Daily Archives: July 24, 2013

Mexico clashes kill 22, including police officers

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mexico-michaocan-state-storyClashes between criminals and federal police left 22 people dead in Mexico, including two officers, authorities said.

The additional 20 people killed are suspected criminals, federal police said in a statement. The fighting in Michoacan state on Tuesday also left 15 injured.

The clashes followed six planned attacks by criminals in different areas of the state, including gunbattles on blocked streets with cars, according to the federal police.

Federal officials are searching for those responsible and reinforcing security to ensure the region is safe.

 

New Royal baby ‘is another blood-sucking British monarch’ whose birth should not be celebrated, says Russian politician

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Vladimir ZhirinovskyThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s newborn son will ‘suck the blood’ of Russia in the mid-21st century and should therefore not be celebrated, a controversial Russian politician declared today.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the nationalist Liberal Democrat Party, declared ‘I don’t care about the heir’ before accusing the British monarchy of ‘destroying our state’.

The outspoken politician made his attention-grabbing comments in an interview with the state-run newspaper Rio Novosti.

Quoted in the International Business Times, he said : ‘The British monarchy… destroyed our state.  Today, our opposition activists are there, so that’s why there’s no joy.

‘That is why the birth of another British monarch, who will suck our blood somewhere in the mid-21st century, cannot bring us any kind of happiness.’

However Russian’s official response was more positive, with the Kremlin congratulating the Queen and welcoming her new great-grandson.

The British and Russian royal families are linked via King George V, who was first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II, whom some blame for the downfall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917.

 

Defense MG Hayk Kotanjian presented Children’s Bible to the newborn Prince of Cambridge with the following inscription

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3On July 24, the British Ambassador to Armenia Catherine Leach visited the Institute for National Strategic Studies of the MOD, RA. The Head of the Institute for National Strategic Studies of the MOD, RA, Advisor of the Defense Minister, Major General, Doctor of Political Science Hayk Kontanjian hosted the Ambassador. Research fellows of the Institute for National Strategic Studies of the MOD, RA, as well as the Executive Director of the Political Science Association of Armenia Beniamin Poghosyan also participated in the meeting. Doctor Kotanjian presented the priorities of the Institute, as well as its transformation project toward the National Defense (Research) University.

The Executive Director of the Political Science Association of Armenia Beniamin Poghosyan briefly presented the plans of the Association in the context of developing political science in Armenia.

Taking into account the fact, that the British Embassy on the occasion of the birth of the Prince of Cambridge announced the gift receiving week, on behalf of the Ministry of Defense MG Hayk Kotanjian presented Children’s Bible illustrated by the children of the Armenian Children’s center for the aesthetic education to the newborn Prince of Cambridge with the following inscription:

“To: THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE

Please accept our heartfelt congratulations, best wishes and this unique Bible for children on the occasion of the birth of the Prince of Cambridge! The Bible’s illustrations were made by Armenian children from the Center for Aesthetic Education in Yerevan, which was established and led by my friend and renowned art guru Henrikh Igityan for many years; it carries an exceptional message of love and peace.

Let this Holy Bible crafted by the talented Armenian children keep a healthy and happy long life of the newborn Prince of Cambridge to the Glory of the Crown of Great Britain and her Great British People”.

MG, Dr. Hayk Kotanjian, Head, Institute for National Strategic Studies, MOD – on behalf of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia.

 

Selling their skin: Japanese women paid to put adverts on their THIGHS to catch the attention of men

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Girls in Tokyo are renting out their thighs as advertising space3An advertising agency has hit upon a unique way of catching the attention of people living in ad-saturated Tokyo – use women’s thighs as a living billboard.

Consumers in the Japanese megalopolis are notoriously hard to reach because of the sheer abundance of billboards, neon signs and huge TV screens pumping out commercials, so the WIT agency decided to put ads on a place men are happy to pay attention to.

And it’s proving popular – so far more than 3,000 women have signed up to the scheme, which uses temporary tattoos of products or company logos.

One of them is Miho Matsumoto, who says she is comfortable with the unusual marketing method.

She said: ‘I wouldn’t do this of they put it on my belly or other places I’m embarassed to expose but if it’s on my chubby thighs then what’s the problem?

ITV reports that in order to be a walking billboard, participants must be 18-years-old and are required to have at least 20 friends on social media networks.

The girls can wear what they like, but WIT suggests that participants wear short skirts and high socks in order to draw attention to the ad. They can earn up to £65 per day.

 

U.S. HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE URGES AID TO SYRIA REFUGEES

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kirk_anca_072313
— Draft Report Silent on Specific Aid Levels to Caucasus Countries
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. House Subcommittee responsible for drafting the Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) foreign aid bill has prioritized humanitarian assistance for populations affected by the Syria conflict, but, for the first time in over two decades, the draft report accompanying the measure failed to cite specific dollar levels for aid to any of the Caucasus countries, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The ANCA reported last week that the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee has proposed sharp, overall reductions in foreign aid spending for FY14, cutting nearly 20% from both last year’s figures and the Obama Administration’s budget request.  This year’s proposed legislation was largely quiet on specific country allocations across the globe. The Subcommittee’s version of this measure will be considered by the full House Appropriation Committee on Wednesday, July 24th, when individual Members will have an opportunity to seek changes and clarifications regarding the bill’s assistance priorities and levels.   The date for full House consideration of the measure has not yet been set.
Plight of Christians and Minorities in Middle East Spotlighted
In the draft report accompanying the Subcommittee’s version of the foreign aid bill, made public earlier today, appropriators devoted considerable attention to the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, stating that the “events in the Middle East, from the Arab Spring and the conflict in Syria to the continuing transition in Iraq, have intensified the challenges facing minority communities, including Christian populations, within these areas of conflict, instability, and transition. The Committee urges the Secretary of State to continue humanitarian and resettlement assistance for members of these vulnerable communities, both inside and outside their countries of origin.”
The report specifically focuses on the Syrian crisis, noting that “the Committee understands that a majority of Syrian refugees live outside of formal camps, which adds considerably to the strain on the resources of countries hosting them. The Committee recognizes the urgent need to assist in the following ways: (1) help host countries expand their national systems to accommodate refugee needs, such as in the health and education sector, (2) ensure that host countries can continue to deliver basic services to their own citizens, (3) strengthen the capacity of local authorities to respond to the refugee influx, and (4) maintain refugees’ freedom of movement, right to settle in local communities, and access to economic opportunities. The Committee encourages the Department of State and USAID to, where appropriate, assist its partners and the affected host governments in the humanitarian response to the growing number of Syrians who have sought refuge in nearby countries and requested assistance.”
References to humanitarian aid efforts in the Middle East are of particular importance to the Armenian American community, which is actively engaged with the Obama Administration and the Congress regarding the plight of Armenians and other at-risk populations caught in the cross-fire of the Syrian conflict.  While the Armenian presence in Syria has a very long history, the majority of Syrian Armenians are descendants of those who found shelter, safety, and a new life in Syria after the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. The Armenian community numbered approximately 100,000 at the start of the present conflict. Estimates today are that as many as half of the community has left Syria, some permanently, others with the hope that they will be able to return. More than 10,000 Syrian Armenians have already fled to the Republic of Armenia, and another 10,000 or more have found refuge in Lebanon.
Last week, the ANCA brought together Armenian American civic, church, and charitable organization leaders from across the United States to take part in a U.S. government briefing on Syria humanitarian assistance efforts by the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development.  Among the Armenian American community’s publicly-stated humanitarian priorities, going into this meeting, were:
1) Ensuring the balanced and needs-based distribution of U.S. humanitarian aid to all areas of Syria, including those like Aleppo with large Armenian and other Christian populations;
2) Preventing humanitarian blockades of civilian populations, such as those creating crises in Aleppo;
3) Providing additional assistance to the Armenian government and NGO’s supporting and helping to settle Syrians who have fled to Armenia, and
4) Assisting the Armenian Church and charitable groups in Lebanon as they support the very considerable humanitarian needs of refugees from Syria.
Senate Appropriations Committee Begins its Consideration of Foreign Aid Bill
On the Senate side, the Appropriations Subcommittee on State Foreign Operations presented and approved its version of the FY2014 foreign aid bill, with specific country allocations to be made available to the public over the next several days.  Full Appropriations Committee consideration of the Senate version of the bill is set for Thursday, July 25.  ANCA Leo Sarkisian Program interns were joined by ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian at the Subcommittee “markup” of the bill earlier today.  ANCA offices, chapters, and activists have been reaching out to constituents in key Senate and House districts over the past several weeks, urging action in support of Armenian American foreign aid priorities including:
— At least $5 million in U.S. assistance to Nagorno Karabakh
— At least $50 million in U.S. assistance to Armenia
— At least 10% of U.S. assistance to Georgia to be earmarked for job creation programs in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of that country.
— Funds for humanitarian and resettlement assistance specifically targeted to Armenian and other Christian populations as well as other minority communities affected by the recent unrest in the Middle East.
— Language strengthening Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan.
— Removal of barriers to contact and communication with representatives of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
— Language calling for the participation of Nagorno Karabakh leaders in the OSCE Minsk Group negotiations
The full ANCA Congressional testimony offered in support of Armenian American foreign aid priorities is available at:http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=2244

Erdogan Succeeds in Antagonizing Both Arabs and Jews

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SasunyanBy Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

 

After brutally quelling massive domestic protests against his increasingly despotic rule, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now facing another serious problem: His unexpected ‘success’ in uniting Arabs and Jews against him!

