Author: Karakhanian Suren

On September 26, in Houston, Edward Nalbandian, the Acting Foreign Minister of Armenia, visited the Rice University’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, where he delivered a lecture on the challenges in the South Caucasus.

The meeting, attended by leading experts and scientists, representatives of business sector, heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Houston, was chaired by Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian, the Founding Director of the Institute and renowned US diplomat.

In his remarks Edward Nalbandian presented the Armenia’s path during the 25 years of independence, the foreign policy priorities of Armenia, its stance on regional issues and ways to resolve them.

The Acting Foreign Minister of Armenia briefed in details on the current stage of settlement process of the Nagorno-Karabakh issues, presented the agreements reached during the Vienna and St. Petersburg meetings and Azerbaijan’s destructive efforts to backtrack from the implementation of the results of those meetings.

The Acting Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian spoke about Armenia’s initiative role in the international arena aimed at preventing the crime of genocide, Armenia’s involvement in different international institutions, its participation in peacekeeping operation in different countries under the UN mandate, Armenia’s cooperation with a number of international organizations, as well as he touched upon the consequences of the Syrian crisis, migration flows and situation in the Middle East.

At the end of the lecture Edward Nalbandian answered numerous questions of the attendees.

About 30 cases of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side were reported at the line of contact with the Karabakh forces last night.

The rival used firearms of different calibers as it fired more than 370 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions.

Private of the NKR Defense Army Arman Alik Ghandilyan, born in 1997, was fatally wounded as a result of breach of rules of military duty.

Investigation into the details of the case is under way.

The NKR Defense Army shares the sorrow of the heavy loss and expresses support to his family and friends.

Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Nagorno-Karabakh will hold consultations in Moscow on September 8, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday, TASS reports.

“They will discuss important issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, special attention is planned to be focused on the progress of the implementation of the agreements made at the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg,” she said.

Fire has been opened on the motorcade of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader in the Savsat district of the Black Sea province of Artvin, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

The bodyguards of the CHP leader fired back at the attackers, Turkish sources say.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu was kept in his car for security while police and the assailants engaged in an armed clash.

However, an adviser for Kilicdaroglu said it was not an armed attack targeting the CHP leader but a result of clashes erupted in the region.

Kilicdaroglu was heading back to the city center, where he was for his party’s program.

Kilicdarogluu told private broadcaster CNN Türk via telephone that they had been taken out of the clash zone by security forces.

“We are in a safe place but clashes are continuing. I hope no security personel will be hurt,” he said.

The 31st Summer Olympic cauldron was lit in Rio de Janeiro’s legendary Maracana stadium marking the start of the most expected sporting event of the last four years.

About 74 thousands spectators were present during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games held in South America for the first time. Before the start of the official ceremony the organizers presented Brazil’s history through modern computer design.

Afterwards, athletes from 205 countries of the world made an honorary circle in the stadium. Armenia’s flag bearer was swimmer Vahan Mkhitaryan. Armenia is represented by 33 athletes.

The president of the IOC, Thomas Bach, and the president of the Rio-2016 Organising Committee, Carlos Nuzman, welcomed the athletes urging them to remain faithful to the Olympic ideology. The honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron was given to Olympic bronze and “Pierre de Coubertin’’ medalist Cordeiro de Lima.

President Serzh Sargsyan received EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Conflict in Georgia Herbert Salber.

The interlocutors referred to the Armenia-EU cooperation and the development of relations. They exchanged views on the latest developments in the Karabakh conflict settlement process after the summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg, the implementation of the agreements reached and the perspectives of furthering the negotiation process.

President Sargsyan stressed that “Armenia highly appreciates the European Union’s commitment to create a favorable atmosphere for the comprehensive settlement of the Karabakh conflict and the efforts towards ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region.”

President Sargsyan briefed the guest on the efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group towards the resolution of the conflict through peaceful negotiations mediated by the Co-Chairs. He reiterated the willingness of the Armenian party to continue the constructive steps and cooperation for the sake of establishment of peace and security in the region.

The Armenian President and the EU Special Representative agreed that the Armenia-EU relations are developing dynamically thanks to bilateral political will and commitment.

They voiced the hope that the negotiations on a new Armenia-EU framework agreement would be successfully completed in the coming months.

Last year was Mkhitaryan’s most productive season at Borussia Dortmund to date and now, after three season in the Ruhrland, he’s made the move to Manchester United where he’ll be working under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho, seeking to restore the 20 times English champions to their former glory.

Much like his time at Shakhtar Donetsk, the attacking midfielder improved year-on-year in Germany and last term he chipped in with 23 goals and 32 assists in all competitions.

Mkhitaryan, 27, only wishes that his father Hamlet, who was a professional footballer himself, could be around to see what he’s achieved.

“I’m sure he would have been so proud of what I’ve accomplished, we have similar characteristics on the field and he’s always been a point of reference for me,” Mkhitaryan said in an interview with .

Current Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was an idol for the Armenian growing up, and as a result, the player has no problem envisaging working under the Frenchman some day.

“I’ve always admired his style of play, I think there are so many things I could learn from a leader like that.

“Why not work together if the chance arose?”

Mkhitaryan already speaks Russian, German, French, English and Portuguese – in addition to his native Armenian – and it was put to him whether he spoke Spanish and, indeed, if he could see himself playing in Spain some day.

“I don’t speak Spanish yet, but it would be nice to learn a seventh language!” he laughed.

“Spain has one of the strongest leagues in the world, the technical level there is very high and you never know where you’re going to end up in your career.”

Mkhitaryan’s shown himself capable in a number of roles, be it on the wing, as a playmaker or second striker, and in a deeper midfield role, but he feels most at home as an attacking midfielder.

“I love playing as a No. 10 because I can show off my creativity that way, but I’ve always been happy to play wherever my bosses have asked me.”

The player had glowing words for Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel, who spurred him on to produce some spectacular moments over these past 12 months.

“He’s a great strategist with a clear philosophy of the game; his style of football is attacking and fun.

“He’s the reason why I did so well last year, and I am grateful for the confidence he showed in me.”

Moving to Manchester United represents a big step and it remains to be seen whether he can match, or even better, his numbers from last season at Old Trafford.

“You can do anything if you work hard enough.

“I have certain goals, and I’m determined to do everything to achieve them.”

Speaking about his involvement in charity events, Mkhitaryan said: “It is a way of giving back to society all the love and devotion that fans give you as a football player. I like being around people and I feel very good when I am able to cause a small smile. The region of Artsakh, for example, has suffered greatly for decades and I enjoy participating in charity events with people who have lost relatives in the war. I would like to have peace in the world! All people deserve to live life at its best without problems.”

Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for 100 LIVES

 

Asbarez – On June 30, 100 LIVES and Aurora Prize Co-Founder Dr. Noubar Afeyan was named one of Carnegie Corporation of New York’s “Great Immigrants: Pride of America” honorees. Afeyan’s distinction identifies him as one of the most prominent and influential naturalized citizens in the United States. As Americans prepare to celebrate the most patriotic of their holidays on July 4, Carnegie Corporation of New York pays tribute to the role immigrants play in strengthening the country and its democratic society.

The Carnegie Corporation recognizes significant naturalized citizens every year to salute the legacy of Andrew Carnegie and other immigrants. Previous honorees include Aurora Prize Selection Committee Co-Chair Elie Wiesel, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, TV producer Lorne Michaels, and CEO and co-founder of Argo Tea Arsen Avakian, among others.

Afeyan has contributed a great deal to the American community, while honoring his Armenian descent. As founder, senior managing partner, and CEO of Flagship Ventures, Afeyan has helped build and foster more than 35 successful life science and technology startups. He has also contributed to the successful launch of 100 LIVES and the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, a new $1 million humanitarian award to be presented on April 24 of each year in Yerevan, Armenia. Afeyan also served as chairman for the National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial events that took place in May 2015 and brought over 2,000 Armenians to Washington, D.C.

Afeyan serves on a number of public and private company and organization boards, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, MIT Board of Trustees, UWC Dilijan College in Armenia, and an organization promoting economic development in Armenia.

Each year since 2006, the philanthropic foundation has recognized the contributions of naturalized citizens with its “Great Immigrants: The Pride of America” initiative. For 2016, the corporation named 42 honorees who represent some 30 different countries of origin, a wide range of personal immigration stories, and inspiring professional accomplishments.

“These accomplished Americans are immigrants like our forefathers, who founded this nation of nations,” said Vartan Gregorian, the president of Carnegie Corporation of New York. “They are representative of the millions of immigrants who have come to the United States for economic opportunity, education, political or religious asylum, security, or reunification with families and relatives. They, like all Americans, share a common faith in this country.”

Nearly 9 million legal permanent residents (LPRs) are currently eligible to naturalize and become U.S. citizens. In keeping with the mission of its founder, Andrew Carnegie, the corporation is committed to the integration of immigrants with the goal of helping them become citizens who can participate fully in our democracy. Together with grantees and partner organizations, the “Great Immigrants” initiative works to raise awareness about the naturalization process and provide helpful resources that will assist LPRs, including the free online application system Citizenshipworks. Carnegie Corporation also supports the New Americans Campaign, the nation’s largest network of non-profits focused on naturalization.

The 2016 Great Immigrants and their countries of origin are:

Noubar Afeyan, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, philanthropist (Lebanon)

Selu Alofipo, artist, White House “Champion of Change” honoree (Island of Samoa)

Samantha Bee, actress, comedian (Canada)

Len Blavatnik, industrialist, philanthropist (Ukraine)

Roberta Capp, assistant professor, University of Colorado Medical School; Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science recipient (Brazil)

Jim Carrey, actor, comedian (Canada)

Mariano Castillo, journalist; Soros Fellowship for New Americans recipient (Peru)

Marcelo Claure, president and CEO, Sprint (Bolivia)

Nadia Comaneci, five-time Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics (Romania)

Ronald J. Daniels, president, Johns Hopkins University (Canada)

Michaela DePrince, ballerina, Dutch National Ballet (Sierra Leone)

Jaha Dukureh, founder, Safe Hands for Girls (Gambia)

John L. Estrada, U.S. ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad and Tobago)

Florent Groberg, U.S. Army captain, retired; Congressional Medal of Honor and Bronze Star Medal recipient (France)

Peter Blair Henry, dean, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University (Jamaica)

Farnam Jahanian, provost, Carnegie Mellon University (Iran)

Sally Jewell, U.S. secretary of the interior (England)

Jan Koum, co-founder and CEO, WhatsApp (Ukraine)

Fei-Fei Li, director, Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab and Stanford Vision Lab (China)

Viet Long, brigadier general, U.S. Army (Vietnam)

Iqram Magdon-Ismail, co-founder, Venmo (Zimbabwe)

Vikram Malhotra, chairman of the Americas, McKinsey & Company (India)

Mehret Mandefro, physician, anthropologist, filmmaker (Ethiopia)

Michael Moritz, chairman, Sequoia Capital (Wales)

Bharati Mukherjee, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author (India)

Peter A. Nadosy, managing partner, East End Advisors (Hungary)

Graham Nash, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter

Jaqueline H. Nguyen, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit (Vietnam)

Deogratias Niyizonkiza, founder and CEO, Village Health Works (Burundi)

Bennet Omalu, forensic pathologist, discoverer of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, CTE (Nigeria)

Jorge M. Pérez, chairman and CEO, Related Group of Florida (Argentina)

Thuan Pham, CTO, Uber Technologies, Inc. (Vietnam)

Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google (India)

Ana Luz Porzecanski, director, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History (Bolivia)

Wolfgang Puck, chef and restaurateur (Austria)

Azita Raji, U.S. ambassador to Sweden (Iran)

Shaiza Rizavi, partner, Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co. (Pakistan)

Isabella Rossellini, actress, model, filmmaker (Italy)

Aziz Sancar, Nobel Prize-winning biochemist; president emeritus, Aziz and Gwen Sancar Foundation (Turkey)

Piers J. Sellers, former NASA astronaut; deputy director, NASA Sciences and Exploration Directorate (England)

Hari Sreenivasan, anchor and senior correspondent, PBS NewsHour (India)

Fernando Valenzuela, Major League Baseball pitcher, retired (Mexico)

Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the corporation’s agenda focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

During a special audience for jubilee pilgrims at St Peter’s Square in Rome today  Pope Francis reflected on his recent  journey to Armenia.

“This past weekend I made a pastoral visit to Armenia, the first nation to embrace the Christian faith and a people which has remained faithful even in the midst of great trials,” he said.

“I also plan to go to Georgia and Azerbaijan in the near future, to encourage peace and reconciliation in a spirit of respect for all.”

“With gratitude for the welcome and fellowship showed me by the Armenian Apostolic Church, I ask the Virgin Mary to strengthen Christians everywhere to remain firm in the faith and to work for a society of ever greater justice and peace,” he concluded.

Photo: Reuters

 

About 30 climbers have suffered frostbite or become ill on Mount Everest, after two more died from apparent altitude sickness, the BBC reports.

Two Indian climbers have also been reported missing in the mountain’s so-called “death zone” near the summit.

Despite the danger, the mountain’s most successful female climber reached the summit for the seventh time on Friday.

This climbing season is the first since an earthquake in Nepal last year that killed at least 18 people on Everest.

Nearly 400 climbers have reached the summit from the mountain’s Nepalese side since 11 May, thanks to good weather.