Author: Elizabeth Jabejian

Photo: Reuters

 

Iraqi forces have retaken the main government offices in Mosul as the offensive continues to oust the so-called Islamic State (IS) group, the BBC reports.

The advance could pave the way for an attack on the heavily-populated old city, where the militants are still entrenched.

Thousands of civilians are streaming out of the city every day.

Mosul is the last stronghold for IS in Iraq. The east of the city was recaptured in January.

Civilians say it was the heaviest night of bombardment since the operation to retake the city’s west began on 19 February.

The Iraqi forces launched a surprise attack overnight to storm the government buildings.

Although the structures are reported to be largely destroyed, they are a strategic and symbolic win.

Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan is the only footballer in the world to speak seven languages.

The Khalid 10 Football Channel has compiled the list of 14 players, who speak four languages or more.

The Armenian international speaks Armenian, Russian, English, French, German, Italian and Portuguese. His teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovich is also on the list with five languages (Swedish, Bosnian, English, Italian and Spanish).

Manchester United manager speaks six languages (Portuguese, French, English, Italian, Spanish and Catalan).

Three of Manchester United’s signings from last summer are competing for the club’s latest Player of the Month award, according to the club’s official website. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba are the nominees for February; when the same trio contested the prize in December, the Swedish striker came out on top.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 6 (1) appearances  / 7 goals / 2 Man-of-the-Match awards
United’s top scorer has been in scintillating form in front of goal, adding to his first hat-trick for the club in the home Europa League tie against Saint-Etienne with a key brace at Wembley in the EFL Cup final victory over Southampton. Ibrahimovic also scored at Leicester City and came off the bench to knock Blackburn Rovers out of the Emirates FA Cup, and he provided an assist for Anthony Martial in the win over Watford.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 5 appearances / 2 goals / 2 Man-of-the-Match awards
After some splendid performances in February, it was such a pity that injury ruled the Armenian attacker out of the EFL Cup final. Earlier in the month, he finished clinically past Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel after a driving run and set up Marcus Rashford at Blackburn with a glorious pass, and was voted Man of the Match on both occasions. Mkhitaryan’s classy first-half goal at Saint-Etienne effectively ended the Europa League tie in France and he now hopes to win his first Player-of-the-Month award since joining the Reds from Borussia Dortmund.

Paul Pogba – 6 (1) appearances / 0 goals / 1 Man-of-the-Match award
The French star performed in both deep and attacking midfield roles during February and showed his skills throughout. He helped turn the FA Cup game at Ewood Park in United’s favour when appearing as a substitute and looking a class above, creating Ibrahimovic’s winner with a delightful through ball. A Man-of-the-Match display followed in his homeland as he came out on top in the battle with his brother Florentin’s side and he was a powerhouse again in the EFL Cup final at Wembley despite the Reds’ taxing schedule.

You can . The result will be announced on ManUtd.com on Friday afternoon.

Artsakh is holding a referendum on a new draft Constitution. The Central Electoral Commission reports that 19 475 citizens or 18.95% of eligible voters, participated in the poll as of 11 a.m.

All 280 polling stations opened at 8 a.m. this morning. The number of eligible voters is 102 757.

Photo: Sputnik/Sergey Pyatakov

 

The chief of the Georgian Orthodox Church Patriarchate’s Property Management Service, priest Georgy Mamaladze has been detained on charges of plotting the murder of a church hierarch, Georgian Chief Prosecutor Irakly Shotadze said Monday, reports.

The Rustavi 2 TV company reported Sunday about a possible attempt to poison Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II. According to the report, Mamaladze was detained at Tbilisi airport on Friday night, later he was arrested.

“Georgy Mamaladze had a systematic relationship with the Catholicos-Patriarch and his entourage. The investigation established that Mamaladze had been preparing the murder of a person and that was why he had bought from an unknown person the poisonous substance cyanide,” Shotadze told reporters.

