The Evening Standard (London)
March 1, 2005

JAZZ
GARY HUSBAND’S FORCE MAJEURE
RONNIE SCOTT’S CLUB, W1

JACK MASSARIK

THIS is the all-star (and almost all-American) group that roared
triumphantly around Britain on a Contemporary Music Network tour last
March, and if you’re wondering how a nightclub’s PA system could
harness such skull-rattling power, the answer is only just. The legs
of my table were buzzing slightly as Gary Husband, Leeds’s
doublytalented maestro of drums and keyboards, cranked his mighty
ensemble into stadium-sized life.

The overall ambience recalled lateperiod Miles Davis, with Jim
Beard’s brooding synth chords and Randy Brecker’s wah-wah-enhanced
trumpet solos bubbling over Matthew Garrison’s five-string Fender
bass, Husband’s sizzling stickwork and the chattering congaskins of
Armenian percussion wizard Arto Tuncboyacian.

Sharing the front line with Brecker was the vocalised electric-violin
sound of former Mahavishnu Orchestra star Jerry Goodman and Elliot
Mason, equally fluent on slide trombone and valve-articulated
basstrumpet. Husband’s sketches showed how to orchestrate for maximum
impact without saxophones or guitar, but raw power was only part of
the group’s colourful agenda.

Their opening set presented portraits of three original musicians —
Burt Bacharach, Bjvrk and John McLaughlin — and each piece contained
moments of quiet reflection and delicate interplay, as when Goodman’s
violin made feathery embellishments to Beard’s church-organlike drone
or when Husband’s piano exchanged phrases with Tuncboyacian, his
fingers drumming against an enamel bowl, half-filled with water.

It was absorbing music, as wild and unpredictable as the weather,
with the measured simplicity of Christine Tobin’s voice an ideal
contrast opposite. Expertly backed by guitarist Phil Robson’s trio,
she sang with feeling, as ever relishing the saddest ones. Billie
Holiday’s God Bless the Child, was followed by Leonard Cohen’s
similar dirge, Everybody Knows (the Dice is Loaded). But don’t call
the Samaritans. Offstage, she’s the most cheerful, upbeat person you
could meet.

* Until Saturday. Information: 020 7439 0747.

PanArmenian News
March 1 2005

ARMENIAN AND AZERI FMs TO MEET IN PARIS MARCH 3

01.03.2005 16:30

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The meeting of Armenian and Azeri Foreign Ministers
Vardan Oskanian and Elmar Mamedyarov will be held in Paris March 3,
Interfax-Azerbaijan reported. Earlier the talks were supposed to be
held in Prague March 2. At the meeting the Armenian and Azeri FMs
Vardan Oskanian and Elmar Mamedyarov will continue discussing the
ways of settlement of the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.

Hucknall Today.co.uk
03 February 2005

Hucknall Parish Church is jewel in town’s tourism crown

HUCKNALL
people should celebrate the fact that the poet Lord Byron is buried in the
Parish Church, claims Brian Hinsley, chairman of a newly-formed Friends Of
St Mary Magdalene group.

“A lot of people don’t like Byron because of his reputation,” said Mr
Hinsley, speaking at a cheese-and-wine evening held last Saturday to launch
the group.
“But I’m sure Westminster Abbey would love to have him. However it has not
got him ~V he is here.”
“In any case, it is not a Christian attitude to cast people out for
imperfections. Let’s celebrate having Byron at this church and the fact that
people come from all over the world to visit his tomb.”
Mr Hinsley said former rector, the late Canon Fred Green, had ‘kicked
around’ the idea of the Friends group and it had since grown bit by bit.
He stressed that the church building itself was important to people, perhaps
because they wanted to be married there or have their child baptised there.
“If you look at the visitors’ book, it shows that people are visiting the
church from the four corners of the world ~V and not only because of the
Byron connection,” said Mr Hinsley. “Perhaps they are people who emigrated
from Hucknall and have returned to find their roots.”
An international dimension had been added because of Hucknall links with
Armenia and Greece, he pointed out.
Art historian Neil Marchant described the church as a ‘jewel’ that reflected
not just local history but also national history and national art history.
He went on “The first time I came into the church a couple of years ago, I
was struck by how beautiful it is. The Kempe stained-glass windows and other
historical decorations are particularly important because there is now a
return to the medieval idea of using pictures, signs and symbols to
encourage worship of God.”
Group vice-chairman Lawrence Church said its aim was to promote the church’s
historical and educational opportunities, encourage community involvement
and foster friendships.
He added: “The church has influenced the lives of so many people over the
years, while they in turn have influenced the life of this building.”
Special displays in the church included memorabilia of the Rev John Edward
Phillips, who was vicar at the Parish Church from 1879 until his death in
1904.
Sent by a grandson, now living in Norfolk, the items included sympathy
cards, some bearing seals, which were received by Mr Phillips’s widow.
Senders of the cards included Winifred, Duchess of Portland, John Henry
Beardsmore, who wrote a definitive history of Hucknall, and church stalwart
the Rev John Godber.
03 February 2005

Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers to meet in Paris on 3 March

ANS Radio, Baku
1 Mar 05

Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov is already in Prague and is to
meet the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen today, the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry press service has reported.

He will have talks with [Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan] Oskanyan
not in the Czech Republic, but in France on 3 March. The ministers
will meet in Paris.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES AGREEMENT ON TRANSFER OF PERSONS TO
INTERNATIONAL COURTS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND USA

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28. ARMINFO. The Armenian Parliament approves
Agreement on transfer of persons to international courts between
Armenia and the USA.

According to Armenian Justice Minister David Haroutiunyan, the
document regulates relations of the criminal authority on transfer of
the persons having inviolability status to international courts. The
agreement says that a persons of one party cannot to transferred to
the international court or to a third country without agreement of the
given party except the cases when the international court is guided by
the decision of the UN Security Council. The given point contradicts
to the Code of Criminal Proceedings of Armenia, the minister says. In
case of a necessity the parties can refuse from the agreement if its
implementation contradicts to another international agreement. The
minister notes that the Constitutional Court of Armenia has approved
the given agreement and informed that it has not come into effect in
the USA yet.

EXPLOSION TAKE PLACE AT SITE OF NEW BUILDING OF US EMBASSY IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28. ARMINFO. An explosion took place at the site
of the new building of the US embassy in Yerevan today 4:00 pm.

The explosion took place at the power station of the site. As a result
the whole Shengavit community remained without electricity.

The press secretary of the Power Networks of Armenia company Margarita
Grigoryan says that it was an autonomous power station and belonged
to the construction project. The subsequent fire has been put
out. Electricians are inquiring into the causes of the incident. The
electricity supply of the community has been restored.

Yorkshire Post Today
03 February 2005

Pope stays in hospital but there is no cause for alarm, says VaticanMaggie
Stratton

THE Pope was last night running a fever as he spent a second night in
hospital with flu and breathing difficulties.
The Vatican insisted there was “no cause for alarm” and said the ailing
pontiff was in a stable condition.
Officials said the 84-year-old Pope yesterday received visitors, celebrated
Mass and was able to appoint two new bishops despite being taken into
hospital on Tuesday night.
Catholics around the world continued to pray he makes a swift recovery, but
the Pope is expected to remain at Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic for several more
days.
Tests yesterday showed his heart and respiration were normal, but he was
running a slight fever, his spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said. He
insisted the Pope had never lost consciousness and had not needed a
tracheotomy to help him breathe.
“There is no cause for alarm,” Mr Navarro-Valls added.
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, head of the Vatican’s health care office,
said keeping the Pope in hospital will afford “many means to stay ready for
any complications”.
His health problems are also likely to be made worse by the fact he has
Parkinson’s disease.
Cardinal Barragan said the Pope’s inability to hold his back up straight has
left his lungs and diaphragm in a crushed position.
The Vatican cancelled all the Pope’s engagements for this week on the advice
of doctors after he came down with flu on Sunday He missed his weekly
audience yesterday for the first time since September 2003, when he was
suffering from an intestinal ailment.
He was previously said to have been in good form and had been continuing to
receive foreign leaders.
The president of Armenia visited the Vatican last week and the president of
the European Parliament was due on Friday ~V as well as appear before
pilgrims and tourists twice a week. Austen Ivereigh, Press secretary
to the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, yesterday
said: “We are relieved to hear the Pope’s condition appears to have
stabilised, and we are continuing to pray for his swift recovery.”
During the regular morning Mass at Westminster Cathedral, London, the
headquarters of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, a prayer was said
“that in the midst of his sickness and suffering, he may be consoled and
strengthened by the knowledge of Christ’s abiding presence”.

03 February 2005

Armenian charities win huge settlement
By PAUL CHAVEZ, Associated Press

Associated Press
March 1 2005

LOS ANGELES – Four Armenian charities each received $333,000 Monday
as part of a $20 million settlement between an insurance firm and
relatives of Armenians killed 90 years ago in the Ottoman Empire.

As part of the settlement, New York Life Insurance Co. also has
agreed to earmark $11 million for the heirs of policy holders. The
policy holders died in what Armenians call the first genocide of the
20th century.

Armenians contend that 1.5 million people were executed between 1915
and 1919 by Turkish authorities who believed they helped the invading
Russian army during World War I.

The genocide claim has been rejected by Turkey, which says the
Armenians were killed in civil unrest during the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire. France and Russia have declared the killings a
genocide, but the United States has not made that declaration.

“The genocide is an important issue in the Armenian community.
Everyone has some relative who perished in the genocide,” said
plaintiffs’ attorney Brian Kabateck, who said his maternal grandparents
were genocide survivors.

Kabateck also praised New York Life for acknowledging the genocide
and fulfilling its obligation to policy holders.

The settlement was approved last year by U.S. District Court Judge
Christina A. Snyder and is believed to be the first connected to the
Armenian deaths.

New York Life has admitted that about 2,400 policies were issued
to Armenians in Turkey before 1915 that were never paid. People
who believe they are descendants of policy holders have a March 16
deadline to file claims.

The settlement calls for the original policies to be multiplied by
15.5 for inflation and interest.

The four organizations who received payments Monday were the
Burbank-based Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese; the
Los Angeles-based Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church;
Armenian Educational Foundation, of Glendale, and the Armenian Relief
Society, nationally headquartered in Watertown, Mass.

The organizations were singled out because they helped Armenians
settle in the United States after the genocide, Kabateck said.

Five Armenian organizations on the East Coast last month also received
equal amounts.

Martin Marootian, the 89-year-old lead plaintiff in the case, said
he was pleased that Armenian charities received payments.

“It means all Armenians will benefit from the settlement of this case,”
he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
March 1 2005

US DEPARTMENT OF STATE CONFIRMS FACT OF RESETTLEMENT OF ARMENIANS IN
OCCUPIED AZERBAIJAN LANDS
[March 01, 2005, 15:01:30]

On February 28, the Department of State of the United States of America
has issued its annual report (the 28th) on human rights protection,
the Washington-based correspondent of AzerTAj said. The Report contains
facts and figures on human rights protection in 196 world countries.

In the preface, the Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice states that
another report to be issued shortly will deal with the steps of the US
Government to support human rights over the numerous world countries.

In the part related to Azerbaijan, the Department of State informs
on resettlement of the Armenian emigrants who came from Near East
and other regions of world in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan and surrounding areas. It is also stated that the Government
of Azerbaijan has addressed on the matter to the UN and the Council of
Europe, and the OSCE fact-finding mission is engaged in the question.

In the Report of the State Department, it is underlined that the
Armenian forces continue to keep under occupation Nagorno-Karabakh
and adjoining areas. The government of Azerbaijan does not control
these territories, and to receive information on state of affairs
with human rights, therefore, is not possible. Last year, as a result
of infringement by Armenia of the ceasefire regime, were lost six
Azerbaijanis – civilians and militaries.

In the Report, the US Administration, positively regarding signing
by the Head of the Azerbaijan State of some decrees on pardoning,
welcomes continuation by the government of Azerbaijan of the programs
directed on development of market economy. It is informed that the
last year, economic growth on the country has exceeded 10 percent,
the level of poverty was reduced, unemployment among the population
changes within the limits of 15-20 percent.

According to the American legislation, the said Report prepared
by the Bureau of the State Department on democracy, human rights
and labor affairs, will be submitted to the chairman of the House
of Representatives in Congress and External Relations Committee of
the Senate. The Report together with some other documents will be
used for definition of the state policy, directions of diplomacy,
allocation of the assistance to the countries and in other purposes.

