(CNN) — A Kentucky mother stepped outside of her home just for a few minutes, but it was long enough for her 5-year-old son to accidentally shoot and kill his 2-year-old sister with the .22-caliber rifle he got for his birthday, state officials said.
The shooting in southern Kentucky has been ruled an accident, Kentucky State Police Trooper Billy Gregory said.
“It’s just one of those nightmares,” he said, “a quick thing that happens when you turn your back.”
Young children in the area are often introduced to guns at an early age, Gregory said.
“In this part of the country, it’s not uncommon for a 5-year-old to have a gun or for a parent to pass one down to their kid,” he said.
On Wednesday, state police were still investigating toddler Caroline Sparks’ death, CNN affiliate WLEX reported.
Her family kept the Crickett rifle in what they considered to be a safe spot, Cumberland County Coroner Gary White told the CNN affiliate.
The boy was playing with it Tuesday when it accidentally went off and killed his sister, White said.
“The little Crickett rifle is a single-shot rifle, and it has a child safety,” White told CNN. “It’s just a tragic situation.”
The Crickett website features three .22-caliber rifle models for kids, with shoulder stock colors ranging from pink to red, white and blue swirls. “My first rifle” is the company’s slogan.
Family members Wednesday described the shooting as an accident.
“He just picked (the gun) up before he realized it,” grandmother Linda Riddle told WLEX.
Riddle said her granddaughter enjoyed singing and playing outdoors, and she loved her brother.
“It’s just tragic,” uncle David Mann told the CNN affiliate. “It’s something that you can’t prepare for.”
Riddle said she is devastated, but comforted knowing that her granddaughter is in a better place.
“It was God’s will. It was her time to go, I guess,” she told WLEX. “I just know she’s in heaven right now and I know she’s in good hands with the Lord.”
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon had a double feast at Disneyland Tuesday night, April 30. The couple celebrated their twins’ 2nd birthday, which happened to be on their fifth wedding anniversary, and marked it by renewing their wedding vows.
In a number of pictures posted on Twitter, Mariah is seen wearing a strapless white gown with tiered skirt with long train. She arrived in a white carriage with her toddler daughter, Monroe, who looked adorable in a white ruffled dress to match her mom’s bridal look.
The mother/daughter duo was welcomed by Cannon and their son, Moroccan, in front of the famous Sleeping Beauty castle. The father/son duo looked cute in matching outfits. The foursome walked down the aisle hand-in-hand as the guests cheered on them.
Prior to the wedding-vow renewal, she posted an intimate picture of them with caption, “Happy 5th(!!!!!!) Anniversary to the Best Husband in All The Land & 2 years ago pon de delivery room=luckiest Mommy in The WORLD! #HappyBirthdayDemBabies! #iluvroc&roe!!!! Just felt like tweeting you before sunset on #4:30.”
Granite City, IL — The Armenian National Committee of America expanded its presence in the Midwest this week, with the formation of the ANCA Missouri, which was announced at the St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian Genocide commemorative observance held on Sunday, April 28, the ANCA Eastern Region reported.
The new committee is the second in the metropolitan St. Louis area, joining the ANCA of Southern Illinois that has been active for many years.
“We’re thrilled to introduce a new local ANCA in the Midwest. Being from Granite City, I’ve always known there is a strong Hai Tahd presence there and this announcement is a major step in expanding our efforts in that area. The new committee has already been proactive on a range of concerns and we look forward to reporting on their accomplishments soon,” said Michelle Hagopian, ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director.
The ANCA Missouri will be led by brothers John and Jake Varadian, as well as John Donjoian, all three of whom have a long track record of serving the local community, as members of the St. Gregory Church Board of Trustees and alumni of the Armenian Youth Federation.
The announcement came on April 28th, following an Armenian Genocide commemoration program at the St. Gregory Armenian Community Center. Hagopian addressed Azeri and Turkish aggression and recommitting to the Armenian Cause during her remarks to a crowd of more than 85 people. Boris Abajyan, a Webster University international relations student and long-time St. Louis Armenian community member, also spoke in the program. The event was wrapped up by ANCA of Southern Illinois activist Steve Hagopian with additional remarks by Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian.
A series of official White House photographs brought together by Vanity Fair show the ‘lean-back’ nature of Barack Obama’s presidency.
The pictures reveal that Mr Obama often exhibits relaxed body language in stressful situations, with legs crossed and a knee raised.
Most noticeable of all, the president often has his feet up on his desk. But this is not just any desk – the Resolute desk was given to President Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1880.
In the pictures President Obama can be seen discussing affairs of the state with his advisers and counselors.
Yet whether they are debating tragic events or vital economic policy, the president is often more reclined than those around him.
When talking about the Newtown shootings, foreign policy in Egypt or Libya, or in deficit-reduction talks Obama can be seen with his legs crossed or his head in his hands.
But most frequently the president has his feet on the famous Resolute desk in the Oval Office.
The bizarre circumstances and dubious names in the Boston Marathon bombings have raised many questions that have yet to be answered by government officials and journalists.
The most mysterious character is ‘Misha’ whom Ruslan Tsarni, uncle of the Boston bombers, described as an Armenian convert to Islam who had supposedly brainwashed and radicalized Tamerlan, the elder of the suspected Tsarnaev brothers. Ruslan described ‘Misha’ as a heavy-set bald exorcist with a long reddish beard!
Initially, no one could find ‘Misha.’ While his alleged affiliation with Tamerlan and Armenian origin was prominently and repeatedly mentioned in the media, it took the authorities 10 days to announce that they knew who ‘Misha’ was and that he had no connection to the terrorist acts!
Last Sunday, Christian Caryl of the New York Review of Books, was finally able to locate and interview the elusive ‘Misha’ in his Rhode Island home. Even though Caryl disclosed that ‘Misha,’ a native of Baku, Azerbaijan, is the son of an Armenian father and a Ukrainian mother, and that his last name is Allakhverdov, the media continues to refer to him as an ‘Armenian.’ Notably, neither Caryl nor anyone else mentions the fact that ‘Misha’ or ‘Mikayel’ — a common Christian name — cannot be the name of a Muslim! Moreover, after the break up of the Soviet Union, many Muslim Azerbaijanis applied for asylum in Europe and the United States, under the pretext that they were persecuted Christian Armenians! It is odd that ‘Misha,’ supposedly a Christian, would flee from Islamic persecution in Baku, only to convert to Islam in America!
Interestingly, Caryl reports that ‘Misha’ had nothing to do with the Boston bombings, which is exactly what government investigators had earlier announced. Could it be that US officials had put Caryl in contact with ‘Misha’ in order to confirm their declaration of his innocence, leading some analysts to speculate that ‘Misha’ may have been an FBI informant whose cover is now being meticulously protected!
The next suspicious character is Uncle Ruslan who has accused ‘Misha the Armenian’ of having a powerful influence over Tamerlan. Ruslan himself has had a checkered past, having worked for USAID and several Caspian Sea energy companies, while married to Samantha Ankara Fuller, daughter of Graham Fuller, a retired top CIA official. Because of Ruslan’s close relationship to the bombers’ family, his employment with Central Asian oil companies including Halliburton, and marriage to the daughter of a high-ranking CIA official, some analysts have suggested that the enigmatic uncle warrants a closer look.
Last week, prominent Armenian-American attorney Mark Geragos blasted Ruslan Tsarni on CNN, suggesting that “somebody needs to give this uncle a field sobriety test, because I think this guy is under the influence of something.” Geragos was furious that Ruslan had linked the Boston bombers to the ‘Armenian Misha,’ while Armenians worldwide were commemorating the 98th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide! Ruslan then tried to reach Geragos by telephone, seeking “to clarify” his earlier statement. Geragos refused to take his call.
Some analysts suggest that Tamerlan may have been recruited by the Russian secret services (FSB) to spy on Chechen extremists during his six-month stay in Chechnya and Dagestan last year. Having informed the FBI and CIA of Tamerlan’s links to radical Islamist groups, and not receiving a satisfactory response from US officials, it could be that the FSB took matters into its own hands and recruited the unemployed and penniless young Chechen during his lengthy stay in Russia.
Other analysts speculate that Tamerlan may have been an informant for the US government. Such a supposition is much more credible than assuming that the FBI and CIA were too incompetent or too busy to conduct a thorough investigation of Tamerlan’s background after the Russian FSB brought his name to their attention. It could be that US authorities knew Tamerlan only too well and may have even encouraged him to travel to Russia as their mole in Jihadist circles.
Finally, there are those who believe that Tamerlan ended up betraying both the Russian and American intelligence services, deciding instead to support radical Islamic groups, “out of anger over US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” according to his younger brother Dzhokhar’s jailhouse confession.
Of course, these speculations are advanced by various analysts based on preliminary information, pending a thorough Congressional investigation to uncover the true facts. Americans killed and maimed in the Boston bombings deserve an honest answer!
The godfather of Michael Jackson’s children has come forward to say that the King Of Pop drank six bottles of wine a day in the weeks leading up to his death.
His friend Mark Lester has claimed that the troubled star, who died of acute Propofol intoxication in 2009, used to get him to smuggle the alcohol into hotels past his strict security team in a desperate attempt to beat his insomnia.
Mark, who is godfather to the star’s three children, Prince, 16, Paris,15, and 10-year-old Blanket, told The Sun newspaper: ‘Michael passed out on the hotel bed. His doctor said he’d drunk two-thirds of a bottle of whisky and was paralytic.
Mark, 54, who was a close friend of Michael’s right up until this death, gave an interview to the News of the World in August 2009 claiming that he could be the biological father of Paris Katherine Jackson, the late singer’s daughter.
Lester claimed to have been a sperm donor for Jackson in 1996, and announced that he was willing to take a paternity test to determine whether he was the father.
In the same interview he claimed he had not been allowed contact with them since Jackson’s death: ‘It’s very, very upsetting not being able to see all those children; they’re my godchildren, and I love them dearly.’
Gun ownership laws are once again at the heart of political debate in the United States after the horrific shooting in December in Newtown, Connecticut which left 20 young children and six educators dead.
But efforts in the wake of the massacre to impose tougher controls on firearm ownership have been blocked in Congress.
Even though polls show most Americans would support tougher licensing requirements, gun ownership is a passion in the United States, which at around 300 million has almost as many firearms as people.
According to polling firm Gallup, 13 percent of women in the US owned a gun in 2005 compared to 23 percent in 2011 — a significant jump, though women still trail American men, 46 percent of whom owned a gun in 2011.
WASHINGTON, DC – Members of Congress from both parties and across the United States united in calling for U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide as a fundamental element of U.S. genocide prevention policy, during the annual Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Observance, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Over twenty Senators and Representatives, including the Chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, spoke passionately at the event hosted by the Congressional Armenian Caucus in cooperation with Armenian American groups, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Office in the U.S. In addition to Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), others offering remarks and participating in the remembrance were: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); Joe Crowley (D-NY), the Vice-Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus; Eliot Engel (D-NY), the Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Michael Grimm (R-NY) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Janice Hahn (D-CA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Niki Tsongas (D-MA). Legislators, including Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Representative Linda Sanchez, extended support for the program and widely publicized the event using social media. More than a dozen other legislators, including Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) issued public statements commemorating the Armenian Genocide.
Excerpts from each presentation along with a link to the video, posted on the ANCA YouTube channel, is provided below. The complete video playlist is available at:
Sen. Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “In my view, we must not make it the policy of the United States to turn our back on man’s inhumanity to man, we cannot turn our backs on the victim; not in Armenia in 1915, not a genocide anywhere that it occurs. Any nuanced approach serves only to empower those around the world who would use genocide as a weapon of war. So let’s be perfectly clear, there is no other word for it, there is no euphemism, there is no avoiding it, there are no excuses. As part of this commemoration we must fully commit ourselves to acknowledging the fundamental truth that what happened from 1915-1923 was by definition a blatant act of genocide – an acknowledgement that must come from Turkey, and it must come from our own government.”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Crime and Terrorism Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee: “Properly accounting for crimes against humanity is a weapon in preventing future crimes against humanity and it is important for that reason. Words actually matter and the historical record actually matters.”
Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee: “The events that we remember today, that commenced 98 years ago is not only still today – shocking – the genocide, or as Hitler said the annihilation. [. . .] An attempt to annihilate an entire race, in which the American Ambassador Henry Morgenthau was present at the time – and observer – and said that these deportations were an attempt to annihilate a race and that those who gave the orders understood it. And that far from trying to conceal it, they shared with him that indeed would be the outcome.”
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus: “Many of you know in the past our emcee has been Ardy Kassakhian who is the City Clerk in Glendale. He is a very good friend of mine. And, I sat down with Ardy about a year ago and I said to Ardy, ‘You know the Caucus works on so many issues related to Armenia and we have had a lot of success with many of them because of the help of the community. But we have not had it with the Armenian Genocide and we are determined that we are going to pass this resolution. We are going make this happen, but why is it that this is the most important thing, the highest priority. Why is it the highest priority?’ And he said to me ‘because of the people who suffered and died and their memory. We cannot rest until this country, the United States, recognizes the Armenian Genocide.” And, so I want you to understand – speaking on behalf of all of my colleagues – as much as we work on all of the other issues I mentioned tonight, we understand that this is the priority and we understand why. And we are never going to let go.”
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY), Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus: “We pride ourselves to be the home of the survivors, the tough standers, the battle hardened scrapers, the refugees, whose story in this country began as an ember of desperate hope and has grown into a blazing legacy of prosperity and pride. If there is any group that has earned that right to wear that badge of courage, those stripes of distinction, it is without question, the Armenian people. In 1915, an oppressive imperial regime, blinded by hatred, sought to wipe an entire people from the face of the earth. And through the horrifying instruments of torture, rape, death camps, deportation marches, over a million and a half innocent men women and children were put to death in furtherance of this horrific goal. In spite of these efforts, the Armenian Diaspora is one of the most successful, well-educated, respected and influential ethnic communities in the entire world.”
Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee: “I know a lot of things about Armenians, but the one thing I really know is that the Armenian Genocide did exist and that Turkey should be ashamed at itself for not recognizing it. And, by the way, I told that to the Turkish Foreign Minister to his face. Some people say, ‘Well you have to be careful because Turkey is a member of NATO and therefore there are all types of complications with a NATO ally of the United States.’ And I say just the opposite. Because they are a member of NATO, they need to be more responsible. Because they are a member of NATO they ought to own up to what happened. Because they are a member of NATO we would expect decency from them. Instead we get anything but. And that will not stand.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): “This country has a proud history of speaking plainly about some of the darkest chapters of history. It is part of who we are as Americans. We do no equivocate when it comes to mass atrocity or genocide. We do not equivocate about those things because we hold ourselves to a high moral ideal. We cannot speak about Darfur. We cannot speak about a number of other human rights abuses around the world if we pick and choose which genocides to recognize. And so it is with great disappointment that when it comes to this genocide, when it comes to the genocide that Rafael Lemkin who coined the term genocide had in mind in crafting that term, that our Congress and our Administration has not lived up to its highest moral ideal. But, we are determined, on a very bipartisan basis as you can see here today, to correct that flaw. And, we will fight until we succeed.”
Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD): “In two years we will remember and commemorate [the 100th Anniversary] of this horrific tragedy and if we cannot get this done [Congressional reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide] at that time, then shame on us. We owe it to this incredible community.”
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Ranking Democrat on the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee: “America should never be associated with genocide denial. It undermines our standards and our position in the world. And, finally, to those who say ‘Well, Turkey has this strategic territory and might be an ally’ what kind of ally insists on genocide denial? Where would our relations be with Berlin if they asked us to tear down the Holocaust museum here in Washington, D.C.? Our relationship with Germany is based on truth. That is a strong alliance. You cannot have that kind of alliance if it depends on genocide denial.”
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee: “When I first arrived the first thing I did was to sign on – was the first act as a Member of Congress was to sign on – to the [Armenian Genocide] resolution that Congressman Tony Coelho had at that time. And you all have been through a lot. And there are people who used to come because they were able to come and they have either gone to heaven or cannot come to be with us today. But we have been through a lot of hardships. And, we are going to endure and we are going to win this one. Because that is the mark of the tenacity and the decency and the wisdom and the effectiveness of our people.”
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), Ranking Democrat on the Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee: “Many Armenian Americans at the time tried to hide their past and their connection to Armenia. I am fortunate that my mother was unwilling to hide her Armenian heritage. I am fortunate, like you, that I was raised in enlightenment. I was raised with a sense of pride in my heritage. I was raised with a sense of courage to challenge the status quo. I think for all of us, our ability to survive, our ability to persevere has everything to do with the DNA that was given to us by our parents and our grandparents. And, we are not unaccustomed to suffering. We are not unaccustomed to prevail. We are not unaccustomed to go the extra mile. Because, in the end we know that freedom will win out, that this country will become a better place because we are speaking out about the Armenian Genocide.”
Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI): “It is not only important to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide because it is an undeniable fact in the history of the world, but also because learning more about this horrific tragedy it really underscores the importance of committing ourselves to eliminating intolerance and bigotry wherever it occurs in the world. I have enormous respect for the Armenian people because I have seen the strength and resilience and the perseverance of this great community.”
Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Ranking Democrat of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee: “It is my honor to be here. I thank you all for the work you do and I share a commitment to make sure that by the 100th anniversary we have formally recognized the Armenian Genocide.”
Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA): “The United States Congress must, must go on record by recognizing the first genocide that took place in the 20th Century. It is the right thing to do… Because, when we go on record we lay down a line for the rest of the world as the oldest democracy throughout the world that this injustice, this injustice, will not go unrecognized.”
Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), Ranking Member of the National Security Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee: “Peter Torigian who was the mayor of Peabody which is in my district, not too very long ago used to have a commemoration every year as will be held this year. He has passed away now but it continues on. So the education has to continue on just as Peter began in the city of Peabody and people, once they understand what happened, will carry it on and will make sure that it will be remembered and move forward on that basis.”
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Chairman of the Capital Markets and Government Subcommittee of the U.S House Financial Services Committee: “Scripture says before you make comment about the speck in someone else’s eye, remove the plank from your eye. Well, we certainly have a plank in our eye from the Administration and from the State Department, who is just refusing to do what is right in this area. So, we must first address and remove that plank in our eye and make the admission in this country and then we can call even more strongly on other countries, specifically Turkey.”
Rep. Janice Hahn (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Health and Technology Subcommittee of the House Small Business Committee: “I am inspired, constantly, by the strength of the Armenian people; so many of whose lives have been touched by tragedy but who have persevered and have resolved to never let history be forgotten. Let us recommit to delivering the Armenian community with long overdue recognition they deserve.”
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Ranking Member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee: “We will continue the fight because as long as we do not recognize, officially, this genocide and force others to do so, it empowers the other side to continue this kind of atrocity. And, we have seen that even recently in Turkey with the Prime Minister ordering the tearing down the memorial to Turkish-Armenian friendship.”
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Ethics Committee: “Out of this retched episode of history, we as human beings have made a conscious and determined effort to move beyond hatred and to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. We are morally obligated to learn from the lapses of the human soul that caused the Armenian Genocide. And, we are morally obligated to do all that we can to protect oppressed, vulnerable, and subjugated peoples.”
Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA): “The world is a horrible place, as much for the people who do horrible things, but equally for the people who do nothing about it; for the people who watch atrocities and do not do anything about it. I can honestly say that this country is a great, great country, but I am perplexed, confused, and disappointed that our country – at the highest levels – does not recognize the truth and is unwilling to say that the Armenian Genocide is a truth and that it happened and that it should never happen again.”
Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ): “With your help we will pass the [Armenian Genocide resolution] this Congress. And, we will establish the truth, we will learn the truth, we will speak the truth. And, as it says in the scripture of John, ‘We will know the truth and the truth will make you free’ and I do not mean just you. I mean humankind. It is a liberating knowledge to understand the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights to which humanity can rise. That is the point of this resolution.”
Amb. Tatoul Markarian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the U.S.: “As we honor the memory of the one and a half million victims, we mark yet another year of hard work by the Armenian American organizations and our Congressional friends. We register another year of Turkish denialism. We mark yet another year of absence of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. Dear friends, throughout the year Turkey continued refusing diplomatic relations and open borders with Armenia; kept fervently denying the Armenian Genocide. The Turkish side did everything to convince us that true normalization was not its genuine goal when engaging in talks with Armenia; that it has no intention to look for ways to come to terms with its history. It demonstrated clearly once again – and this time to the entire world – it does not have the courage and political will to face its history, that it is the hostage and servant of its past. And, it cannot deny the denialism and because of that it is not able to move forward and embrace the present and the future.”
Mr. Robert Avetisyan, Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic to the U.S.: “98 years have passed since the tragic date. More nations recognize and condemn the Genocide every year. And, we are grateful to all those countries and peoples who join the Armenian nation in persuading Turkey to reconcile this tragedy. More states call on Turkey to respect its past and acknowledge the horrible pages of that. And, what is also inspiring is the growing number of those condemning the Genocide within Turkey itself. And yesterday’s commemoration in Diyarbekir – or as Armenians have been calling it for centuries, Dikranakert – has become the most recent example of that. Of course, we hope that the movement in that trend will continue growing and eventually lead to abandoning denialism. For that to happen, in order to help those brave people to resist a powerful state of opposition we must continue educating the world about our history and share all the lesson gained by paying such an enormous price.”
— Day of Meetings with Members of Congress Focuses on Genocide Reaffirmation and Return of Confiscated Christian Churches
WASHINGTON, DC – His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Eastern United States, offered the opening prayer of the U.S. House of Representatives on Armenian Genocide commemoration day, April 24th, and reached out to legislators throughout the day leading up to the evening Capitol Hill remembrance of that crime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) welcomed Archbishop Choloyan to offer the opening prayer, which was held at the request of Rhode Island Congressman David Cicilline (D) and at the invitation of the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy. “Today, we are mindful of another April 24 – 98 years ago, the beginning of the Genocide of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, the first genocide among so many that followed in the 20th century,” said Archbishop Choloyan in his opening prayer. “We beseech You, O Lord, to bless this land of America and its people. Empower them to continue serving Your goodness as they did when they sheltered the remnants of the Armenian nation.”
In moving remarks on the House floor, Rep. Cicilline thanked Archbishop Choloyan, stating “On behalf of the Armenian community in my home State of Rhode Island, I am honored to welcome the Archbishop here today and to join him in remembering the victims of the Armenian Genocide–the systematic extermination of Armenians living under the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century,” stated Rep. Cicilline. “I join members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues in urging that our government finally recognize the Armenian genocide as a historical fact.”
Archbishop Choloyan’s opening prayer and Congressman Cicilline’s remarks are available on the Congressman’s YouTube page at: http://youtu.be/tMeBt1aCbLo
Throughout the day, Archbishop Choloyan met with a bipartisan group of legislators including Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Representatives Chris Collins (R-NY), Joe Crowley (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), and Ted Yoho (R-FL). Archbishop Choloyan was joined in his Congressional visits by Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, Pastor of Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church in Bethesda, MD; ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, as well as ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian and ANCA Capital Gateway Fellow Harout Doukmajian.
In the evening, Archbishop Choloyan joined several hundred Armenian Americans from across the U.S. and offered the benediction at the annual Congressional Observance of the Armenian Genocide, organized by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, with the participation of Armenian American groups as well as the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia and the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the U.S.
Take a pictorial tour of Archbishop Choloyan’s efforts in support of U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide on the ANCA Facebook page:
Jennifer Lopez’s ex Marc Anthony has dumped Chloe Green just weeks after the Topshop heiress moved to the US, according to claims.
Father-of-five Marc reportedly told Chloe their romance was over and the designer, who at 22 is just three years older than her lover’s oldest daughter, moved her belongings out of their shared Miami house.
Chloe, whose father Sir Philip is worth an estimated £3.8billion, was first spotted out with J-Lo’s ex in February.
It is thought Sir Philip, who is good friends with Marc. had given his seal of approval to the union.
A source told The Sun On Sunday: ‘The pair got serious very quickly and had the blessing of her parents, but it hasn’t worked out.
‘It seems to have been Marc’s decision to end it.’
The pal added the decision to split was sudden and Chloe has now left Miami to go on holiday with friends to recover.
Marc was married to J-Lo for eight years and has twins Emme Maribel Muñiz and Maximillian David Muñiz with the star.
He also has a daughter Ariana from his relationship with former New York police officer Debbie Rosado and two sons with ex-wife former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres.
MailOnline has contacted Chloe and Marc for a comment.
The United States denied that a US filmmaker arrested in Venezuela was a spy tasked with sowing civil unrest throughout the country, as claimed by Caracas.
The alleged agent, Timothy Tracy, was detained Wednesday at an airport near Caracas as he tried to leave the country, according to Venezuelan officials, who also released pictures of the American.
“We are aware of the arrest of a US citizen in Caracas… Because of privacy considerations, we’re unable to comment on the specific case further at this time,” said State Department deputy spokesman Patrick Ventrell.
Ventrell stressed that the allegations “have not been substantiated.”
“The US continues to categorically reject any allegations of US government efforts to destabilize the Venezuelan government or to harm anyone in Venezuela,” he said.
According to media reports, Tracy is a 35-year-old filmmaker based in Hollywood who has been working on a documentary since last year.
The US congressman who represents the district where he lives, Adam Schiff, voiced anger at the arrest.
US President Barack Obama issued a new warning to Syria that using chemical weapons would be a “game changer” as he faced rising pressure at home and abroad to intervene in the civil war.
But a day after US officials said they suspected that the deadly agent sarin had already been fired off in small-scale attacks, Obama warned Washington must act prudently, and establish exactly if, how and when such arms were used.
Obama, who had previously told Syrian President Bashar al-Assad the use of chemical weapons would cross a “red line,” promised a “vigorous” US and international probe into the latest reports.
But he appeared wary of launching military action based on initial intelligence reports of chemical weapons use, even as other official comments and media suggested that is exactly what had happened.
“I think all of us, not just in the United States but around the world, recognize how we cannot stand by and permit the systematic use of weapons like chemical weapons on civilian populations,” he said.
New York (CNN) — A piece believed to be from one of the airliners that hit the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, has been found behind the site of an Islamic community center near ground zero, the New York Police Department said Friday.
Investigators are looking into how a part of what appears to be landing gear became wedged between 51 Park Place — the site of a controversial community center — and another building, just a few blocks from ground zero.
“If you see how confined this space is, and you realize the chaos that existed on this street, I think it’s understandable. It’s not that surprising,” NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
“It’s very, very confined and no construction work went on, or no clean up went on in this 18 inch space between the two buildings” after the attacks.
Even so, he said investigators were looking at all possibilities, including whether the part was intentionally placed between the two buildings.
“We are also looking into a possibility it was lowered by a rope,” Kelly said, adding that a piece of rope appeared to be intertwined with the part.
But Kelly said an initial investigation show there are no marks on the walls between the two buildings consistent with such an object being lowered. He also said there appears to be a break in the rope and that it came down from the roof on top of the plane part.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators will determine whether the part is from either United Airlines Flight 175 or American Airlines Flight 11, which hit the twin towers, he said.
The part “includes a clearly visible Boeing identification number,” police said in a written statement released earlier in the day.
American Airlines and United Airlines declined to comment.
The part was discovered Wednesday by surveyors hired by a property owner. They called 911 to report that they’d found “apparently damaged machinery,” police said.
Part of a landing gear was discovered wedged between 51 Park Place and another building.
“The NYPD is securing the location as it would a crime scene, documenting it photographically,” the statement said.
The plane part will not be moved until after the medical examiner’s office completes a health and safety inspection.
“The office of the chief medical examiner will do an in-depth examination of the site to see if there are, in fact, human remains there,” Kelly said.
New York police officers were standing guard Friday through the weekend outside the buildings. Investigators are expected to return Monday to determine how to remove the part.
The plane part is about five feet long, four feet wide and 17 inches deep, Kelly said. It was discovered between the two buildings, in a space about 18 inches, he said.
The discovery of the plane part comes more than 11 years after the two airliners slammed into the towers of the World Trade Center.
“Well, obviously, this is a manifestation of a horrific terrorist attack a block and a half away from where we stand,” Kelly said. “So sure. It brings back terrible memories to anyone who was here and anyone who was involved in that event.”
Sally Regenhard, whose son Christian — a probationary firefighter — died when the towers collapsed, said she was not surprised by the find.
“I’m disgusted, because after 9/11 the proper search was never done. The whole aftermath was uncoordinated. It was inadequate,” she said.
Regenhard has been one of the leading voices and, at times, critics for the families of the September 11 victims, pushing hard for a federal investigation and calling for a more comprehensive search for remains and debris.
“We advocated for a huge trajectory from that collapse,” she said. “Human remains were thrown at least for a mile, but probably two or three miles from the site.”
In the years since, a number of pieces of debris as well as human remains have been discovered in Lower Manhattan.
“We are cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities to make sure this piece of evidence is removed with care as quickly and effectively as possible,” said Sharif El-Gamal, president of Soho Properties, the owner of 51 Park Place.
The building had been the site of furious protests, pitting those opposed to putting an Islamic center near ground zero and those who say it is a center meant to bring people together.
An 80-year-old Florida woman mistakenly swallowed a $5,000 diamond that unknown to her had been placed in her glass of champagne at an charity event she was attending.
The woman, known as Miriam, has declined to give her last name, but was attending the event organized by the Tampa Women’s Club last weekend.
As a surprise for the attendees, the organizers filled each of the 400 flutes of champagne with a cubic zirconia, except for one which contained a $5,000 diamond donated by a local jeweler.
The idea was that at the end of the evening everyone’s glass would be checked and whoever had the diamond would be allowed to keep it.
But disaster struck after Miriam unwittingly swallowed everything that was in her flute.
‘We were laughing and I wasn’t paying attention and I took a swallow,’ Miriam told WFTS.
To begin with Miriam hid her embarrassment about what she had done, hopeful that someone else would be found to have the diamond and announced the winner.
Eventually Miriam was forced to came forward and admit what she had done. Immediately she was taken to a local hospital for an x-ray, only to find out that diamonds don’t show up on x-rays.
Fortunately for Miriam she had a routine colonoscopy booked for the next day, although it turned out to be anything but routine as she gave her doctor strict instructions to be on the lookout for something sparkling.
Once the diamond was washed and steamed it was tested and confirmed as the winning diamond, which Miriam has decided to keep as a family heirloom.
The US army is working to limit its dependence on GPS by developing the next generation of navigation technology, including a tiny autonomous chip, the director of the Pentagon’s research agency said Wednesday.
DARPA, the research group behind a range of spy tech and which helped invent the Internet, was also the driving force behind the creation of the Global Positioning System, director Arati Prabhakar said at a press conference.
“In the 1980s, when GPS satellites started to become widely deployed… it meant carrying an enormous box around on your vehicle,” she said.
“Now it’s got to the point where it’s embedded not just in- all our platforms but in many of our weapons,” as well as in many civilian devices, she said.
Starting in 2010, DARPA has been working on a variety of programs aimed at developing new navigation and positioning technology — at first with the goal of extending their reach to places where satellites don’t work, such as underwater.
A Pew Research Center report indicated that online social networks have become political hotspots in the United States.
Approximately 39 percent of US adults engaged in political activity in Internet communities during the 2012 US presidential campaign, according to a Pew report titled Civic Engagement in the Digital Age released late Wednesday.
By comparison, only 26 percent of people in the United States used online social networks in any form or fashion during the prior presidential election in 2008, Pew reported.
“The typical American who is politically active engages with political content across a range of venues — online, offline, and in social networking spaces,” said Pew Internet Project researcher Aaron Smith, author of the report.
WASHINGTON, DC – The Chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee – the two powerful Congressional panels with oversight over U.S. foreign policy – joined with their colleagues on the evening of April 24th on Capitol Hill in rallying bipartisan support for a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In moving remarks, Chairman Menendez stressed that there should not be any verbal equivocation when dealing with genocide: “So let’s be perfectly clear, there is no other word for it; there is no euphemism; there is no avoiding it; there are no excuses. As part of this commemoration we must fully commit ourselves to acknowledging the fundamental truth that what happened from 1915-1923 was by definition a blatant act of genocide – an acknowledgement that must come from Turkey, and it must come from our own government.”
Chairman Royce reviewed how Ottoman Turkish authorities made no effort, at the time of the Genocide, to hide their intent to destroy the Armenian people: “The events that we remember today, that commenced 98 years ago is not only still today – shocking – the genocide, or as Hitler said the annihilation. [. . .] An attempt to annihilate an entire race, in which the American Ambassador Henry Morgenthau was present at the time – an observer – and said that these deportations were an attempt to annihilate a race and that those who gave the orders understood it. And that far from trying to conceal it, they shared with him, what indeed would be the outcome.”
The Armenian Genocide remembrance, held before a standing-room-only crowd in the Hart Senate Office Building, was hosted by the Congressional Armenian Caucus, with prominent attorney and Capitol Hill veteran Sarig Armenian serving as Master of Ceremonies. In addition to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), others offering remarks and participating in the remembrance were: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); Joe Crowley (D-NY), the Vice-Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus; Eliot Engel (D-NY), the Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Michael Grimm (R-NY) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Janice Hahn (D-CA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Niki Tsongas (D-MA). Legislators, including Senators Jack Reid (D-RI) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Representative Linda Sanchez extended support for the program and widely publicized the event using social media.
“Armenian Americans from across the nation came together today to deliver a powerful message to Congress about our community’s enduring commitment to a truthful, just, and comprehensive resolution of the Armenian Genocide,” said Aram Hamparian, ANCA Executive Director. “We thank all those from our community and among our coalition partners who joined us on Capitol Hill. And, of course, we want to express our appreciation to all the legislators, Republican and Democratic, who are working to promote our nation’s values and advance our regional security interests by ending Turkey’s denial of truth and obstruction of justice for this crime against all humanity.”
In the weeks leading up to April 24th, the ANCA formally invited scores of senior Administration officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry, to attend the April 24th Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide remembrance. On the morning of the observance, after weeks of consideration, the State Department informed the ANCA that, as a matter of policy, the Obama Administration had decided not to participate in the event, or even to arrange for a single official to be present at the Congressional program. The State Department remains set, however, over ANCA’s objections, to send U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone to speak at an April 26th Washington, DC conference of the ATAA, a group devoted, in large part, to the denial of the Armenian Genocide.
As in years past, the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues – co-chaired by Representatives Grimm and Pallone – was joined by Armenian American organizations, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, and the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in hosting the event. In addition to remarks by legislators, powerful speeches of solidarity with the global movement for a just resolution of the Armenian Genocide were offered by Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S., Tatoul Markarian, and Republic of Nagorno Karabakh Representative Robert Avetisyan.
The program’s opening prayer was offered by Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Legate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, and the benediction was given by Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Eastern U.S., who, once again this year, also opened the April 24th session of the U.S. House with a prayer broadcast nationwide on C-SPAN. As has become a tradition in recent years, the reach of the program was multiplied by social media, with Senators and citizens alike posting photos, tweeting impressions, and emailing updates throughout the event.
As the investigation into why and how the Boston bombers unleashed their deadly attacks continues, the focus has centered to an elusive and mysterious Muslim convert known only as Misha.
Family members of Tamerlan Tsarnaev describe Misha as the guiding influence in the elder bomber developing radicalized views – but to date it is believed that law enforcement and the media have failed to find him.
Speculation as to who Misha is wildly varies, with some suggesting he is the mastermind behind the marathon bombings while others think that he could be a Russian spy – sent to identify and keep tabs on young men like Tamerlan who are at risk of turning to militant Islam.
All that is known about him is that he is an Armenian man in his 30s with distinctive red beard and that he has disappeared – no longer living in the Cambridge, Massachusetts area.
However, family members have been telling reporters that in the years before the Boston marathon bombings, Tamerlan, 26, fell under the strong influence of a new friend, a Christian who converted to Islam and who steered the religiously apathetic young man towards adopting strong Islamic views.
WASHINGTON, DC – Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s April 24th “Armenian Remembrance Day” message, which once against stops short of properly characterizing the crime as ‘genocide.’
“Sadly, President Obama chose today not to lead, but rather to follow Ankara’s gag-rule on his Administration’s condemnation and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. His public retreat, under Turkish pressure, comes despite his own pledges to acknowledge this crime and our government’s record, dating back more than half a century, of having recognized the Armenian Genocide as a clear case of genocide.”
“Our President’s complicity in Turkey’s denial of truth and its ongoing obstruction of justice will not derail our progress toward a truthful, fair, and comprehensive international resolution of Turkey’s still unpunished crime against the Armenian nation.”
The full text of President Obama’s statement is provided below.
Statement by the President on Armenian Remembrance Day
Today we commemorate the Meds Yeghern and honor those who perished in one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. Ninety-eight years ago, 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days of the Ottoman Empire. We pause to reflect on the lives extinguished and remember the unspeakable suffering that occurred. In so doing, we are joined by millions across the world and in the United States, where it is solemnly commemorated by our states, institutions, communities, and families. We also remind ourselves of our commitment to ensure that such dark chapters of history are not repeated.
I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view has not changed. A full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests. Nations grow stronger by acknowledging and reckoning with painful elements of the past, thereby building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future. We appreciate this lesson in the United States, as we strive to reconcile some of the darkest moments in our own history. We recognize those courageous Armenians and Turks who have already taken this path, and encourage more to do so, with the backing of their governments, and mine.
The history and legacy of the Armenian people is marked by an indomitable spirit, and a great resiliency in the face of tremendous adversity and suffering. The United States is stronger for the contributions Armenian-Americans have made to our society, our culture, and our communities. In small measure we return that contribution by supporting the Armenian people as they work toward building a nation that would make their ancestors proud: one that cherishes democracy and respect for human liberty and dignity.
Today we stand with Armenians everywhere in recalling the horror of the Meds Yeghern, honoring the memory of those lost, and affirming our enduring commitment to the people of Armenia.
A delegation from the US embassy in Moscow interviewed the parents of the Boston marathon bombing suspects in the Russian North Caucasus region of Dagestan, but were told the two brothers had not contacted local Islamist groups, officials said Wednesday.
The parents of Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev are currently living in Dagestan, an overwhelmingly Muslim region on the Caspian Sea where the family briefly lived before leaving for the United States.
“The FBI is receiving cooperation from the Russian government in its investigation of the Boston marathon bombing,” a US embassy official, who asked not to be named, told AFP.
“A group from the US Embassy in Moscow travelled to Dagestan yesterday (Tuesday) as part of this cooperation with the Russian government to interview the parents.”
The official declined to say whether the delegation was still in Dagestan and if the interviews had already taken place.
However a Dagestan security source told an AFP correspondent in its main city Makhachkala that interviews with both parents took place overnight and involved representatives of the FBI.
(CNN) — A Kentucky mother stepped outside of her home just for a few minutes, but it was long enough for her 5-year-old son to accidentally shoot and kill his 2-year-old sister with the .22-caliber rifle he got for his birthday, state officials said.
