The former world number one tennis player Serena Williams, was unexpectedly defeated with the score of 4:6, 6:4, 5:7, in the tennis Australian Open Championship
In the quarterfinals, the American tennis player defeated Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova with
The competition lasted 2 hours and her component was Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova.
Czech tennis player will meet with Japanese Naomi Osaka in the semi-final, which won the Ukrainian Elina Svetolina, 6: 4, 6: 1.
ArmInfo. Apparently, the history of Azerbaijan is not too rich, and 3 factors have found significant place in it – the Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani Laundromat and Alexander Lapshin. The blogger Alexander Lapshin said this in an interview with ArmInfo correspondent.
He noted that today the solution of the Karabakh problem itself is not so important for Baku as the frozen conflict itself, in order to constantly focus public attention on the presence of an external enemy. "Of course, Armenia's external enemy is. And my arrest was also artificially inflated in order to create an image of the enemy for the people of Azerbaijan. Thus, the Azerbaijani authorities divert the attention of citizens from existing problems, switching them to the so-called enemies," the blogger noted.
Lapshin also said that today protests are held in Azerbaijan demanding the release of blogger Mehman Huseynov, which once again demonstrates the dissatisfaction of Azerbaijani citizens with Aliyev and his policies. "I think such protest actions will sooner or later lead to a change of power, this moment is already brewing, but it's hard to say exactly when it will happen. The residents of Azerbaijan see that the change of power has occurred in Armenia and they want to repeat this scenario in their homeland. After all, in fact, the country receives huge funds from the sale of oil, meanwhile, people live very poorly, much worse than in Armenia, "Lapshin stressed.
The blogger noted that the change of power in Azerbaijan is beneficial to the people, but it is unlikely to be in the hands of Armenia. "Today, Aliyev does not pose a threat to Armenia, he is predictable and not dangerous, besides, he is satisfied with Russia. And it's hard to say what the situation will be if a new government comes in, a number of opposition representatives are very determined, including in the Karabakh issue. There are two options – either to intensify the negotiation process, or to start a war. It is very difficult to say which scenario they prefer, "the blogger said.
To the question of ArmInfo correspondent, how much the people of Azerbaijan are interested in the Karabakh issue, Lapshin answered: "The Azerbaijani people as a whole want to live in a free country, live better. They know perfectly well what is happening in their country – they live in the country, they fear for themselves, they are much more concerned about their children and all these problems than the resolution of the Karabakh conflict and it is needed not so much by the people as by the authority of Aliyev. Today, two Aliyev and Pashayev clans have usurped power in the country, but there are other clans want to take power into their own hands, " said Lapshin.
Thanks to the efforts of the numerous supporters of HayArmat charity organization, the grandparents living in No. 1 nursing home and orphanage children came together for a couple of hours in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, bringing to life the "A Great Family" initiative.
The elderly and children greeted and hugged each other, enjoying each other’s company till the end of the event, the organization said on Facebook.
As reported earlier, the initiative belongs to the founders of the Germany-based NGO, Anzhela Ghazaryan and Ani Dallakyan. It all started when they visited the care home in Haghtanak district of Yerevan.
During the conversation the guests noticed the love and care of the elderly, which they for some reason could not convey to their grandchildren. They noticed that the elderly felt a lack of family warmth and decided to call to life the "A Great Family" initiative.
The volunteers working for the NGO in Armenia made the necessary preparations for the event. Among them, Araks Babayan talked to the grandparents, inquiring what they would do if they lived with their grandchildren.
Photos from the Facebook page of HayArmat
[Armenian News note: the below is translated from Russian]
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka (Alexander Lukashenko) has signed a draft decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council appointing Stanislaw Zas as secretary-general of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).
At a meeting with Stanislaw Zas, secretary-general of the Belarusian Security Council, broadcast by the state-owned Belarus 24 TV channel on 21 December, Lukashenka said: "I chose Zas's candidacy to show, if I may say so, an example that it is time for us in this organisation to move on from formal appointments of former, retired generals – I do not want to say anything bad about them – to serving young and promising generals in order to add importance to this organisation."
Zas has already visited Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Russia, where his appointment as CSTO secretary-general has been approved by the respective heads of state, the report said.
While speaking with journalists, Zas said that he was ready to travel to Armenia to discuss "problems they see in the organisation" with the Armenian authorities.
The post of the CSTO secretary-general has been vacant since Armenia withdrew its representative Yuri Khachaturov. Armenia intended to propose another candidate for the job, but Belarus insists that its representative should become the organisation's new secretary-general because Armenia is followed alphabetically by Belarus. The CSTO rules of procedure did not have a clear provision as to what should happen if a country recalls its representative.
