World Sambo champion of 2017 Tigran Kirakosyan has won bronze at the Open Sambo Championship for the prizes of the President of the Republic of Belarus. As the National Olympic Committee reports, the Armenian took the third place competing among 19 athletes.
To note, the tournament is considered a qualification competition ahead of the World Sambo Cup.
Exhibition of Armenia’s historical maps held in Šiauliai, Lithuania
14:19,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The opening ceremony of an exhibition titled ‘Armenia in Ancient Maps’ was held in the Public Library of Lithuanian city of Šiauliai on February 19, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.
The event has been organized by the Armenian Embassy in Lithuania and the Public Library of Šiauliai by the support of the city’s Armenian community.
It was attended by MPs, members of the Lithuania-Armenia parliamentary friendship group Arunas Gumuliauskas and Stasys Tumenas, the representatives of the city authorities, cultural figures, as well as Armenian community representatives.
The exhibition enabled to get acquainted with the history of the Armenian people based on facts.
Armenian Ambassador to Lithuania Tigran Mkrtchyan in his welcoming remarks stated that the organization of the exhibition doesn’t pursue any political goal, it presents Armenia at different historical periods with facts that are formed on scientific and cultural basis.
The Ambassador thanked the Library directorate and head of the Armenian community of Šiauliai Rafik Kazarian for the assistance provided for holding the event.
The exhibition is open until March 4, 2019.
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
The members of the “Right Wheel” initiative gathered in front of the government and demand a meeting with the prime minister.
Vachagan Minasyan, an advocate of the initiative, reminded that on November 28, 2018, he had met with Nikol Pashinyan at Bagratashen checkpoint and had agreed that the problem with the number of the imported cars should be solved.
The relatives of those who went on hunger strike in penitentiary institutions gathered in front of the government building and demanded a meeting with the prime minister.
The convict’s brother, Andranik Khachatryan, notes that the objective of the rally is to review the bill on the conviction of convicts, according to which 1 day for the initial sentence for the defendants should be counted as 1.5 days.
Convicted Hayk Vache Galstyan has escaped through the window of the ward.
H Galstyan is currently charged under Article 333 (2) (1) of the RA Criminal Code.
Those who have information about the latter or their location can call 010 44 29 04, 1-02 or apply to the nearest Police Department.
The confidentiality of the information provider is guaranteed.
Criticizing China’s policy in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, spokesperson of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party has demanded transparency.
Ömer Çelik, speaking at a press briefing in Ankara on Feb. 11, said that Turkey respects China's integrity and security, "but holding more than 1 million Uighur Turks in concentration camps and prisons is unlawful."
“If a transparent approach is adopted on this issue, it will create an opportunity to defuse tensions and allow everyone to understand what is happening,” he said.
Stating that the policy carried out by the country was open to assimilation in many ways, noted that many opinion leaders, artists and intellectuals of East Turkestan were missing.
China's Xinjiang region is home to around 10 million Uighurs. The Turkic Muslim group, which makes up around 45 percent of Xinjiang's population, has long accused China's authorities of cultural, religious and economic discrimination.
China stepped up its restrictions on the region in the past two years, banning men from growing beards and women from wearing veils and introducing what many experts see as the world's most extensive electronic surveillance program, according to The Wall Street Journal.
As many as 1 million Muslims in Xinjiang have been incarcerated in an expanding network of “political re-education” camps, according to U.S. officials and UN experts.
‘France should face crimes in Africa’
Meanwhile, Çelik also criticized French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks about violent 1915 events in Anatolia.
“What France should judicially face, from Cameroon to Algeria, are the acts of human rights violations and killings by the French authorities.
"What is tragic is [French President Emmanuel Macron's] talks about facing history. Facing history must be a term that should be used in another meaning for France," he said.
"While the crimes committed by the French authorities are obvious, hiding behind a term like 'facing history' is a result of a lobby support approach of Macron, who is in political turmoil,” he said, referring to Macron's tweet about the 1915 Armenian events.
Last week, Macron announced April 24 as a day to commemorate the so-called Armenian genocide.
Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as "genocide" but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy for both sides.
Nikol Pashinyan sends condolence letter to Iran’s Rouhani
18:22,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a condolence letter to President of Iran Hassan Rouhani over the terrorist attack on a bus in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the condolence letter runs as follows,
“I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack on a bus in Sistan and Baluchestan Province in Iran, which claimed lives of dozens of people.
I extend my deep condolences to you and the entire friendly people of Iran on this tragic incident.
Please, convey my words of sympathy to the families and relatives of the victims, wishing spiritual strength and steadfastness, and speedy recovery to the injured”.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
3 Scottish football clubs interested in Henri Avagyan
20:26,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. A number of leading Scottish football clubs are interested in Henri Avagyan, the goalkeeper of Armenia national U-21 team and Alalshkert club, ARMENPRESS reports The Scotsman newspaper informs.
Particularly, Motherwell, St Mirren and Hibs have all been in discussions about bringing the 23-year-old to the Scottish Premiership.
According to the source, the representatives behind Avagyan’s potential move are the same as those who helped broker Vykintas Slivka’s transfer to Hibernian in the 2017 summer transfer window, and the mooted deal which almost saw Juventus striker Stefano Beltrame join St Mirren earlier this season.
Avagyan is expected to be involved in his nation’s European Championship qualifiers this March. He has one appearance for the national team thus far, a 2-2 draw away to Liechtenstein in the Nations League.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan