Category: News

The Azerbaijani government has renewed its vicious crackdown on critics and independent groups, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The European Union and international financial institutions have a rare opportunity to insist on human rights reforms, as Azerbaijan actively seeks financial and other partnerships to offset a recent economic downturn.

The 75-page report, “,” documents the government’s concerted efforts to undermine civil society. Human Rights Watch found that in 2016, the authorities used false, politically motivated criminal and administrative charges to prosecute political activists, journalists, and others. The government has built a restrictive legal and policy framework to paralyze the work of independent groups. Lawyers willing to defend critics have faced retaliation and disbarment. Although the authorities released several human rights defenders and others in early 2016, many others remain in prison or fled into exile.

“With the release of some wrongfully imprisoned activists earlier this year, there were high hopes that Azerbaijan was turning a corner,” said Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus director at Human Rights Watch and author of the report. “But optimism is fading fast as the government relentlessly pursues critics and tries to shut down independent groups.”

Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 90 human rights defenders, leaders of independent organizations, journalists, lawyers, and political party activists.

Photo: AP

 

Thousands of people have fled the Mosul area and more are expected as Iraqi troops move on the city to liberate it from the so-called Islamic State (IS), the BBC reports.

Some 5,000 people have crossed the border into Syria in the last 10 days, the aid agency Save the Children says.

They have arrived at the al-Hol refugee camp where conditions are already reported to be filthy and overcrowded.

Up to 1.5 million civilians are thought to still be in Mosul, with up to 5,000 IS fighters.

The UN is preparing for what it fears could be the biggest man-made humanitarian crisis in recent times.

Jose Mourinho is closer to fielding Henrikh Mkhitaryan for only the sixth time in a competitive match after reporting Manchester United’s first Armenian star is now fit and training well, Manchester United’s official website reports.

Mkhitaryan has been unavailable since making his solitary start for the Reds in the Manchester City match at Old Trafford – prior to that, he had come on as a substitute in the Community Shield triumph against Leicester City and opening three Premier League victories over Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull City.

When asked at his pre-match press conference if Henrikh could return in Thursday’s Europa League clash at home to Fenerbahce, the United manager replied:

“He was injured and he was injured for quite a long time. Now, he’s not injured anymore.

“He’s training with the team without any limitation. I cannot confirm if he’s [ready] for tomorrow or not, but he’s fit and it’s now time for him to go back to the levels we know that he can achieve.”

Arthur Petrosyan will head the Armenian national team from November 1, 2016, the Football Federation of Armenia said after completing talks on the appointment of the head coach.

Arthur Petrosyan previously played for the Armenian national team and is currently coaching the Swiss “Zurich-2.”

Varuzhan Sukiasyan quit as head coach after the unsuccessful start of the 2018 World Cup qualification campaign.

President Serzh Sargsyan received today students and schoolchildren – recipients of the RA Presidential Educational Awards for year 2016 in the area of information technologies (IT). At the award ceremony, which took place at the Presidential Palace, Serzh Sargsyan handed the awards received in different nominations. Together with each certificate, the young people received also souvenirs and monetary awards.

This year, the annual Presidential Award was bestowed on 28 students and 15 schoolchildren from 5 higher education institutions and 8 high schools. Until now, the RA Presidential Award in the IT area in different nominations has been given to 409 students and schoolchildren.

At the award ceremony President Serzh Sargsyan congratulated the students and schoolchildren who excelled in their studies and received Presidential Awards for year 2016 and wished them success.

President Serzh Sargsyan’s message at the ceremony of handing Presidential Educational Awards in the area of Information Technologies

Dear Students and Schoolchildren,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to once again congratulate you on receiving the RA Presidential Educational Award in the area of information technologies. One of the pleasing duties for President is to hand over awards but for me it’s a double pleasure because first of all, the awards are given to young people who will be shaping Armenia’s tomorrow, also because this is the area which is extremely important and prospective for Armenia. I am happy not only for you; and I am also happy for your teachers, your professors, your families, for our entire society because this proves in a way that we are moving along the right way. The Armenia of tomorrow must be better educated, moving in step with the time, in the hands of knowledgeable and creative citizens. The Armenia of tomorrow must be in the realm of the information-wise developed world. We have no other way to go. It’s a well-charted road. Throughout the millennia our people recognized, took in and accepted the progressive, made it their and thanks to that very ability have been able to exist, and we have to continue to go down this road.

Dear young people,

Your success inspires us with optimism and joy. Be more proactive, very daring in your initiatives and diligent in your studies. The 21st century is developing rapidly; we are living in a rapidly developing world. When we were your age, we didn’t know what would be the professions in the age of developed technologies, in the age of internet. The same will happen 20 or 30 years later. We need to be ready for that, and I am confident that you will be ready.

I once again congratulate you and express gratitude for your service, and service it is. Be assured that good performance in studies is a service to your country. I would like to thank the organizers of this event, thank you. And certainly I thank the award commission.

About 35 cases of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side were registered at the line of contact with the Karabakh forces last night.

The rival used firearms of different calibers as it fired over 6,100 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions, the NKR Defense Ministry reports.

The Azerbaijani side used DShK large-caliber machine guns (1,160 shots) in the southern direction.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army resorted to response actions to pressure the activeness of the rival and confidently continued with their military duty.

A plane transporting members of Fenerbahce was forced to make an emergency landing in Hungary on Oct. 19 after a crack appeared in the front window, according to the club’s official Twitter said.

The club said in a statement that the plane made an emergency landing after it collided with a bird, adding that the situation was not worrying, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

A second plane meanwhile took off from Istanbul to take the team to Manchester.

The team is scheduled to play against English giants Manchester United at Old Trafford on Oct. 20 in the Europa League.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan hosted His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to His Holiness for visiting the government and noted that “he highly values the state-church cooperation.”

The Catholicos wished success and effective activity to the Prime Minister and the newly-appointed Ministers for the sake of prosperity of the country, overcoming of difficulties and reinforcement of achievements.

PM Karen Karapetyan and His Holiness Karekin II discussed a number of issues related to the further reinforcement of church-state ties and other questions.

Photo: AP

 

The US has accused Islamic State (IS) militants of using civilians as human shields as Iraqi forces move closer to the group’s stronghold in Mosul, the BBC reports.

Some 700,000 people are believed to remain in the city, where up to 5,000 IS fighters face the third day of the operation to retake Mosul.

News that the nearby town of Qaraqosh had been liberated was later denied by a government commander.

But the US-backed coalition say they have driven IS out of 10 villages.

Government troops are moving up from the south while their Kurdish allies are approaching from the east in a two-pronged campaign which began on Monday.

US President Barack Obama has sought to allay concerns about an exodus of civilians from the area, saying “plans and infrastructure” are in place for dealing with a potential humanitarian crisis.

Manchester United duo Anthony Martial and Morgan Schneiderlin have returned to training ahead of the Europa League tie against Fenerbahce, according to reports.

Martial and Schneiderlin suffered injuries on Saturday and did not travel to Liverpool for the Premier League draw on Monday but could be available against the Turkish side tomorrow night.

The injured Phil Jones and Sam Johnstone were the only absentees during training. Johnstone started for United U23s in their Monday night draw against Liverpool at Leigh Sports Village so his absence was understandable. Those who started at Liverpool did a warm down away from the rest of the squad.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan trained again and could return to the side for the first time in over a month. Mkhitaryan has not played since the derby defeat to City on September 10 but returned to training three weeks ago on the eve of United’s Europa League tie against Zorya Luhansk.

The Armenian has been recovering from a thigh injury and was available for the Premier League match at Liverpool on Monday but did not travel to Merseyside.