Category: Azer News

Vietnam’s National Assembly on Wednesday approved an amended education law that will eliminate the traditional secondary school diploma starting in 2026, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

Under the revised law, students who complete the primary and secondary education programs and meet the requirements set by the Ministry of Education and Training will have their achievement certified directly on their academic transcripts by the school principal, rather than receiving a separate diploma.

The amendment also waives tuition fees and provides free textbooks for all public school students, from primary through high school, according to the report.

The new law is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, marking a significant shift in Vietnam’s approach to education.

Education experts say this move reflects a growing trend in some countries to prioritize continuous assessment over traditional final exams, aiming to reduce student stress and better evaluate learning outcomes. Some students and parents have already joked that the new system could make ‘graduation ceremonies more about celebration than paperwork.’

The 11th Vugar Hashimov Memorial has kicked off in Khankandi in honor of the late chess player and European champion Vugar Hashimov, Azernews reports.

The event, organized at the Congress Center, began with the performance of the Azerbaijan National Anthem. Afterwards, a video clip about the history and geography of the Memorial was shown to the audience.

In his speech, Sabuhi Gahramanov, Deputy Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan in Khankandi, Aghdara and Khojaly districts, spoke about Vugar Hashimov’s role in the history of Azerbaijani chess. He stated that the Memorial is not only a commemorative event but also a sign of deep respect for the late grandmaster. Gahramanov emphasized that since Khankandi’s liberation from occupation, the city has successfully hosted many local and international competitions.

Mahir Mammadov, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, recalled that the 10th Vugar Hashimov Memorial was held in Shusha. He expressed deep gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the support shown in organizing the tournament. Speaking about Vugar Hashimov’s contributions to Azerbaijani chess, the FIDE Vice President said that his achievements continue to inspire young intellectual talents. He also noted that world-renowned chess players always eagerly participate in this tournament. Mammadov expressed confidence that the competition would be held at a high level and in a fair manner.

At the end of his remarks, the Federation President congratulated Rauf Mammadov, who has won all chess tournaments held in Azerbaijan this year.

Later, the memory of Vugar Hashimov’s father, Qasim Hashimov – former Chairman of the Memorial’s Organizing Committee, who passed away in January this year due to a tragic incident – was honored with a moment of silence.

Serkhan Hashimov, the current Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Vugar Hashimov Memorial, promised that the tournament would continue to be held in the future. He stated that hosting the event in Khankandi is a historic moment. Hashimov then officially declared the tournament open.

Chief Arbiter Rauf Hajili provided participants and guests with information about the tournament regulations. According to him, the Memorial will consist of rapid and blitz events. Both competitions will be held in two rounds, and the winner will be determined based on the total number of points scored.

Six chess players will compete in the rapid and blitz events of the tournament, organized by the Vugar Hashimov Chess Foundation, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Azerbaijan Chess Federation.

The intellectual contenders, including Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE), Amin Tabatabaei (Iran), Vladimir Fedoseev (Slovenia), Nodirbek Yakubboev (Uzbekistan), Rauf Mammadov, and Aydin Suleymanli will test their strength over two cycles.

Vugar Hashimov Memorial was first held in 2014, and since 2023, the tournament has held the status of a FIDE World Championship qualifying event.

In 2024, the Vugar Hashimov Memorial took place in the city of Shusha.

Ian Nepomniachtchi, competing under the flag of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), outperformed all his rivals to take first place in the memorial tournament.

In the rapid competition, the grandmaster scored 10 points and added 9 points in blitz, ultimately finishing with a total of 19 points to win the tournament.

Uzbekistani player Nodirbek Abdusattorov (18 points) secured second place, while Azerbaijani representative Shakhriyar Mammadyarov (16 points) took third place.

Vugar Hashimov (1986-2014) made a remarkable contribution to the chess history of Azerbaijan.

He played for Azerbaijan’s national team in the Chess Olympiads in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008.

Hashimov won a bronze medal in the European Team Championship in 2007 and became the European Champion with the national team in 2009.

He was the European vice champion of the national team in 2011 and the winner of the Reggio Emilia tournament in 2010-2011.

Preparations are underway in Baku for the upcoming II Azerbaijan-Trkiye Investment Forum, slated for December 23, Azernews reports.

Supported by the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Trade of Trkiye, the event is jointly organized by AZPROMO and the Public Union of Turkish-Azerbaijani Businessmen and Industrialists (TÜIB). Ahead of the forum, a dedicated press conference was held on December 10 to brief media representatives on the program and expectations.

According to the organizers, this year’s forum is expected to gather more than 500 attendees, including senior government officials, representatives of state institutions, major business leaders, chambers, and industry associations from both countries. The event aims to deepen economic integration, expand bilateral business cooperation, and present new investment prospects across key sectors.

The inaugural Azerbaijan-Trkiye Investment Forum, held on December 21, 2023, brought together over 600 delegates and featured discussions across energy, trade, agriculture, defense industry, and health tourism. The success of the first event laid the groundwork for a more extensive and strategically focused program this year, reflecting the rapidly growing economic partnership between the two brotherly states.

The second forum is designed to elevate cooperation to a new stage, offering broader thematic coverage and stronger institutional engagement.

The full program will include an opening ceremony, a signing ceremony, investment pitches, and six thematic panel sessions:

Panel 1: Interregional trade and logistics corridors

Panel 2: Agrarian partnership – sustainable development and food security

Panel 3: Energy transformation – innovation and post-COP29 perspectives

Panel 4: Green urbanization and sustainable infrastructure

Panel 5: Azerbaijan-Trkiye business cooperation – challenges and opportunities

Panel 6: Industry 4.0 – technologies of the future

These discussions aim to highlight emerging trends, promote joint initiatives, and map out long-term pathways for economic collaboration.

To further support business engagement, Turkish companies will be offered organized visits to industrial parks, free economic zones, and logistics hubs across Azerbaijan. These site tours will allow participants to explore investment-ready locations, familiarize themselves with the country’s industrial capabilities, and identify areas for partnership in sectors such as manufacturing, transport, green energy, and high-tech industries.

A fresh chapter in Azerbaijan-Hungary energy cooperation has opened following a high-level meeting between SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf and MVM Group CEO Karoly Matrai on December 10, 2025, Azernews reports.

SOCAR released a statement noting that the sides reviewed ongoing cooperation across various segments of the energy sector and exchanged views on current projects, emerging priorities, and long-term partnership opportunities. The discussions touched on the expansion of collaboration in gas supply, infrastructure development, sustainable energy solutions, and broader regional energy initiatives – areas that have steadily gained strategic significance for both countries.

During the meeting, SOCAR and MVM ONEnergy signed a new natural gas supply agreement that will take effect on January 1, 2026. This renewed arrangement builds on the foundations of their previous cooperation, which has been marked by reliability and mutual benefit over the past years. According to SOCAR, the continuity of the agreement demonstrates a shared commitment to strengthening long-term energy cooperation and contributing to regional energy security.

The new deal further institutionalizes the growing energy partnership between Azerbaijan and Hungary, reinforcing Baku’s position as a dependable supplier in Central Europe and reflecting Budapest’s increasing engagement with Azerbaijan as part of its diversified energy strategy.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been allocated 1,000,000 manat (equivalent to $588,149) from the reserve fund of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as designated in the State Budget for 2025, to support the organization and execution of the upcoming ‘Yukselish’ competition in 2026, Azernews reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed the relevant decree.

According to the decree, from the reserve fund of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, provided for in the State Budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2025, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been allocated 1,000,000 (one million) manats for ongoing work related to the next Yukselish competition in 2026.

The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Azerbaijan should ensure the financing provided for in part 1 of this Decree.

The Organizing Committee, established by Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 1354 of July 26, 2019, ‘On the Establishment of the Yukselish Competition,’ should resolve issues arising from this Decree.

Azerbaijani tumbler Tofig Aliyev has once again proven his mastery on the world stage, securing victory at FaceOFF International Gymnastics League held in Herning, Denmark, Azernews reports.

Competing against some of the world’s top tumblers, Aliyev delivered an outstanding performance, earning him the championship title for the second consecutive year. The arena, filled with nearly 10,000 enthusiastic spectators, witnessed his exceptional skill, precision, and athletic confidence.

Tofig Aliyev, already celebrated as a World Champion in the team tumbling event and a silver medalist at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, showcased the same high-caliber form that has brought him global recognition.

Azerbaijani gymnast Tofig Aliyev has rapidly become one of the most prominent figures in international tumbling, earning titles and breaking world records.

