Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Top 10 most attractive women in Armenian show business (PHOTOS)

JANUARY 11, 16:41

YEREVAN. – The attractiveness of a woman is not limited solely to her
outer beauty.

A woman’s likeable demeanor, poise, walk, gestures, positions, voice,
glance, sparkle in her eyes, and her emotional state likewise make her
beautiful.

NEWS.am STYLE presents below its top ten most attractive women in
Armenian show business.

The list was compiled in consideration of the views of our readers,
the interest shown toward the women presented below, and the number of
hits of our news items about them.

Nazeni Hovhannisyan

Anahit Simonyan

Astghik Safaryan

Sirusho

Lilit Hovhannisyan

Arminka

Lusine Tovmasyan

Meri Makaryan

Iveta Mukuchyan

Maya Poghosyan

NEWS.am STYLE

From: Baghdasarian

Criminal Oligarchy Escapes From Armenia

The press reported that the ex-governor of Syunik Surik Khachatryan,
a.k.a. Liska, has had his family move from Armenia and he will stay
here alone for some business-related plans of his. Such news is heard
often. The representatives of the Armenian criminal oligarchic
circles, high-ranking officials are often reported to move their
families and money to the west.

According to Global Financial Integrity, illicit financial outflow
from Armenia in the past decade was over 6 billion dollars which is
twice the annual budget of Armenia. It is a fact that in Armenia only
high-ranking officials and their relatives have big capital which is
illicit.

The concentration of capital in Armenia has lasted for two decades,
and the end is not visible because the basic political and economic
rules are not enforced in Armenia. The laws regulating competition and
market relations are not enforced.

Instead, there are monopolies, illicit privileges etc which are very
well known to everyone. The groups that have usurped political power
have established the pattern of quotas, monopolies and racketeering.
The right to these is granted to those who service the smooth
operation of this system, i.e. officials, political parties, etc.

However, the threat of losing illicit capital and property has
increased. Besides internal circumstances, serious external factors
have added, beginning with change of elites and permanent
redistribution of property to capitulation deals with Russia.

The latter is especially interesting because the system, despite
looking for salvation and guarantees of security in Russia, mostly
trusts its capital to the West. Apparently, there are and there can be
no guarantees of security.

Are there guarantees in the West? At least, the billions will feed the
Western economies and be the `ransom’ for the Armenian criminal
oligarchy.

Is it possible to return stolen billions to the country? Is it
possible that ransom is needed in the homeland?

Liska has stayed to run what business? What has he left half-done?
Where would he be if Armenia had a regulated economic and political
environment?

Haikazn Ghahriyan,Editor-in-Chief
17:08 11/01/2014
Story from Lragir.am News:

From: Baghdasarian

Little Armenia Part of Obama’s `Promise Zone’ Program

Friday, January 10th, 2014 |

A sign points to Little Armenia

Rep. Schiff Joins with Obama at White House to Help Announce Los
Angeles Promise Zone

WASHINGTON – Representative Adam Schiff on Thursday joined President
Barack Obama to help announce the first five `Promise Zones,’ which
will include one located in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of
Hollywood, East Hollywood, Koreatown, Westlake and Pico Union. The
Little Armenia neighborhood in Hollywood falls within this program’s
borders.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is scheduled to hosted a press
conference on Friday at City Hall to announce the initiative and
detailed the impact this will have in advancing the needs of the city
and neighborhoods that have been included in the program.

U.S. Representative Adam Schiff with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
in Washington, D.C.

First announced by the President during last year’s State of the Union
Address, the Promise Zone Initiative is a way to partner with local
communities and businesses to create jobs, increase economic security,
expand access to educational opportunities and quality, affordable
housing and improve public safety.

The Hollywood Central Park project, which Schiff has worked on for
years, will be located within the Los Angeles Promise Zone. The
project would build a 44 acre urban park over the Hollywood Freeway
that will create more than 40,000 jobs, create long-term economic
stimulus, and provide the community with open green space for
generations to come. This is a major step forward for this
highly-anticipated project.

`By investing in these key communities in the country, we will not
only create jobs and educational opportunity for our young people, but
we will return hope to some areas that have lost much in the Great
Recession,’ said Schiff. `Every child must have a good chance at
success – no matter where you’re from – and this new Promise Zone will
help keep the promise that hard work and determination in America can
and will pay off.’

This new Los Angeles Promise Zone is focused on five primary goals:

Increasing housing affordability by preserving existing affordable
housing and partnering with housing developers to increase the supply
of affordable new housing to prevent displacement.

Ensuring all youth have access to a high-quality education, and are
prepared for college and careers through its Promise Neighborhoods
initiative, by partnering with the Youth Policy Institute and L.A.
Unified School District to expand its Full Service Community Schools
model from 7 schools to all 45 Promise Zone schools by 2019.

A map of the Promise Zone that encompases Little Armenia

Ensuring youth and adult residents have access to high-quality career
and technical training opportunities that prepare them for careers in
high-growth industries through partnerships with career and technical
training schools and the Los Angeles Community College District.

Investing in transit infrastructure including bus rapid transit lines
and bike lanes, and promoting transit-oriented development (TOD) that
attracts new businesses and creates jobs.

Charging its Promise Zone Director and Advisory Board with eliminating
wasteful and duplicative government programs

President Barak Obama announces the Promise Zone with Los Angeles
Mayor Eric Garcetti in the audience

Schiff advocated directly with the White House and the Department of
Housing and Urban Development to select Hollywood as one of the first
zones in a letter in November 2013, saying: `The Los Angeles Promise
Zone seeks to attract private investment, improve affordable housing
and educational opportunities, create jobs, reduce serious and violent
crime, and assist local leaders in navigating federal programs and
cutting through red tape in the targeted Central Los Angeles
community. The City of Los Angeles has worked tirelessly for more than
a decade to develop innovative partnerships and best practices to
support this model.’

From: Baghdasarian

Extra-parliamentary forces not invited to rally against pension reforms

14:49 – 11.01.14

Representatives of extra-parliamentary political forces say they
haven’t been invited to the parliamentary opposition’s rally scheduled
next week.

Four parliamentary factions – the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaksutyun (ARF-D), the Armenian National Congress
(ANC), Prosperous Armenia and Heritage – decided in a joint session on
Friday to organize a rally on January 18 to protest against the
pension reforms.

Mikael Poghosyan, the leader of the Conservative Party of Armenia,
said they will probably not attend the rally as they haven’t received
an invitation.

The National Self-Determination Union has not been invited either,
according to its leader, Paruyr Hayrikyan.

`The major concern today has to do with the Customs Union, our forced
membership in the new Soviet Union, an alliance of three dictators.
Others may find more questions, important or unimportant,’ he said.

Commenting on amended pension law making pension accumulation
compulsory for all Atmrni born after 1974, Hayrikyan said he thinks
its enforcement on voluntary bases would be more advisable.

Garegin Chigaszyan of the pre-parliament group said they are still
undecided about plans of attending the January 18 rally.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

Armenian Deputy FM: Aliyev remembers the defeat from Artsakh

14:33 11.01.2014

`It’s no secret to anyone that the denial of the right to
self-determination through the distortion of the essence of the
Karabakh conflict, the propaganda of hatred towards Armenians and the
threats of resumption of war are the main obstacle to the negotiation
process,’ Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said.

`This was once again expressed in the Azerbaijani President’s most
recent speech. He could indicate more impressive figures by comparing
his country to the Artsakh Republic. However, he avoids doing that
keeping in mind the defeat in the war it unleashed, irrespective of
any figures. He’s well aware that new adventurism will lead to new
defeats,’ Kocharyan said, commenting on Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev’s statements at the January 9th cabinet meeting.

Azerbaijan President had declared that `according to statistics,
Armenia is inferior to Azerbaijan in all aspects, which will play a
decisive role in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh issue.’

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIE HISTORIQUE
Ani est une ville arménienne écrit le journal turc « Hurriyet Daily
News ». Enfin !

Enfin ! Ani la capitale arménienne des Bagratides, présentée jusqu’à
présent par les guides touristiques turcs sans référence à ses
origines arménienne, va retrouver peu à peu son histoire. Le journal
turc « Hurriyet Daily News » vient de présenter un reportage avec une
série de photos sur« l’ancienne cité arménienne d’Ani couverte sous la
neige ». L’article précise que « Ani est la capitale du royaume
arménien du Moyen Age » qui se trouve actuellement près de l’Arménie,
sur le territoire de la Turquie de l’Est. « La partie orientale d’Ani
est protégée par un pont qui surplombe le fleuve Akhourian, du côté
occidental par les plateaux de Bostanlar ou Darghoudatsor. L’Akhourian
est l’un des affluents de l’Araxe qui coule le long d’une partie de la
frontière entre l’Arménie et la Turquie ».

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 11 janvier 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

ARAM MANYKYAN: “THE WAY OUT IS THE DISMISSAL OF THE ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT”

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Jan 10 2014

10 January 2014 – 8:58am

Interview by David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

2013 was marked by a series of unpopular decisions by the Armenian
leadership. An attempt to raise public transport ticket prices;
a shady story over accumulated gas debts; gas prices increase
for the population, as well as electricity power prices and the
forced launching of the Defined Contribution Pension System – all
these factors almost led to a social explosion. Aram Manykyan, the
secretary of the parliamentary fraction the Armenian National Congress,
told Vestnik Kavkaza about reasons for tightening the screws by the
authorities and relations between Yerevan and global power centers.

– Will the policy of tightening the screws continue in 2014?

– The authorities are aware of the real situation in the country. The
Republicans realize that Europe won’t give them money anymore, while
Moscow and Tehran do not trust them. Therefore, as they don’t expect
foreign investments, they try to compensate them internally to stay
in power. They not only have no opportunities to create new jobs
and establish favorable conditions for business, but also have no
intention to do it. And so, they bully their own population and get
money to save power. The falsified presidential elections of 2013 led
to disappointment in the Armenian society and a new wave of migration
from Armenia. 30 per cent poverty level is a result of the policy of
increasing tax burden without creating new jobs.

– Some circles in Armenia accuse Russia of the gas prices boost. Why
are debts of the private company Arm Rosgazprom paid by the state,
rather than the company which sells gas which costs $189 to consumers
for almost $400?

– The company doubles gas prices from the border to Yerevan.

Despite such revenues, ArmRosgazprom states that it closed the year in
the red. In 2012 the company owed $160 million for no obvious reason.

And the debts of a private company which should get super-profits
were imposed on the state, people who regularly pay $400 for gas. The
State Prosecution should find out who gets the super-profit.

Our authorities haven’t paid the full price for consumable gas for
three years, fobbing Russia off with promises to pay the shortfall by
state property or the state budget. But the budget doesn’t require
such expenditures. Today Tigran Sarkisyan gave Russia the last 20%
of ArmRosgazprom and we can only guess what he will give it in the
future. As a result, Moscow doesn’t consider Yerevan as an equal
partner.

– How did the rejection of the signing the association agreement
with the EU and the intention to join the Customs Union instead
influence the image of the Armenian authorities in the world?

– It inluenced very negatively. A vector of internal policy was
determined by interests of a group of people, and it led to the worst
consequences for Armenia at the foreign political arena. The society
didn’t get an answer to the question why the country had moved toward
the EU for years, but one day it declared about joining the CU.

As the result Armenia itself stopped being a factor in its own
foreign policy.

A desire to be a CU member, the rejection of initialing of the
agreement with the EU, unclear policy aimed at approaching Turkey have
no signs of any concept. All these decisions are not a result of a
political will. Armenia lost trust of the West, Russia, and Iran. If
membership in the CU was an initiative based on real interests of
Armenia, it would be a bright example of cooperation with Russia.

However, our authorities decided to join the CU only because of their
mistakes in the past.

– What about Europe?

– The problem could be solved under skilful management.

Surprisingly, the question on European or Eurasian integration
resembles a choice between black and white in Armenia. We had to
continue the policy which would combine American support, European
democracy, and Russian security. It was possible as we had many
friendly states. Today we lost them and those who are guilty live in
our country.

– What is your vision of the way out?

– The immediate civilized dismissal of the government can lead
Armenia from the deadend.

From: Baghdasarian

NEW PROSPECTS OUTLINE IN ARMENIAN-INDIAN COOPERATION IN HEALTH

17:10, 10 January, 2014

YEREVAN, JANUARY 10, ARMENPRESS: The Minister of Healthcare of the
Republic of Armenia Derenik Dumanyan and the Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of India to Armenia Suresh Babu discussed
issues related to the health sector. The Ministry of Healthcare
informed Armenpress that highlighting the dynamic development of the
Armenian-Indian relations, Derenik Dumanyan emphasized the expansion
of the cooperation in pharmaceutical and pharmacology.

Dumanyan stated that the large pharmaceutical exhibition to be held
in April in Mumbai is of significant importance, adding that Armenian
medicine producers as well will attend the exhibition. The Ambassador
congratulated the company, which got the GPM certificate. He stated
that in Armenia GPM certificate is an important guarantee of active
cooperation in the international market. “The visit of the Indian
Drug Export Promotion Council delegation to Armenia on February 2-4
and their meeting with the Medicine Producers and Importers Union
of Armenia, as well as other interested parties, may become a new
guarantee for the development of the bilateral cooperation”, – said
Suresh Babu, stating that representatives of more than 15 companies
will be included in the delegation.

Highlighting the role of the medical education and medical science,
Suresh Babu proposed to organize free courses of the Indian traditional
medicine and homeopathy, thus enabling the interested to get acquainted
with the secrets of the Indian traditional medicine.

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

From: Baghdasarian

YEREVAN BILLBOARDS ARE BEING UPDATED

January 10, 2014 | 14:44

YEREVAN. – The updating of the billboards on the streets of Armenia’s
capital city Yerevan will continue in 2014, too.

The large and medium-sized billboards, whose advertising surface
stretches toward the traffic, will be disassembled this year, as well.

Just like the 2013 plan, they will be replaced by small billboards.

“The billboards need to blend in with the city’s architecture and not
be dominant. The advertising agencies are disassembling them with their
own efforts and installing small modern, including multifunctional,
billboards,” Yerevan Municipality official Araz Baghdasaryan noted.

From: Baghdasarian

HCA: NON-COMBAT DEATH STATISTICS

According to the Helsinki Citizens Assembly Vanadzor office, in
2013 there were 30 army incidents, 31 conscripts died. There was
one premeditated murder, two murders through violation of field
manuals, one murder through violation of rules of combat service,
eight suicides, three deaths resulting from violation of rules of
handling guns, five violations of the ceasefire, seven accidents,
and four cases of health problems. The ministries of defense of
Armenia and NKR were the primary source of information in 14 cases,
official press releases were issued on 24 of 31 cases.

In 2013 the rate of non-combat deaths was lower than in the previous
years but the number of incidents causing deaths has not decreased.

17:35 10/01/2014 Story from Lragir.am News:

From: Baghdasarian