Joao Havelange has resigned as honorary FIFA president over claims that he had accepted bribes, world football’s governing body announced on Tuesday.
Havelange stood down after being targeted in the findings of an Ethics Committee set up by FIFA to investigate a scandal involving the now bankrupt Swiss-based marketing agency ISL and World Cup television rights.
Havelange, now 96 and in poor health, is alleged to have taken improper payments during his time serving as FIFA’s seventh president between 1974 and 1998.
His successor, Sepp Blatter, is said to have known about one payment to ISL destined for Havelange of 1.5 million Swiss francs ($1.6 million), with the report concluding that Blatter’s conduct was “clumsy” but not “criminal”.
Wines from the French presidential cellar will be auctioned off in Paris next month with 1,200 bottles on offer, auctioneers Drouot said on Tuesday.
The estimated value of the various wines up for auction ranges from a modest 15 euros to 2,200 euros ($2,800) for a Petrus 1990, Drouot said in a statement.
The Elysee Palace’s cellar is selling the wines in order to raise funds for a refurbishment, it said.
All those on offer, largely Burgundy and Bordeaux, but also including wines from the Loire and Alsace, have been served at the table of the French president at one time or another.
The bottles, due to be auctioned on May 30 and 31, will be replaced through the purchase of other less pricey wines, the auction house added.
Forget global warming – the Earth may soon be plunged into a 250-year cooling period, scientists have claimed.
Russian climate experts believe that every 200 years the Sun’s activity temporarily wanes and it emits less heat.
They believe this ‘cooling period’ could cause the earth’s average temperature to fall by several degrees.
The last time this occurred was between 1650 and 1850 – a period known as the ‘Little Ice Age’.
At the time, most of Britain’s rivers would freeze over during the bitter winters.
Contemporary paintings show people could even cross the Thames using ice skates.
The next ‘cooling period’ is scheduled to start between 2030 and 2040.
But scientists from Pulkovo Observatory in St Petersburg think the cold period is unlikely to be as harsh as the last one.
And Vladimir Kotlyakov, from the Russian Academy of Sciences, said: ‘There are no grounds to claim that global warming will continue till the end of this century.
‘Climate moves in natural cycles of warmer and colder, as well as drier and more humid times.
‘Early signs of cooling are already there and the trend may pick up in coming years.
‘Human activity and industrial discharges do have a great impact on the environment, but forces of nature are far more powerful.’
The world’s first web page will be dragged out of cyberspace and restored for today’s Internet browsers as part of a project to celebrate 20 years of the Web, organisers said on Tuesday.
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) said it had begun recreating the website that launched that World Wide Web, as well as the hardware that made the groundbreaking technology possible.
The world’s first website was about the technology itself, according to CERN, allowing early browsers to learn about the new system and create their own web pages.
The project will allow future generations to understand the origin and importance of the Web and its impact on modern life, CERN web manager Dan Noyes told AFP.
The project was launched to mark the 20th anniversary of CERN making the World Wide Web available to the world for free.
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.
Today, President Serzh Sargsyan received the Prosecutor General of the Islamic Republic of Iran Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, who has arrived to Armenia on a working visit.
Welcoming the Prosecutor General of Iran in our country, the President of Armenia expressed hope that the sighing of the Memorandum between the Prosecutor General’s offices of our two countries, which took place today in the framework of the visit of the Prosecutor General of Iran, will enhance the efficient cooperation in the legal area and promote practical relations.
The President of Armenia noted that reciprocal high-level visits between the two states testify to the determination of the Armenian and Iranian authorities to further strengthen relations. He underscored that Armenia attaches importance to the deepening of cooperation with the friendly Iran not only in the political and cultural areas but also in the legal and judicial fields.
Today, the newly appointed Ambassador of Australia to the Republic of Armenia Armenia Paul Myler (residence in Moscow) presented his credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan.
Serzh Sargsyan congratulated the Ambassador on the commencement of his diplomatic mission in our country and expressed hope that Ambassador Myler will do his best to expand the agenda of the Armenian-Australian cooperation and to endow the bilateral relations with a new quality. At the meeting, the President of Armenia and Ambassador of Australia stressed the importance of the Armenian-Australian community in the strengthening bilateral ties.
President Serzh Sargsyan expressed gratitude to the legislative and executive branches of Australia’s New South Wales state for their valuable assistance in the recognition of independence of Nagorno Karabakh and Armenian Genocide. The President hailed also cooperation of our two countries in the framework of international organizations.
Ambassador Paul Myler assured President Sargsyan that he would do everything to further deepen and strengthen the Armenian-Australian bilateral ties which rest on a solid base.
(CNN) — Willem-Alexander became the first Dutch king in more than 120 years on Tuesday as his mother, Queen Beatrix abdicated the throne, ending 33 years as the country’s monarch.
The 75-year-old monarch handed over power in a constitutionally ordained ceremony in the Mozes Hall of the royal palace in Amsterdam. The transfer became official as she signed the “instrument of abdication” that means she will now be known as Princess Beatrix.
Cheers erupted from crowds gathered outside the palace who were watching proceedings on a big screen as the queen signed the document. CNN’s Max Foster reported that many in the Netherlands had been partying well into the night.
King Willem-Alexander later appeared on the balcony of the palace with his wife and three daughters, along with his mother. He told the crowd he was “grateful for your confidence and support” as he started his reign.
In a televised address Monday night, Queen Beatrix said she knows the new royal couple will have the loving trust of the nation.
“My oldest son will now take over a beautiful task which is filled with great responsibility,” the queen said. “I am absolutely convinced that Willem-Alexander will be committed in faithful devotion to be a good king and to do what a good King is asked to do.”
Beatrix stepped down on the national holiday known as Queen’s Day, an opportunity for people across the Netherlands to dress up and party. The investiture of the new king before a joint session of parliament later in the day will be the high point of a year of celebrations marking the end of the Napoleonic occupation in 1813.
“I have always considered it as an extraordinary privilege to be able to put a big part of my life at the service of our country and in accordance with my task to add substance to my kingship,” said Beatrix, who acceded to the throne when her mother, Queen Juliana, abdicated in 1980.
City turns orange to celebrate new king
Dutch Queen Beatrix to abdicate throne
“Until today, this beautiful task has given me a lot of satisfaction. It is inspiring to feel close to people, to sympathize in grievances and share times of joy and national pride.”
The Dutch media has speculated that the queen was abdicating to spend more time with her second son Friso, who was injured in an avalanche at an Austrian ski resort last year. He remains in a coma in a London hospital.
A king for the 21st century
The 46-year-old new king was educated in Wales and Holland, where he earned a history degree at Leiden University. He served in the Dutch Royal Navy from 1985 to 1987. As Prince of Orange — the title given to the person first in line to the Dutch throne — he was interested in sustainability and innovation.
He is married to Máxima, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has a degree in economics and has worked for HSBC and Deutsche Bank. The couple have been married for 11 years and have three daughters.
Last week, the couple gave their first joint TV interview in which Willem set out how he intended to rule.
“I want to be a king who is first of all traditional, built on the tradition of my predecessors, who stands for continuity and also for stability in the country … but also a king who in the 21st century can bind together and represent society as a whole.”
Asked how he intended to do that, Willem told the NOS state broadcaster: “By being present where you think people need support or help, by giving extra attention and presence to worthwhile events and by supporting people who are in need.”
Notable absence
One notable absence at Tuesday’s ceremony will be the new queen’s father, Jorge Zorreguieta, who was a minister during the 1976-1983 Argentinian military dictatorship.
Maxima said her family would not attend her swearing-in as queen because of her father’s controversial past.
“This is a constitutional event, when my husband becomes king and my father doesn’t belong there, especially if there are issues,” the princess told NOS. “He remains my father, we still enjoy our private moments.”
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:
Russia’s transportation ministry says a Russian civilian airliner came under threat from fighting in Syria while flying over the country, but there were no injuries or damage to the plane.
The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted the press service of Rosturism, the Russian state tourism authority, as saying the plane came under rocket fire Monday. But a statement on the ministry’s website did not give details, saying the plane’s crew saw “signs of war activity which, in the crew’s opinion, threatened the safety of the plane.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told the ITAR-Tass news agency that the plane was carrying 159 people.
The transportation ministry said the plane, belonging to the NordWind charter airline, was flying from the Egyptian resort of Sharm-al-Sheikh to Kazan, where it landed safely.
Five female tourists rescued in eight-hour search after balloon crash in Pacific Ocean as two remain missing
Peruvian authorities have managed to rescue five women from the Pacific Ocean after
The women were found clinging to the basket of the balloon on Sunday after eight hours in the freezing water.
The women have been taken to hospital, but a police helicopter and navy boats are still searching for the pilot and another man.
None of the people aboard the flight were wearing life jackets. The Interior Minister blasted the balloon’s owner, Globos Peru SAC, for failing to provide flotation devices and not equipping it with a GPS tracker.
Reports suggest the missing men may have tried to swim to shore for help. All of the people on board are believed to be Peruvian.
Volunteers also combed the area south of the capital Lima in fishing boats and jet skis.
‘Hopefully we can find them as soon as possible,’ Minister Wilfredo Pedraza told a state-run TV station. ‘All we know is that one of them tried to swim to the coast. The search will continue, even at night, until they are rescued.’
The biggest Nike shoe ever was not made for a tall basketball player, but for an elephant with a limp.
A PR representative for the sneaker company shared a photo of this gargantuan piece of footwear on Twitter, explaining that the shoe was engineered to help one elephant find balance, since one of its legs was shorter than the others.
The leather sneaker is designed to look like elephant skin, and it features stylish white buckles on the heel, grey shoelaces, and remnants of baby pink trademark Nike swooshes on the sides.
The PR representative captioned the photo: ‘Biggest shoe Nike ever made was for an elephant that had one leg shorter than the others. Nike fitted him with lifts.’
No details about the age or size of the shoe or elephant were given, but from its tattered appearance it would appear the sneaker was well worn.
Joel Colley, an Oregon-based art director, took to Instagram to share a photo of the shoe back in October.
According to Mr Colley, the immense sneaker belonged to a female elephant named Bandula, who was also developing arthritis.
And some have speculated that Bandula may have had an aesthetic influence on the the sportswear brand.
As the tallest skyscraper in Western Europe, the Shard offers breath-taking views of London.
But for some who were stuck there yesterday, the view hardly compensated for them being stuck at the top while a fire alarm went off downstairs.
More than 200 visitors to western Europe’s tallest building, The Shard, were stranded 800ft up yesterday after a lift stopped working due to a fire scare.
Tickets for the £2billion building’s viewing platforms cost £24.95 for an adult and £18.95 for a child – and while the delay meant visitors got an extended view, that did not appease their fury at the long wait for their descent.
This automatically grounded the lifts – and some visitors claimed they were not allowed to use the stairs to return to ground level, The Independent reported.
An EU-led court in Kosovo on Monday sentenced five doctors to up to eight years in prison for illegal organ harvesting and transplants.
Former Kosovo health minister Ilir Rrecaj — who admitted during the trial that he knew that illegal kidney transplants were carried out at the Medicus clinic in Pristina in 2008, but denied covering them up — was acquitted.
Prominent Pristina urologist Lutfi Dervishi got the stiffest term of eight years for “organised crime and human trafficking,” the judge said in the verdict.
His son Arban Dervishi was sentenced to seven years and three months while the other three defendants received between one and three years imprisonment.
The indictment says that at least 30 illegal kidney removals and transplants were carried out at the clinic in the Kosovo capital in 2008.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai confirmed Monday that his office has received money from the US Central Intelligence Agency over the past decade, with wads of cash reportedly handed over in suitcases and backpacks.
Karzai thanked the US spy agency for what he said was money well spent just hours after The New York Times reported that Karzai’s office received tens of millions of dollars in cash in a CIA effort to win influence.
“Yes, the NSC of Afghanistan has received money from CIA in the past 10 years. The amount was not big, rather it was small,” Karzai said in a statement, referring to the National Security Council which is part of his office.
Karzai said the money had been used for good causes in Afghanistan, where endemic corruption has undermined efforts to establish a stable state, more than 11 years after the US-led invasion to dislodge the Taliban.
“The money was spent for different reasons: operation objectives, helping wounded and sick (people) and for house rents and others objectives,” the president said, without giving further details.
Botswana President Ian Khama has had stitches in his face after being scratched by a cheetah, officials say. The animal was reportedly being fed in its enclosure at an army barracks when it jumped up and scratched Mr Khama, who was standing nearby. The incident was “a freak accident, but not an attack”, government spokesman Jeff Ramsay told local media. Mr Khama’s injuries were minor and there were “no real security implications”, the official added. The incident is said to have happened very fast, catching the president and his bodyguard by surprise. “He was scratched by a cheetah but not really attacked per se,” said Mr Ramsay. Mr Khama was seen sporting a plaster at a meeting following the attack. Cheetahs, the world’s fastest land mammals, are listed as an endangered species. Around 12,400 are thought to remain in the wild in African countries, including Botswana.
President Serzh Sargsyan received today the Ukrainian historian, specialist in the Armenian Studies, creator of the Armenian Culture in Ukraine encyclopedia and author of over seventy scientific articles Irina Gayuk.
Welcoming the guest, the President praised her scientific activities dedicated to the Armenian nation and Armenian history and expressed gratitude for the important work which Mrs. Gayuk as a specialist in the Armenian Studies has been doing in Ukraine for long years. Serzh Sargsyan underscored, in particular, professional and dedicate work in revealing through the Armenian Culture in Ukraine encyclopedia facts related to the Armenian-Ukrainian relations, friendship of the two nations, and comprehensive information about the Armenian cultural heritage in Ukraine. Considering all mentioned above, President Serzh Sargsyan awarded Irina Gayuk with the Movses Khorenatsi Medal for her contribution to the strengthening and development of the Armenian-Ukrainian relations. The President of Armenia congratulated Mrs. Gayuk on receiving the high state award and wished success in her future activities.
Irina Gayuk expressed gratitude for such a high assessment of her work and stressed she has been doing her job with great pleasure. She said that she deeply respects the Armenian people and its centuries-long history and culture. The Ukrainian scientist also noted that there is still much to be done and she will continue within the scope of her abilities to contribute to the important mission of presenting to the world the Armenian cultural heritage and history.
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.
An official says an explosion at a residential building and subsequent partial collapse of the edifice has left at least two people dead and injured nine others in France’s Champagne country.
A local rescue official says more than 100 rescue workers, firefighters, and bomb and gas experts were deployed to the building in the subsidized housing complex that collapsed Sunday morning in the city of Reims, east of Paris.
Reims mayor Adeline Hazan told France’s BFM television that “a very powerful explosion” had taken place but the cause was unclear. She said the bodies of the two people killed remained under the rubble.
The rescue official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said he couldn’t immediately confirm whether an explosion had taken place.
Joao Havelange has resigned as honorary FIFA president over claims that he had accepted bribes, world football’s governing body announced on Tuesday.
City turns orange to celebrate new king
Dutch Queen Beatrix to abdicate throne