The gymnast first gained national attention in 2017, when he won the Azerbaijan Tumbling Championship. That same year, he delivered a series of strong international results, finishing 4th in Saint Petersburg, 2nd in Stavropol, and capturing a victory in Krasnodar. He capped off the season with a gold medal at the Ukrainian Championship, marking him as a rising talent.

His progress continued on the continental stage. At the 2021 European Championships in Sochi, Tofig Aliyev helped the Azerbaijani team secure a bronze medal, reinforcing his status as a reliable team competitor.

In 2022, Tofig Aliyev finished second at the World Age Group Competitions in Sofia and went on to earn medals in three major national and international tournaments, including the British, Azerbaijani, and Baku championships. He added silver medals at both the Wawel International Tournament in Kraków and the European Championships in Rimini, strengthening his position among Europe’s top tumblers.

The year 2023 marked a breakthrough. Tofig Aliyev became the United Kingdom Tumbling Champion in Birmingham, earned silver at the World Cup in Palm Beach, and repeated his silver success at Wawel 2023 in Krakoo. He later contributed to Azerbaijan’s team gold at the Tumbling French Cup in Paris.

The tumbler continued his medal streak in 2024, winning individual silver and team gold at the European Championships in Guimaraes. In December, he claimed the title at the FaceOFF International Tournament in Herning, Denmark, one of the sport’s most anticipated show events.

His greatest achievement came in 2025 at the World Games in Chengdu, where he earned a silver medal with 30.500 points. More importantly, Tofig Aliyev made gymnastics history by performing the world’s first officially recorded “full-full-full” (also known as “triple full”), a triple backflip with a complete twist in each somersault.

No gymnast had ever successfully executed this element in competition, making Tofig Aliyev’s performance a landmark moment for the sport.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Wednesday that his country’s intelligence services have noted an intensification of China’s military cooperation with Russia in the military industry, citing a report by the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleg Ivashchenko, Azernews reports.

“We note the strengthening of the de facto de-sovereignty of part of the Russian territory in favor of China. This is primarily about the use of resource-rich lands and the sale of scarce resources to China,” Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.

“Global security should not lose out due to the fact that Russia’s appetite for aggression is not decreasing,” he added.

The Ukrainian president also said that Ivashchenko instructed the intelligence service to monitor China and Russia’s collaboration more objectively, paying attention to all aspects related to the national interests of Ukraine, as well as Europe and the United States.

The 5th World Alpaqut Championship has been held in the city of Bursa, Turkiye, drawing 450 athletes from 19 countries, Azernews reports.

The tournament took place at the Uludag University Faculty of Sports Sciences, organized by the World Alpaqut Federation and the Turkiye Alpaqut Representation Office.

During the opening ceremony, President of the World Alpaqut Federation Emil Rahimov, Chairman of the Federation’s Board and founder Kutsan Vasif Namazov, the championship’s technical director Yunus Arabaci, and Turkiye’s official representative Metin Karadeniz wished success to the athletes.

According to the final results of the championship, Trkiye took first place, Iraq placed second, and the Azerbaijani national team finished third.

In the Aycha system category, Turkiye ranked first, Iraq second, and Morocco third. In the Batur system, Kazakhstan secured first place, Turkiye came in second, and Azerbaijan finished third.

In the Caymaz system, Azerbaijan claimed the top spot. Iran finished second, while Romania placed third. In the Gurshak category, Iraq ranked first, Georgia took second place, and Turkiye finished third. In the Kachhut system, Trkiye earned first place, Lithuania ranked second, and Iran placed third.

Alpaqut is a martial art with its canons, traditions and philosophy. The word Alpaqut consists of two words- Alp which means “warrior” and kulsal that means “saint”. These are saint soldiers who battled for the sake of national and universal ideals.

The ancient sport which combines mixed Turkic martial arts consists of three systems: Aypara, Batur, and Jaimaz.

The fighting usually takes place in the wolf and falcon circle. Wolf and falcon circles are the totem that belongs to the Turkic world. The fight lasts two minutes.

A number of alpaqut sports schools operate in Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Georgia, Hungary and other countries.

On December 9, 2025, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Romania organized a roundtable in Bucharest titled ‘Heydar Aliyev’s Role in Establishing Relations Between Azerbaijan and Romania’ on the occasion of the commemoration of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev, Azernews reports, citing the embassy.

