BOXING NEWS: MIRANDA MEETS ABRAHAM AND THE SPARKS FLY
SaddoBoxing.com
By Boxing Press
September 22nd, 2006
The calendar may read September, but it was as hot as July in Germany
yesterday, when World Middleweight title challenger Edison Miranda and
Champion Arthur Abraham met for the first time at a public workout,
just days before they will meet for the IBF World Middleweight
Championship on Saturday at the Rittal Arena in Wetzlar, Germany.
Tensions have been running high between the two 160-pound standouts
in recent weeks, especially after Abraham pulled out from the bout’s
original date on August 26th, claiming illness, and matters didn’t
calm down any once the two got sight of each other yesterday.
“Where’s my belt?” Asked Miranda. “You’re only going to have it for
three more days, so you should take a lot of pictures with it for
memory’s sake to show your children.”
The unbeaten knockout artist from Colombia then proceeded to
give Abraham the throat slash gesture while the two stood face to
face. Abraham giggling like a ten year old child, obviously displaying
his lack of confidence, responded with two middle fingers.
While Miranda glared back with stone-faced stare.
But while there is an obvious dislike between challenger and champion,
Miranda made it clear today that his animosity doesn’t extend to
the German people, who have treated him royally since he arrived in
the country.
“The people of Germany have been great to me,” he said. “They have an
extensive knowledge of boxing and I appreciate that. They are going
to be extremely blessed to see a memorable Middleweight world title
fight on Saturday. The only person that won’t be so blessed is Abraham,
but he is not a real German anyway. He is from Armenia.”
The only thing left to do is ring the bell.
At this time, the specifics for a live broadcast of this event
are still in the works. Stay tuned to and
for the latest developments.

A DAY FOR DARFUR
Emily Nguyen / Villa Walsh Academy
Dailyrecord.com, NJ
Posted from the Daily Record newsroom
09/22/06
Attending Sunday’s ‘Save Darfur’ rally in New York’s Central Park
are, from left, Julie Tiedrich, Caleb Zimmerman, Emily Nguyen, Janet
Namkung and Stephanie Gomez.
Young activists join rally against genocide
Remember Cambodia. Remember Bosnia. Remember Armenia.
Remember Rwanda. Remember Sudan.
The term genocide is traditionally defined as “the deliberate and
systematic extermination of a national, racial, political or cultural
group.”
In Darfur, a western region of Sudan, the past three years have
been chiefly characterized by unspeakable atrocities that have left
more than 400,000 dead, 2.5 million displaced, and 3.5 million on
the brink of starvation, according to the Save Darfur Coalition at
These travesties have almost exclusively befallen innocent civilians
— men, women, and children of Sudanese descent — whose apparent
disloyalty to the Arab-dominated government, after continuing military
conflict with Sudanese rebel groups that began in 2003, prompted the
government to support an Arab militia known as the Janjaweed.
The Janjaweed have made it their mission to “clear” civilians from
certain areas of the country. Their methods of “clearance” include
indiscriminate murders, mass rape and innumerable other violations
of international law.
Doesn’t this sound like genocide?
Remember Cambodia. Remember Bosnia. Remember Armenia.
Remember Rwanda. Remember Sudan.
Unfortunately members of the international community have hesitated
to label it as such. The United Nations refers to the situation in
Darfur as a “humanitarian and human rights tragedy of the first order,”
but has not deployed an international peacekeeping contingent to stop
it. Resolution after resolution has passed without any appreciable
action on their part, and within two weeks, the resolution that
allows non-governmental organizations to provide relief will expire
and expel what limited aid has existed.
Recognizing this genocide and the ensuing inaction as deplorable,
concerned humanitarians in our country and around the world organized
rallies on Sunday. More than 30,000 people, many clad in “Save
Darfur” T-shirts and blue berets (in imitation of the hats worn by
UN peacekeeping forces), gathered in New York’s Central Park to send
a very powerful message to world leaders.
