Category: Azer News

The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Chess Championship for players aged 8 to 18 concluded on 7 February at the Nakhchivan Children’s and Youth Chess School, following five days of competition.

AzerNEWS reports that the tournament was initiated by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation and organised by the Ministry of Education of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Around 100 young male and female chess players from across the autonomous republic took part, competing in six age categories.

Matches were held under the Swiss and round-robin systems, in line with FIDE regulations. Each player was allocated 45 minutes for the entire game, with an increment of 15 seconds per move starting from the first move.

In cases where players finished on equal points, final standings were determined using standard tie-break criteria, including the Buchholz coefficient, number of wins, and results of head-to-head encounters.

According to the final standings, the top three finishers in each age category earned qualification for the national chess championship, scheduled to take place in March and featuring players aged 8-18 from across Azerbaijan.

Organisers said the tournament played an important role in identifying emerging talent and promoting chess development among young players in the region.

Azerbaijani judoka Zelim Tchkayev won a silver medal at the “Grand Slam” tournament held in the French capital, Paris.

AzerNEWS reports that the athlete, who competed in the 81-kilogram weight category, lost to Japanese Yuhei Ono in the final.

Our other judokas, who started competing today, lost to their opponents and said goodbye to the tournament.

Thus, the Azerbaijani national team finished the “Grand Slam” with 3 medals.

It should be noted that previously, Balabey Aghayev (60 kilograms) won gold, and Ruslan Pashayev (66 kilograms) won bronze.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has raised concerns over unexploded ordnance at nuclear facilities hit by United States airstrikes last year, warning that inspections by international agencies must take account of security risks.

Speaking to Iran’s Young Journalists Club news agency on Sunday, Araghchi said he had asked International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi whether any legal framework or protocol existed for visits to nuclear sites previously targeted by the US.

‘No, there is nothing of that sort,’ Grossi reportedly replied, prompting Iran to call for an agreement on inspection procedures before any visits take place. Araghchi emphasised that unexploded bombs and other hazards at the facilities must be addressed in advance.

‘Iran remains in contact with the agency in this regard,’ he added, noting that inspections should proceed only once a protocol is established.

The comments come in the aftermath of a 12-day military escalation last June, during which Israel, with US support, launched attacks on Iranian military and nuclear sites, as well as civilian facilities, while assassinating several commanders and scientists. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israeli military and intelligence targets. During the conflict, the US bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities before announcing a ceasefire.

Araghchi expressed scepticism about the current US-Iran negotiations, which resumed in Muscat, Oman, on Friday following weeks of heightened tensions due to a US military buildup in Gulf waters.

‘They tried everything and failed, and now they have returned to the negotiating table, but it is unclear where these talks will lead,’ he said. ‘We do not trust them. There is a possibility they may resort to deception. All institutions in Iran must continue performing their duties regardless of these developments.’

The US-Iran meeting in Oman, which initially seemed impossible to everyone, once again showed that bloody wars can always be replaced by a meeting at the table. The result that will be achieved here, by comparison, may not outweigh the losses that war can cause. But when it comes to the clash of two irreconcilable forces, negotiations begin to take on more importance.

Despite the first round of Iran-US talks in Muscat delivered no breakthrough, but what it did provide was time. Whether that time is used to build a framework for de-escalation or simply to delay a more dangerous confrontation will become clear in the weeks ahead.

When Iranian and American negotiators wrapped up several hours of discussions in the Omani capital on 6 February, neither side publicly signalled any movement from its opening position. Tehran insisted the talks be confined strictly to the nuclear file. Washington arrived seeking a broader agenda, encompassing ballistic missiles, Iran’s regional allies and armed groups, and wider concerns it has repeatedly raised, including human rights. Neither position prevailed. Instead, both sides agreed to reconvene.

As reported by Aljazeera, at first glance, the outcome appeared uneventful. In reality, it was not.

The Muscat meeting marked the first high-level diplomatic engagement between Iran and the United States since joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025-an escalation that Tehran says killed more than 1,000 people and targeted three nuclear sites. The decision to return to the same palace near Muscat’s airport that hosted earlier talks in 2025, and to commit to further meetings, carries symbolic and strategic weight.

Yet symbolism should not be mistaken for progress. The gap between the two sides remains substantial. Iran seeks sanctions relief and international recognition of its nuclear programme within tightly defined parameters. The United States, meanwhile, continues to frame the nuclear issue as inseparable from Iran’s regional posture and military capabilities.

For now, Muscat has offered both sides a diplomatic pause rather than a pathway to resolution. Whether that pause becomes the foundation for renewed negotiations-or merely a holding pattern before the next escalation-will define the trajectory of Iran-US relations in the coming weeks.

Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva visited the Shah Abbas Mosque in Ganja.

The mosque was built in 1606 by order of Safavid ruler Shah Abbas I, based on the design of architect Sheikh Bahaddin Muhammad Amili. Located in the center of Ganja, this architectural monument combines the portal-dome traditions of medieval Azerbaijani architecture with laconic and expressive artistic and structural features.

At the end of the visit, Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva were presented with the Holy Quran as a gift.

It should be noted that the mosque was restored in 2008 on the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev.

Four people were killed on Saturday in a shooting in the countryside of Suwayda province in southern Syria, authorities said, confirming the arrest of a suspect and urging residents to remain calm to prevent further escalation.

In a statement published by Syria’s Interior Ministry on Telegram, Suwayda’s internal security commander Hussam al-Tahhan said the incident took place in the al-Matouneh area, where five local residents were targeted in what he described as a ‘heinous crime’.

‘The attack resulted in the killing of four individuals and the serious injury of a fifth,’ al-Tahhan said.

He added that preliminary investigations, conducted in coordination with one of the survivors, revealed that one of the suspects is a member of the Internal Security Directorate in the area. The individual was immediately arrested and referred for formal investigation to complete legal procedures.

Al-Tahhan stressed that ‘any violation against citizens is categorically unacceptable’ and warned that there would be no tolerance for acts threatening public safety, regardless of the perpetrator’s affiliation.

Calling on residents to exercise restraint, the official urged the people of Suwayda province to ‘remain calm and place their trust in the measures being taken’, assuring them that those responsible would be held accountable under the law.

Suwayda has remained under a fragile ceasefire since July, following deadly clashes between Druze factions and Bedouin tribes that left hundreds dead or injured. While the government has reiterated its commitment to the truce and facilitated civilian evacuations and the delivery of humanitarian aid, the agreement has been repeatedly violated by armed groups linked to Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, including attacks on military positions.

Authorities said investigations into Saturday’s shooting were continuing.

Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva visited Special Secondary School No. 45 in Ganja.

They closely reviewed the facilities created at the educational institution and inquired about the students’ learning processes and rehabilitation opportunities.

It was noted that 297 students are currently enrolled at Ganja Special School No. 45. Among these children with special needs, 188 receive their education on-site at the school, while 109 are enrolled in home-schooling programs.

The educational facility is equipped with all necessary infrastructure, including specialized rooms for information technology and handicrafts, speech therapy (logopedics) rooms, an ecological classroom, a medical office, a library, and a gymnasium.

At the conclusion of the visit, Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva presented gifts to the children and posed for commemorative photos with them.

Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva familiarized themselves with the ‘Zarif Natural’ brand established by female entrepreneur Fidan Zari in Ganja.

They held a warm and sincere conversation with the entrepreneur, showing interest in the idea behind the brand, the story of its creation, and the production process. Later, Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva jointly prepared various cold-pressed oils and other products at the facility.

Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva wished the entrepreneur success in her activities, highly appreciated her initiative and dedication, and took commemorative photos together.

The ‘Zarif Natural’ brand specializes in the production and offering to consumers of cold-pressed oils, additive-free nut butters, and gluten-free flours, based on the principles of healthy and balanced nutrition.

