Category: News

The Senate on Tuesday blocked an amendment that would have allowed the Obama administration to send direct aid to Kurdish peshmerga forces in Iraq, reports.

Senators voted 54-45 on the amendment, from Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA.) The amendment faced a 60-vote threshold to be attached to the defense policy bill.

The proposal would have granted a temporary authorization for President Obama to give weapons and training directly to the Kurdish forces rather than having to work through the Iraqi government in Baghdad.

Ernst suggested that the measure was a necessary step to help defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS.)

“ISIS is deadly and determined, and Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS need weapons as quickly as possible,” she said on Monday afternoon. “We simply cannot afford future delays at this critical moment in the battle.”

Ernst added that her amendment didn’t force the president to directly aid the Kurdish peshmerga forces, but gave him the option to do so.

Armenia is ranked 91st among 162 countries in the Global Peace Index 2015.

Armenia’s neighbors in the region are placed as follows: Georgia – 79^th, Azerbaiajn 132^nd, Turkey – 135^th, Iran – 138^th.

As for Armenia’s partners in the Eurasian Economic Union, Russia is 152^nd, Belarus is 110^th, Kazakhstan is 87^th and Kyrgyzstan is 121^st.

The Global Peace Index measures the state of peace in 162 countries according to 23 indicators that gauge the absence of violence or the fear of violence. It is produced annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

The 2015 Global Peace Index shows that the world is becoming increasingly divided with some countries enjoying unprecedented levels of peace and prosperity while others spiral further into violence and conflict.

This year the results show that globally, levels of peace remained stable over the last year, however are still lower than in 2008.

The most peaceful countries are Iceland, Denmark and Austria.

The country that suffered the most severe deterioration in peace was Libya, which now ranks 149th of 162 countries. Ukraine suffered the second largest deterioration, falling to 150^th position.

Syria remains the world’s least peaceful country, followed by Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gita Elibekyan
Public Radio of Armenia
Tbilisi

Pianist Tigran Hamasyan will present his Luys i Luso (Light of Light) program at St. Echmiadzin Church in Tbilisi today and will perform at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire on June 18.

Luys i Luso is a unique program for the piano and choir presented by Tigran Hamasyan and the Yerevan State Chamber Choir headed by Harutyun Topikyan.

The program is a new interpretation of Armenian religious music from the 5^th to the 20^th centuries, which will be released as a CD in September 2015.

The program includes works by Mesrop Mashtots, Grigor Nakeratsi, Grigor Pahlavuni, Nerses Shnorhali, Mkhitar Ayrivanetsi and Makar Yekmalyan.

The tour kicked off in Yerevan on March 24. Over the year he will give concerts in 100 churches of Turkey, Lebanon, France, Belgium, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Russia and the United States.

On 15 June President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan signed a decree, releasing lieutenant-general Movses Hakobyan from the position of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic defense minister, commander of the Defense Army.

According to another Presidential decree lieutenant-general Levon Mnatsakanyan was appointed the defense minister, commander of the NKR Defense Army.

President Sahakyan also signed a decree awarding Movses Hakobyan with the Grigor Lousavorich Order for exclusive services rendered to the Artsakh Republic.

On 17 June President Bako Sahakyan visited NKR defense ministry and introduced the newly-appointed defense minister Levon Mnatsakanyan to the command staff of the army.

President Sahakyan extended appreciation to former defense minister Movses Hakobyan for the implemented extensive work, underlining that under his command the Defense Army’s combat readiness reached a new level, numerous issues were solved.

Bako Sahakyan noted with certainty that Movses Hakobyan would continue contributing his rich experience and knowledge in the new responsible position as deputy head of the General Staff of the Republic of Armenia’s armed forces.

Speaking about Levon Mnatsakanyan, the Head of the State qualified him as one of the most experienced generals having profound knowledge, held in authority and respect in the army, who showed his worth in all the assumed positions.

Supreme Commander-in-chief of the Artsakh Republic armed forces expressed his confidence that Levon Mnatsakanyan would work with the same fervor as defense minister and Defense Army commander, directing all his skills and abilities towards reinforcing the army and raising steadily its effectiveness.

The Republic of Armenia defense minister Seyran Ohanyan and other officials were present at the meeting.

On June 17, USAID marked the completion of a water supply improvement project in the village of Hartavan, Aragatsotn region. The community event was attended by USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Jonathan Katz, USAID Armenia Mission Director Karen Hilliard, Governor of Aragatsotn Sargis Sahakyan, community mayor Zhirayr Avetisyan, local residents, and partners. During the event, the attendees viewed the newly-installed pumping station and water supply network of the village and met with project beneficiaries.