The masses of people, who encompassed a refreshing diversity in age,
religion, political convictions and ethnicity, filled the vast East
Meadows lawn. That diversity was a living testimony to one of the most
prevalent themes on that sunny afternoon — that reaction to human
suffering is universal and dissolves all superficial barriers. The
impressive list of speakers and musicians who filled the three hour
time span expanded upon this idea.
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who opened the series
of speakers, stressed this idea, passionately proclaiming, “This is
not about politics.
This is about people.”
Albright’s brief but commanding message was followed by some
equally riveting speeches by activists, including Olympic speed
skating medalist Joey Cheek, Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino,
New Jersey Rep.
Chris Smith, New York Rep. Charles Rangel, member of Canadian
Parliament Irwin Cotter, BET’s Jeff Johnson, and a myriad of speakers
from various humanitarian organizations such as Amnesty International
and the Darfur Alert Coalition.
The orators were unified not by political party, religion or personal
gain, but by a true sense of humanity and a genuine will to effect
change. Their passion and energy captivated the audience and stressed
the notion that we are all the same because we are all human.
For instance, the opening prayer, which read, “There is one God who
does discriminate with respect to caste, creed, color, or beliefs,” was
read by Imam Talib Abdur-Rashid of the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood,
while subsequent speakers included Tony Kireopoulos from National
Council of Churches and Steve Gutow from the Jewish Council for Public
Affairs. Vastly different backgrounds, one coherent message.
In addition to the formidable cast of speech-makers, a number of
musicians came out to show their support and to communicate their
message. Starting off with the Nsengiyumva & the Vang’Inanga drum
troupe, performances and pleas for international action came from
the Berklee College of Music, Suzanne Vega, and Brooklyn’s own
Citizen Cope.
Big & Rich, a Nashville-based group that, in the words of MC Jeff
Johnson, “has done more to spread awareness than almost anyone,” gave
an especially compelling performance. Emerging onto the stage wielding
a guitar that read “Love Everyone,” they played country-influenced
tunes with lyrics that clamored for peace.
As the grand finale, O.A.R., a wildly popular group among young
people, played a series of three of their own songs and one cover of
Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” Met with a collective
cheer as they sang the words “Come senators, congressmen, please head
the call,” their final song choice was classic and eerily applicable
to the issue at hand.
With the last chord of O.A.R.’s grand musical performance, those
gathered at the rally began to disperse and swamp the city’s public
transportation system. They returned to life as usual — to home,
school, and work; to Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island; to New
Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
However, it is unquestionable that each person was touched by the
three-hour spectacle that they had just witnessed.
One of the most poignant speakers, Ethan Rafal, a student journalist
who was imprisoned in Sudan for taking pictures of government-supported
bombings of civilian villages, aptly verbalized the call to which
many of the rally attendees will now respond:
“You need to take up arms against the Sudanese government, but when
choosing your weapons, I ask that you choose carefully. I ask you
to choose love. I ask you to choose brotherhood. I ask you to choose
humanity.”
Whether by handing out fliers, sending a text message to the White
House, or simply informing someone on the subway about the plight
in Darfur, each person at the rally has garnered such weapons and
employed them.
In the words of a prisoner Rafal met during his time in Sudan,
“As long as we are human, as long as there are violations of human
rights, we will do something.
As long as there is human suffering, we cannot stand by and wait. We
must act.”
Remember Cambodia. Remember Bosnia. Remember Armenia.
Remember Rwanda. Remember Sudan.

COUNCIL OF CIS PRIME MINISTERS TO CREATE SYSTEM OF LEGAL INFORMATION EXCHANGES
Gazeta.KZ, Kazakhstan
22.09.2006
Kazakhstan today
MINSK. A draft agreement on the interstate system of legal information
exchanges in the established order will be reviewed at a meeting of
the Council of CIS Prime Ministers. Such decision was adopted at a
meeting of the expert group that took place September 21 in the CIS
Executive Committee in Minsk, Kazakhstan Today reports citing the
CIS Executive Committee.
