According to Professor Mustafa Muslim, the great powers will abandon the Kurds again once their objectives achieved.
Mustafa Muslim, older brother Salih Muslim, co-chairman of the PYD, analyzed the situation of the Kurdish population in the region to the official Anadolu news agency.
He believes that the support of major world powers to the Kurds PYD leads to an uncertain future, recalling that already in the past, the Kurds were “used and then abandoned” by the
SYRIA Syria: 6,000 civilians fleeing the offensive of the EI in the Aleppo region
Beirut, May 29, 2016 (AFP) – More than 6,000 civilians fled 24H in the advance of Islamic State group in the province of Aleppo taking refuge in the Kurdish-controlled areas in the northern region of Syria, reported Sunday the Syrian Observatory for fingers Rights (OSDH).
Friday, the Islamic State group (EI) cut the supply route between two strongholds of the rebellion in the region by taking villages between Marea and Azaz, 20 km further north.
“More than 6,000 civilians, mostly women and children, fled these villages Marea and fell the last two days in the hands of the EI”, told AFP the director of OSDH.
According to Rami Abdel Rahman, “the displaced arrived last night in areas west and northwest of Aleppo under control of Syrian Democratic Forces (FDS)”, an Arab-Kurdish alliance that fights on EI fronts in Syria.
The fighters of the IU, who want to take their strongholds for rebels of Azaz and Marea, are now only 5km from the second city, according to OSDH.
“There are only four medical staff at Al-Horriyya hospital, the only one in the city of Marea,” he told AFP an anesthetist of the institution who spoke on condition of anonymity .
Yehya, a nurse responsible for Assalama hospital in the north of Azaz for his part said that Doctors Without Borders had to evacuate patients and doctors in the hospital, fighting now taking place 3 km away.
“Our hospital is de facto closed except for emergency and relief,” said Yehya. He further pointed that “the new camps (for displaced people) are overcrowded and living conditions are precarious, without sanitation.”
The fighting left since Friday start of the offensive launched by the EI 47 deaths among the jihadist suicide bombers including 9 and 61 among the rebels and 29 civilians, according to OSDH which has a wide network of informants across the country.
In Aleppo itself, several areas of the city and areas to the north have been the target of violent Russian aerial bombings and the regime, according to OSDH.
Monday, May 30, 2016,
Stéphane © armenews.com
Stéphane © armenews.com
ARMENIA: The Prime Minister says he wants to strengthen the fight against corruption
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan ordered the Armenian government to reduce “corruption risks” in the management of public procurement, management has been repeatedly criticized by dog anti-corruption guard.
Abrahamian said that the Finance Ministry will “further enhance transparency in various stages of this process,” at the opening of a weekly session of his cabinet on Thursday. He said the ministry
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW OF A NAM EMC OZDEMIR “The bundestag will recognize the genocide”
In this exclusive interview with News Armenia Magazine and published in its June issue, Cem Ozdemir, Turkish co-chair of the German Greens, explains why the Bundestag will recognize the Armenian Genocide June 2 It reviews the history of this long struggle, he is involved, and explains the meaning of his commitment.News of Armenia Magazine: On June 2, a discussion of Armenian Genocide recognition will take place (…)
Pictured: Cem Özdemir, Green member of the Bundestag and co-chair of the Alliance 90 / The Greens, Norbert Lammert, President of the Bundestag, Selahattin Demirtaş co-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party and chairman of the parliamentary group of the party at the Great national assembly of Turkey
Photographer: Achim Melde
Pope will find Armenia which looks to the future – ambassador
Vatican Radio has interviewed Mikael Minasyan, the Armenian ambassador to the Holy See, over Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to Armenia and the expectations of the long-awaited trip.
Confirming the earlier media reports that the Pontific is due in the country in late June, the ambassador said that the entire nation is looking forward to the visit to thank him for the warm-hearted attitude to the Armenians.
What kind of Armenia is the Pope expected to find?
Today, Armenia is a young and dynamic state which this year is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union. Young as a state but having an ancient history, Armenia is confronting [challenges] with confidence, building the power of its identity, which is so demanded in today’s globalized world. The Pope will find an Armenia which is looking to the future, trying to overcome the planned economy’s complicated heritage and putting the emphasis on technologies, with a special focus on education. It is the Armenia, which having survived many pains in the past, is striving for peace, especially in our region.
What is the geopolitical situation in the region today?
My last remark actually addressed the situation in the region we live in. Armenia confronts many humanitarian disasters that have struck the Middle East and the Caucasus. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which has since 1994 been experiencing the tragedy of ceasefire violations, faced attacks against the backdrop of the international community’s silence. The episodes we have become the eye-witnesses of cannot but remind our population of the incidents in Anatolia 100 years ago, i.e. – the Armenian Genocide, or everything else that continues to happen to the Middle East Christian communities which are on the verge of disappearance. Armenia has, over the past years, hosted Christian Syrians on its land, and we have done the maximum within our power [to meet their needs]. Our solidarity with the Christian world and peace in our country will be discussed with the Pope in the course of his visit, and a joint prayer will be delivered for the special commitment to have a better world.
Azeri claims of military use of Islamic monuments false: Karabakh
Azeri Foreign Ministry statement on the alleged military use of monuments of Islamic architecture located on the territory of Nagorno Karabakh does not correspond to reality, Karabakh Foreign Ministry said Monday, May 30.
“Azerbaijan, with its experience of using religious monuments for military purposes – proved by the transformation of the Kazanchetsots church in Shushi into a military warehouse in 1992 – is once again trying to attribute its own practices to Karabakh,” the Ministry said, characterizing the statement as another allegation in a series of Baku’s false accusations.
“A body of compelling evidence suggests systematic and deliberate destruction of Armenian cultural heritage sites by the Azerbaijani authorities on the whole territory of Azerbaijan, as well as in Karabakh’s occupied region of Shahumyan.”
“The most blatant act of vandalism is the destruction of the medieval Armenian khachkar cemetery near the town of Jugha (Julfa) in Nakhichevan and turning the site into a military range in 2005. Despite numerous international appeals, the Azerbaijani side, seeking to avoid responsibility, does not allow international experts to visit the area,” the Ministry added.
According to the Karabakh foreign policy agency, if the Azerbaijani authorities are genuinely interested in the implementation of the fact-finding mission to assess the situation with the historical and cultural monuments, and do not pursue merely political or propaganda-related goals, Karabakh can expect that the work of the mission will start from visiting Shahumyan region and Nakhichevan.
“At the same time, we consider it necessary to note that all the monuments located in the territory of Karabakh, irrespective of their origin, are included in the State Registry of the Historical and Cultural Immobile Monuments and are under state protection,” the Ministry said.
“The Nagorno Karabakh Republic has been and remains open to international cooperation for the protection and preservation of cultural and historical heritage, and expects a similar openness from Azerbaijan.”
Greek protesters burn NATO & EU flags at Crete military base
Greek left wing protesters have held a major rally outside the NATO base in Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete, demanding the expulsion of the “imperialist” alliance which they claim “violates” the “sovereignty” of the country.
Amid heavy police presence, the protesters, led by Greek MP and Communist Party member Manolis Syntychakis, burned EU and NATO flags in front of the cameras. Holding protest banners and chanting anti- NATO slogans, the crowd delivered a letter bearing a list of demands to Air Force Colonel Ioannis Gerolimos, commander of the Hellenic Air Force base.
“We are here and we call upon citizens to fight and close the foreign bases and disengage our country from any form of US and NATO [participation],” said the chairman of the All Workers Military Front (PAME), Joanna Kourpa.
