Author: Alex Jidarian

 14:03, 28 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh conducted an objective control of the situation in the area of responsibility using Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a press release.

“The crews of the UAV complex fulfilled the standards for installing the launcher in the back of a Kamaz truck, made a march to the designated area and launched it.

With the help of UAVs, Russian peacekeepers receive real-time data to the control point, where round-the-clock monitoring of the situation is carried out almost throughout the territory in the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

The duty shifts of the headquarters collect, summarize and verify information about violations.

Also, objective control and monitoring of the situation from the air is carried out by crews with the Forpost UAV complexes.”

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in Lake Balboa is cleaning up Friday after a vandal broke eight of its sanctuary’s stained glass windows.

“A young man in his 20’s came well-organized and you can tell it’s premeditated,” said Father Shnork Demirjian of St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in Van Nuys.

The church’s security video shows a man walking up with a bag, a bat and a purpose. He takes a moment to put on his mask and his hat again. Then he begins to smash the stained-glass windows along one side of the church.

“Initially, you feel surprised and then you realize what’s happening, the devastation and the damage. We have to control our sentiments, but you still feel angry,” the church priest said.

After more than 20 strikes to the church’s windows alongside Sherman Way, the suspect shattered a total of eight windows on Thursday at around 1:30 a.m. Shards of glass were left all over the floor and the window sills of the sanctuary. At least two protective outer windows were also shattered and destroyed. St. