Author: George Mamian

The United States of America celebrates the  240th Independence Day today.

4 July is the most significant national holiday in the United States. It celebrates the Declaration of Independence, adopted on 4 July, 1776. The Thirteen Colonies of America declared themselves to be states and no longer part of the British Empire, though the revolutionary war continued for some time after.

These mainly agricultural colonies were run by the British – who had been present on the continent since 1587 – and exploited for their resources, in particular tobacco.

While the relationship between the settlers and British was once amicable, tensions began to escalate over British laws and taxes, such as the Sugar Act, driven by British financial needs. There was also a growing sense of nationalism in the country.

From 1765, some settlers began to demand ‘no taxation without representation’, calling for their voice to be heard in the British parliament.

This tension sometimes erupted into fighting and acts of dissent, such as the Boston Tea Party in 1773. The event was a protest against the Tea Act, legislation which gave the British East India Company a monopoly on sales of tea in the Thirteen Colonie.

Further ill feeling was caused by the Coercive Acts – which became known as the ‘Intolerable Acts’ to American Patriots – which were implemented in response to the Boston Tea Party. The laws took power away from semi-autonomous Massachusetts.

In response to these factors, Continental Congresses – a meeting of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies – were convened. At the second meeting, in 1775, a war of independence against Britain was declared.

The next year, the Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 representatives of thirteen self-styled states (previously the Thirteen Colonies). The signatories included future president Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.

The conflict continued until the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the war in favour of an independent America.

Armenia’s leading chess player Levon Aronian is ranked 5th in FIDE’s July ranking. World Champion Magnus Carlsen is on top of the list followed by Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) and Fabiano Caruana (USA).

Other Armenian Grandmasters are ranked as follows: Gabriel Sargissian – 56^th, Vladimir Akopian – 62^nd, Sergei Movsessian -76^th.

Ryan Giggs has ended his 29-year stay at Manchester United by agreeing a settlement with the Old Trafford club, the reports.

United are expected to release an official statement in the coming days.

Giggs, 42, had a year remaining on his contract as assistant manager but new boss Jose Mourinho intends to fill that role with long-time friend Rui Faria.

Unable to reach agreement over another role at the Premier League club, Giggs, who made a record 963 appearances for United, has decided to move on.

Cardiff-born Giggs has passed all his coaching badges and has never made any secret of his desire to move into management.

Giggs was also disappointed to be overlooked in favour of former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Mourinho, whose appointment was confirmed in May.

Giggs joined the United academy on his 14th birthday, turning professional aged 17 in November 1990 and making his first-team debut against Everton on 2 March, 1991.

Roy Hodgson has resigned as England manager after his side suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Iceland to crash out of Euro 2016 at the last-16 stage, the BBC reports.

The 68-year-old had been in charge for four years after replacing Italian Fabio Capello but has won just three of 11 games in major tournament finals.

Iceland – with a population of just 330,000 – were among the lowest-ranked teams in France at 34 in the world.

“I’m sorry it will have to end this way but these things happen,” Hodgson said.

“Now is the time for someone else to oversee the progress of a hungry and extremely talented group of players.

“They have done fantastically and done everything asked of them. I hope you will still be able to see an England team in a final of a major tournament soon.”

Hodgson, who won 33 of his 56 games as England boss, would have been out of contract at the end of the tournament.

The Central Bank of Armenia has issued a commemorative medal dedicated to the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Republic of Armenia.

Adoption of Christianity as a state religion in Armenia in 301 AD is associated with the name of Saint Gregory the Illuminator who is a saint recognized by all traditional Christian Churches. For centuries his venerated relics were spread all over the Christian world.

Lending importance to strengthening of the existing brotherly relations between Christian Churches, in 2000 His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians paid a visit to the Roman Catholic Church and her leader, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, who, in his turn, in 2001 participated in celebrations dedicated to the 1700th Anniversary of adoption of Christianity as a state religion in Armenia.

The trilateral meeting between the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani leaders on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement was constructive, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said Monday, reports.

