leyla Narimanidze, Faig Gubatov and Dinara Shirinova.

The ballet was presented under the direction of the theater's chief conductor and music director, Honored Artist Eyyub Guliyev and the winner of the Antal Doratti International Conducting Competition Orkhan Gashimov.

Clara's Christmas dream totally immersed the viewers in the mystical tale. The Nutcracker doll and his army of toy soldiers come to life for an exciting battle. In final, Clara heroically rescued from the evil Rat Queen by The Nutcracker.

The ballet captured the imagination of viewers with its colorful characters and majestic scene. 

The Nutcracker is an 1892 two-act ballet originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Op. 71). 

The ballet  is based on E.T.A. Hoffmann's 1816 fairy tale "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg in 1892.

It tells the story of a little girl who goes to the Land of Sweets on Christmas Eve. Ivan Vsevolozhsky and Marius Petipa adapted Hoffmann's story for the ballet.