The event began with a one-minute silence in memory of the National Leader. Following this, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Romania, Qudsi Osmanov, delivered the opening speech. He spoke about Heydar Aliyev’s life and activities, his wisdom, and the results of the domestic and foreign policies he implemented based on his statecraft experience. The ambassador highlighted Heydar Aliyev’s contributions as the author of Azerbaijan’s first Constitution and emphasized that his legacy is being duly continued today by President Ilham Aliyev. Ambassador Osmanov also touched upon Azerbaijan’s glorious victory in the 44-day Patriotic War, noting that it brought peace to the South Caucasus region as a whole. He highlighted the significance of the document signed in Washington on August 8 of this year and the Zangezur Corridor, describing the delivery of goods from Azerbaijan to Armenia as a demonstration of Azerbaijan’s goodwill.

Subsequently, Emil Constantinescu, former President of Romania (1996-2000) and Head of the Romanian Democracy Foundation, shared his memories of the National Leader in a video message. He spoke about Heydar Aliyev’s role in establishing the East-West transport corridor and the TRACECA project in the 1990s.

The ceremony was attended by Romanian Senators Sebastian Cernik, Catalin Daniel Fenekiu, Kristian Sipo?, Deputies Adrian Solomon and Amet Varol, the Ambassador of Trkiye to Romania Özgr Kivanç Altan, the Ambassador of Pakistan Ilyas Mahmud Nizami, the Ambassador of Georgia Tamar Beruçasvili, the Mufti of the Muslims in Romania Yusuf Murat, and others. Speakers highlighted Heydar Aliyev’s meaningful life dedicated to his people, the strengthening and progress of Azerbaijan, his exceptional role in expanding Azerbaijan-Romania relations, and the special place of modern Azerbaijan in the world.

At the end of the event, a short documentary dedicated to the commemoration of the National Leader was screened.

The roundtable received wide coverage from Romanian television channels and media outlets.

Representatives of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Romania, the leadership of SOCAR Petroleum SA, the Turkish Businessmen Association, and the communities of Turks and Iranian Azerbaijanis living and working in Romania also participated in the event.

Additionally, attendees had the opportunity to view a photo exhibition dedicated to the life and achievements of the National Leader and his efforts for Azerbaijan, as well as Azerbaijan-Romania relations. The exhibition was accompanied by detailed explanations provided by the ambassador and embassy staff.

The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) is advancing its operational safety through the adoption of digital twin technology, an innovative tool increasingly used across the global oil and gas industry. Speaking to Azernews, TANAP’s Integrity Management Manager Suleyman Suleymanov explained how the system is being integrated into the company’s pipeline integrity operations and what challenges it helps to address.

A digital twin is essentially a virtual replica of a physical asset that brings together engineering data, geographic information, inspection results, and in advanced stages, real-time operational data. In the oil and gas sector, this technology allows companies to visualize their infrastructure in 3D, simulate different scenarios, assess risks more accurately, and make better-informed decisions about maintenance and safety.

Suleymanov noted that TANAP currently uses GIS-enabled platforms and WebGIS as the foundation of its digital twin model. The process begins with generating a detailed 3D model based on aerial surveys and photogrammetric inspections, followed by the incorporation of engineering, construction, and as-built data. This combined information allows TANAP to reach the second level of digital twin maturity. He added that the company has a roadmap to move toward real-time monitoring, predictive digital twin capabilities, and eventually an autonomous or fully integrated digital twin, although each stage requires new investments and access to additional external data.

According to him, digital twin technology is particularly valuable for managing operational challenges along TANAP’s route, which crosses various terrains and climatic zones in Trkiye. In regions prone to heavy rainfall, the system enables the modeling of flood risks, helping the company forecast potential hazards and apply mitigation measures such as improving drainage systems and engineering protections. Climate change, he stressed, has become one of the main challenges in ensuring pipeline integrity, making predictive modelling increasingly important.

Suleymanov also highlighted that digital twins significantly enhance traditional risk-based inspection methods. Instead of relying solely on semi-quantitative RBI assessments for corrosion and other threats, the digital twin provides dynamic, data-rich insights that allow operators to focus on the most critical risks.

With strengthened inspection capabilities, improved data integration, and advanced modelling tools in place, TANAP’s use of digital technologies represents a notable step in modernizing pipeline integrity management and supporting the safe and reliable transportation of natural gas along its route.