 

The Turkish Prime Minister had already antagonized Israel and Syria with his hostile actions and statements. In recent days, he also managed to offend millions of Egyptians by rejecting their new government after Pres. Morsy was deposed by the military. Despite Erdogan’s professed objection to the overthrow of Egypt’s ‘democratically elected President,’ it is evident that he is far more concerned about saving his own neck, fearing a similar takeover by the historically coup-prone Turkish military.

 

Last week, AleppoUniversity stripped Erdogan of his honorary doctorate in international relations, awarded to him in 2009, when Syria and Turkey were enjoying a short-lived love fest. Khodr Orfaly, President of the University, accused Erdogan of instigating “plots against the Syrian people” and using “arbitrary” violence against protesters in Turkey.

 

After losing an Arab award, the Turkish Prime Minister may next be deprived of the “Profiles in Courage” prize given to him by the American Jewish Congress (AJC) in 2004 for “promoting peace between cultures.” In an article published last month in the Jewish “Commentary” magazine, Michael Rubin urged the AJC to revoke its award, describing Erdogan as “Hamas’s leading cheerleader, a promoter of terrorism, and a force for instability in the region. Rubin further asserted that “Erdogan already had a history of embracing rabid anti-Semitism and harboring conspiracy theories during his tenure as Istanbul’s mayor.”

 

Rubin also criticized Pres. Obama for “toasting Erdogan” and the 135 members of the Congressional Turkey Caucus for running “interference for Turkey’s worst excesses,” including “arbitrary arrests, police violence, launching tear gas into hotels and consulates, attacking the free press, launching anti-Semitic diatribes, and ordering the arrest of medical personnel.” Rubin questioned the motives of these House members and wondered whether they “enjoy the wining and dining Turkish authorities arrange on trips to Istanbul or Ankara as a reward for membership” in the Turkey Caucus. He urged the members of Congress to “suspend if not resign their membership.”

 

Rubin strongly advised the American Jewish Congress and other Jewish organizations to “base awards on lifetime achievement, not only wishful thinking. The risk of bestowing legitimacy on platforms that run contrary to the AJCongress’ mission is otherwise too great. The AJCongress’ award to Erdogan not only did not stop Erdogan’s anti-Semitism, but rather it for too long provided cover for it. Perhaps the organization can now mitigate the damage it has caused — and also deflate Erdogan’s buffoonery — by publicly revoking its award.”

 

Regrettably, Rubin is nine years too late in criticizing AJC’s honoring of Erdogan. Back in 2004, within days of the award ceremony, I wrote a column critical of AJC and its President Jack Rosen who had absurdly announced that his organization was honoring Erdogan as leader of “a model Moslem country.”

 

Now that the whole world has seen Erdogan’s true colors under the façade of leading “a model Moslem country,” many others need to reconsider the awards they had lavishly heaped on this undeserving leader.

 

For example, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) should revoke its prestigious “Courage to Care Award” presented to Erdogan in 2005. On that ‘happy’ occasion, the Prime Minister pointed out to Abraham Foxman, ADL’s National Director, Turkey’s “close relationship with Israel,” and pledged “zero tolerance” for “anti-Semitic diatribes.”

 

Here are some other honors given to Erdogan that should be rescinded:

 

State Medals:

— Russian state medal from Pres. Vladimir Putin (June 1, 2006)

— Crystal Hermes Award from German Chancellor Angela Merkel (April 15, 2007)

— Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian award of Pakistan (Oct. 26, 2009)

— King Faisal International Prize for “Service to Islam” (Jan. 12, 2010)

— Georgia’s Order of Golden Fleece (May 17, 2010)

— Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi’s International Prize for Human Rights (Nov. 29, 2010)

— Kuwait’s “Outstanding Personality in the Islamic World Award” (Jan. 11, 2011)

 

Honorary Doctorates:

— St. John’s University, New York (Jan. 26, 2004)

— EuropeanUniversity of Madrid (May 18, 2010)

— MoscowStateUniversity (March 16, 2011)

— ShanghaiInternationalStudiesUniversity (Apr. 11, 2012)

— University of Algiers (July 5, 2013)

 

Honorary Citizenship:

— South Korea (February 2004)

— Iran (February 2009)

— Kosovo (November 2010)

 

All those who have honored Erdogan have simply dishonored themselves. The sooner they revoke their accolades, the sooner they will redeem themselves from their disgraceful acts.