Category: Azer News

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.

Azerbaijani boxers have reached quarterfinals at the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships Dubai 2025, Azernews reports.

Magsud Khasmetov (63.5 kg) defeated Ruslan Gafurov (Tajikistan) with a commanding 5:0 score (30:26, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27). With this victory, Khasmetov secured his place in the quarterfinals, where he will face Omar Livaza (Kyrgyzstan).

In the 71 kg division, Sarkhan Aliyev, a World Championship medalist, also celebrated another triumph. He overcame Arturs Vais (Latvia) with a 5:0 score (30:27, 29:28, 29:28, 30:27, 29:28). Aliyev will now test his skills against Ablaykhan Zhusupov (Kazakhstan) in the quarterfinals.

Before Khasmetov and Aliyev, six other Azerbaijani boxers had already booked their spots in the quarterfinals, highlighting the strong performance of the national team at this championship.

Note that Azerbaijan is represented by 11 boxers at the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships Dubai 2025, scheduled for December 3-13.

Boxing is known as one of the oldest sports in the history of humankind.

The earliest evidence of boxing dates back to Egypt around 3,000 BC.

This sport was introduced to the ancient Olympic Games by the Greeks in the late 7th century BC.

In 1924, the International Amateur Boxing Federation (FIBA) was established.

Since 1946, it has been referred to as the International Boxing Association (AIBA). Boxing made its Olympic debut at the 1904 Games in St. Louis.

In 1926, the boxing championship was held for the first time in Azerbaijan, where national boxers took first place.

Since 1992, the Azerbaijani Boxing Federation has become a full member of the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

Azerbaijani boxers have won many prestigious awards at many international championships.

Aghasi Mammadov has entered Azerbaijan’s history of boxing as the first national boxer, as a gold medallist at the world championship.

Another Azerbaijani boxer, Fuad Asadov, was among the medallists at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

Many times, Azerbaijan has been chosen as the host country for major boxing championships.

The AIBA Youth World Championships were held in Baku in 2019. This world championship was the first licensed youth tournament to qualify for the 2010 Olympic Games held in Singapore.

The country also hosted the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships, which was the first major qualifying event for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Csaba Lejko, President of John Deere for Central Asia and the CIS, Chief Executive Officer of John Deere Walldorf International LLC, Azernews reports.

The meeting highlighted Azerbaijan’s vast agricultural potential, as well as the initiatives implemented at the state level to boost the development of this sector.

Noting that John Deere is successfully operating in Azerbaijan, Csaba Lejko expressed their interest in enhancing the cooperation, while providing an overview of the initiative they have put forward regarding Azerbaijan’s cotton sector.

Csaba Lejko said he was deeply impressed by the development process he witnessed in Baku.

During the meeting, the sides discussed prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the company, as well as the establishment of an education and training center, sharing of mutual experience, and other issues such as irrigation, logistics, and the digitalization of the cotton and grain production value chain.

Founded in the United States in 1837, John Deere, is recognized as of the leading global companies specializing in the manufacturing agricultural and forestry machinery, with its main areas of activity encompassing the production of tractors, combines, and cotton pickers. With last year’s total revenue nearing $52 billion, John Deere operates globally with plants and offices across more than 30 countries.

Instagram launched a new AI-powered feature on Wednesday that lets users view and adjust the algorithm behind their Reel recommendations, Azernews reports.

The tool, called Your Algorithm, is now available in the US and will roll out globally in English over the coming weeks.

By tapping an icon in the upper-right corner of a Reel, users can access a personalized dashboard that shows the topics Instagram believes they are interested in.

From there, users can fine-tune their content by selecting issues to see more or less of, or even share their preferences via Stories. Instagram said the goal is to ensure that “Reels feel relevant and made for you.”