The issue of the interstate system of legal information exchanges was
brought in compliance with the introduced remarks and propositions
at the meeting.
Authorised representatives and experts from Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
as well as representatives of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly,
the CIS Economic Court, the CIS Executive Committee. The Ukrainian
delegation participated as an observer.

UZBEK TRANSPORTERS EXEMPTED FROM RUSSIAN REGISTRATION FEE
UzReport.com, Uzbekistan
22.09.2006 14:59:41
Russia has exempted 22 states from paying duty for the registration
of transport facilities, including Uzbekistan, the Federal Customs
Service of the Russian Federation said.
In accordance with this document, Azerbaijan, Austria, Albania,
Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark, Ireland, China,
Cyprus, Luxemburg, Mongolia, Norway, Portugal, Tajikistan, the Ukraine,
Finland, France, Czech Republic and Estonia are exempted from 100
Rouble-worth state fees.
The Customs Service of Russia sent to its Regional customs
administrations explanation for the fact that it was exempting
[the aforementioned countries] from state fee for the registration
of transport facilities, regarding the delivery of certification to
transport facilities carrying imported goods to the Russian Federation
for the period of six months.

CHRISTINE M. FLOWERS | THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ORIANA
Philadelphia Daily News, PA
Posted on Fri, Sep. 22,
WHEREVER SHE is now, Oriana Fallaci must appreciate the irony.
The brash and bombastic journalist, feared and revered in equal
measure, died last week after a long battle with cancer. But the
illness didn’t dim her prodigious intellect, or stop her from
launching the literary firebombs that made her the most celebrated
female journalist of the last half-century. Splitting her final years
between post-9/11 Manhattan and her native Florence, Fallaci produced
three books that detailed her disgust with an increasingly violent
strain of Islam that threatens to destroy the west.
In the first of the trilogy, “The Rage and the Pride,” she wrote that
“there are moments in life when keeping silent becomes a fault, and
speaking an obligation. A civic duty, a moral challenge, a categorical
imperative from which we cannot escape.”
Fallaci wrote those words as prologue to her tirade against a religion
that she felt preached death and violence and the destruction of
innocents. She was a modern Cassandra, and radical Islam was her Trojan
Horse. She received death threats for speaking out, and was charged
with the crime of “vilifying religion” in Italy and Switzerland.
And that’s why she must be winking at us from that place where atheists
go when their earthly days are done. Nothing escaped her notice,
so she must be aware of the furor caused by Pope Benedict’s remarks
in Germany last week, where he quoted an obscure and politically
incorrect emperor from the 14th century to prove that reason, not
violence, would save the world from ultimate destruction.
As if on cue, the violent protests began. Benedict was burned in effigy
in Pakistan. Christian churches were firebombed in Palestine. Turkey,
that bastion of human rights (just ask the Armenians who escaped the
genocide), compared the pope to Hitler and Mussolini.
Honestly, you’d think the cartoonists were at it again.
But the pope, like Fallaci, had attacked the inclination of so many
followers of Islam to try to impose their worldview on the rest of
us. It’s the same spirit that motivated the kidnappers of a Fox news
reporter and his cameraman, forcing them to convert to Islam at the
point of a gun. It animated the men who beheaded Nicholas Berg and
Daniel Pearl, who murdered aid worker Margaret Hassan, who firebombed
churches and synagogues.
It’s the same poison that ran in the veins of the Somalian monsters
who shot a Catholic nun in the back three times in retaliation for
the pope’s speech. They killed in the name of their god; she forgave
them in the name of hers.
Which brings us back to Fallaci. Her courage was both physical and
emotional.
As a younger woman in Mexico City, she was shot three times during
a protest and left for dead. She covered wars in Vietnam and South
America, and defied the Ayatollah Khomeini by ripping off the veil
she’d been forced to wear in front of him.