“Today’s meeting was quite effective, and I can say with some caution that it was held in a constructive atmosphere,” Nalbandian told reporters.

A trilateral meeting between the Presidents of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan was held in St. Petersburg Monday.

Armenian President expects an agreement on implementation of commitments by Azerbaijan and exclusion of ceasefire violations, reports.

Speaking to reporters before the trilateral meeting between the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian Presidents in Saint Petersburg, President Sargsyan said “the recent years have shown that the negotiation process can be more or less productive if the parties meet their commitments, i.e. act in compliance with the provisions of the 1994 and 1995 agreements on ceasefire.”

“I hope we’ll finally reach an agreement in St. Petersburg and Azerbaijan will meet its commitment,” President Sargsyan said.

“I also hope that the border incidents will be excluded and we’ll continue the negotiations with an aim of reaching a final solution,” the Resident added.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz, a German Social Democrat, has written an open letter to Erdogan, saying differences of opinion among elected officials should not prompt allegations of terrorist sympathies.

“Such an act constitutes a complete breach of a taboo, which I condemn as strongly as possible,” Schulz wrote. “As the president of a multi-national, multi-ethnic and multi-faith parliament, allow me to make the following point: MPs’ freedom to carry out their mandate as they see fit is a fundamental pillar of our European democracies.”

Turkey is one of several countries recognized as a candidate for potential EU membership one day. Schulz sought to defend both German MPs and those in Turkey opposed to Erdogan’s policies.

“A string of the German Bundestag MPs you have personally attacked, but also Turkish parliamentarians affected by measures which you support, are amongst longstanding colleagues of mine, some of them are very close to me personally,” Schulz said. “I feel obliged to protect these colleagues wherever I can.”

The New South Wales Parliament’s Armenia-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group has released a joint statement supporting “the people of Nagorno Karabakh in seeking self-determination” and expressing “its strong concern at recent Azeri aggression” towards the Armenians of Artsakh.

The statement, was moved as a Group Resolution by Chairman Jonathan O’Dea MP and supported by all members during their joint meeting this week, attended by members of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia).

The Armenia-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group includes members of all parties, as well as Independents of the Upper and Lower Houses of the NSW Parliament.

ANC Australia Executive Administrator, Arin Markarian praised the move by O’Dea and his colleagues, at a time when reports indicate that Azerbaijan is again building up its border military resources after its unprecedented post-Ceasefire attacks on the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh from April 1-5.

“This resolution shows the unequivocal and continuing support from members of a Parliament, which has already recognised the rights to self-determination of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh in its Legislative Council,” said Markarian.

“The people of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh seek and deserve peace, and this statement shows that a bi-partisan group of NSW Parliamentarians stand with the government and people of Artsakh,” Markarian added.

The full statement reads:

“The Armenia-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group indicates its support for the people of Nagorno Karabakh in seeking self-determination, and expresses its strong concern at recent Azeri aggression towards the people of Armenian background in that region.”

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, called for a “Leahy Law” investigation into reports that the Azerbaijan armed forces, which annually receive millions of dollars in U.S. military aid, committed gross violations of human rights during Baku’s April 2nd offensive against Nagorno Karabakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In remarks during an Armed Services hearing today on the National Defense Authorization Act, Rep. Sanchez noted that she has reviewed credible allegations that units of the Azerbaijani military have committed gross violations of human rights.  “I believe that these blatant human rights violations warrant action on our part to direct our Secretary of Defense to work with our Secretary of State on an investigation on possible human rights violations.  And I believe the U.S. should conduct an investigation on whether the ‘Leahy Law’ is being violated by the Azerbaijani military,” stated Rep. Sanchez.  “We, the United States, we are a leader on human rights and we cannot afford to support militaries that commit human rights violations.”

In her remarks, Rep. Sanchez cited sharp criticism of Azerbaijan’s human rights record and called attention to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev’s pardon and praise for Ramil Safarov, who axe-murdered an Armenian officer while he slept during a NATO peace-keeping training program in Hungary.  Rep. Sanchez’s statement accompanied an amendment that she submitted, but later withdrew for procedural purposes.