Author: Andres-Papazian

Russia ‘Arming Armenia and Azerbaijan’ As Hostilities Increase

BY STAFF
– POSTED ON FEBRUARY 18, 2015POSTED IN: ARMENIA, NEWS

By Felicity Capon
newsweek.com

A resurgence of fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops over
the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh has led to analysts warning of
escalating hostilities and even an “accidental war” between the two
countries. They also indicate that Russia could use the conflict as a
way to consolidate power in the region.

Two Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers and one Armenian civilian have
been killed this month alone, and it is thought that at least a dozen
have been killed in the conflict since the start of the new year.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked mountainous region, and is the
subject of a two-decade long conflict between Azerbaijan, in whose
territory the region lies, and its predominantly Armenian community.

Officially, active hostilities ended in 1994 when a ceasefire was
reached, but skirmishes along the border have been a common feature of
the conflict since then. However, experts are now warning that this
year’s developments have been much worse than usual with increased
casualties, both civilian and military, sustained on both sides. Some
reports estimate ceasefire violations stand at around 5,000 for
January–the highest monthly figure since the truce.

Richard Giragosian, the director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC),
an independent thinktank in Armenia, told Newsweek that he is
“increasingly concerned of a war by accident, based on small
skirmishes spiralling out of control” and says that both sides could
be “rushing headlong into a dangerous situation.” He argues that the
number of casualties is very unusual given the topography and the
terrain, with fighting usually confined to the summer. He also expects
a much bigger surge in fighting over the coming months.

Giragosian describes how opposing forces on the frontline have come
much closer to each other in terms of physical proximity than at any
time since the truce, and that the battle space has also expanded,
with Azerbaijan attacking Armenia proper, and not just the
Nagorno-Karabakh border.

Both sides have been much more willing to use arms in the last few
months, and as frustrations about the stalling peace process have
increased, an arms race has escalated, mainly instigated by
Azerbaijan, according to Giragosian. Armenia and Azerbaijan are among
the 10 countries with the highest levels of militarisation in the
world, a 2014 study found.

Russia is the main supplier of arms to both sides and, with the
ongoing crisis between Russian-backed separatists and the Ukrainian
military as well as Russia’s reportedly aggressive occupational policy
against Georgia, experts are concerned that Putin is considering a
bolder and much riskier move to consolidate power in the region.

Giragosian explains that “The one wildcard in this situation is
Russia. For Russia, the status quo is best: no peace, no war. But
Putin may be tempted by a risky move to provoke fighting to deploy
peacekeepers in order to ensure leverage. Events in Ukraine prove that
Moscow lacks a rational actor.”

At the same time, rumours have been circulating in the Azerbaijani
press that the U.S. is funding the Nagorno-Karabakh regime, fuelled by
a powerful Armenian-American lobby. Newsweek cannot substantiate these
claims but Giragosian says that American funding was provided in the
past and has been suspended for the past two fiscal years because of
an inability to oversee the expenditure.

John Macleod, of the London-based Institute for War and Peace
Reporting, says: “Things are particularly bad and there have been more
incidents at the moment. There is always the danger that one country
will overstep the mark and it will spread like wildfire and there will
be war before you know it.”

“We don’t exactly know what Russia’s interests or the implications of
its involvement are. But the Russians are an increasingly pro active
regional player and harbour territorial interests for sure.” Macleod
believes it is “feasible” that Russia would send “peacekeeping” troops
to the region under the pretence of bolstering its sphere of
influence.

Civilians are also increasingly getting caught up in the violence,
with the Armenian press reporting several casualties, including the
case of a young man who last year wandered into Azerbaijani territory
before reportedly committing suicide in Azerbaijani custody. Last
November, Azerbaijan shot down an attack Armenian helicopter as it
flew along the ceasefire line, killing three Armenians on board.

The timing of the conflict is also key as this year marks the 100th
anniversary of the genocide of Armenians in Turkey, which could
aggravate the already tense situation.

From: A. Papazian

Boston Herald, MA
Feb 22 2015

Abraham retains super middle title on points over Smith

Sunday, February 22, 2015
Associated Press

BERLIN — Arthur Abraham retained his WBO super middleweight belt by
defeating Paul Smith of England by unanimous decision for the second
time on Saturday.

