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CMU-Q STUDENT WINS GOOGLE SCHOLARSHIP
By Raynald Rivera

Peninsula On-line
ews.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+Ne ws&month=August2009&file=Local_News2009080 522055.xml
Aug 5 2009
Qatar

DOHA: The student of Carnegie Mellon University-Qatar (CMU-Q) who
was declared one of the winners of the prestigious Google Anita Borg
Memorial Scholarship said women have a very important role to play
in the advancement of technology in today’s society.

"I don’t believe that women can do better than men or otherwise but
I think having a diverse group generally makes every team better
because of the different ideas generated that people look for,"
Keghani Kristelle Kouzoujian, who will enter her senior year under
the CMU-Q Computer Science programme, told The Peninsula yesterday.

Founded in 2003, the Google scholarship was designed for women studying
Computer Science in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
who are either Master’s or PhD students or Bachelor’s students about
to step into their final year.

Kouzoujian is the only student from Qatar who was chosen as one of
the 21 winners out of hundreds who applied for the scholarship coming
from 37 universities in 19 countries.

"Having women would bring out a different perspective in any team
working in a project. Both men and women from different backgrounds
can generate a wealth of ideas," she said, adding that at CMU-Q more
women are enrolled in Computer Science which is "quite unusual in a
technical field".

A dean’s lister who traces her roots to Armenia, Kouzoujian said much
of the motivation for her to apply for the scholarship came mostly
from the encouragement of her professors, but she never thought
about winning.

"I did not expect to win, I just did what I was supposed to do
submitting all the requirements especially my proposal which was
about music enhancer," she said.

"Apart from getting the Google scholarship known in the computer
science community, the grant also aims to encourage women and other
minorities to engage in the field of computer science," she observed.

With the belief that technology affects all aspects of life,
Dr. Anita Borg (1949-2003), after whom the scholarship was named,
fought to ensure positive impact of technology to the world and
was responsible for involving women as active participants in the
technological revolution.

"I hope to get another scholarship in Pittsburgh for further studies
and take up Music as minor," Kouzoujian said of her plans after
graduation.

DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STEINBERG TO BE VISITING ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN JULY 10-11

US State News
August 3, 2009 Monday 4:47 PM EST

YEREVAN, Armenia, July 11 — The U.S. Embassy issued the following
press release:

Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg will be visiting Armenia and
Azerbaijan July 10-11. He will underscore the Administration’s support
for the OSCE Minsk Group’s efforts to secure a peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. He will also discuss with officials
in both countries a wide range of bilateral and regional issues

ARMENIAN FM HAD TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH OSCE CHAIR-IN-OFFICE

Panorama.am
18:21 04/08/2009

Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan had a telephone
conversation with Foreign Minister of Greece, the OSCE Chair-in-Office
Dora Bakoyannis, Armenian MFA PR department reports.

According to the source the Armenian and Greek FM-s have discussed
the recent developments in Southern Caucasus region. Mrs. Bakoyannis
expressed support to the efforts contributing to the regional peace
and stability.

MATTHEW BRYZA TO PARTICIPATE IN EUROFURUM DUE IN TSAKHKADZOR

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.08.2009 15:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On August 7, Tsakhkadzor will host a meeting between
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs,
MG OSCE Co-Chair for NKR conflict settlement Matthew Bryza with
Armenian and European students within Euroforum program framework. At
the meeting, the American diplomat will present regional issues and
reply questions of students and media representatives, US Embassy in
Yerevan reported.

EXPLOSIVES EN ROUTE TO HIZBULLAH CAUSED DEADLY IRAN PLANE CRASH
by Yehudah Lev Kay

IsraelNN.com
m/News/News.aspx/132682
Aug 2 2009
Israel

(IsraelNN.com) Explosives en route to the Hizbullah terrorist group
caused a Russian-made plane to crash in Iran two weeks ago, claiming
the lives of 168 people, according to a report in the Italian paper
Corriere Della Sera on Saturday.

The report quoted Middle East sources who said the plane, which took
off from Tehran and was headed for Armenia, was carrying in its luggage
compartment several metal cases with two kilograms of explosives and
detonators destined for the Lebanese terrorist group. The shipment
was meant to have continued by land from Armenia to Turkey, then to
Syria, and finally to Lebanon.

Only 16 minutes after takeoff, the pilot of the Tupolev jet reported
an emergency. Shortly afterwards, the plane crashed near the city of
Qazvin. Eyewitnesses reported hearing explosions in the plane before
it crashed into the ground.

The Italian paper also said that a member of the elite Iranian
Revolutionary Guards was on board the plane to monitor the delivery
of the goods to Hizbullah and that Iranian security forces arrived
at the plane crash site. Iranian authorities have said that they
recovered the plane’s three black boxes but have not yet offered an
explanation for the fatal crash.

The report also said that the explosives were meant to be concealed in
southern Lebanon, but after an explosion in a Hizbullah weapons depot
only a few days before the flight, the terrorist group decided they
would be safer north of the Litani river. Tensions rose in southern
Lebanon between Hizbullah and UNIFIL forces following the July 14th
blast which reportedly destroyed a Hizbullah weapons cache, including
numerous Katushya rockets.

"ARMENIAN CHURCHES OF OLD TIFLIS" BOOK PUBLISHED IN ECHMIADZIN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
03.08.2009 17:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Armenian churches of old Tiflis" book, authored by
Paruyr Muradyan, was published in Echmiadzin. The book is included in
"Historical origins of Armenian church" book series.

The book features 70 unique photos of old Tbilisi’s Armenian churches,
their history and construction sites. The history of cultural and
religious centers is viewed here in the context of Tbilisi’s Armenian
Diaspora establishment, Holy Echmiadzin’s Press Service reported.

The book publication was sponsored by Armen and Nune Sargsyans,
with the blessing of Catholicos of all Armenians,Garegin II

AZERBAIJAN HAS A PROGRAMME FOR RETURNING FORCED MIGRANTS TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH

ticles/10806
Aug 01 2009, 14:00

Azerbaijani officials have drafted a programme aimed to bring forced
resettlers back to their homes in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh,
after the latter is liberated.

"The programme entitled ‘Great Return’ is ready. Its realization
depends on the political situation in the region and settlement of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. We are ready for the process that
will be launched after signing the peace treaty," said Ali Gasanov,
vice-premier of the government of Azerbaijan and chairman of the
State Committee on Refugees and Forced Migrants.

According to Mr Gasanov, the programme has been already coordinated
with international organizations, financial structures and embassies;
the document takes into account the opinions of the country’s
ministries and state committees. The budget of the programme makes
about 60 billion US dollars.

ARMENIAN CYCLISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD CUP

ARMENPRESS
Aug 4, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenian cyclists Suren Petrosyan and
Aram Melikyan left today for Moscow to participate in the World Cup
August 7-15. An official from the Armenian Cycling Federation told
Armenpress the chief coach of the team is Albert Soloyan. Athletes
of about 130 countries will participate in the tournament.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION (IFC) VICE-PRESIDENT JURKI KOSKELO

Gov.am
Aug 2 2009
Armenia

Welcoming the Corporation’s upcoming involvement in Armenia, the
head of government expressed confidence that the projected programs
of cooperation will be a success. The OFC is going to invest into
Armenia’s mortgage market and intends to cooperate with the Government
in the real sector, inclusive of hydropower engineering and renewable
energy, as well as in the financial sector. The IFC was said to have
a successful record of involvement in mining industry, information
technologies and health care.

Tigran Sargsyan assured of our country’s interest in having IFC
experts’ know-how in Armenia and expressed hope that the GoA-IFC
cooperation will be continued on the basis of mutual advantage.

Gurgen Narimanyan: It’s necessary to adapt to new reality
01.08.2009 11:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Economic crisis offers new opportunities for a large
number of companies, Financial director of Star supermarket chain
Gurgen Narimanyan said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
According to Gurgen Narimanyan, the crisis offered new
opportunities. Those who survived the storm can share large
profits. `It’s necessary to adapt to new reality and attract as many
customers as possible, specifically the middle and lower strata of the
population,’ he noted.
Narimanyan forecasted GDP index slump of 16-18% and expressed a hope
worst-case scenario of 20% slump will not come true.
`I think everyone knows that the global financial crisis will have
grave consequences for the economies of all countries. Armenia is not
an exception.
Like in other countries, we can expect real sector damages and
unemployment. It’s premature to speak of progress, because even those
countries which have already reached the bottom of the crisis still
anticipate a second negative wave,’ Narimanyan concluded