Toronto Star
Tue. Mar. 1, 2005. | Updated at 02:47 PM

Feb. 2, 2005. 01:00 AM

Marley month shakes up Ethiopia

Rastafarians flock to country to honour singer

Locals like tourism if not `Jamaican’ residents

ANTHONY MITCHELL
ASSOCIATED PRESS

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia~WThroughout his life, Bob Marley looked to Ethiopia as
the spiritual home of his Rastafarian faith.

But as Ethiopia welcomes hundreds of thousands of revellers for a month of
festivities starting yesterday in honour of the Jamaican reggae legend, many
here view Rastafarians ~W some of whom settled in Ethiopia because they could
worship the nation’s last emperor ~W with deep suspicion.

At best, the tiny Rastafarian community is tolerated as an oddity in the
deeply traditional and overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian country on the Horn
of Africa. At worst, they are accused of spreading drugs and crime ~W claims
they dismiss as springing from prejudice.

Organizers of this month’s celebrations hope music will melt away tensions.

Marley’s widow, Rita, together with the African Union and UNICEF, is
organizing the $1 million (U.S.) extravaganza, dubbed “Africa Unite,” in
honour of one of his most famous songs. The highlight is Ethiopia’s
largest-ever concert, coming on Sunday, Marley’s birthday, in the capital,
Addis Ababa.

“I have dreamed about doing this for years,” said Marcia Griffiths, one of
Marley’s former backup singers, as she arrived in Ethiopia for the first
time Monday. “All my life I wanted to come here with Bob in the flesh. Now
I’m here, and I know he is here in the spirit.”

It is the first time the annual commemoration has been held outside Jamaica.
Ethiopian officials estimate 500,000 people will attend the festivities.
After the concert in Addis, celebrations will move to Shashemene, where the
Rastafarians have built their community.

Marley’s music has always been popular here, and Ethiopians welcome the
visitors ~W and money ~W the event could bring the impoverished country. The
capital’s cassette and CD stalls, which normally blare Ethiopian pop, have
switched to Marley classics like “Get Up, Stand Up” and “I Shot the
Sheriff.”

——————————————————————————–
`All my life I wanted to come here with Bob in the flesh. Now I’m here, and
I know he is here in the spirit.’

Marcia Griffiths, former Marley backup singer

——————————————————————————–

“I think the Bob Marley concert will be very good for the country,” said
Yared Kebede, a teacher. “With thousands of people coming here and spending
money, that can’t be a bad thing.”

Rastafarians worshipped Ethiopia’s last emperor ~W Haile Selassie, who died
in 1975 ~W as their living god, a belief based on a 1920 prophecy by Jamaican
civil rights leader Marcus Garvey that a black man would be crowned king in
Africa.

Selassie in turn granted Rastafarians land in 1963 at Shashemene, 250 km
south of Addis Ababa, where several hundred continue to live. But successive
governments have refused to give Rastafarians citizenship in their adopted
country.

“In any other country in the world, if you stay in the country a number of
years and have children, those children would have citizenship ~W but not
here,” lamented Ambrose King, deputy head of the Rastafarians’ Ethiopian
World Federation.

On Friday, Rita Marley said she was determined to honor her husband’s wish
for burial in Ethiopia, but she did not say when the body might be moved
from Jamaica.

She first announced the reburial plans earlier this month ~W to the chagrin
of many in Jamaica who feared losing their cultural heritage.

Historian Richard Pankhurst said Selassie never held a particular affinity
for Rastafarians. The late emperor, who ruled from 1930 until he was
overthrown in a 1974 military coup that abolished the monarchy, also granted
land to Armenian refugees, Pankhurst notes.

Regular drug busts in Shashemene ~W a dusty, wind-swept town of seedy bars
and prostitutes ~W have also fuelled local prejudices against Rastafarians.

“The problem with the Jamaicans is that they smoke drugs,” said Kebede, the
teacher, using the local expression for Rastafarians, regardless of their
origin.

For Rastafarians, who preach a oneness with nature, smoking marijuana is a
sacrament.