The Hellenic Air Force Base, home to Greek Air Force’s 115th Combat Wing, located east of the city of Hania, is also used by the United States Naval Support Activity (NSA). In addition it houses NATO Missile Firing Installation.
In February, a seven-ship flotilla was ordered to the Aegean to carry out reconnaissance patrols to help the coastguard of Greece and Turkey stem out the immigrant flow.
The protesters who are led by PAME view the Aegean operation as “mortal danger” which “violates sovereignty” of Greece. They accuse Athens and the EU of using the European refugee crisis as a “pretext” to promote “imperialist” ambitions and start interventions in countries such as Syria and Libya.
Furthermore, the anti-NATO activists argue that Greek bases are being used “in competition with Russia in the region and to encourage the aggressiveness of the Turkish state.”
Allure of Armenia
Yerevan city skyline with the Ararat Mountain range in the background.
By Shamlal Puri
Surrounded by Georgia in the north, Iran in the south, Azerbaijan in the east and Turkey in the west, Armenia is a mountainous country in the southern Caucuses. This is the region between Black and Caspian Seas, bordering Europe and Asia. Armenia boasts history which is longer than other European countries even though it gained its independence from the Soviet Union only in 1991 after the Russians had colonised it in the 1920s. It has one of the earliest Christian civilisations with churches built in the Fourth Century. Choked by a trade blockade by its neighbours Turkey and Azerbaijan due to historical political differences, Armenia is a relatively poor country with a high unemployment and poverty levels. It depends on development of its international tourist industry to beat abject poverty.
History hangs in the neck of the country and its capital Yerevan. The city’s claim to fame is its religious heritage because it is dotted with monasteries going back to centuries. The museum of Matenadaran houses over 1,500 religious manuscripts going back to ancient times revealing its past. Today, Yerevan is a compact metropolis affectionately called the City of Cafes. It is gaining in popularity as a holiday destination and a springboard for travel into the rest of the country.
Nature has been generous to landlocked Armenia by bestowing it with stunning natural beauty which is relatively untouched. Locals say it is a land where God descended from Heaven.
The lack of sea and ocean coasts, except for an inland lake, compensates with mountains and valleys. Mount Ararat, with its snow-dusted crown rising above the hazy clouds is a national symbol offering a tantalising sight from Yerevan city nestling under its shadow.
Yerevan has many attractions a city can offer but one has to venture further out to enjoy the thrill of an adventurous holiday. Top of the list is the Republic Square in the heart of the city. It is a nice place to wonder around. The large clock on the Government building at the entrance of the square grabs attention. This 92-year-old Russian-built majestic square looks like something out of Walt Disney’s stories! The musical water fountains featuring computer-controlled displays amid the sounds of jazz, pop, classical, and rock music are a special attraction in the evening. This is a beautiful place at night when the lights come on and crowds turn up to enjoy some unforgettable moments. Interesting Insight The square is close to the National Gallery and the History Museum which houses over 20,000 exhibits of Armenian, Russian and European paintings.
The History Museum is home to more than 400,000 items of Armenian heritage. The buildings are largely made of Armenian rose tufa stones. Armenian architecture also gives an interesting insight into the country’s history. Enjoy some tranquillity at The Cascade, an amazingly beautiful place with fountains and sculptures where you can sit and meditate amid the sounds of falling water. Described as a “giant stairway” connecting downtown Kentron with the Monument neighbourhood, the Cascade stands out on its own making it a symbol of Yerevan. It has an arts centre, cafes and restaurants.
The Vernissage Market is a huge street market which captures the attention of many visitors. Vendors have a rich display of traditional Armenian handcrafts, silver jewellery, carpets, souvenirs and paintings. I also saw stalls selling replica Russian military peaked caps and collectors’ items such as old cameras and antiquated ribbon typewriters! Haggling is strongly recommended as vendors can rip you off! Best time to visit is the weekends when there is a bigger selection of items on sale. Quality Music The nearby Blue Mosque is the only place of prayers for Yerevan’s Muslim community. The ornately-designed mosque, with its beautiful Persian architecture and art in several shades of blue tiles is an interesting attraction because of its colourful dome. The Iranian Government pays for its maintenance.
Classic music lovers should not miss the Opera Hall in the heart of the city. Enjoy an afternoon of high quality music and dancing.
You have to climb more than 570 steps to get to the top to enjoy breath-taking views of Yerevan city and Mount Ararat in the distance. There is also a lift to the top if you do not wish to use the stairs.
here are many brandy companies that offer guided tours of their distilleries. However, the Yerevan Brandy Company is more popular and visitors enjoy their famous Ararat brand vintage cognac with chocolates and cigars for free. It is a treat to see the huge barrels of brandy in storage. Interestingly, their building is also built using brandy coloured stones! There are plenty of thrills outside Yerevan. Winter sports are very popular in Armenia and there are several places to enjoy skiing. Head off to the mountain spa town of Jermuk in the Vyots Dzor Province, southern Armenia for a fascinating spectacle of fire and ice. After walking for a few hours in the deep snow, you come across the amazing spectacle of a natural hot spring with abundant supply of mineral water. You will be tempted to spend a few hours soaking in the hot water! The beautiful Tatev, Garni and Goris monasteries are among the many picturesque places worth visiting. Armenia’s only inland Lake Sevan, with its beaches and scenic mountains is a powerful attraction. Described as the Pearl of Armenia, this is one of the largest mountain lakes in the world with rare beauty. Thousands of holidaymakers descend on this area every year. Like the rest of Armenia, Yerevan is bound to increase in popularity among international holiday seekers in coming years.
Source: standardmedia
My time as a fake boyfriend to China’s ‘leftover women’
![Looks like the real thing: Celia and Sean [Image courtesy Sean Lee Baker]](https://i0.wp.com/gagrule.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/leftover-girles.jpg?resize=400%2C225)
Looks like the real thing: Celia and Sean [Image courtesy Sean Lee Baker]
As Chinese women face stigma for remaining unmarried past their late 20s, the boyfriends for rent business is booming.
Beijing, China – Celia stood in the corner of the room, removing her shoes and putting on her slippers.
We were about to meet her parents. She was anxious. So was I.
I had been starting to regret coming to the city of Harbin, in northeastern China. Fooling Celia’s parents into thinking I was her boyfriend suddenly didn’t seem like such a good idea.
You see, for about a week in February, I was her fake boyfriend.
Celia is in her late 20s, has a career and is unmarried. That sounds completely normal, doesn’t it?
But many Chinese do not see it that way. In their eyes, women should be wed by their late 20s.
Those who aren’t, like Celia, are branded “sheng nu” or “leftover women”.
And it isn’t only the older generation that thinks that way.
But what does this have to do with me?
Well, let me start by explaining that being a fake boyfriend isn’t my day job. I’m actually an events producer.
I knew Celia through a mutual friend. It was the two of them who came up with the idea of her renting a boyfriend in order to alleviate some of the pressure her parents were placing on her to marry.
For many Chinese, the New Year is the only opportunity they get to see their families. Bringing home a boyfriend or girlfriend at this time is pretty much like announcing your engagement.
In recent years, I’ve heard more about people renting boyfriends or girlfriends to please their parents and ease the pressure on them to marry. There used to be a section on Taobao, China’s largest e-commerce site, dedicated to renting boyfriends and girlfriends for the day, but it has since been closed. These days, everything goes through QQ, China’s equivalent of MSN Messenger or AOL, where the going rate is about 1,000 RMB (roughly $150) per day.
It is still a rather niche market. I suspect most people think bringing home a fake partner to meet their parents sounds like the plot of a bad rom-com movie.
When Celia got cold feet about renting a stranger, I was asked to step in – she wanted someone she knew and who she felt could act the part.
