French police put an end to Georgian-Armenian criminal gang activities, Report.ge reported. Law enforcement officers have reportedly detained 12 criminal gang members led by a Georgian mafia boss and the head of the Armenian unit.
The police have seized four vehicles, a motorcycle, five pistols, EUR 17,000, jewelry, and leather products. Police officers say that the detainees are international criminal gang members.
Over the past two years, two million Lebanese have been facing dire poverty and economic collapse, more than they can tolerate since a century ago, when the country was also in economic dire need. The truth is that millions in the nation are living in poverty, and it doesn’t help with the currency losing ninety percent of its value, the current pandemic, and last August’s Beirut explosion that killed over two-hundred people. While he can’t fix the bigger problems of the situation, Lebanese couture designer Krikor Jabotian has decided to do something about it by collaborating with Beit el Baraka to launch the Flower Glory campaign of seven broaches.
BEIRUT, LEBANON- Couture designer Krikor Jabotian is collaborating with Beit el Baraka to launch … [+]
Photo Credit: Krikor Jabotian
The limited-edition broaches are created by Lebanese artisans this is what makes them unique to Lebanon. “Being entirely hand-made by Lebanese artisans, the broaches embody Lebanese workmanship,” notes Jabotian. The campaign is running throughout this month with all sales going to Beit el Baraka, a non-profit charity that’s dedicated to helping destitute communities with basic needs, providing access to food, decent livelihood, medical services and education.
“Flower of Glory is the atelier’s humble way of giving back to the community after all Lebanon went through this past couple of years,” muses Jabotian. “I always had a great sense of gratitude and respect for Beit el Baraka’s mission and vision and I knew that together we were able to do something about the situation, even on a small scale. Everyone should help as much as they can, as hand-in-hand, we can make a significant step towards realizing the dream of a better Lebanon.
His inspiration for the seven broaches were inspired by Lebanese women, who for the designer constitute and sustain the country. “The flower motifs, each one as special and unique as the women of Lebanon themselves, serve as a reminder of the nature of life itself, and of the country’s constant state of change: the alternation between blossoming and perishing, life and death,” he says. Giving praise to the nurturing, fighting, mentor nature of women, as well as the providers that women naturally in Jabotian’s opinion have enabled Lebanon to blossom and persevere under severe hardships.
Naming the seven broaches: Anahid, Layla, Sabah, Salwa, Therese, Varteni and Victorine, Jabotian and artisans have created bouquets of brass and pearl, of exquisite unique and respective design.
With Lebanon’s worsening situation, it’s his continuous producing of collections that as he says, “is the only thing that is keeping me sane at the moment. I will never stop!”With an Armenian work ethic Jabotian can be seen in his Achrafieh atelier working side by side his staff to create some of the most jaw-dropping couture gowns. Not pretentious but comical without trying to be and direct, Jabotian loves doing what he does best: designing and making women feel special for their big events. The young designer has designed for Queen Rania of Jordan, a connoisseur of the Krikor Jabotian brand. He got his start in fashion by working for renowned Lebanese designer Elie Saab after graduating from the École Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode (ESMOD) in Beirut. It was the Starch Foundation, funded by haute couture designer Rabih Kayrouz and Solidere that Jabotian had the opportunity to show his creations. This was the conception of his own house at twenty-three, a brand that he runs with his father, mother and sister.
BEIRUT, LEBANON- Krikor Jabotian has partnered with Lebanese artisans to make seven brass bouquet … [+]
Photo Credit: Krikor Jabotian
“The Past two years have been horrible on all levels in Lebanon,” he continues. “Not only were we facing a pandemic just like the rest of the world, but, the Lebanese currency’s inflation rate is still soaring, the banks put restrictions on all withdrawals and the August, 4, 2020 Beirut blast – one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history – destroyed the whole capital, all of which is leaving up to two million Lebanese living in poverty due to the worst socio-economic crisis that the country has faced since 1920. For us as a house, the past couple of years were all about survival. our aim was to preserve our employees and hope for a better future. Therefore, the atelier worked on the dropping, toiling hours for all departments excluding production to cope with the lockdown and economic downfall in Lebanon.”
But despite the situation in the tiny Levantine nation, Jabotian seeks to give back and move forward with initiatives like Flower Glory, continuing with hope that the fashion industry in the country and that his house will endure. “We are truly thankful to all those who contributed and made the campaign successful,” he notes.
Broaches can be purchased by emailing: [email protected]
With a background in International Politics and having worked for a few years in Washington, DC, Ally has found herself in a totally different arena- fashion journalism.
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It’s very important to understand which offices people with different political views should hold. This is what acting Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan told reporters today, touching upon the content that many officials have been dismissed due to political differences.
“Political offices need to be held by politicians with political views that are the same as those of the ruling party because it’s very important that people holding political offices take actions in the same direction and develop the state policy in accordance with the mandate that the ruling party has received.
If we’re talking about civil servants, which doesn’t imply political views, I’m certain that professionalism will be the only principle. If we’re talking about political offices, political views are of major significance. I repeat — we’re tolerant towards people with different political views, but we’re not tolerant towards crimes. Some people are trying to present the opposite, but we’re actually intolerant towards crimes,” Avinyan said.
