Author: Babken Chilingarian

Jose Mourinho has named a 19-man travelling squad for Manchester United’s final Europa League group match, away to Zorya Luhansk, Manchester United’s official website informs. 

The Reds flew out to Odessa on Wednesday morning ahead of Thursday’s last match in Group A, knowing a point will secure a place in the Round of 32 knock-out stages.

Wayne Rooney, who became the club’s top European scorer in our last Europa League match, was back in the squad after being forced to sit out Sunday’s draw at Everton due to a domestic suspension, and Eric Bailly has also travelled after he was named on the bench at Goodison Park following his recovery from a knee injury.

Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw remain unavailable as they recover from injury, while Bastian Schweinsteiger is ineligible as he was not registered in United’s initial Europa League squad.

Michael Carrick, Matteo Darmian, Antonio Valencia, Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin have also not travelled, but Mourinho certainly has good options at his disposal for the away match in Ukraine.

Travelling squad: De Gea, Romero, Johnstone; Fosu-Mensah, Jones, Bailly, Rojo, Blind, Young; Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Lingard, Mata, Mkhitaryan; Martial, Rashford, Rooney, Ibrahimovic.

Photo: RIA Novosti

 

The air authorities of Azerbaijan have not allowed the Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft to fly to Syria through its air space, forcing the plane to return to the airport in Sochi.

reports, quoting a conversation between the command post and the pilot, that the plane was flying in the “Syrian” direction through Armenia.

“You can’t reach Yerevan. Azerbaijan won’t allow. The flight is prohibited,” the dispatcher said. The crew was later instructed to return to the Sochi airport.

Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan attended a reception at the Armenian Embassy in Russia on November 28.

Representatives of the Russian legislative and executive authorities, outstanding political analysts and experts, heads of Armenian community organizations, public and political figures who have contributed to the deepening of Armenian-Russian relations were present at the reception.

The Armenian Defense Minister briefed the attendees on the ongoing reforms in the Armed Forces, the new cooperation programs with different Diaspora organizations within the framework of the Army-society ties.

During the meeting the participants exchanged views on the reinforcement of the Armenian-Russian strategic partnership, the deepening of friendly relations between the two countries, as well as the need for steps stemming from the regional developments.

Photo: AFP    

Francois Fillon is to be the conservative candidate in next year’s French presidential election after his rival Alain Juppe admitted defeat, the BBC reports.

With virtually all the results counted, Mr Fillon won Sunday’s run-off with nearly 67% of the vote.

Mr Fillon promised to build a fairer society, saying France wants “truth and it wants action”.

He is likely to face a Socialist candidate and the far-right’s Marine Le Pen in next April’s election.

Mr Juppe, the more moderate candidate, congratulated Mr Fillon on his “large victory” and pledged to support him in his bid to become president.

US President Barack Obama is set to meet his successor Donald Trump in the Oval Office for talks aimed at ensuring a smooth transition of power, the BBC reports.

However, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in several cities to voice their opposition to Mr Trump.

They shouted the slogan “Not my President”, a term that was also trending on social media.

Mr Trump will become the 45th US president after securing a surprise victory over Hillary Clinton.

Mr Obama – who had branded Mr Trump “unfit” for office and campaigned against him – urged all Americans to accept the result of Tuesday’s election.

“We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country,” he said.

Defeated Mrs Clinton also told supporters Mr Trump had to be given a “chance to lead”.

 

 

 

Based on US President-elect Donald Trump’s speech, one can assume that the “world is going be a safer and a more peaceful place,” President of the European Integration NGO, MP Karen Bekaryan said in an interview with Public Radio of Armenia.

According to him, “Trump’s first messages lead to peace and prevention of conflicts.”

However, Bekaryan said “only time will show to what extent we can trust his words.”

“The first speeches and steps are more of a PR action. For real politics we have to wait a little,” he added.

“The first signs will be visible during the first 3-6 months of Trump’s presidency, when he has to react to a clear situation at some part of the world and make political decisions, ” Karen Bekaryan added.

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial today.

Minister Gentiloni laid a wreath at the memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims and paid tribute to their memory with a minute of silence.

Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum (AGMI) Institute Hayk Demoyan briefed the guest on the history of construction of the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.

The AGMI Director presented the English publication of the “Armenian Genocide: Frontpage Coverage in the World Press” to the Italian Foreign Minister.

On November 2 and 3, the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan hosted a two-day workshop that brought together Armenian government officials, representatives of Armenian banks, and U.S. government experts in order to raise awareness of financial sector controls that can help prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The workshop gave 39 representatives from Armenian banking institutions the opportunity to discuss shared challenges with representatives from the U.S. Departments of State, Treasury and Justice, as well as from the FBI. Participants learned new ways to ensure sanctioned countries do not bypass international sanctions by using financial loopholes. They focused on areas such as strengthening institutional capacities, developing interagency mechanisms, and coordinating law enforcement efforts to combat proliferation financing.

The participants learned the important role that awareness plays in preventing financing of weapons proliferation. “This workshop allowed qualified and knowledgeable officials to enhance their ability to prevent and detect illicit financial activities, an area in which national authorities play a key role,” said Jason Ray, FBI Assistant Legal Attaché.

The workshop was organized by the U.S. Embassy’s Export Control and Related Border Security Program (EXBS), which helps to harmonize national export control systems with international standards. Administered by the U.S. Department of State, EXBS operates in more than 65 countries, and is designed to strengthen a country’s export control system by providing legal and regulatory advice, training of licensing officials, enforcement and interdiction equipment, and industry to government outreach. Better export control systems help to fight against the proliferation of mass destruction, their delivery systems, conventional weapons, and related materials.

Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan received today Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee.

The perspectives of Armenian-Russian energy cooperation and issues related to Gazprom’s activity in Armenia were discussed.

Karen Karapetyan hailed the gas and energy programs being implemented in the country by Gazprom Armenia and stressed that Gazprom has the largest investment package in Armenia.

The Prime Minister underlined that the programs aimed at energy security, reliable and uninterrupted gas  supply and the large investment projects have been called to life thanks to the willingness and direct efforts on the pat of Gazprom leadership.

Alexey Miller congratulated Karen Karapetyan on appointment and wished him productive activity. Pointing to the positive results of long-term joint work, Alexey Miller emphasized that Armenia has high level of gasification (96 percent), a reliable system of gas supply and reiterated Gazprom’s willingness to keep fulfilling its tasks in Armenia.

He also stressed the importance of effectiveness of further  exploitation of  Hrazdan HPP’s 5th energy unit and the underground gas storage in  Abovyan.

Miller informed of the plans to establish an educational and training complex  in Armenia, which, he said, will be Gazprom’s investment in the future of the Armenian youth.”

Karen Karapetyan awarded Alexey Miller with RA Prime Minister’s Memorial Medal for his contribution to the development and reinforcement of Armenian-Russian economic ties.

According to a decree signed by French President Fracois Hollande, Stéphane Visconti has been appointed new Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Stéphane Visconti will replace current Co-Chair Pierre Andrieu.