Author: Jane Topchian

Armenian archbishop announced on Tuesday that a religious event planned for September in a historic church in the eastern Turkish province of Van has been canceled due to security, Daily Sabah reports.

Aram Ateshian, acting head of the Armenian Patriarchate, said they cancelled the event scheduled for Sept. 6 at Akhtamar Church due to security problems. Atesyan said the mass and related events may be held in the future but for now, visitors were afraid of visiting the region.

“Many people cancelled the bookings here and when we realized the attendance would be low, we decided to cancel it as it wouldn’t be a major event as we intended to do,” Ateshian said. He underlined that people were naturally scared because of rising violence and they were concerned as well. “We will hold the mass on another date if the situation improves,” he said.

Turkey has been hit by violence since a suicide bomb attack by a suspected Islamic State of Iraq and a-Sham (ISIS) supporter killed 33 activists in Suruç on July 20.

The first pictures of Kim, Kourtney and Khloe as teenagers on the set of American Crime Story have emerged, the reports. 

The teen Kardashian sisters look as stylish as their real and future selves, as they help recreate the infamous 1994 trial of OJ Simpson.

Although the names of the young actresses have yet to be released, there are plenty of hints regarding who is playing whom.

Ever the polka dot fan, eldest sister Kourtney appears to be leading her siblings up the stairs in a lemon yellow blouse and a high-waisted pair of shorts.

Arguably the most stylish of the three, 14-year-old Kim rocks her unmistakable long bob, with white ribbed floral patterned dress and a short pink cardigan.

Baby sister Khloe, just turning 10, follows behind in a blue summer dress; in 1994 she had yet to take the stretch that would leave her almost a foot above her big sisters.

Behind the three girls again is their baby brother Rob, then barely turned seven, in a smart pair of khaki slacks and a baby blue polo shirt.

And bringing up the rear is dad Robert Kardashian, played by David Schwimmer, with his telltale grey streak in his ink black hair.

The anthology series, executive produced by Glee creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, will recreate a true life US crime with each season, starting with The People vs. O. J. Simpson.

It also stars Cuba Gooding Jr  OJ Simpson, John Travolta as Robert Shapiro, Selma Blair as Kris Jenner and Jordana Brewster as Denise Brown.

Described as the most publicized criminal trial in American history, The former footballer was tried on two counts of murder for eight months and eventually acquitted, following the death of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Armenia, and Nepal have been admitted to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on a partner status, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday, Sputnik News reports.

“Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, and Nepal have joined the SCO family as partners in dialogue,” Putin said during his opening speech at the extended meeting of SCO’s Heads of Governments Council in the Russian city of Ufa.

Earlier, the SCO had three dialogue partners — Belarus, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

The SCO summit launched the procedures to accept new members, India and Pakistan, the president added. India and Pakistan, currently holding observer status in the organization, applied to join the SCO as full members in September 2014.

The SCO is a political, economic and military alliance founded in 2001 by Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

 

Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received today Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov.

The parties praised the level of Armenian-Russian friendly relations and attached importance to the deepening and expansion of bilateral economic-commercial relations.

The interlocutors referred to the activity of the Armenian-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.

A number of issues related to the deepening and intensification of bilateral ties were discussed.

India has confirmed it will sign a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union on June 18 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2015). “We are definitely signing this agreement,” Amit Telang, First Secretary of India’s embassy in Russia told TASS on Thursday.

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is an international organization for regional economic integration. The member states of the union, which started operation on January 1, 2015, are the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Armenia.

The EAEU is aimed at economic development of the member states by coordinating their economic policy and guaranteeing free movement of goods, services, capital and workforce.

Apart from India, currently Vietnam, Iran, Egypt and Israel are negotiating the possibility of forming free trade zone agreements with the EAEU.

A Turkish prosecutor who had carried out a number of investigations into terrorist activities related to Syria has claimed that Turkish officials, including those from the spy agency, have been involved in the supply of explosives and ammunition to radical Syrian Islamist groups, particularly Ahrar ash-Sham, informs, quoting a report by Arzu Yıldız on the news website grihat.com.tr.

Prosecutor Özcan Şişman, who was jailed for intercepting trucks carrying arms into Syria, said in his defense that he spotted a number of times that Turkish officials aided and faciliated the flow of jihadists into Syria, a string of bombings within Turkey and on the Syrian border as well as the transfer of arms into territory held by radical Islamist groups.

US State Department spokesperson Marie Harf denounced President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s attacks against Western media outlets, but brushed aside criticism that Turkey was an unreliable ally despite the growing rift between the two countries.

Asked about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s accusing the New York Times, CNN and BBC of trying to weaken and divide Turkey, and later expanding on it with a claim that journalists, Armenians and homosexuals were allies in sedition, Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications at the US State Department  that the US supports freedom of expression, and we remain concerned about government interference in freedom of expression in Turkey, “We’ve said that for a long time and we remain concerned.”

“An independent and unfettered media is an essential element of any democratic and open society,” said Harf, “As Turkey’s friend and as their NATO ally, we urge the Turkish authorities to ensure their actions uphold democratic values, including due process, judicial independence, and freedom of expression, including access to media and information.”
When asked if she would ‘denounce or decry or criticize’ Erdoğan for his criticism of homosexuals, Armenians and journalists, she responded “Absolutely.”

Rapper 50 Cent is dating an Armenian and she’s a beauty.  Her name is Nancy Babochian and he took her with him to the premiere of his series, Power, in New York yesterday.

The rapper escorted Babochian down the red carpet during the NYC premiere of Melissa McCarthy’s new movie “Spy” on Monday evening (June 1).

And the very next day, she supported Fifty during his “Power” season two debut, according to mstarz.com.

President Serzh Sargsyan today sent a letter of condolence to President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on an accident with a cruise ship which sank into the Yangtze River in China’s Hubei province. The accident left multiple people dead.

“On behalf of the Armenian people and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest sympathy to you and the friendly people of China.

Sharing your grief, I wish steadfastness and strength of spirit to the victims’ families and the Chinese people.

I am confident that the PRC government will try its best to save as much people as possible” reads the RA president’s condolence letter.

Dear compatriots,

On behalf of the Artsakh Republic authorities and on my own behalf, I cordially congratulate all of you on the Day of the First Armenian Republic.

The Armenian people are among the world’s most ancient civilizations with a rich traversed path that still exist. Our people have passed this way full of difficulties and challenges with flying colors, keeping alive their language and culture, national dignity and traditions, and most significantly, the centuries-old vision of restoring the independent statehood.

This vision became reality in 1918 with the formation of the First Armenian Republic when the Armenians once again felt confident in their strength and stood for their Fatherland. Our heroic ancestors having forged victories in Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa had already been paving the ways for our future achievements.

Guided by the ideology of brave sons of Armenia and inheriting the helm we were able to gain victory in the Artsakh liberation struggle and revive the independent Armenian statehood.

Today there are two Armenian states and the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora unshakable trinity, which is key pledge of all our success. Drawing the moral of the past the Armenian people must continue their path towards the bright and radiant future in the same unified and consolidated manner.

Dear compatriots,

I once again congratulate all of us on this great holiday and wish peace, robust health and all the best.