Author: Andres-Papazian

“GOLDEN AUTUMN” PIANIST ARZOOMANIAN DIES AT 56 TEHRAN TIMES ART DESK

Tehran Times

June 2 2010
Iran

TEHRAN — “Golden Autumn” pianist Andrea Arzoomanian died on Monday
following a long battle with cancer. He was 56.

Arzoomanian, who was suffering from a rare form of cancer in his back,
died in Tehran’s Milad Hospital after lengthy period of treatment. He
underwent surgery three times after which he lost his ability to walk,
causing much grief for the artist.

He had plans to accomplish two large projects this year; to collaborate
with the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, and a joint project
with Iranian-Armenian composer Loris Tjeknavorian both of which were
left undone.

Andrea was born in 1954 in Tehran. He is remembered for the music hit
“Golden Autumn” composed by Fariborz Lachini, and music for the films
“From Karkheh to Rhine” and “The Scent of Joseph’s Shirt” by Ebrahim
Hatamikia.

Playing in the Symphony of Sacrifice composed by Majid Entezami for
the great anniversary of the liberation of Khorramshahr is also among
his other credits.

He had composed music for several films including “Razor and Silk”
by Masud Kimiaii, and “Fish” by Kambuzia Partovi.

“His sweet performance added delicacy to his music,” said musician
Entezami expressing a great sigh upon hearing of the death of the
pianist.

“This is a great loss and it is a pity that no individual like him
will appear on stage again,” pianist Saman Ehteshami lamented, “He was
such a magnificent man with his individual style of performance. His
piano artistry was easily recognizable in every song.”

From: A. Papazian

V. HOVHANNISYAN: THE PRESSURES HAVE GOT STRONGER

Aysor
June 1 2010
Armenia

“The pressures on the authorities in the Nagorno Karabakh issue,
normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations, even development of
democracy have got rather stronger. Why?,” RA MP, NA ARFD faction
head Vahan Hovhannisyan addressed a press conference today adding:
“Analysts link it with ongoing foreign processes while they avoid
looking inside Armenia.”

V. Hovhannisyan explains strengthening of foreign pressures by a number
of factors: the RA authorities have repeatedly proved that “they are
ready for making concessions, which can be even at the expense of our
national interests,” the government and ruling political parties “pass”
any decision at the National Assembly, be it refused by society or not.

“We can have a strong position on the international area only if we
have a strong back, if we have society that believes the authorities.

We do not have such kind of society today, and it is also noticeable
abroad,” V. Hovhannisyan declared.

According to the MP, to resist foreign pressures Armenia should
withdraw its signature from the Armenian-Turkish protocols in order
to start that process from zero, the authorities should understand
that opposition’s voice should be listened to, and “our back will be
weak and the blows stronger” until justice and everybody’s equality
before the law are established in our country.

V. Hovhannisyan also expressed an opinion that Azerbaijan and Turkey
make up a “dossier” against Armenia, with Hatkinson’s Terry Davis’
reports, various speeches, resolutions or fragments from resolutions
of OSCE, NATO PA “fastened.”

“It is a very hard document. For the present, the dossier only fixes a
quantitative accumulation, which will get qualitative at some moment,
and when it gets larger and contains weighty documents, it will be
a basis to recognize Armenia as aggressor at various instances,” V.

Hovhannisyan noted.

From: A. Papazian

ORKIAN: ‘BGT IS TOUGH GIG FOR COMEDIANS’
By Alex Fletcher, Reality TV Editor

Digital Spy

June 1 2010
UK

Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Kev Orkian has claimed that the
show is a “tough gig” for comedians.

The comedy piano player, who will appear on this evening’s live show,
said that the format of the programme made it hard for stand-ups to
win over the judges and audience.

“I think the main reason that there has been a lack of comedy acts is
that trying to prove yourself in two minutes is a tough ask,” he told
DS. “It’s a really tough gig. To go out there, establish a character,
make people love you, then make people laugh, and finish off with
the big gag, standing ovation and applause, all in two minutes,
that’s like drawing blood out of a stone really.

“But hey, one of the reasons I came on this show was for the
challenge. If people enjoy it and push me through to Saturday, I will
pull something even more amazing out of the hat.”

Speaking about his own Armenian character sketch, he said: “I just
hope that people get it. It’s a character-based comedy act and it’s
one of my favourites. My mum and dad are the inspiration for it,
they pretty much are that person in real life.

“So for me, it’s quite important that people get the act and the
momentum of what I’m doing. Then there’s also the piano element which
ties it all together. To join together all these elements of humour
and music, within two minutes, as a comedian is quite difficult. It’s
a tough gig. But that’s what performing arts is all about. It’s all
about the challenge.”

The second Britain’s Got Talent semi-final airs tonight at 7.30pm
on ITV1.

From: A. Papazian

BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT SEMI-FINALIST KEV ORKIAN ‘SHOW IS TOUGH ON COMEDIANS’

SmallPortions

June 1 2010

Such Small PortionsProfile

Kev Orkian, one of semi-finalists for Britain’s Got Talent has revealed
that the show is a ‘tough gig’ for comedians.