The judges scored their rematch 116-112, 117-111, 117-111 in favor of
Abraham, who again dominated in the face of a spirited challenge from
Smith. Smith was angered to lose their first bout in September in
Kiel, Germany, but there could no doubt about the winner here.

The Armenian-born German seemed comfortable taking Smith’s punches and
was more effective with his own, delivering punishing barrages that
the Liverpudlian did well to weather.

“It was a tough fight. He fought to the end, and he took a lot of hard
punches. Respect to him,” Abraham said.

Abraham was able to pound his way through with right-left
combinations. Smith repelled with counterpunches, but Abraham’s
superior strength was apparent, despite a lull in the sixth round.

“I told my coach that I needed a break in the sixth,” Abraham joked.
“The next opponent will be Robert Stieglitz or Felix Sturm. Let’s see
what management comes up with.”

The 35-year-old improved to 42-4 (28 KOs) after making the third
defense of the minor belt he won back from Stieglitz by split decision
in March 2014. Smith dropped to 35-5 (20 KOs).

From: A. Papazian

Neon Tommy
Feb 22 2015

Armenian Creators And Entrepreneurs Visit USC For Innovate Armenia

Alexa Youssefian

Some of the biggest names in technology, music and media gathered
Saturday at the University of Southern California (USC) for Innovate
Armenia, an all-day event showcasing Armenians’ progressive
achievements and advancements in various industries.

USC’s Institute of Armenian Studies, under the leadership of Director
Salpi Ghazarian, organized an event that hosted Armenian influencers
and trendsetters operating at the edge of innovation, both locally and
across the globe.

Organizers hoped to eliminate geography and unite Armenians for a day
of meaningful, two-way dialogue.

Hundreds filled Founder’s Park to participate in the day’s
festivities. The outdoor square was fringed with informative booths,
food trucks and a central stage where musicians, organizations and
tech creators shared their work with curious visitors.

Inside Taper Hall, an indoor stage featured speakers who represented
innovation in technology activism, education and journalism.

Musical performances filled the park with Armenian music, old and new.
The featured melodies mirrored the innovative spirit of the day;
musicians recreated traditional Armenian tunes with a modern twist.
Performers included Sebu Simonian of Capital Cities, producer and
composer Bei Ru, Element Band, composer Greg Hosharian and others.

Representatives from Armenian organizations presented their progress
and shared stories of success in the homeland.

The Homeland Development Initiative Foundation was one such success
story; the organization creates opportunities for economic growth in
Armenia through the empowerment of its entrepreneurs.

Another organization, Tumo, empowers young Armenians in Yerevan
through free digital and media education. Other presentations included
those from startups like mobile communication app Zangi and Hive, an
up-and-coming Armenian startup accelerator.

Among the event’s notable speakers were Reddit co-founder and
Executive Chair Alexis Ohanian, former Twitter Vice President of
Platform Engineering Raffi Krikorian and founder of Syria Deeply, Lara
Setrakian.

Alexander Seropian, creator of the Halo video game series, even
delivered a recorded video message for attendees.

During his speech, Alexis Ohanian discussed the colorful opportunities
in technology available for Armenian creators, both in the homeland
and abroad. He addressed the approaching 100-year anniversary of the
Armenian genocide with a hopeful gaze, confident in Armenians’
achievements and innovative potential.

“I am fully committed to the last 100 years, but I am equally if not
more excited about our next 100 years,” Ohanian said. “We as Armenians
are going to have a great century.”

Lara Setrakian spoke about her work with Syria Deeply, a digital news
website that focuses exclusively on reports, news updates and
developments from Syria. She shared her love of the Armenian community
and spoke of its budding renaissance. “There is a time for mourning
and a time for building,” said Setrakian. “Now is our time for
building.”

Raffi Krikorian affirmed the boiling potential for technological
advancement in Armenia, where he met young thinkers who were eager to
learn about software engineering. In Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, he
realized: “there are sparks here.”

Neon Tommy sat down with Alexis, Lara and Raffi to get their take on
the event and Armenian innovation:

Ohanian on Innovate Armenia: “It’s really exciting to see so many
people packed in here. Obviously there’s a really strong Armenian
community in this town. I’m really happy to feel the energy… and it’s
across generations. There’s a whole range of people in here,
generations of Armenians.”

Setrakian: “I think what all innovators have in common, especially the
ones who are here, is that they care so gosh darn much. Honestly,
nothing could drive you to overcome the inertia of doing things the
same old way. You must really care about what is the outcome of your
work.”

Krikorian on innovation in Armenia: “People ask ‘Why Armenia?’ My
question is, ‘Why not Armenia?'”

Ohanian: “Innovation is not just limited to tech at all, and it’s
great to see an event like this that showcases it across disciplines
with this thread of Armenians being in the middle of it.”

Their advice to budding innovators:

Setrakian: “I do think that it all is rooted in human empathy. If you
can empathize with people who have a problem, then you will be moved
to fix it. The most important thing you can do is to master your own
diligence… they say that the most important factor of success in an
entrepreneur is grit. For me, that translates to being scrappy, which
means you’re willing to try what you can with what you have.”

Setrakian: “You have to believe that you are capable of pulling off
what you’re dreaming of.”

Krikorian: “The worst thing to do with an idea is to hide it. Tell
people, ask for their advice.”

Director Salpi Ghazarian moderated a panel discussion with these three
innovators to close the day. Ghazarian asked the panel for a
“takeaway” from the event, to which Setrakian quickly responded,
“We’re going to be fine!”

Ohanian added, “Everyone who succeeds is an example of how we
succeeded and they failed,” referring to Turkey’s unsuccessful attempt
to eliminate the Armenian people in the 1915 genocide.

Innovate Armenia painted a picture of a global Armenian community that
has developed and united through technology, artistry and
forward-thinking.

Geography may separate Armenia from its Diaspora, but the two remain
tethered through a shared fluency in the language of innovation.

From: A. Papazian

KARABAGH
Le Karabagh exclut tout renvoi des ressortissants azerbaïdjanais emprisonnés

Les autorités du Haut-Karabagh ont refusé d’envisager la libération de
deux azéris qui ont été condamnés et emprisonnés l’an dernier sur des
accusations d’avoir commis un certain nombre de crimes, y compris
l’assassinat d’un adolescent.

L’Azerbaïdjan ne reconnaît pas la légalité du procès dans lequel ses
citoyens, Dilham Askerov et Shahbaz Quliyev, ont été condamnés à la
prison à vie et 22 ans de prison, respectivement.

La Secrétaire d’État adjointe américaine aux affaires européennes et
eurasiennes, Victoria Nuland, a abordé la question lors de ses visites
à Bakou et à Erevan plus tôt cette semaine.

Dans la capitale arménienne la diplomate américaine de haut rang a
appelé les “autorités compétentes” à faire un “geste humanitaire”.

From: A. Papazian

The Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency
Feb 22 2015

Turkish official: If Armenia wants relations with Turkey to be
established, then it first must quit its aggressive policy

22.02.2015 [14:23]

Ankara, February 22, AzerTAcIf Armenia wants relations with Turkey to
be established, then it first must quit its aggressive policy,
Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs must return to their homelands,
groundless claims against Azerbaijan and Turkey must be stopped, Chief
advisor to Turkish President Ibrahim Kalin told journalists.He
stressed Turkey was always close to Azerbaijani people, and expressed
sorrow over the Khojaly genocide.`We share all sorrows and we have
right to rely on everyone to share ours,’ he stressed.

Sabir Shahtakhtı Special correspondent

From: A. Papazian

KARABAGH
Bako Sahakian a reçu Yair Auron

Le Président du Haut-Karabagh (Artsakh) Bako Sahakian a reçu samedi
Yair Auron, un historien israélien spécialisé dans les études sur le
génocide et l’Holocauste et professeur agrégé à l’Université ouverte
d’Israël.

Selon un communiqué de presse par le bureau présidentiel du Karabagh,
les deux parties ont parlé de l’histoire du peuple arménien, discuté
entre autres choses du règlement du conflit du Haut-Karabagh et des
développements régionaux.

Le Président Sahakian a hautement loué les recherches du chercheur
israélien sur l’histoire du génocide arménien, en soulignant ses
aspects académiques et moraux et sa contribution sérieuse à l’étude et
la reconnaissance internationale du génocide arménien. Il a également
souligné la valeur de l’oeuvre du professeur Auron pour cimenter des
liens d’amitié entre les peuples arménien et juif.

