Photo: Reuters
A suicide bomber has killed four security officers and injured five others near one of Islam’s holiest sites in the Saudi city of Medina, according to the interior ministry, the BBC reports.
The bomber detonated his explosives after being stopped outside the Prophet’s Mosque, a statement said.
The mosque is the burial place of the Prophet Muhammad and Medina the second-holiest city in Islam after Mecca.
Suicide blasts also struck two other Saudi cities on Monday.
– The head of the Catholic Church in Armenia says Pope Francis’ recent visit to the country has helped to strengthen and confirm people in their faith. The Pope visited the Armenian capital Yerevan, the northern city of Gyumri and the ancient monastery of Khor Virap on the Turkish border from June 24th to 26th. He will return to the region for a visit to Azerbaijan and Georgia at the end of September.
Among those accompanying the Pope during his stay in Armenia was Archbishop Raphael Minassian who is responsible for the Armenian Catholic Church throughout the Eastern European region.
The Archbishop says there has already been a visible result “in the soul of the people” who heard the Pope’s message during the Mass at Gyumri and it resounded deeply within them. The heart of that message, he says, was the simplicity, spirituality and modest style that the Pope showed in his approach to all people in Armenia.
Archbishop Minassian says people have already reacted by visiting churches more frequently and contacting their clergy. He recalls the profound silence of the 30.000 people attending the Mass who were “hypnotized” by the Pope’s presence and atmosphere of prayer.
Commenting on the political implications of the visit, he says: “For me, the genocide is a historical fact” so the Pope’s use of the word to describe the 1915 massacre is not so significant. Also he notes that since the battle of Vartanantz in 451, so many thousands of Armenian Christians have been martyred for their faith.
He says that of all the places in the world where he has served in his 43 years of priestly ministry, it is in the Caucuses region where people of all ages are most strongly attached to their Christian faith.
Asked about his hopes for the Pope’s visit to Azerbaijan and Georgia, Archbishop Minassian speaks of the Holy Father’s “magic” way of reaching out to people but he adds that all Christians have an obligation to be messengers of peace like him.
Photo: NASA
The US space agency has successfully put a new probe in orbit around Jupiter, the BBC reports.
The Juno satellite, which left Earth five years ago, had to fire a rocket engine to slow its approach to the planet and get caught by its gravity.
A sequence of tones transmitted from the spacecraft confirmed the braking manoeuvre had gone as planned.
Receipt of the radio messages prompted wild cheering at Nasa’s mission control in Pasadena, California.
“All stations on Juno co-ord, we have the tone for burn cut-off on Delta B,” Juno Mission Control had announced. “Roger Juno, welcome to Jupiter.”
Scientists plan to use the spacecraft to sense the planet’s deep interior. They think the structure and the chemistry of its insides hold clues to how this giant world formed some four-and-a-half-billion years ago.
During Tuesday`s special plenary debate marking the Armenian genocide, Knesset Speaker Yuli-Yoel Edelstein said, ”It is no secret that [in Israel] as well this event has been controversial, at least with regards to the publicity it should be given. I am reiterating this year as well, and from this podium: We must not ignore, diminish or deny this terrible genocide. We must differentiate between our current interests and the difficult past, which this dark chapter is a part of.”
”This is the correct and appropriate thing to do, seeing as we are part of the family of nations and a nation whose values of morality and compassion towards every human being are paramount. Let us not remain indifferent, albeit a bit late, to the suffering the Armenians experienced,” Edelstein said, while pledging that the Knesset would continue to send representatives to memorial ceremonies in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.
“We cannot remain apathetic, even if it’s late, to the suffering the Armenians experienced. Recognizing the Armenian genocide is important to us as human beings who carry the moral responsibility and constantly hope to improve the world and society,” Edelstein stated.
MK Zehava Galon (Meretz), who initiated the debate, said, ”For years [MKs] have been coming here, to the plenum, in order to ask that the genocide be called by its name. This year, after the agreement with Turkey has been signed, I know that granting this request has become particularly difficult. There was pressure from the Foreign Ministry and from elements in the government – `why are we suddenly raising this issue, with all the diplomatic sensitivity?` But despite this, I am declaring that the Knesset must recognize the Armenian Genocide.”
”Over the years we have let the recognition of the genocide turn into a toy that can be dangled when relations with Turkey are in crisis, and then shelved to placate Erdogan,” she added. ”We have started walking along the most dangerous path of politics, where everything is for sale.”
“Children and grandchildren of survivors must know what genocide looks like and how one tragedy turned into another giant one. But here, in the Knesset, the elected parliament of the state in which the memory of the Holocaust is constant and ‘never forget’ is a moral commandment – we haven’t heard about it,” she said.
Gal-On said that despite the agreement with Turkey making recognition more difficult, Israel must do it.
“This is a decision Israel must make. Sometimes there is a price to doing the right thing, and sometimes the right choice is not the easy one. We are tested when we have to pay a price,” she stated.
Minister without portfolio Tzachi Hanegbi presented the government’s position, say he understands the emotions behind the MKs’ speeches, but did not use the Hebrew phrase for “genocide,” simply saying “tragic events.”
The MKs present approved Gal-On’s motion to the agenda, and the discussion will be moved to the Knesset Education Committee.
