Author: Vasilian Manouk

BOXING: VIC “RAGING BULL” DARCHINYAN DESTROYS MALDONADO!

Hardcore Boxing, CA
June 5 2006

“Team Fenech” Media Release – 6/5/2006

Reigning IBF/IBO flyweight world boxing champion Vic “Raging Bull”
Darchinyan – Australia’s only current male boxing world champion –
was at his destructive best in defending his world titles against
previously undefeated Mexican Luis Maldonado on Saturday night at
the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, USA.

30 year-old Darchinyan’s power packed left hand destroyed the 28
year-old from Mexicali with an eighth round TKO stoppage at the 1:38
minute mark.

Considered one of the hottest new stars in world boxing, Vic “Raging
Bull” Darchinyan from Sydney now has an undefeated record of 26 wins,
0 losses and 21 knockouts

Maldonado, who was rated No.10 in the world at flyweight by the
influential The Ring magazine, now has a record of 33 wins, 1 loss,
1 draw and 25 knockouts.

Darchinyan’s trainer is three-time world boxing champion and
International Boxing Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech.

30 year-old Darchinyan, the Armenia born Australian citizen southpaw,
is promoted by well-known American Gary Shaw, who guides the careers
of some of the best active boxing talent today.

`Construction-2006′ international congress to start in Tsakhkadzor

ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 11:12

The second `Construction-2006′ international congress will start today in
Tsakhkadzor. The event will be attended by representatives of more than 100
Armenian enterprises, as well as 20 large companies, construction unions and
associations of Russia, Iran and Ukraine.

RUSSIANS DENY ETHNIC MOTIVE OF MURDERS

Lragir.am
01 June 06

The leader of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Armenia Harutiun
Arakelyan and the leader of the People’s Party Tigran Karapetyan
expressed their opinions on the murder of Armenian young men in Moscow
over the past month.

Tigran Karapetyan. There must be special investigation for each
Armenian, and there is no need for the special services to leave
for Moscow, this issue must be raised on a government level both in
press and on television. Our foreign minister must react. Besides,
I am surprised that the Union of Armenians, I am not sure it is World
or Universal, Ara Abrahamyan who makes speeches and announces that
we are united. Where is our unity? Why cannot we see their influence?

Why don’t they take action? When I was in Russia, we could get
on well with the Kazaks, but the skinheads are more serious than
the Kazaks. The government agencies of Armenia, the head of state
should issue a note. There is certain dependence on Russia, and our
relations are not equal. We are shy like a small brother. There may
be a tendency, but it is more important that there are victims. It is
clear that there is no tendency, but when they kill a man in broad
daylight in the street, it is a problem. We must be categorical. We
can take steps. At any rate, we must note that there is an intention
because nothing happens by accident.

Harutiun Arakelyan. I think, be it Russia or another state, our
relations should be those of a state, and if necessity occurs, we must
issue a note. Moreover, it has been less than a year that they started
writing, but there were murders for decades. Not, say, of Armenians
but of foreigners, but we suffered more. Today everything seems to be
more coordinated, and it is high time that Ara Abrahamyan, who calls
himself “the king of kings” but is not capable of anything, to join
the Armenian state and demand explanations for everything. As a leader
of an Armenian party, I would call Armenia to issue an ultimatum to
Russia, and if a similar case occurred, to nationalize all the Russian
companies starting with the energy sector. The Russian law enforcement
agencies set forward different motives. They avoid speaking about
the ethnic motives, which reveals their connivance. Recently the law
enforcement agencies have begun speaking about the ethnic motive of
killings because they are unable to hide it any longer.

ANOTHER “OUR MOTHERLAND”

A1+
[09:09 pm] 30 May, 2006

The talks on introducing changes into the RA hymn were followed by
practical steps. Composer Robert Amirkhanyan presented his version
of the hymn in the Yerevan State University.

The composer claims that the music is the outcome of his assiduous and
year-long work and it has constantly been worked out. The author of
the words is again Amirkhanyan. By his step of presenting his version
of the hymn he shows his love for the country, maintaining that only
in this way one can prove that he is not indifferent to his homeland.

“Today I share my feelings with people who are concerned whether we do
anything or not. I had a few tasks. I strove to find the spirit and
inspiration of revival. It is rather difficult to create a symbol
within a moment and a half which is likely to remain for ever,”
says the composer.

While speaking of the music of the hymn of the Soviet Armenia the
composer stated that it is the symbol of the second republic. “The
third republic must have its symbol and improve it in the future,”
claims Amirkhanyan.

Robert Amirkhanyan is going to present his work in the competition
and claims that the public must listen to all the versions before
the final decision of the Committee is made.

Conductor and head of the Chamber orchestra Robert Mlkeyan supported
Robert Amirkhanyan’s opinion on this score. “We had an excellent hymn
written by Khachatryan but it is no longer the hymn of Armenia.

The present hymn is inadmissible, humiliating and improper. As a
citizen of RA I want it to be changed,” noted Robert Mlkeyan.

NOTHING CLOSES ACCIDENTALLY AND THE REPUBLICAN DOES NOT SPLIT ACCIDENTALLY
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir.am
24 May 06

There are two candidates in this photo. One is former, the other
is second. Hrant Khachatryan (on the left) is former candidate of
ombudsman, Tigran Torosyan (on the right) is a new candidate of speaker
of the National Assembly. The reporter of Lragir.am photographed
this pair of oppositionist and pro-governmental figures on their
agreement. We think nothing happens in politics accidentally. Although
Tigran Torosyan is considered a candidate of speaker, he has not
been nominated officially, and his political party has not announced
officially about the nomination of Tigran Torosyan. In fact, Tigran
Torosyan is a future candidate, and one can imagine the future with
one’s eyes closed, when the existing circumstances do not distract. In
fact, there is a circumstance that requires greater attention from
Tigran Torosyan. Member of Parliament Hakob Hakobyan, a member of
the People’s Deputy Group elected from Echmiadzin, is consistently
attempting at nominating another Republican, the leader of the
Republican faction Galust Sahakyan.

Even after Galust Sahakyan’s statement that in case of his nomination
he would withdraw his candidacy Hakob Hakobyan pursues the line of
nominating Sahakyan. It is difficult to explain Hakobyan’s persistence
in any way. He mentions that Galust Sahakyan is stronger and can get
a hold on the parliament before the upcoming election. This strong
candidate, however, openly announces that he does not want to be
speaker of parliament. Hence, Hakob Hakobyan and some other members of
parliament are trying to nominate Galust Sahakyan as speaker against
his will. If it is so, where is the strength of Galust Sahakyan if
he cannot even stop the members of parliament who are pushing his
nomination? Consequently, either Galust Sahakyan is not strong, and
Hakob Hakobyan has other intentions to nominate him, or he is strong
but he is not likely to prevent his nomination. In both cases it is
possible that the Republican faction is on the verge of split. It is
initiated by some force from inside the political party or maybe even
an outside force, strong enough to divide the Republican Party. It
is also possible that Hakob Hakobyan is backed by the Republican
or at least the part of the Republican Party which supports Galust
Sahakyan. This part did not dare to oppose to the prime minister
openly, however, Galust Sahakyan attempts at increasing his importance
in the party. Maybe he is not likely to become a speaker at all, but
he is also reluctant to refuse to become a speaker just for nothing. In
other words, Galust Sahakyan is doing political trade with his party.

Hence, Tigran Torosyan’s wish to have a photograph with Hrant
Khachatryan, which could have been born from the sense of alienation
from his fellows or simply for an exchange of experience, is not
accidental. After all, the story of nomination of Hrant Khachatryan as
ombudsman and the story of nomination of Tigran Torosyan as speaker
are very much alike. And although one of them was nominated, knowing
that he would not be elected, and the other will probably be nominated
with the belief that he will be elected, both believe, nevertheless,
that this will be the last nominations in their political career. Hrant
Khachatryan may give useful advice to Tigran Torosyan not to go in
for the last nomination, and postpone it as long as possible.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO ISSUE A STATEMENT

ArmRadio.am
25.05.2006 12:20

This evening OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs will issue a statement on
the results of their visit to Armenia.

The delegation of mediators arrived in the region on May 24, and a
similar statement was issued yesterday in Baku.

To remind, the Co-Chairs arrives in the region accompanied by Russian
Deputy Foreign Minister Grigori Karasin, US Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State Daniel Fried and Director on Political Issue of the French
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Stanislas de Laboulaye.

VARTKES MAHDESIAN ELECTED ARMENIAN COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE OF CYPRUS PARLIAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 23 2006

NICOSIA, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Vartkes Mahdesian
was elected the Cyprus Armenian community representative of the
Parliament of Cyprus at the elections held on May 21. According to
the Beirut “Azdak” daily, V. Mahdesian participated in the elections
as an independent candidate though he enjoyed assistance of the ARF
Dashnaktsutiun and accompanying unions.

ARMENIAN CHURCH JOINS IN CONDEMNING ‘DA VINCI CODE’

Agence France Presse — English
May 23, 2006 Tuesday 2:27 PM GMT

Armenia’s Apostolic Church on Tuesday added its voice to worldwide
religious condemnations of the film “The Da Vinci Code”, calling on
Armenians to boycott the blockbuster and the book it is based on.

“The book by Dan Brown is disrespectful in regard to a sacred part of
Christianity and insults the feelings of believers,” Church spokesman
Vagram Melikian told AFP.

“It contradicts the Bible and distorts Christian truths,” he said.

“The Da Vinci Code”, based on a best-selling novel of the same name by
US writer Brown, centres on a theory that Jesus Christ fathered a child
with Mary Magdalene, and that the Roman Catholic Church covered it up.

Since the film’s release last week, it has sparked protests from
Christian and Muslim groups in numerous countries, some of which have
banned it.

“We cannot ban the film. That is done by individuals, whom we call
on not to show the film on (cinema) screens in Armenia,” Melikian
said, adding that Armenia “made Christianity the state religion 1,700
years ago.”

AIRBUS FLIGHT RECORDER SENT FOR DECIPHERING – MINISTER

Interfax, Russia
May 22 2006

MOSCOW. May 22 (Interfax) – The audio flight recorder of the Airbus
A320 of the Armenian Airline retrieved from the Black Sea bed has
been submitted for deciphering to the technical commission of the
Inter-State Aviation Committee, head of the governmental commission
probing the crash and Russian Transportation Minister Igor Levitin
told the Moscow press on Monday.

“Last night we managed to find the audio flight recorder under a
thick layer of sediments,” he said.

BLACK BOX FROM CRASHED ARMENIAN AIRLINER RECOVERED

MosNews, Russia
May 22 2006

One of the two flight data recorders from the Armenian Airbus-320
passenger plane, which crashed into the Black Sea off Sochi on May
3, has been found Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin said. The
black box recorded the conversation between the pilot and crew and
had been buried under 20-50 centimeters of silt, RIA Novosti news
agency quotes Levitin as saying.

He added that the search for the other box, which recorded flight
data and is thought to be lying 3-5 meters (10-16 feet) away from
the first one, would continue into the night.

Rescuers’ data showed that the A-320’s black boxes were at a depth of
496 meters (1,627 feet) and 5 meters (16 feet) apart from each other.

The operation started last Tuesday but was interrupted by a strong
side wind that made drift the ship which is operating the RT-1000
apparatus conducting the search for the flight recorders. Silt on
the seabed complicated the work, covering the video camera and the
searchlights. The team had to raise the apparatus several times for
cleaning. It takes 40 minutes for the apparatus to sink and as long
to come back to the surface.

Flight recorders used on aircraft of the Airbus-320 type withstand a
depth of up to 6,000 meters for 30 days, experts from the French air
crash investigation bureau said. They said that flight recorders’
radio beacons keep working during the 30-day period. One of the
flight recorders registers flight parameters, including the speed,
height and direction of the flight and the autopilot operation, each
second. The other records conversations in the cockpit. Each flight
recorder weighs 10 kilograms, including a seven-kilogram armored
casing, ITAR-TASS news agency reports.

A technical commission investigating the Sochi air crash, which is
led by the CIS Interstate Aviation Committee, has asked French experts
to help find A-320 flight recorders.

The black box has been sent to Moscow for the decoding of the final
minutes of the pilots’ conversation.

The airliner, operated by Armenia’s Armavia airlines, was flying from
the Armenian capital, Yerevan, when it crashed into the sea May 3 in
stormy weather six kilometers (3.7 miles) from Adler airport, which
services the popular Russian resort of Sochi. Of the 113 people who
were aboard the plane, 51 bodies have been found so far.