Category: News

Photo: Getty Images

 

The Iraqi government has declared three days of national mourning after a huge bomb in the capital Baghdad killed at least 125 people and wounded about 150, the BBC reports.

A lorry packed with explosives was detonated in the Karrada district while families were shopping for the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

Rescuers said whole families had been wiped out and many victims were burned beyond recognition.

So-called Islamic State (IS) has said it carried out the suicide attack.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited the mainly Shia area on Sunday but his convoy was greeted by angry crowds.

His office later announced the three days of mourning, adding that Mr Abadi understood the angry reaction of residents.

As night fell on Sunday, teams of workers were still clearing debris from the site and searching the charred remnants of buildings.

The vast majority of the Armenian National Committee of Australia’s (ANC Australia) endorsed candidates won their seats in the Federal Parliament in Saturday’s Election, despite the fact that the overall result of the poll remains unclear.

Headlining the list of victors for Armenian-Australians is Tim Wilson (LIB), who won the seat of Goldstein in Victoria to ensure he becomes the second-ever Federal Parliamentarian of Armenian descent, after Joe Hockey (now retired from Federal politics).

The other Armenian-Australian contesting the poll was former ANC Australia National Board member, Hovig Melkonian (ALP), who unfortunately lost his seat of Casey, despite outstandingly clawing back the margin against his challenger, the incumbent Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tony Smith (LIB).

The most Armenian-populated seat in Australia, Bennelong in NSW, was won for a third time by John Alexander (LIB), who is the incumbent Chair of the Armenia-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, and an outspoken advocate on Armenian Genocide recognition and the rights to self-determination for the Armenians of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.

The most Armenian-populated seat in Victoria, Bruce was won by Julian Hill (ALP), who has promised to advocate for Armenian-Australian issues of concern in the next Parliamentary term.

In the Senate, where results are also not yet clear, it seems likely that there will be stronger representation for the Nick Xenophon Team, whose leader Nick Xenophon is a strong advocate for Armenian Genocide recognition. The Greens will also likely end up with at least nine Senators and Rev. Fred Nile’s Christian Democratic Party (CDP) is projected to win one seat. The Greens and the CDP are both on the record to ANC Australia as supporters of Armenian Genocide recognition.

Generally speaking, the Liberal/National Coalition (LIB) and the Australian Labor Party (ALP) are in a neck-and-neck race to try and gain a majority of seats in the House of Representatives. As absentee votes and postal votes are still being counted, either party needs to reach the number of 76 in order to officially be in government – either on their own accord, or via negotiations with the cross-benches.

The result should be clearer by the end of this week.

Prior to the election, the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) met with candidates in key seats for Armenian-Australians, and produced a report card reviewing the key candidates.

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha and members of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers, who have arrived in Armenia for the sitting of the Council.

President Sargsyan attached importance to the activities of the Council targeted at raising the effectiveness of cooperation between foreign policies of the CSTO member states.

The President voiced hope that the sitting would be held in a constructive atmosphere and would result in the adoption of the CSTO collective security strategy by 2025.

The President attached importance to the consistent implementation of the principled agreements on consideration of each other’s vital interests on the international arena.

The CSTO Secretary General reported on the issues on the agenda of the sitting of the Foreign Ministers’ Council and the future plans and programs envisaged during the Armenian presidency.

Three servicemen wounded in the military clashes in April are still getting treatment at the Central Clinical Military Hospital of the Ministry of Defense. Doctors report positive changes in the condition of the three men.

Avetis Zargaryan and Roland Sahakyan remain in the intensive care department. Avetis, 19, had injured several vertebras and the spinal cord, but is gradually recovering.

Roland Sahakyan has undergone several surgeries.

Hovhannes Poghosyan had suffered a severe craniocerebral injury, brain injury, other multi-injuries. His speaking abilities are gradually recovering after treatment at the Department of Neurosurgery. He can now move his right hand and leg.

Minister of Helath Armen Muradyan visited the servicemen at the hospital today. He talked to the soldiers and discussed the details of their future treatment with the chief of the hospital Aram Asaturyan.

Photo: Getty Images

More than 180 people have been killed in flooding along the Yangtze River in China following torrential rain, officials say, the BBC reports.

Between 10cm and 50cm of rain has fallen in seven provinces, and storms stretching 1,600km  are sweeping across central and southern China.

At least 45 people are missing and 33m have been affected, officials say.

The rain has also washed away railway lines and shut down road networks.

The dead included 23 people who were killed in a mudslide in Guizhou Province and eight who died in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province when a section of a wall collapsed, state media said.

Heavy rain is forecast to continue until Wednesday across parts of southern and western China, the South China Morning Post reported.

