Category: News

PHOTO: ABC/AP

 

Two men and two women have been killed on a ride at a theme park on Australia’s east coast, the BBC reports.

Two victims were thrown from a raft on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on Queensland’s Gold Coast, while two others were trapped inside, officials said.

The park in Coomera has been closed and an investigation is under way.

Dreamworld bills itself as Australia’s biggest theme park with more than 50 rides and attractions.

The Thunder River Rapids ride whisks visitors in circular rafts along a fast-moving artificial river. Dreamworld describes it as a “moderate thrill” attraction.

Queensland Ambulance spokesman Gavin Fuller blamed a “malfunction” for the accident.

The victims have not been named but are reported to be two women aged 32 and 42 and two men aged 38 and 35.

The Russian authorities have provided information about the identity of the two Armenian nationals found dead in New Moscow district, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

The Russian law-enforcement bodies have also said the suspect is being sought.

The bodies of two citizens of the Republic of Armenia with gunshot wounds were found in a rented house in New Moscow neighborhood, RIA Novosti reported earlier, quoting sources at the law-enforcement bodies.

A criminal case has been launched under Article 105.2 of the Russian Penal Code (murder of two or more people).

Young heartthrob Hovig Demirdjian will represent Cyprus at next year’s Eurovision song contest to be held in Kiev, Ukraine on May 9-13, the reports.

State broadcaster CyBC, a member of the EBU network that hosts the annual song contest in the previous year’s winning country, said that it had chosen the young singer “because he is especially talented and much loved by the public.”

It added that the composition of the entry song to represent Cyprus has been commissioned to the popular Swedish musician, Thomas G:Son.

The young Armenian singer made headlines when he reached the final stages of the Greek reality talent show, X-Factor, and from then on saw his musical career surge, as a singer songwriter, performing in Greece, the Middle East and more recently in Russia. He was a finalist among candidates for this year’s entry and had attempted several times in the past as well.

On his facebook page, Hovig posted, “Nai! (that’s Greek for yes), that’s all I said to CyBC when they popped the Eurovision question.”

“This year, I intend to work very hard, day and night, to deliver the best possible performance in Kiev.”

“Cyprus is a diverse (and hot) island. Diversity runs in our ideas, our people, our music. Our small island is an oasis of awesome talented people with amazing Mediterranean temperament.”

He concluded, “Eurovision is happening guys and it’s going to be fun. Let’s do this!”

Dresden Symphony Orchestra will perform “Aghet” progam dedicated to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide at the German Consulate in Istanbul on November 13, reports.

Turkish-Armenian Friendship Association will host a reception after the concert. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Minister of Culture Nabi Avcı have been invited to participate in both events.

“Aghet” project caused a crisis between Germany, Turkey and EU. Turkey decided to leave the Creative Europe Program, because of the latter’s support for “Aghet.” German Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his support to Aghet project, causing further disturbance in Turkish government.

Expressing his support to Aghet project, Steinmeier stated: “The deportation of the Armenian people happened a century ago. However, Armenian and Turkish sides haven’t yet officially reconciled concerning the events of 1915-1916. With this project, three composers from Germany and Armenia echo the voice of the deceased and also bridge the gap between the present and a past full of hatred and violence. The project invites the audience to get out of the world of hatred. I am convinced that only the people who learn and acknowledge the dreams and traumas of the others can contribute to the bright future of this continent. And Aghet project is one of the most important milestones in this path.”

Photo: Reuters

 

More than 1,200 police and officials in France have begun an operation to clear the “Jungle” migrant camp in Calais, the BBC reports.

The camp has been housing some 7,000 people in squalid conditions.

Migrants queued peacefully to be processed, and the first of some 60 coaches that will carry them to refugee centres across France, has now left.

There is concern that some migrants will refuse to go because they still want to get to Britain, and there were some clashes over the weekend.

The demolition of the camp is expected to take place on Tuesday.

The UK has begun to accept some of the estimated 1,300 unaccompanied children from the camp.

On 24 October Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Igor Popov (Russian Federation), Pierre Andrieu (France), James Warlick (USA), personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and accompanying them officials.

Issues related to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement and recent developments were discussed during the meeting.
President Sahakyan noted that Azerbaijan maintains its non-constructive stance of violating the ceasefire regime and continues to pursue an anti-Armenian policy.

The President highlighted the necessity of elaborating the mechanisms of maintaining the ceasefire regime and revealing the violations,  considering it among pivotal components of the peace process.
President Sahakyan expressed gratitude to retired co-chairman Pierre Andrieu for honest and efficient work wishing him successes in life and future career.

About 50 cases of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side were reported at the line of contact with the Karabakh forces last night.

The rival used weapons of different calibers as it fired over 900 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions.

The Azeri forces used Instiglal and SVD sniper rifles (83 shots) in the northern, southern and eastern directions of the line of contact.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep full control of the situation at the frontline and confidently continue with their military duty.

The Armenian national team will play is set to face Montenegro on November 11 in a 2018 qualifier. Armenia head coach Artur Petrosyan has announced the list of playersplaying for foreign clubs, invited for the training campaign:

The Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta Fra Matthew Festing visited  Tsitsernakaberd today and  laid a wreath at the memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims today. He also planted a fir-tree in the Memory Alley.

 

 

Today, at the Presidential Palace President Serzh Sargsyan and the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta Fra Matthew Festing held a private meeting. Prior to that there took place an award ceremony.

President Serzh Sargsyan awarded the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta Fra Matthew Festing with the Order of Glory for the strengthening and development of the interstate relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta, as well for his considerable contribution to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

For the significant contribution to the strengthening and development of the interstate relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta the Grand Chancellor of the Order of Malta Albrecht von Boeselager and the Grand Hospitaller Dominique Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel were awarded the Orders of Honor, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Republic of Armenia Jean-Michel Oughourlian was awarded the Order of Friendship.

By the decision of the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta Fra Matthew Festing and Sovereign Council of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan was awarded the highest order of the Order of Malta the Collar pro Merito Melitensi. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian received the second highest award of the Order of Malta Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia at the Holy See Michael Minassian was awarded the Grand Officer Cross pro Merito Melitensi, the Chancellery of Holy Echmiadzin Archbishop Arshak Bishop Khatchatrian received a high award of the Order of Malta the Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi.

After the award ceremony, President Serzh Sargsyan and the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta Fra Matthew Festing summarized the results of the negotiations in the statements made for the representatives of the mass media.

In honor of the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta Fra Matthew Festing, who is in Armenia on a state visit, President Serzh Sargsyan gave a state dinner.

Statement by President Serzh Sargsyan for the mass media on the results on the meeting with the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta Fra Matthew Festing

Your Most Eminent Highness,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today is a momentous day for all of us: Today the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta is conducting his first visit to Armenia. Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta, which are developing in a friendly and constructive atmosphere, have a years-long history. However at this moment a unique, I would say, a historic bridge is being established between the world’s first Christian nation and the oldest Christian military order. It is also symbolic because back in the time of the crusades, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and the Order of Malta had close political and cultural ties, which today are getting a new life. The visit of Your Most Eminent Highness inspires us to give a new quality to our bilateral cooperation.

Moments ago, Fra Matthew Festing and I, in the atmosphere of sincerity and great mutual understanding discussed prospects of bilateral cooperation, as well as important regional and international issues.

We certainly expressed our profound thanks for the humanitarian assistance which the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta has been providing since the devastating earthquake of 1988; the assistance has been significant and certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

We have also discussed opportunities for expanding the cooperation in the areas of medical services, protection and organization of the civilian population in emergencies, joint historical research in which the Order of Malta and Armenia have accumulated impressive experience. On this I certainly believe a very useful work can be carried out: As a result of that useful work we may obtain additional information on the cooperation between the crusaders and the Kingdom of Cilicia.

We concurred that we possess the most important thing for the further development of our cooperation – the same system of values which translates into similar approaches for the resolution of problems. It is no secret that the history of the Armenian nation has been full of struggle – for the preservation of our Christian identity and values, for the Christian culture, for the promotion of humanism. One can say that after the adoption of Christianity, Armenians have been carrying out their historic mission in line with the motto of the Order of Malta – Tuition of Faith.

We have also spoken about the special relations existing between Armenia and the Holy See, a mass offered by the Holy Father on April 12, 2015 at the Saint Peter’s Cathedral and dedicated to the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide and certainly about the visit of the Pope to Armenia last June, which in these violent days was a brilliant example of the inter-church solidarity. Taking the opportunity, I thanked His Most Eminent Highness for being present at the mass and for remembering in his prayers the sons and daughters of the Armenian nation.

We have certainly spoken about the tragic situation in Syria which became a humanitarian catastrophe. We noted with pain that the Christians, and not only the Christians, there are being prosecuted and tortured. On behalf of Armenia, I expressed readiness to bring our contribution to the implementation of any initiative which will somehow stop the elimination of the Christians and Christian heritage at the Middle East.

Your Most Eminent Highness, once again – welcome to Armenia, welcome to the first Christian nation where we are always delighted to receive Armenia’s distinguished guests.

Thank you.