She may not have believed in God, but she saw his stamp on human
beings and fought for their dignity.
And that’s why she criticized the evil that she saw in radical Islam.
The world is diminished because she’s left it. At a time when people
are so worried about giving offense, we need to hear her unvarnished
truths.
It may not be diplomatic to say that Islamofascism is an evil that
crosses borders and threatens the security of Christians and Jews, and
those Muslims who reject the fanaticism of their wild-eyed brothers.
It may not even be safe to say these things. But it is necessary,
unless we decide that placating one religion is more important than
protecting the welfare of all people, believers and atheists alike.
Fallaci understood this, and was vilified for it in, of all places,
Italy. But she didn’t hold a grudge.
In fact, she went home to die in her beloved Tuscany, where she had
been, as a child of 10, a lookout for the antifascist resistance
during World War II.
She knew what it was like to live in a state of fear and repression,
and saw no difference between the secular fascism of her youth and
the religious fascism of the present.
We shouldn’t, either. Rest in peace, Oriana.
Christine M. Flowers is a lawyer. E-mail [email protected].

CNN ADVERTISES ARMENIA
Armenpress
Sept 21 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: Deputy trade and economic
development minister Ara Petrosian told the second Armenia-Diaspora
economic forum that since September 18 the CNN TV channel has been
showing two reels advertising Armenia three times a day. These reels
were prepared by Armenian Armenia TV and H2 channels.
Petrosian said the 30-second advertisements can be watched overall
by 1 billion people across the globe.
He said the reels will certainly make Armenia more attractive for
foreign tourists and recalled that around 7 percent of Armenia’s GDP
comes from tourism industry.

RA Prime Minister of Armenia Andranik Margaryan’s Message on 15th Anniversary of Republic of Armenia’s Independence
Armenpress
Sept 21 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: Dear Compatriots, I congratulate you
on the 15th anniversary of independence of the Republic of Armenia. The
Day of Independence is the brightest and most important day on our
State holiday calendar. It marks the realization of our people’s most
cherished hopes and national pride after a gap of 600 years.
Fifteen years ago, having adopted this historical decision and having
won the right to free and independent life, our people was well aware
of all the hardships and barriers on this way, however, they were
sure that independence had no alternative and that thereby they were
given the opportunity to control their destiny, to determine their
own course, place and role among several other States of the world.
By founding an independent State on a portion of historical homeland in
1991, the people of Armenia initiated an irreversible and ever-lasting
process.
While acknowledging independence as an absolute value and celebrating
the Day of Independence, we should not forget that this has been
possible due to decades-long heroic struggle waged by the devotees of
independence and was aimed at keeping up the freedom-loving spirit in
the hearts of new generations so as to take it to the long-awaited day
of independence. Let us pay a well-deserved tribute to all the devotees
of independence and, especially, to those who sacrificed their lives
to this end and leaved to future generations the duty of preserving it.
It is not fortuitous that we are celebrating the 15th anniversary
of independence together with thousands of our compatriots who have
arrived in Armenia from all over the world, driven by the desire of
being of some service to Homeland. Let us congratulate each other
on this significant to all of us day and wish lasting peace for our
State, as well as – dignified life, prosperity and realization of
long-cherished expectations – to our people.
I am confident that the people of Armenia will have enough will and
ability to join their efforts with the view of resisting to challenges
and keep on the 15-year-long march of independence with steady belief
in the future of the Armenian State.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARIAN ON THE OCCASION OF INDEPENDENCE DAY
Armenpress
Sept 21 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: Your Holiness, Soldiers, officers
and generals, Dear compatriots and guests, I congratulate all of us on
the occasion of the 15th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic
of Armenia.