Today, on the occasion of Independence Day of the United States of America, President Serzh Sargsyan visited the residence of the US Ambassador to Armenia. On the occasion of the holiday, President Serzh Sargsyan congratulated Ambassador Richard Mills and in his person the staff of the Embassy and the people of the United States, and wished success in the continuous development and strengthening of the Armenian-American relations. The President of Armenia highly valued the input of the United States to our country’s economic development since independence, strengthening of democracy, maturing of the civil society and underscored that he was hopeful that after the presidential elections in the US, the bilateral relations will continue to develop dynamically.

Ambassador Richard Mills thanked the President of Armenia for the visit and congratulations. He noted that for the last twenty-five years he has been following closely developments in Armenia and agreed with President Sargsyan on the issue of the achievements registered in the country in the mentioned period of time. The US Ambassador underlined that the citizens of Armenia can rightfully take pride in progress achieved by Armenia in the last quarter of the century in the economic, social as well as political areas. He said that he was glad that the people and Government of the United States have played their part in that advancement.

The President of Armenia also sent a congratulatory message to the President of the United States Barack Obama:

“Honorable President Obama,

Allow me to wholeheartedly congratulate you and the people of the United States on the occasion of Independence Day of the United States of America.

Early next year, we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our nations. Looking back on our journey, I note with great satisfaction that the Armenia-US relations have always been marked by cordiality, mutual trust and respect.
We highly value the great support extended by the United States towards the development of Armenia’s economy, the implementation of various reforms and the strengthening of our democratic institutions. Building on a strong tradition of fruitful cooperation and on the existing significant potential, Armenia stands ready to further deepen and develop the Armenian-American friendship and the close partnership.

We greatly appreciate the US engagement, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, in the Nagorno-Karabakh peaceful settlement process. The diplomatic efforts that followed the full-fledged military operation of Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh in the early April, 2016, have once again underscored the key role played by the United States in the peace process. Similar to the co-chair countries of the Minsk Group, we are also strongly convinced that the maintenance of the unlimited-in-time trilateral ceasefire agreements of 1994-1995 and the implementation of steps leading to the establishment of an environment conducive to negotiations, would serve as a strong foundation for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through exclusively peaceful means. We expect that the United States, jointly with the other co-chair countries – Russia and France, will continue its active mediation mission towards the establishment of a stable and durable peace in our region.

Please allow me to once again congratulate you on Independence Day and to wish you and people of the United States continued progress and prosperity. Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration,” reads the congratulatory message of the President of Armenia.

Managing director of  the Head of National Iranian Gas Exports Company (NIGEC) has reported on the reached agreement with Armenia to bring about a threefold increase in Iran’s gas exports to the the country, Mehr News Agency reports.

Wales reached the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time after a stirring fightback to defeat Belgium in the European Championship quarter-final in Lille, the BBC reports.

Radja Nainggolan put Belgium ahead with a thunderous 25-yard strike but Wales captain Ashley Williams headed in from a corner to equalise in a breathless first half littered with chances at both ends.

Welsh celebrations reached stratospheric levels when Hal Robson-Kanu, a striker without a club, gave them the lead with a divine turn and finish.

After withstanding late Belgium pressure, Wales sealed victory through a header from substitute Sam Vokes that set up a semi-final against Portugal and a mouth-watering duel between Real Madrid team-mates Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed in a phone conversation on the issues concerning further steps of co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)’s Minsk Group (Russia, France, the US) on the settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh following the meeting of the presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in St. Petersburg on June 20.

Lavrov and Kerry also focused on cooperation in fight against terrorists in Syria, TASS reports.

 

Manchester United have had an offer for Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan accepted, the BBC reports.

The Armenia captain, who cost the German club £23.5m in 2013, is out of contract next summer.

“Had we refused it, the player would be available for free in 2017,” Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke told the club’s official website.

Mkhitaryan, 27, is yet to have a medical at Old Trafford and personal terms are still to be agreed.

If a deal for the player – who will require a work permit – is completed, he will become United’s third major signing of the summer after Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly and former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

He was named Bundesliga Players’ Player of the Season in 2015-16 after scoring 18 goals in all competitions, including one against the Reds in the Europa League defeat at Anfield.

Mkhitaryan is the son of one of Armenia’s most famous footballers, Hamlet Mkhitaryan, and won the first of his 59 caps for his country a week before his 18th birthday.

“Borussia Dortmund and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan (27) go their seperate ways this summer,” the club said in a stateemnt today.

Following an intensive round of discussions, Borussia Dortmund accepted the Armenian international’s wish to join Manchester United next season.