Category: Azer News

Azerbaijan continues to expand its reputation as a trusted host of major international sporting events, welcoming athletes and officials from around the world to compete at the highest level, AzerNEWS reports.

The U-17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku are the latest example of the country’s efforts to strengthen its presence on the global sports stage.

In his speech at the opening ceremony of the U-17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, President of the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation Mikayil Jabbarov stressed that hosting major international sporting events has become a successful tradition for Azerbaijan.

Mikayil Jabbarov welcomed members of the participating national teams and wrestling federation representatives to the Azerbaijani capital, noting that the country has become a reliable venue for prestigious international competitions in recent years.

He said the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation maintains close and productive cooperation with United World Wrestling (UWW), adding that the partnership will continue in the future.

“We are grateful to UWW and its President Nenad Lalovic for the trust they have placed in us. Azerbaijan is strengthening its position in the international arena year by year, and the World Championships that begin today are a clear example of that,” Jabbarov said.

The federation president added that nearly 700 wrestlers from more than 60 countries are competing for medals at the championships.

The U-17 World Wrestling Championships, being held at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, will conclude on August 2.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to resolve restrictions affecting exports of Armenian goods to the Russian market, arguing that the measures contradict bilateral agreements and the legal framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), AzerNEWS reports.

According to the Armenian government’s press service, Pashinyan raised the issue during a telephone conversation initiated by the Armenian side, calling for practical steps to resolve the trade-related problems as part of broader discussions on Armenian-Russian economic relations.

The Armenian prime minister emphasized that the restrictions imposed on goods of Armenian origin are inconsistent with the legal obligations governing trade between the two countries and within the EAEU.

The two leaders also discussed Armenia’s possible future membership in the European Union.

According to Yerevan, Pashinyan said that a national referendum on EU accession would only become relevant after Armenia formally submits an application to join the bloc, making the issue substantive.

He reiterated the Armenian government’s readiness to address outstanding issues with Russia through what he described as an open, partnership-based and friendly dialogue.

The Kremlin, in its readout of the conversation, said Putin reaffirmed Russia’s position outlined in the Joint Statement of the Leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, adopted during the EAEU Summit in Astana on May 29, 2026.

According to the Kremlin, Putin stressed the need for Armenia to hold a national referendum “as soon as possible” to determine whether it intends to pursue European Union membership or remain within the Eurasian Economic Union.

The issue has become a growing source of tension between Moscow and Yerevan.

On May 9, Putin said Armenia should decide “as soon as possible” whether it intends to remain in the EAEU or pursue EU integration, adding that Russia would be prepared to begin a “civilized divorce” if necessary. Armenian officials responded that Yerevan would leave the EAEU whenever it considered it appropriate.

Later, on May 29, four of the five EAEU member states adopted a declaration recommending that Armenia hold a referendum on its continued membership in the bloc.

Armenia has gradually advanced its European integration agenda since January 2025, when the government approved draft legislation launching the country’s EU accession process following an initiative by the Eurakve civic movement. The Armenian parliament adopted the legislation in March 2025, and it was signed into law by President Vahagn Khachaturyan on April 4, 2025.

Russia has repeatedly stated that simultaneous membership in both the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is incompatible, urging Armenia to make a strategic choice between the two integration projects.

Azerbaijan has once again brought together the international sports community by hosting one of the most important events on the youth wrestling calendar, AzerNEWS reports.

The opening ceremony of the U-17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku highlighted the country’s growing experience in organizing major sporting competitions and brought together representatives of national teams, sports officials, and international wrestling authorities.

The opening ceremony of the U-17 World Wrestling Championships was held in Baku.

The event, organized at the National Gymnastics Arena, began with the performance of Azerbaijan’s national anthem.

President of the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation Mikayil Jabbarov welcomed members of the participating national teams and representatives of wrestling federations to Baku.

“Azerbaijan has become a reliable venue for prestigious international sporting events in recent years. The Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation maintains close and effective cooperation with United World Wrestling (UWW), and this partnership will continue in the future. I would like to thank UWW and its President Nenad Lalovic for the trust placed in us. Azerbaijan is strengthening its position in the international arena year by year. The World Championships starting today are a clear example of this. Hosting major international sporting competitions and events has already become a successful tradition for Azerbaijan,” Jabbarov said.

He noted that nearly 700 wrestlers from more than 60 countries are competing for medals at the championship.

Azerbaijan Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov recalled that the National Gymnastics Arena has hosted various competitions throughout 2026 and that this will continue until the end of the year.

“Sport receives a high level of attention and support from the state. Baku was selected as the World Sports Capital for this year. This title was not given to us as a gift. It is the result of the successful sports policy of our head of state,” Gayibov said.

The minister emphasized the high level of organization of the wrestling world championship, noting that athletes from different countries are taking part in the competition.

“I believe this tournament will be successful for Azerbaijan’s representatives. I wish success to all wrestlers participating in the World Championships,” he added.

Vice-President of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan Chingiz Huseynzade expressed confidence that the competition would have a positive impact on the development of sport in the country.

“President Ilham Aliyev has always supported the development and promotion of wrestling in Azerbaijan. The activities of the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation have always been highly appreciated by the head of state. The majority of medals won at the Olympic Games belong to our wrestlers. The athletes participating here are our future. They will represent Azerbaijan with dignity at the Olympic Games as well,” Huseynzade said.

He added that Azerbaijan is once again hosting a major sporting event and stressed that the competition is an important occasion for the country.

“The athletes competing here will participate in the Olympic Games several years from now,” Huseynzade said, expressing hope that the championship would once again demonstrate Azerbaijan’s high standards in organizing international sporting events.

President of United World Wrestling Nenad Lalovic also addressed the participants, encouraging young athletes to preserve their passion and ambition.

“My wish for the athletes competing in the youth category is that they draw inspiration from Azerbaijan’s fire and energy, and always keep the flame in their hearts, spirits, and ambitions alive,” Lalovic said.

He added that the wrestlers competing in Baku could become future Olympians.

“The athletes performing here are at an age where we may see them again at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. We believe that there you will be rewarded for the determination, hard work, and experience you are gaining today,” the UWW president said.

The opening ceremony continued with an artistic program. The U-17 World Wrestling Championships are being held at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku and will conclude on August 2.

France remained the European country most affected by data breaches during the first half of 2026, with 43.4 million user accounts compromised, according to a new study by cybersecurity company Surfshark, AzerNEWS reports.

The report found that the number of breached French accounts increased by 62.3% compared with the second half of 2025, making France the second-most affected country globally, behind only the United States.

According to the study, France accounted for 58% of all compromised accounts recorded in Europe during the January-June period.

Globally, France and the United States together represented nearly half of the 313.4 million compromised accounts reported worldwide in the first six months of the year.

The study also found that France recorded the highest density of breached accounts relative to its population, with 69.1 million compromised accounts per population-based measure, placing it at the top of the global ranking in that category.

Surfshark noted that France has remained among the countries most exposed to cyberattacks and data breaches for more than two decades. Since 2004, approximately 756.6 million French accounts have reportedly been compromised, including 486.5 million passwords.

The “Agreement between Azerbaijan and Ukraine on legal assistance in civil and commercial matters” has been approved, AzerNEWS reports.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev approved the relevant law. The document text was published on the official website of the President of Azerbaijan.

The “Agreement between Azerbaijan and Ukraine on legal assistance in civil and commercial matters” was signed on April 25, 2026, in Gabala city.

?Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Russia’s repeated claims that Ukraine harbors Nazism, saying the country’s Jewish communities, Holocaust memorials and legislation against antisemitism demonstrate the opposite, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking in an interview with American political commentator Laura Loomer, Zelensky dismissed allegations that Nazis are present in Ukraine.

“There are none and never have been,” he said, pointing to Ukraine’s hundreds of ethnic minorities and longstanding Jewish communities.

Zelensky also highlighted Ukraine’s legislation against antisemitism, describing it as one of the strictest in Europe and noting that it was adopted during his presidency.

“We have a special, very strict law. No European country has such a strict law. Antisemitism is outlawed in our country. We did this during my presidency – we passed this law by vote,” Zelensky said.

He argued that the country’s synagogues, Holocaust memorials and legal framework collectively serve as Ukraine’s response to accusations made by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The number of synagogues, the number of these tragic memorials, the number of these stories, the number of these millions of people – all of this, together with the law and everything else – is our answer to Putin,” he said.

During the interview, Loomer remarked that the United States does not have a comparable law explicitly prohibiting antisemitism.

Russia has repeatedly justified its military actions by claiming the need to “de-Nazify” Ukraine, an assertion rejected by Kyiv and widely disputed by Western governments and international observers.

At the same time, critics of Ukraine have argued that Zelensky’s remarks do not address longstanding concerns over the public display of Nazi-related symbolism and the glorification of certain nationalist figures. They point to commemorative events honoring Stepan Bandera and the OUN-UPA, as well as the historical use of symbols associated with far-right movements by some members of military formations such as the Azov Regiment. Ukrainian authorities maintain that such issues do not reflect state policy and reject the characterization of Ukraine as a Nazi state.

Young wrestlers competing at the U-17 World Championships in Baku have been encouraged to carry their passion and determination throughout their sporting careers as they pursue future Olympic success, AzerNEWS reports.

The tournament has brought together rising talents from around the world, many of whom are expected to become the next generation of elite wrestlers.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the U-17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, United World Wrestling President Nenad Lalovic urged the young athletes to draw inspiration from Azerbaijan’s spirit and energy.

“My wish for the athletes competing in the youth category is that they draw inspiration from Azerbaijan’s fire, and always keep the fire in their hearts, spirits, and ambitions alive,” Lalovic said.

He noted that many of the wrestlers competing in Baku could return to the international stage at the 2032 Summer Olympic Games in Brisbane.

“The wrestlers competing here are at an age where we may see them again at the Brisbane Olympic Games in 2032. We believe you will be rewarded there for the determination, hard work, and experience you are demonstrating today,” he said.

Lalovic also thanked Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for supporting the organization of the championships.

The U-17 World Wrestling Championships, being held at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, will conclude on August 2.

SpaceX shares were down 3.8% on Monday, hitting another low as the tech giant struggled to maintain momentum in the aftermath of its grand debut. At the same time, the company is set to report its first quarterly results on August 4, AzerNEWS reports.

The latest downturn in SpaceX’s stock price could indicate that investors are concerned about the value of its AI business.

At 9:59 am ET, the tech giant’s shares decreased 3.88% to sell for $110.6400 apiece.

Commercial vessel traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has declined by 56% following an embargo announced by Yemen’s Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement against vessels linked to Saudi Arabia, AzerNEWS reports, citing The National.

According to the information, only 15 cargo vessels passed through the strait on July 26, compared with 34 vessels on July 20, the day the blockade was announced. The vessels were mainly carrying oil, grain, and fertilizers.

The decline in shipping activity came amid Houthi claims of attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities in the Saudi cities of Jizan and Yanbu.

The newspaper also reported that shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increased on July 26 following a reduction in reciprocal attacks between the United States and Iran.

Latest Kpler data also shows 11 ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, including 10 commodity vessels carrying crude oil or chemicals.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has reported that its active project portfolio in Azerbaijan stood at pound 892 million at the end of June 2026, spanning 36 projects across key sectors of the economy, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the bank’s latest update, the value of its operating assets in the country totals pound 721 million, while the EBRD’s participation in the current portfolio is estimated at 1%.

Sustainable infrastructure remains the dominant area of investment, accounting for 90% of the portfolio. Financial institutions represent 7%, while the corporate sector makes up the remaining 3%. The private sector accounts for 41% of the portfolio’s total value.

Since launching operations in Azerbaijan, the EBRD has invested pound 3.748 billion in the country’s economy, with pound 3.527 billion already disbursed across 202 projects.

One of the bank’s key priorities remains supporting Azerbaijan’s transition to a low-carbon economy through renewable energy development and green infrastructure.

Speaking in a recent interview with Trend, Maya Hennerkes, Managing Director of the EBRD’s Environment and Sustainable Development Department, said Azerbaijan possesses significant untapped potential for green transformation.

According to Hennerkes, the EBRD has already financed renewable energy projects with a combined generation capacity of approximately 1.2 gigawatts (GW).

“We expect that these investments will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 600,000 tonnes per year. In addition, the electricity generated will provide around 300,000 households with clean energy. Replacing diesel generators with renewable energy sources has a positive impact on people’s health and the social sphere in general,” she said.

Hennerkes also highlighted the EBRD’s role in helping Azerbaijan establish a competitive auction system for utility-scale renewable energy projects.

“We have participated in all utility-scale green energy projects and assisted the government in establishing an auction system for these projects. This increases transparency and creates conditions for attracting new investors who feel more confident investing in Azerbaijan’s energy sector,” she added.

The EBRD has identified support for renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure and private sector development as central pillars of its long-term strategy in Azerbaijan, in line with the country’s broader efforts to diversify its economy and expand clean energy generation.