Armenian Churches Celebrate the Assumption of the Virgin Mary With Grape Blessing
Worshippers gathered at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on Sunday as the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God, culminating in the traditional Blessing of the Grapes. The Armenian Report was at the Mother See on Aug. 16, documenting the liturgy, procession and grape-blessing ceremony at the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Divine Liturgy (Badarak) was celebrated at the Mother Cathedral by Archbishop Hay
First Margarian and Mantashyants Rally Brings California Car Culture to Armenia
A convoy of cars left Yerevan for Gyumri on Sunday as the first Margarian and Mantashyants Rally brought a California-style driving event to Armenia with a charitable goal. The 122-kilometer route ended at Vartanants Square in Gyumri, where participants met children from a local library and presented donations raised during the drive. Each car contributed 1,000 drams for every kilometer traveled. The Armenian Report traveled with the rally from Yerevan to Gyumri, documenting
Arman Tsarukyan, Mauricio Ruffy Face Off for First Time Ahead of UFC 331 Fight
Armenian lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan came face to face with Brazil’s Mauricio Ruffy for the first time Thursday, Aug. 14, as the two fighters build toward their five-round showdown at UFC 331. The faceoff offered an early look at a matchup that could have major implications for the UFC lightweight title picture. Both fighters enter the bout with a chance to make a strong case for a championship opportunity. Ruffy was not Tsarukyan’s original opponent. The UFC had pl
Yerevan to Host Armenia’s First Concert in Total Darkness — Audience Members Will See Nothing
A concert where the audience will see nothing — not the stage, the musicians or even the person beside them — will be held in Yerevan this month as part of an effort to turn inclusion into a lived experience. The “Concert in Total Darkness,” being staged in Armenia for the first time, will take place Aug. 26 during the 13th Fresco International Festival. Audience members will enter a completely darkened space with no screens, stage lights or other visual cues. People with vis
Amulsar Gold Mine Trains Local Residents in Armenia for Heavy Equipment Jobs
The first group of heavy equipment operators trained ahead of the planned operation of Armenia’s Amulsar gold mine has completed the program and received internationally recognized certificates, Lydian Armenia said. The operators, all residents of communities surrounding the Amulsar mine in southern Armenia, range in age from 29 to 52. The program is designed to prepare local workers for jobs in the mining industry while providing qualifications that can also be used outside
11 Armenian Service Members Have Died in 2026, Defense Ministry Says
Eleven members of Armenia’s Armed Forces have died so far in 2026, including five conscripts, according to the Defense Ministry, which says only part of the total is directly tied to military service. Defense Ministry spokesperson Aram Torosyan told Armenpress that the headline number can be misleading because the ministry also records deaths involving service members that happen outside the line of duty, including from illness, traffic accidents and other causes. “If we are
New Film Based on Monte Melkonian’s Life to Premiere in November
A new film about the life of Monte Melkonian, one of the best-known Armenian commanders of the first Artsakh War, is set to premiere in theaters this November. “Monte,” produced by Genetic Production, traces Melkonian’s life and his involvement in the war. The production says the film is based entirely on real events. Vladimir Msryan stars as Melkonian, an Armenian-American revolutionary and military commander who became a national hero in Armenia after his death in 1993. Hri
Pashinyan Rejects Aliyev’s Metsamor Claims, Says Armenia Seeks ‘100% Energy Independence’
Armenia has made no new commitment to close the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant and remains focused on achieving full energy independence, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Thursday, responding to recent remarks by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev about the plant and future regional energy links. Speaking after an Aug. 13 government meeting, Pashinyan said Metsamor’s operating timeline has already been established, including under international agreements signed by previous
Armenia’s Parliament Speaker Calls Return of Artsakh Armenians a ‘Conflict-Generating’ Goal, Says Armenia Must Accept ‘Current Reality’ for 100 Years of Peace
Armenia should not make the return of displaced Armenians to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) an official state goal because it could reopen the logic of conflict with Azerbaijan, National Assembly Speaker Ruben Rubinyan said during a parliamentary debate. Rubinyan made the remarks while responding to opposition lawmakers who argued that recent agreements with Azerbaijan do not address the roots of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. He said the conflict should not be viewed as begi
Armenian Parliament Erupts After Opposition Lawmaker Blames Pashinyan Government for War and Thousands of Deaths
A heated confrontation broke out in Armenia’s parliament Thursday after an opposition lawmaker blamed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government for the war over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), thousands of Armenian deaths and the displacement of the region’s indigenous Armenian population. The dispute began during remarks by Edgar Ghazaryan, a lawmaker from the opposition Strong Armenia faction, who delivered a sharp attack on Pashinyan and the ruling Civil Contract party. Ghaz
Buying an Apartment in Yerevan Is Becoming ‘Trendy’ as Foreign Buyers Flock to Armenia’s Real Estate Market, Pashinyan Says
Foreign buyers are becoming more active in Armenia’s property market, particularly in Yerevan, as the government moves to simplify real estate transactions and capitalize on growing interest from abroad. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told a Cabinet meeting Thursday that purchasing an apartment in Yerevan is becoming increasingly attractive to foreign nationals and Armenians living overseas. “Today, buying an apartment in Yerevan is becoming trendy, and I am pleased to note t
Pashinyan Ousts Armenia’s Security Council Chief Armen Grigoryan After Eight Years, Names Alen Simonyan as Replacement
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan replaced Armenia’s longtime Security Council secretary on Thursday, naming Alen Simonyan to the post after Armen Grigoryan’s more than eight years in the role. Pashinyan announced the change during a government meeting, where Grigoryan made his final appearance as Security Council secretary. “I have decided to make a change in the position of Security Council secretary,” Pashinyan said. Grigoryan thanked Pashinyan and his colleagues before leavi
EU Warns Armenia’s Courts Remain Vulnerable to Political Influence as Police Abuse Investigations Fall Short Despite Reforms
The European Union says Armenia’s courts remain vulnerable to political influence, investigations into alleged police abuse are ineffective and pretrial detention is used excessively despite the government’s continued human rights and judicial reforms. The EU’s 2025 Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy, published by the European External Action Service, says Armenia continued an ambitious reform program aimed at strengthening state institutions and rights protections.
Aliyev Envisions Power Lines, Oil and Gas Pipelines Through Armenia Under TRIPP, Warns Armenia Will Face Energy Crisis
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev says the planned TRIPP route through Armenia could eventually carry electricity lines, fiber-optic cables and oil and gas pipelines alongside road and rail connections, as lawmakers from both Armenia’s government and opposition reject his claim that the country could face an energy crisis after the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant closes. Aliyev outlined the bigger vision during an Aug. 11 visit to Nakhijevan, telling Azerbaijani state televisio
.png)
