Russia bus crash survivors return to Armenia

November 6, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN. – (news.am) The 32 passengers, who had received minor injuries or none at all in the Armenian bus crash in Russia, arrived in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan on Thursday evening, with a special flight by an aircraft of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations .

They were met at the Zvartnots International Airport by their relatives as well as psychologists and medical workers.

The bus crash survivors generally refused to talk about what had happened.

Around ten of them, however, immediately went to hospitals from the airport.

Some of the passengers, who returned to Armenia on Thursday, had lost either friends or relatives in the tragic road accident.

Bodies of the eight passengers, who were killed in the crash, also were brought to Armenia with the aforementioned special flight.

Several dozen people were affected as a passenger bus, which was traveling from Moscow to Yerevan, crashed on Tuesday at around 2:10am local time, in Tula Oblast (province) in Russia.

Seven people were killed on the spot while another passenger died in hospital. Nine of the injured are in serious condition.

There were 59 passengers on the bus, but no children were among them.

The injured were taken to the three nearby hospitals.

Russia has opened a criminal case into this bus crash, and on charges of “breaking the road traffic and vehicle operation rules.” A similar case has been filed in Armenia, too.

According to preliminary data, the bus driver, Garnik Harutyunyan, had fallen asleep at the steering wheel.

The Tula provincial court on Wednesday handed down a two-month arrest for Harutyunyan.

Syrian Army Takes Control of Huge Area in Aleppo Province

November 5, 2015 By administrator

With the support of Russian airstrikes, the Syrian Army has taken control of approximately 250 square kilometers in Aleppo province.

“Operation Army ATS continues in the south-eastern province of Aleppo,” said Latakia representative of the Syrian Army, Brigadier General Ali Mayhoub, according to RIA Novosti. “In cooperation with civil defense groups we control more than 250 square kilometers, and returned stability in dozens of villages and towns in the region.”
“The army in collaboration with the civil defense forces managed to open the way to Aleppo…to ensure the safe passage of this important route,” Mayhoub added.
The general also said that terrorists sustained a large number of casualties and loss of equipment.

“The survivors fled toward Raqqa,” Mayhoub said, referring to the self-proclaimed capital of the Islamic State terrorist group.

“Also, our army has strengthened control over the strategic height of Mraga and working to expand its control of the area. In addition, the air force is delivering pinpoint strikes against concentrates of IS and al-Nusra terrorist groups in the vicinity of the airport and near Kueres military air school in the village of Umm Arkile,” Mayhoub said.
Also on Thursday, Syrian government forces gained a key hill in a northern suburb of the capital of Damascus. The Syrian Army has captured al-Mashtal Heights, as well as a number of buildings in the suburb of Harast.

“Many terrorists have been killed and their weaponry and fortifications destroyed,” Mayhoub said.

A large number of foreign fighters have also been killed in Damascus’ southwestern suburb of Darayya.
The Syrian Army is now making a “serious advance” toward the ancient city of Palmyra.
“Our armed forces have taken control over two heights in the Homs Province. We have also made serious advance toward the city of Pal myra near al-Barayat,” Mayhoub added. “Islamic State terrirst sustained heavy losses. Six vehicles and over 25 terrorists have been killed in the western outskirts of the Mheen village.”

Source: sputniknews.com

Anonymous-inspired activists 2015 Million Mask March

November 5, 2015 By administrator

Anonymous-inspired activists are taking to the streets across the globe as the Million Mask March circles the world. Hiding behind symbolic Anonymous masks, the demonstrators are protesting censorship, government corruption, and police brutality.

London crowd tonight, truly amazing. #MillionMaskMarch #BonfireNight pic.twitter.com/dcD74kOpiE

— Anonymous (@LatestAnonNews) November 5, 2015

Yemeni forces down Saudi warplane, capture pilot

November 5, 2015 By administrator

A file photo of Saudi fighter jets (By AFP)

Presstv Reports from Yemen say a Saudi warplane has been downed by Yemeni forces in the province of Sana’a.

According to the reports, the Saudi warplane, an F-16, was shot down by Yemeni air defense in the city of Bilad al-Rus, in the western part of the province, on Thursday.

Reports also said that the pilot of the Saudi jet has been taken into custody.

Spy drone shot down

Also on Thursday, Yemeni forces downed a Saudi spy drone in Sa’ada Province. Unconfirmed video footage appeared online showing the wreckage of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Yemeni forces have shot down several Saudi warplanes and drones over the past few months in various parts of the country.

Yemen’s official Saba news agency said earlier this month that Yemeni army forces shot down a Saudi fighter jet in the Ghamar district of Sa’ada Province.

The fighter jet had reportedly conducted a number of airstrikes against Yemeni forces in the region.

On October 9, Yemeni soldiers supported by popular committees’ fighters downed a Saudi spy drone in the Kitaf district of Sa’ada. The drone was later identified as a long-endurance Boeing Insitu ScanEagle.

In late May, Yemeni air defense forces took down a Saudi F-16 fighter jet in the Bayt Khayran area of the district of Bani Harith in the northern part of Sana’a.

On May 11 also, Ansarullah fighters brought down a Moroccan fighter jet violating the country’s airspace in the Noshour Valley of Sa’ada.

Yemen has been witnessing ceaseless attacks by Saudi Arabia since March 26. The military strikes are supposedly meant to undermine the Ansarullah movement and bring fugitive former Yemeni president, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, back to power.

The Saudi aggression has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 7,100 people and injured nearly 14,000 others. The strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country’s facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.

Syria-Update: Russian Warplanes Hit 263 Terrorist Targets in 2 Days

November 5, 2015 By administrator

Russian warplanes have carried out 81 sorties and hit 263 terrorist targets over the past 48 hours in 8 provinces in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

“In the past two days, aircraft from the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have conducted 81 sorties and hit 283 [terrorist] targets in the provinces of Aleppo, Damascus, Deir ez-Zor, Idlib, Latakia, Raqqa, Hama and Homs,” the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said.

“In the area of Tadmur in the province of Homs, a Su-24 bomber destroyed a major ISIL fortified area, as well as a tank firing position, a Zu-23 anti-aircraft gun and a mortar battery. The destroyed fortified area was located over 30 kilometers away from ancient Palmyra.”

“I draw your attention to the fact that Russian aviation launched airstrikes only against terrorist infrastructure targets that are located at a considerable distance from historical landmarks.”

A Su-34 bomber destroyed a Nusra Front training camp in the Deir ez-Zur province. “Near Al-Muhasan in the Deir ez-Zur province, a Su-34 bomber carried out a strike against a Nusra Front training camp.”
The Russian general added that as a result of a guided bomb strike, training infrastructure, as well as buildings and facilities used by terrorists for storing explosives were completely destroyed.
Moreover, Russian Su-25 attack aircraft destroyed a Nusra Front ammunition depot with anti-tank missiles in the Idlib province. Nusra Front jihadists wanted to use the missiles to target Syrian government army’s armoured vehicles, Konashenkov said.
“According to data received from the joint Information Center in Baghdad, a batch of anti-tank missiles was delivered to one of the ammunition depots near Maarrat al-Nu’man in the province of Idlib.”
“After checking the information via several channels, two Su-25 attack aircraft launched a strike against this target, as a result of which the ammunition depot was destroyed.”
The Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed two fortified checkpoints in Raqqa, he said.
“Su-34 bombers hit by two fortified checkpoints of terrorists located on the outskirts of the city of Raqqa. A pinpoint strike with a bomb destroyed terrorist fortifications, as well as four units of armored vehicles.”

According to the Russian defense ministry spokesman, Russian aviation hit an ISIL base in the mountains of Jebel-Mgar near Damascus. A terrorist ammunition depot, a command post and shelters with military equipment were located in caves of the mountain.
Russian Su-24M bombers destroyed ISIL workshops in the Aleppo province, which repaired armoured vehicles.
“In the vicinity of the Al-Nayrab airport in the province of Aleppo, Su-24M bombers destroyed workshops located in several buildings that repaired ISIL armored vehicles.”

Source: sputniknews.com

Kurdish liberation Army PKK ends unilateral ceasefire in Turkey

November 5, 2015 By administrator

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has ended a month-old unilateral truce in Turkey following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s pledge to “liquidate” the militants.

“The unilateral halt to hostilities has come to an end with the AKP’s war policy and the latest attacks,” the PKK said in a statement carried by the Firat news agency on Thursday. AKP refers to Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party.

‘On war footing’

The statement came after Erdogan vowed to continue anti-PKK operations until every last militant was “liquidated.” It said the AKP had demonstrated it was on a war footing with attacks launched this week against the PKK positions.

The unilateral ceasefire by the PKK was announced following twin blasts that targeted a group of pro-Kurdish activists in Ankara on October 10.

It also came in the run-up to the country’s recent general elections, in which the AKP, founded by Erdogan, regained its parliamentary majority.

The AKP gained 317 seats in the 550-member parliament in the November 1 snap elections. It came five months after the AKP was stripped of its overall majority and subsequently failed in coalition talks with main opposition factions.

Earlier on Thursday, eighteen people were killed in clashes with the Turkish army in the country’s southeast.

The Turkish military has been conducting offensive operations against the alleged positions of the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in northern Syria as well as those of the PKK in northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey.

The operations began in the wake of a deadly July 20 bombing in the southern Turkish town of Suruc, which left 33 people dead and 104 others injured.