Speaking to entertainment website Digital Spy, the British-Armenian
comedian said that due to the shows format, it can be difficult for
a stand-up to have enough time to convince judges and the audience
that they should progress to the next round.

Orkian said: “I think the main reason that there has been a lack
of comedy acts is that trying to prove yourself in two minutes is a
tough ask.”

“It’s a really tough gig. To go out there, establish a character,
make people love you, then make people laugh, and finish off with
the big gag, standing ovation and applause, all in two minutes,
that’s like drawing blood out of a stone really.”

Orkian is due to compete in the second semi-final of Britain’s Got
Talent tonight, said that if he manages to win his way through to
the final on Saturday, he will produce something special.

“One of the reasons I came on this show was for the challenge. If
people enjoy it and push me through to Saturday, I will pull something
even more amazing out of the hat.”

Other comedians and variety acts are rumoured to have turned down
appearances on the show due to worries about a bad performance
affecting their reputation.

From: A. Papazian

WORKERS REJECT TURKISH VACATIONS

Ynetnews
,7340,L-3896347,00.html
June 1 2010
Israel

Worker committee heads suggest alternative destinations in face of
‘anti-Israel’ propaganda, say won’t go to Turkey – ‘not even for free’

Gil Kol Published: 06.01.10, 18:19 / Israel Travel

Turkish tourist sites will have to make do with tourists from Europe
this summer. Israeli workers will take their custom to Cyprus and
Greece, if the intentions of workers’ committees are fulfilled.

Vaadim, a firm coordinating information about economic activity
among workers’ committees in Israel, published a statement saying
that after the wave of anti-Israel propaganda led by Turkey and
Turkey’s rapprochement with Iran, together with its dominant role in
the “Freedom Flotilla” to Gaza, workers’ committees have declared
that workers will not go to Turkey for their vacations – “not even
for free.”

Vaadim CEO Yaakov Alush said to Ynet that, as head of the firm,
he recommends finding alternatives more moral and no less appealing
than Turkey.

“Not even for free.” Did they really say that?

“This came from the chairman of the workers’ committee at the First
International Bank, Yona Goldschlager, the chairman of the Negev
Nuclear Research Center, Shalom Shlomo, the rail workers’ committee,
and many others. They said, ‘We don’t intend to take our workers to
Turkey – not even for free’.”

And indeed, says Alush, this is also the position of the workers’
committees of Egged, El Al, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Haifa
University, Bank Leumi, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv Municipality,
the Agricultural Ministry, Tnuva, Paz, Ashdod refineries, Israel
Post, the Ministry of Housing and Construction, Menora Mivtachim and
many more.

“Despite an aggressive PR campaign, advertising, and deals of $99
per person, Turkey didn’t manage to repeat its previous success,
which reached a peak in 2008 with over a million Israeli visitors,”
Alush said.

“So far in 2010, only a few dozen thousand Israelis have gone to
Turkey. The committees flexed their muscles and used their influence
throughout last year, including during Passover, and didn’t take
workers to Turkey. They also avoided doing so in the summer. This is
more than a million workers.”

What alternatives are there to Turkey’s all-inclusive deals?

“A tourism fair will be held for the committees in July, and many
alternatives will be offered. Greek Cyprus and the Greek islands are
the most likely.”

It sounds like political tourism. Aren’t there any deals to Armenia?

“Unfortunately, tourism there is not developed, but it’s worth thinking
about that for the future.”

Turkey: Israeli tourism recovering

The Turkish Tourism Bureau in Israel said that since the beginning
of the year there has been an 18% increase in the number of tourists
from Israel, compared to the same period last year. “We hope this
trend will continue during the summer months. Moreover, we don’t
usually mix politics and tourism.”

Alush does not accept this claim. He rejected this approach and
attacked Rani Rahav, the Israeli PR giant currently handling Turkish
PR.

“How can you separate politics and tourism when they spit in your
nation’s face, and meet and support Hamas and Iran murderers? I find
it hard to understand the motives of any office in actively supporting
the economy of any anti-Israel state,” he said.

“I think that he (Rahav) is making a mistake; you don’t necessarily
accept every business deal. It hurts the image he tried to create
for his office as patriotic, as if Israel was important to him.”

Rani Rahav responded to these accusations.

“Israel is important to me, Israel is in my heart, and because of
this the tourist connection with Turkey is especially important to
me,” he said. “Politics should stay in Ankara and Jerusalem and the
special connection between the Turkish and Israeli nations needs to be
maintained – and the proof is the rise in Turkish tourism to Israel
(from the beginning of the year till now, compared with the same
period of 2009).”

Is a tourism boycott a fair way of criticizing a government?

“Even the Turkish nation wouldn’t continue with its regular daily
life if Israel violated its sovereignty with provocative acts off
its shores,” Alush replied.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS INSTITUTE: WHO ELSE IS BEING BUGGED?

BIAnet.org
June 1 2010
Turkey

The Press Institute Association criticized the wiretapping of the
Milliyet newspaper switchboard, “This is a new example demonstrating
a severe violation of press freedom and freedom of expression in
Turkey”. Journalists organizations TGS and CGD condemned the incident.

Erol ONDEROÄ~^LU [email protected] Istanbul – BÄ°A News Center01
June 2010, Tuesday After criticism voiced by the Turkish Journalists
Union (TGS) and the Contemporary Journalists Association (CGD), also
the Press Institute Association condemned the telephone tapping of
newspapers’ switchboards.

“We cannot expect to freely establish relations to sources of the
press in a country where telephone tapping becomes more widespread
in a carefree manner. A threat to press freedom means a threat to
democracy”.

Former Deputy Chief of the Police Directorate, Emin Arslan, stated in
a hearing at the Istanbul 9th High Criminal Court on 28 May that the
switchboards of Milliyet, Radikal, Posta and Fanatik newspapers were
illegally wiretapped. While officials remained silent on the issue,
professional press organizations expressed their protest:

TGS and CGD condemned telephone tapping TGS President Ergan Ä°pekci
argued, “It was us who revealed Ergenekon, it was us who reached the
forces behind the ‘deep’ state”. Ä°pekci indicated that neither the
state nor the Prime Minister could abdicate from their responsibility
for the telephone tapping. “Tapping of newspapers’ switchboard and
journalists’ phones cannot be accepted in any aspect related to
freedom of expression in the media”.

Head of the CGD, Ahmet Abakay, criticized, “There is a common
guilt if the political power does not take measures. Somebody has
to be responsible for the state’s bugging devices. Was that TÄ°B
[Telecommunication Communication Presidency] or was it the Minister
of Justice? Whoever, they should be called to account at court”.

Press Institute: Totally carefree and illegal…

The latest announcement came from the Press Institute Association. The
Association emphasized that the telephone tapping of the Milliyet
newspaper switchboard after the same happened at Cumhuriyet newspaper
before constituted a severe violation of press freedom and freedom
of expression in Turkey. “Officials should declare which newspaper
switchboards have been wiretapped as soon as possible”, the Association
demanded.

“Procedures and reasons for telephone tapping are clearly defined
by law. Nevertheless, the bugging of the switchboards was carried
out beyond any legal framework and thus became absolutely carefree
and illegal”.

Defendant Emin Arslan is tried because of drug trafficking and was
released pending trial in his first hearing. If his claims are true,
the freedom of obtaining information was violated in hundreds of
cases since up to 850 employees of four different newspapers allegedly
were wiretapped.

Issue will be clarified if TÄ°B discloses referring data In the
same hearing, Arslan stated that IMEI (International Mobile Equipment
Identity) numbers of Milliyet newspaper were bugged as well due to news
concerned with the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

Arslan claimed that phones of journalists, politicians, members of
the judiciary and officers were wiretapped. He said that all the
information would be revealed if the court demanded the acquisition
of the referring data from TÄ°B. (EO/VK)

From: A. Papazian

TAX INSPECTORS COLLECT 234 BILLION DRAMS OVER 5 MONTHS

Aysor
June 1 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Committee on State Revenue has collected 234 billion drams
over five months of 2010, overfilling the plan by 27 billion drams,
a spokesperson to the press office of the Committee told media.

According to released data, 45,2 billion drams of social benefits
were collected over the reported period.

From: A. Papazian

T. SARGSYAN VISITED EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO THE CHILDREN

Aysor
June 1 2010
Armenia

In the National Art Museum Armenian PM Tigran Sargsyan partook in
the opening ceremony of the exhibition dedicated to the international
day of the children.

The exhibition is being held under the patronage of the Armenian PM.

It has been organized by the support of the RA Ministry of Culture,
the Armenian People’s art museum, the Union of Armenian painters,
“Armentell” and others.

As the RA Government informs Tigran Sargsyan had a tour around
the museum and got acquainted with the paintings, sculptures, wood
carvings, miniatures, carpet knitting, traditional suits, pottery
works and others.

From: A. Papazian

VARUZHAN HAKOBYAN TOOK THE 7TH PLACE

Aysor
June 1 2010
Armenia

Grandmaster Varuzhan Hakobyan in the open taken place in Chicago
(the USA) took 6.5 points from the possible 9 and in the number of
149 participants took the 7 place. Grandmaster Melikset Khachiyan
and master of FIDE Tatev Abrahamyan received 6 points each.

As the Armenian Chess Federation informs, the first prize took Luke
Van Veli from Holland with 7.5 points.

From: A. Papazian

SERGEY GRIGORIANTS TAKES SILVER AT MOSCOW CHESS CHAMPS 2010

Aysor
June 1 2010
Armenia

Grand Master Sergey Grigoriants has scored 4 points out of 7 and took
the silver at the Moscow Championship 2010. At the same 4 points IM
Nikolay Chadaev took the gold and became the top-seeded chess player,
said a spokesperson to the Armenian Chess Federation.

From: A. Papazian