Category: News

System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian has expressed condolences on the passing of Chris Cornell.

“We are extremely shocked and saddened at the news of our friend Chris Cornell’s passing. I was sitting next to you a few weeks ago talking about music, life, kids. Your life and music have made an indelible impression upon mine my brother. And your spirit can only be described as generous and regal. Travel well. Our deep and sincere condolences to Vicky and the kids. And love to all those who share this love and grief,” Tankian wrote in a Facebook post.

Six states signed today in Nicosia (Cyprus) the .

Armenia, Cyprus, Greece, Portugal and San Marino as well as Mexico, one of the Organisation’s observer states, were the first to sign the convention, which is open for signature to any country in the world.

Adopted in the framework of the Council of Europe’s action to fight terrorism and organised crime, the new convention seeks to stop the looting of antiquities and their trafficking through the art markets. It makes a criminal offence their unlawful excavation, importation and exportation, acquisition and placing on the market, and the falsification of documents in this context.

By bringing national legislations up to the same standards, the treaty will close the existing loopholes and enable much more effective cross-border co-operation in investigating, prosecuting and sentencing persons suspected of the offences listed in the convention.

Crucially, the convention protects the cultural property of any state, be it party or not to the treaty.

The signing took place in Nicosia during a Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers meeting bringing together Foreign affairs Ministers of the Organisation’s 47 Member States. The treaty will enter into force after five ratifications.

The new treaty fills a gap in international law, since none of the existing conventions deal with criminal law issues. It complements the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects.
Protection of cultural heritage is important for the Armenian people that have suffered immense losses of cultural legacy throughout its history and most recently in Azerbaijan by the hands of its government and in Syria by the terrorist groups. In this regard we welcome the adoption of the Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France, and Richard Hoagland of the United States of America, released the following statement:

According to information collected from multiple reliable sources, on 15 May, Azerbaijani armed forces fired a missile across the Line of Contact, striking military equipment. On the evening of 16 May and continuing into 17 May, Armenian armed forces retaliated with mortar fire of various calibres. These actions by both sides represent significant violations of the ceasefire and are cause for alarm.

There are contradictory reports regarding the targets of these recent strikes, as well as about casualties sustained and damages inflicted. The Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office continue to collect further data and analysis to gain more complete and accurate information about the current situation.

The Co-Chairs condemn these recent ceasefire violations and call upon the sides to take all necessary measures to prevent any further escalation in the conflict zone.

On 18 May, the European Commission published a reviewing the implementation of European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The report detailed results following a new approach based on differentiation, joint ownership and flexibility.

The revised European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) reinvigorated the relations between the European Union and its neighbours to the East and South, with a greater focus on stabilisation, resilience and security. Today’s neighbourhood-wide Joint Report on the implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy demonstrates that the new policy approach ensures stronger joint ownership and more flexibility by recognising different aspirations and diversity of each partner. The report is a follow-up to the European Neighbourhood review which was adopted in November 2015.

“The European Union has been investing a lot in economic development, resilience, security, democracy and the rule of law in our Eastern and Southern neighbours. One year and a half after the review of the European Neighborhood Policy, we have managed to build – in cooperation and full partnership – a tailor made approach with each and every country, to ensure it addresses the real needs and interests, for the sake of all our citizens.” said Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, upon publication of the joint report.

”We consulted widely before updating the Neighbourhood Policy – and this report shows how we are really putting into action the results of that consultation: a stronger focus on mutual interests, greater differentiation to reflect the diversity of our partners, a greater sense of shared ownership of the policy and more flexibility in how it is implemented,” added Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.

The reviewed ENP has mobilised significant support to reforms in four priority areas: good governance, democracy, rule of law and human rights; economic development for stabilisation; security; migration and mobility.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, addressed the first session of the National Assembly of 6th convocation.

Your Excellency, Mr. President,
Honorable Members of Parliament,
Dear attendees,

We extend to you Our pontifical blessings and greetings, and congratulate the newly elected Members of Parliament on the occasion of the first session of the 6th National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia.

From here on, the role of the National Assembly will essentially expand, as the result of recent constitutional amendments changing Armenia to a parliamentary state governance system. As the highest body vested with added jurisdiction and executive power, the National Assembly is assuming even greater responsibility in the life of our country and people as well as for our present and future.

On the path of the reinforcement of our statehood and transformation in our country, important steps have been undertaken to create legal foundations for a parliamentary republic, for the sake of civil society, and development of the economy, science, and culture in our country. Over the course of these years, efforts have been made to secure a sound environment for strengthening our spiritual and national-ecclesiastical life.

However, along with all the achievements, problems and difficulties have yet to be eliminated from our life. We must take a course of substantial actions, to build a prosperous life for our people, to secure peace on our borders, to protect the rights of our people, and to realize our national aspirations.

Esteemed members of Parliament, within this foremost legislative body you are called to serve the sacred, great, and responsible mission of serving our country and faithful people. The laws that are going to be adopted at this highest branch of government should reinforce and bring prosperity to our society, they should mirror our own identity and values, to express the aspirations of our people, and strengthen solidarity and unity of our nation. The Parliament is also an important platform where diverse opinions and multiplicity of thoughts and initiatives, born of the same spirit of patriotism and dedication, shall further expand the perspectives of the development of our nation. However, the difference of views and opinions should never become a reason for contrarity and intolerance which would affect the successful mission of the National Assembly. It is apt to remember the message of St. Nerses Shnorhali (Graceful): “Unity in important matters, freedom in the secondary matters and love in everything”. You should loyally follow the message of the Patriarch, keep unity in the important matters, freedom in the secondary, and love in everything.

It is our wish that through jointly responsible activities you may combine your efforts and dedication for the sake of our homeland, and a peaceful, bright and thriving life of our people. We pray that God may strengthen you with a patriotic spirit, and grant you zeal and passion to achieve long-lasting successes in your highly responsible mission. We beseech for you all, the graces of the resurrected Lord, the protection of the victorious Holy Cross and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Indian film director Shekhar Kapur will direct Three Apples Fell From Heaven, a film based on the Micheline Aharonian Marcom novel adapted by Motorcycle Diaries writer José Rivera, reports.

The film is set in 1915-1917 as Turks slaughtered Armenians, and revolves around a young female refugee taken in by Turkish neighbors after the death of her parents. Her childhood shattered, she now views the remains of her world through a Muslim veil, as several tragic characters circle around her.

While the Armenian genocide is a century old, there is an eerie parallel to the refugee crisis, beyond Kapur’s memory of his own family forced to flee Delhi as refugees during the partition of India. The filmmakers made available a clip of the young women Kapur has auditioned to play the lead role; they are refugees from Aleppo whose descendants fled there to escape the Armenian genocide and who’ve come back to escape the violence that has devastated Syria.

The clip is a sad reminder of how little the world has really reformed for refugees. This becomes the first film from a new social justice storytelling production company, Disruptive Narrative, which will launch at Cannes as part of Sunday’s Refugee Voices In Film day, presented by IEFTA, the UNHCR and Marché du Film. The company is founded by leading human rights lawyer, Jen Robinson, of Doughty St Chambers , and Syrian-Armenian actress/writer/producer, Sona Tatoyan.

U.S. musician Chris Cornell, who gained fame as the lead singer of Soundgarden and later Audioslave, died on Wednesday in Detroit, his representative said, Reuters reports. 

Cornell’s family would be working closely with the medical examiner to determine the cause, representative Brian Bumbery said in a statement.

“His wife Vicky and family were shocked to learn of his sudden and unexpected passing,” Bumbery said. “They would like to thank his fans for their continuous love and loyalty and ask that their privacy be respected at this time.”

Seattle-born Cornell was the lead singer of Soundgarden, one of the leading bands in the grunge music movement in the ’80s and ’90s. In 1991, the band released platinum album “Badmotorfinger.”

Three years later, Soundgarden released “Superunknown,” a mainstream music scene success that earned the band two Grammys after it reached the top of music lists.

The band’s “wild soundscapes combined visceral punk attitude with artistic depth,” his bio said on his website.

He was last pictured by the press was a little over a month ago, at a screening of The Promise in New York with his two daughters. Cornell’s latest single, also called The Promise, had been written for the Christian Bale film.

Photo: Reuters    

The ex-chairman and founder of Fox News Roger Ailes has died aged 77, his family says, the BBC reports.

A statement from his wife Elizabeth said she was “profoundly sad and heartbroken”, calling him a “patriot”.

Mr Ailes ran Fox News for two decades and is credited with transforming it into arguably the most powerful voice in conservative media.

But he stepped down last year after a number of female employees accused him of sexual harassment.

At the time he said he was resigning because he had become a “distraction”.

Mrs Ailes’ statement said: “During a career that stretched over more than five decades, his work in entertainment, in politics, and in news affected the lives of many millions.

“And so even as we mourn his death, we celebrate his life.”

Before joining Fox, he served as adviser to several US presidents, from Richard Nixon to George Bush Senior.

“I was impressed as well!” ? Goal of the Season winner, …

— Manchester United (@ManUtd)

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has won Manchester United’s Goal of the Season Award.

The stunning effort against Sunderland secured a landslide win for the Armenian, whose remarkable scorpion kick picked up 57 per cent of the votes.

On receiving the award, Mkhitaryan said of his goal: “To be honest, I was impressed as well! I couldn’t imagine I could score such a goal. I didn’t know what was happening! I don’t think you can practise them – you just have to take the decision.” Zlatan provided the assist with a cross and Micki joked: “I couldn’t miss because I received a great ball from the god!”

Wayne Rooney’s record-breaking 250th goal for United, a spectacular last-gasp free-kick in January’s draw at Stoke City, was the runner-up with 13 per cent, and Paul Pogba’s long-range drive at Swansea City on nine per cent completed the top three.

Fans’ favourite Mkhitaryan also provided three other contenders in the original 10-strong shortlist for the prize but his inventive strike against the Black Cats, the finest goal of his career by his own admission, proved a landslide victor.