The Police of Armenia have monitored electoral violations since the holding of snap parliamentary elections was announced on May 11. This is what Deputy Chief of Police Ara Fidanyan told reporters today, presenting the past and future activities of the Police ahead of the snap elections of the National Assembly.
“In the mentioned period, the Police have recorded 80 cases of electoral violations, 45 of which have been processed through the procedure provided for by the Criminal Procedure Code, and 35 of which are accidental. Monitoring continued after the election campaign was launched, and 92 cases of electoral violations have been recorded to this day,” he said, noting that the cases of damage caused to the posters of political parties running in the elections sparked the public’s attention a lot.
“In regard to this, I must also state that there are positive indicators, that is, certain cases have been revealed. The revelation of cases of electoral fraud is especially in focus, and the police have worked quite extensively. Monitoring continues,” Fidanyan concluded.
13:05,
YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. The Civil Contract party led by caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan will hold a march in Yerevan today in the evening.
“It will launch at 19:00 in Zeytun administrative district. I invite our beloved residents of Yerevan, Zeytun to that meeting”, Pashinyan said during the party’s pre-election campaign in Syunik province.
Talking about the June 20 snap parliamentary elections, he urged everyone to definitely participate in the elections and vote in their favor.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
15:34,
YEREVAN, JUNE 11, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian military and civilian prisoners captured during and after the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and also calls on Baku to refrain from arbitrary detention in the future, the Armenian Embassy in the Czech Republic said on social media.
ARMENPRESS presents the text of the resolution:
“After the justification of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs PhDr. Martin Povejšil, the news report sent by Mgr. Jiří Kobza and after the debate
The Foreign Affairs Committee:
Whereas on 19 March 2021 Human Rights Watch reported that Azerbaijani security and armed forces were abusing Armenian prisoners of war, and subjecting them to cruel and degrading treatment and torture, either at the time of their capture, during their transfer or in custody in various prisons
17:36,
YEREVAN, 10 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 10 June, USD exchange rate down by 0.29 drams to 519.28 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.65 drams to 631.65 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 7.19 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 4.46 drams to 732.08 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price up by 6.56 drams to 31630.8 drams. Silver price down by 2.52 drams to 460.45 drams. Platinum price down by 127.74 drams to 19349.78 drams.
Turkish contractors hope to play a key role in the rebuilding of Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was recently reclaimed after nearly three decades of Armenian occupation, Turkey's Trade Minister Mehmet Muş said Monday.
Turkey's contractors have undertaken projects around the world, and in Azerbaijan in particular they have completed nearly 450 projects worth $15 billion (TL 127.12 billion), Muş said during the virtual Turkey-Azerbaijan Investment Forum organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK).
The Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory and was occupied by Armenia in 1991, was liberated by Azerbaijan in November as part of a Russia-brokered truce following a 44-day war.
Underlining the importance of bilateral trade, Muş said Turkey and Azerbaijan aim to reach a trade volume of $15 billion.
He said Turkey and Azerbaijan's trade rose by 5% in 2020 on an annual basis to $4.6 billion, despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Trade increased in the first four months of 2021 and the trend is expected to continue throughout the year, he added.
Muş said that studies are ongoing to expand the scope of a preferential trade agreement that came into effect on March 1.
He shared that Turkey's investments in Azerbaijan amounted to $12 billion, while Azerbaijan's in Turkey totaled $19.5 billion.
Azerbaijan ranked 28th among 190 countries in the Doing Business Index by the World Bank, the minister said.
Mikayil Jabbarov, Azerbaijan's economy minister, said the "constructive" meeting will strengthen the bond of the Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood.
"The friendship and brotherhood between Turkey and Azerbaijan are at a peak today," he said, adding that more companies investing in each other's countries would have a stronger impact on bilateral trade.
Jabbarov said Turkey and Azerbaijan will continue to support each other with the "one nation, two states" motto.
Nail Olpak, the president of DEIK, highlighted Azerbaijan's new investment opportunities in the aftermath of the victory in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"We have talked with Azerbaijan about joint projects in third countries as well," Olpak said, listing nations like Georgia and Pakistan.
He said the potential investment areas included health, health tourism, agriculture, defense, infrastructure, mining and medicine.
Yusif Abdullayev, the acting president at the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation, said the forum will be important for Azerbaijan, Turkish investors and companies.
He said an investment roadshow was planned for the beginning of 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19. "We will present all investment developments that took place in Azerbaijan in recent years to Turkish investors."
The mirrored withdrawal of troops won’t ensure restoration of the rights of Armenia’s citizens. This is what Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan told reporters today, adding that the same goes for the deployment of international observers.
Tatoyan recalled that Sev Lake is under the Azerbaijanis’ control and added that this presents a serious danger from the perspective of water resources.
“It’s very bad that there is no proper attention paid to the human rights protection component. In conditions of demarcation and delimitation, Armenia has no right to consider everything in terms of politics and the military. We must not forget that there are people living there,” he said.
Recently, acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan proposed a mirrored withdrawal of the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops and the deployment of international observers on the border.