Author: Vardan Badalian

Henrikh Mkhitrayan wore an Armenian armband during Borussia Dortmund’s Europa League match against Liverpool.

“Played plenty of thoughts for my motherland tonight ‪#‎Armenia,” Henrikh wrote on social media after the match.

Liverpool held Borussia Dortmund to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinal as Jurgen Klopp made an emotional return to Signal Iduna Park.

Divock Origi opened the scoring for Liverpool. The hosts’ equalizer came within three minutes of the restart when Mats Hummels was allowed a free run at Mkhitaryan’s right-wing cross to power a header past Mignolet.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon plans to pay official visits to Azerbaijan and Armenia in late April, despite the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a UN source told on Monday.

According to the source, the escalation in the region “did not affect” the plans of the Secretary-General.

Last week, a UN source told TASS that Ban Ki-moon was going to visit Armenia and Azerbaijan and meet with leaders of the two countries shortly after the signing of the Paris climate deal set for April 22.

However, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, did not confirm the visit.

If Ban Ki-moon goes there, he will obviously meet with the heads of the countries, the spokesman said.

The Armenian national team will hold two friendlies as part of a training campaign in the United States.

On May 28 Armenia will face Guatemala at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and will play against El Salvador on June 1. The match will take place at the StubHub Center stadium in Los Angeles.

The Armenian-populated Nor Kyugh neighborhood of Aleppo came under shelling today, as armed terrorist groups violated the ceasefire after midday, Aleppo-based Kantsasar weekly reports.

An Armenian woman identified as Nuard Furunchian-Assatourian, born in 1955, was killed in the firing, a number of citizens were wounded.

Ashot Ghulyan, President of the National Assembly of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, sent a message to David Ralston, Speaker of Georgia’s House of Representatives, for adoption of a resolution recognizing Artsakh. Letters were also sent to the co-authors of the resolution.

“The independence and sovereignty of Artsakh are irreversible realities based on democratic values. Democracy is the pillar of security of the people of Artsakh,” Mr. Ghulyan said.

“The appreciation of Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s aspirations to create a democratic state and the success achieved on that route by our colleagues in the Georgian Parliament is important to us,” the Speaker stressed in the letters.

On March 3 the State of Georgia , resolution honoring and recognizing the the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Garo Paylan, a member of Parliament of Armenian descent who belongs to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), gave a speech and showed some photos in the Turkish general assembly on Thursday, Today’s Zaman reports.

The photos showed some of the graffiti that had been daubed on the ruined walls of southeastern villages during the recent curfews. The words “Armenian bastards” could be clearly seen on the photos and the situation has triggered a serious racism debate in Turkey.

Paylan first showed the photos and then stated that the situation is in itself a crime. He said this crime was committed not only by the security forces but also by the prime minister.

Last week Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was in Bingol and said “the Armenian gangs cooperated with the Russians during World War I”.

Paylan wisely asked in Parliament whether it would be fair for him to say “Turkish gangs” about the Turks and Kurds who sometimes join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)? Lastly, he asked “what kind of racism is it?”, drawing a thunderous commotion in Parliament from Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputies.

On February 29, on the sidelines of the 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met Philip Ruddock, Australia’s Special Envoy for Human Rights.

Edward Nalbandian and Philip Ruddock touched upon the issues of tightening of cooperation within international organizations.

During the meeting, joint steps towards the development of bilateral relations were discussed, importance attached to organization of high-level visits.

The sides commended the role of the Armenian community in Australia in the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

At the meeting, thoughts were exchanged on regional issues and ways to resolve them.

Photo: Getty Images

A memoir apparently written by a Canadian serial killer has been withdrawn within hours of appearing for sale online, the BC reorts.

Former multi-millionaire pig farmer Robert Pickton was convicted in 2007 of murdering six women. Charges relating to 20 other deaths were suspended.

Another inmate helped him smuggle the book out of prison, CTV reported.

The publisher requested its removal from retailer Amazon and apologised to victims’ families, reports said.

Officials in British Columbia had earlier vowed to prevent Pickton, who says he is innocent, from profiting from sales of the memoir, entitled Pickton: In His Own Words.

“It is not right that a person who caused so much harm and hurt so many people could profit from his behaviour,” said the province’s Minister for Public Safety, Mike Morris, in a statement.

British Columbian officials also asked Amazon to stop selling the memoir, which was published by Colorado-based Outskirts Press, a firm that specialises in helping authors self-publish books.

Amazon users had also called for it to be removed and gave it the lowest possible rating. The company has not yet commented on the book’s appearance on its site.

Asbarez – Over 100 community members gathered at the St. Mary’s Church hall for a Community Rally organized by the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund.

The Rally’s guest speaker was Rev. Haroutune Selimian, President of the Armenian Evangelical Community of Syria as well as a member of the Central Committee of Syrian- Armenian Emergency Relief and Reconstruction Organization.

“It is important for our community to hear first-hand from individuals on the ground in Syria,” said Mher Tavidian, a member of the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund. “Rev. Selimian gave us a glimpse into what the Armenian communities in Syria need and the realistic effects of where the relief funds money is going.”

The rally started with opening remarks by SARF Committee member Vazken Madenlian which reminded the community of the SARF “Save a Life” Telethon which is set to take place this Sunday, February 21 from 2 to 8 p.m. Following his remarks, Rev. Selimian took the stage to discuss the situation in Syria for Armenians and the effects SARF has had on the community.

“Many in the community have asked how long we should continue to keep fighting for our Community in Syria instead of evacuating them,” exclaimed Rev. Selimian. “Of course we must keep the community alive. Today is the day that we stay, not the day that we leave. We must protect our communities, the war will end and our community will thrive again.”

Rev. Selimian continued by thanking every single Armenian-American community member who heeded the call for help and supported SARF and its activities and urged the community to support the SARF Telethon.

“SARF has supported thousands of families so that they can continue their lives not only in the present, but for the future as well,” said Selimian.