Author: Christine Harutyunian

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has insisted that Manchester United are not yet willing to abandon hope in their Premier League campaign.

Jose Mourinho’s side are 13 points behind leaders Chelsea after only 14 matches and nine adrift of fourth-placed City, having won only two of their last nine games in the competition.

Mkhitaryan, however, says United are not willing to divert their focus away from the top flight in favour of their campaigns in the Europa League, the EFL Cup and the FA Cup.

“We didn’t give up yet in the Premier League,” he told a news conference ahead of United’s clash with Zorya on Thursday. “We’re not yet saying we’re out of the competition.

“We are still in the competition, there are a lot of games to go, so we are trying to do our best to be in the top four.

“In Europe we’re going to try and go as far as we can. I feel that everybody is good with the conditions because we come here to win, we don’t want to lose this game. We want to do our best.”

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is happy to have proved his quality in recent games for Manchester United, after taking the chance given to him by manager Jose Mourinho.

After a two-month absence from the match squad, the Armenian summer signing has started three of the Reds’ last four games and was named Man of the Match in the victories over Feyenoord and West Ham United.

Now he’s hoping to be involved in Thursday’s crucial Europa League game against Zorya Luhansk in Ukraine, a country he knows well from his time at Shakhtar Donetsk, according to Manchester United’s official website.

Speaking at Wednesday’s pre-match press conference in Odessa, the 27-year-old said: “I started playing so I’m positive. I think positively and I am glad to have more playing time for the future because it’s something that is not predictable.

“You have to be ready for every situation. I was ready and I showed I am a top-level player. It doesn’t matter if I am going to play or not, I am always ready to help the team.”

While understandably reluctant to go into specific details, Mkhitaryan also touched upon what he had discussed with the boss when he was trying to break into the team.

“I don’t want to talk about that because it’s in the past already. But we have spoken a lot; first, when I came here and he told me what I have to improve. I think he saw I improved in that time and he gave me the next chance to play again.

“It was difficult to watch the games without me but I have proved that I can play with the main squad. Now I can repeat it and I can prove it again.”

Mkhitaryan spent four years with Shakhtar from 2010 to 2013 before moving to Borussia Dortmund, and local journalists were unsurprisingly keen to ask him about his return to Odessa, where he enjoyed a successful final outing as a Donetsk player against Chornomorets.

“It’s always a pleasure to be here in Ukraine,” the playmaker added. “I have very good memories of playing here. I had four amazing years playing in Ukraine and my last game in Odessa was a very good one because I scored my first hat-trick for Shakhtar, so I am pleased to be here again.”

The 14th Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Commission session, which aimed to boost bilateral trade turnover, came to an end on Monday in the Iranian capital of Tehran, reports. 

In its new report on Armenia published today, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) noted positive developments in the treatment of life-sentenced prisoners, but pointed out remaining problems with ill-treatment in the police custody, understaffing and lack of meaningful activities for inmates. The response of the Armenian government was published together with the report.

While the decreased number of allegations of police ill-treatment in detention suggests an improvement in this area, there are indications that this problem has not been entirely eradicated. In this respect, the CPT identified a number of deficiencies in the procedure for recording injuries of detainees.

The CPT recommends that the Special Investigation Service be significantly reinforced in terms of operational staff, in order to no longer need to rely on local police officers. Legal safeguards against ill-treatment, although effectively operating, do not cover situations when persons are “invited” to come to the police for “informal talks”, but have to stay there for hours and even days before being formally declared a criminal suspect. The visit to the military detention facilities in Yerevan revealed an extremely poor offer of activities, which, coupled with the problems in providing adequate psychiatric and psychological assistance, made it clear that the isolator was not a suitable place for prolonged detention.

At the national level, there was no longer any overcrowding of prisons, but some establishments, (especially the Nubarashen Prison) were overcrowded. The CPT strongly encouraged the Armenian authorities to further pursue measures to combat overcrowding, to step up efforts to combat corruption in the prison system, and to take resolute steps to put an end to the practice of the management delegating authority to a select number of inmates (the so-called “watchers”).

The delegation noted positive developments in the treatment of prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment: they were no longer routinely handcuffed when outside their cells, and for the first time several of them had been transferred from closed to semi-closed regime.

In Nubarashen and Yerevan-Kentron prisons the CPT delegation observed serious overcrowding and very poor material conditions. The Committee remained seriously concerned by the almost total absence of any regime of activities in any of the prisons visited, and called on the authorities to develop such programmes.

Healthcare services in prisons remained understaffed and poorly equipped, serious shortage of medication was observed, and the medical screening on admission, especially recording of injuries, remained totally inadequate, with the police and prison stuff routinely present, in violation of the medical confidentiality principle.

The report is based on the visit of the CPT’s delegation to Armenia from 5 to 15 October 2015.

Following the 2016 elections, 97% of Members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues seeking re-election won, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) reported.

While Caucus candidates were resoundingly successful at the ballot box this cycle, 11 members will not return to Congress due to retirement, resignation, or because they sought other office.

Three of the Armenian Caucus members who ran for another office won their races: Reps. Janice Hahn (D-CA) for Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors; Candice Miller (R-MI) for Macomb County Public Works Commissioner; and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for the U.S. Senate after defeating Turkish Caucus Congresswoman Donna Edwards in the Maryland primary.

Co-Chairs Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Jackie Speier (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA) and Vice Co-Chairs Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Dave Trott (R-MI) were among those re-elected for the 115^thCongress, however, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Robert Dold (R-IL) lost to Democratic challenger Brad Schneider.

“The Armenian Assembly congratulates all of our friends in Congress on their successful re-election. We look forward to working with the Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs and Vice Co-Chairs to strengthen the Caucus and expand its membership,” stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “The Assembly thanks Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Robert Dold for his dedication to Armenia and the Armenian American community during his time in office, especially sponsoring Armenian Genocide resolutions H.Res.304 and H.Res.154.”

He won Florida, Ohio, Iowa and North Carolina, while Democrat Mrs Clinton took Virginia and Nevada, ABC projects. Pennsylvania is too close to call.

New Hampshire, Michigan and Wisconsin – which were meant to be part of the Clinton firewall – are deadlocked, too.

Mr Trump’s Ohio win was a big boost to him, as no Republican has ever taken the White House without winning the Midwestern bellwether.

Iowa last voted for a Republican in 2004.

PHOTO: ABC/AP

 

Two men and two women have been killed on a ride at a theme park on Australia’s east coast, the BBC reports.

Two victims were thrown from a raft on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on Queensland’s Gold Coast, while two others were trapped inside, officials said.

The park in Coomera has been closed and an investigation is under way.

Dreamworld bills itself as Australia’s biggest theme park with more than 50 rides and attractions.

The Thunder River Rapids ride whisks visitors in circular rafts along a fast-moving artificial river. Dreamworld describes it as a “moderate thrill” attraction.

Queensland Ambulance spokesman Gavin Fuller blamed a “malfunction” for the accident.

The victims have not been named but are reported to be two women aged 32 and 42 and two men aged 38 and 35.

Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), member of the Armenain delegation Naira Karapetyan raised the issue of Mihran Harutyunyan’s deprivation of a gold medal at the Olympic Games. The full text of the speech is provided below:

“The report relates to an issue, which at first sight seems not so far important, but it is, and it unites societies, nations, and people. Indeed, Sport is universally seen as the most popular activity in the world. And it supposed to be free and far from politics, from injustice, from inequality, from any form of unbalancing. Sport supposed to be clear and strict. For every sportsman the greatest and most desirable is the winning of the highest competition – The World Olympic Games.

This year was the year that we have had Rio Games, and many of our member states got honour of having Olympic Champions. My country has gold medal as well, so ones more I want to congratulate from here the Olympic Champion of Greco-Roman Wrestling Armenian Arthur Alexanyan.

But unfortunately, even in sports we see a number of injustice cases; we see referees that sometimes judge not by conscience and rules but quite opposite, trying to serve some good turn to some powerful persons. During this Rio Games another Armenian Sportsman, Greco-Roman Wrestler Mihran Harutyunyan was deprived of gold and got silver medal only because of injustice and misjudging. It’s not mandatory to be an expert to see that it is true; all the people who were present were surprised; they were just whistling to the so-called winner and applauding only to the Armenian guy, to Mihran. And this vivid example is not the single one. In boxing we met the same – Narek Abgaryan and Hovhannes Bachkov are also victims of misjudgments.

Dear Colleagues, I call on the Parliamentary Assembly not to turn a blind eye and take proper steps and call on the various international sports federations, the Greco-Roman Federation and the United World Wrestling to pursue this kind of issues. Every single injustice in sports overshadows not only Olympics, but the aim and nature of sports, the faith and willingness to go ahead.

After all, as the father of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, once said: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.” Let me add to this quotation, that if there is a loss of hope, examples of injustice, unfair judgment, one cannot have enough strength of will to take part and go ahead with deep faith in sports.

So, Dear Colleagues, let’s return the faith and strengthen it together.”

On October 7, 2016 “HayPost” CJSC put into circulation two new stamps dedicated to the 150th birth anniversary of the Armenian artist, painter Arshak Fetvadjian (1866 -1947).

Fetvadjian was the designer of the postage stamps and currency of the first Republic of Armenia.

Arshak Fetvadjian travelled in the Eastern Armenia, painted Armenian architectural monuments and produced more than 2,000 works varying from pencil drawings to watercolors. He is also author of portraits, works with themes related to Armenian history, mythology and nationalism, as well as reproductions from Armenian miniature paintings.

The stamps were printed in “Cartor” Printing House, France, with print run of 40,000pcs per each. They have face values of 170 and 230 Armenian drams. The stamps depict Portrait of Arshak Fetvadjian and his painting “Woman playing the Mandolin”. The stamps were designed by David Dovlatyan, designer of “HayPost” CJSC.

The official cancellation ceremony of the stamp took place at the National Gallery of Armenia. The cancellation was carried out by the Director of National Gallery of Armenia, Arman Tsaturyan and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of “HayPost” CJSC , Hayk Avagyan.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s £15 million private jet has crashed while trying to land in Barcelona, it has emerged, the  reports.

The Real Madrid and Portugal ace was not on board the plane when the crash happened at El Prat airport on Monday evening.

It is understood the plane’s landing gear broke on impact, and a runway at the airport was closed.

The pilot was treated for minor injuries, but no one was seriously hurt.

The 31-year-old football ace often rents the plane, a Gulfstream G200 which he bought last year, to private clients, and none of the star’s friends or family was onboard when the crash happened.

A source close to Ronaldo told The Mirror: ‘The plane is normally rented by companies and it was in use by one of them.

‘Cristiano Ronaldo, his family or friends were not on the plane. The incident had no major consequences.’

When the crash happened, Ronaldo was in Germany ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League match with Borussia Dortmund.

He opened the scoring in a game which would finish 2-2.

President Serzh Sargsyan has accepted the government’s resignation.

The President has instructed the members of government to continue working until a new cabinet is formed.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan announced his resignation at the government sitting Thursday. Later the day the Republican Party of Armenia approved Karen Karapetyan’s nomination for Prime Minister.