Armenian Genocide and California legislature: The Sacramento BeeFebruary 28, 2018 - 18:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - While the California Legislature can only set policy for the state's nearly 40 million residents, its ambitions are often much grander. With one of the largest economies in the world to dangle and deploy for influence, lawmakers regularly wade into issues on the global stage, thousands of miles from California's borders, The Scaramento Bee says in an article. The tense relations between Armenia and Turkey, which continues to deny that the then-Ottoman Empire committed a Genocide of 1.5 million Armenians during World War I, is a perpetual topic. California has the largest population of ethnic Armenians outside of Armenia — hundreds of thousands in Los Angeles County alone — and there is an annual resolution to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Last year, the Assembly even passed a bill to prohibit California's public employee retirement funds from investing with the Turkish government, though it ultimately died in a Senate committee. The divestment push has found more success at the University of California, which is reported to hold more than $70 million in Turkish bonds and investments. Activists have pushed the student governments at nearly every campus to pass resolutions urging UC to divest. A Senate hearing will highlight that campaign by inviting the student founders of the Divest Turkey movement to testify. Jagdeep Singh Bachher, UC's chief investment officer and vice president of investments, is also slated to discuss why UC remains committed to its financial obligations in Turkey. Sen. Anthony Portantino, a Democrat from La Cañada Flintridge who represents a large Armenian-American population and will chair the hearing, said: "If I can help highlight those human rights atrocities and use that as a justification for divestiture, I'm going to do that. At the end of the day, we're talking about Californians with both human and business ties to these countries." Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Azerbaijan must respect human rights, Scholz tells Aliyev German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for greater respect for human rights in Azerbaijan. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. 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. |