Author: Andres-Papazian

Chandigarh Newsline, India
Oct 2 2011

Telling Tales

by Parul Bajaj

Vergine Gulbenkian stitches together stories from around the world and
presents them in her own dramatic style

Her lyrical voice takes you to lands far away, where tall mountains
loom over the sea and castles are hidden inside deep forests. Vergine
Gulbenkian, a storyteller from London, doesn’t just narrate a story,
she emotes with her hands, modulates her voice and throws in snatches
of songs so that, for a listener, imagination and reality converge
into one image. For the last 20 years, Gulbenkian has been involved
with the revival and reinvention of the art of storytelling. The
efforts recently brought her to the British Library for storytelling
sessions in schools and the library.

`A playwright, dramatist, director and storyteller, I play all these
roles at the same time,” says Gulbenkian, who has trained in theatre.
`The audience is hungry for stories, as it gives them a metaphorical
way of thinking,’ she adds. Gulbenkian fills her cornucopia of stories
from myths, epics and tales from across the world. `I try and
understand how stories travel and change, and I cook them to share
with listeners,’ she says.

Her family came from Armenia, and she grew up listening to `some
amazing Armenian stories, which I edit and rework,” says Gulbenkian.
She likes to work with stories that have a big frame, can be
interconnected, have meaning and are easily digested. `I make a map,
trace the passage of the story and before I choose it, I ask myself,
why should I share it,” she adds. Some of Gulbenkian’s favourites are
Armenian folk tales, the Arabian Nights, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata
and the Mesopotamian myths.

Her story sharing is not restricted to schools and children’s clubs,
but designed for museums, studio theatres and art festivals. `Stories
bring to life both backgrounds and concepts and we need to understand
that it’s the narrative form that human beings understand the most,”
says Gulbenkian, adding that London has as many as 70 storytelling
clubs. A storyteller needs few props – `a musical instrument and a
percussionist are enough,’ she smiles.

From: A. Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
Oct 2 2011

Armenian boxers attacked with stones in Baku: Gabrielyan confirms

In Baku-hosted World Boxing Championship the members of Armenian team
have been attacked. The news spread by the Azerbaijani mass media, has
been soon confirmed to Panorama.am by the head of Armenian delegation
to Baku Derenik Gabrielyan.

According to Azerbaijani qafqazinfo.az when an Armenian boxer took the
ring, a group of activists from `liberation of Karabakh’ organization
attacked the Armenian boxers throwing stones against them.

The Azeri threatened Armenians to leave Baku. The bouts were soon
stopped and the Armenian boxer and team of jury left the gym.

`Everything is fine, our boxers haven’t been injured, but are pressed
by the Azerbaijani side,’ said Mister Gabrielyan.

From: A. Papazian

Rediff , India
NDTV.com, India
Oct 2 2011

Anand held by Aronian in Bilbao Final Masters

October 02, 2011 15:13 IST

World Champion Viswanathan Anand [ Images ] has slipped to joint third
spot after he was held to a draw by Levon Aronian of Armenia at the
half way stage of the fourth Bilbao Final Masters.

Anand’s third white in the tournament went in vain for the third time
on the trot, as the Indian ace could not use it to his advantage.

The Indian’s sole victory in the event had come in the previous round
when he beat Francisco Vallejo Pons of Spain.

World number one Magnus Carlsen [ Images ] of Norwaay rose back in
contention for top honours with a finely crafted victory over
tournament leader Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine.

In the other game of the day, American Hikaru Nakamura scored his
first win at the expense of Vallejo Pons.

With the Brazilian ending after the fifth round, the focus will now
shift to Bilbao in Spain where the event will continue after a
four-day break.

Despite his first loss, Vassily Ivanchuk still leads on 10 points in
the soccer-like scoring system in place.

Nakamura, who won his first game after four draws, occupies the second
spot on seven points, while Anand, Aronian and Carlsen stand joint
third now with six points each.

Pons is at the bottom on three points and one only wonders what his
score might have looked like in this category-22 super tournament had
Carlsen not blundered against him in a won position.

Anand tried and got some advantage with his white pieces in the Closed
Ruy Lopez against Aronian. The middle game surfaced with Anand pushing
for more on the queen side and Aronian had no option but to go for the
central breakthrough.

After regulation exchanges the players arrived at a rook and pawns
endgame where Aronian had an extra pawn, which was not much of use.
The game was agreed drawn after 41 moves.

Carlsen played imaginatively to score over Ivanchuk who was sitting pretty.

From: A. Papazian

Lowell Sun (Massachusetts)
October 2, 2011 Sunday

Armenian-American vets hand out $7,000 in scholarships to 7 local students

LOWELL — Since 1990, members of the Sam Manoian Post,
Armenian-American Veterans, have done more than march in parades,
conduct graveside services and donate Easter baskets to children.

They have contributed to the educational welfare of Merrimack Valley
and beyond — to the tune of $150,000.

This year’s distribution of $7,000 in scholarships was divided among
seven students, including one in Armenia and another in Providence,
R.I.

More than 200 guests turned out to applaud the recipients during a
recent dinner-dance at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Chelmsford. As
protocol had it, each student expressed words of gratitude upon their
presentation.

Over the past 21 years, 136 Armenian high-school graduates have
received scholarships — and the buck doesn’t stop here.

“It’s a tradition we hope to continue for a lifetime,” Commander Aram
Jeknavorian said. “The future of our younger generation is something
we take seriously. Anything we can do to enhance that goal will be
encouraged. Many of these recipients have graduated college, started
careers and showed their gratitude by contributing to the fund. The
moral responsibilities they’ve exercised are exemplary.”

This year’s recipients are: Aghavny Bebirian (Pelham); Katie Berberian
(Merrimack, N.H.); Sam Boghigian (Nashua); Nicole Gaspari
(Chelmsford); John Kalajian (Providence, R.I.); Jason Keshian (North
Andover); and Lilit Solomonyan (Armenia).

The father of the student from Armenia operates a car-import business
and makes repeated trips to the Merrimack Valley for business. He
signed on as an associate member of the post and lends his support
wherever possible. An older sibling, Astghik Solomonyan, received a
scholarship previously.

From: A. Papazian

Iran, Turkey allies but Iran dominates

Aysor.am
Saturday,October 01

`Nothing can be changed in the Near East without Iran, and believe me
that the intelligence bodies of Iran work more productively than that
of any other country in our region, in the Near East and in some
European countries, etc.,’ Sergey Shakaryants said today.

He mentioned that Turkey and Israel now are busy with tactical and
political maneuvers as these two countries stage a performance for the
Muslim world.

`Turkey and Israel are still allies,’ S. Shakaryants mentioned.

Iran is not Turkey he says: Iran can use any Turk for its own
interests and throw him away.

S. Shakaryants has noticed that the Turks and Jews have fear as the
demographic conditions change, the Shiite community grows in any Arab
country, strengthens and gets the support of Iran.

He mentioned that the Allowies of Syria have no other allies in the
region except Iran that’s why they expect to get support in Tehran,
and Iran supports them with pleasure.

S. Shakaryants stressed that Iran is used to reach its goals by the
hands of the peoples that surround it.

He also said that Iran can use also a part of Azerbaijan, and they
will do that when some part of Azerbaijan will start expressing
Tehran’s opinion.

S. Shakaryants added that Iran now has several priorities, which are:
the Arabic world, Afghanistan, Caucasus and Kurdistan as a policy of
pressing on Turkey and another important country which is the USA.

From: A. Papazian

Police Investigation Fails to Uncover Logging Violations

Larisa Paremuzyan

hetq
13:13, September 30, 2011

Lori Regional Prosecutor Karen Shahbazyan directed units of the
Tumanyan police to conduct an investigation regarding illegal logging
after Hetq first broke the story on August 2 (Who’s Behind Large-Scale
Logging in Jiliza?).

An investigative team was duly organized and Lieutenant Colonel Ashot
Titanyan was appointed to head it.

The team later filed a report stating that there was no need to launch
a criminal case.

But the report filed is full of holes. Not only was the team unaware
that it is prohibited to transport lumber for fuel from the forest
without a permit, it seems their investigation merely included a visit
to the Jiliza and Dsegh forest wardens’ offices where they were given
copies of said permits.

In the original August 2 Hetq article, we reported that the men
cutting down trees failed to provide any identification or papers.

`We are private contractors and can’t say anything more,’ they told
Hetq reporters at the time.

Another bunch of loggers a bit further up the road told Hetq reporters
that they were out picking raspberries. The fact that we spotted newly
cut trees alongside the road and in the back of their truck made us
more than suspicious. We even spotted the portable electric tree saw
they were using.

This group also couldn’t produce any permits.

Hetq also reported that no one from the forestry office was anywhere
to be seen while all this was taken place. These guys were logging the
forest without a care in the world.

At the time, Jiliza Forestry Service Director Aram Baroyan stated that
`the hapless warden, just a young guy, ran off after spotting the
reporters.’

Tom Matevosyan, the Chief Forestry Warden for the Lorout District,
told Hetq and other reporters that the required transportation permits
were back at the Dsegh Office and suggested that we go and take a
look.

When we agreed, Matevosyan withdrew the offer.

In its draft report, the police investigative team noted that
`sanitary pruning and general maintenance’ was being carried out in
Jiliza and Dsegh as directed by the Director of the ArmForest State
Agency.

The report fails to explain what relevance the sanitary pruning
ordered by ArmForest has with the transportation of lumber without
proper permits.

It seems to us that Lieutenant Colonel Ashot Titanyan based his report
solely on testimony given by the forestry wardens and officials
responsible for the infractions in the first place.

From: A. Papazian

New York Times
Sept 26 2011

Scuffle at the United Nations Ends in an Apology to Turks

By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
Published: September 26, 2011

Resurgent Turkey has become a Middle East story to watch, and just how
perilous standing in its way can be became abundantly clear to a few
somewhat hapless United Nations security guards during the annual
General Assembly meeting of world leaders.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was apparently pushed by a United
Nations guard while demanding to enter the General Assembly hall
through the wrong entrance on Friday, according to diplomats and
United Nations officials. An ensuing melee sent one guard to the
hospital and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon scurrying over to the
Turkish mission to apologize, they said.

Details of the incident remain murky, despite Mr. Ban’s often declared
commitment to `transparency.’ The United Nations’ spokesman, Martin
Nesirky, refused to clarify what happened beyond saying the
`unfortunate misunderstanding’ had been `satisfactorily resolved.’ The
Turks made no official comment.

But some particulars have emerged from diplomats and at least one
United Nations official who overheard the altercation.

Mr. Erdogan was having a tête-à-tête with President Jalal Talabani of
Iraq on the obscure fourth floor of the General Assembly hall – tiny
meeting spaces have been tucked into every nook and cranny because the
Secretariat Building is gutted for renovations.

Learning that the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, was making his
address demanding full United Nations membership for a state of
Palestine, Mr. Erdogan, a big fan, rushed to the nearest entrance to
take Turkey’s seat on the main floor.

But the fourth floor is actually the visitors’ gallery, with no access
to the main floor, and it was packed. So a United Nations security
guard refused to let the Turkish leader pass. When Mr. Erdogan pressed
forward, the guard pushed him (by most accounts), and then a fracas
erupted that was audible four flours below.

One United Nations guard was taken to the hospital with a rib injury,
and there were reports of bloodstains on the floor, although that
could not be confirmed.

Eventually, after senior United Nations officials rushed over to calm
the situation, Mr. Erdogan was directed to the proper entrance.

But by then the gauntlet had been thrown down, and minor scuffles
erupted wherever he went with his entourage around the United Nations.
(There had apparently been some grousing already about the number of
black limousines in the prime minister’s entourage.)