The PKK and Ankara had agreed to a ceasefire in 2013; Ankara’s military campaign against the PKK ended that deal.

On October 10, twin blasts also targeted activists who had convened outside Ankara’s main train station for a peace rally organized by leftist and pro-Kurdish opposition groups. Ankara said that at least 102 people were killed and over 500 wounded in the attacks.

Following the incident, the PKK called on its members to halt militant activities in Turkey as a move to avoid any violence that might prevent a fair election.

The PKK has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region inside Turkey since the 1980s.

Azerbaijani delegation to PACE like worm-eaten apple – Shavarsh Kocharyan

November 5, 2015 By administrator

Armenian Deputy FM Shavarsh Kocharyan, in response to MP Tevan Poghosyan’s question as to whether funds have been allocated to oppose the two anti-Armenian reports at the parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said that rapporteur Robert Walter’s conduct is not a new thing.

In 2013, he was head of the monitoring group at elections in Azerbaijan and called the elections excellent, whereas a different statement on the elections was made.

“The Azerbaijani delegation is like a worm-eaten apple fallen there and infecting other apples. And this PACE’s gravest problem,” Mr Kocharyan said.

Armenia: Students in Nalbandyan village will have a renovated and reconstructed school

November 5, 2015 By administrator

The school in Nalbandyan village of Armavir region of Armenia is undergoing major renovations through the Hayastan Fund Toronto affiliate’s benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Armen and Berjouhi Nalbandians.

The 2nd and 3rd blocks of the three-story school, which has a total surface area of about 3,200 square meters, are completed, according to the press service of Hayastan Fund. Before the renovations and reconstruction works started, the foundations and the two blocks of the school have been reinforced, the internal engineering networks, including new electrical, water mains and heating pipes have been reconstructed, floors have been rebuilt with laminate and granite. Six new toilets have been constructed since there was only one toilet to serve the two blocks of the school. While the crews are working on reconstruction of the administrative block, the 600 students of the school study in the newly renovated blocks. A much needed sport gym facility will be constructed for the school. After the construction works are over, the school will be provided with brand new furniture and the necessary sports equipment.

The village mayor Grigor Mkrtchyan says that besides the new and convenient conditions for the students and teachers, the reconstruction also provided jobs and income to about 30 work crews per month.

The village residents were happy to tell that even the storks welcome this nice initiative of the Hayastan Fund. It is the first time they built nests on the four corners of the school roof granting warm feelings to the village residents.

Egypt: Sharm el-Sheikh airport chief has been replaced

November 5, 2015 By administrator

The head of Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh airport has been replaced amid growing international concern that the Russian plane which crashed after departing from the airport was downed by a bomb.

Adel Mahgoub, chairman of the state company that runs Egypt’s civilian airports, says airport chief Abdel-Wahab Ali has been “promoted” to become his assistant. He said the move late Wednesday had nothing to do with media skepticism surrounding the airport’s security, according to radio.ksl.com.

Mahgoub said Ali is being replaced by Emad el-Balasi, a pilot.

All 224 aboard the plane were killed in the Saturday morning crash. U.S. and British officials earlier Wednesday said they suspect the plane may have been brought down by a bomb and Britain said it was suspending flights to and from the Sinai Peninsula as a precaution.

California: Armenian candidates overwhelmingly win local races in U.S.

November 5, 2015 By administrator

In Montebello, current mayor and incumbent city council candidate Jack Hadjinian won his re-election bid for a second term in office, while in Rolling Hills Estates, Frank Zerounian won his re-election bid to city council, Asbarez reports.

In San Francisco, Aaron Peskin won his bit for the 3rd Supervisor District.

“The Armenian National Committee of America-San Francisco Chapter congratulates all of the candidates on running successful campaigns in the elections. We’d like to extend a warm welcome to Aaron Peskin as the new Supervisor of San Francisco’s District 3. We look forward to working with each of them on issues important to the Armenian Community and wish you all the best for your noble future endeavors,” said chairman of the ANCA-Bay Area Chapter Coordinator Arsen Markarov.

In South Pasadena, two Armenian-American candidates won elections, both endorsed by the ANCA Pasadena chapter.

Marina Khubesrian won the race for city council, while Suzie Abajian won her race for the South Pasadena Unified School District. Another ANCA Pasadena-endorsed candidate, Tom Selinske who was vying for the Pasadena Area 2 Community College Governing Board also won his race.

Over in Maine, the Armenian-American community saw one of its own win a city council seat in the town of Westbrook.

At a young age, Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, along with her family escaped the horrors of Azerbaijani pogroms of Armenians in Baku. She has since been a vocal advocate for refugee rights and has discussed the anti-Armenian pogroms in Congress and in academic circles.

On Tuesday, she became the first Armenian to win a seat in the Westbrook, Maine City Council.