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Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ achievements in football have been honoured with the awarding of the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sports Merit, Daily Mail reports.

The Spain international, accompanied by long-term partner Sara Carbonero, received the award during a ceremony at the Palace of Moncloa in Madrid.

Casillas, who left Real Madrid to join the Portuguese runners-up in the summer after more than 15 years involved with the first team, was presented with the award by the Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy Mariano Rajoy.

The 34-year-old is in line to make his 165th cap for the Spanish national team this week when they face England in Alicante on Friday night.

In remembrance of 100 years since the Armenian Genocide, professors from four different universities spoke out against denial of the genocide as part of “Denial and Memory,” a conference held at Northwestern on Friday, reports.

Held by the Buffett Institute of Global Studies’ Keyman Modern Turkish Studies, history Prof. Ipek Yosmaoğlu introduced the event to an audience of about 30 people.

“Denial of violence is even more serious,” said Yosmaoğlu. “The most terrible thing is not about the suffering, but the erasure of its memory.”

Mustafa Aksakal, who teaches about Turkish history at Georgetown University, was the first speaker. He began by telling the story of five young Armenian boys who struck an undetonated shell that fell during World War I, killing two and injuring three. Aksakal used this as an example of the destruction war brought to Armenian communities.

“In short, the first World War devastated the Middle East,” he said. “Violence begets violence, but more violence begets violent identities.”

Rachel Goshgarian, a professor at Lafayette College, spoke about Armenian historical monuments and how since the 20th century, hundreds have either been destroyed or are vanishing.

“Does this destruction, this continued use of destruction, act as a byproduct of the Armenian Genocide?” she asked the crowd.

Some of these buildings had been used for demonstrations of explosive power, or target practice for the military, Goshgarian said. Other times these places lose parts of their structures for people to repurpose them for homebuilding.

“These have been the fate of these structures” she said. “Even when the ministry recognizes these buildings have some sort of historical importance, some buildings get turned into a children’s playground.”

Kerem Ӧktem, a professor at the University of Graz in Austria, discussed memory versus recognition of the genocide and ideas like the Turkish government’s denial of the genocide. He also talked about the connection between societal power groups and recognition of the genocide.

“With very little reach out in society, it is important to see how many sides can exist in society,” he said. “Denialists are losing ground.”

Barbara Lyons, an Evanston resident who was at the event, said she is interested in the topic of the Middle East and the Armenian Genocide.

“Everything they told me were things I didn’t know,” she said. “I read about the West carving out the East arbitrarily, forming countries, and that is how this whole thing got started.”

She also commented on the shock factor of the lecture.

“The destruction of Armenian culture is what surprised me,” she said. “They didn’t just get rid of the Armenians, they wanted to get rid of remembering they were there.”

From artistic renderings of the splendor of the Armenian countryside to the stark beauty of ancient fortresses, heritage sites and cultural treasures hold deep meaning for the Armenian people.
On November 9, 2015, U.S. Ambassador to Armenian Richard Mills, Jr. had the opportunity to visit important pieces of Armenian cultural heritage in Gyumri and Dashtadem, where he unveiled two of the latest projects funded by the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.

“We are all connected by our shared history, our shared human story. By understanding and respecting Armenian history, we can celebrate our present connections and build our common future,” Ambassador Mills said.

This year, work is being completed on three major projects selected by the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP): the renovation of Rafayel Atoyan’s “On the Way to the Watermill” mural, the excavation and restoration of the Dashtadem Fortress complex, and work to safeguard significant archeological finds in the Areni Cave. In total, the AFCP provided almost $200,000 for all three projects.

“It has been more than a year of painstaking, detailed restoration work at all three sites. Now the Armenian people will see the benefit of this investment,” said Ambassador Mills as he unveiled the Atoyan mural and opened the Dashtadem complex. The work at Areni Cave will be unveiled at a later date.

The public presentation of these AFCP sites coincides with Ambassador Mills’ month-long focus on rural development. By preserving such sites, he said, tourists will be more likely to visit areas outside of Yerevan and help build a more diverse rural economy.

“There are so many great examples of cultural and historical heritage in rural Armenia. By working with our Armenian partners to preserve these sites and this mural, we are helping to promote tourism in the regions, which will boost economic development,” Ambassador Mills emphasized.

“ON THE WAY TO THE WATERMILL”

Rafayel Atoyan’s “On the Way to the Watermill” was in danger of disintegration, as the abandoned building was slowly crumbling around it. Now, thanks to the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, it has a new home in Gyumri’s Youth Palace.

The painstaking restoration and relocation of the mural was conducted by the Minas Avetisyan Cultural Foundation, led by Arman Avetisyan, with the participation of Fabrizio Iacopini, a renowned expert from the Restoration Institute in Florence, Italy.

During the unveiling, Ambassador Mills announced that the preservation proposal for another mural, Hakob Hakobyan’s “In the Mountains/Milkmen,” won funding in this year’s highly competitive AFCP selection process. When complete, that mural will find a new home in Gyumri’s Achemyan Drama Theater.

“I look forward to returning once work on that mural is complete,” Ambassador Mills said. “Gyumri has such a unique character and flavor, and I think these two artists truly capture what makes this corner of Armenia unique.”

DASHTADEM

After unveiling the Atoyan mural in Gyumri, Ambassador Mills traveled to the Dashtadem fortress complex. One of the largest medieval fortresses in the Caucasus, the site has great historical and architectural significance. It is the home to the 7^th century Saint Sargis Church, the 12^th century Khan Palace, and 9^th century Christian gravestones.

The U.S. Embassy partnered with the Government of Armenia, the Ministry of Culture, and the AMAP Human Development NGO to make the Dashtadem preservation project a reality.  Thanks to this project, the compound was first cleared of rubbish and the remnants of modern structures, allowing for excavation work on the inner citadel and the surrounding wall. 35 meters of the outlines and foundations of the medieval defensive walls have been uncovered, including two semicircular towers. The excavations also uncovered remnants of late medieval dwellings and items used in commerce, such as ovens.

“Armenian history is rich and long. It is also multi-layered, as different cultural eras came into being, intermingled, and declined,” said Ambassador Mills said. “Preserving this Fortress will help future generations understand the story of how the modern Armenian people came to be.”

Recognizing that celebrating our shared cultural heritage is a way to bring countries and peoples together, the U.S. State Department established the U.S. Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) in 2000. Through the fund, the U.S. State Department each year provides financing for a number of projects around the globe that protect unique cultural heritage sites.

The U.S. Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation has been providing support for Armenian cultural sites since 2005, funding projects such as the mapping and cataloging of items at the Noratus medieval cemetery and its collection of khachkars, preservation of a medieval masonry bridge in the Garni Gorge, and documentation of traditional Armenian music and dance.

At least 23 were killed and 65 injured after rockets had allegedly fired by militants struck the Syrian city of Latakia on Tuesday, a local police source told RIA Novosti Tuesday.

France 24 – Iran’s President Hassan Rohani has apparently objected to dining at the Elysée presidential palace during his upcoming visit to Paris, if wine is served during the meal, French media have reported.

Rohani is visiting Paris as part of a four-day tour of Italy and France beginning November 14 making him the first Iranian president to travel to Europe in a decade, according to the state news agency IRNA.

The tour – which comes four months after the Iran nuclear deal was reached – will first take Rohani to Italy, where he will meet President Sergio Mattarella and Pope Francis, Iranian presidential spokesman Parviz Esmaili told IRNA.

He will then travel to France on November 16-17, where he is expected to give a speech at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris.

“He will officially be received by French President François Hollande on Tuesday morning and will hold talks with French government officials before returning to Tehran,” Esmaili said.

About 60 Armenians have died in the Syrian conflict, historian Gevorg Yazichian told reporters today. “The Armenian community of Aleppo counted 45-50 thousand before the conflict, only half has remained there,” he said. According to official data, 17 thousand have moved to Armenia.

“Most Syrian Armenians have centered in Damascus. It’s comparatively safe there as the city is under the control of Syrian forces. Latakia and Kessab are two other Armenian-populated settlements,” he said

Armenia is the fourth in the world with the number of Syrian refugees hosted. Therefore, Yazichian says, we can count on support from international organizations.

According to the historian, the situation has considerably changed after Russia launched air strikes, but “it’s still hard to predict when and how the conflict will end.”

He considers that the Syrian army does not act as effectively as it could, and there are ideological reasons for it.

“People in both Syria and Iraq are ‘poisoned’ by ideas of radical Islamism. The Russian air force and the Syrian army can succeed, but to end the war those masses should be offered a new ideology that will correspond to their religious beliefs and views,” Yazichian said.

FIFA World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo, has premiered his personal portrait film “Ronaldo” in London, reports. 

Posing with a line of fans, Ronaldo sought to break a selfie record upon arrival and was also awarded certificates for other Guinness World Records he had, including “most ‘liked’ person on Facebook”.

His agent, and close friend, Jorge Mendes also said that the documentary film was for Ronaldo’s millions of fans who will now get a chance to see the “real Cristiano”.

Ronaldo is also captain of Portugal’s national team, which in October secured its spot for Euro 2016 in France.

Asked if after his soccer playing career he might eye a position as head of FIFA or UEFA, the Real Madrid striker responded with a joke.

The film, made by the team behind documentaries on Racing driver, Ayrton Senna and singer, Amy Winehouse, looks at his professional side as well as shows tender moments between Ronaldo and his young son.

Photo by Thore Siebrands/Flickr

Famed Hollywood star Robert De Niro revealed he may consider applying for Russian citizenship at the opening of a restaurant he co-owns at a Moscow mall, the shopping center’s press service announced Monday, reports.

Co-owner of the famous Nobu chain of restaurants, De Niro opened the first Moscow location back in 2009. This year he teamed up with Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa once again to launch another restaurant of the same brand in the Russian capital.

The actor told reporters he was fond of Russian cuisine, and also called for cooperation between Moscow and Washington to “put an end to all disagreements.”

When asked whether he would follow the example of boxer Roy Jones and apply for Russian citizenship, the star noted that he would probably consider it, as you never know what the future brings, but it was too early to make such predictions.

Matsuhisa and de Niro started their chain of original cuisine in 1994 in New York. The Nobu Empire comprises 33 restaurants in 28 cities around the world, including London, Las Vegas, Melbourne, Tokyo, Beijing and Miami.

The new Nobu spot at Moscow’s Crocus City Mall consists of a main hall for 70 guests on the first floor, a hall for 120 guests with a panoramic view on the second floor, a bar, a lounge and a sushi bar. The restaurant’s international staff includes French chef Damien Duviau, Japanese sushi chef Sohta Fujimori and pastry chef Stewart Bell, who have already worked in other restaurants within the Nobu empire.

Iran and Armenia have serious potential for expanding their bilateral economic ties and also bolstering relations with the Eurasian Economic Union, Armenian Minister of Economy Karen Chshmaritian stated, reports.

The official made the statement at a press conference after his yesterday meeting with Iranian Communications and Information Technology Minister Mahmoud Va’ezi in Tehran.

The Armenian Minister said: “In my today’s meeting with Mr. Va’ezi, we stressed Iran-Armenia cooperation in the field of information technology and I think that there is huge potential for cooperation in this area.”

The Armenian government intends to open the country’s doors for economic cooperation with other countries, especially with Iran, he highlighted.

“Today, we [Iran and Armenia] are starting with making serious agreements on economic cooperation and I hope that these agreements will lead to some fruitful results in the future”, the Minister noted.

He expressed hope that the old friendship between Iran and Armenia will lead to an expanded economic cooperation between the two countries.

Addressing the same conference, Va’ezi said: “Given that Armenia is one of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, we discussed the ways to export our products to these countries.”

The official mentioned telecommunications sector as well as research and development activities as the areas in which the two countries have the potential to deepen bilateral ties.

Speaking about the role of Armenia in the promotion of Iran’s trade with the Eurasian Economic Union, the Minister explained: “The cost for the export of products to Russia and other Eurasian states is high for Iran, in a way that the imports of Iranian products are entitled to a tariff of over 20 percent in those countries.”

It makes competition difficult for the Iranian private sector, he noted.

“Russian market is a very large one and given that there are many transit routes between Iran and Russia, through roads, railways and sea routes, we could imagine this market as one of our major export destinations. In this regard, I discussed the issue with the Armenian Minister and it was decided that Armenia reduces the tariff for importing products from Iran and also to lower the tariff for transit of Iranian goods to the Eurasian countries, especially Russia”, the official added.

Armenia’s central bank said on Tuesday it had cut its key refinancing rate to 9.75 percent from 10.25 percent.

Annual inflation in the South Caucasus country was at 1.9 percent in October, down from 3.3 percent in September, according to central bank data.

The government forecasts annual inflation in a range of 2.5-5.5 percent in 2015, the same as last year’s target.