Mr. Erdogan demanded an apology. Mr. Ban hurried over to the mission
to deliver one, and for good measure was said to have suspended around
half a dozen security guards.

What was clear, as one Western diplomat put it, was that `The Turks
were literally throwing their weight around.’

From: A. Papazian

Russia’s Finance Minister Kudrin resigns after row

23:55 – 26.09.11

Alexei Kudrin resigned on Monday as Russia’s finance minister and
deputy prime minister after a dispute with President Dmitry Medvedev,
the RIA Novosti reported.

The president has already signed Kudrin’s resignation request, the
presidential spokeswoman said.

Medvedev told Kudrin earlier in the day that he should resign after
Kudrin said he would decline a job in a future Russian government that
Medvedev is likely to head.

Kudrin cited disagreements with the president on economic policies, in
particular, on considerable defense expenditures, as the reason.

President Medvedev said on Saturday at a United Russia party congress
that he believed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin should stand in March
presidential elections.

Medvedev will head United Russia’s ticket at December’s polls and is
likely to be named prime minister in the event of Putin’s return to
the Kremlin.

Kudrin, 50, has served as finance minister since 2000, during which
time the Russian government has paid off most of its substantial
foreign debt and created oil wealth funds to soften the blow of the
global slump.

Kudrin said earlier in the day that before making a decision on
whether to resign, he would consult with Putin.

“You may consult with anyone, including the prime minister,” Medvedev
replied, “but I am still the president and such decisions are taken by
me.”

He ordered Kudrin to make a decision on his resignation “today,”
adding: “Nobody has revoked discipline and subordination in the
government.”

Analysts said that Kudrin’s possible resignation could see a negative
response from investors, who see him as a guarantor of the country’s
financial stability.

Some experts have also suggested that Kudrin’s resignation will weaken
Russia’s fiscal policies.

“Kudrin has always been a staunch supporter of conservative fiscal
policies,” Sergei Karykhalin, an analyst on macroeconomic policies at
TKB Capital investment firm, said.

“He pioneered the Stabilization Fund and his departure from the
government could lead to a more risky fiscal policy if his successor
is less cautious and plays less independent role in decision-making.”

Mikhail Zadornov, who served as Russia’s finance minister in
1997-1999, described Kudrin’s resignation as very “regretful” and
“untimely.”

“Kudrin was one of the most professional people in the government,” he
said. “The country will be left without its finance minister at a time
when the world is facing an [economic] crisis, and half a year before
presidential elections. This is unlikely to please anyone.”

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Police urges ANC supporters to remove tents from Liberty Square

October 2, 2011 – 17:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian police issued a statement regarding
Armenian opposition’s round-the-clock protest actions at Yerevan’s
Liberty Square.

`Though illegal, according to art 2.32 of the Armenian Law, the
rallies may continue, if peaceful in nature or unless public order is
violated.’

`However, breach of order was reported, with tents put up next to
cultural monuments. We urge rally participants to remove the tents,’
the statement said, notifying that in case of further violations the
Police is entitled to take relevant measures, including dispersal.

At Sept 30 rally, Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc
leader Levon Ter-Petrossian announced 7-day-long round-the-clock
protest actions. `Whether to continue actions will be decided in a
week,’ ANC leader noted.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian boxer Andranik Hakobyan beats Victor Kotuianich in Baku

16:00 – 02.10.11

Armenian boxer Andranik Hakobyan (75kg) has beaten Victor Kotuianich
from Moldova at the 1/32 final at the World Boxing Championship 2011
held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

According to the Armenian sports news website Armsport.am, Hakobyan
won over his rival at 17:10 score.

Another Armenian boxer, Vladimir Sarukhanyan (60kg), lost to Jose
Ramires from US at 22:12 score at the 1/32 final.

Sarukhanyan was the fourth Armenian boxer to lose in this championship so far.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian