Category: Azer News

The U-23 World Wrestling Championships have kicked off in Novi Sad, Serbia, Azernews reports.

Azerbaijani Greco-Roman wrestlers competed on the opening day of the tournament.

Ziya Babashov (63 kg) defeated Miruto Tokuhika (Japan) 7:1, Mohammad Navi (Iran) 3:1, and Dorji Shungurtsikov (Russia) by the criteria rule (1:1) to advance to the semifinals. In this round, he will face Servet Angi of Turkiye.

Other Azerbaijani wrestlers, Davud Mammadov (77 kg) and Lachin Valiyev (87 kg), lost their opening bouts.

Aykhan Mardanov (130 kg) won his first match by fall against Shuangyu Chen (China) to reach the quarterfinals, but was then defeated 0:9 by Aleksandr Melekhov (UWW).

Note that the Azerbaijani team includes Elmir Aliyev (55 kg), Ilkin Gurbanov (60 kg), Ziya Babashov (63 kg), Faraim Mustafayev (67 kg), Ruslan Nurullayev (72 kg), Davud Mammadov (77 kg), Elmin Aliyev (82 kg), Lachin Valiyev (87 kg), Ali Guliyev (97 kg), and Aykhan Mardanov (130 kg).

They are competing at the tournament under the leadership of head coach Aleksandr Tarakanov, senior coach Rovshan Bayramov, and coaches Hasan Aliyev and Kamran Mammadov.

The female athletes representing Azerbaijan are Asmar Jankurtaran (50 kg), Elnura Mammadova (53 kg), Gultakin Shirinova (55 kg), Nargiz Samadova (57 kg), Gunay Gurbanova (59 kg), Birgul Soltanova (62 kg), and Ruzanna Mammadova (65 kg).

Women wrestlers have entered the competition under the leadership of acting head coach Togrul Asgarov, senior coach Aghahuseyn Mustafayev, and coach Solmaz Adilova.

Freestyle wrestlers will compete in the final days of the tournament, including Muhammadali Alizade (57 kg), Jeykhun Allahverdiyev (61 kg), Aykhan Abdullazad? (65 kg), Kanan Heybatov (70 kg), Magomed-Bashir Khaniyev (74 kg), Farid Jabbarov (79 kg), Ali Tsokayev (86 kg), Sadig Mustafazade (92 kg), Zafar Aliyev (97 kg), and Khetag Karsanov (125 kg), under the leadership of head coach Khetag Gazyumov, senior coach Jabrayil Hasanov, and coaches Taymuraz Kokoyev and Sharif Sharifov.

The World Championship is officiated by Category I referee Asif Shiraliyev, as well as Category I referees Kamran Aliyev and Habib Nurulu.

Wrestling remains the most popular sport in the country and is governed by the National Wrestling Federation, established in 1993.

The Rio Olympic Games marked a new chapter in Azerbaijan’s wrestling history, as the nation became one of only two countries ever to increase its medal count in five consecutive Olympic Games.

In 2020, Azerbaijani freestyle wrestlers finished third in the overall medal table of the Individual World Cup in Serbia.

National wrestlers won two medals, including silver and bronze. Russia topped the medal table, followed by Turkiye.

In 2022, Azerbaijani wrestler Osman Nurmagomedov (92 kg) was crowned the World Champion in Belgrade.

Nurmagomedov became the World Champion after defeating the Russian wrestler in the final.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Greco-Roman wrestler Hasrat Jafarov (67 kg), freestyle wrestlers Giorgi Meshvildishvili (125 kg) and Magomedkhan Magomedov (97 kg) won bronze medals for Azerbaijan.

On October 21, a ceremony for the exchange of Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan documents took place in Astana, with the participation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Azernews reports.

First, Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the ‘Joint Statement of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Strategic Partnership and Allied Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Kazakhstan’, the ‘Decision No. 1 of the second meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Kazakhstan on strengthening bilateral cooperation’, and the ‘Decision No. 2 of the second meeting of the Supreme Interstate Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the approval of the Charter of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Kazakhstan’.

Following the signing, the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan documents were exchanged.

The opening of the Zangazur Corridor could take place by the end of 2028, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during a joint press statement with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Azernews reports.

‘In addition to all that we are currently planning and implementing, the Zangazur Corridor project holds enormous potential. Within Azerbaijan, all work on road and rail infrastructure will be completed by the middle of next year. We hope that in other countries the work will proceed at the same pace, and in that case, the opening of the Zangazur Corridor could occur by the end of 2028,’ the President pointed out.

South Korean defense company LIG Nex1 unveiled its G-Sword ground-based robotic platform at the ADEX 2025 exhibition held in Seoul, Azernews reports.

The combat robot, built on a tracked chassis, is equipped with an automatic cannon and the Raybolt anti-tank guided missile system (ATGM). Designed to engage individual targets and provide autonomous support during military operations, the G-Sword represents a significant advancement in robotic warfare technology.

The platform features an AI-powered navigation system and advanced terrain-scanning sensors, enabling it to autonomously plan and navigate complex routes even in challenging environments. Its modular design allows for the integration of a wide range of equipment and weaponry, including communication repeaters and air defense systems. Additionally, the G-Sword can be used to transport various types of cargo, enhancing its versatility on the battlefield.

An interesting aspect of the G-Sword is its potential role in reducing human casualties by performing high-risk tasks such as frontline reconnaissance and precision strikes. As robotics and AI continue to evolve, platforms like the G-Sword may become central to future military strategies around the world.

Azerbaijan is set to begin domestic satellite manufacturing in the near future, with the first major steps already underway. Despite challenging geopolitical conditions, a dedicated Research and Development team from Azerbaijan has been undergoing intensive satellite production training in Israel for the past 18 months under the Azersky-2 project.

Azernews reports that this announcement was made by Dunay B?dirxanov, Acting Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Space Agency (Azercosmos), during the event titled “Opportunities from Space: 10 Years of Contributions of Earth Observation to Socio-Economic Development.”

B?dirxanov stated that the design and planning work for a new Spacecraft Development Center – including a satellite production plant and training facilities for future engineers – has been completed. “We have already selected the construction site, and building will begin in the coming months. For satellite launch services, we have chosen SpaceX as our preferred partner,” he added.

In a historic move for the country’s space sector, Azercosmos has also established its first subsidiary: the Spacecraft Development and Production LLC. ‘This new company will facilitate the implementation of our satellite manufacturing projects and serve as a critical step toward developing Azerbaijan’s independent space industry,’ B?dirxanov emphasized.

A ceremony was held to celebrate the production of 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity at the Garadagh Solar Power Plant, which has a capacity of 230 megawatts (MW), Azernews reports.

The event was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan, Azerenerji JSC, and the UAE-based renewable energy company Masdar.

Commissioned in 2023, the Garadagh Solar Power Plant is Azerbaijan’s first large-scale international renewable energy investment project. It plays a key role in supporting the country’s transition to green energy.

Over the past two years, the plant has generated 1 billion kWh of electricity – an achievement that has allowed the country to save approximately 220 million cubic meters of natural gas and prevent the emission of 400,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

As part of the event, a symbolic certificate was signed by Javid Abdullayev, Director of the State Agency for Renewable Energy Sources under the Ministry of Energy, and Rustam Gasimov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Azerenerji. The certificate was then presented to Abdulaziz Alobaidli, Chief Operating Officer of Masdar.

Notably, the Garadagh Solar Power Plant generates around 500 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, providing clean energy to approximately 110,000 households.

Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan has welcomed Azerbaijan’s decision to lift all restrictions on transit of goods to Armenia following President Ilham Aliyev’s press statement with his Kazakh counterpart, Azernews reports via Armenian media.

Asked to comment, Grigoryan, who leads the Armenian governmental commission on border delimitation with Azerbaijan, praised the efforts and work carried out by Azerbaijani and Kazakh colleagues in that direction.

“I am pleased and I welcome the decision of the President of Azerbaijan to lift the restrictions on cargo transportation to Armenia. This step holds significant importance for the opening of regional connectivity, strengthening mutual trust, and advancing the peace agenda. I highly appreciate the efforts of our partners from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, as well as the work that has been done in this regard”, – Grigoryan stated.

With the support of Azerbaijani scholars, the book ‘Grammar of the Iraqi-Turkmen Language’ has been published for the first time in Iraq’s history.

Initiated and organized by the Eurasian International Development Association (EIDA), based in Azerbaijan, and co-authored by Ph.D on philosophy, associate professor Elnur Mustafayev, head of department at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), and professor Mahmud Khalil Chayirli of Baghdad University, the book was developed through a comparative analysis with the Azerbaijani language. It was published with the partnership of ANAS’s Institute of Oriental Studies and the Baghdad Philosophy Academy.

Although numerous studies, books, and research articles have been written about the Iraqi-Turkmen language and literature in Iraq, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, until now no book had fully covered the grammar of the Iraqi-Turkmen language. Previous efforts only addressed parts of its grammar.

This current research-book analyzes the phonetic, morphological, and syntactic grammatical rules of the Iraqi-Turkmen language in comparison with Azerbaijani grammar, identifies full compatibility, and presents the foundational basis for an independent grammar of the Turkmen language.

According to Elchin Asgarov, the chairman of EIDA’s Board of Directors, ‘This publication is just the first and modest initiative in this direction. Its main goal is to contribute to the preservation of the Turkmen language in Iraqi society, where nearly 4 million Turkmen citizens live, and to support the formation of an academic grammatical foundation and a unified literary language for Iraqi-Turkmen. We hope this step will inspire new initiatives in Iraq’s Turkmen academic circles and lead to more comprehensive books and research. Especially considering that, the Iraqi government also supports local initiatives aimed at preserving the language and culture of the Turkmen people.’

The book has already been published in Azerbaijani and Arabic (including Turkmen language rules written in Arabic script), and presentations are planned in both countries in the near future.

It’s worth noting that for several years now, EIDA has successfully implemented various projects aimed at preserving the identity of Turkmens in Iraq.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made press statements in Astana, Azernews reports.

The Azerbaijani judo team has finished the Guadalajara Grand Prix 2025 with six gold and three bronze medals, Azernews reports.

Balabay Aghayev (60 kg), Ruslan Pashayev (66 kilograms), Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg), Vusal Galanderzade (81 kg), Zelym Kotsoiev (81 kg) and Ushangi Kokauri (+100 kg) rose to the highest step of the podium.

Ahmad Yusifov (60 kg), Rashid Mammadaliyev (73 kg) and Murad Fatiyev (90 kilograms) were awarded bronze medals.

The Azerbaijani national team took first place in the overall medal standings with nine medals.

The Guadalajara Grand Prix 2025 took place in Mexico, bringing together 231 judokas from 33 countries.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art across the country. President of Azerbaijan Judo Federation is Rashad Nabiyev.

The country’s modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.

A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.

However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 73 kg division.

The list of the country’s top judo fighters includes Rustam Orujov, Irina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelym Kotsoiev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat Shikhalizada.

At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, judokas Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) earned gold medals for Azerbaijan.