Vardan Hakobyan, le président de l’Union des écrivains du Karabagh
était également présent à la réunion.

dimanche 22 février 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

ENTREVISTA CON EL AUTOR DE ‘LA MEMORIA DE ARARAT’

Periodista Digital РEspa̱a
16 de feb. de 2015

Xavier Moret: “La anecdota mas emocionante fue entrevistar a un
superviviente del genocidio de 103 años”

“Hay un contraste muy fuerte entre el país idealizado que cuentan
los armenios de la diaspora y el real”

Periodista Digital, 16 de febrero de 2015 a las 17:47

Xavier Moret, periodista y escritor especializado en literatura de
viajes, presento en Periodista Digital su esperado último trabajo:
‘La memoria de Ararat’. En el se narra un viaje por Armenia, que
coincide con el centenario del genocidio de 1915, mas conocido como
el ‘Genocidio Olvidado’, que se saldo la vida de mas de un millon y
medio de armenios que vivían en territorio turco.

El autor narra la historia de un largo viaje en el ambito de la cultura
armenia y explora a fondo una tierra obsesionada con el Ararat, la
montaña en la que según cuenta la leyenda, se poso el Arca de Noe
tras el diluvio universal.

Sinopsis de ‘La memoria de Ararat’

Esta es la historia de un largo viaje que empieza, de hecho, mucho
antes del viaje en sí, en el ambito de la cultura armenia que, quiza
sin saberlo, todos conocemos: la de Arshile Gorky, Charles Aznavour,
Atom Egoyan, William Saroyan, los integrantes de la banda System of a
Down… Es la Armenia que difunden e internacionalizan los armenios
de la diaspora, que son muchos mas que los tres millones que viven
en la actualidad en ese país milenario.

Partiendo de la capital, Erevan, y pasando por los fascinantes
monasterios de Geghard, Khor Virap, Tatev y Haghpat, así como
por Echmiadzin (el Vaticano armenio), el lago Sevan y el no-país
de Nagorno Karabaj -escenario hace veinte años de una guerra que
se cobro 20.000 muertos-, Xavier Moret explora a fondo una tierra
obsesionada con el Ararat, la montaña en la que, según la leyenda,
se poso el Arca de Noe tras el diluvio universal, principio y fin de
todo lo armenio pese a hallarse -caprichos de la historia- en Turquía.

Pero este viaje es tambien un recorrido por la dolorosa cicatriz,
todavía muy presente, del genocidio que en 1915 acabo con la vida de
un millon y medio de armenios que habitaban en territorio turco. Dos
terceras partes de los ciudadanos de Armenia son hoy descendientes de
víctimas de aquella masacre, que sigue muy viva en la memoria de todos
los que, de un modo u otro, sienten como suya esa mezcla de nostalgia,
orgullo y dolor que es la armenidad.

TITULARES MÁS RELEVANTES DE LA ENTREVISTA

En Armenia se sobreponen muchas realidades que se sobreponen, una de
ellas es la de la ruta de la seda que es mítica. Ellos presumen mucho
de que Marco Polo paso por allí con lo que refuerzan esa imagen de
país acabado.

Tenemos un desconocimiento sobre este país. Quería contrastar la
version de los armenios de la diaspora con la realidad y me di
cuenta que había un contraste muy fuerte entre el país idealizado
que cuentan los de la diaspora y el real que es una ex república
sovietica independientes desde el 91′ con mucha pobreza y pocos
recursos naturales.

Para los armenios el gran símbolo, mas que el Arca de Noe, es el monte
Ararat que curiosamente esta en territorio turco. Ven al Ararat como
un símbolo de eternidad, de permanencia, y de recuerdo de que fueron
en el pasado una gran nacion.

El genocidio de 1915 esta muy presente. Fui a Armenia para escribir
un libro de viajes sobre como era el país y no tenía previsto que el
genocidio jugara un papel tan importante. Coincidio con el centenario
y me di cuenta que no podía hablar de Armenia sin hablar del genocidio.

Cuando se unio la URSS cerraron muchas fabricas y hubo cortes de
suministros, por lo tanto la Armenia de hoy ha quedado empobrecida
y por ello el 40% piensa en emigrar.

Para muchos armenios la diaspora es basica porque consideran que es
la que ha traído el dinero al país.

Se ve un futuro incierto a la Armenia actual porque cada año disminuye
el número de habitantes. Estan en tres millones los armenios que
emigran y siete de la diaspora, y el número se va aumentando cada año.

La solucion es economica o sera difícil tener un futuro claro.

La anecdota mas emocionante fue entrevistar a un superviviente del
genocidio de 103 años de edad. Me emociono ver como un hombre de 103
años tenía tan presente el horror que le supuso el genocidio y como,
al finalizar la entrevista, miraba a sus bisnietos con una mirada de:
Armenia tambien depende de ti.

Xavier Moret (Barcelona, 1952) es periodista y escritor. Ha trabajado
en varios diarios y en television, y desde 2006 es reportero de viajes
de El Periodico, lo que le permite viajar por los cinco continentes
escribiendo sobre lo que ve. En 1998 publico su primer libro de
viajes, America, America. Viaje por California y el Far West, dos
años despues el segundo, Boomerang. Viaje al corazon de Australia,
y en 2002 gano el premio Grandes Viajeros con La isla secreta, en
el que relata un recorrido por Islandia que completaría en 2011 con
Islandia, revolucion bajo el volcan. En Días de Hong Kong (2013)
relato su estancia de dos meses en la metropolis asiatica.

From: A. Papazian

SO BRAD PITT ATE A SLICE …

Slate Magazine
Feb 20 2015

How the pizza place Ellen ordered from at last year’s Oscars has
parlayed its three minutes of fame.

By Jason Feifer

Ellen DeGeneres strode onto the stage first. “Pizza’s here!” she said.

Behind her followed a stunned delivery guy named Edgar, holding three
boxes of the finest pie Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria has on offer.

“Hello,” Edgar said to Hollywood’s assembled royalty. And then
for three minutes–the most memorable of last year’s Oscars, made
extraordinary by its ordinariness–the two distributed slices to the
hungry likes of Meryl Streep and Harrison Ford. The pizza shop swears
it had no idea this was going to happen; Edgar says he had been told he
was delivering pizza to the crew, and then Ellen led him out past the
curtains. Given what ABC charges for a 30-second ad during the Oscars,
TMZ calculated that Big Mama’s & Papa’s 180 seconds of sunshine was
worth $10.8 million.

It seemed like a crazy blip for an otherwise obscure pizzeria,
good for maybe a few weeks of increased sales. But one year later,
we can see the profound effect that $10.8 million in unexpected free
advertising has had. Big Mama’s ambitions have been amplified, and
the chain is aiming to go global.

Big Mama’s has a romantic origin story: In 1992, as teenagers not yet
fluent in English, Armenian immigrant brothers Aro and Allen Agakhanyan
opened a 500-square-foot pizza shop that they’d work at for hours after
high school let out. They’ve since grown the company to 20 locations
in and around L.A., some owned by them and others franchised. (Edgar,
who delivered to the Oscars, is a franchisee.) And they’ve gained
local notoriety for living up to the “Big” in their name: They serve
a 54-inch, 200-slice “Giant Sicilian”: the Guinness World Records
calls it the largest deliverable pizza in the world. In January,
Miley Cyrus posted a photo of herself in front of one on Facebook.

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One of the brothers’ locations is near DeGeneres’ studio in Burbank,
and they say her staff orders from it frequently. But during the
biggest delivery in the company’s history, only one brother, Aro, was
watching. Allen was working late at the office when someone called,
frantically telling him what was going on. He immediately called his
brother. “We had been waiting for a great opportunity to come, and
this was it,” Allen says. “And that’s when we decided, right away,
we’ve got to get a hold of Lou and Ray.”

Even the greatest accomplishment can start to look like a crutch,
something you show off for lack of any other accolade.

Lou and Ray are Lou Franson, former president of Hooters and managing
director of Arby’s International, and Ray Perry, former COO of
Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. They had teamed up as restaurant consultants
and had met with the Agakhanyan brothers a few years prior to talk
about expansion. Nothing came of the meeting back then, but suddenly
everything was different. “The day after the Oscars, I get a call,
and all I hear is, ‘We need help!’ ” Franson says. New investors
and potential franchisees were calling the brothers. Customers were
ordering pizza as if the stars were in the back tossing dough. The
restaurant veterans signed on immediately.

Franson says they knew the brand couldn’t be built on one TV moment, no
matter how many A-listers had been involved. “From a legal standpoint,
we had to be very careful,” he says. They don’t actually own the
rights to any of the Oscars images, and it’s not as if Brad Pitt
can be called an official sponsor, as much as he did seem to enjoy
his slice. There’s also a risk of overplaying the moment, like an
Olympian who wears his medal when he goes grocery shopping. Even the
greatest accomplishment can start to look like a crutch, something
you show off for lack of any other accolade.

