Category: News

Human remains retrieved from the crash site of EgyptAir Flight 804 suggest there was an explosion on board that may have brought down the aircraft in the east Mediterranean, a senior Egyptian forensics official said on Tuesday.

“The logical explanation is that an explosion brought it down,” the official told The Associated Press.

The official, who is part of the Egyptian team investigating the crash that killed all 66 people on board the flight from Paris to Cairo early last Thursday, has personally examined the remains at a Cairo morgue. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

All 80 pieces that have been brought to Cairo so far are small. “There isn’t even a whole body part, like an arm or a head,” said the official, adding that one piece was the left part of a head.

“But I cannot say what caused the blast,” he said. He did not say whether traces of explosives were found on the human remains retrieved so far.

Egyptian officials have disputed a claim that the condition of human remains found at the crash site of an EgyptAir plane suggests an explosion.

An unnamed forensic examiner quoted by the Associated Press said the remains were so small an explosion was the only “logical” explanation.

But an Egyptian justice ministry spokesman told the BBC no traces of explosives had been found.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday approved a new government formed by one of his most trusted allies, who immediately asserted his intention to institute constitutional reforms that would expand the powers of the presidency, the Associated Press reports.

Binali Yildirim, 60, formerly minister of transport and communications, replaces Ahmet Davutoglu, who stepped down on Sunday amid a range of differences with the president, including Davutoglu’s apparently less-than-enthusiastic stance toward an overhaul of the constitution to give the largely ceremonial presidency executive powers.

“We will immediately start work to achieve a new constitution, including a presidential system,” Yildirim told lawmakers of his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, in his first speech after taking office.

“Our priority is to make the constitution in harmony with the de-facto situation regarding our president’s ties to the people,” Yildirim said.

The new government — which Yildirim is widely believed to have formed in consultation with Erdogan — includes nine new names, although most ministers from Davutoglu’s previous Cabinet retained key portfolios.

They include Mevlut Cavusoglu, who remains foreign minister, and Mehmet Simsek, the deputy minister who heads economic affairs.

Volkan Bozkir, the minister in charge of relations with the European Union, was replaced by Omer Celik, a founding member of the AKP who is known to be close to the president. Erdogan’s son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, kept his position as energy minister.

In a clear sign that Erdogan would continue to influence government, he was scheduled to chair the new Cabinet’s first meeting at his palace on Wednesday.

Bundestag Vice President Edelgard Bulmahn visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial today accompanied by Vice-President of the Armenian National Assembly Edward Sharmazanov to pay tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Mrs. Bulmahn visited the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute and left a note in the Book of Honorary Guest.

“I’m impressed by my visit to the Museum and feel sorry for all the sufferings the Armenian nation went through during those years,” Edelgard Bulmahn told reporters.

“As a representative of the Bundestag I have to speak about German responsibility. Our Parliament is trying to express its official attitude on the events and thus prevent the reoccurrence of similar crimes in the future,” Mrs. Bulmahn said.

 

 

 

The Office of the NKR Human Rights Defender has launched a fact-finding mission to prepare a final report on the atrocities committed by Azeri forces against civilians and soldiers in Nagorno Karabakh, NKR Ombudsman Ruben Melikyan said in an interview with

The Ombudsman’s Office released an report on April 22 to present the violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, the cases of attacks on civilian population of NKR, cases of inhuman treatment, as well as cases of torture and mutilation of the NKR Defense Army servicemen.

“The interim report was based exclusively on published facts, which are not enough for a final report,” the Ombudsman noted. Therefore, he said, the Human Rights Defender’s Office has started an independent fact-finding work.

The initial report includes photos and description of facts meant for people above 18. Only photos widely shared and discussed in mass media and on social networks have been used in the document.

According to Ruben Melkonyan, the Azeri atrocities have always been spoken about, but the recent cases were different. The utmost goal, he said, is to present the inhuman actions of the Azeri forces on international platforms.

The Ombudsman believes that the atrocities should be condemned and properly assessed by the international community. “There are enough facts and the Human Rights Defender’s Office will be consistent in presenting the facts to the world.”

Photo: AP

 

Turkey’s parliament will block a deal reached with the EU on migrants if Turks do not gain visa-free access to the bloc, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned, the BBC reports.

The EU says Turkey still needs to meet certain conditions, including changes to its terror laws, something Ankara has refused to do.

The agreement aimed at halting the mass movement of people into Europe.

Mr Erdogan has also said funds promised by the EU have not yet been released.

Borussia Dortmund’s Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan was named the footballer of the Bundesliga 2015-16, according to a poll conducted by German magazine Kicker.

Mkhitaryan topped the list with 31.1 percent of the votes, followed by Bayern Munich’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski with 22.1 percent, reports Efe.

Bayern’s Thomas Muller came third with 13.6 percent, ahead of Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with 13.2 percent.

The best goalkeeper of the season was Bayern’s Manuel Neuer with 23.8 percent, followed by Mainz’s Loris Karius with 13.6 percent and Bayer Leverkusen’s Bernd Leno with 12.8 percent.

Twitter is overhauling some of its rules to try to make itself simpler to use and more attractive to newcomers.

Members will be able to add multimedia to tweets – including pictures and videos – without eating into the 140-characters-a-post limit.

The service is also changing the way it handles conversations between users.

Twitter co-founder and chief executive Jack Dorsey told the his aim was to ensure that “when people tweet, it makes sense”.

The changes, as outlined by Twitter, will be:

• media attachments, such as photos and videos, will no longer count towards the character limit
• @names in reply to tweets will not be counted
• people will be able to retweet and quote-tweet themselves, enabling them to resurface any of their previous posts and add new commentary

In addition, any new tweet – ie one that isn’t a reply to someone else’s tweet – that starts with a username will now be seen by all of a person’s followers.

Kris Jenner has revealed her desire to go back to be being called Kris Kardashian – and taken a jab at her ex’s gender transition in the process, reports.

In a deleted scene of Keeping Up With The Kardashians released after Sunday night’s show, the 60-year-old told her daughter Khloe about her plans.

Despite not have been known as a Kardashian since her divorce from the late Robert Kardashian back in 1991, the reality star thinks it is best for everyone.

The issue came up after Khloe asked how her mom gets a special order from beloved Los Angeles Mexican Casa Vega.

Kris explained: ‘I call the manager and say ”Hey! It’s Kris Kardashian.”’

When Khloe pointed out that is not her name, the momager did not seem perturbed: ‘I’m going to change my name back to Kardashian.’

Not hiding her distaste of the idea, Khloe said: ‘Why? You haven’t been that in over 24 years.’

Kris said she was taking the name back: ‘I was that before you were that. I was the original Kardashian.’

Kris and the late Robert Snr were married from 1978 to 1991 and share four children – Khloe, Kourtney, Kim and Robert Jr. while  she shares daughters Kendall and Kylie with Caitlyn.

President Serzh Sargsayn today offered condolences to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad over the terrifying terrorist acts in Tartus, Latakia and other settlements that claimed a number of innocent lives and left many injured.

“This appalling crime against the peaceful population of Syria has no justification. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its expressions and call on the international community to join efforts to fight this evil,” President Sargsyan said in a telegram.

“I extend my sincere condolences to you, the friendly people of Syria and the relatives of the victims, wishing  fortitude and endurance and a speedy recovery to those injured,” the President said.

Former Nantes coach Michel Der Zakarian has been appointed Stade de Reims manager, according to the club’s .

Stade de Reims, relegated to Ligue 2 will attempt to return to Ligue 1 next season.

Born on 18 February 963 in Yerevan, Michel Der Zakarian played five international matches for the Armenian national team between 1995 and 1996. At club level he played for Nantes (1979-1988) and Montpellier (1988-1998).