The chief prosecutor added that the detained official of the Georgian patriarchate had planned to take the poisonous substance to Germany, where Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II is undergoing treatment.

The Research Center for Western Armenian Studies has published two documents, proving the Ottoman policy of Islamization of Armenian orphans.

During the Armenian Genocide the Ottoman Government pursued the policy of Turkification of Armenian women and children.

presents two Ottoman documents and their Western Armenian translations. The texts are related to Armenian orphans hosted at a building in Ankara.

In the first document Interior Minister Talaat says it’s inexpedient to leave the Armenian children assembled in the building and orders to relocate them to different Islamic organizations.

The second document is the response by Ankara’s Deputy Governor Atif, who reports details about the number of Armenian women and children in the region and informs that the Armenian orphans will be sent to Islamic organizations.

The documents have been provided to the Research Center for Western Armenian Studies by US-based researcher Gevorg Hakobyan.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan received today Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Armenia Tian Erlong.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to intensification of economic cooperation between the two countries. The sides expressed satisfaction with the joint projects implemented in different sectors and discussed cooperation in promising areas.

Thankful for the assistance provided to our country by the Chinese government, Karen Karapetyan stressed the need to overhaul bilateral relations. “I want Chinese businessmen to feel comfortable in Armenia. We also want to establish air communication with China,” the Head of Government noted.

The Premier said his government interested in attracting foreign direct investment in the economy and ready to assist Chinese entrepreneurs with their possible involvement in Armenia. He suggested developing specific programs, noting that they would be discussed in all detail by the Government of Armenia.

The Chinese Ambassador said the Chinese side attaches great importance to the deepening of economic cooperation with Armenia and is going to organize a series of events that might contribute to the implementation of investment projects.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry insists he has always been a fan of Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, according to .

The Armenia international moved to the Red Devils in a £30m transfer from Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund in the summer transfer window following Jose Mourinho’s appointment as the club’s new manager.

However, Mkhitaryan made a slow start to the 2016-17 season and made one Premier League start in August, September and October due to fitness problems and a lack of form at his new employers.

The attacking midfielder has come into his own in recent months, though, thanks to a return of three goals and three assists in his last 10 appearances in all competitions.

Speaking on Monday Night Football, former Arsenal striker Henry gave a glowing verdict on the Manchester United playmaker.

“I’ve always been a fan. He has come alive with Man United and hopefully he’s going to be a good player for them,” Henry said.

 

 

 

The Armenian Human Rights Defender’s Office has carried out a fact-finding mission to reveal the circumstances of the infringement attempt by Azeri troops at the Armenian state border, near the village of Chinarion December 29, 2016.

Presenting the findings to reporters today, Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan said the attack, which left three Armenian servicemen killed, was carried out under the conditions of no threat to the Azeri side on the part of Armenian forces.

The Ombudsman said there are no military units or any other military objects on the territory of the settlement, which comes to prove that the peaceful population was targeted in the attack.

He said the attacks continued in January, and added that the kindergarten and the school of Chinari were targeted on January 3.

The Ombudsman’s report also refers to the firing in the January 13 firing in the direction of the Voskepar-Baghanis highway.

Arman Tatoyan will visit Strasburg and Brussels next week and will present the report to high-ranking officials from the Council of Europe and other international structures.

An Ankara court on Dec. 26 issued a temporary broadcast ban on media coverage on news related to the assassination of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov who was gunned down on Dec. 19 in Ankara, according to a judicial source, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Ankara’s 7th Court of Peace declared the media ban upon a request from the constitutional crimes investigation bureau of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The court declared the broadcast ban would continue until the completion of the police investigation.
The ban includes footages from the time of the attack and afterwards, and news related to suspects believed to have links to the incident.

Karlov died after being shot multiple times at an art exhibition in Ankara. He was delivering a speech when 22-year-old Turkish policeman, Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, opened fire. Altıntaş was later gunned down after an exchange of fire with security personnel.