Day: October 8, 2021

Europe’s gas crunch is self-inflicted inasmuch as European Union member states failed to secure a source of natural gas at a time when demand from recovering economies exceeded supply, Juergen Nowicki, the CEO of global industrial gases and engineering company Linde Engineering, told Sputnik on Thursday, APA reports.

“I would say Russia hasn’t done anything wrong and Europe is in a self-made problem now. Also, I think it is a temporary problem and it will go away. Competition and competitive prices are good for business and we like a good competition,” Nowicki said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum.

Russia has denied accusations of limiting gas supplies to Europe in order to force Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany, which still needs to be approved by EU regulators. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that Russia is delivering on its contractual obligations.

“The demand is higher than supply. This is the reason. I think Russia is delivering what it promised but this is currently not enough. Could Russia deliver more? I don’t know but we also have to keep in mind commercial thinking,” Nowicki said.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

A former Taliban commander already in U.S. custody has been charged with murder and terrorism-related offenses in the deaths of three U.S. troops and an Afghan interpreter and the downing of a U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan in 2008, federal prosecutors in New York said on Thursday, APA reports citing Reuters.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan said Haji Najibullah was charged in a 13-count indictment that was unsealed in federal court. He was previously charged in the 2008 kidnapping of an American journalist and the new indictment supersedes the earlier one and includes charges related to that incident, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Najibullah served at the time as a Taliban commander in Afghanistan’s Wardak Province bordering the capital Kabul.

He was charged in connection with an attack by Taliban fighters under his command on a U.S. military convoy with automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades and other explosives, prosecutors said. The attack killed U.S. Army Sergeants First Class Matthew Hilton and Joseph McKay, Sergeant Mark Palmateer and their Afghan interpreter, they said.

Najibullah also was charged in connection with an attack by fighters under his command using rocket-propelled grenades that brought down a U.S. military helicopter, prosecutors said. They said no troops died in the attack.

A statement from prosecutors said Najibullah was charged with murdering U.S. nationals, providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, hostage-taking, kidnapping and other charges. The statement said the charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The indictment did not name the journalist, but a law enforcement official familiar with the matter told Reuters after the previous indictment that the case involved David Rohde, a former New York Times and Reuters correspondent who was kidnapped by the Taliban in 2008. Rohde, a Pulitzer Prize winner who is now with the New Yorker, escaped in June 2009.

Najibullah pleaded not guilty last November in Manhattan federal court after the previous indictment. Najibullah was arrested and was moved to the United States from Ukraine. Prosecutors said he remains in federal custody.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI approved the lineup of the new government formed following the legislative elections on Sept. 8, APA reports citing Xinhua.

At the Royal Palace in the central city of Fes, the king received new Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, also president of the National Rally of Independents Party (RNI), and approved the list of his 24-member cabinet.

The ministries were divided among the three partnering parties in the coalition government, including the liberal RNI, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), and the conservative Istiqlal (Independence Party).

Five ministers retain their positions in the new government, namely Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq, Secretary General of the government Mohamed Hajoui, and the minister in charge of the National Defense Administration, Abdellatif Loudiyi.

Seven women take important positions in the new cabinet, including Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah Alaoui, and Minister of Planning, Housing and Urban Policy Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, who was the former mayor of Marrakech.

Abdellatif Ouahbi, president of the PAM, was appointed as the minister of justice, while Nizar Baraka, head of Istiqlal, was named the minister of equipment and water.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

Two minors have been rescued under the rubble of the collapsed residential building in Batumi, APA reports.

Part of a 5-story block of flats collapsed on 26 May Street in Batumi, injuring several people, APA reports citing Interpressnews.

Special equipment is mobilized on the spot.

Rescue and ambulance crews are working on the spot.

Law enforcers cordoned off the area.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

From September 29, visual education has been resumed in all educational institutions, as well as universities.

Currently, in pandemic conditions, Azerbaijan’s borders are open with 42 countries. In connection with the situation, there are students who entered Azerbaijani universities, from the countries that borders are not open.

The Ministry of Education said in response to APA’s inquiry on the issue that persons who have an active temporary residence permit and foreign citizens from 42 countries can attend visual education because they can enter the country. The list of foreign students that are not included in that category has been obtained from universities and a petition has been submitted accordingly.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency