Author: Sonya Jalatian

11 teams compete in Global Game Jam Armenia 2018

Sonya Jalatian
iTel.am, Armenia
Jan 29 2018
11 teams compete in Global Game Jam Armenia 2018

Global Game Jam Armenia 2018 has concluded in Yerevan on January 28. The hackathon took place for the third time, organized by Noor Games, UITE and the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) of the American University of Armenia. 11 teams competed in the hackathon this year.

One of project coordinators at Global Game Jam Armenia 2018, Narek Aghekyan has told Itel.am that the number of participants doubled as compared to last year, making almost 65 people.

“The teams presented prototypes of the games in the end of hackathon. We hope some of them will continue working on their ideas and finish the games. This year’s hackathon stood out by the number of mentors who worked with the teams – 15. They advised the participants about understanding the audience of their games, creating attractive elements, and many other topics. The mentors helped them to use the 48 hours they had efficiently and they will support the games with big potential in entering the market,” said Narek Aghekyan.

Narek Aghekyan Global Game Jam Armenia


It is worth reminding that 5 teams (30 participants) competed in Global Game Jam Armenia 2017. It was a part of the Global Game Jam hackathon. 95 countries held national hackathons that year.

Naira Zohrabyan: The draft law was positive at first glance, but the perception was different (video)

Sonya Jalatian
  • 15:13 | January 17,2018 | Politics
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Naira Zohrabyan, a member of the Tsarukyan Alliance, said in her speech that the draft law was positive at first glance, but the perception was different. “The thing is that there have been and will be political revenges in our country, verdicts, different decisions based on political tactics.

That’s because we do not have an independent judicial system. It is under the power of the authorities. We have the right to have a reasonable suspicion that something offered by the Government will be used for evil. It is the same, as one day you put bugs on people, thinking that they may witness something important one day.

Here we have a serious crisis of confidence. We have serious doubts that the draft, suggesting by the Deputy Chief of Police has a different purpose.”

Arayik Khandoyan stops hunger strike

Sonya Jalatian
  • 12:03 | January 9,2018 | Social
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Arayik Khandoyan (known as Lonely Wolf), a member of the Sasna Tsrer group, has stopped the hunger strike. Arayik Papikyan, his attorney, told A1 +.

It should be reminded that Araik Khandoyan was transferred to Nubarashen penal institution on December 29 and has declared a hunger strike. During his ten days in prison, he was on a hunger strike.

Vache Chilingaryan dies while helping his friend

Sonya Jalatian
  • 12:56 | January 8,2018 | Official
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Vache Chilingaryan, fatally wounded by the adversary’s shooting yesterday, was the resident of Shorzha village, Gegharkunik region.

Sulishko Shushanyan, head of the village,informed us that the soldier had two sisters and lived in socially normal conditions. “They have a small household, live normally. Vache was a good boy, physically strong, tall, hardworking,” said Sulishko Shushanyan.

To the question, whether he had any kind of information about the case, Sulishko Shushanyan said, “We are told that his friend was shot and Vache went to help him, and he was also shot. Then the third went to them and the adversary shot him, too. We have two injured and one victim.

Details are available here

Armenian Sniper Makes 2,145 Meter Shot on Azeri Border

Sonya Jalatian
The Fire Arm Blog
Jan 4 2018


Armenian Sniper Makes 2,145 Meter Shot on Azeri Border


An Armenian social media personality who closely follows the Armenian Military side of the extremely contested eastern border with Azerbaijan recently posted a narrated video on his Facebook page of what appears to be a filmed engagement of Azeri troops in the disputed border region. Both countries have had a long history of cross-border military action between the two, but our focus here is on the precision shooting that transpired. The video is allegedly taken from an Armenian fortified defensive position, with a sniper team. We know the range to the target of an Azeri patrol is roughly 2,145 meters according to the narration. How accurate this is, we don’t know but it would appear to have been lased with a rangefinder.

There appear to be two shots fired by two different snipers with manually repeating rifles as we can hear the distinctive sound of a bolt being worked back and forth in the background. The first shot is fired at around 0:30, and roughly takes around 5 seconds to impact next to the Azeri patrol. We know this because for an odd reason it is a tracer round. Another shot cracks off just a second later. The first shot appears to impact several meters to the left of the clustered Armenian patrol. It must be noted that although the first shot shakes the camera, the second shot doesn’t, indicating that the second shooter isn’t as close to the camera as the first shooter is. Because of the close connection between the bolt being worked and the camera moving, the camera might actually be attached to the rifle, probably on a Picatinny rail. However,  if it is truly at 2,145 meters, I don’t know of any Picatinny mounted system that could capture any amount of quality footage to that distance.

