Author: Mike Maghakian

Alexis Ohanian to help bring high tech companies to Armenia

Mike Maghakian
iTel.am, Armenia
Aug 17 2018

Co-founder of Reddit and Initialized Capital venture company Alexis Ohanian is ready to assist with inviting AI, blockchain, self-driving car companies to Armenia, First Deputy Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan announced on his Facebook page.

15:49 | 27.04.15

“Alexis is impressed with the ability of Armenian engineers to solve complex problems and their deep knowledge in Math and Algorithms. He suggested positioning ourselves in creating and developing innovative technologies for the future by solving the most complex problems in Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, unmanned vehicles and more,” said Arshakyan after a phone conversation with Ohanian.

According to him, the Armenian Diaspora is a powerful source of talent, experience and international connections.

“The opportunities have no limit, and we should use the momentum, each and every one of us!
We may have no such chance again if we miss this opportunity for,” concluded the First Deputy Minister.

Kremlin calls new Trump sanctions ‘unacceptable’

Mike Maghakian
  • 18:32 | August 9,2018 | Politics
  • Հայ

The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov,  has condemned as “unacceptable” new sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on Russia over Moscow’s alleged involvement in the poisoning of a former Russian double agent.

The State Department on Wednesday announced that the Trump administration was imposing mandatory new sanctions on Russia for violating a U.S. law prohibiting chemical and biological weapons. In March former Russian spy Sergey Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, were poisoned with a Soviet-designed nerve agent known as Novichok. The poison was smeared onto the front door of Skripal’s home in Salisbury, England, and U.K. authorities have blamed the assassination attempt on the Kremlin.

The new U.S. sanctions ban the export of any national security-sensitive goods or technology to Russia and will affect such products as gas turbine engines, electronic devices and equipment, circuits and calibration equipment. A senior State Department official estimated the sanctions could affect hundreds of millions of dollars in trade with Russia

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Lydian Armenia fires back at investigative bodies, news media for intentional defamation

Mike Maghakian
ArmenPress, Armenia
Lydian Armenia fires back at investigative bodies, news media for intentional defamation



YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS. Lydian Armenia has expressed “confusion and anger” over the manipulation of its name in the official statement of the Investigative Committee on launching a criminal case on “intentional concealing of environmental pollution”, as well as the distortion of the information by certain media outlets.

“We hereby announce that Lydian Armenia has nothing to do with the criminal case and the individuals involved in it and it will seek that the people who are defaming the company’s name and business reputation are held accountable for under the law,” Lydian Armenia said in a statement.

It said that it views the Investigative Committee’s mentioning of its name in the statement to be an intentional black PR campaign. It says that it views the reports of certain media outlets who “presented the criminal case against officials of the nature protection ministry to be a criminal case against Lydian” to be also intentional, black PR.

“Lydian Armenia has never concealed any information from authorized bodies, and individuals involved in the management bodies of the company are certain that the company has adhered to all environmental requirements under Armenian legislation,” the statement said.

Lydian Armenia demanded news media to refute the inaccurate reporting, since the Investigative Committee has not initiated any such case against them.

“At the same time we expect investigative bodies to avoid unnecessary mentioning the name of the largest investor of the country in criminal cases which are initiated based upon the assumptions of private individuals, taking into account that such misleading reports are negatively impacting the rating of the company and the country in the international investment market,” Lydian Armenia said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Iran’s Armenian community gathers for key religious event

Mike Maghakian
PanArmenian, Armenia
– 14:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The 64th annual religious ceremony of Armenians in St. Thaddeus Monastery in Chaldoran, northwest of Iran started on July 14 and continued for three days, Front Pafe Iran reports.

In the course of the ceremony, Bishop Krikor Chiftjian, the Prelate of the Diocese of Iran’s East and West Azarbaijan provinces, referred to Iran as a great model for peaceful coexistence among monotheistic religions in the world.

Chiftjian said next week during his speeches in the US, he will serve as Iran’s cultural ambassador to inform the whole world of the deep respect paid by the Islamic Republic to religious minorities in the country.

“Iranian government officials are attempting to provide religious minorities with prosperity,” he was quoted as saying in a report by IRNA.

There is mutual respect between these religions in Iran, he noted, adding that Iranian Armenians attach significant respect to religious sites.

Each year, Qara Kelisa honours the memory of St. Thaddeus and his faithful followers.

Scores of Armenians, Assyrians and Catholics from Iran and other countries attend the annual event as part of their pilgrimage on the Day.

The ceremony is known as one of the largest religious ceremonies held by Armenians.

The St. Thaddeus Monastery is one of the oldest and most notable surviving Christian monuments of Iran that has a great significance for the country’s Armenian community.

Armenians believe the monastery is the world’s first church constructed in 68 CE by one of the apostles of Jesus, St. Thaddeus. According to Armenians, he had traveled to Armenia to preach the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Ռուսական ռազմաբազայի զինծառայողները ոչնչացնում են պայմանական հակառակորդին

Mike Maghakian
  • 17.07.2018

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Հայաստանի ռուսական ռազմակայանի զինծառայողները մոտոհրաձգային դասակների մարտական հրաձգությունների ընթացքում պայմանական հակառակորդ նշանակող թիրախներ են խոցում «Ալագյազ» բարձրլեռնային զորավարժարանում: Այս մասին հայտնում են ՌԴ-ի Հարավային ռազմական օկրուգի մամուլի ծառայությունից:


Նշվում է, որ մարտական հրաձգությունների պարապմունքները մեկ ամսվա թնթացքում անցկացվում են բարձրլեռնային, էքստրեմալ շոգ կլիմայական պայմաններում:


Զինծառայողները միայնակ պատրաստության պարապմունքներում, անձնակազմեր ու ջոկեր կազմելիս հղկել են մարտավարական եւ հատուկ պատրաստության, վարման եւ ԲՄՊ-2 զենքով, Տ-72Բ տանկերով, հրազենով, ավտոմատ (ԱԳՍ-17) եւ ձեռքի (ՌՊԳ-7Վ) նռնականետերով հրաձգության նորմատիվների կատարման վարպետությունը: Հայաստանի ռուսական ռազմակայանի մոտոհրաձգային դասակների համալիր պարապմունքներին ներգրավված Է են շուրջ հազար զինծառայող եւ 250 միավոր հատուկ ռազմական տեխնիկա:

Political scientist says after Armenian PM’s Brussels visit threat of launching war by Azerbaijan decreased

Mike Maghakian
| 17:47 | July 14 2018
Categories
Artsakh
Region
World

Political scientist Ruben Mehrabyan says after the visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Brussels, the threat of launching war by Azerbaijan has somehow decreased.

“I think the meetings in Brussels significantly increased the price of unleashing a possible war. For Aliyev the Brussels meetings showed how high that price is”, the political scientist told reporters.

Commenting on the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, he said it enables to maintain the negotiations process at least in a minimal way.

“The achievement was the agreement that these meetings will continue. Moreover, there are talks that the meeting lasted quite long, nearly 4 hours. It can be supposed that a wide range of issues were discussed”, Mehrabyan said.

Press Statement by Co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk Group following their meeting with Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan

Mike Maghakian
  • 18:40 | July 12,2018 | Official
  • Հայ

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) hosted an introductory meeting between Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov on 11 July in Brussels. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the meeting. This was the first high-level meeting between the sides in this format since elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Ministers exchanged views regarding the situation on the ground and discussed next steps and parameters for re-engaging in substantive negotiations. The sides considered several issues for future meetings, including a range of possible confidence-building measures.

The Co-Chairs ‎stressed the importance of reducing tensions and avoiding inflammatory rhetoric. The Co-Chairs also reiterated their commitment to helping the sides find a peaceful solution to the conflict based on the core principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including the non-use or threat of force, territorial integrity, and the equal rights and self-determination of peoples.

The Ministers agreed to meet again in the near future under the auspices of the Co-Chairs.

Անթիլիաս – Ն.Ս.Օ.Տ.Տ. ԱՐԱՄ Ա. ԿԱԹՈՂԻԿՈՍ ԸՆԴՈՒՆԵՑ «ԱՐՄԷՆՓՐԷՍ»Ի ՏՆՕՐԷՆԸ

Mike Maghakian
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
PO Box : 70 317 Antelias – LEBANON
Tel: (+961-4) 410 001 / 3
Fax: (+961-4) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]

Ն.Ս.Օ.Տ.Տ.
ԱՐԱՄ Ա. ԿԱԹՈՂԻԿՈՍ ԸՆԴՈՒՆԵՑ «ԱՐՄԷՆՓՐԷՍ»Ի ՏՆՕՐԷՆԸ

 

Երեքշաբթի, 10 Յուլիս 2018-ի երեկոյեան, Պիքֆայայի Ս. Աստուածածին Վանքի Վեհարանէն ներս, Ն.Ս.Օ.Տ.Տ. Արամ Ա. Վեհափառ Հայրապետը ընդունեց «Արմէնփրէս»ի տնօրէն՝ Արամ Անանեանը։ Հանդիպումին ներկայ էին Կաթողիկոսարանի տեղեկատուական բաժանմունքի վարիչ՝ Հոգշ. Տ. Պետրոս Վրդ. Մանուէլեան, յիշեալ բաժանմունքին վարիչի օգնական՝ Հոգշ. Տ. Յովակիմ Աբղ. Բանճարճեան, ինչպէս նաեւ «Ազդակ», «Զարթօնք» եւ «Արարատ» օրաթերթերու խմբագիրները։

Հանդիպումը առիթ մը եղաւ քննրակելու ընդհանրապէս Հայաստանի ներկայ կացութիւնը, Հայաստան–Սփիւռք գործակցութիւնը եւ յատկապէս հայ մամուլին դերն ու անոր դիմագրաւած մարտահրաւէրներն ու դժուարութիւնները՝ թէ՛ Հայաստանի եւ թէ Սփիւռքի մէջ։ Վեհափառ Հայրապետը շեշտեց, որ հայ մամուլը հայ եկեղեցւոյ ու հայ դպրոցին կողքին գործօն դերակատարութիւն ունի հայապահպանման համազգային առաքելութեան մէջ եւ այս ծիրէն ներս Հայաստան–Սփիւռք գործակցութեան կարեւորութիւնը։

 

—


Communication & Information Department

NASA awards its highest honor to Yervant Terzian

Mike Maghakian
Cornell Chronicle, Cornell University
June 27, 2018
 
 
NASA awards its highest honor to Yervant Terzian
 
By Linda B. Glaser |
 
June 27, 2018  

NASA has announced it will award the Distinguished Public Service Medal, its highest honor, to astronomer Yervant Terzian, the Tisch Distinguished Professor Emeritus. The medal will be presented by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston on Aug. 2. The ceremony will be broadcast live at noon EDT on NASA TV.

“Dr. Yervant Terzian has dedicated his life to education, public service and scientific research,” according to NASA in its award citation. “He has used his enthusiasm for space exploration and education to bring inspirational experiences to students and the general public across the country.”

NASA continued: “Dr. Yervant Terzian has made an indelible impact on education and inspiring young minds. … He has evoked comprehension and wonder in his students and in his public audiences. These accomplishments and his eminent humanity prove Dr. Terzian worthy of this Distinguished Public Service Medal.”

Terry Herter, chair and professor of astronomy, agrees. “Dr. Terzian has been a relentless, eloquent ambassador for the sciences over his entire career, reaching and influencing undergraduates, graduate students, colleagues and the general public. This is a very well-deserved award.”

Terzian has served on eight NASA committees, including the Hubble Space Telescope Fellowship Committee, NASA’s Diversity in Science Education and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Radio Astronomy Evaluation Committee. For 20 years, Terzian directed the NASA New York Space Grant Consortium, comprising 19 universities and five industries and science centers. In 2012, the 52 state NASA Space Grant directors elected Terzian chairman.

“The Space Grant has been very successful in implementing space programs for the brightest students across New York state to provide them with opportunities to develop their interest in space,” said Terzian. “This is what will keep the United States as the leader.”

For 12 years, Terzian served as a visiting lecturer in astronomy for the American Astronomical Society, traveling across the U.S. enhancing college communities’ scientific understanding of the universe. He has also contributed to dozens of radio and television programs for public listeners, on topics such as life in the universe, NASA and the space program, the U.S. space shuttle program, and the state of astronomy.

Terzian said he has been inspired throughout his life by the ancient Greeks and their deductive method of science. “When I was very young and asked my father why there were stars, I was not satisfied with the answers, and I started reading everything I could from the American Library in Cairo,” he explained. “The description of nature through our science, through our scientific methods, is still young, and we should expect major discoveries in the future. From the work humans have achieved so far, we can deduce that we are not alone in the universe, and the day will come that we will find life in other planets.”

Terzian is known for his studies of stellar evolution and the discovery of regions of hydrogen gas between distant galaxies – a finding that indicated the presence of unseen matter in intergalactic space. His research using national radio astronomy observatories has been supported by NASA and the National Science Foundation. He is the author or co-author of more than 235 scientific publications and the editor of seven books, including “Carl Sagan’s Universe.”

A member of the faculty since 1965, Terzian served as chair of Cornell’s Department of Astronomy from 1979 to 1999. He initiated the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Cornell, which offers summer research for students, particularly women and members of underrepresented groups.

Among Terzian’s many honors are NASA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Republic of Armenia’s Gold Medal, its highest honor for scientific achievement. He was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2001.

At Cornell, Terzian has been recognized for the excellence of his teaching with the Clark Distinguished Teaching Award in 1984 and the Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellowship Award in 2001.

Linda B. Glaser is a staff writer for the College of Arts and Sciences.