A hotiline has been opened at the Armenian Embassy in Italy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.
Those affected by the devastating earthquake that struck central Italy on Tuesday can call +390687788654 for assistance.
The death toll in the Italian earthquake has risen to at least 247 as thousands of rescuers continue efforts to find survivors.
“The latest developments in Armenia’s capital Yerevan, related to the seized Erebuni police station, are very worrying. We call for an immediate release of the medical staff that is being held hostage,” Maja Kocijancic, Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement.
“At the same time, we reiterate our call on the Armenian authorities to refrain from excessive use of force by the police in handling public manifestations. Likewise, demonstrators need to refrain from violence in the exercise of their civil rights,” she added.
‘Use of force and violence to achieve political change are not acceptable. Conflicts need to be resolved through political dialogue with a respect for democracy, rule of law and fundamental freedoms,” the Spoesperson said.
One policeman has been killed, two others are wounded after an armesd attack on the headquarters of the patrol force regiment of Armenia’s Police this morning.
The group took a restricted number of policemen hostage, demanding the release of Zhirayr Sefilyan arrested about a month ago on accusation of illegally purchasing, transporting and keeping weapons.
Two hostages have been freed, the Police said in a statement.
“The Armenian law-enforcement bodies keep control of the situation and take all necessary measures to settle it. At the same time the National Security Service urges to disseminate information only from official sources, information from other sources contributes to the criminal actions, creates threat to the lives and health of the people.
36-year-old super middleweight contender Arthur Abraham (45-5, 30 KOs) beat little known bottom dweller Tim-Robin Lihaug (15-2, 8 KOs) by an eighth round stoppage in a fight at the Max Schmeling Halle, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany.
Abraham knocked Lihaug with a 1-2 combination in the 8th. After Lihaug got back to his feet, Abraham unloaded on him with power shots until the fight was stopped. The fight was stopped at 1:09 of the round.
One of the positives from Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic was the first-half performance of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jose Mourinho’s summer signing from Borussia Dortmund who impressed supporters with a menacingly creative display at the DW Stadium.
The 27-year-old Armenian started the match as a no.10 and quickly created an excellent opportunity for Memphis Depay, before missing the target himself when meeting a cross. He was taken off at half-time as one of seven planned substitutions and Mourinho praised his unofficial debut after the match, describing him as a “top-class player” with a “magnificent” brain.
Mkhitaryan spoke exclusively to following the final whistle and discussed his first match with United.
“I would say it was a good game,” declared Henrikh. “The first half was a little bit difficult because we couldn’t score a goal. But whatever, we made a good game and thank you to my team-mates. I was trying to feel comfortable. I think day by day it will be better.”
Asked about how he is settling in with his new club, Mkhitaryan spoke optimistically about the future: “I am trying, because the first days are always very difficult. You have to get to know your team-mates and their qualities, so I am trying to learn everything very quickly. Game by game it will be better and better. Of course we’re getting ready for the new season so we are trying to do everything the coach is asking from us.”
Saturday’s 2-0 win in Wigan was cheered on by around 7,000 United fans at the DW Stadium and Mkhitaryan was grateful to play in front of such support. “It’s always a pleasure to see the United fans during the away games so I am happy and I say thanks to them for coming,” he concluded.
Holding talks with Georgia and Armenia is among top priorities of Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) to increase exports of the country’s oil products, an official in the company told Shana news agency on Monday, eports.
Amir Vakilzadeh, the manager of exports and imports department of NIOPDC, noted that Georgia, which stands among the customers of Iranian oil, can be Iran’s gateway to European market. He added that negotiations with Armenia to enter the Georgian market are underway.
Vakilzadeh said that NIOPDC seeks new markets for its products, while preserving the market of its neighboring countries.
Export of gasoil, as Iran’s strategic oil product, to neighboring countries and the Middle East region is on the agenda.
– Pope Francis has departed from Italy for a three-day Apostolic Voyage to Armenia.
As the Pope began his journey, he sent the following telegram to Sergio Mattarella, the President of Italy:
In the moment in which I undertake my Apostolic Voyage to Armenia in order to draw from the ancient wisdom of that people, to confirm them in the faith, to support every effort along the path of peace and reconciliation, I address to you, Mr President, and to the whole Italian nation my cordial greetings, which I accompany with an encouragement to the entire country to remain on the front line of solidarity, looking to the future with confidence and hope.
Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, will not arrive in Armenia. Fr. Vahram Melikyan, Director of the Information Services Department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, confirmed the news to .
The Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul had earlier announced that Archbishop Atesyan was planning a visit to Armenia to participate in the sitting of the Supreme Religious Council and the events organized on the occasion of the Pope’s visit.
Fr. Vahram Melikyan did not go into detail about the reasons of the decision. “Speaking about the reasons is inexpedient,” he said.
German MPs with Turkish roots have criticized Turkish associations in Germany for providing a platform for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Many are supported by the Turkish government and do not act independently, reports.
The MPs say Erdogan’s influence goes beyond incendiary speeches in Ankara – a number of Turkish organizations in Germany receive Turkish state support, and as such act as the foreign arm of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB) was founded in 1984 as a branch of the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Ankara, which funds religious education in Turkey. It pays for Turkish imams to work in Germany. It also claims to represent 70 percent of Germany’s Muslims.
“The Erdogan government’s control of mosque unions in Germany leads to him increasingly misusing these unions as a mouthpiece for his despotic policies,” Left party MP Sevim Dagdelen . “These unions are instrumentalized by Erdogan to establish a very dangerous kind of Islamism that is contrary to basic rights.”
“If mosque unions controlled by Erdogan try to exercise political influence, the critical media will have a tough time being heard,” Dagdelen continued. “This means that millions of people here in Germany are being showered with Erdogan’s inhuman propaganda – and the German government is not paying attention.”
Gökay Sofuoglu, chairman of the Turkish community organization TGD, agrees that many groups are under the influence of the Turkish government, particularly DITIB and the Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD), a lobby organization for the AKP. “But there are other organizations, like the TGD, that don’t let themselves be influenced by either Turkish or German politics,” he said.
“I can’t prescribe to DITIB how they should act,” he told DW. “But I can call on the associations to adhere to the basic order and freedom of Germany. Groups that call themselves civil organizations should act in the interests of the population, not the government.” But he admitted that, as a state-supported organization, DITIB couldn’t act independently at all.
He also noted that other organizations like Milli Görüs, which specifically pursues a political Islamist agenda and is considered close to the international Muslim Brotherhood, are already under observation by the German intelligence agencies.
Several MPs, including Özdemir and Germany’s Integration Commissioner Aydan Özoguz, called on associations like DITIB to condemn the threats against them. “You don’t have to like the resolution,” Özdemir told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.” “But Turkish organizations must condemn the death threats. There can’t be two opinions on that.”
– Armenian American designer has joined the .
Carolyn Rafaelian founded fashion jewelry company Alex and Ani in 2004, taking over what had been her father’s Rhode Island jewelry factory to manufacture the new age, celestial-chic bangles that have become the brand’s staple.
To say growth has been explosive would be an understatement. In 2010, Alex and Ani — named after two of Rafaelian’s daughters — did an estimated $4.5 million in revenues. By 2015, sales had hit $500 million, catapulting the 49-year-old onto Forbes’ second annual list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women thanks to her majority ownership.
Rafaelian joins the ranks at #22, with an estimated net worth of $700 million, making her the second richest newcomer to the list, after Gail Miller, billionaire owner of basketball’s Utah Jazz.
She’s the richest self-made woman in the nation to derive her wealth from jewelry, and joins an impressive group of fashion and retail moguls on Forbes’ ranking that includes Spanx founder Sara Blakely, preppie-chic designer Tory Burch, and bridal tycoon Vera Wang.