Kocharyan, From Detention, Accuses Armenian Government of Political Prosecution
Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government of using the justice system against political opponents, breaking his silence from detention as he faces corruption and money laundering charges. Kocharyan’s office released his statement Sunday, Aug. 31, days after Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court ordered the former president held in pretrial detention. Bagrat Mikoyan, the head of Kocharyan’s office, made the statement public. Kocha
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Pashinyan, Aliyev Meet in Kyrgyzstan to Advance TRIPP, Trade and Peace Process
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met for about an hour Monday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan — where they discussed the next steps for the U.S.-backed TRIPP project, expanding bilateral trade and efforts to build on agreements reached at their Washington peace summit earlier this month. The Aug. 31 meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, according to the Armenian Prime Minister’s Office. Pashin
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Armenian Teen Mher Gharibyan Wins MMA Title in Kars, Armenian Flag Raised at Ceremony
Armenian teenager Mher Gharibyan took first place at an international mixed martial arts tournament in Kars, eastern Turkey, with the Armenian flag raised during the awards ceremony. The 16-year-old fighter, who represents Armenia and trains with the MY FIGHT club, competed in the 54/55-kilogram weight division. Gharibyan defeated an opponent representing Georgia on his way to the top of the podium. His victory drew particular attention because it came in Kars, a city with de
6 hours ago
Four Arrested Over Spitting at Armenian Cathedral in Jerusalem
Israeli police arrested four people over the weekend on suspicion of spitting at the Armenian Cathedral of St. James in Jerusalem’s Old City, weeks after six others were detained in a similar incident at the same church. Police said the four were among seven suspects arrested over the weekend in cases involving religious sites and burial grounds in Jerusalem. Three others were detained on suspicion of vandalizing Muslim graves. The latest arrests follow a separate incident ea
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Turkey Reverses Decision Barring Children From Armenia From Istanbul’s Armenian Schools
INTERVIEW: For 14 years, children from Armenia living in Turkey have been allowed to attend Istanbul’s Armenian community schools under a special “guest student” system, giving them access to an Armenian education even though, as foreign citizens, they cannot enroll on the same terms as members of Turkey’s Armenian community. That arrangement was thrown into uncertainty this month when inspectors from Turkey’s Ministry of National Education visited Armenian schools and told a
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Russia Slams Armenia’s Alen Simonyan for Welcoming Russians Fleeing Possible Mobilization
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has sharply criticized Armenia’s newly appointed Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan after he said Armenia would remain open to Russian citizens seeking to leave the country if Moscow announces another mobilization. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called Simonyan’s remarks “provocative” and accused Armenian officials of making statements that damage relations with Moscow. Simonyan made the comments in an interview with TV Rain afte
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Azerbaijan Destroys Stepanakert Cathedral and Irreplaceable Armenian Sacred Art
The destruction of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert also wiped out significant works of Armenian sacred art, including a set of handcrafted entrance doors created specifically for the church by artist and sculptor Robert Askaryan. The cathedral was completely destroyed sometime between March 3 and April 2, 2026, according to satellite monitoring cited by Artsakh Cultural Heritage Ombudsman Hovik Avanesov. Among the works lost were Askaryan’s entrance doors, whi
2 days ago
Jennifer Lopez Concert Organizer Yet to Return $1.4 Million, Receives $9 Million in New Contract
An Armenian company that received nearly $6 million in public funding to organize Jennifer Lopez’s concert in Yerevan has not returned about $1.4 million sought by the government, even as another ministry has awarded the same company roughly $9 million in new contracts for a major international event. The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports has been seeking the money from Doping Space, the company behind Lopez’s August 2025 concert, for nearly two months. The a
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Armenia to Provide 50,000 ChatGPT Edu Subscriptions to Schools and Universities
Armenia will provide 50,000 ChatGPT Edu subscriptions to high schools and universities beginning in September, bringing artificial intelligence tools into classrooms and academic institutions on a broad scale. Education, Science, Culture and Sports Minister Zhanna Andreasyan announced the rollout Friday during an Aug. 28 news conference. The initiative is being carried out in partnership with OpenAI and Firebird. In public schools, the program will apply only to high school s
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Anti-Armenian Flyers Found Near Glendale School Days After Launch of Western Armenian Program
Glendale police are investigating anti-Armenian flyers found near Glenoaks Elementary School, days after the campus launched a Western Armenian dual-language program described by local officials as the first of its kind in the United States. The material was scattered through the residential area surrounding the school and was designed to look like folded $100 bills. When opened, the flyers contained an insulting reference to Armenians and the message, “THIS IS AMERICA NOT ST
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