Author: Badalian Vardan

Nyree Bablanian Creates Signature Style with BabzBling

ARTS | JUNE 20, 2013 12:00 PM
________________________________

By Gabriella Gage

Founder and designer of BabzBling, Nyree Bablanian

Mirror-Spectator Staff

SYDNEY, Australia – For BabzBling designer and founder, Nyree
Bablanian, the art of jewelry-making is about creativity and personal
style.

`I see it as an art form and appreciate that each person has his or
her own unique sense of style,’ she said.

Bablanian discovered her own talent for jewelry making back in 2010.
`What I really fell in love with was the unique techniques that I
discovered and taught myself along the way,’ she explained.

Bablanian was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Her parents both
immigrated there – her father from Jordan and her mother from Lebanon.
Noting her close-knit community, Bablanian said, `The Armenian
population in Sydney is small. Although we are not a big community, we
are a very close community. I am very proud of my heritage.’

Bablanian also has a special connection to Boston, `[I lived there]
for three years where I met my husband-to-be. Boston will also always
be my second home after all it is where BabzBling was founded,’ she
added.

Bablanian said she takes inspiration from the world around, from
nature to people. She added, `My extensive travels have broadened my
horizons and I have met wonderful people and come across many hidden
treasures. I don’t really make pieces you can find in your local chain
stores…BabzBling is all about creating a look that is an original for
the wearer.’ Hence, BabzBling’s motto, `Life is too short: Make a
Statement with BabzBling.’

According to the designer, her materials are also inspired by the
beauty in nature. `I love to use crystals, fresh water pearls, glass
pearls, and gemstones and pretty much anything that is unique in my
eyes. I love charms, you will notice that I use a lot of leaves,
flowers and crosses in my designs,’ she explained.

The length of time it takes to create a piece depends on the intricacy
of the design and the creative process. `For now most of my pieces are
one-of-a-kind but down the track I will offer multiples of my designs
so that everyone has the opportunity to get their hands on their
favorite design.’

So who is the target BabzBling clientele? `We don’t try to target
specific age groups because BabzBling has something for women of all
ages,’ she said, adding that she wants `to appeal universally to all
those who appreciate hand crafted jewelry that is unique.’

She describes BabzBling style as `elegant, timeless and statement-making.’

As for the company’s name, she explained, `Growing up my nick-name was
always `Babz’, stemming from my last name Bablanian … `Babz’ being me
and `Bling’ being the current term used to describe jewelry.’

For Bablanian, the joys of her work are not just found in the creation
of jewelry, but the rewards of sharing her work with others. `What can
I say, I am a people-pleaser,’ she said.

While headquartered in Sydney, Bablanian’s jewelry has been sold to
locations worldwide through her website. She said she hopes to
continue to expand her web outreach and find new avenues for sharing
her creations with more. `My plans for the future are concentrating on
the wedding industry. The response in this sector has been amazing and
it is the direction I am heading towards. My focus is to expand beyond
jewelry for all the beautiful brides to be out there.’

Bablanian has been named called `Up-and-coming designer from
Australia’ and was named a top artisan in Western Mass. Women Magazine
2011-2012.

BabzBling ships worldwide. To view the current collections or shop,
visit or

– See more at:

Eduardo Eurnekian has not built geothermal power station in Armenia

June 22, 2013 | 01:56

YEREVAN. – The Sisian area of Armenia has a rich potential for
producing electricity.

Along the lines of a USAID program, a solar heater was recently
installed for the polyclinic of Darpas village in the area.

In terms winds, according to the Energy and Natural Resources
Ministry, the wind energy capacity at SisianPass is estimated at 140
megawatts.

Also, there is an underwater hot water mine at Jermaghbyur, and
Armenia’s first geothermal power station and a greenhouse network were
planned to be built here.

According to the plan that was designed with assistance by the World
Bank, three-kilometer deep six wells were to be dug at Jermaghbyur. At
the time, the respective investments were valued at $39.1 million.

When this program was considered full of prospect, in 2006 the
Armenian government had decided to hand it over to Corporacion America
Company that belongs to Argentinean-Armenian businessman Eduardo
Eurnekian. But there is no progress in this project.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Armenia to Launch Its First
Satellite
14:04 22/06/2013

MOSCOW, June 22 (RIA Novosti) – The ex-Soviet republic of Armenia will
launch its own satellite into the orbit, a governmental official said
Friday.

