President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva today inaugurated the main arena of the 57th Eurovision Song Contest - the newly constructed Baku Crystal Hall. The head of state cut the ribbon symbolizing opening of the Hall. The President and First Lady were informed on the construction of grandiose arena with 25.000 people capacity, its original architecture. As stated, the complex will be further used for other grand concerts, as well as for international events.

“I am in Zagatala region now. We examined the central part of the region and now are going to visit the villages. There have been no casualties or injured people during the earthquake”, Minister of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan, Colonel-General Kemaleddin Heydarov told APA. Minister said the quake damaged old buildings in some villages. “There were no cases of destruction and collapses in the center and villages. We are identifying the damaged buildings and will give details about the damage later”.

It is not known yet that pensions will be increased within this year or not, chairman of the State Social Protection Fund Salim Muslumov told APA. To him, revenues of the Fund and incomes of the state budget impact the increase of pensions directly: ‘The current revenues and transfers to the state budget provide to pay the last increases’.

7-magnitude quake was felt in Zagatala, Gakh and 2-5 magnitude was felt in Shaki, Oghuz, Gazakh, Tovuz and the others regions. Republic Seismological Service Center issued a statement on a quake occurred in Azerbaijan at 09.40 in the morning. APA reports that epicenter of the quake occurred on 17 km south-west of Zagatala region in 10km depth.

NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai will visit Azerbaijan on July 5-6. APA reports that Appathurai will attend the events within NATO week. He will participate in the opening ceremony of Jeyranchol Clearance Project of Azerbaijani National Agency for Mine Actions (ANAMA).

Azerbaijan`s President Ilham Aliyev has today inspected construction work at the Heydar Aliyev Center, reconstruction activities at the park in front of Hilton hotel and redevelopment of road in Narimanov district. Accompanied by his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva, the Head of State first inspected the construction progress at the Heydar Aliyev Center. The President was told the construction was carried out in accordance with modern standards. The Head of State toured the complex.

Azerbaijan will begin using electronic services in the registration of vehicles, as well as receiving the documents to issue the registration certificates, state license plates, driver's licenses, in connection with the technical inspection of vehicles soon, head of the State Traffic Police of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry Ramiz Zeynalov said in an interview published in the official newspaper Respublika on Saturday.

Parliaments of Azerbaijan and Croatia will boost cooperation. An agreement in this regard was reached at a meeting of Azerbaijani Ambassador to Croatia Kamil Khasiyev and Croatian Parliament's Speaker, Boris Šprem, the embassy said. At the meeting the sides discussed the prospects of political and economic cooperation between the two countries.

The State Migration Service conducted inspection of some enterprises for the prevention of violation of employer country’s legislation and employment of stateless persons and relevant measures were taken against the enterprises and foreigners who ignored the requirements of the local legislation. The State Migration Service identified 1 140 foreigners and stateless persons, who violated the rules of sojournment and permanent residence in Azerbaijan, as well as the requirements of the administrative legislation. 310 of them paid fines and their residence was legalized.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev who is on an official visit to the US met with Foreign Minister of Argentina Héctor Timerman. APA reports that they expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Argentina. The sides underlined the existence of good potential for extension of cooperation in economic, political and other spheres.