Category: 2018

Bluenero: Armenian startup presents the world’s first smart aquarium

Eduard Nalbandian
iTel.am, Armenia
Sept 10 2018

Armenian startup Bluenero introduces the world’s first smart aquarium that makes keeping fish easier and more fun.

Bluenero CEO Vahe Tumanyan has told Itel.am that they started a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, which allows to preorder the aquarium.

The concept

According to Vahe Tumanyan, aquarium industry is growing worldwide.

“We have reimagined the fish tank, giving it a classic, compact design on one hand and making it a smart, modern, all-in-one system on the other. Now people who want to keep fish can take care of them with their smartphone from work or any other place. No more worrying about the cleanliness of water and algae growth in your aquarium,” said Tumanyan.

The special features

Bluenero is designed to fit both saltwater and freshwater fish.

The Bluenero app for the aquarium makes it easier to feed the fish on time and refill the stock once a week, while the premium CREE LED stripe creates favorable conditions for the plants and corals.

The built-in HD camera allows watching the fish even if you are at a significant distance.

The technology

Bluenero’s aquariums are made of stainless steel and high-quality acryl. They also reduce noise level thanks to a special premium filter.

The price and types of product

Bluenero smart aquarium is available in several sizes and prices: USD 199 for 8-gallon tank, USD 399 (16 gal), USD 599 (26 gal) and USD 749 (36 gal).
The startup also sells filter parts, salinity sensors, Bluenero brand tools, etc.

The first orders are expected to be delivered in September 2019.

Narine Daneghyan

PM Pashinyan suggests Russia-based Armenian businessmen to substitute charity logic with jobs

Emil Lazarian
ArmenPress, Armenia
Sept 9 2018

PM Pashinyan suggests Russia-based Armenian businessmen to substitute charity logic with jobs


YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with Russia-based Armenian businessmen on September 8 in Moscow as part of his working visit to Russia.

Prior to starting the discussion over cooperation, the Armenian PM addressed the results of the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Armenian government’s press service said. “Together with the President of Russia we noted that there are no problems in the Armenian-Russian relations, and that an understanding exists over all issues. In addition to a number of other fields, we also discussed issues relating to the further development of economic cooperation. This is a good signal for you also for making new investments in the Armenian economy and initiating projects in various fields,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

During a Q&A with the businessmen the PM presented the Armenian government’s vision for the development of the economy, the anti-corruption actions, protection and encouragement of investments, the work which is underway to improve the business environment, the tax legislation and reforms in the state administration system.

The Prime Minister mentioned light industry, diamond industry, jewelry, tourism and intensive agriculture as priorities for economic development, while the number one priority is the development of the IT sector. “We must work in the direction of transforming Armenia from an agrarian country into a technological country, because this stems from our security,” he said.

Addressing investment guarantees, the PM noted that the protection of both Armenian and foreign investments is guaranteed by the Armenian legislation: “The most important note is the following: any business activity should be carried out within the framework of the law. We must create an atmosphere of cooperation and develop our Fatherland together,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said that the government is conducting discussions over the introduction of new mechanisms for protections of investments , as well as the introductions of a “single-window investment”, aiming at facilitation of the businessmen’s contacts with various circles of the state administration system and to raise the level of dialogue between the state and businesses.

In terms of the tax reforms, the PM said that the government has initiated serious changes aimed at maximal simplification of the taxation system and improvement of the business environment.

The Armenian Prime Minister also discussed the issue of reconsideration of the Armenia-Diaspora ties. “We must replace the charity logic with the logic of jobs,” he said, adding that the goal of the government is to create a climate and conditions for Diaspora-Armenians to invest in Armenia based on the logic of creating new jobs, taking into account their business interests and having profit.

Certain businessmen also presented specific investment program proposals to the Armenian PM. Pashinyan called on the entrepreneurs to submit the proposals to his staff and ministries for further discussions.

