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Arab News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Armenian prime minister set for ‘historic' Turkiye visit
ISTANBUL: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is set to make a rare visit to arch-foe Turkiye on Friday, in what Yerevan has described as a 'historic' step toward regional peace. Armenia and Turkiye have never established formal diplomatic ties, and their shared border has been closed since the 1990s. Relations are strained over the World War I-era mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire — atrocities Yerevan says amount to genocide. Turkiye rejects the label. Ankara has also backed its close ally, Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan, in its long-running conflict with Armenia. Pashinyan is visiting Turkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Armenian parliament speaker Alen Simonyan told reporters. 'This is a historic visit, as it will be the first time a head of the Republic of Armenia visits Turkiye at this level. All regional issues will be discussed,' he said. 'The risks of war (with Azerbaijan) are currently minimal, and we must work to neutralize them. Pashinyan's visit to Turkiye is a step in that direction.' An Armenian foreign ministry official told AFP the two leaders will discuss efforts to sign a comprehensive peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the regional fallout from the Iran-Israel conflict. On Thursday — a day before Pashinyan's visit — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev traveled to Turkiye for talks with Erdogan and praised Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance as 'a significant factor not only regionally but also globally.' Erdogan repeated his backing for 'the establishment of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.' Baku and Yerevan agreed on the text of a peace deal in March, but Baku has since outlined a host of demands — including changes to Armenia's constitution — before it will sign the document. Pashinyan has actively sought to normalize relations with both Baku and Ankara. Earlier this year, he announced Armenia would halt its campaign for international recognition of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as genocide — a major concession to Turkiye that sparked widespread criticism at home. Pashinyan has visited Turkiye only once before, for Erdogan's inauguration in 2023. At the time he was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate the Turkish president on his re-election. Ankara and Yerevan appointed special envoys in late 2021 to lead a normalization process, a year after Armenia's defeat in a war with Azerbaijan over then-disputed Karabakh region. In 2022, Turkiye and Armenia resumed commercial flights after a two-year pause. A previous attempt to normalize relations — a 2009 accord to open the border — was never ratified by Armenia and was abandoned in 2018.
Business Recorder
13-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
ECC rejects MTT-WOP over flawed financial assumptions
ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has refused to approve Machike-Thallian-Tarrujabba White Oil Pipeline (MTT-WOP) in its present form, expressing concern over the fact that any tariff based on debatable financial assumptions could ultimately impact the consumers adversely in the form of higher tariffs, sources close to Petroleum Minister told Business Recorder. Recently, the Petroleum Division briefed the ECC that during the visit of Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan to Pakistan on 11-13th July, 2024, Pakistan side presented several projects to Azerbaijan for investment including establishment of Joint Trading Company, investment in Petrochemical Refinery, upgradation of PRL, underground gas storage, Machike-Thallian-Tarru-jabba White Oil Pipeline (MTT- WOP) etc. The Azerbaijan side showed interest in these projects. Much progress has been made since then. On December 9, 2024, SAPM on Foreign Affairs stressed upon the need to address all outstanding issues with Azerbaijan and underscored that preparations be made for the visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Azerbaijan which was scheduled in February 2025, with one of the project listed in the said letter was the MTT- WOP. MoU signed on consortium formation for White Oil Pipeline project In line with the urgency of the subject matter, technical team from Frontiers Works Organization (FWO) visited Baku from 23rd to 27th December, 2024 and carried out in-person meetings with their SOCAR counterparts to progress on the White Oil Pipeline Project. As the follow up, the Prime Minister deputed a high level delegation under the leadership of Minister for Communication/ Privatization who visited Baku on January 31, 2025. During a meeting of the Minister with the President of SOCAR, SOCAR put across the condition of 'Ship or Pay' for investment in the project. Subsequently, the project was also discussed during the visit of the Prime Minister to Azerbaijan on 23rd to 24th February 2025. In light of interactions and consultations, FWO and PSO (joint consortium partners) through their project company Frontier Oil Company-I (FOC-I) and in consultation with all stakeholders have developed an alternate option of 'Ship or Pay' to address the concerns of SOCAR. According to the agreed mechanism, OGRA will design a regulatory framework to ensure optimal utilization of pipeline by declaring it a default mode of transportation. Accordingly, FOC-1 submitted a revised tariff petition to OGRA for Machike to Thallian section of White Oil Pipeline which has been acceded to by OGRA whereas work on tariff petition for Thallian to Tarrujabba section was in progress. The Petroleum Division further briefed the forum that OGRA had requested Petroleum Division to obtain necessary approval from ECC on the following key terms and conditions, which were submitted by FWO and have been agreed between stakeholders for the said project and provisional tariff has been approved based on the said terms. The ECC being the competent authority was requested to approve the following regulatory framework/ policy guidelines proposed by OGRA for Machike- Thallian section, which would also be applicable for Thallian to Tarrujabba Section: (i) tariff shall be US dollar based instead of Rupee based. OGRA has already determined the provisional tariff in US dollar;(ii) a regulatory framework shall be developed by OGRA to ensure optimal utilization of pipeline by declaring it a default mode of transportation;(iii) OGRA may be authorized to develop a commercial framework which will require OMCs to commit minimum annual pipeline volumes ;(iv) if committed volumes thresholds will not be met, the shortfall will be covered/ adjusted by OGRA through existing IFEM of each OMC ; and (v) if the committed volumes for the year are below the minimum volumes required, the shortfall will be met through IFEM mechanism of the country. OGRA may be authorized to develop mechanism for enabling above provision. During the ensuing discussion the ECC deliberated upon the issue in detail and noted that though the project is of vital importance in the overall context of the economy and needs to be initiated at the earliest, however, the dollarized tariff that is being sought for the project is a significant area of concern given the fact that Government is trying to discourage payment of tariff in foreign exchange with fiscal constraints being faced. The ECC also noted that instead of calculating the Internal Rate of Return for the project on the basis of existing relevant regulations of OGRA, the same has been calculated on assumptions that require further clarity. It was also observed that though foreign investment was welcome, which is only 25% of the total cost and rest was the local component but dollarized tariff was recommended for local partners as well, which was not tenable. The ECC also took into consideration the observations raised by the Finance Division and Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Division and found that the proposal needs to be resubmitted after due deliberations and calculations in the presence of Ministers of Petroleum and PD&SI. The ECC expressed concern over the fact that any tariff based on debatable financial assumptions could ultimately impact the consumers adversely in the form of higher tariffs. After detailed discussion, the ECC did not approve the proposal with the directions that a committee Co-Chaired by the Secretary Finance and Secretary Petroleum and including representatives from OGRA and Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives review and finalize the financial modalities of the project and ensure that the proposed tariff has been calculated correctly on the basis of realistic financial assumptions. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Ahmedabad plane crash: World's worst air crashes in recent years
Many people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. Below are details of other fatal crashes in recent years. UNITED STATES More than 60 people were killed when an American Airlines regional passenger jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 and crashed into the frigid Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. SOUTH KOREA Jeju Air international flight 7C2216 crashed at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29, 2024, killing all 175 passengers and four of the six crew in the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil. KAZAKHSTAN Azerbaijan Airlines international flight J2-8243, an Embraer E190, crashed on December 25 after being diverted from Russia to Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said in December the plane had been damaged by accidental shooting from the ground in Russia. Moscow has not confirmed this. JAPAN A Japan Airlines (JAL) plane collided with a smaller Coast Guard aircraft on the runway of Tokyo's Haneda airport on January 2. All 379 people aboard the JAL plane, an Airbus A350-941 flight, escaped the burning airliner. Five of six crew on the smaller aircraft were killed. CHINA A China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed into a mountainous region in the southwestern Guangxi region on March 21, 2022, killing all 132 people on board, in China's deadliest aviation disaster in 28 years. IRAN Iran's Revolutionary Guards shot down a Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Boeing 737-800 on Jan. 8, 2020 shortly after it took off from Tehran Airport, killing all 176 people on board. Iran's civil aviation body blamed a misaligned radar and an error by an air defence operator. ETHIOPIA A Boeing 737-MAX 8 Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed on March 19, 2019 minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa for Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board. Soon after, the Boeing 737 MAX global fleet was grounded over safety concerns. INDONESIA A Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air plane crashed into the Java Sea soon after taking off from Jakarta on October 29, 2018, killing all 189 people on board. MALAYSIA Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, and was shot down over eastern Ukraine as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. All 298 passengers on board were killed. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went missing on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. The remains of the Boeing 777 and the 239 people have not been found.
Business Recorder
12-06-2025
- General
- Business Recorder
The world's worst air crashes in recent years
LONDON: At least 100 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, with the toll expected to climb, authorities said. Below are some of the fatal crashes that have occurred in recent years. More than 100 killed as Air India plane with 242 on board crashes near Ahmedabad 2025 UNITED STATES More than 60 people were killed when an American Airlines regional passenger jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 and crashed into the frigid Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. 2024 SOUTH KOREA Jeju Air international flight 7C2216 crashed at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29, 2024, killing all 175 passengers and four of the six crew in the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil. KAZAKHSTAN Azerbaijan Airlines international flight J2-8243, an Embraer E190, crashed on December 25 after being diverted from Russia to Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said in December the plane had been damaged by accidental shooting from the ground in Russia. Moscow has not confirmed this. JAPAN A Japan Airlines (JAL) plane collided with a smaller Coast Guard aircraft on the runway of Tokyo's Haneda airport on January 2. All 379 people aboard the JAL plane, an Airbus A350-941 flight, escaped the burning airliner. Five of six crew on the smaller aircraft were killed. 2022 CHINA A China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed into a mountainous region in the southwestern Guangxi region on March 21, 2022, killing all 132 people on board, in China's deadliest aviation disaster in 28 years. 2020 IRAN Iran's Revolutionary Guards shot down a Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Boeing 737-800 on Jan. 8, 2020 shortly after it took off from Tehran Airport, killing all 176 people on board. Iran's civil aviation body blamed a misaligned radar and an error by an air defence operator. 2019 ETHIOPIA A Boeing 737-MAX 8 Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed on March 19, 2019 minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa for Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board. Soon after, the Boeing 737 MAX global fleet was grounded over safety concerns. 2018 INDONESIA A Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air plane crashed into the Java Sea soon after taking off from Jakarta on October 29, 2018, killing all 189 people on board. 2014 MALAYSIA Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, and was shot down over eastern Ukraine as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. All 298 passengers on board were killed. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went missing on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. The remains of the Boeing 777 and the 239 people have not been found.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Factbox-The world's worst air crashes in recent years
LONDON (Reuters) -At least 30 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, with the toll expected to climb, authorities said. Below are some of the fatal crashes that have occurred in recent years. 2025 UNITED STATES More than 60 people were killed when an American Airlines regional passenger jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 and crashed into the frigid Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. 2024 SOUTH KOREA Jeju Air international flight 7C2216 crashed at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29, 2024, killing all 175 passengers and four of the six crew in the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil. KAZAKHSTAN Azerbaijan Airlines international flight J2-8243, an Embraer E190, crashed on December 25 after being diverted from Russia to Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said in December the plane had been damaged by accidental shooting from the ground in Russia. Moscow has not confirmed this. JAPAN A Japan Airlines (JAL) plane collided with a smaller Coast Guard aircraft on the runway of Tokyo's Haneda airport on January 2. All 379 people aboard the JAL plane, an Airbus A350-941 flight, escaped the burning airliner. Five of six crew on the smaller aircraft were killed. 2022 CHINA A China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed into a mountainous region in the southwestern Guangxi region on March 21, 2022, killing all 132 people on board, in China's deadliest aviation disaster in 28 years. 2020 IRAN Iran's Revolutionary Guards shot down a Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Boeing 737-800 on Jan. 8, 2020 shortly after it took off from Tehran Airport, killing all 176 people on board. Iran's civil aviation body blamed a misaligned radar and an error by an air defence operator. 2019 ETHIOPIA A Boeing 737-MAX 8 Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed on March 19, 2019 minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa for Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board. Soon after, the Boeing 737 MAX global fleet was grounded over safety concerns. 2018 INDONESIA A Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air plane crashed into the Java Sea soon after taking off from Jakarta on October 29, 2018, killing all 189 people on board. 2014 MALAYSIA Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, and was shot down over eastern Ukraine as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. All 298 passengers on board were killed. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 went missing on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. The remains of the Boeing 777 and the 239 people have not been found. (Compiled by Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