Before the inception of the USAID/CEWP water improvement project, Hartavan did not have access to a safe and reliable water supply. Most of the village’s water sources were seasonal and did not have any protection from potential pollution. The village’s only reliable source of water was the small and obsolete pumping station located on the Aparan-Yerevan water main. The water distribution network of Hartavan was also in poor condition. Household connections were not metered, and the water loss due to leakage and waste was very high (80% or more). Water was available only 2-3 hours a day, and the risk of waterborne diseases was high.

In response, USAID made several critical improvements to Hartavan’s existing water system, resulting in a safe chlorinated water supply for all the households in the village that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Thanks to the installation of water meters throughout the village, water consumption is more accurately accounted for. CEWP also provided the municipality with new software to help them with billing and the collection of water fees. As a result, the community’s water service revenue has almost doubled, and it is anticipated that Hartavan will annually save about 23,360 cubic meters of water and 17,280 kilowatt-hours of electric energy due to improved efficiency.

Since 2011, nearly 50,000 people living in vulnerable communities in six Armenian provinces have benefitted from improved energy and water services made possible through USAID. When improving rural infrastructures, USAID also introduces modern and energy-efficient approaches to street-lighting, heating, and the drinking water supply, allowing communities to generate additional savings in water and energy expenses.

Police in  Georgia say a tiger that broke loose after severe flooding at a zoo has killed one man and wounded another, the Associated Press reports.

The Tbilisi zoo had previously said all lions and tigers missing after the flooding had been found dead and only one jaguar remained unaccounted for.

The Interior Ministry says police killed the tiger, which was hiding at an abandoned factory turned into a construction market when he attacked the men Wednesday.

Zoo officials had said Tuesday that eight lions, all seven of the zoo’s tigers and at least two of its three jaguars were killed in the flooding in Georgia’s capital caused by heavy rains over the weekend.

President Serzh Sargsyan today sent a condolence letter on Kirk Kerkorian’s demise which reads as follows: “It was with great sorrow that I learned of the passing away of the great Armenian benefactor Kirk Kerkorian, the National Hero of Armenia.

I am sure everybody in Armenia, Artsakh and the diaspora share this sorrow. As an entrepreneur and businessman, he became a legend already in his lifetime and enjoyed international acclaim, setting an example of a revived Armenian and of a hard-working, wise, kind and modest man.

It was his Lincy Foundation that backed the Armenian people during hard times, helping them to overcome difficulties and embark on their path to development. The projects implemented by the foundation gave a breath of powerful fresh air to Armenia’s economy, seriously changing the nature of our country.

I strongly belief that the bright memory of the great Armenian and the National Hero of Armenia will live forever, and our people will remember him with a sense of pride and gratitude.

I condole with all of us in this great loss.”

The Ministry of Education and Science has announced Armenian schoolchildren will not participate in the 47^th International Chemistry Olympiad to be held in Baku from July 20-29.

It was initially reported that Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan would lead the team to Azerbaijan.

However, the Azeri side failed to provide security guarantees to Armenia before June 15 – the deadline for registration.

Minister Ashotyan today called on international organizations to take note of this particular case and refuse from organizing international scientific-educational events in Baku in the future.

American pop superstar Lady Gaga was paid a whopping $2 million to sing at the opening ceremony of the European Games in Baku, according to Eurosport.

Azerbaijan and Armenia cannot be drawn together in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, the UEFA has announced.

The European 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying draw will be held on 25 July at Konstantinovsky Palace in St Petersburg, with FIFA world rankings deciding the seedings.

The 52 entrants (all UEFA national associations except automatically qualified hosts Russia and non-FIFA members Gibraltar) will be drawn into seven groups of six teams and two of five.

The nine group winners will advance directly to the final tournament.

The eight runners-up with the best record against the teams first, third, fourth and fifth in their groups proceed to play-offs to decide the remaining four European berths.

Six seeding pots will be formed as per theFIFA world rankings for July 2015 published early in the month.

All groups will contain one team from each of the top five seeding pots. Each of the seven sides in the sixth pot will be allocated to a six-team group.

Due to the centralisation of media rights for European Qualifiers, England, France,Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands will all be drawn into six-team groups. They may be placed in the same group if they are in different seeding pots.

Due to the political situation between the countries, and based on the relevant decisions taken by the UEFA Executive Committee, Azerbaijan and Armenia cannot be drawn together.