‘Mad Vandalism’: Turkey to Demolish Hotels of Outspoken Armenian Entrepreneur-Scholar
Sevan Nisanyan, the owner of Nisanyan Hotels, and a linguist, columnist, academic, and outspoken critic, is facing a demolition order on his hotels throughout Turkey. In a country packed with illegal constructions, the targeting of the Nisanyan Hotels speaks volumes about Turkey’s persecution of its minority citizens who dare to raise their voice against the government or its denialist policies.[caption id="attachment_9444" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="'It is an act of mad vandalism, but I doubt very much that they will be able to carry it out.'"][/caption]The Nisanyan Hotels are located in Sirince, Izmir, a village of around 600 inhabitants in the Aegean ...

Best-Selling Author Chris Bohjalian Making Literary Strides
LINCOLN, Vt.—Give Chris Bohjalian his family, a bicycle, and a bottle of good wine and he’s one happy fellow.[caption id="attachment_9387" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Best-selling author Chris Bohjalian has his sights set on a book about the Armenian Genocide, with a 2014 publishing timetable."][/caption]Somewhere in the mix has to be a burgeoning literary career that has sprouted 13 books, a host of magazine articles, and a weekly Sunday column that’s become a staple for readers of the Burlington Free Press. One publication, “Idyll Banter,” contains a litany of his best columns about life in rural Vermont. To say Bohjalian is part of the ...

Ekmanian: Commentators Criticize New Armenia-Russia Defense Pact
Upon the invitation of President Serge Sarkisian, Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev and his wife Svetlana Medvedeva arrived in Yerevan on a state visit for two days on the evening of Aug. 19.[caption id="attachment_9350" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Medvedev in Yerevan."][/caption]Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov, Transport Minister Igor Levitin, Special Representative of the President in the north-west region Ilya Klepanov, Ulyanovka Governor Sergey Morozov, Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia Vyacheslav Kovalenko, and other officials were among the Russian delegation that landed at Zvartnots Airport.The main objective of the visit was to finalize the proposed 49-year lease on Russia’s 102nd ...

Vartabedian: One Wedding that Celebrates the Goodness of Life
DEARBORN, Mich. (A.W.)—Four years ago, Alex Sarafian laid in a hospital ward with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, uncertain about his future. Would he live or die?[caption id="attachment_9331" align="alignleft" width="197" caption="Alex and Kara Sarafian"][/caption]Any plans for a wedding date with his long-time soulmate Kara Derderian were put on hold for obvious reasons. They would let time play its course and hoped for the best.The elusive day arrived Aug. 14 when the two exchanged vows in what could be best described as a celebration of life, culminating an 18-year relationship.Their elaborate wedding took place in Dearborn, Mich., just outside the sprawling Henry Ford gardens ...

Book of the Week: ‘Children of God’
‘Children of God: Storybook Bible’ By Archbishop Desmond Tutu Grand Rapids, Michigan: ZonderKidz, July 2010, 127 pp. Language: English Price: $18.99Regardless of where you and I stand on the topic of religion, Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s Children of God: Storybook Bible is worthy of praise, not only for the simple way its Nobel Peace Prize-winning author retells his 56 favorite Bible stories, but also for the vivid illustrations covering its pages.[caption id="attachment_9321" align="alignleft" width="251" caption="Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 'Children of God: Storybook Bible' is worthy of praise, not only for the simple way its Nobel Peace Prize-winning author retells his 56 favorite Bible stories, but also ...

New Tankian Music Video Released
[caption id="attachment_9276" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="A scene from the video."][/caption]LOS ANGELES, Calif (A.W.)—On Aug. 20, the official video of Serj Tankian’s song “Left of Center” was released online. The song is included in Tankian’s new album “Imperfect harmonies,” which will be available on Sept. 21.The video was directed by Tawd Dorenfeld, who also directed the music video of Tankian’s “Unthinking Majority.”On Aug. 12, Tankian performed at Yerevan’s Marza-Hamerkayin Hamalir (the Karen Demirchian Sports and Culture Complex), which was filled to capacity. To read the Weekly’s report on the concert, click here.To watch the video of “Left of Center,” click here.

News »
‘Mad Vandalism’: Turkey to Demolish Hotels of Outspoken Armenian Entrepreneur-Scholar
Sevan Nisanyan, the owner of Nisanyan Hotels, and a linguist, columnist, academic, and outspoken critic, is facing a demolition order on his hotels throughout Turkey. In a country packed with illegal constructions, the targeting of the Nisanyan Hotels speaks volumes about Turkey’s persecution of its minority citizens who dare to raise their voice against the [...]
More in News
Community »
Washington Post Endorses Jamgochian for Maryland State Assembly
BETHESDA, Md.—Maryland State Assembly candidate Hrant Jamgochian recently received the coveted endorsement of the Washington Post in the tightly contested Democratic primary for the Maryland’s 16th district, reported the Armenian National Committee of Maryland (ANC-MD).
Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) (center) with Maryland State Assembly candidate Hrant Jamgochian and his wife, Lena.
“In a strong field of 11 [...]
More in Community
Columnists »
Sassounian: Congress Should Investigate State Dept. for Holding Back Aid to Artsakh
The State Department has acted negligently and possibly in contempt of Congress by withholding assistance that the latter had expressly allocated to Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh) during the past 12 years.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) revealed last week that the State Department only spent about half of the amount allocated by Congress to Artsakh. From [...]
More in Columnists
Opinion »
From Magic to the Investigative Memoir: An Interview with Garin K. Hovannisian
Family of Shadows: A Century of Murder, Memory, and the Armenian American Dream (HarperCollins), due to be released on Sept. 21, is the focus of the following interview Rachel Goshgarian conducted with author Garin K. Hovannisian over the phone, while the latter was in Yerevan.
But you’ve got to be moved by shadows—they are poems. They [...]
More in Opinion


