Ruined Armenian city of Ani included in UNESCO World Heritage listJuly 16, 2016 - 16:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The UN's cultural agency on Friday, July 15 added a ruined Armenian city inside Turkey's closed border with the ex-Soviet state to its World Heritage list, as it elevated eight other sites across the world to the list ranking, AFP reports. The site of Ani, which lies outside the Turkish city of Kars, was the capital of an Armenian kingdom around the end of the first millenium, before its conquest in 1064 by Seljuk forces hastened a decline then completed by the Mongol conquest and an earthquake. In another sensitive inscription, UNESCO elevated to World Heritage status caves once inhabited by Neanderthals in Britain's overseas territory of Gibraltar, which is claimed by Spain. They joined seven other sites including in Iran, India, China, Micronesia and Spain in being added to the World Heritage list at the meeting of UNESCO in Istanbul. The ruined churches and secular buildings of Ani are a hugely sensitive site, lying directly on the other side of Turkey's completely closed border with Armenia. Ankara has no relations with Yerevan with the two countries mired in a dispute over the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I which Armenians and several Western parliaments regards as genocide. Photo: Hansm/wikipedia.org Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. |