Author: Kajoyan Gevork

New York Times
Feb 6 2015

Anita Darian, a Singer With an Eclectic Range, Dies at 87

By DANIEL E. SLOTNIKFEB. 6, 2015

For the singer Anita Darian, getting to Carnegie Hall not only took
practice, it also took a kazoo.

Ms. Darian’s versatile voice took her there in 1960, where she sang
and played kazoo with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard
Bernstein’s baton. But she reached many more listeners with her
keening, uncredited background singing on the Tokens’ 1961 hit “The
Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

She died on Sunday at 87 in Oceanside, N.Y. Lynda Wells, a longtime
friend and an executor of her estate, said that the cause was
complications after intestinal surgery.

Ms. Darian was a session singer and stage performer when she was asked
by the producers Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore and the songwriter
George David Weiss to provide backing vocals for “The Lion Sleeps
Tonight,” which Mr. Weiss had adapted from a South African song.

Her soaring, high-pitched vocal provided a counterpoint to the lead
vocals and the harmonized lower-register “wimowehs,” and the record
spent three weeks atop the Billboard pop chart.

She also sang behind Mickey & Sylvia on their 1957 hit “Love Is
Strange” and recorded with Burt Bacharach, Dinah Washington, Patti
Page and others, usually without credit and often emulating the eerie
sound of a theremin.

Her talents were more frequently acknowledged onstage. She made her
Carnegie Hall debut performing Mark Buzzi’s “Concerto for Kazoo and
Orchestra” as part of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra’s Young
People’s Concerts program. (The concert was broadcast on CBS.)

A City Center regular, Ms. Darian performed Natalie in Strauss’s “Die
Fledermaus” and Pitti-Sing in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado”
there in 1959, and played Julie in “Show Boat” in 1961. She also
played Lady Thiang in several different City Center productions of
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The King and I.”

“As the King’s head wife, Anita Darian sings ‘Something Wonderful’
with a patience, belief and clarity that are wonderful in their own
right,” the New York Times critic Brooks Atkinson wrote in a review of
a 1960 City Center production that starred Farley Granger and Barbara
Cook.

She was born Anita Margaret Esgandarian in Detroit on April 26, 1927,
to Anna and Garo Esgandarian, Armenian immigrants. She shortened her
name when she went into show business. She graduated from Cooley High
School in Detroit and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia
and later studied at the Juilliard School.

Ms. Darian lived in East Atlantic Beach on Long Island. Varham
Fantazian, a cousin and co-executor of her estate, said that no
immediate family members survive.

What Price Will Armenia Pay for Russian Loan?

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Business – 07 February 2015, 13:52

During Hovik Abrahamyan’s visit to Moscow agreement on the Russian
loan of 270 million dollars to Armenia was signed. The money will be
spent on extending the operation of the Armenian nuclear plant by 10
years. Russia will also provide a grant of 30 million dollars.

Armenia needs this loan as water and air, at least to ensure financial
stability and prevent risks of collapse of the rate of the dram.

Practically, however, the activities aimed at extension of the term of
operation of the Armenian nuclear plant arouse questions. In
particularly, whether this work will not be used as an opportunity to
close the nuclear plant for a long time and leave Armenia heavily
reliant on electricity generated on Russian gas, which will boost
consumption of Russian gas in Armenia in implementation of the
notorious 2 December 2013 agreement with Gazprom.

The share of electricity generated on Russian gas has increased in the
energy sector of Armenia. Fears connected with the nuclear plant
intensified after the minister of energy Yervand Zakharyan announced
during the regular maintenance of the Nuclear Plant that problems have
come up, and there is a need for additional study.

And as electricity generated on gas increased, the price of
electricity increased accordingly. Of course, not only because of this
but also because of inefficient of management of energy companies, in
other words, corruption. And these companies belong to Russia.

Hence, on the one hand, the Russian loan of 270 million dollars is
important for ensuring the balance of currency. On the other hand, the
repair of the nuclear plant may be used for promoting the Russian
commercial interests in Armenia. By the way, Yervand Zakharyan has
announced recently that soon there may be a need to boost the price of
electricity.

It is possible that this is the price which Armenai will pay for the
Russian loan. Judging by information about the meeting of Hovik
Abrahamyan and Dmitry Medvedev, Armenia and Russia have not achieved
any other specific agreement.

And the government hopes to overcome the ongoing difficult period for
the economy of Armenia through foreign financial assistance. For this
purpose, new Eurobonds will be issued, though the falling rating of
the Armenian economy along with the falling rating of Russia and its
economy pose risks to selling them. In other words, the success of
Armenia’s Eurobonds depends on the situation of the key sponsor of
Armenia’s economy Russia. And its situation is not good hence the
Eurobonds seem to be a vague prospect.

Numbeo: Azerbaijan is most expensive country in region according to
Consumer Price Index

13:00 07/02/2015 >> SOCIETY

In the “Cost of living index – 2015” compiled by the world’s largest
database “Numbeo”, Armenia was ranked as 102th in the consumer price
index (40.68) recognized as the cheapest country in the CIS after
Moldova, while Azerbaijan with the 59.13 index is on the 49th place
among 119 countries. The list is published on Numbeo’s website.

According to the rating, the most expensive countries in the world are
Switzerland (126.03), Norway (118.59) and Venezuela (111.01. Pakistan
(30.01), Nepal (28.85) and India (26.27) are on the last places.

Russia took the 43rd place in the ranking, Georgia (39.56) is on
107th, Iran (44.53) on 92nd and Turkey (49.55) on 79th.

The calculations of indexes presented on the site are done by
comparing the countries with New York, the index of which is 100.

Source: Panorama.am

Haykaakan Zhamanak: Rouble slump challenge to Armenian manufacturers

08:45 * 07.02.15

The sharp devaluation of the Russian Rouble appears to be a serious
problem to the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EUU),
including Armenia.

The paper says that the problem has spurred interesting debates in
those countries.

While in Russia, Rouble lost its value twice, the decline is said to
be 20%-50% in the other EEU countries. This, according to the paper,
means that the cheap price is only due to currency fluctuations that
make Rouble competitive in the other member states of the economic
bloc. To restore the balance, the EEU countries have to either devalue
their own currency or use administrative leverages to ban the Russian
imports into their states, says the paper, adding Kazakhstan has
already made semi-officials proposals over the second option.

Daily Mail reveals Kim Kardashian’s Armenian family roots from Erzurum – Photos

11:16 * 07.02.15

The extraordinary escape from the ‘Armenian Genocide’ of Kim
Kardashian’s ancestors – thanks to a ‘prophet’ who urged them to
uproot to America – can be revealed today for the first time.

The Daily Mail has unearthed a treasure trove of images showing the
reality TV star’s ethnic Armenian forebears who fled the tsarist
Russian empire in the early 20th century, many of whom obeyed the
advice of the sage.

Known at the time as the Kardaschoffs, in Russian style, the family
made their way from their home village of Karakale in the late 19th
Century to German ports. From there, they travelled to a new life in
America on the passenger vessels SS Brandenberg and SS Koln.

By doing so, they escaped the triple horror of the First World War
from 1914-18, the ‘Armenian Genocide’ starting in 1915 – exactly a
century ago this year – and the Russian Revolution in 1917.

One hundred years after the deadly holocaust decimated their ancestral
home, the Kardashians have become one of the most influential families
in America.

The most famous of which is Kim who has chosen this year, on the
hundredth anniversary of the atrocity, to visit Armenia for the first
time.

But her lavish lifestyle, the expensive houses, an army of followers
who hang on her every tweet, the marriage to a musical superstar would
not exist if her ancestors had ignored the warning of a child
“prophet”.

