The European Games is just one sporting plank in a project aimed at building Azerbaijan’s international profile, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Something funny happened the day before Azerbaijan’s presidential election - the election commission announced the winner.

Millions of emails and leaked records from offshore tax havens have exposed the identities of thousands of holders of offshore accounts, including the family of the president of Azerbaijan and French president François Hollande’s former campaign treasurer, The Guardian and Le Monde newspapers reported.

Azerbaijan foiled a bid to stage “terrorist” attacks while it was hosting the Eurovision Song Contest last weekend and arrested dozens of suspected plotters, the security ministry said.

Police in Azerbaijan arrested dozens of protesters who rallied in the capital today calling for democratic reforms in the authoritarian republic.