The 2016/17 Goal of the Season nominees!
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Henrikh Mkhitaryanâs scorpion kick against Sunderland has been nominated for the Premiere Leagueâs Carling Goal of the Season.
Voting is under way on the Premiere League official . The winner will be announced on May 26.
The goal earned the Armenian Manchester Unitedâs  award last week.
Real Madrid won their first La Liga title since 2012 thanks to a final-day victory at Malaga, the BBC reports.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored early on to settle the nerves, latching onto Isco’s through ball to step around Carlos Kameni and tap into an empty net.
Karim Benzema added their second goal after the break after Kameni parried Sergio Ramos’ shot.
Real, who had only needed a point, now face Juventus in the Champions League final looking to complete a double.
The result means Zinedine Zidane, in his first full season as Real boss, is the first manager to lead Madrid to the Spanish league title since Jose Mourinho five years ago.
If Real beat Juventus in Cardiff, they will become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League – with Zidane having won the tournament six months into the job last summer.
Charles Aznavour celebrates his 93rd birthday today. The legendary French Armenian singer, who wrote more than 800 songs, recorded more than 1,000 of them in French, English, German and Spanish and sold over 100 million records in all, was born Chahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian on May 22, 1924, in Paris, the younger of two children born to Armenian immigrants who fled to France. His mother was a seamstress as well as an actress and his father was a baritone who sang in restaurants. Both Charles and his sister waited on tables where he performed. He delivered his first poetic recital while just a toddler. Within a few years later he had developed such a passion for singing/dancing, that he sold newspapers to earn money for lessons.
He took his first theatrical bow in the play âEmil and the Detectivesâ at age 9 and within a few years was working as a movie extra. He eventually quit school and toured France and Belgium as a boy singer/dancer with a traveling theatrical troupe while living the bohemian lifestyle. A popular performer at the Parisâ Club de la Chanson, it was there that he was introduced in 1941 to the songwriter Pierre Roche. Together they developed names for themselves as a singing/writing cabaret and concert duo (âRoche and Aznamourâ). A Parisian favorite, they became developed successful tours outside of France, including Canada. In the post WWII years Charles began appearing in films again, one of them as a singing croupier in Goodbye Darling (1946).
Eventually Aznavour earned a sturdy reputation composing street-styled songs for other established musicians and singers, notably Ădith Piaf, for whom he wrote the French version of the American hit âJezebelâ. Heavily encouraged by her, he toured with her as both an opening act and lighting man. He lived with Piaf out of need for a time not as one of her many paramours. His mentor eventually persuaded him to perform solo (sans Roche) and he made several successful tours while scoring breakaway hits with the somber chanson songs âSur ma vieâ and âParce queâ and the notable and controversial âAprĂšs lâamour.â In 1950, he gave the bittersweet song âJe Hais Les Dimanchesâ [âI Hate Sundaysâ] to chanteuse Juliette GrĂ©co, which became a huge hit for her.
In the late 50s, Aznavour began to infiltrate films with more relish. Short and stubby in stature and excessively brash and brooding in nature, he was hardly leading man material but embraced his shortcomings nevertheless. Unwilling to let these faults deter him, he made a strong impressions with the comedy Une gosse sensassâ (1957) and with Paris Music Hall (1957). He was also deeply affecting as the benevolent but despondent and ill-fated mental patient Heurtevent in Head Against the Wall (1959). A year later, Aznavour starred as piano player Charlie Kohler/Edouard Saroyan in âFrancois Truffautâs adaptation of the David Goodisâ novel Shoot the Piano Player (1960) [Shoot the Piano Player], which earned box-office kudos both in France and the United States. This sudden notoriety sparked an extensive tour abroad in the 1960s. Dubbed the âFrank Sinatra of Franceâ and singing in many languages (French, English, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, Armenian, Portuguese), his touring would include sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall (1964) and Londonâs Albert Hall (1967).
Aznavour served as actor and composer/music arranger for many films, including Gosse de Paris (1961), which he also co-wrote with directorMarcel Martin, and the dramas Three Fables of Love (1962) [Three Fables of Loveâ) and Dear Caroline (1968) [Dear Caroline]. The actor also embraced the title role in the TV series âLes Fables de la Fontaineâ (1964), then starred in the popular musical âMonsieur Carnavalâ (1965), in which he performed his hit song âLa bohĂȘme.â
His continental star continued to shine and Aznavour acted in films outside of France with more dubious results. While the sexy satire Candy(1968), with an international cast that included Marlon Brando, Richard Burton and Ringo Starr, and epic adventure The Adventurers (1969) were considered huge misfires upon release, it still showed Aznavour off as a world-wide attraction.  Later films included Yiddish Connection (1986), which he co-wrote and provided music, and Il maestro (1990) with Malcolm McDowell; more recently he received kudos for his participation in the Canadian-French production Ararat (2002).
Films aside, hus chart-busting single âSheâ (1972-1974) went platinum in Britain. He also received thirty-seven gold albums in all. His most popular song in America, âYesterday When I Was Youngâ has had renditions covered by everyone from Shirley Bassey to Julio Iglesias. In 1997, Aznavour received an honorary CĂ©sar Award. He has written three books, the memoirs âAznavour By Aznavourâ (1972), the song lyrics collection âDes mots Ă lâafficheâ (1991) and a second memoir âLe temps des avantsâ (2003). A âFarewell Tourâ was instigated in 2006 at age 82 and, health permitting, could last to 2010.
In 2009 Aznavour was appointed Armeniaâs Ambassador to Switzerland.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara on May 22 to convey a diplomatic note over a street brawl outside the Turkish diplomatic mission in Washington during Recep Tayyip Erdoganâs visit to the US.
âThe Ambassador of the Unites States of America in Ankara was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today and a written and verbal protest was delivered due to the aggressive and unproffessional actions taken, contrary to diplomatic rules and practices, by US security personnel towards the close protection team of H.E Mevlut Cavusoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, in front of the Turkish Embassy Chancery in Washington DC during the visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week,â the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It has been formally requested that the US authorities conduct a full investigation of âthis diplomatic incident and provide the necessary explanation.â
âDuring the meeting with the Ambassador, it was emphasized that the lapses of security experienced during our President’s stay in Washington, which were caused by the inability of US authorities to take sufficient precautions at every stage of the official program, will not overshadow what in every other aspect was a very successful and important visit,â the Ministry said.
A group of peaceful demonstrators protesting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganâs official visit to the United States, were at the Sheridan Circle near the residence of the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. last week.
Armenia’s acting Foreign Minister Edwrad Nalbandian will visit Brussels May 22-23, Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign affairs reports.
Edward Nalbandian will participate in the 17th sitting of the Armenia-EU Cooperation Council.
US President Donald Trump visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Monday.
Representatives of the Catholic, Armenian and Greek-Orthodox church met the president.
Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian, Custos of the Holy Land Fr. Francesco Patton, and Greek-Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III greeted President Trump.
President Donald Trump also paid his respects at the Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray, AP reports.
Trump is on his first visit to Israel as president.
Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition Friday Expected escalation by Turan Analytical Service The 25th anniversary of the seizure by the Armed Forces of Armenia of the Lachin region of Azerbaijan was marked by a military-diplomatic escalation in the zone of the Karabakh conflict. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) made a statement on this issue on May 18, the tone of which speaks of excessive tension not only on both sides of the contact of the fire, but also in the camp of the mediating countries wedged between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We condemn the recent violations of the ceasefire agreement and call on the parties to take all necessary measures to prevent further escalation in the conflict zone, the joint statement of the representatives of the United States, Russia and France says. According to the MG"s information gathered from several reliable sources, on May 15, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired a missile at the contact line, destroying the military equipment of the Armenian side. In the evening of May 16 and May 17, the Armenian armed forces struck back with mortar fire of various calibers. These actions constitute significant violations of the ceasefire on both sides and are a cause for concern, the statement said. On May 15 the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan promptly reported that the antiaircraft missile system "OCA" of the Armenian antiaircraft forces on the same day was taken to a new position in the Fuzuli-Khojevend direction of the front, and an attempt was made to take control of Azerbaijan's airspace. "In order to prevent the threat to Azerbaijani aircraft and suppress enemy activity, the anti-aircraft missile system" OSA "and the transport-loading machine were completely put out of action by fire, the personnel was destroyed." The question arises as to what purpose the Armenian command put forward to the advanced positions of the Antiaircraft missile complex (AMC), which, according to Turan, actually took place. It is possible that these actions pursued the goal of seizing the position, convenient destruction of Azerbaijani unmanned vehicles, which until now have not been reached for Armenian air defense. It is possible that the Armenian side checked the ability of the Azerbaijani army to fight against closed, closed targets. In any case, the moving of the missile launcher to the line of contact was provocative and resulted in unnecessary casualties among Armenian Armed Forces personnel, which official Yerevan does not recognize. This event shows that the parties to the conflict have not changed their military-political approach to the conflict settlement 25 years after the occupation of Lachin, which initiated the occupation of the entire Karabakh region, a bloody war and the long-standing destructive confrontation between the two South Caucasian states. The military escalation that took place on May 15-17 was expected in the light of the March official and unofficial statements of the sides about the readiness to strike at the infrastructure facilities in the depths for hundreds of kilometers. They sounded on the eve of the first anniversary of the April battles, which marked the beginning of another round of the arms race and mutual threats. In the article "The April war - the tendency to escalate" of the analytical service of Turan on April 2, 2017, conclusions were drawn about strengthening the force line of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the context of the conflict settlement, the military component of the Karabakh settlement and the development of much larger events of military significance. A tough assessment of the reaction of the co-chairs of the MG by the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan and the principled position regarding the incident, which was expressed in this quote: "The armed forces of the Azerbaijan Republic are in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan and against the backdrop of the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, they provide defense of our country and the security of the civilian population," testify coming new escalations of a military nature with the observer position of international observers.
Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition Friday International organizations are outraged by the court ruling on the forced transfer of the spouses Yunus Baku/19.05.17/Turan:The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about a decision issued yesterday by the Appeals Court of Baku, Azerbaijan, ordering Ms. Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) and a member of OMCT General Assembly, and her husband Mr. ArifYunusov, Head of IPD Conflictology Department, to be forcibly returned to Azerbaijan from the Netherlands in order to participate in new hearings in their case. The Observatory strongly deplores the May-17 decision of the Baku Court of Appeals, which puts Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. ArifYunusov"s physical integrity at serious risk as there are strong reasons to believe that they would be arbitrarily re-arrested upon arrival in Azerbaijan. The Observatory recalls that Mr. ArifYunusov suffers from hypertension, and Ms. Leyla Yunus from hepatitis, diabetes, pancreatitis and gallstone disease, which were aggravated after her arrest, and during their detention in Azerbaijan. Both are still in need of medical care. The Observatory calls on the Azeri authorities to immediately and unconditionally put an end to all forms or attempts of judicial harassment against Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. ArifYunusov, and calls on the authorities of the Netherlands to ensure their physical integrity and their personal freedoms by refusing any cooperation with a judicial system that grossly disregards international standards and that sentenced the couple to arbitrary and heavy prison terms under trumped-up charges as a means to sanction their legitimate human rights activities. The organization also calls for sending messages to the President of Azerbaijan with a demand to stop the persecution of the couple Yunus. The Yunus were arrested in 2014, and convicted on a contrived charge of spying for Armenia in 2015. They spent about a year and a half in prison. They were released on parole, but charges were not lifted. Later they were allowed to go abroad for treatment. -02D-
APA, Azerbaijan Baku criticises mediators' comments on ceasefire violations [Armenian News note: the below is translated from the Russian edition of APA] The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman has accused the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen of demonstrating unfair and non-objective approach in their recent statement concerning the latest ceasefire violation incidents in the Karabakh conflict zone. He also described as "symptomatic" that the co-chairs' "standard statement" spoke only about ceasefire violations but did not mentioned that 18 May marked the 25th anniversary of Azerbaijan's Lacin District coming under control of Armenian troops. "Some 80,000 residents of Lacin became refugees and IDPs, just like residents of other occupied districts of Azerbaijan. Although on that day [18 May when the co-chairs' statement was issued] 25 years turned since the occupation of Lacin District, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs did not mention that in their statement which is unfair and non-objective approach," APA news agency quoted Hikmat Haciyev as saying on 19 May. Haciyev said that the Minsk Group co-chairs did not mention that Armenian troops are present on Azerbaijan's territory and that Armenian troops recently shelled Azeri residential areas in the vicinity of the frontline. "Unfortunately, being concerned about ceasefire violations, in their statement the Minsk Group co-chairs turned a blind eye to the fact that hardware and troops of Armenia's armed forces are present illegally on the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan," Haciyev said. "The Armenian armed forces's illegal presence in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is the major reason for escalation of tension on the frontline and violations of ceasefire," he said. "The armed forces of the Azerbaijan Republic are present on the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan and are defending the country and ensuring the safety of its civilian population in circumstances when the Azerbaijani territories are occupied by Armenia," he added. Haciyev said that the Minsk Group co-chairs should have called for the withdrawal of Armenian troops of Azerbaijani soil and should have urged the conflicting parties to continue talks to find a political solution to the Karabakh conflict. In their 18 May statement, the Minsk Group co-chairs criticised both the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides for "significant violations of the ceasefire" in mid-May. They said that "there are contradictory reports regarding the targets of these recent strikes, as well as about casualties sustained and damages inflicted". The co-chairs urged the sides "to take all necessary measures to prevent any further escalation in the conflict zone".
AzerTag, Azerbaijan May 19 2019 Azerbaijani Defense Ministry comments on video spread by Armenians AzerTAg.az Baku, May 19, AZERTAC The Armenian side has disseminated a video footage claiming that the Azerbaijani armed forces are shelling positions of their own military units, said Azerbaijani defense ministry. The ministry said the Armenian side that was defeated on the battlefield is making unsuccessful attempts to avenge in the virtual space. “According to the combat readiness plan, the Azerbaijani military units on the frontline are currently conducting live-fire exercises in various directions of the frontline, including Tartar-Aghdara direction. The explosions reflected in the video was caused by hand grenades, but not by 60-mm mortars as the Armenians claimed. Even non-specialists knowing a little about weapons can easily comprehend that these explosions were not caused by mortars,” said the ministry.