The
doctor says he sacrificed a surgical practice "for
this land".
Magic Hands and Liquid Sun: A visit with Kashatagh's
"fighter pilot" physician Vahan Ishkhanyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Is it possible that a pilot of an SU fighter plane would
choose instead to fly the "kukuruznik" (the
simple Russian plane nicknamed "corn cutter")?
Surgeon Artsakh Buniatyan pours mulberry vodka into
glasses and compares himself to a fighter pilot. The
doctor has exiled himself from a modern hospital in
Abovian to this "kukuruznik" of a place, Kashatagh,
where there are no facilities for surgery.
"I sacrificed my surgical practice for this land,"
he says and drinks his first glass.
The November velvet revolution in Georgia was crowned
January 4, when Mikhail Sahakashvili gained a landslide
victory, collecting 96 percent of votes to become president
of Armenia's neighbor to the north.
In his first televised interview, the 36 year old Sahakashvili
promised development and prosperity for the republic
and to recover the country's loses suffered at the hands
of former president Edward Shevarnadze and his family.
Holy Holiday: Armenian Christians
follow ancient traditions in celebration of Christ's
birthday
By Gayane Mkrtchyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Christmas mass was celebrated throughout the Armenian
Apostolic Church Monday evening with the traditional
greeting:
"Christ is born and revealed! Great tidings to
you and to us." And the reply: "Blessed be
the Revelation of Christ."
During world-wide ceremonies Armenian Christians mark
the birth of Jesus with candlelight services symbolizing
the Star of Bethlehem that led Magi to the Christ.
For two years Zakar Arshakyan has been working in the
Yerevan Center of Narcology as overseer, keeping watch
over patients whose overuse of alcohol has landed them
in treatment during the holidays.
While throughout Armenia strong drink fuels the series
of parties that begins in late December and lasts until
January 13, Zakar spends his season of celebration with
two dozen patients whose blood contains too much alcohol.
Over the past month, an appeals court has heard new
testimony in the murder case of the Chairman of Public
TV of Armenia Tigran Naghdalyan.
In November the Court of First Instance found Armen
Sargsyan (younger brother of slain Prime Minister Vazgen
Sargsyan and of oppositional leader Aram Sargsyan) guilty
of ordering the murder of the popular journalist. Naghdalyan
was shot to death December 28, 2002. Armen Sargsyan
was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) declared
2004 as the year of Tigran Petrossyan, legendary Armenian
chess player.
Petrossyan was the 9th World Chess Champion. He took
first place at the 1962 Curacao Candidates tournament
to become the challenger for the world chess championship.
All dressed up for the holidays, Republic
Square has never looked so rosey (well not since it
was "Lenin Square" anyway). In addition to
its giant holiday tree, this year all government buildings
were lit, casting a soft glow in the moist Yerevan nights.
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