Author: Talar Tumanian

Sports: Armenian wrestler wins bronze at World Cadet C’ships

Talar Tumanian
Panorama, Armenia
Aug 1 2019
Sport 15:56 01/08/2019 Armenia

Armenian athlete Lyova Gevorgyan became a bronze medallist of the World Wrestling Cadet Championships taking place in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Gevorgyan, who is the current European cadet champion in 92 kg weight class, defeated Monu Dahiya of India 7-4 in the fight for the third place, the National Olympic Committee’s press service reported.

Lyova Gevorgyan had started the struggle from the 1/8 finals where he had taken a 11-0 win over Belarusian Uladzislau Kazlou. In the quarter finals the Armenian wrestler had beaten Uzbekistan’s Ravshanbek Jumaboev 12-2 but in the semifinals he had suffered a 3-6 defeat at the hands of Iranian Yousefi Sangani, who won the world cadet champion’s title. 

Sports: South Texas teen to participate in Pan Armenian Games

Talar Tumanian
KSAT ABC Texas
 
 
South Texas teen to participate in Pan Armenian Games
 
By Jake Kobersky
Posted: 12:15 AM, Updated: 12:15 AM,
 
 
BOERNE, Texas – Basketball is Nate Bledsoe’s passion.
 
“I want to go as far as I can take it,” the soon-to-be Boerne Champion sophomore said.
 
Next month, Bledsoe will literally travel halfway across the globe to play the sport he loves, lacing up for an American team at the seventh annual Pan Armenian Games. Held once every four years in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan, the games bring athletes from Armenia and of Aremenian descent together for competition in over 17 different sports.
 
Bledsoe will be on a basketball team from Los Angeles. At 15, he’s the youngest on a roster full of players with collegiate and professional experience. Still, he’s undaunted.
 
“It’s going to be really exciting to play overseas and see the differences between playing over here and over there,” Bledsoe said. “Also just meeting all kinds of new people from all over the world will be awesome.”
 
Playing at the international level is one thing, but doing it in the country of his ancestors is another. Bledsoe is Armenian on his mother Ripsime’s side. She was born in Armenia and hasn’t been back since she was an infant.
 
“We’re such a small group, but we’re resilient,” Bledsoe said. “The Armenian Diaspora spread us around the world from the Armenian Genocide, so there are groups of Armenians all across the world. Whenever we can find each other, it’s really cool and we just kind of stick together.”
 
The 2019 Pan Armenian Games kick off August 5 with closing ceremonies taking place August 17.
 
Bledsoe’s apperance at the games will also benefit a great non-profit called Hoops for Hayastan. Click the highlighted link for more information.
 

Athena Manoukian expresses interest in Eurovision 2020 participation

Talar Tumanian
ESCXTRA
Costa Christou

With the next edition of the contest still almost 10 months away, no artists have been confirmed to be participating. And so begins the speculation for who broadcasters may be considering for their internal shortlists for both national finals and internal selections. Greek-Armenian singer Athena Manoukian has recently expressed her interest in participating.

Last year, the first artist confirmation was announced in November – Srbuk for Armenia. If the trend is similar for this coming season, we have a while to wait before the first artist confirmation is released for Eurovision 2020.

In the meantime, now is often a period where several artists from across the continent express their interest (and disinterest) in going to the contest. Sometimes this is to appease fans, other times it could be a genuine bid to throw their hats into the ring, which broadcasters may pick up on in their discussions.

Athena Manoukian, a Greek singer of Armenian decent, expressed interest in participating in the contest. Answering fan questions on her Instagram story, she was met with a number of requests for her to participate in the contest for both Greece and Armenia. Her positive response to these requests prompted an article from ESCTakeover. Last year, she made the Six Chair Challenge stage of X Factor UK.

This wouldn’t be the first time Athena has engaged in a Eurovision-adjacent contest. Back in 2008, she placed third in the Greek selection for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with the song “To fili tis Afroditis”.

At the time of writing, neither Armenia nor Greece have confirmed their participation for the 2020 contest. However, Armenia will be participating in the forthcoming Junior Eurovision Song Contest in November.

In recent years, both countries have struggled to maintain their past success. Despite a strong qualification record, Armenia have not qualified for the past two Grand Finals (2018 and 2019). Despite qualifying for this year’s Grand Final and carrying momentum throughout the season, Katerine Duska’s “Better Love” placed 21st.

With no guarantee of future participation, we hope to see both countries make a triumphant return next year! Be it internal selection or the return of national finals, there is plenty of talent in these two countries that could bring them success in The Netherlands.

https://escxtra.com/2019/07/28/athena-manoukian-expresses-interest-in-eurovision-2020-participation/



Yerevan court denies bail for indicted Armenian Gen. Manvel Grigoryan

Talar Tumanian
Panorama, Armenia
July 2 2019

A Yerevan court of general jurisdiction judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan rejected on Tuesday a defense motion to release Manvel Grigoryan, a retired Armenian army general and a former Republican lawmaker facing various criminal charges, from custody pending the outcome of his trial.

His attorney Levon Baghdasaryan had earlier requested the court to release the ex-MP on a bail of 10 million drams, citing his ‘extremely’ poor health condition.

Meanwhile, prosecutors had opposed to the defense motion.

The retired general, who has been receiving treatment in a civil hospital for several weeks, was taken to the courtroom on a wheelchair, hooked up to a ventilator at today’s court hearing into his and his wife Nazik Amiryan’s trial.

Grigoryan is charged with embezzlement of army supplies and illegal procurement and possession of firearms and ammunition in large quantities in a prior agreement with his wife, son and several other individuals, tax evasion and extortion.

He was initially arrested on 19 June last year after being stripped of his parliamentary immunity.

The ex-MP was freed from pre-trial arrest on 21 December on 25 million drams bail – a ruling appealed by the Prosecutor General’s Office.

On 22 January the Yerevan Court of Appeals ruled to re-arrest Grigoryan, who was hospitalized one month later.

Let’s Support Bill to Offset GCC April 24 Closing Costs

Talar Tumanian
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Glendale Community College

BY DR. ARMINE HACOPIAN

Senate Bill 568, amendment authored and introduced by Senator Portantino, would allow Glendale Community College’s Governing Board to declare April 24 as the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day by campus closure.

With just about 40 percent of the student population being of Armenian heritage at GCC, the closure of the campus is critical. It will allow students to participate in various community organized activities, to further educate others in preventing future genocides, and to honor and commemorate the lives of all those who perished during the Armenian Genocide.

All college campus closures are dictated by the State of California Education Code, which does not allow campus closures without the enactment of a special statute, as a college stands to be financially penalized by the State. With the passage of the amended Education Code Section 79020, which relates to post-secondary education of this bill, GCC would not lose funding ($500,000) as a result of April 24 campus closure.

My deepest gratitude is extended to Senator Portantino for his continued commitment to this issue since our initial discussion. His unwavering efforts have resulted in the unanimous passage of this section of the bill by the California Assembly Higher Education Committee. Also, due to the expert testimony provided by Superintendent and President of GCC, Dr. David Viar, at the hearing in Sacramento, the amended version of SB568 has begun its journey for the Governor’s signature.

Overcoming this first hurdle is just the beginning of this journey, as the amended version of this bill still has to have final approval by the California State Assembly and California State Senate in order to reach the Governor’s desk.

In addition, appreciation is extended to GCC Board President Dr. Vahe Peroomian, as well as ANCA-Glendale Chapter for their continued support and dedication.

GCC students need your help! Your voices have to be heard loud and clear in Sacramento as this is of extreme importance to all of us.

Please contact Governor Gavin Newsom and your State representatives to encourage them to vote affirmatively in support of Senate Bill 568 (as amended) for the GCC April 24 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day campus closure.

Dr. Armine Hacopian has served on the Glendale Community College Board since 2001.




Cooperation results will be visible in short-term period – Deputy PM Avinyan says at Armenian-Georgian business forum

Talar Tumanian

Cooperation results will be visible in short-term period – Deputy PM Avinyan says at Armenian- Georgian business forum

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19:14, 28 June, 2019

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian-Georgian business forum kicked off in Dilijan with the speeches of Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan and Georgian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Maya Tskitishvili.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Armenian Deputy PM, highly praising the effectiveness of the business forum, Tigran Avinyan expressed confidence that the results of cooperation between Armenia and Georgian business circles will be visible in a short-term period and will foster the welfare of the two peoples. Avinyan noted that the forum will give an opportunity to Armenian and Georgian businessman to get acquainted with the business environment and investment opportunities of the two countries in detail and will foster the establishment of business ties between the representatives of various spheres.

Underlining that the Armenian Government has initiated a number of reforms aimed at improving the business environment of the country and making favorable conditions for foreign investments, the Armenian Deputy PM noted that there are good opportunities for cooperation in the spheres of energy, transport and agriculture, as well as there are good opportunities for jointly working in the sphere of tourism, particularly by developing joint tour packages.

Concluding his speech, Tigran Avinyan wished success and productive discussions to all the participants of the business forum.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan




Vice Speaker of Parliament meets with His Holiness Garegin II

Talar Tumanian

Vice Speaker of Parliament meets with His Holiness Garegin II

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16:42,

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Vahe Enfiajyan has been hosted by His Holiness Garegin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Parliament told Armenpress.

The Vice Speaker was accompanied by executive director of the Izmirlyan medical center Armen Charchyan.

The meeting participants discussed a number of issues facing the society and the country. The Vice Speaker, voicing the desire of the people, proposed to suspend holding mourning ceremonies in churches which was approved by His Holiness. Garegin II stated that he will be consistent in solving this issue.

Friendly meetings with Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II have already become a tradition: they have their visible results in the bilateral proposals and works deriving from this.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Sports: Mel Daluzyan stabbed in Amsterdam to spend few days in hospital: Armenia’s embassy

Talar Tumanian
Aysor, Armenia

Armenian embassy in Netherlands reports that citizen of Armenia Mel Daluzyan has been transported to hospital via helicopter after being injured as a result of hooligan attack and stays there till now.

“According to the information the embassy posses, she will stay in hospital for another few days,” the embassy statement reads.

Earlier Aysor.am reported that champion of Europe Mel Daluzyan has been stabbed in Amsterdam.

Facebook user Artur Minasyan, who is also in Amsterdam, wrote about the incident on Facbook.

“Two robbers armed with a knife attacked a cashier in an Albert Heijn supermarket today in the centre of Amsterdam. My friend Mel was shopping at that moment.

When he saw what was happening, he rushed to help the cashier and stop the robbers. He succeeded, after a while the police arrived and arrested the robbers.

Unfortunately, before the police arrived, one of the robbers managed to inflict stab wounds to him. Mel is in hospital now, he is stable. Dutch newspapers call heroic his act,” Minasyan wrote.

Tarasov: “One gets the impression that certain forces are gearing Pashinyan and that he is trying to place a share of the responsibility on Karabakh”

Talar Tumanian
| 19:26 | May 23 2019
Categories
Politics
World

Interview with Russian political analyst Stanislav Tarasov

168.am: Mr. Tarasov, you have been following the events taking place in Armenia in regard to reforms in the judiciary over the past couple of days. How would you assess the events?

Stanislav Tarasov: Every revolution has its genre and its episodes — external enemy, conspiracies, etc. In other words, this is the working style of a government that has a goal to maintain its influence, not solve the problems in society. Nikol Pashinyan has been in power for a year. The judiciary is one of the major branches of government, and the reforms in this sector had to be the first reforms.

The Prime Minister didn’t undertake these reforms, the old judiciary continued to function, and there were many cases, including the case of Khachaturov and the topic of Sargsyan’s relatives…there were also others who were charged under this or that case, in other words, the courts were functioning, and Pashinyan had no problems. As soon as the court released Kocharyan, Pashinyan immediately announced about the crisis in the judiciary. This means that even though there is a crisis, it is based on outlooks. Pashinyan wanted courts to be liberal, but be subject to his will.

If he was such a consistent liberal democrat, and if the court rendered a decision, and he hadn’t managed to implement reforms before that and now highlights the fact that it is necessary to implement reforms, he can implement those reforms. Who is holding him back — Moscow or Washington? This means he is late, and so the crisis of the judiciary is a crisis of governance. This is a very dangerous tendency since it can lead to chaos within the whole system of governance.

I would also like to talk about Kocharyan. In regard to this, Moscow supports the law, not Kocharyan personally. Presidents benefit from immunity, but the law was violated in Kocharyan’s case. Pashinyan is carrying out vendetta when he had to implement reforms. A year has passed, and the government has to report on what it has done over the past year.

168.am: The government presented 100 changes made a year after the revolution in Armenia.

Stanislav Tarasov: Yes, but the only changes were the opening of a sewing machine factory or other things…That is not a report. There is a need for serious reforms, but the government is intimidating investors through destabilization of domestic politics.

168.am: Mr. Tarasov, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia talked about the likelihood of conspiracy in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He talked about corrupt figures in the system in Armenia and their ties with Artsakh, stating that Artsakh is carrying out false propaganda against the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Prime Minister and that, based on his analysis, he sees a conspiratorial goal to provoke a conspiratorial war, even hand over some territories and place the responsibility for what happened on the Government of the Republic of Armenia. Is this possible in general?

Stanislav Tarasov: Listen, Armenians in Karabakh and Armenia are defending the territory that they want to keep under their control. On the one hand, when Pashinyan issued an order and dismissed the Minister of Defense of Karabakh from office, that was interference with the domestic affairs of Karabakh. On the other hand, Pashinyan states that Karabakh is a separate territory.

These are double and triple standards that no longer work in that society. This is a crisis of publicism and a crisis of genre, not politics. Pashinyan has found himself in a deadlock, but he needs to get out of that because he does not have the support that he used to have. People paid heed to his call and came out to the streets, but there were not as many people as there were in the spring of last year.

Moreover, many authorities, including the President, call on Pashinyan to observe the letter of the law. Pashinyan is finding himself in isolation little by little. Who is organizing a conspiracy in Karabakh? Is it Robert Kocharyan? His release was 100% legitimate. He isn’t escaping, right? He will simply be at home and will participate in the trials. His preventive measure has simply been changed.

So, Pashinyan is afraid of Kocharyan and his influence. Although Kocharyan has no influence based on surveys, Pashinyan is afraid, and this means that the government is in a political crisis and in a crisis of governance based on all indicators. Or is Bako Sahakyan organizing a conspiracy? As far as I know, Pashinyan and Sahakyan met in the morning, and Sahakyan is trying to come to terms with the Armenian authorities. Bako Sahakyan teamed up with Arkadi Ghukasyan as a guarantor because Kocharyan was the first president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, and if Kocharyan is referred to as a criminal, this is destroying the entire history of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

168.am: Although the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia states that there are tendencies for the cause of conflicts between the two peoples, this charge against Kocharyan is putting intensification of those conflicts at a higher risk. What can these allegations lead to?

Stanislav Tarasov: One gets the impression that Karabakh has stopped keeping silent. Karabakh has noticed a double game, and first and foremost, in the direction of Karabakh. Let’s observe all the statements that Pashinyan has made about Karabakh recently, and we will see that there is no logic. It’s not that he’s right or wrong. It’s just that there is no logic. We can’t say that the people of Karabakh will provoke a war and hand over territories because they will never allow it. If Karabakh is not your territory, why are you reprimanding the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic? If the territory is viewed as an Armenian territory, then there has to be a different working style.

168.am: After this statement, there is an opinion that Armenia might take that path, laying the blame on Artsakh. What do you have to say about this?

Stanislav Tarasov: This can be justified because the policy on Karabakh is very inconsistent. I have said several times that, as I look at several developments, I get the impression that there is a plan or project. Karabakh notices this and has a feeling that something is going on behind its back.

Let us recall how Azerbaijan acted in the hottest phase of the interior political developments in Armenia — Azerbaijan supported Pashinyan and there was an agreement in Dushanbe. Now, Azerbaijan views that the time for Pashinyan to take a breath is over and is setting forth specific conditions. One gets the impression that certain forces are gearing Pashinyan and that he is trying to place a share of the responsibility on Karabakh. There is a differentiation between Armenians of Armenia and Armenians of Karabakh. This is bad.

Sports: Star’s humanity a lesson for sports’ greedy chiefs

Talar Tumanian
DAILY MAIL (London)
Wednesday
STAR’S HUMANITY A LESSON FOR SPORT’S GREEDY CHIEFS
 
 
BY IAN HERBERT
 
It’s the memory of Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s understated pride in his own country which makes you rage against the way that football’s governors noses in the trough again have seen to it that he will not play in one of Europe’s showpiece events.
 
Mkhitaryan’s time in Manchester was not the happiest, though far less appreciated was the part he played in the local Armenian community. It wasn’t just his willingness to stop for photographs at the Armenian Taverna, on the city’s Princess Street, but his interest in the lives of those in that community. He was one of them.
 
That kind of humanity is a very long way from sport’s cynical willingness to be bought off by the despicable leaders of Azerbaijan a country which imprisons journalists, persecutes dissidents and has displayed a breathtaking contempt for the human rights of those from Armenia.
 
The case of an Azerbaijani army henchman, Ramil Safarov, says everything. Safarov broke into the room of an Armenian army lieutenant, Gurgen Margaryan, during a NATO-sponsored training seminar in Budapest 15 years ago and axed the man to death. He was convicted of first degree murder in Hungary, yet somehow secured extradition to Azerbaijan.
 
He received a hero’s welcome, was pardoned, given an apartment and eight years’ back pay. This is the country from which sporting organisations have queued up to take cash.
 
Mkhitaryan’s sister, Monica, works for UEFA. His mother, Marina, works for the Armenian FA. Arsenal are incandescent.
 
They should have known they were talking to a wall.
 
UEFA has already granted Baku matches at Euro 2020. Demands that the decision be reversed have reached a new pitch but don’t hold your breath. When the sense of collective indignation has subsided, the gravy train will quietly move on.
 
© Daily Mail