Domestic political issues, developments, and the NK conflict settlement were also discussed.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenia, Russia to Carry Out Joint Humanitarian Mission in Syria – Prime Minister

Emil Lazarian 
Sputnik News Service
September 9, 2018 Sunday 12:43 PM UTC
Armenia, Russia to Carry Out Joint Humanitarian Mission in Syria -
Prime Minister
MOSCOW, September 9 (Sputnik) - Armenia and Russia will carry out a
joint humanitarian mission in Syria, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan said on Sunday following his meeting with Russian President
Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
"I can already declare officially that the Republic of Armenia will
carry out a humanitarian mission in Syria, Aleppo, and the main goal
of the mission will be to provide help to Aleppo's Armenian community
and to Syria in general. I am happy that our countries [Armenia and
Russia] have made this joint decision, and the representatives of the
Armenian Defense Ministry's humanitarian mission will act under the
flag of the Republic of Armenia," Pashinyan told reporters.
He expressed hope that other representatives of the international
community would also engage in the Russian-Armenian mission.
"Armenia is especially interested in this issue, as there is an
Armenian community in Syria, and it is especially large in Aleppo. We
consider it important to provide humanitarian aid. In this case, we're
talking about humanitarian mine clearance and health care delivery,"
Pashinyan said.
He pointed out that this would be an exclusively humanitarian mission,
with no military component.
Before the crisis broke out in Syria, the Armenian community was
considered as one of the country's largest diasporas, as it included
around 110,000 people, with most of them living in the province of
Aleppo and in the country's capital of Damascus. However, over 90,000
Armenians have reportedly left Syria since the beginning of the civil
war.
In October 2017, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said that the country
had accepted over 22,000 Syrian citizens since the beginning of the
conflict.

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry criticizes Armenian PM’s statement on Karabakh

Emil Lazarian 
Interfax: Russia & CIS General Newswire
September 9, 2018 Sunday 6:05 PM MSK
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry criticizes Armenian PM's statement on Karabakh
BAKU. Sept 9
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's latest statements are
derailing OSCE Minsk Group mediators' efforts seeking settlement of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani crisis, spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry Khikmet Gajiyev said.
"Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement in Moscow that
Azerbaijan's Nagorno Karabakh Region is supposedly part of Armenia is
disregarding the norms and principles of international law, relevant
UN Security Council resolutions, and is wrecking the negotiating
process being maintained with OSCE Minsk Group's mediation," the
spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.
"The Armenian leadership is intentionally or unknowingly issuing this
kind of statements, which are fuelling the situation, in the capital
of a co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group ahead of a meeting at
the ministerial level in New York involving the mediators. This
statement also coincided in time with the OSCE secretary general's
visit in Azerbaijan scheduled to take place next week," he said.
"I would like to emphasize once again that this sort of statements
hold Armenia and its leadership fully accountable for the possible
escalation of the situation," the spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry said in a statement.
The unrecognized Nagorno Karabakh Republic should become part of
Armenia, Pashinyan said on Saturday.
"As to our plans for the future, I have already said that I am
contemplating Artsakh [the Armenian name of Nagorno Karabakh] as part
of Armenia. This path can include several steps, but our idea about
that is definite. There can be no doubts about that," Pashinyan said
at a meeting with Armenian businesspeople in Moscow on Saturday.
Speaking of possible concessions in Karabakh settlement, the Armenian
prime minister said that this depends on Azerbaijan's willingness to
make concessions.
sb

Sports: Macedonia beat Armenia 2-0

Emil Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
Sept 10 2018
Macedonia beat Armenia 2-0

Macedonia beat Armenia 2-0 in Skopje in the second round of the UEFA Nations League.

Earlier it was reported that the Armenia national football team beat Liechtenstein 2-1 in its first match of Nations League.

Russia, Armenia agreed to consider gas pricing issues – PM of Armenia

Nahapetian Samvel
TASS, Russia
Sept 9 2018
 
 
Russia, Armenia agreed to consider gas pricing issues – PM of Armenia
 
Business & Economy
September 09, 5:12 UTC+3 MOSCOW
 
Fuel is purchased from Gazprom by the subsidiary Gazprom Armenia, which fixes prices inside the country
 
MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. Russia and Armenia agreed to review pricing for supplies of Russian gas, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan told TASS.
 
“Gas is actually supplied from Russia to Armenia at a rather low price. However, the problem is that consumers receive such gas at a dual price. We talked about that with President Putin, there is a need to understand, how this new double price is created,” the prime minister said. “[It is necessary] to review and understand the pricing process and make this mechanism more efficient… to have more beneficial conditions. We agreed with Mr. Putin that we will work together on that,” Pashinyan said.
 
Fuel is purchased from Gazprom by the subsidiary Gazprom Armenia, which fixes prices inside the country.
 
Negotiations on prices for the Russian gas between the two countries will be held in November, Armenia’s energy minister Artur Grigoryan said earlier.
 

Speaker urges ‘educational vaccine’ during genocides exhibit at Henry Madden Library

Emil Lazarian
The Collegian – CSU Fresno
Sept 9 2018
Seth Casey
Sep 08, 2018
 

Fresno State hosted guest speaker Dr. Clint Curle, senior advisor to the president at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, for the opening reception of the Genocides of the 20th Century exhibit on Sept. 6.

Following a reception of appetizers, refreshments and conversation, the evening began with an introduction from Deborah Sinclair, the Memorial De La Shoah museum’s head of touring exhibitions in North America.

Sinclair briefly discussed the origins of the term genocide, and the purpose and importance of learning about and comparing historic atrocities.

“Comparing genocides makes it possible to understand their common elements and differences, leading to a better understanding of the mechanisms of the crimes,” Sinclair said. “That is already the first step to prevention.”

Sinclair then introduced Curle, who also began by stating the importance of the discussion.

“I wish we didn’t have to have this talk,” Curle said. “If we don’t talk about it we basically doom ourselves to the pattern of repetition.”

Curle then gave an overview of the Armenian Genocide, and how the atrocities committed therein were unprecedented in the modern era.

He then explained that at the time of the Armenian Genocide, the term genocide had not yet been created, and how a Polish-Jewish lawyer by the name of Raphael Lemkin later coined the term to describe the massacres during the Jewish Holocaust.

Curle analogized the act of genocide to a disease. He compared Dr. Jonas Salk’s vaccine for polio to the teaching of genocide, stating that by educating youth on the horrors of the past we can eradicate the complicity of populations to future acts of atrocity.

“Think of the exhibit like the one we have here as a vaccination,” Curle said. “Do you think it’s possible to create a lesson plan or to give children an educational experience that helps them develop an inner resistance to the germ of genocide?”

Curle concluded his presentation by fielding questions from the audience, during which he implored the educators in attendance to consider methods by which such an “educational vaccine” could be implemented.

The exhibit, which features pictures and stories of the Armenian Genocide, the Jewish Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide, is located in the Leon S. Peters Ellipse Gallery on the second floor of the Henry Madden Library.

The exhibit was designed, created and distributed by the Memorial De La Shoah, a Holocaust museum in Paris France, and will be on display from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31.

Coordinator of Armenian Studies Program and Director of the Armenian Studies Center Barlow Der Mugrdechian reached out to the Memorial De La Shoah after seeing the exhibit presented at the Armenian Genocide Awareness Week, an annual event at Scottsdale Community College, at which he was a guest speaker, to host the exhibit at Fresno State.

“It’s all about educating people about the tragedy and horror of genocide, about thinking how one can prevent it in the future” Mugrdechian said. “There is so much continued violence in the world. We have to be aware that some of these could lead to genocide if not stopped.”

Sports: UEFA Nations League: Macedonia – Armenia 2:0 (Video)

Emil Lazarian
MacedonianFootball.com
Sept 9 2018
 
 
UEFA Nations League: Macedonia – Armenia 2:0 (Video)
 
Filip Zdraveski
9 Sep 2018
International
 
Macedonia defeated and outplayed its biggest rival for the first place in the Group D and tops the group with two wins from two matches.
 
photo by Filip Zdraveski: view at the game
 
After Thursday’s 2:0 road win over Gibraltar, Macedonia hosted table top rivals Armenia in Skopje in the second round of the UEFA Nations League. Head coach Igor Angelovski changed the formation from 3-4-1-2 from the first match into 4-3-3 making two changes in the starting line-up. Egzon Bejtulai and Elif Elmas started while Boban Nikolov and Aleksandar Trajkovski were benched. Armenian coach fielded both players with Macedonian league experience, attacker Tigran Barseghyan who is still at Vardar and his former teammate back Hovhannes Hambardzumyan who plays as wing back. Surprisingly, the two best players in their first match against Liechtenstein, Pizzeli and Özbiliz, were benched.
 
Macedonia early broke the dead lock from the first attempt of the match. In the 12th minute Pandev won an Italian style penalty against André Calisir as Alioski stepped in and converted it.
 
It was one of the most boring halfs Macedonia has ever participated in. The Armenians were totally incapable of reaching Dimitrievski’s box with Macedonia holding the ball and controlling the game play all the time. Despite having the possession, the Lynx failed to create a chance and after the penalty only one more shot was made. It came in the 42nd minute when Bardhi tried from a long distance free kick, but his great shot was well saved by Airapetyan.
 
Armenia started playing much better after the break. They missed a great occassion in the 50th minute when Ristevski wanted to pass the ball to Dimitrievski but instead served the visiting front line. Luckily, the Armenians reacted clumpsy.
 
Macedonia doubled the lead in the 59th minute when a great action between Elmas, Alioski and Trajkovski ended with the last serving Pandev in the box who scored on first touch.
 
Standing ovation for captain Goran Pandev in the 69th minute as he made space for Nestorovski. He did his job today by winning a penalty and later scoring a goal.
 
Two minutes later Ghazaryan fired a shot from the edge of the box and hit the outside of the left post.
 
Substitute Nikolov could have burried the visitors but his shot from right in the 78th minute went just next to the far post.
 
The Macedonians maintained the lead and at the end celebrated the second consecutive win. After two round Macedonia tops the group with 6 points.
 
In the second game of this round tonight Liechtenstein hosts Gibraltar in Vaduz. For Macedonia, the next encounter will be on 13 October when we will host Liechtenstein, while at the same date Gibraltar will visit Armenia.
 

Azerbaijani press: Hikmat Hajiyev: Pashinyan’s statement – disrespect to UNSC resolutions, undermines negotiation process mediated by OSCE MG Co-Chairs

Tambiyan Samvel
9 September 2018 10:55 (UTC+04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 9

Trend:

Nikol Pashinyan’s statement is utter disrespect to the norms and principles of international law, the United Nations Security Council Resolutions and undermines the negotiation process mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, the head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s press service, Hikmat Hajiyev said in response to Armenian prime minister’s statement in Moscow on Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“The Armenian prime minister’s statement in Moscow that he imagines Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan as part of Armenia is utter disrespect to the norms and principles of international law, the United Nations Security Council Resolutions and undermines the negotiation process mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Thus, Armenia at the level of Prime Minister demonstrates that its real intentions are not the resolution of conflict through negotiations, but continuation of illegal occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories. The Armenian leadership makes this incendiary statement intentionally or unintentionally in the capital of one of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries on the eve of upcoming ministerial-level meeting in New York with the mediation of co-chairs. Furthermore, this statement coincides with the forthcoming visit of the OSCE Secretary General to Azerbaijan next week”, Hajiyev said.

The head of press service stressed that sooner it will be clear whether Armenian leadership is really interested in settlement of conflict through substantive negotiations, ensuring of lasting peace and stability in the region or continuation of two decades long war policy of previous Armenian authorities which consisted of warlords.

“We would like to reiterate that Armenia and its leadership bear all responsibility for escalation of situation with such incendiary statements”, he added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.