Category: Azer News

The first ranking tournament of 2026 is underway in the Croatian capital Zagreb.

Azerbaijan is represented by the national women’s wrestling team at the competition, AzerNEWS reports, citing Azertag. Three members of the team took to the mat on the fourth day of the tournament.

Nargiz Samadova (53 kilograms) lost to Polish Roksana Marta Zasyna (0:10) in the qualifying round, and to Japanese Umi Ima (1:13) in the consolation match.

Jala Aliyeva (57 kilograms) ended the fight early, losing to Brazilian Julia Penalbera (4:14) at the start.

Although Zahra Karimzadeh (72 kilograms) lost to Turkiye’s Buse Tosun (0:2) in the quarterfinals, she defeated Japan’s Mahiro Yoshitake 4:1 in the fight for the bronze medal.

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.

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.

South Africa has announced plans to withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement issued late on Saturday.

AzerNEWS reports via TRT World that the decision has been communicated to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and was driven by the need to reallocate and realign the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.

South Africa has been involved in UN peacekeeping operations in the DRC for 27 years and currently has more than 700 soldiers deployed as part of the mission. The UN force, whose mandate was renewed in December, comprised nearly 11,000 troops and police personnel at the time of the extension.

The UN mission is tasked with countering numerous armed groups operating in eastern DRC, a region plagued by decades of conflict and a recent surge in fighting that has heightened regional and international concern.

According to the statement, South Africa will coordinate closely with the United Nations to determine the timeline and practical arrangements for the withdrawal. The process is expected to be completed before the end of 2026.

Despite the drawdown, Pretoria said it would maintain strong bilateral relations with the Congolese government and continue to support multilateral initiatives aimed at achieving long-term stability and peace in the country.

Since the start of its operations, the Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Center has trained more than 380 highly qualified cybersecurity specialists, while over 10,000 individuals have participated in various training programs overall.

As reported by AzerNEWS, Shahin Aliyev, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency, made the remarks while speaking to journalists during the 6th Graduation Day of the Cybersecurity Center.

Aliyev noted that 86 percent of the center’s graduates are currently employed, describing this as a clear indicator of the center’s tangible contribution to the labor market.

‘The center works closely with local higher education institutions, as well as with both the public and private sectors. At the same time, significant steps have been taken toward the development of locally produced cybersecurity solutions, and to date, five domestic products have been introduced to the market,’ he said.

Aliyev also emphasized that plans are in place to roll out cybersecurity awareness and hands-on initiatives across all educational institutions nationwide in the near future.

‘In addition, the Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Center’s model has already attracted international attention. Discussions are currently underway with Kazakhstan and other countries regarding the export of this model,’ he added.

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.

Newly disclosed correspondence from convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein shows his discussions with prominent economist Larry Summers in May 2019 regarding Ukraine and then-presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskyy, AzerNEWS reports.

In the messages, Epstein expressed support for strengthening Ukraine both economically and militarily, saying, ‘It’s high time to help Ukraine. It needs to be strong – economically and militarily.’ Summers responded that European efforts alone were insufficient and highlighted the need for guarantees from the United States, stating, ‘Europe is waiting for us to take the first steps; it needs guarantees that we will arm Ukraine.’

Epstein also offered candid assessments of Zelenskyy, noting his acting background and suggesting that he lacked serious political depth: ‘He’s an actor, right? I don’t think he’s a second Reagan.’ He further described Zelenskyy as a ‘typical Eastern European opportunist’ who promotes Ukrainian pride superficially, warning that it was troubling when such messaging was leveraged for investors.

Summers responded that he had familiarity with Zelenskyy’s financiers, but the discussion underscores Epstein’s engagement with high-level political and economic topics, extending to foreign policy assessments in Eastern Europe.

The documents are part of the latest tranche of over three million files released by the US Department of Justice under the Epstein Transparency Act, which have shed light on the financier’s private interactions with prominent figures in science, finance, and politics. The release does not indicate any wrongdoing on the part of the recipients of Epstein’s communications.

As part of its strategy to counter China, the Pentagon plans to deploy four nuclear submarines to Stirling Base in western Australia, AzerNEWS reports.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the first submarine is expected to arrive at the base in 2027.

It is worth noting that the fourth-generation Virginia-class submarine USS Vermont was stationed at Stirling Base for about four weeks at the end of last year. During this period, American and Australian military personnel conducted various maintenance and readiness exercises on the vessel.

The Australian government has already allocated $8.4 billion to establish a submarine repair and maintenance shipyard in Henderson, near Perth. This facility will allow the US Navy to operate more efficiently near potential conflict zones, including the South China Sea.

The report also notes that the Washington administration is committed to a strategy of further strengthening the AUKUS trilateral military alliance, which includes Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The AUKUS pact was announced in 2021 under the administration of then-President Joe Biden.

Beijing, for its part, has repeatedly criticized the initiative, stating that the real goal of the US strategy in the Pacific and Indian Oceans is to ‘contain China’ and to create an Asia-Pacific version of NATO.

Military analysts point out that the deployment of nuclear submarines in Australia not only enhances deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific but also represents one of the first times the US has planned permanent forward-based nuclear assets so far from the continental United States, signaling a significant shift in global strategic posture.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has dismissed the head of the Nakhchivan City Executive Authority of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azernews reports.

President Ilham Aliyev signed a relevant decree in this regard.

Under the decree, Jabbar Musayev has been relieved of his duties as head of the Nakhchivan City Executive Authority of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Two more matches of the 19th round of the Azerbaijan Premier League will be played on February 9, Azernews reports.

The first match of the day will see Imishli face Kapaz in Guba. The game, scheduled to kick off at 14:30, will be officiated by Farid Hajiyev.

In the standings, Imishli are ninth with 18 points, while the Ganja-based Kapaz sit in 11th place with 12 points.

In the other fixture, Turan Tovuz will host Karvan Yevlakh at the Azersun Arena. The match will begin at 18:30, with Vugar Hasanli appointed as the referee.

Turan Tovuz currently occupy fourth place with 30 points and has one game in hand. Karvan Yevlakh, meanwhile, are bottom of the table in 12th place with six points.

On the opening day of the 19th round, Sabah defeated Araz-Nakhchivan 4-1 at home, while Zira secured a 3-2 away victory over Sumgayit. The round will conclude with two more matches to be played on February 10.

The Azerbaijan Premier League was first organized in 2007 and succeeded the Top Division, which existed from 1992 to 2007. FC Qarabag won the title in the 2022-2023 season for the tenth time.

The 2024-25 Azerbaijan Premier League marks the 33rd season of Azerbaijan’s top-tier football competition.

On April 27, 2025, during the 32nd round of the Premier League, Qarabag FC clinched the title with four matches to spare after a 1-1 draw against Sabah.

This victory made them the champions for the 12th time overall and for the fourth consecutive season.

This season is the final one featuring 10 teams, as the league will expand to 12 teams starting from the 2025-26 season.