Daily Archives: October 14, 2013

We are sailing: Hundreds of yachts take to the sea for annual regatta off coast of Italy

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Barcolana Regatta1

Barcolana Regatta8

 

It started off as in informal race between 51 locals in 1969 to mark the end of the sailing season for another year.

But 45 years on the Barcolana regatta now attracts 2,000 boats from all across the globe, transforming the coastline with a bevy of boats.

The week-long celebration of sailing was capped off today with the Barcolana International Sailing Race, with hundreds of yachts taking part.

Hundreds of thousands of people spent the week at Trieste’s biggest annual event, enjoying classic boat races, land events and night-time sailing.

The gathering is the biggest of its kind anywhere in the Mediterranean and turns the Gulf of Trieste into the unofficial sailing capital of Europe for seven days.

Everyone from brave amateurs all the way up to world-class helmsmen can take part in the race which is always held on the second Sunday of October.

Offering something for everyone the event includes a King of the Wind event in which people with disabilities race in specially adapted boats.

 

Barcolana Regatta

Seven Red Cross workers kidnapped in Syria after gunmen attacked their convoy in north of the country

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syria-red cross workers

 

Seven members of the Red Cross have been kidnapped by gunmen in Syria today.

The six workers and one volunteer were travelling in a four-vehicle convoy in the north of the country when the attackers blocked their path and opened fire, according to Syria state media.

They had been delivering medical supplies in the Idlib province when the abduction took place near the town of Saraqeb, at around 11.30am local time.

The Syrian media reports blamed the attack on ‘terrorists’ – a term often used to describe the rebels fighting President Bashar Assad. The Idlib area has been largely under rebel control for the past year.

A spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross today confirmed that the people had been kidnapped, but that they had not been contacted by anybody claiming responsibility. The organisation has called for their immediate release.

Officials say a Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteer and three of six Red Cross staffers taken hostage in Syria are free and safe.

The Red Cross has not offered any information about the gender of nationality of the six employees who were captured.

However, a spokesman said that the team had been in the field since 10 October to assess the medical situation in the area and to look at how to provide medical aid in the province, which is said to be: ‘by definition is a difficult area to go in.’

 

Temple stampede leaves 89 dead in India

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india-stampedeA stampede outside a temple in central India killed at least 89 people Sunday, authorities said.

The incident occurred on a bridge over the Sindh River while pilgrims were headed to the temple for a Hindu festival.

“The death toll could go much higher as about 25,000 people were present on the bridge at that time,” said D.K. Arya, a local deputy police inspector.

A rumor that the bridge was about to collapse caused panicked people to stampede, police told CNN sister network CNN-IBN.

Many people jumped off the bridge into the river, Arya said.

The stampede occurred at a temple in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

Right Now: Hnting Bezoar Goats in Jermuk

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բեզոարյան այծեր

Right now, at 13:15 on 14 October, three hunters are hunting red-listed bezoar goats in the area of Jermuk, near Kechout reservoir, on the slopes of River Arpa Gorge. Ecologist Lyuba Balyan phoned to EcoLur, which us currently examining the migration of birds in this area. “I can’t shoot the hunters on the camera: they are rather far from and I can see them with a telescope. They used to be four, but now they are three. The bezoar goats went down to the drinking place, they shot, but missed, so bezoar goats could hide,” Lyuba Balyan said.

The observers phoned the State Environmental Inspection, who promised to send its employees on the scene. Under her, the night before when they were watching birds, some people approached them and introduced themselves as forestry enterprise workers and asked whether they had seen any bezoar goats nearby. Then they left. The locals are not excluded to be tippers-off for the hunters, who are willing to pay much money for the hunting of red-listed animals.

 

President congratulated Jivan Gasparian on the his 85th birth anniversary

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President Serzh Sargsyan today had a telephone conversation with the RA People’s Artist, renowned duduk player and composer Givan Gasparian and congratulated him on his 85th birth anniversary.

President also sent a congratulatory message to Jivan Gasparian.

“Dear Jivan,

I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of the 85th birth anniversary.
You have elevated the Armenian musical art to new heights. In particular, thanks to you, the Armenian duduk has conquered new stages and screens all over the world.

Dear Master,

I am happy and proud that I have been able to enjoy your exceptional performances. I wish you good health and all the best.”