I had nothing in particular planned for Chinese New Year, so I agreed. And before long, we were on a train, heading towards Harbin, which is famed for its Russian aesthetics and ice sculptures.
En route, Celia and I fleshed out the backstory of how we met, what her favourite colour is – black, I think – and my distaste for lobster – essential stuff. The plan was to deceive Celia’s parents into believing that she was doing well – in her career and her love life.
I was pretty calm until about 15 minutes before we were due to meet them. Celia, on the other hand, was anxious from the beginning. The initial excitement had worn off and she was starting to feel guilty about trying to deceive her family and her friends. Still, she was determined to go through with it.
We first met her friends, but they saw through our ruse within a minute or two.
Then there was her parents – lovely people who took less than five minutes to work out that something was amiss.
“He is too tall and too handsome for you,” her mother said. “You need a shorter and more plain man”. It seemed a bit harsh.
I think, perhaps, deep down, Celia wanted her parents to find out.
And even though our plan failed, nobody seemed very bothered by it.
So, why would somebody go through the trouble of finding a fake boyfriend to deceive their parents?
I think Celia wanted her parents to stop worrying about her; she wanted to make them happy and to give them some peace of mind.
The notion that women should marry young seems to be engrained in Chinese culture. I’m not sure how to tackle the stigma of “sheng nu”, but I think bringing attention to the issues these women face is a good start.
And it isn’t only women who are affected.
Chinese men also want to bring home a girlfriend. They might not face as much pressure to marry as women do, but every Chinese parent wants their child to settle down and have children.
A male friend in his mid-20s told me his mother insists that he begin saving to start a family, even though he has no interest in settling down now.
I jokingly called him a “leftover man”. He wasn’t too fond of the term, which is used almost exclusively for women.
The expectation is that marriage comes first for women and careers second, while for men, a successful career is a priority so that they can provide for their families.
But Celia just wants freedom: freedom from the expectations imposed on her by society, freedom from family pressure to marry and freedom to follow whichever path she chooses.
Source: aljazeera
Greece: ‘Welcomed Like Superstar’: Putin Most Popular Politician in Greece’s Athos
May 28, 2016. Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Mount Athos
Nowhere in Greece do people love Russia and its President Vladimir Putin so much as in the Orthodox monastic community in Holy Mount Athos, German magazine Spiegel Online wrote.
At the end of his official visit to the country, the Russian leader made a pilgrimage to the holy place, where he was met with excitement and admiration.
“As Putin, completing his visit to Greece, reached Athos this Saturday, the monks welcomed him as a superstar, and even more: as the defender of their faith and a loyal ally of Greece,” Spiegel Online wrote.
The local residents were very happy to welcome the Russian leader, even if his arrival brought chaos to their otherwise peaceful lives. While port police boats patrolled the water, employees of the Russian Security Service wearing glasses and suits carefully watched every street in the area.
“Putin is the only true leader in the world,” says one of the monks, father Efraimos, cited by the magazine. “Whom should he be compared to? Obama? Merkel? There is simply no comparison,” he added.
An episode that occurred later during a liturgy serves as more proof of Putin’s popularity in the local community. The church where the worship took place had only one throne, and it was reserved for the “Russian guest of honor,” even despite the fact that Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos also attended the service.
“For the Greek President there was only a place in the “pew next to mere mortals,” the article said. “Pavlopoulos’ crew tried to persuade the monks to put a second throne next to Putin’s seat, but in vain: in the autonomous republic of Mount Athos these are monks who set the tone and they made it clear whom they consider their favorite guest,” the magazine concluded.
The Russian leader came to Athos for the second time. This time, he visited the holy place to commemorate the millennial anniversary since the first Russian settlement on the Holy Mount Athos.
Despite numerous posters critical of Putin that were seen on the streets of Athens, relations between Greece and Russia remain traditionally good. According to social surveys, the Russian president is far ahead of European politicians in terms of Greek citizens’ feelings towards him.