Category: Azer News

Kazakhstan is set to implement a major strategic investment project: a full-cycle biopharmaceutical complex will be constructed in the Alatau Special Economic Zone. The total investment is expected to exceed 103 billion tenge ($203.7 million), Azernews reports.

‘The facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies for medicine production. Its primary goal is to establish production lines for 58 types of drugs, with a special focus on launching a full production cycle, including the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients,’ the government stated.

The complex will also produce 27 international nonproprietary drugs, targeting treatments for oncological, autoimmune, rare, and inflammatory diseases.

Some of the medications are planned for export to markets in the EAEU countries, the CIS, and the Middle East, positioning Kazakhstan as an emerging hub in the regional pharmaceutical industry. Experts highlight that such projects not only strengthen the domestic healthcare system but could also make Kazakhstan a key player in global biopharmaceutical supply chains.

Today marks the birthday of National Hero of Azerbaijan Natiq Gasimov.

Azernews reports that although Natiq Gasimov went missing during the First Garabagh War, he refused to lower the Azerbaijani flag even after enduring five days without food or water.

Born in 1971 in the village of Kichik Garamurad in Azerbaijan’s Gadabay district, Gasimov volunteered in 1991 to defend the country following attacks by Armenian armed formations on Azerbaijan’s sovereign territories. He joined the ‘Garadagh Falcons’ battalion formed in the Aghdam district and took part in combat operations.

On March 12, 1992, during fighting in the direction of the village of Pirlar (Khramort) in the Khojaly district, Gasimov was captured by Armenian forces.

During the battle for an Albanian church located on elevated ground near Pirlar village, six of his fellow fighters were killed. Gasimov continued to fight alone, holding his position for five days without food or water.

After running out of ammunition, he was captured on the sixth day, March 12, 1992, in the presence of Russian and Italian journalists Konstantin Smirnov and Enrico Sarzini. His capture was later documented in the Russian magazine Ogonyok in its 1992 issues No. 14 and 15, in an article titled ‘Fear.’

It should be noted that on June 25, 2024, by decree of President of Azerbaijan and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, Natiq Gasimov was posthumously awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan.

The full-track installation of Algeria’s Western Mining Railway, Africa’s first heavy-haul desert railway, was completed on Tuesday, the project’s Chinese constructor announced on Wednesday, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

Stretching 575 kilometers, the railway is the largest single infrastructure project undertaken by a Chinese company in Algeria. It was built jointly by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and Algerian state-owned enterprises.

Construction teams from both countries worked for over 24 months under harsh Sahara Desert conditions. Thanks to optimized planning and close bilateral coordination, track-laying was finished three months ahead of schedule. During the project, 1.1 million concrete sleepers were produced, and over 580 kilometers of rail were laid and welded.

CRCC adapted technical solutions to Algerian standards, designing prestressed concrete sleepers capable of supporting 32.5-tonne axle-load freight trains and passenger services at up to 160 km/h. The project also introduced Algeria’s first CPG500 track-laying machine and its first automated rail-welding line, significantly increasing efficiency.

The Western Mining Railway is a flagship Belt and Road project, connecting mines, industrial zones, and ports in southwestern Algeria. Once fully operational, it is expected to boost regional economic development, streamline resource transport, and enhance Algeria’s role in continental trade. Experts say the railway could become a model for future heavy-haul desert railways in Africa, combining innovation, speed, and international cooperation.

United States President Donald Trump warned on Friday that his country is prepared to step in and protect Iranian protesters if their government starts shooting at them and killing them, Azernews reports.

“If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The Iranian state-affiliated Fars News Agency previously reported that several people have already been killed in the protests that began earlier this week in the country’s capital city of Tehran, before spreading to other parts of Iran. The protesters called for a change in Iran’s leadership due to high living costs, following the Iranian currency, the rial, hitting its all-time low against the dollar.

President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva have sent a letter of condolence to Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Former President of the Republic of Latvia, Co-Chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.

According to Azernews, the letter reads:

‘Your Excellency,

We were deeply saddened to receive the news of the passing of your husband and lifelong companion, Imants Freibergs.

Having walked the great path of life side-by-side with you, Imants Freibergs was a devoted partner who always stood faithfully by your side.

We share in your grief over this profound loss and extend our deepest condolences and wish patience to you and all members of your family.

Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

and

Mehriban Aliyeva First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

A particularly large amount of narcotics has been discovered concealed inside a shipment of watermelons transiting through Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

According to the State Customs Committee, officers of the Astara Customs Department inspected a vehicle transporting a ‘fresh watermelon’ cargo from Iran to Russia via Azerbaijani territory.

During the inspection, a service dog reacted to boxes containing the watermelons, prompting a more detailed cargo-based examination.

As a result, narcotics were found hidden inside 12 watermelons placed in the boxes. The total net weight of the seized drugs amounted to 27 kilograms and 845 grams of hashish.

An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

‘Over the past five years, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan have significantly increased their strength,’ said President Ilham Aliyev in his address on the occasion of the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis and the New Year.

‘Supplied with new weapons and equipment, our Army is now capable of performing any task,’ the head of state emphasized.

Five MTV channels-MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live-have stopped broadcasting in Europe. The closures will first affect the UK and Ireland, followed by France, Germany, Austria, Poland, and Hungary. Broadcasting will also end in Brazil and Australia, Azernews reports.

The main MTV HD channel will continue to operate in the United States, but its content will now focus primarily on reality shows and entertainment programs, rather than music videos, which are increasingly accessed online via platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.

The shutdown of the additional channels is part of ViacomCBS’s plan to reduce costs by $500 million worldwide. According to the latest figures from British rating organization BARB, MTV’s music channels still attracted modest audiences in the UK: 1.3 million viewers watched MTV Music in July, while 949,000 tuned into MTV 90s. Despite the closures, the MTV brand will remain active on social media and the Paramount+ streaming service.

MTV originally launched in the United States in 1981, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon with its music videos and charismatic VJs. The channel premiered iconic videos such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller, broadcast Live Aid concerts in 1985, and created the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA). MTV Europe opened in 1987, and a dedicated UK channel launched in 1997, coinciding with the popularity of the ‘Three Lions’ football anthem by David Baddiel and Frank Skinner.

By the mid-1990s, MTV had shifted much of its programming away from music videos toward non-music series, though videos remained a core part of the channel’s identity. Since 1984, MTV has celebrated achievements in music with the annual Video Music Awards. In 2011, MTV UK fully stopped showing music videos, moving most music content to affiliated channels, except for major events like the MTV European Music Awards (EMA).

The closures mark the end of an era for traditional music television, which has struggled to maintain relevance in the age of social media and streaming platforms. Yet, the MTV brand continues to thrive digitally, through online content, branded events, and its iconic awards shows, proving its ability to adapt to changing media landscapes.

A Ukrainian drone attack killed at least 24 people and injured 50 others during New Year’s celebrations in the Kherson region, according to regional governor Vladimir Saldo, Azernews reports.

“Tonight, the enemy launched a targeted drone strike on the place where civilians celebrated the New Year. Three UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] hit a cafe and a hotel on the Black Sea coast in Khorly,” Saldo said on Telegram on Thursday.

One of the drones was loaded with an “incendiary” mixture, Saldo wrote, adding that a fire broke out. “Due to a powerful fire, it was not possible to save more people. The fire was extinguished only in the morning,” he said.

At the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of the IDEA Public Association, festive events were organized to mark World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day and the New Year for individuals belonging to vulnerable population groups at the Shelter and Social Rehabilitation Institution, as well as for minors residing at the Child Shelter Reintegration Center of the ‘Azerbaijan Children’ Public Association.

According to Azernews, volunteers from the IDEA Public Association presented gifts to the children and engaged them in a variety of entertaining games and activities. The initiative brought joy and a festive atmosphere to the young participants, allowing them to fully experience the spirit of the holidays.

It is worth noting that, at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, large-scale projects covering humanitarian, educational, healthcare, social, environmental, and other fields are regularly implemented both across various regions of Azerbaijan and in a number of countries worldwide. The organization of holiday events at orphanages, boarding schools, and facilities caring for children in need of treatment and special support-particularly during festive periods-remains one of the key focuses of these initiatives. Such events are held on a regular basis with the aim of bringing happiness to children deprived of parental care and those in greater need of attention, ensuring they can share in the joy and warmth of the holiday season.