The war between Russia and Ukraine, which erupted in 2022 and quickly became the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II, has now entered its fourth year. Despite the efforts of various international actors to bring an end to hostilities, the conflict continues, with little indication that these interventions have achieved their intended effect.

In the early years, sanctions against Russia and military and financial aid to Ukraine produced some tangible outcomes. Kyiv was able to reclaim portions of the territory initially lost to Russian forces, and Russia’s economy experienced pressure. However, as the conflict has dragged on, it has evolved into a literal trench war, with neither side achieving decisive breakthroughs. Over the past year, Russia has secured minor tactical victories on the battlefield, but the front lines remain largely unchanged.

The West continues to devise new sanctions aimed at further weakening Russia, including restrictions on oil exports, yet at first glance, these measures appear to have lost their potency. Russia seems to have built a degree of immunity to the punitive measures. Early predictions of an economic collapse did not materialize, and the Kremlin retained enough maneuverability to circumvent restrictions on energy sales. Recent market speculation suggested that a drop in oil prices to $50 per barrel could make sanctions more effective, yet this scenario has yet to materialize.

Then, in a dramatic twist, global attention shifted to gold. The price of gold suddenly surged by more than 100%, turning the spotlight back to Russia, the world’s second-largest gold exporter. While Russian reserves of foreign currency and securities held in Western banks remain frozen, its gold reserves are physically held within Russia’s borders. According to available data, the Central Bank of Russia holds about 2,300 tons of gold, and the recent price spike has increased the bank’s reserves by roughly $250 billion-essentially offsetting the assets frozen in Western institutions.

Many analysts argue that this sharp rise in gold prices may provide Russia with a fresh lifeline in the war, strengthening its financial resilience. As the second-largest gold exporter globally, Russia possesses a significant buffer against sanctions.

Speaking to Azernews on issue, Ukrainian political analist Vadym Triukhan noted that this will absolutely not affect Russia’s position in the war. Gold is the last thing they usually trade; usually, they sell it. Plus, this is such a market fluctuation – it exists or it doesn’t.

‘Russia’s position in the war is directly influenced by another factor – its ability to quickly get money through selling its own resources. And this is exactly where it currently has serious problems. One can say that the West is gradually pushing it completely aside.

Literally two weeks ago, 14 European countries decided to block the Baltic Sea for tankers of the so-called ‘shadow oil fleet’ of Russia. Americans began seizing Russian tankers under different flags. In this way, Russia’s ability to export oil was significantly limited,’ he said.

Political analist underscored that Trump had announced that he had agreed with India that it would completely stop buying Russian oil. For Russia, this is a colossal loss, about 45 billion dollars. Therefore, Vadym Triukhan thinks that Russia will not manage to get by here with gold.

‘But one needs to be objective. Its reserves are still enough for at least a year of war. Everything will depend on how peace negotiations develop and what Trump’s attitude toward Putin will be, who constantly deceives him. Very recently he gave his word about a so-called energy ceasefire, but already on the fourth day carried out a massive missile-drone strike.

Tonight, half of Ukraine did not sleep. Strikes were carried out on Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, and other cities. The goal was one- to plunge Ukraine into darkness and deprive Ukrainians of the ability to heat their homes and use electricity.

Trump also sees all this: he promised, gave his word, then took back his word. If he changes his position and introduces even stricter sanctions or provides Ukraine with the necessary weapons, the situation on the front could change,’ he concluded.

Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva visited the Ganja Autism Center.

The center, established at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, provides essential support to children and families from Ganja as well as surrounding regions, including Shamkir, Dashkasan, Tovuz, Samukh, and other districts.

During the visit that the programs implemented here contribute significantly to the integration of children into their families and society, empowering them to take on active roles in their communities. In addition to providing specialized rehabilitation services, the center spearheads regional awareness campaigns focused on autism, neurodiversity, and inclusivity.

The center’s comprehensive approach ensures that children with autism spectrum disorder receive the therapeutic support necessary to enhance their social and cognitive development within a supportive local environment.