Henrikh Mkhitaryan has continued his recent domination of Manchester United’s Goal of the Month award by scooping the final accolade of the 2016/17 season.
The Armenian has won May’s prize for his clever hooked finish for the Reds’ second goal in the Europa League final against Ajax, helping United to sign off the campaign in style with European glory in Stockholm and making history as the only man ever to score in five different European games on the road for the club in a single campaign.
In a poll conducted on ManUtd.com, his instinctive effort in the showpiece in Sweden earned a whopping 68% of the final vote – ahead of Josh Harrop’s fine strike against Crystal Palace (21%) and Marcus Rashford’s sublime free-kick against Celta Vigo (8%).
Remarkably, it’s the fifth time in the last six months that Mkhitaryan has landed the award after topping the vote with his scorpion kick against Sunderland in December and a breakaway effort against Wigan in the Emirates FA Cup in January before brilliant solo goals against Leicester City and Sunderland came out on top in February and April respectively.
It marks an impressive debut campaign for the former Borussia Dortmund playmaker – who has not only caught the eye with his goalscoring feats alone, having found the net 11 times in all competitions, but his overall contribution and influential displays too.
Mkhitaryan’s success comes as fellow midfielder Paul Pogba, who also struck in the Europa League final against Ajax, has been named as May’s Player of the Month.
Remind yourself who has taken home our Goal of the Month award every month throughout the season here…
Goal of the Month Winners 2016/17:
August: Jesse Lingard (v Leicester)
September: Juan Mata (v Leicester)
October: Paul Pogba (v Fenerbahce)
November: Paul Pogba (v Swansea)
December: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (v Sunderland)
January: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (v Wigan)
February: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (v Leicester)
March: Jesse Lingard (v Middlesbrough)
April: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (v Sunderland)
May: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (v Ajax)
Relive Mkhitaryan’s goal against Ajax in our video above. Thank you to everyone who has voted in our polls throughout the season.
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN); The St. Kitts and Nevis national senior men’s football team the Sugar Boyz is presently in Europe preparing for two important matches.
The Sugar Boyz, #89 in the FIFA World Ranking, will face #68-ranked Armenia on Sunday, June 4th, then on Wednesday, June 7th they come up against Georgia. Georgia is ranked #122.
Thrizen Leader of the St. Pauls United football club will captain the 20-member squad for the European tour. Ten of the players are based in the United Kingdom- Romaine Sawyers, Lois Maynard, Jason St Juste, Jacob Hazel, Harrison Panayiotou, Michael Nottingham, Omari Sterling, Theo Wharton, Nathan Lescott, and Zephaniah Thomas.
Raheem Somersall is based in the USA, Gerard Williams in Trinidad, Justin Springer in Canada and Tishan Hanley in the Philippines.
The locally based players are Jamal Jeffers of the St. Paul’s United FC, Errol O’loughlin of the Conaree FC, Carlos Bertie from the Cayon FC, and Kimaree Rogers and G’Vaune Amory of the Village Superstars.
The coaching staff is led by Head Coach Jacques Passy, and he is accompanied by Assistant Coach Jeffrey Hazel, Team Manager Keithly Pemberton, and other supporting staff.
Team Manager Pemberton spoke to WINN FM from Armenia on Thursday night (June 2). He said the team was settling in and awaiting the arrival of some of the players from St. Kitts who had been delayed.
“The rest of the team is in training and they are expecting a tough battle versus Armenia and Georgia because they are not easy teams. Georgia beat Spain last year, in Spain; I think that’s the first team to beat Spain at home in five years.
“The guys have assured me however that they’re up for the challenge so we’re asking that the whole of St. Kitts and Nevis be behind us for these two games.”
SKNFA President Anthony Johnson said the FA continues to invest in the development of football in the federation, and sending the national team to Europe was costly, but worthwhile.
“That comes at a great cost to the Association but we believe it is important to expose our players not just to the traditional Caribbean or CONCACAF environment but different environments that perhaps are more challenging, and so we are very pleased that our national team will be undertaking this tour of Europe.”
The two matches will be played at 12 midday local time and will be streamed lived via the following:
http://www.timesoccer.com/video/armenia-vs-st-kitts-nevis-live-streaming-highlights.html
ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
PRESS
RELEASE
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May
19, 2017
Contact:
Danielle Saroyan
Telephone:
(202) 393-3434
Web:
www.aaainc.org
TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Texas House of Representatives
unanimously adopted a resolution affirming the Armenian Genocide by a vote of
137 to 0, reports the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).
Spearheaded by Texas State Representative Scott
Sanford (R-TX) with invaluable support from Representatives Rafael Anchia
(D-TX) and Jeff Leach (R-TX), House Resolution, House Resolution (HR) 191 says
in part: “During World War I, the crumbling Ottoman Empire began a systematic
campaign to eradicate its Armenian population, which then numbered more than
two million.” The resolution resolved that “the House of Representatives of the
85th Texas Legislature hereby recognize the Armenian genocide.”
“The Armenian Assembly greatly appreciates the
exemplary work and dedication of the Armenian American community in Texas,
especially Mihran Aroian who led the effort,” stated Assembly Grassroots
and Development Associate Mariam Khaloyan. “We look forward to working to
ensure that all 50 states unequivocally affirm the Armenian Genocide and the
proud chapter in America’s history in helping save the survivors,” she added.
Mr. Aroian told the Assembly: “This is a proud
moment for Texas and for all those who support genocide affirmation and prevention.
I would like to thank Representative Scott Sanford for his leadership and for
all those who worked diligently to make this happen.”
Last month, Members of the Texas legislature had
the opportunity to view a screening of The
Promise, an extraordinary film that depicts the events of the Armenian
Genocide, at the State Capitol in Austin.
Former Governor Rick Perry signed Senate Bill (SB)
482 in 2009, which created the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission to help
preserve information and experiences of the Holocaust and other genocide
events. During the ceremony, he said: “In addition to the Holocaust, there
have been five major genocide events in the 20th century, including the
Armenian, Cambodian, Rwandan, Bosnian and Herzegovinian, and Sudanese
genocides. Survivors, liberators and others who witnessed these atrocities have
died without leaving their lessons of survival and humanity.”
Click here to see a list of U.S. states that affirm
the Armenian Genocide.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of
America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting
public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a
non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###
2017-036
Photo Caption: Texas State Rep. Scott Sanford
(R-TX) (back, center), Mihran Aroian (front, center), and members of the
Armenian American community in Texas after the House hearing of HR 191 on April
24, 2017.
Available online:
Sanford Quote Texas Armenian Genocide Resolution.jpg
JPEG image
The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara on May 22 to convey a diplomatic note over a street brawl outside the Turkish diplomatic mission in Washington during Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the US.
“The Ambassador of the Unites States of America in Ankara was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today and a written and verbal protest was delivered due to the aggressive and unproffessional actions taken, contrary to diplomatic rules and practices, by US security personnel towards the close protection team of H.E Mevlut Cavusoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, in front of the Turkish Embassy Chancery in Washington DC during the visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It has been formally requested that the US authorities conduct a full investigation of ‘this diplomatic incident and provide the necessary explanation.’
“During the meeting with the Ambassador, it was emphasized that the lapses of security experienced during our President’s stay in Washington, which were caused by the inability of US authorities to take sufficient precautions at every stage of the official program, will not overshadow what in every other aspect was a very successful and important visit,” the Ministry said.
A group of peaceful demonstrators protesting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official visit to the United States, were at the Sheridan Circle near the residence of the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. last week.
Today, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Ecuador to the Republic of Armenia Julio César Prado Espinosa (residence in Moscow) presented his credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan.
The President of Armenia congratulated the Ambassador on assuming his diplomatic mission and wished him every success. Serzh Sargsyan underscored that Armenia is interested in deepening relations with the Latin American countries including Ecuador and expressed hope that Ambassador Espinosa through his experience and active work will elevate the Armenian-Ecuadorian relations to a qualitatively new level.
Noting that Armenia is linked to the countries of Latin America mostly by common values and cultural ties, which at the beginning of the last century moved hundreds of thousands of the Armenians, who survived the Armenian Genocide, to seek refuge in these countries, the President of Armenia stressed the importance of strengthening the friendly ties and invigorating cooperation in different areas at the interstate level.
The Ambassador assured that during his tenure in office, he will do his best to deepen the relations between Armenia and Ecuador and cooperation in the bilateral as well as multilateral formats, in the framework of international organizations. Ambassador Espinosa also presented his proposals to President Sargsyan related to a full utilization of the existing potential of the Armenian-Ecuadorian cooperation in different areas.
The parties also stressed the importance of active contacts at the interparliamentary level.
Photo: Survival Pictures
– “The Promise,” a movie about the Armenian genocide, screened at the Vatican on Tuesday with director Terry George, producer Eric Esrailian and some talent in attendance, in a clear sign of Catholic Church support ahead of the film’s upcoming U.S. release.
The big-budget epic was bankrolled by late billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. Its lead actors, Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac, did not make the trek to Vatican City, but the intimate event held for Vatican officials in the 50-seat Vatican Cinematheque’s screening room was attended by stars Shohreh Aghdashloo and James Cromwell and by singer-songwriter Chris Cornell, who composed the theme song.
The Vatican screening comes after Pope Francis last year made his first visit to Armenia. During the visit, he used the term “genocide” to describe the slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I.
The pope’s remark sparked an angry reaction by the Turkish government, which strongly denies that a genocide occurred, arguing that it was wartime and many Turks were killed as well and insisting there was never a systematic plan to execute Armenians.
Esrailian, head of Survival Pictures, which he set up with Kerkorian to produce “The Promise,” traveled to Armenia for the papal visit.
“When he [Pope Francis] mentioned the word ‘genocide’ once in the big Mass, you could hear a kind of collective gasp and people getting tearful because he spoke really as a world leader,” Esrailian recalled. He noted that Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, “so it has a special place in Catholicism.”
“When there was awareness [within the Vatican] that a major film was being made, we were contacted to screen the movie. So we sent a private link to be viewed,” he said.
“The Promise,” which world-premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last September, will go on wide release in the U.S. on 2,000 screens via Open Road Films on April 21.
The roughly $100-million film is considered a breakthrough after several attempts to make a Hollywood film about the Armenian genocide failed during past decades because of what director Terry George calls a “denialist lobby,” which these days is efficiently run by the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he claims.
George said there was a denialist propaganda machine behind “The Ottoman Lieutenant,” a film with strikingly similar elements to “The Promise,” but which allegedly takes the side of the denialists. “Ottoman Lieutenant” went on release via New York-based Paladin on roughly 200 screens in the U.S. in March.
“It’s an Erdogan propaganda film released as a feature film in the United States, remarkably, just ahead of us,” the director said. “The Ottoman Lieutenant,” which stars Josh Hartnett and Ben Kingsley, was produced by a Turkish company called Eastern Sunrise Films.
Variety critic Dennis Harvey, in his review of “The Ottoman Lieutenant,” wrote that, “[in] this primarily Turkish-funded production, the historical, political, ethnic and other intricacies — not to mention that perpetual elephant in the room, the Armenian Genocide, which commenced in 1915 — are glossed over in favor of a generalized ‘Whattaya gonna do… war is bad’ aura that implies conscience without actually saying anything.”
“The Promise” faces its own challenges, including tepid reviews. Variety critic Peter Debruge called it “a sloggy melodrama in which the tragedy of a people is forced to take a back seat to a not especially compelling love triangle.”
“The Promise” centers on a love story involving a medical student (Isaac), a journalist (Bale), and the Armenian woman (Charlotte Le Bon) who steals their hearts. All three find themselves grappling with the Ottomans’ decision to begin rounding up and persecuting Armenians.
“The construct of the love triangle is clearly there for people who are unaware of the genocide or not particularly that interested in it,” said George. “It’s a big, old-fashioned love story. I think we’ve created a classic form of story, and hopefully women in particular will be entertained by it,” the director added.
As part of its marketing strategy, Survival Pictures has launched a #KeepThePromise social impact campaign for which it has already recruited Elton John, Barbara Streisand, Andre Agassi, Cher, Sylvester Stallone, among others, for an anti-genocide call to action connected to the film which has a strong philanthropic aspect. Survival Pictures’ cut of the box office will go to charities including The Sentry, the non-profit group co-founded by George Clooney and activist and author John Prendergast.
Cher has tweeted the poster of the Armenian Genocide film “The Promise.
Debut of the poster ~ See on April 21 and watch the trailer
— Cher (@cher)
“This film broke my heart,” Cher said.
Empires fall, love survives. When Michael (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant medical student, meets Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), their shared Armenian heritage sparks an attraction that explodes into a romantic rivalry between Michael and Ana’s boyfriend Chris (Christian Bale), a famous American photojournalist dedicated to exposing political truth.
As the Ottoman Empire crumbles into war-torn chaos, their conflicting passions must be deferred while they join forces to get their people to safety and survive themselves. The Promise is directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Terry George.
The Promise hits theaters April 21.
Azeri human rights activists, journalists and political dissidents have been the targets of a fraudulent and sustained ‘spear phishing’ campaign using emails and Facebook chat, apparently aimed at gaining access to their personal information and private communications, said Amnesty International in a new report launched today.
The investigation reveals that the attacks, which can compromise passwords and contacts, have been directed at various government critics for the past 13 months. Victims told Amnesty International they believed the Azerbaijani authorities are behind the attacks.
“Our research reveals that a targeted and coordinated cyber campaign is being waged against critical voices in Azerbaijan, many of whom are long-time victims of government repression,” said Claudio Guarnieri, Senior Technologist at Amnesty International.
“The malware used has been designed with the express intention of gathering as much private information as possible about a target. Given the profiles of those targeted, it is not hard to see why victims believe the authorities are responsible.”
The report, , details how victims have been targeted using a practice known as ‘spear phishing’, which involves an email with an attachment containing a virus – known as malware – being sent to a target from a fake address.
New South Wealth Premier Gladys Berejiklian has posed for a fashion spread in The Australian Women’s Weekly, the reports.
According to the source, Berejiklian chose to wear a black dress by her close friend Carla Zampatti in the shot obtained by Fairfax Media. She also turned down a Giorgio Armani ensemble that had been borrowed for the shoot, instead preferring to be photographed in her own pink jacket bought from fast-fashion chain Zara.
“This is my lucky dress. I bought it on sale,” she told the magazine.
The Premier was interviewed for the corresponding feature twice and opens up about her father, her relatives in war-torn Aleppo and the decision to remain childless, an issue that is framed as her “life choice”.
“I’ve never made a conscious decision to choose work over other considerations. It’s just the way it’s happened in my life and I’m very happy with where I am,” she said.
“Although we are a national magazine, we chose to profile Gladys because she is only the 10th female state government leader ever and the second in NSW. We are fierce supporters of all women, whatever their politics,” The Australian Women’s Weekly’s editor-in-chief Kim Doherty told Fairfax Media.
“Gladys has a classic Australian story to tell. In these days of division over immigration, she is an inspiring success story. As she told us, she only spoke Armenian until the age of five.”