A newly created company called Armcosmos is currently busy registering an
orbital position for the upcoming satellite, said Gagik Grigoryan, a senior
official with the Transportations and Communications Ministry.

The price tag for Armenia’s space program is $250 million, with part of the
sum to come from private investors, Grigoryan told the Armenian branch of
Radio Liberty.

The official gave no timeframe for a possible launch and did not specify
the function of the satellite, to be called Armsat, though he said it will
have to have commercial use. Armenia currently has the right for two
orbital positions for telecoms satellites.

Six of 15 post-Soviet republics have launched their own satellites since
the Soviet Union’s demise. The list includes Armenia’s historical rival
Azerbaijan, which successfully brought into orbit its first telecoms
satellite Azerspace-1 in February.

Mkhitaryan’s mosaic or what happened next when…

12:16, 22 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS: The first picture of the Henrikh
Mkhitaryan’s mosaic appeared when the midfielder of the Armenian
National Football team and Shakhtar Donetsk announced that he would do
everything to move to a new club in summer. The
promise of Henrikh Mkhitaryan was not accepted unequivocally neither
by the Armenian nor the Ukrainian football fans and other
parties.

This became the axis, around which authoritative and nonauthoritative
mass media representatives touched upon this issue from different
sides,
expressing their wishes and suppositions concerning the future of the
Armenian footballer. Some international periodicals were sending
Mkhitaryan
to Spain, some – to England or Germany. Finally, the Football Club of
Liverpool was left upon the surface of the water.

The British The Telegraph was the first to publish that the Manager of
Liverpool Brendan Rodgers identified Mkhitaryan as his flagship
signing for the summer and tabled a bid which is believed to have
triggered a release clause inserted into the 24-year-old’s contract by
the Ukrainian champions.
The rumors got double acceleration after the World Cup qualifying
round’s match of Armenia-Denmark. The fourth goal stroked by Henrikh
Mkhitaryan added to the chances of the footballer of appearing in the
Liverpool Club.

On this ocassion HITC sport published: `Liverpool was last week linked
with a sensational £22 million bid for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, a prolific
Shakhtar Donetsk attacker. He is by far the most valuable football
player ever to come out of Armenia, and this evening he played a part
in an amazing result for his country. Armenia took on major
championship regulars Denmark away from home in their World Cup
qualifying group, and notched up an astounding 4-0 victory. It takes
the country above the Danes in the group, but they are still eight
points behind the leader Italy. Mkhitaryan described as a target for Liverpool’.

The Guardian: `Liverpool has identified Shakhtar Donetsk’s Henrikh
Mkhitaryan as a leading transfer target for the summer and is not
deterred by the £22 million price tag on one of the most coveted
players in European football. The Armenia’s three-time player of the
year was a priority signing for the Liverpool manager, Brendan
Rodgers, before Luis Suárez began pushing for the move that could
transform the club’s transfer strategy and budget. The Fenway Sports
Group, the Liverpool’s owners are prepared to sanction a big money
move for Mkhitaryan without a deal in place for Suarez’.

The days passed and the news around Mkhitaryan got more heated.
ITAR-TASS wrote: `The midfielder of Shakhtar Donetsk and the
Armenian National Football team Henrikh Mkhitaryan during the coming
days will pass medical examination in the English Liverpool.
`Henrikh Mkhitaryan will urgently leave for England. Liverpool will
officially announce about the contract with Mkhitaryan by the end of
the
week. The transfer sum for the best Ukrainian attacker will make about
30 million EURO’. Even the Chief Coach of Shakhtar Donetsk
Mircea Lucescu did not reject the news of searching a footballer to
substitute Mkhitaryan.

By the `prophetic prediction’ of some periodicals Henrikh Mkhitaryan
left for Moscow to leave for London from there or he was seen in
Vienna with his mother and sister.

But the first to pour cold shower on all the versions was the
Executive Director of Shakhtar Donetsk Sergey Palkin, who wrote in one
of the
social networks that Mkhitaryan will join the Pitmen on June 23.

Then the British periodicals titled their articles
`Liverpool-Mkhitaryan negotiations stopped’, writing that the
negotiations between the
midfielder of the Armenian National Football team Henrikh Mkhitaryan
and the British FC Liverpool have been stopped because of the
transfer rights of the football player. And here the doors of the
`commercial kitchen’ open…

It was found out that the transfer rights of the Armenian footballer
do not fully belong to Shakhtar. The Head of the Football Federation
of
Armenia Ruben Hayrapetyan announced that 25% of the Henrikh
Mkhitaryan’s transfer belong to Pyunik Club and the other 25% – to the
Director of Metalurg Donetsk Oleg Lazarian. And here the colors of
the mosaic of the talented Armenian footballer’s beautiful play
change.

It is expected that everything will become clear on Sunday, June 23,
when we know if Mkhitaryan joined the Shakhtar team in Austria or
not.

As they say, everything is still ahead.

Author – Varvara Hayrapetyan

Bio toilet is small element in widespread corruption – Armenian
Consumers’ Association

Bio toilet is small element in widespread corruption – Armenian
Consumers’ AssociationJune 22, 2013 | 11:48

YEREVAN. – Bio toilets are a used practice in the world, Armenia’s
former Nature Protection Minister Karine Danielyan said during a press
conference on Saturday.

`[But] based on the condition of the country [i.e., Armenia], it is
inexpedient to spend this money in this direction,’ she stressed, and
added that this money could have been spent for other use.

In his turn, Armenian Consumers’ Association Chairman Armen Poghosyan
noted that a bio toilet is a small element under the condition of
widespread corruption.

`Is this a government, or your brother’s store? How was the contest
for the [bio] toilets held? Where is it issued?’ he asked.

The other speaker, ruling Republican Party Faction member Levon
Igityan of the capital city Yerevan Council of Elders, noted that bio
toilets are indispensable and servicing facilities are always
necessary. He added, however, that he is not indulged in finances and
he speaks solely about what he is familiar with.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am
News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Apricot procured at lower prices than announced, villagers complain

12:58 – 22.06.13

Villagers in the Armavir region have raised alarm over the agriculture
minister’s Friday statement saying the apricot procurement price is
400-500 Drams ($0.95 -$1.1) per kilogram.

Speaking to Tert.am, residents of the Khandjyan village said the
announced figures do not correspond to the real price for which they
offer the product.

`You can come yourselves to check that or the same Ministry can see
what price they offer. It is now four days we have begun the delivery
of apricots. They used to take 400 Drams but have now warned that one
kilogram of apricot will sell for 300-250 Drams [$0.59- $0.71],’ a
farmer, who wished to remain unidentified, told our correspondent.

`I don’t want to find faults with anyone. I heard the minister speak
and say that the [per kg.] purchase price is 400-500 Drams, which is
thought to satisfy the villagers,’ he added.

Asked about the wholesale procurer, the villager said that there are
several companies purchasing their apricot, Spayka (the food storing
company which recently suffered a fire damage) being one of them.

The farmer complained that the companies often buy the apricot harvest
without weighing it, counting each box 10 kg.

In later comments to Tert.am, a deputy minister of agriculture, Robert
Makaryan, said they have an agreement with the village’s governor to
send exporters to the village in just a couple of days for settling
the problem.

`If we know exactly who has problems, we will manage to do something,’
he said. `We prevent [any violations], and handle all any alarm report
once we receive it. We will offer different procurers in just couple
of days to help the villagers decide who to sell their harvest to.

`The harvest gathering in Khanjyan will begin in three or four days;
we have an agreement with the village governor. The procurers will go
there to purchase [the product] at the price valid for the given day,’
Makaryan added.

Armenian News – Tert.am

France Press reverberated to Yezidis in Armenia

19:55, 21 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE, 21, ARMENPRESS: France Press agency has reverberated to
Yazidis in Armenia and their problems.
`Armenpress’ reports that the agency has written:

`Their customs are strict and sometimes at odds with the values and
practices of the modern world, most notably the tradition of
marrying women while they are still in their early teens.

Some within the community, especially the young, are now wanting to
break out of the limits of tradition and forge normal lives and
careers.

The Yezidi are the biggest minority group in Armenia — a largely
mono-ethnic country where some 98 percent of the roughly 3.3
million population are ethnic Armenians and the country’s Christian
Apostolic Church dominates.

Fierce guardians of their traditions, the Yezidi do not allow
outsiders to convert to their faith and ban the eating of lettuce or
wearing of
anything blue.

Although they speak a form of Kurdish, Armenia’s Yezidi fiercely
reject being labelled Kurds and their religion which has seen them
regarded as “devil-worshippers” by Muslims — is thought by some to
have its origins in the Zoroastrianism of ancient Persia.

The Yezidis do not believe in heaven or hell, and do not regard Satan
as evil. In fact, they worship him in the guise of a peacock angel
whose name they are forbidden from saying out loud.

Found in Armenia’s western valleys close to Mount Ararat, as well as
in their spiritual home in nearby Iraq, along with Syria, Turkey and
Georgia, the strongly patriarchal Yezidi forbid girls from talking in
the presence of male elders or eating with male relatives.

Last year when Armenia moved to revise its law on marriage, raising
the minimum age of marriage for both boys and girls to 18,
representatives of the Yezidi community erupted in protest at what
they claimed was an assault on a cornerstone of their culture
“This is an ancient tradition,” said Aziz Tamoyan, the director of the
Yezidi Union in Armenia. “If a girl is not already married by the time
she is 18 then she is already considered a spinster.”

In the end, in the face of possible street protests, Armenia’s
parliament compromised and the minimum age that girls in the Yezidi
community could marry was set at 16.

But not everyone in the Yezidi community thought that an exception
should be made for them.

Many in the younger generations are increasingly turning their backs
on their ancestors’ way of life by refusing to have many children,
herd livestock or wear traditional clothing.

Although the number is still small — just around 100 — Yezidi
students are now studying at Armenian universities, said Khdr Hajoyan,
the
editor of a Yezidi newspaper named after their fabled homeland, Yezidkhana’.

REVUE DE PRESSE
Turquie. La fausse victoire d’Erdogan

La féroce répression policière, les centaines d’arrestations et de
détentions arbitraires, l’interdiction des manifestations, enfin
l’ultime menace de faire intervenir l’armée – elle a désormais à sa
tête des officiers islamistes – signent la fin du mythe Erdogan.

Martine GOZLAN – Marianne

Des milliers de blessés, 7500 selon les dernières estimations. Des
jeunes qui ont perdu à jamais la vue en raison des tirs de
lacrymogènes tendus. Des canons d’une eau remplie d’acide. Des
médecins matraqués et arrêtés alors qu’ils soignaient les victimes.
Des arrestations par centaines dans tout le pays. Des hommes et des
femmes, jeunes, en détention arbitraire. Près de 400 disparus.

Les manifestations syndicales déclarées « illégales ». Donc
interdites. Les ponts bloqués par toutes les forces de police le jour
où le Leader Suprême haranguait, dans son fief, la foule féminine
voilée et masculine barbue. Les réseaux sociaux décrétés hautement
suspects. Une loi prête à en limiter l’accès dans les jours ou les
semaines qui viennent.

A la télévision officielle et à la tribune officielle du Leader
Suprême, l’évocation scandée, bissée, trissée, du « complot de
l’étranger », de « la finance internationale ». La dénonciation des
agissements de la presse internationale, donc forcément coupable.
Enfin, cet avertissement aux insolents qui n’auraient pas pris la
mesure de la divine colère du Sauveur de la Patrie inspiré par Allah :
« Notre police fait son devoir ! Si ce n’est pas suffisant, les
gendarmes feront leur devoir. Mais si ce n’est pas suffisant, nous
utiliserons les forces armées ! »

Non, nous ne sommes pas à Téhéran mais à Istanbul et Ankara. Non, ce
n’est pas Ali Khamenei qui tonne mais Tayyip Erdogan. Non, ma plume,
même requise par les deux dossiers turc et perse, n’a pas divagué de
mon observation des élections iraniennes du 14 juin à celle de la «
victoire » remportée par les forces spéciales du Premier ministre turc
sur des militants pacifiques.

Cependant, j’ai bel et bien le vertige. Alors que la jeunesse danse à
Téhéran, au c`ur d’un système théocratique farouche qui donne des
signes d’essoufflement après plus de trois décennies d’isolement
névrotique, une autre jeunesse fuit la traque et l’agression policière
à Istanbul, au c`ur d’une jeune démocratie islamiste.

Je ne serai pas assez naïve pour gloser à ce stade sur la
démocratisation de l’Iran alors que des centaines d’opposants y sont
incarcérés, qu’on y torture et qu’on y pend. Alors que la femme y est
toujours un être juridiquement invisible, menacée du fouet et de la
lapidation. Cependant, la force du vote iranien du 14 juin nous prouve
qu’un régime ne peut éternellement combattre sa société et sa
jeunesse. Le principe de réalité finit toujours par le rattraper.