Dear Compatriots,
I congratulate you on the occasion of Constitution Day.
This is an important and historic day for our country and our people. Together, we are traveling step by step down the road which leads us towards the implementation of the goals enshrined in the Constitution.
The latest constitutional reforms have proved once again that our sovereign, democratic, legal, and social state has matured; the reforms have also highlighted tendencies for our country’s upward and sustainable development. The altered version of the Constitution makes us as a society freer and stronger. At the same time, the new reality requires a responsible attitude from all of us towards the ongoing social, legal, and political processes.
I once again extend my congratulations on the occasion of this great holiday and wish that we live and work according to the letter and spirit of our Main Law.
Astana does not think that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution requires the search for a new intermediary, Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrisov said, Interfax reports.
“This is a complicated problem […], and relevant decisions have been made at the level of the UN and the OSCE. The Minsk Group co-chaired by Russia, the United States and France was formed. I believe there is no need to search for new mediators, new intermediaries in the resolution of this conflict,” Idrisov said at a press briefing in Astana on Tuesday.
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement principles were explicitly formulated at the time the OSCE Minsk Group was formed, so “the task is to ensure the strict fulfillment of these agreements,” the minister said.
Jose Mourinho all but confirmed Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s move to Manchester United during his first press conference as Red Devils boss, reports.
Prior to his appearance at Old Trafford, the Portuguese has already signed Eric Bailly for £30million and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer. But when asked about any further new signings, Mourinho let slip. Which you can watch in the video above.
Turning to his PR assistant, he asked: “The third player is already official, or not yet?”
To which she replies: “No.”
Continuing, the new Reds boss says: “The new signing will be official, when?”
“Soon,” she replies.
Mourinho then adds: “I am very clear in my approach and model to play and I need specialists in that. I like one or two multi-functional because you need them when you are in a bit of trouble.
“I want specialists. We decided four targets. Until we have the fourth, we are still working hard. Myself, the structure, Mr Woodward, the owners – we are working hard on that. When we have the fourth, I breathe, we all breathe. We will not get the fourth on 31st August. We will get it before that and then we are stable.”
The Pan Arab Al Maydeen News Channel has broadcast an extensive special interview with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The interview is in both Armenian and Arabic languages. The questions are in Arabic. The Catholicos answers are in Armenian with Arabic subtitle.
During the interview he touches upon various issues such as the Armenia Genocide, the Pope’s visit to Armenia, the relations between Catholic and Orthodox churches , the Syrian civil war, the suffering of the masses, Etchmiadzin and Antelias relations and other issues.
His Holiness Karekin II indicates that Muslims and Christians in Europe unanimously condemn extremism and stressed that he believes in brotherhood between Christians and Muslims.
He says “Armenia is optimistic that the day will come when Turkey recognizes the Armenian Genocide.”
The interview was conducted in Etchmiadzin during the Pope visit.
“Although the crime of genocide is being perpetrated against a concrete nation, it is a crime against all humanity,” His Holiness said in the interview. “We as a people that have survived genocide, offer our permanent support to nations that face such tragedies, such sufferings.”
“It’s painful for us to witness the crimes being committed in the world, especially in the Middle East, also as the acts of terrorism both in the Middle East and Europe,” he added.
“It was also a great pain for us to learn about the assassination attempt against Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II during the ceremony of commemoration of genocide anniversary,” the Catholicos said.
Speaking about the relations with Turkey, His Holiness Karekin II reminded that the Armenian side offered to open the shared border without any preconditions, but the Turkish authorities turned down the offer, linking the issue to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
“The Armenian people does not have a feeling of revenge, the Armenian people wants a just assessment and condemnation of the Armenian genocide, which will help prevent similar tragedies in the future,” the Catholicos said.
“There can be no justification to such crimes. We are optimistic that the day will come, when Turkey recognizes the Armenian Genocide and gets rid of this burden, thus paving the way for good-neighborly relations between our countries and peoples,” the Catholicos said.
“We believe that the Christians and Muslims should continue to live as brothers, just like Armenians have lived with Arab brothers side by side for centuries,” he said.
“The history and present of our people are best examples of friendship between peoples of different nationality and faith,” the Cathjolcos added.
He stressed that it’s necessary to get rid of stereotypes about Islam and added that Muslims and Christians in Europe unanimously condemn extremism.
Maria Zakharova, Spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, walked in downtown Yerevan, took some photos and shared her impressions on Facebook.
“While the bosses are having supper after a “good job” as Sergey Lavrov said, there is an opportunity to walk about post-afternoon Yerevan. This city attracts with its character, not luxury,” Zakharova wrote.
Maria Zakharova was accompanying Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who had arrived in Armenia to participate in the meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers.
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted the 2016 Tbilisi Declaration today, addressing key issues in the fields of political affairs and security, economics, the environment, human rights, and humanitarian concerns.
In the declaration the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly “expresses concern over military escalation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and welcomes the active engagement of the OSCE Chairmanship in finding a political solution to protracted conflicts in the OSCE region within established negotiating formats and mechanisms.”
OSCE PA calls upon parliamentarians to encourage political will from the sides in the region to engage in serious efforts to reach an agreement on confidence building-measures to reduce the risk for further hostilities along the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and to negotiate a comprehensive settlement within the framework of the Minsk Group.”