Category: News

Sandra Kardashian ad her husband Hratch Kardashian have opened an Armenian bakery in Taylor, reports.

Yes, they are related to the “other” Kardashian family.

That’s one of the first questions Sandra Kardashian gets asked by people who stop into her new business, Kardashian Bakery and Grill

Her husband, Hratch Kardashian’s father, was the second cousin of Robert Kardashian, the father of  the famous sisters.

The store is the first Armenian bakery in Michigan, according to Sandra Kardashian, and also has a large Italian menu.

“Why cook just one style of food,” she said. “That would get boring.”

She is of Italian descent, her parents immigrated from Naples, Italy, while her husband Hratch is from Armenia.

“I do all the cooking though,” she said. “My husband doesn’t cook.”

Sandra comes from a background working in a hospital, but gave it up to run the bakery after her husband found the location. Hratch works in the printing industry, and kept his job there.

Read the full story .

Armenian Patriarch’s Locum Tenens Karekin Bekciyan has released a written statement, urging the clerics who voted for him to stand up for their votes and asked for the support of the representatives of the Armenian community, reports.

Karekin Bekciyan, in a written statement, criticized Aram Atesyan, who hasn’t stepped down as the vicar, and reminded the agreement in Etchmiadzin. He wrote: “According to that agreement, my brother vicar was supposed to step down after the Locum Tenens is elected. I have to say that his insistence on holding on to that seat aimed to disrupt the election process. It seems that he succeeded in doing that.”

Stating that he is still waiting for the approval and blessing of Etchmiadzin concerning his new duty, Bekciyan said: “I don’t and cannot know why His Holiness Catholicos hasn’t taken that step yet. My understanding of church and religious ethics requires me to have respect for my religious fellows, clerics and religious seats.”

Bekciyan made a call to clerics and representatives of the Armenian society: “As the elected Locum Tenens, I must have the support of the people, representatives and the leaders of the people in order to direct the process strongly. Our people should support their Locum Tenens in order to deal with this hard situation which has been going on for 10 years.”

Contract serviceman Gor Hovhannisyan, born in 1993, was killed as a result of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side at about 2:45 p.m. today, Artsakh Defense Ministry reports.

Investigation into the details of the case is under way.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry said it shares the sorrow of the heavy loss and offers condolences to Hovhannisyan’s family and friends.

A unique project called “Sounding paintings” will have its gala concert at the Kremlin, Sobesednik.ru informs.

The multimedia show, where Hovhannes Aivazovsky’s paintings “come alive” to the sounds of music, will be accompanied by the performance of most famous duduk player Jivan Gasparyan.

The famous seascapes ‘will meet with’ changeable images of sand animation and music performed by Jivan Gasparyan, his grandson Jivan Gasparyan Jr., Armen Ghazaryan and Vazgen Makaryan, as well as Trio Belcanto (organ, duduk and saxophone).

Armenian traditional melodies and masterpieces of world classical music (Vivaldi, Schubert and Rachmaninov) will be performed.

The concert at the Kremlin is one of the series of about 50 performances scheduled in Moscow this spring.

The concert will take place at the State Kremlin Palace on April 2.

Tamara Gachechiladze, who represents Georgia at Eurovision 2017, follows Germany’s Levina and Cuprus’ Hovig to accept a challenge to sing an Armenian song.

Tamara has shared a Video of her singing the Armenian song “Lorik” by Komitas.

Armenia’s entrant Artsvik earlier performed a Georgian song “Moxevis Qalo Tinao” and challenged Tamara Gachechiladze to perform an Armenian song.

and had earlier accepted the challenge and performed Armenian folk songs.

Artsvik says Eurovision 2017 theme “Celebrate Diversity” inspired her to launch the series of covers. She’s challenging artists from around Europe to perform their own covers of Armenian folk songs of their choice.

Photo: Reuters

 

Turkey says it has “successfully” ended its seven-month Euphrates Shield military campaign in northern Syria, the BBC reports.

But Prime Minister Binali Yildirim did not rule out new military operations and did not say whether Turkish troops would now leave Syria.

Turkey launched the offensive last August to push Islamic State militants away from its border and also to stop the advance of local Kurdish fighters.

“Operation Euphrates Shield has been successful and is finished. Any operation following this one will have a different name,” Mr Yildirim said after Wednesday’s meeting of the country’s security council.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is due to visit Turkey.

Today President Serzh Sargsyan attended the second plenary session of the congress of the biggest pan European political family, the European People’s Party (EPP) and discussions of the subsequent summit.

– The Pasadena Armenian Community Organizations Committee has organized a community-wide two-part event series designated, Resistance|Rebuilding|Redefining, which will take place on consecutive Sundays with Part I taking place at the Pasadena Armenian Center on Washington Blvd, and ending with Part II at the Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene’s, Lee Chapel.

Both events have been organized as part of the upcoming commemoration of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The struggle against Genocide and human rights atrocities is still present and prevalent today. Now, as in the past, the world is experiencing a contentious political climate where genocide is rife and subversive ideological strife common place. Genocides that have taken place in recent history have yet to teach us a lesson on humanity’s enduring willingness to commit evil and inability to live in peace with each other. In retrospect, hope is always there, in perpetuity, for a better and peaceful tomorrow.

“I can’t fathom that the Armenian Genocide has not been resolved to this day!” said organizing committee member Victoria Dochoghlian. “It’s time steps were taken by the world’s community of powers to rectify the aberration, the mistakes and the iniquities of the past, which caused humanity to deviate from its path, causing a degradation in its conscience, and then proceeded to propel itself into irretrievable ruin.”

Committee Chairperson, Taleen Hindoyan, stressed that, “For far too long, the world has shamefully sat back and neglected to resolve the “Epic” miscarriage of justice that is the Armenian Genocide.” “For, as long as this genocide remains unresolved, and history fails to correct the heinous misdeeds of the Ottoman Turks, the depravity of which has caused untold pain and suffering on the Armenian Nation, the stain of evil and shame will be engraved “permanently” on humanity’s legacy.”

Artsakh and Armenia stand for expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spokesman for the Artsakh President David Babayan said in an interview with the Public Radio of Armenia. He blamed Baku for foiling the process, despite the agreements reached at Vienna and St. Petersburg summits.

Speaking about Artsakh’s vision of settlement of the conflict, Babayan said “we share the general opinion that the status quo should change,” but added that “Azerbaijan should first change its approaches and abandon the inhumane, fascist and anti-Armenian ideas.”

Babayan said “return of territories in exchange for status is no guarantee.” “Status was the ultimate goal for us in the past. We believed we would ensure our security if recognized.  Some though return of territories in exchange for status was an option, but experience shows that this would be disastrous,” he said.

“There are many recognized states, but the status has in no way guaranteed their security. He pointed to the examples of Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, etc.,” he said.

David Babayn said that there can be no forced solution to the conflict. “The  Minsk Group Co-Chairs have declared on many occasions they are not judges, they are mediators, who help seek for solutions.”

“Force is not an option,” the Spokesman said. He said there is no alternative to talks and added that that “the involvement of official Stepanakert in negotiations as a full party is crucial for achieving comprehensive solutions.”

Increased female employment offers great potential to Armenia’s economy. Currently, women constitute 67 percent of Armenia’s economically non-active population and their unemployment rate is almost double that of male unemployment (51.5 percent female vs. 21.8 percent male).  According to World Bank estimates, Armenia loses as much as 14 percent of its potential GDP due to unequal opportunities for women to participate in employment and entrepreneurship.  To highlight the importance of women’s leadership and economic empowerment in Armenia, on March 29 the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard M. Mills, Jr. met with a group of female representatives from Armenia’s IT industry who have benefited from USAID assistance.

During the meeting, held at the USAID-supported Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center, Ambassador Mills discussed with the participants their career challenges and successes, and inquired about their ongoing projects.  “Too often, I’m afraid, the stereotype of a successful IT professional is still of a man.  But in reality, women play an increasingly important role in coding, product development, web design, and all aspects of IT work.  That is especially true in Armenia, as demonstrated by the wealth of talent and expertise gathered today in this room. You are a group of IT professionals, all women, who are working to boost Armenia’s economy through your creativity, problem solving, and technical knowhow.  I’m proud that the United States, largely through USAID, has been able to support you and help you fulfill your potential and your aspirations,” said Ambassador Mills.

USAID has supported female Armenian IT entrepreneurs through multiple activities, including the establishment of three innovative technology centers.  Working in partnership with the Armenian government, universities, and the private sector – including Microsoft, National Instruments, and IBM – USAID has established the Microsoft Innovation Center Armenia (www.micarmenia.am), the Armenian National Engineering Laboratories (anel.am), and the Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center (istc.am).  As one of the fastest growing sectors in the Armenian economy, IT presents a real opportunity for women to become leaders in innovation and to make major contributions to the country’s overall economic advancement.

Recognizing the need for gender equality and the vital role women play as drivers of economic growth, USAID has been promoting Armenian women’s participation in the economy for over two decades, helping them unleash their potential in areas that span from agribusiness and hospitality to textiles and IT.