Author: Garo Vardanian

Triada Studio’s Shadowmatic 3D puzzle has been selected as an Apple Design Award winner.

Exclusive to iOS, Shadowmatic is an ornately crafted and imaginative puzzle game in which abstract objects are rotated to find recognizable silhouettes in projected shadows. Selected as an Apple Design Award winner for it’s attention to detail, high-fidelity rendering, excellent execution, and perfect representation of Multi-touch game play, Shadowmatic challenges your spatial thinking with more than 80 puzzles in gorgeous atmospheric environments rendered with highly realistic textures and shadows.

Set to a beautiful soundtrack, each Shadowmatic scene is tuned and optimized for each iOS device, from iPhone 3GS to the newest iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, iPad Mini Retina, and iPad Air 2. Shadowmatic uses Metal on iOS to produce stunning visuals with shadows, bloom, and reflective surfaces, and supports device motion to enable a clever motion-based 3D parallax experience that makes it seem as if you’re viewing each scene through a window. It’s also localized in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish.

On May 18 Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Edward Sharmazanov took part in the international conference “Triad of Genocides: Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians” in Athens.

Speaking at the event, Sharmazanov reminded that on March 24 the National Assembly of Armenia unanimously adopted a statement, condemning the genocide of the Greeks and Assyrians in Ottoman Turkey. “With this statement we reaffirmed our commitment to struggle for the recognition and condemnation of the phenomenon of genocide,” he said.

“Unfortunately, instead of recognizing the genocides and shaking off the heavy burden the Turkish authorities move along the path of denial, becoming an accomplice in the crime committed a century ago, occupy part of Cyprus, illegally blockade Armenia, keep Article 301, organize “galipolies”, trying to mislead the international community, scold the Pope and the leaders of the countries which recognize and condemn the genocide,” he said.

“We, the representatives of the three nations, should unite our potential for the protection of human rights, restoration of historical justice and struggle against Turkish denialism,” the Deputy Speaker added.

“It is not sufficient any more to struggle only for recognition and condemnation of the genocide of the Christian peoples in Ottoman Turkey: We should reach the criminalization of the Turkish denialism. Keeping silence about genocides can generate new genocides, and the Holocaust, the genocides of Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur are the evidence of it,” he said.

At all platforms we should be united to voice about the necessity of condemnation of the phenomenon of genocide, we should struggle against Turkey’s policy of denial for excluding the birth of new envers, new taleats, new kemals and eventually new hitlers.”

Texas State Representative Dwayne Bohab on Thursday pulled from consideration a misleading resolution (HR2309) “Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Black January events in Azerbaijan” he introduced late April filled with factually inaccurate historical information with respect to the events that led to the country’s independence as well as its policies regarding people’s right to self-determination and independence, reported the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region, reports.

“The power of our grassroots’ in Texas against the persistent, yet failed, efforts backed by the Azerbaijani lobby to shamefully introduce legislation that blatantly misrepresents facts is a real testament to our community’s and organization’s resolve to pursue truth and justice for our Cause,” remarked ANCA-WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan. “We were particularly pleased to see Representative Bohac’s quick response and reconsideration to ultimately withdraw the resolution after gaining better understanding of the facts about Azerbaijan and the region,” added Asatryan.

Jeff Stokes, Legislative Director for State Representative Dwayne Bohac informed Asbarez that Bohac’s office had received numerous requests from constituents to introduce a measure such as HR2309.

“When we realized it was a mistake, we placed it on permanent hold,” said Stokes, who explained that per Texas law once a hold is placed on a piece of legislation, no further action is taken on the matter.

The decision to place a permanent hold on HR2309 came just 16 hours after ANCA WR worked with local community leaders and activists to alert Bohac about the facts surrounding the events that led to Azerbaijan’s independence, the corrupt and authoritarian regime of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the country’s gross human rights violations, coverage of which has increased in the American press most recently in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, under the headlines, “A Thuggish Regime Challenges the U.S.” and “The Two Faces of Azerbaijan’s Mr. Aliyev” respectively.

More specifically, late Monday evening ANCA WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan submitted a written statement to Bohac opposing the resolution on behalf of the regional, Dallas and Houston chapters noting, “The resolution gives the impression that Azerbaijan was invaded in retaliation for its independence movement. However, the truth is that troops were sent to Azerbaijan in order to protect the nearly half million Christian Armenians who were being subjected to violent pogroms and massacres throughout the nation in a campaign of ethnic cleansing. Azerbaijan’s hostility was its response to the calls for independence by the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR), which was an autonomous region at the time, thereby demonstrating its repressive policies, which are contrary to the claims made in the language of the resolution.”

Asatryan continued on to state, ”Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has the dubious honor of being selected as the most corrupt person by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). The NGO’s finding is based on extensive reports and well-documented evidence that the Aliyev family has been systematically grabbing shares of the most profitable businesses in Azerbaijan for many years. Earlier this week, the Committee to Protect Journalists concluded that Azerbaijan is the fifth most censored and repressive country in the world, out of nearly 200 countries in the world. In its report the CPJ concluded that the ‘main sources of information in Azerbaijan are broadcasters which are owned and controlled by the state or its proxies.’ The report also noted that independent media outlets are subjected to harassment and prosecution by officials, and that at least ten journalists and bloggers are currently in Azerbaijani jails on fabricated charges.”

“This being a top priority, our local chapter and I specifically reached out to Representative Dwayne Bohac’s office yesterday to convey our disappointment and opposition to the resolution. Today when I called back to see if we made any headway, I was pleased to hear that the office had already pulled the resolution. This truly shows that each and every one of us can truly make a difference by just making our voice heard,” stated ANCA Dallas Chair Lucia Nazarian. ”Thank you to the Dallas community members for your efforts in shedding light and bringing the truth to the forefront of our Texas legislators,” added Nazarian.

“I am pleased to see that the anti-Armenian resolution was withdrawn and appreciate the diligence of the Houston Armenian community and proud of their dedication for the Armenian Cause, “ remarked ANCA Houston Chair Vrouir Frankian.

On May 5, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the north-west direction of the Seisulan settlement of the NKR Martakert region.

From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Yevgeny Sharov (Ukraine) and Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria), as well as by staff member of the Office Peter Svedberg (Sweden).

From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and his Field Assistant Jiri Aberle (Czech Republic), as well as by Personal Assistant to the Personal Representative of the CiO Simon Tiller (Great Britain).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No violation of the cease-fire regime was registered.

From the Karabakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will pay a working visit to the United States May 5-7.

The President is expected to have meetings at the Senate. In Washington Serzh Sargsyan will meet with US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick.

The President will visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington and the Congress Library.

Within the framework of the visit President Sargsyan will be hosted at the Washington Post and will have a meeting with the editorial board.

President Sargsyan will also meet with the heads of Armenian-American organizations and representatives of the local Armenian community.

On May 7 Serzh Sargsyan will attend an inter-religious prayer at the National Temple of Washington and will make a speech.

On May 8 Serzh Sargsyan will leave for Moscow to participate in the sitting of the Eurasian Supreme Economic Council and the events dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The US ambassador to Turkey has fought back with humour after Ankara’s mayor called a US State Department spokeswoman a “stupid blonde,” reports.

John Bass posted a picture on his Instagram account with his normally dark hair digitally altered to a reddish blond. The caption said: “American diplomats: we’re all blonde.”

The mayor of Turkey’s capital city, Melih Gökçek, was accused of hypocrisy on Thursday after tweeting a string of sexist and anti-American comments against Marie Harf, the acting spokeswoman for the US State Department – but launching hundreds of lawsuits against people who use Twitter to criticise him.

A Turkish pro-government newspaper had criticised her for being “silent” on unrest in Baltimore despite repeated US government criticism of Turkey during the violent crackdown on Gezi Park protesters in the summer of 2013.

And then Gokcek posted a tweet with an image of police in Baltimore forcibly subduing someone during the recent unrest with a caption that said: “Where are you stupid blonde, who accused Turkish police of using disproportionate force?”

The tweet included a picture of Harf and said: “Come on blonde, answer now.”

In another tweet, the notoriously cantankerous Ankara mayor wrote: “According to the blonde girl, the government’s reaction during the Gezi Park protests were worrisome, but when it comes to your country, is it normal to declare a curfew.”

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Harf said she did not want to “dignify [the tweets] with a response”, but challenged Gökçek’s claim that the US government had been silent on the unrest in Baltimore, saying that President Barack Obama had commented on the unrest, which erupted on the death of Freddie Gray, after his arrest by police.

But activists in Turkey pointed out that while Gökçek regularly lashes out at his opponents on Twitter, he is less happy to be the subject of online criticism.

In March this year Gökçek has filed a criminal complaint for defamation against Hayko Bagdat, a Turkish journalist of Armenian descent, after he jokingly called the Ankara mayor “Armenian” in tweets posted after the local elections. One of Bagdat’s messages read: “It is official – they gave the capital city to an Armenian. What a shame!”

The petition handed in by Gökçek’s lawyers stated that the mayor was “a citizen of the Turkish republic who loves his country and his nation”, and Bagdat’s comments therefore “false” and an “insult and libel”. Gökçek demanded 10,000 Turkish lira (£2,445) for “psychological damage”.

The Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF)  calls on the community to mobilize in support of crisis victims, Asbarez reports.

Just as Armenians around the world were wrapping up their Genocide Centennial Commemorations, our community in Aleppo was once again the victim of a brutal attack on one of its most iconic churches – the 15th century Armenian Church of Forty Martyrs.

Was the timing of this barbaric act just a coincidence or a message on behalf of the same genocidal criminals who continue to target our heritage, faith and identity?

As you all know, the war in Aleppo has entered a new and very dangerous phase. Our neighborhoods are now in direct line of fire and are being targeted on a daily basis. Our population is facing imminent danger and is suffering human as well as property damages. Our churches continue to be under attack.

Although we become furious with every new tragedy that befalls on our brethren in Syria, we are reminded that we are a nation that has risen from the ashes of a Genocide. The calamity facing the victims of today’s war in Aleppo and all other cities and towns in Syria can only strengthen our resolve and commitment to help them navigate this sad chapter in their lives whether inside Syria or as refugees around the world, most notably in Armenia.

Today, more than ever, the fate of all those living inside Aleppo is unknown. What will be our response!

We call upon our community members to once again step up to the occasion and heed to our urgent call to action by donating generously to help our sisters and brothers who today, more than ever, need our immediate response.

or by mailing a check to Syrian Armenian Relief Fund, P.O. Box 1948, Glendale, CA 91209