The CSTO, a military and political organisation, includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
Sharbatyan emphasized that the federation has discussed the initiative with acting Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs of Armenia Gabriel Ghazaryan, who he gave the approval.
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Although eight months have passed since transfer of 11,000 hectares under the complete control of the Azerbaijani units on the Nakhchivan-Armenian border, the story continues to shake the Armenian society.
Official circles of Armenia cannot be determined with a single position on this issue. A part refutes everything, another part acknowledges serious losses, and the public does not know who to believe.
Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, claims the Azerbaijani army advanced before his becoming prime minister. So, Pashinyan in fact acknowledged the advancement of Azerbaijani units but does not consider himself guilty.
Indeed, the Azerbaijani army liberated the positions in the area of Nakchivan in a gradual and correct way, and the process began before the April coup. However, when Pashinyan came to power neither he nor the Armenian army could in any way counteract the changes that occurred.
At the meeting with journalists Pashinyan put an end to speculations on another topic.
As is known, after the April defeat of the Armenian army, two meetings were held with the participation of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group and the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia – in Vienna and St. Petersburg. The goal of both meetings was to persuade Baku to reject attempts to return the territories occupied by Armenia through armed means and obtain its consent to legalize and strengthen the results of the occupation by introducing certain mechanisms. Of course, it was impossible to receive agreement with Baku on these items. In the subsequent period, Yerevan stubbornly and hysterically accused Azerbaijan of violating the alleged "agreements reached".
"Gunnut operation" occurred in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic from May 20 to 27, 2018. As a result of counter-terrorism operation of the Azerbaijani army Gunnut village of Sharur region, Agbulag highway, Gyzylgaya mountain and Garagaya mountain were liberated and Arpa village of Daralayaz region fall under Azerbaijani control. As a result of the battles, the total area of 11,000 hectares was liberated. The operation allowed the Azerbaijani Armed Forces to control the Yerevan-Yekhednadzor-Gorus-Lachin-Khankendi highway.
As many as 50 km of new roads have been constructed and 50 km of useless roads have been rehabilitated. New defensive positions have been set up in the dominant heights for the tactical security of the strategically important Arpachay River.
Gunnut operation should be a signal for all Armenians. If the Armenian side does not want to suffer a defeat, which will turn into a catastrophe for it, and lose its statehood, then it should listen to the words of the President of Azerbaijan, who calls upon the world to liberate all occupied Azerbaijani lands without bloodshed and allow Azerbaijani compatriots, the true owners of their land to return home.
Armenian Ambassador presents credentials to President of Kazakhstan
12:34,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Gagik Ghalachyan on December 12 presented his credentials to President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.
During the meeting President Nazarbayev touched upon the development of the relations between Kazakhstan and Armenia, stating that the trade turnover increased by 68% during 2018.
Following the ceremony Ambassador Ghalachyan delivered statement for the media, highlighting the potential to further develop the Armenian-Kazakh friendly relations, as well as further strengthen the bilateral cooperation within the frames of a number of regional and international organizations, including the Eurasian Economic Union (EAQEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Earlier the Armenian Ambassador presented the copy of his credentials to the Kazakh deputy foreign minister Galymzhan Koyshybayev. During the meeting the officials emphasized the need to boost opportunities for bilateral economic relations and eliminate existing barriers on this path.
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
GHOGHANJ CHILDREN’S CENTER TEAM TAKES FIRST PRIZE
IN 3-D MODELING CONTEST
Yerevan, Armenia—The Paros Foundation is excited to announce that students from the Ghoghanj Children’s Center Arm-math Robotics program took first place in the Armenia’s nationwideUnion of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE) 3-D Modeling contest. Seventy teams from throughout Armenia and Artsakh entered the contest. Of these teams, 38 were selected to advance to the finals, including teams from the Debi Arach Children’s Center and the Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur School. The Paros Foundation is the primary sponsor of both the Ghoghanj and Debi Arach Children Centers. Paros has also renovated the Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur School including their computer and robotics classrooms. The team from Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur received honorable mention in the Historical Monuments category for their 3-D model of the church in Berd.
“I am very proud of my student’s accomplishments. Since we began teaching our Arm-math curriculum at Ghoghanj three years ago, I have witnessed the manner in which our students have engaged and understand engineering technology,” said Diana Grigoryan, Executive Director of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center.