It would appear that the bolt action rifle used is of a larger caliber than 7.62x51mm NATO, probably .300 Win Mag or higher. Armenian snipers have been known to have been issued the Zastava M93 “Black Arrow”, which actually came in both .50 BMG, and 12.7x108mm. It would appear that with the range involved, manually repeating, magazine fed action, and what might be a Picatinny rail, is our winner. Armenia does have a local company that has a licensed version of the M93, with the Aspar Arms model. It is unclear if the rifle is simply modified, or if it is actually produced in Armenia. Interestingly the Aspar Arms versions are chambered in 12.7x107mm instead of 12.7x108mm.

When the second shot is fired, you see the group scatter, and you also don’t see any puff of smoke, which might leave to a conclusion that one of the Azeri troops was dropped. But to be brutally honest, the fact of the matter is that we just don’t know from the quality of the video. There is a third shot, but we don’t know where it went. In this screengrab, one of the Azeris does go down, but all of them appear to successfully run off.

The next part of the video is confusing as it shows a vehicle that appears to have suffered a mobility kill and isn’t moving. But Armenian snipers are still taking shots at it and missing. Then it cuts to an announcement by the Azeri Defense Ministry that shows the deaths of 8 Azeri soldiers on the border, one of them being a Lieutenant. It claims that the vehicle hit a mine.

What might have been the case is that the soldiers in the initial scene were dismounted from their vehicle and were on a foot patrol when the snipers engaged them. After taking fire they ran back to their vehicle, which then later hit a mine.

Much thanks to TFB reader Verdan for the tip!

Turkish press: Jewish community to represent minorities in top Turkish body

Sonya Jalatian
DAILY SABAH WITH ANADOLU AGENCY
ISTANBUL
Published

Directorate of Foundations President Adnan Ertem said they were working on independent elections at minority foundations.

A candidate from the Jewish community was expected to be the new representative for minorities in the Assembly of Foundations, a powerful, state-run body which handles the affairs of foundations, including those belonging to minorities.

Moris Levi, the deputy leader of the Turkish Jewish community, was expected to be elected as the representative of the seven minority communities in the country, replacing Prof. Toros Alcan, a prominent figure from the Armenian community.

If confirmed, this will be the first time that Turkey's Jewish community will take part in the body, in which Greeks and Armenians have represented minorities in the past.

The assembly is dominated by bureaucrats and technocrats and it is the highest body for deciding the status of foundations that belong to minorities.

Non-Muslim communities in Turkey, which are concentrated in Istanbul, conduct their affairs through officially recognized foundations that represent their respective communities.

In the past decade, Turkey has moved to reinstate the rights of minorities, creating the post in the assembly amid calls by minorities seeking to have more say in their affairs.

Long treated as second-class citizens, the Greek, Jewish, Armenian and Chaldean communities have lauded the efforts for the return of their rights, although they have complained about it being a slow process.

Adnan Ertem, the head of the Directorate of Foundations which the assembly responds to, said in a recent interview that they were working on a set of regulations that would allow independent elections to be held in minority-run foundations.

If approved, it will mark a milestone for non-Muslim minorities in terms of conducting their daily affairs and preserving their heritage through foundations, giving minority communities broader freedoms.

The controversial wealth tax that was imposed in 1942 targeted rich non-Muslims, a pogrom in 1955 and the deportation of non-Muslim Turkish citizens in 1964, adding to "a fear of the state" among non-Muslim minorities.

The "democratization package" announced by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government seeks to change the state's view on minorities, restoring their rights through new bills.

Then-prime minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced in 2011 that the hundreds of properties that were confiscated from minorities over the years would be returned and compensation would be paid for the properties that were later sold to third parties.

Although no comprehensive laws exist to restore property rights, Turkish courts are gradually returning properties to minorities who prove ownership.

The election issue is a matter which overshadows minorities' democratic rights. Although minorities are free to elect their own foundation members, they are still subject to inspection by the state and require the approval of government authorities.

Book: New book reaffirms Armenian ethnicity of master architects behind Istanbul’s look

Sonya Jalatian 
Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
December 7, 2017 Thursday


New book reaffirms Armenian ethnicity of master architects behind
Istanbul's look



YEREVAN, DECEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Hundreds of buildings have been built
in Istanbul by the Balyan family.

For many years Turks were denying the fact that the Balyans were
Armenians, but today, this fact is being accepted already in Turkey
itself.

Ashot Grigoryan’s “Treasures of the gardens of the Armenian People:
Balyans” book once again affirms the Armenian ethnicity of the Balyan
family.

Head Scientific-Secretary of the A. Tamanyan National Museum-Institute
of Architecture Ashot Grigoryan told ARMENPRESS that collecting an
archive about Armenian architects in foreign countries has been on the
museum-institute’s agenda.

“Upon collecting materials on architects who lived or still are living
in Turkey, it turned out that there is a big gap about the Balyan
architect generation. The Balyan’s were very famous architects in
Turkey, but their Armenian ethnicity was rejected for many years”, he
said.

The book shows facts, how the Balyan’s appeared in Istanbul, who they
were, whether or not it was a coincidence that Armenian architects
were also working in Istanbul even before the Balyans. “And it turned
out that before the Balyans, architect Sinan was working in Istanbul,
and Turkey again denies his Armenian background”, he said.

Grigoryan says materials about the Balyans were found in Italy upon research.

Grigoryan said the Balyan’s have hundreds of works in Istanbul, both
Ottoman and Armenian buildings. “These are palace and military
buildings, residential homes, towers, bridges, dams. The Balyan’s are
also the architects of many districts. They also built churches and
hospitals for the Armenian community. Nearly 90% of their buildings
are preserved today”, he said.

Grigoryan says the DolmabahçePalace of Istanbul is among the most
famous works of the Balyans.

Karen H. Grigoryan as the leader of Penang Open

Sonya Jalatian
  • 18:15 | December 6,2017 | Sports
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After 5 rounds in the international chess tournament Penang Open in Malaysia, our grandmaster Karen H. Grigoryan is leading the tournament list. He is the only one who has won all his games and has scored 5 points. He is followed by four chess players who are half a point behind.

In the 6th round tomorrow, Karen H. Grigoryan will meet with one of these players, Vietnamese Grandmaster Duy Quan Nguyen (Duke).

Children’s philharmonic celebrates the 80th anniversary of the first and current directors

Sonya Jalatian
  • 19:27 | December 5,2017 | Culture
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The annual performance of the Children’s Philharmonic Variety Symphony Orchestra named after Yuri Bakhshyan was dedicated to artistic director of the orchestra Melik Mavisakalyan’s 70th anniversary, and first artistic director of the orchestra and current adviser Stepan Gevorgyan’s 80th anniversary.

From folk songs to jazz, classic and contemporary music. According to Stepan Gevorgyan, the program of the songs they choose mostly together, and sometimes even the children themselves offer their own works.

“I regret that the children get matured and come out of the orchestra,” says Mr. Mavisakalyan, “Unlike the ordinary orchestras, children can be in this orchestra until a certain age, andit seems that the generation changes quickly. Well, this is a natural phenomenon.”

Our Community Lost a True Activist in Mina Shirvanian

Sonya Jalatian
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8 hours ago

Mina and Hacob cut the ribbon of the Shirvanian Youth Center in Gyumri July 2016

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

When I received the news of Mina Shirvanian’s passing on Friday night I was saddened not only for her beloved family but also for the huge loss our community suffered because Mina was a true activist, who through her commitment, dedication and drive advanced the Armenian Cause and elevated the community organizations that worked tirelessly in its pursuit.

I remember meeting Mina in 1991, weeks after I moved from Boston to Los Angeles to work at the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region. It was a reception to welcome renowned human rights activist Yelena Bonner to L.A. who was to be honored by the ANCA-WR for her advocacy on Armenia and Karabakh.

The opulent surroundings of the evening were no distraction for Mina, who spoke that evening with pride and conviction about the struggle our people were facing in Artsakh and thanked the guest of honor, Yelena Bonner, for her advocacy and her work. She did so, in what I would come to realize was Mina’s unique way of addressing the most pressing of issues—with poise, grace and elegance that did not mask the fighting spirit that guided her in all her endeavors. I could tell that Mina was especially proud that night because the person who had espoused our cause for justice was a woman.

As I grew to know Mina and her husband, Hacob, my respect for their unwavering devotion and their caring approach to all things Armenian only was heightened as their humility and aplomb became life lessons that I will always carry with me.

Mina did not let an illness get in the way of her efforts to advance our nation. In July of 2016, she and Hacob traveled to Armenia to be present at the opening of a youth center in Gyumri named after the Shirvanians because Mina and Hacob were the glue that made this home for young Gyumri residents possible. It was not just a building that bore their name. For Mina, it was a guarantee that our nation would thrive through its youth, which had significant importance for her and her husband. After all she was a trailblazer. She was the co-founder of the AYF Soghomon Tehlirian Junior chapter in Los Angeles.

Her involvement in many organizations—the ACF, ANCA, ARS, AEF, Ferrahian School, Glendale Adventist, to name a few—was a reflection of her firm belief that by enabling those who work for the betterment of our community, we are simply strengthening our homeland and our nation.

With her passing on Friday, our community has lost a true activist, whose work and dedication can only serve as valuable examples for us who will continue her vision and for future generations.

On behalf of all of us at Asbarez, we offer our most heartfelt condolences to the Shirvanian family. May she rest in peace.