Kim Kardashian’s great great grandparents Hovhannes Miroyan (left,
front row) and Luciag Chorbajian (second from left, front row) fled
Armenia in the early 1900s with their daughter Vartanoosh Miroyan

13 MILITARY CASUALTIES REPORTED IN ARMENIA, NAGORNO-KARABAKH SINCE JAN 1

15:41 * 06.02.15

Cross-border skirmishes on the frontlines of Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh have left 13 people killed and some 16 injured
since January 1, Tert.am has learned from the Defense Ministry’s
spokesperson.

“Seven of our soldiers were killed by adversary; the rest died as
a result of indirect operations, including explosion of mines and
casualties,” Artsrun Hovhannisyan told our correspondent.

The latest deadly incident was reported on February 5. Shakespeare
M Hakobyan, was killed in a fatal shooting in the eastern direction
of the Defense Army Thursday afternoon. He wasposthumously awarded
for bravery.

EEU WAS ESTABLISHED “ON FRIENDSHIP”, ARMENIAN PM CLAIMS

February 6, 2015 17:51

Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan

Photo: Photolure

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan said
in Moscow today that the Eurasian Economic Union was established on
the basis of mutual understanding and friendship and was meant for
ensuring prosperity of the member states.

He said this during the first session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental
Council.

“Armenia has always advocated development of integration processes
aimed at strengthening friendly ties and development of mutually
beneficial cooperation in the bilateral format as well as within
international and regional structures”, said Hovik Abrahamyan.

He assured that Armenia’s representatives will continue closely
cooperating with the EEU member states and their partners in the
Eurasian Economic Commission “to ensure fulfillment of all the
agreements within the EEU and provisions of the EEU agreement”.

The Armenian PM expressed the confidence that Kyrgyzstan membership
to the EEU will contribute to the enhancement of the latter’s economic
potential.

He also proposed to hold one of the upcoming sessions of the Eurasian
Intergovernmental Council in Armenia.

Armenia has joined the EEU since January 1, 2015.

KARABAKH WAR VETERAN’S FAMILY LIVES ON HIS DISABILITY PENSION (VIDEO)

17:39 | February 6,2015 | Regions

The Danoyan family lives near the main road leading to Marmarashen
community in Ararat province. The family is engaged in farming,
like many families in the village.

Danoyan do not complain of their life but cannot ignore the injustices
faced by so many. “There are many people who live in luxurious houses
and in excellent conditions. There are still many others who can
hardly meet both ends meet,” says Susanna Stepanyan, the wife of
Valerik Danoyan.

Valerik is a Karabakh war veteran. During the war, he was wounded
and underwent vocal cord surgery. The family lives on the AMD 30000
disability pension given to Valerik.

“People who did not participate in the war receive more money than
Vakerik does,” says the woman.

Details are available in the video.

THE EU-ARMENIA FRIENDSHIP GROUP WAS OFFICIALLY RE-LAUNCHED YESTERDAY-EAFJD

05 February, 2015 | 16:04

The EU-Armenia Friendship Group was officially re-launched yesterday
at the European Parliament in Brussels in the new 8th legislature
of the European Parliament. Over the next five years we will
continue to work hard on promoting Armenia in this EU institution
by organising delegated trips, events and other activities. The
year 2015 is an especially important year for Armenia as it marks
the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Having this in mind
the re-launch of this group is not only of importance but also of
historical significance. Thanking you all for your support over the
years, please watch this space to see all of our future activities.

ARMENIA’S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS: OVER 133,000 PASSENGERS PASSED THROUGH IN JANUARY

YEREVAN, February 6. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Zvartnots and Shirak
international airports provided services to 133,574 passengers in
January, 1,569 people or by 1.18% more than in January 2014, the
press office of the country’s chief aviation department reported.

Departures totaled 69,352 in the reporting month (69,384 in January
2014); number of arrivals totaled 64,222 (62,621 in Jan 2014).

Negative balance of departures/arrivals was 5,130 people this January,
compared to 6,763 in January 2014.

Zvartnots and Shirak airports are run by Armenia-International
Airports, a company owned by an Argentine citizen of Armenian descent
Eduardo Eurnekian. In 2001 the company signed a concessional agreement
with the government to manage the airports for 30 years. -0-