“It is very exciting to see three of the organizations we support achieving such high accolades in this impressive competition,” said Peter Abajian, Executive Director of The Paros Foundation. “We congratulate the students and teachers for this outstanding accomplishment, and the donors to these organizations for their vision and on-going support.”
The Ghoghanj Children’s Center operates two locations in Yerevan’s downtown and Nork communities. The center’s students are defined as at-risk, with most of the children coming from economically challenged families. The Debi Arach Children’s Center operates in Gyumri and works primarily with children from impoverished families living in domiks and inadequate housing. The village of Nerkin Karmir Aghpyur is located in the isolated and often dangerous Berd community of Armenia’s Tavush Region.
For more information about these organizations or The Paros Foundation, please visit www.parosfoundation.orgor call (310) 400-9061.
###
Photo 1: Students from the Ghoghanj Team presenting their 3-D plan.
Photo 2: Students from the Ghoghanj team being interviewed on television.
–
JPEG image
Ghoghanj2.jpg
JPEG image
Caretaker First Deputy PM to replace Pashinyan during vacation
12:26, 26 November, 2018
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will replace Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan from November 26 to December 5 – the period that Pashinyan will be on a vacation for campaigning ahead of the general election.
“At the decision of the prime minister I will replace him during his vacation. I will represent Armenia at the EEU intergovernmental council,” Mirzoyan said on Facebook.
Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan will be on an unpaid leave from November 26 to December 5, the PM’s office said earlier.
Yesterday, Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he will take a vacation from Monday to campaign for his Im Kayl (My Step) bloc for the upcoming general election.
Pashinyan is member of the board of Civil Contract, a party that is within the Im Kayl bloc.
“I’m taking a vacation from tomorrow to fully participate in the campaigning,” Pashinyan said on Facebook.
Im Kayl will hold campaigning events today in four Armenian towns: 11:00 in Talin (Aragatsotn Province), 13:30 in Maralik (Shirak Province), 15:00 in Artik (Shirak Province) and 17:00 in Gyumri (Shirak Province).
Armenia will vote to elect a new parliament on December 9.
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned on October 16 to trigger the process of disbanding the parliament.
Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyan’s Republican Party (HHK) still has most seats in the 105-seat parliament. Since taking office, Nikol Pashinyan has numerously said that the incumbent parliament doesn’t represent the people and that early elections should take place as soon as possible.
In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution.
The last round took place on November 1 and the parliament was dissolved by virtue of law.
Later on the same day, President Armen Sarkissian signed an order on dissolving the parliament and calling early elections on December 9.
The parliament will function until the new parliament is elected.
The government is formally a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the election.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
Tatevik Shahunyan. The government of Armenia should realize that the revolution is over and it is necessary to start concrete actions, develop concrete programs, if the authorities do not realize this, then some time after the December elections, Armenia will have new early elections.
This opinion was expressed today at a press conference by the head of the research and analytical public organization "Integration and Development", coordinator of the Eurasian expert club Aram Safaryan. He noted that the first place in the parliament can be considered assigned to the ruling "My step" bloc, the second place will be the party "Prosperous Armenia", and 2-3 forces will fight for the third place. "The whole question is whether the authorities after the elections will be able to solve the current social and economic problems of the country", the expert said.
At the same time, he focused on the fact that after the elections, with the victory of the ruling bloc, new and young politicians will come to the arena, and in the international arena; in particular, Russia will have the issue of cooperation with them. "If the Russian establishment was well acquainted with the political elite of the Republican Party and the Prosperous Armenia Party, then in the case of the My Step bloc, this issue is being actualized", Safaryan said. He also stressed the importance of representing his position regarding the Armenian-Russian cooperation and politics in the Eurasian region during the pre-election race from the forces participating in the race, since most of the Armenian society is pro-Russian and wants to know the answers to these questions. According to him, it is also important against the backdrop of the recent intensification of forces with an anti-Russian attitude.
In turn, the director of the "Noravank" Scientific and Educational Foundation Gagik Harutyunyan stated that the current processes should be approached pragmatically: "We constantly say democratic elections, democratic state, but we have to see what these concepts give us in practical terms. Before So far, not a single election in Armenia has brought dividends to the republic. Against this background, for example, in the undemocratic Soviet Armenia, where the non-democratic elections were held, the level of the economy, technological and industrial growth far exceeded now current indicators ". He also stressed the need to establish multi-profile working groups between Armenia and Russia, which will be engaged in the development and implementation of specific programs. "To this end, it would be advisable to create an online university that will be a platform for branding the leading experts," concluded Harutyunyan.