But Franson and Perry are plotting a way around all this. They want
to use the brief blessing from the Oscars to present Big Mama’s &
Papa’s in a new light: as the embodiment of L.A. coolness. DeGeneres’
Oscar gag may have worked because the pizza joint seemed like a
local-yokel place–the kind that, frankly, Brad Pitt wouldn’t be
frequenting. But the company’s brochure for prospective franchisees
plays it differently: “Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria is a hot concept
that’s served hot out of the oven, but it’s definitely ‘Southern
California Cool’–as 43 million viewers saw when Oscars host Ellen
DeGeneres hand delivered Big Mama’s & Papa’s pizza slices to Hollywood
A-list stars.”

That’s the vision new franchisees will be buying into. But to make
it stick, Franson and Perry realize that they need to amp up the
company’s cool factor.

Step one: Big Mama’s needs a cool car. The company has partnered
with Mercedes-Benz to create a Smart car for deliveries. It’s an
eye-catching, if goofy, little thing: The car is vinyl-wrapped in
the company colors–red and yellow–and has a giant image of a pizza
on the door. On top is a custom-made insulated box, wider than the
car itself, which is built to hold that 200-slice monster. All new
franchisees are required to buy a pair of the cars.

Step two: Big Mama’s needs a cool look. That’s still in development,
Franson says, though he says the redesign will “capture a SoCal
lifestyle.” (So, a traffic jam motif?) Most of the existing locations
will be retrofitted with the new look, and all new ones will be built
in its image. The chain’s tiny Hollywood location, which I popped into
this week, could certainly use a lifestyle upgrade. Its mostly spare
walls are painted green and orange. The only sign of its proximity
to cool is a dinky Oscar trophy replica, perched on a shelf behind
the register, above a sign that says, “We reserve the right to refuse
service to anyone.”

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And, crucially, step three: The Agakhanyan brothers need to export
the cool to points beyond L.A. The company is focused on signing
new franchisees in California, Arizona, and Nevada, but they’ve also
found a partner in Dubai. BinHendi Enterprises, a conglomerate that
has launched everything from luxury hotels to fine dining across the
Gulf and Middle East, has committed to opening two Big Mama’s in the
region this year, with more expected to follow. The company didn’t
respond to a request for comment, but it’s likely that they expect
L.A. coolness to play well in internationally minded Gulf cities. It’s
worked for other retailers: New York’s Magnolia Bakery, made famous on
Sex and the City, is now also in Beirut, Doha, Dubai, and Kuwait City.

Top Comment

Many entrepreneurs never acknowledge the role “just plain dumb luck”
plays in their success. The skill is how you handle the luck when it
happens. More…

-John Snow

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In pitching regional attitude, Big Mama’s is making a different play
than many of its competitors. “Many successful regional chains are
capitalizing on the fast casual dining trend,” says IBISWorld analyst
Andrew Alvarez, who watches the pizza industry. He’s talking about the
Chipotle-style, customize-everything movement that’s been killing the
likes of McDonald’s. Customization can play well in the $38.7 billion
pizza industry, which is expected to grow an estimated 2 percent
annually for the next five years. PizzaRev, also from Los Angeles, has
19 locations and another 29 coming. Pie Five Pizza, based in Texas,
has 26 franchises, with 40 more planned for this year and another
200 in the pipeline. Both are hot on customization that goes beyond
the usual selection of toppings: Customers can also pick the type of
dough, sauce, and cheese. PizzaRev’s slogan is “Craft Your Own.”

Big Mama’s & Papa’s has plenty of options, too. You want gluten-free
pizza? Whole wheat? Pizza in the shape of a gondola, filled with
the toppings of your choice along with two sunny-side eggs? They’ve
got it. But now the real test of its coolness will begin: Another
Oscars will have come and gone, this time, presumably, without any
high-profile on-air catering, and Big Mama’s will be left to create its
own momentum. The Agakhanyan brothers aren’t sweating it. They always
envisioned making a push like this, seeing how far their ambitions
could take them. “The brand was going to expand regardless,” Allen
says. “What the Oscars did, it sped things up. It’s just a matter of
timing.” And in pizza delivery, timing is everything.

From: A. Papazian

UPROAR OVER HEPATITIS OUTBREAK IN ARMENIA

Institute for War and Peace Reporting, UK
IWPR Caucasus Reporting #767
Feb 20 2015

Government blamed after patients contracted the disease while
undergoing routine operations.

By Gayane Lazarian

Medical experts in Armenia have criticised the authorities for their
handling of an outbreak of hepatitis C at a health centre in the city
of Kajaran which has seen 15 people contract the virus.

Hepatitis C is commonly transmitted by blood transfusions or by unsafe
medical procedures, particularly the use of unsterilised instruments.

Early signs suggest that all 15 patients contracted the virus from
contaminated instruments.

A total of 191 people underwent operations at the Kajaran health
centre in 2014, so 15 infections represents nearly eight per cent. Dr
Ara Asoyan, Armenia’s chief epidemiologist, told IWPR that it was
possible more people had contracted the virus.

“We are carrying out blood tests to find out who has been infected,”
he said.

One of those infected is Kajaran resident Marine Lazarian, who had
an appendectomy late last year.

“About 40 days after the operation, I became nauseous and started
vomiting,” she said. “I sought medical advice. At the Yerevan
infectious diseases hospital I found out that I was infected.”

In December, specialists at the National Centre for Disease Control and
Prevention discovered that staff at the Kajaran hospital were using
unsterilised surgical instruments, and found traces of the virus on
some of them. They identified shortcomings in the sterilisation and
disinfection of instruments right across the centre’s departments,
including the surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology.

The authorities in the Syunik region have launched a criminal
investigation for breaches of health rules and safety standards. The
medical centre is currently closed while the investigation is carried
out. It will then be up to the Armenia’s courts whether to revoke
the centre’s licence.

This is not the first time this has happened at the Kajaran health
centre. Two years ago, major hygiene problems were reported at the
centre when it opened a new wing. Things have not improved since then.

On January 22, Health Minister Armen Muradyan told journalists that
the government would meet the costs of treating anyone infected with
hepatitis C at the hospital.

“With modern medicine, hepatitis C is curable,” he said. “This disease
can be life-threatening only if it is diagnosed late or if it isn’t
treated properly. However, all doctors must be held accountable for
mistakes and shortcomings, as any kind of infection can be fatal.”

The 15 people with hepatitis C are now receiving treatment in hospitals
in Kajaran, Kapan and Yerevan. Nine are being kept in and the rest
are outpatients.

The drugs used to treat hepatitis C – Ribavirin and Pegylated
Interferon – cost between 5,000 and 20,000 US dollars for the course
that is required.

Despite the government’s reassurances, those who have contracted the
virus remain worried about meeting the costs of treatment.

Vahan Petrosyan contracted the disease after treatment for varicose
veins. After hearing of other cases in the town, he went for a test
and found out he had hepatitis C.

“I’ve already spent 300,000 drams [more than 600 dollars] on treatment
of a disease I contracted through no fault of my own,” he said. “I’ve
paid for tests, medication, transportation costs to Yerevan, and I
don’t know who’s going to compensate me for that.”

In addition to free treatment, the authorities have promised to
consider paying compensation. However, Deputy Health Minister Vahan
Poghosyan told IWPR that the exact amount on offer would not be
decided until after the authorities had completed their investigation.

Anahit Harutyunyan, who heads Positive People Armenian Network, an
NGO that works on infectious diseases, said there was no national
programme for dealing with hepatitis C. Her organisation has written
to the health ministry with a proposal to develop a programme modelled
on existing national systems for combating tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

Deputy Health Minister Poghosyan says health officials are drafting
new procedural policies that will be soon be implemented on the ground.

Gayane Lazarian is a correspondent for the ArmeniaNow online news
site.

From: A. Papazian

MATTHEW KARANIAN ON ARMENIA AFTER 100 YEARS

LA Weekly, CA
Feb 19 2015

By Siran Babayan
Matthew Karanian discusses his new book, Historic Armenia After 100
Years: Ani, Kars and the Six Provinces of Western Armenia. For his
book, which features 125 maps and new and vintage photographs, Karanian
spent nearly two decades documenting the cultural remnants, including
churches, of Western Armenia – historic Armenia before the Armenian
Genocide of 1915, now present-day Turkey. Karanian is a Pasadena
author and former professor at the American University of Armenia.

From: A. Papazian