For the people with millennia long history the last fifteen years of
statehood is just a blink. However, it took in a war, energy crisis,
blockade, and all the hurdles of the transitional period. The starting
point for establishing Armenian statehood was extremely difficult. But
the spirit of our people was high and great was the desire to overcome
all the difficulties in the name of freedom and dignity. In the flames
of war that spirit gave birth to heroes and formed the army, which
we are proud of. The armed forces of the Republic of Armenia are a
powerful defender of the Motherland of all Armenians. The Republic
of Armenia is the greatest achievement of determined hard work of
many generations.
Today Armenia is a steadily developing country.
Successful reforms are underway in all areas of life.
The high tempo of economic growth makes Armenia a new, more promising
country. It is of vital importance, since competitive and effective
economy is the main guarantee for the building of a truly democratic
state.
A number of strategic programs, which are being implemented in our
country, are aimed at the general development and advancement of our
people and our country, and particularly, at the resolution of social
problems. Among priorities the state has identified poverty reduction,
improvement of life quality, and equal development of the country as
a whole.
In the establishment of the Armenian state the input of Diaspora
is hardly to be overestimate. Since day one it has mobilized all
its resources and stood by our state. Symbolically, the third
Armenia-Diaspora conference is also being held during these
jubilee celebrations. It is also important that through the years
of independence the factor of Diaspora has been revaluated, and our
relations have become reciprocal and complementary.
In foreign relations Armenia has proved to be a stable, reliable and
predictable partner. We continue to successfully deepen the engagement
of our country in international affairs, preserving and strengthening
at the same time traditional ties.
The just resolution of the NK conflict remains the highest
priority. And it can only be based on the respect and recognition
of the Artsakhi people’s right to self-determination. Nothing
should threaten security and development of the Nagorno Karabagh
Republic. Dear compatriots, Such a precious jubilee is both
inspiring and binding – we must do the utmost for the strengthening
of Armenia. We should spare no effort to build a new country being
citizens of which will make proud many generations of our people. Once
again I congratulate on the occasion of the 15th Anniversary of
Independence.
Long live the Republic of Armenia! Long live the glorious Army
of Armenia!

DECLARATION ADOPTED AS A RESULT OF THE THIRD ARMENIA-DIASPORA CONFERENCE
Armenpress
Sept 22 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS: A declaration was adopted to sum
up the work of the third Armenia-Diaspora Conference that was wrapped
up in Yerevan on September 20. Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press
service told Armenpress that the declaration particularly refers
to the readiness and determination of the Diaspora to support the
resolution of problems faced up by Armenia.
The declaration, particularly, approves the program on reduction of
poverty in the Armenian rural areas and calls on all stakeholders
and organizations to have active participation in the implementation
of this program. “We also reconfirm our complete responsibility and
support in the regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” says
the declaration.
Besides it reconfirms determination to continue work in all countries
for international recognition of the Armenian genocide.
The conference took place on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the
Armenian Independence. President of Armenia Robert Kocharian, Karabakh
President Arkady Ghukasian, Armenian NA Speaker Tigran Torosian,
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian, Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian, Armenian Catholicos Karekin II and Cilician Catholicos Aram
I delivered speeches at the conference.
The participants also presented and discussed a program on the
elimination of poverty in the Armenian rural communities. The
program will be started in spring 2007. The conference also decided
to establish a consultation body which will ensure the continuation
of Armenia-Diaspora partnership and form the agenda.
As part of the conference forums and exhibitions were conducted.

GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION REWARDS BEST STUDENTS
Armenpress
Sept 22 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS: Forty-five students of Yerevan
State University with best academic achievements received today a
total of $28,000 in money rewards from the Gulbenkian Foundation.
Yerevan State University pro-rector Alexander Grigorian said it is
the second year the best academic students receive rewards of the
Foundation. He said this is very instrumental for those students who
are in paid departments to pay their tuition fees.
The students were selected by a specially set up commission based on
their achievements and social conditions.
The money was transferred in US Dollars and because of unprecedented
fall of US Dollar’s value against Armenian Dram. the reward is not
enough to pay an annual tuition fee, but the University has pledged
to pay the rest.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress