Category: News

 

 

 

“The only fact of Aliyev saying that the meeting with Armenian President was formal is enough to show Azerbaijan’s position on the negotiations,” Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters after the government sitting today.

“This is enough to understand the stance of the Azerbaijani leadership on the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the principles of conflict settlement. Definitely, this is the reason why there has been no progress in the settlement,” Kocharyan said.

According to him, progress in the approaches of the parties is important for achieving progress in the negotiations. “Of course, the Co-Chairs try to organize meetings as frequently as possible, but there can be no progress, if Azerbaijan continues to describe them as formal,” he added.

The Deputy FM said discussions in Bern were focused on the need to implement a mechanism of investigation of borer incidents, as installation of corresponding equipment.

“Although Azerbaijan rejects the proposal, this shows that the mediators are worried and are seeking new ways of settlement,” Shavarsh Kocharyan noted.

The Deputy Foreign Minister made it clear that should these attempts fail, there will be two options left –either imposing peace on Azerbaijan or recognizing the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have each been handed a transfer ban by Fifa, prohibiting the two clubs from registering players in the next two windows, Goal.com reports.

The Spanish sides were found to have broken the organisation’s rules in relation to international transfers of players under 18 years of age. The suspension is similar to that which world football’s governing body handed Barcelona.

Atletico were fined €820,000, while their city rivals must pay €330,000. The two clubs will be permitted to sign and register players in the current transfer period, which closes at the end of January, but will then be unable to bring in new additions until the summer of 2017.

Read the Fifa Disciplinary Committee’s statement below:

“The Fifa Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned Spanish clubs Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18.

The two clubs were found to have violated several provisions concerning the international transfer and first registration of minor players as well as other relevant provisions with regard to the registration and participation of certain players in competitions.

Both clubs are to serve a transfer ban that prevents them from registering any players at national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods for breaching articles 5, 9, 19 and 19bis as well as annexes 2 and 3 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (the “Regulations”). The transfer ban, which does not affect the current registration period at all, given that it opened before the decisions were notified, applies to each club as a whole – with the exception of the women’s, futsal and beach soccer teams – and does not prevent the release of players.

Additionally, Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid have been fined CHF 900,000 and CHF 360,000 respectively, while both clubs have been issued with a reprimand and given 90 days in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned.

The decisions, which were notified to the parties concerned today, were made based on the specific elements of each case. They follow investigations initially conducted by Fifa Transfer Matching System GmbH (Fifa TMS) and subsequently by the Fifa Disciplinary Committee as part of disciplinary proceedings. The investigations concerned minor players who were involved and participated in competitions with the clubs over various periods between 2007 and 2014 (Atlético de Madrid) and between 2005 and 2014 (Real Madrid).

Fifa works hard to protect the rights of players under the age of 18 – whether male or female, amateur or professional. This is done through the enforcement of regulations prohibiting the international transfer of minors, or the first registration of minors in a country other than their own, except in specific circumstances (cf. art. 19 of the Regulations) that must be approved by the sub-committee appointed by the Players’ Status Committee. As such, the provisions relating to the protection of minors need to be strictly applied. This has been confirmed on various occasions by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Opening up the door to exceptions beyond those carefully drafted and included in the Regulations would unavoidably lead to cases of circumvention of the rationale for these provisions.

Photo: AFP

 

There are no Armenians among the victims of the terrorist acts in Jakarta, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports, quoting the Armenian Embassy in Indonesia.

A series of bomb blasts has rocked the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, with gun battles on the streets.

The blasts were centered around Thamrin Street, a major shopping and business district close to foreign embassies and the United Nations offices.

Police say the situation is now under control, with five suspected attackers among at least seven people killed.

It is not yet clear which group was behind the assault, which President Joko Widodo called an “act of terror.”

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan received today Charles Kupchan, Special Assistant to the U.S. President and National Security Council Senior Director for Europe.

President Sargsyan hailed the reciprocal high-level visits, which, he said, have a positive impact on the development of inter-state relations in all aspects.

Serzh Sargsyan stressed that the Armenian-American ties have been steadily developing ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations. He expressed gratitude to the United States for support to Armenia, which has resulted in achievements in different fields.

President Sargsyan attached importance to the continuous efforts of the US to contribute to Armenia’s economic development, implementation of reforms, advancement of democracy and civil society, as well as establishment of stability in the region.

During the meeting reference was made to the cooperation in the field of security, Armenia-NATO relations, Armenia’s participation in peacekeeping missions, urgent international issues, the situation in the region, negotiations on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the perspectives of development of Armenia-EU relations, other issues of reciprocal interest.

Charles Kupchan noted that the United States value Armenia’s commitment to contributing to global peace and security and praised the country’s willingness to contribute to the efforts of NATO and other organizations.

Photo: Sputnik/ Mikhail Voskresenskiy

 

China could join the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group, aiding Russia in its anti-IS efforts, Sputnik News reports, quoting The Washington Times reports.

China is concerned about a growing number of “Chinese-origin” terrorists within IS group, which is banned in a range of countries, including Russia and the United States, the newspaper said on Wednesday.

“The real question is whose side will they be on,” a defense official was quoted as saying by The Washington Times, which suggested that Beijing will side with the Russian campaign against ISIS instead of joining forces with the US-led anti-IS coalition.

Guillermo del Toro, Ang Lee, John Krasinski and Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs presented the 88th Annual Academy Award nominees on Thursday morning, kicking off the final sprint to the finish line for the year’s biggest contenders.

The Revenant is leading the race for the 2016 Oscars with 12 nominations, with Mad Max: Fury Road scoring 10.

Both films are nominated for best picture, along with The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, The Martian, Room and Spotlight.

The Award ceremony will take place on Feb. 28.

The full list of nominees:

Best Picture

The Big Short

Bridge of Spies

Brooklyn

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

Best Director

The Big Short

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Matt Damon, The Martian

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Carol

Brie Larson, Room

Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale

Tom Hardy

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Rylance

Sylvester Stallone

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara, Carol

Rachel McADams, Spotlight

Alician Vikander, The Danish Girl

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Original Screenplay

Bridge of Spies

Ex Machina

Inside Out

Spotlight

Straight Outta Compton

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Big Short

Brooklyn

Carol

The Martian

Room

Best Animated Feature

Anomalisa

Boy and the World

Inside Out

Shaun the Sheep Movie

When Marnie Was There

Best Foreign Language Film

Embrace of the Serpent

Mustang

Son of Saul

Theeb

A War

Best Documentary Feature

Amy

Cartel Land

The Look of Silence

What Happened, Miss Simone?

Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom

Best Cinematography

Carol

The Hateful Eight

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Sicario

Best Film Editing

The Big Short

Mad Max Furty Road

The Revenant

Spotlight

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Production Design

Bridge of Spies

The Danish Girl

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Best Costume Design

Carol

Cinderella

The Danish Girl

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Best Original Score

Bridge of Spies

Carol

The Hateful Eight

Sicario

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Original Song

50 Shades Of Gray

Racing Extinction

Youth

The Hunting Ground

Spectre

Best Visual Effects

Ex Machina

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

Mad Max

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out a Window and Disappeared

The Revenant

Best Sound Mixing

Bridge of Spies

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Sound Editing

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Sicario

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Documentary Short Subject

Body Team 12

Chau Behind the Lines

Claude Lanzman

A Girl in the River

Last Day of Freedom

Best Live Action Short Film

Ave Maria

Day One

Everything Will Be Okay

Shok

Stutterer

Best Animated Short

Bear Story

Prologue

Sanjay’s Super Team

We Can’t Live Without Cosmos

World of Tomorrow

US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick had a meeting with UK Minister for Europe David Lidington.

Discussions focused on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

 

 

 

There have been no negotiations with the Armenian authorities on the supply of Iranian gas to Georgia, Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan told reporters after the government sitting today.

At the same time he noted that the topic was not on the agenda of the meeting of the Energy Ministers of Armenia, Russia, Georgia and Iran held last December.

Zakharyan reminded that Georgia and Gazprom are holding talks on gas supply, but there’s no information about the results of the negotiations so far.

 

Relative peace was maintained at the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan last night.

The rival mostly used artillery weapons in different directions of the line of contact, the NKR Ministry of Defense reported.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep full control of the situation all along the line of contact.

The so-called Islamic State (IS) was behind a series of explosions and gun attacks in the capital Jakarta, an IS-linked news agency and police say, the BBC reports.

At least two civilians and five attackers died in the assaults, described as an attempt to mimic the deadly Paris attacks.

Security forces battled militants for hours, with the attacks centring on a major business and shopping district.

It follows warnings late last year that Islamists were planning a major attack.