De même, je ne serai pas assez stupidement dogmatique pour affirmer
que la démocratie turque s’est transformée en dictature. Même si-
l’Histoire nous le rappelle- le libre suffrage du peuple ne décourage
guère les aspirants au Leadership suprême de marcher sur la voie de
l’écrasement du droit.

C’est ce qui est en train d’arriver à Erdogan. La jeunesse turque
s’est dressée contre la pulsion du chef et le chef a voulu la mater
avec tous les moyens possibles – il ne les a pas encore tous utilisés-
pour lui faire expier sa prétention.

Après l’écrasement des manifestants le week-dernier, spécialement la
nuit du samedi 15 au dimanche 16 juin, date du grand meeting des
partisans de l’AKP, on a titré un peu vite , ici et là, sur « la
victoire d’Erdogan ».

C’était vraiment aller très vite en commentaire en glissant sur la
violence qui a été l’auxiliaire de cette « victoire ». Jusqu’à quand
l’usage de la force, les incantations d’une foule extatique,
prétendument légitime, acquise au Chef, vont-ils tétaniser les
jugements ?

Un tout récent sondage nous apprend que près de 63% des Turcs se
prononcent contre le projet de destruction du parc Gezi, projet à
l’origine de la grande révolte. Ils sont près de 50% à récuser
l’autoritarisme du Premier ministre. Ce qui ne donnerait tout de même
pas une majorité à l’opposition si les élections avaient lieu
aujourd’hui. Erdogan serait certes reconduit. Cela autorise-t-il à
tirer un trait sur les libertés et les droits élémentaires ? Quand,
comment, pourquoi, à partir de quelles lignes rouges, la démocratie
peut-elle se transformer en instrument docile du pouvoir personnel ?
Voilà le grand débat posé par la belle révolte turque.

Voilà ce que clament en silence ses nouveaux acteurs : des jeunes gens
et des jeunes filles, seuls, immobiles, debout durant des heures, sur
les places vides des villes de Turquie. Ils imitent le chorégraphe
Erdem Gunduz qui a inauguré place Taksim, au lendemain des
affrontements du 15 juin, ce nouveau mode de protestation. On
l’appelle le « Duranadam », « l’homme à l’arrêt ».Or, même cet acte de
haute solitude, la police l’a puni : les « Duranadam » sont raflés.
Mais ce n’est pas pour cela qu’ils ont échoué. Au contraire. Au miroir
de leur rébellion, Erdogan, devant le monde, a perdu.

samedi 22 juin 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

CHANSON ARMENIENNE
Armenchik en concert au stade Républicain à Erévan le 25 août

Le célèbre chanteur arménien Armen Gondrachyan connu sous le nom
d’Armenchik (32 ans) né à Erévan mais vivant à Los Angeles depuis 1989
où il avait suivi ses parents à l’ge de 8 ans, est l’un des plus
célèbres vedettes de la chanson arménienne. En février dernier,
Armenchik avait donné des concerts dans diverses villes de France dont
Décines et Valence, avec des salles combles à chaque fois. Armenchik
donnera le 25 août prochain un concert géant au stade Républicain
Vazken Sarkissian d’Erévan (18 000 places). Les bénéfices de la soirée
étant pour le fonds d’aide « Nvirir Giank » (Offre la vie). Une
occasion pour les milliers de fans d’Armenchik de se rendre à Erévan.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 22 juin 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

GERMANY OPPOSES SENDING WEAPONS TO ‘SYRIAN OPPOSITION”

Jun 20, 2013

London-Berlin (SANA)_German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle renewed
his country’s rejection of sending weapons to the “Syrian opposition”
and the need for finding a political solution to the crisis in Syria.

During a press conference in the German Nuremberg city, Westerwelle
said that “those who are exporting weapons to the Syrian opposition
have to make sure that they do not fall into the hands of Jihadists
and terrorists.”

The German FM stressed rejection of military solution in Syria,
indicating that “we have to focus on the political solution even if
it has slim chances for success.”

“We are working to settle the crisis in Syria and will continue to do
so, closely cooperating with France and the US because that’s what
we have to do as representatives of the international community,”
Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told BBC Thursday, adding
” But at the same time, we do not want to get involved in a military
crisis.”

Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron said Wednesday that solving
the crisis in Syria should be political, indicating that “the military
victories won’t solve the issue in Syria.”

M. Ismael