Category: News

Armenian soldier Andranik Grigoryan who had crossed the Line of Contact on 22 March 2015 was returned today in an operation carried out under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The hand-over took place at the Line of Contact near the village of Bash Garvand in Aghdam.

During his captivity, the ICRC regularly visited him to assess the conditions in which he was held, the treatment he received and to facilitate contact with his family.

Acting as a neutral intermediary and in accordance with its mandate, the ICRC facilitated the return following the decision of the Azerbaijan authorities and with the full cooperation of all sides. Andranik Grigoryan had previously confirmed to ICRC staff that he was returning of his own free will.

Grigoryan had crossed the line of contact on March 22, 2015.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that the murder of Russians aboard a passenger plane that had crashed over Egypt’s Sinai was equivalent to an attack on Moscow, Sputnik News reports.

Islamic State’s official magazine carried a photo on Wednesday of what it said was the improvised bomb that brought down the Russian airliner over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula last month, killing all 224 people on board, reports.

The photo showed a can of Schweppes Gold soft drink and what appeared to be a detonator and switch on a blue background.

“The divided Crusaders of the East and West thought themselves safe in their jets as they cowardly bombarded the Muslims of the Caliphate,” Dabiq magazine said. “And so revenge was exacted upon those who felt safe in the cockpits.”

The group also published a photo of what it said were passports belonging to dead Russians “obtained by the mujahideen”. It was not immediately possibly to verify the authenticity of the photos published in the magazine.

Islamic State said it had exploited a loophole at Sharm al-Sheikh airport, where the Airbus 321 originated, in order to smuggle a bomb on board.

The group said it had initially planned to bring down a plane belonging to a country participating in the U.S.-led coalition bombing it in Syria and Iraq but changed course after Moscow started its own airstrikes campaign in Syria.

“A bomb was smuggled onto the airplane, leading to the deaths of 219 Russians and 5 other crusaders only a month after Russia’s thoughtless decision.”

Photo: AP

The United Nations has denied reports that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is to visit North Korea, the BBC reports.

China’s state media had earlier quoted North Korean sources as saying Mr Ban was due to visit Pyongyang this week. South’s Korea’s Yonhap news agency ran similar reports earlier in the week.

A planned visit by Mr Ban to North Korea in May was abruptly cancelled.

The last visit by a UN chief to the reclusive nation was by Boutros Boutros-Ghali in 1993.

The UN said in a statement that Mr Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, would be in New York next week then Malta, before going to the COP21 climate summit in Paris.

He had no plans to go to North Korea but “has repeatedly said that he is willing to play any constructive role”, including travelling there, “in an effort to work for peace, stability and dialogue on the Korean Peninsula”, a spokesman said.

Earlier reports had said that he was due to visit for four days and would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The parents of Lola Ouzounian, a 17-year-old Armenian girl who was attending the concert at Bataclan when the venue was attacked by terrorists on Friday, confirmed her death, adding they had identified her remains, Asbarez reports.

Lola was attending the Eagles of Death Metal concert at Bataclan when the terrorists stormed the venue. During the commotion the father and daughter were separated. There has been search for Lola since Friday.

Paris became the latest target of attacks by groups affiliated with the Islamic State. French officials put the death toll at 129, with 352 injured, 99 of them critically when terrorists attacked several sites in Paris on Friday, one of them the Stade de France, where French President Francois Hollande was attending a friendly match between France and Germany.

A date for Ouzounian’s funeral services has not been announced.

On 18 November Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received the delegation of the city of Montebello, California, let by its Mayor Jack Hadjinian.

Issues related to cooperation between Stepanakert-Montebello sister-cities were on the agenda of the talks.

President Sahakyan highlighted consistent deepening and expansion of ties between Artsakh capital and Montebello, considering it exemplary in terms of sincere friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Kim Kardashian was spotted leaving Armenian restaurant Carousel in Hollywood wearing an all-black ensemble including a draped overcoat and open-toe shoes, The Daily Mail reports.

She’s always kept connected with her Armenian heritage.

And Kim Kardashian enjoyed dinner at an Armenian restaurant in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The pregnant reality television star, 35, showed off her blossoming baby bump as she stepped out in her favorite black stretch tube dress, and covered her shoulders with a draped coat.

Her amble bosom was well on display as she wore her glossy brunette locks loose in a center parting as she arrived at Carousel – said to be the favorite restaurant of her late father Robert Kardashian.

Kim’s ancestors on her father’s side fled their homeland after warnings of the impending Armenian Genocide in 1915 and settled in the United States.

Earlier this year the beauty paid a visit to Armenia with sister Khloe and cousins Kourtni & Kara.

They paid a visit to the Prime Minister of Armenia, Hovik Abrahamyan in April which was filmed for their Keeping Up With The Kardashians programme.

– Moderate coffee consumption reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Germany’s friendly with the Netherlands on Tuesday has been called off because of a “concrete security threat” against the city of Hannover.

Evacuation of the Hannover Stadium, which was hosting the match, began less than two hours before kick-off.

The city’s president of police Volker Kluwe told the BBC “there were plans for some kind of explosion”.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was set to attend the match at the 49,000-capacity HDI Arena.

Belgium’s friendly with Spain on Tuesday in Brussels was called off on Monday because of security fears in the wake of last week’s attacks inParis.

England’s match against France at Wembley on Tuesday night is going ahead, with tributes to be paid to the 129 people killed in Paris on Friday.