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The newly elected pontiff of the Armenian Apostolic Church took his seat at the head of the church Thursday, his enthronement delayed a week by national mourning following a massacre in Armenia's parliament last week. Kensington resident Julie Ashekian was among the 456 worldwide delegates, two-thirds of them laypeople, who elected Archbishop Karekin Nersissian to be Catholicos Garegin II at the ancient Cathedral at Echmiadzin on Oct. 27. As he gave his acceptance speech, a bishop handed the Catholicos-elect a note. Armenia has a history of tragedy and hardship. Ashekian and her husband, Clement, both lost their grandparents in the Armenian genocide of 1915, which claimed 1.5 million lives. A catastrophic earthquake in 1988 led to their involvement in Children of Armenian Sponsorship Program. Julie Ashekian is national coordinator of the program for orphan sponsorship.

Assassinated [Vazgen Sarkisian], a 40-year-old former athletics instructor and Soviet propaganda official, was appointed Premier by President [Robert Kocharian] last June. Sarkisian was an ally of shot Speaker [Karen Demirchian] - Armenia's Soviet-era leader. The two men led the hardline Unity party. Sarkisian's suggested successor as Premier is 30-year-old Ilir Meta, an economics graduate and amateur weightlifter.

YEREVAN, Armenia -- Nationalist gunmen whose attack on parliament killed eight top Armenian officials, including the prime minister, turned in their weapons and surrendered to authorities today, freeing the dozens of hostages they had held during their overnight siege. Hundreds of police and army troops with armored personnel carriers had surrounded the parliament building in this former Soviet republic throughout the night and authorities had been considering using special forces to end the standoff with the five attackers. But the takeover at the parliament building ended after President Robert Kocharian promised the gunmen a fair trial and a recorded statement by their leader was broadcast on national television.

YEREVAN, Armenia - President Robert Kocharian named Aram Sarkisian as prime minister yesterday, replacing his assassinated brother. Vazgen Sarkisian was killed last week, along with seven other lawmakers and Cabinet members, when five nationalist gunmen stormed into the Parliament chamber and opened fire. Manley Guarducci of Canada and soldier Orlando Rocha were freed by the Andres Castro United Forces. The two were seized a mine near the town of Bonanza, about 185 miles northeast of the capital. The Front initially demanded $1.5 million in ransom as well as aid promised by the government during a 1997 demobilization by the group, which is made up of former Sandinista soldiers. The government said it refused the demands.

Sri Lanka fighting: Tamil rebels overran several military posts in northern Sri Lanka Wednesday, killing hundreds of soldiers and sending others fleeing into the jungle, a senior army official said. The rebels appeared to be driving the army south.

Also killed were parliament Speaker Karen Demirchian, deputy Speaker Yuri Bakhshian, Energy Minister Leonard Petrosian and senior economic official Mikhail Kotanian, according to Ararat Zurabian, a city spokesman.

Armenia's Defence Ministry yesterday demanded the sacking of senior security officials after the parliamentary chamber slaughter that left the prime minister and seven others dead. The gunmen, who surrendered yesterday, said they carried out the killings to punish corrupt officials. President Robert Kocharian declared three days of nationwide mourning after the assassinations of Prime Minister Mr Vazgen Sarkisian, who had been in office only five months, and parliamentary speaker Ms Karen Demirchian, stunned the nation.

Nationalist gunmen surrendered today after killing the prime minister and seven others, and said they had stormed the Armenian Parliament to save the country from political and economic collapse. The five gunmen released about 40 hostages after holding them in the Parliament overnight. They handed their weapons to police before being escorted from the building in the center of Yerevan. The freed hostages, mainly government officials and lawmakers, were checked by doctors. Officials questioned the gunmen at the Security Ministry, according to President Robert Kocharian's office. The gunmen were escorted out of the Parliament by at least one hostage to ensure their safety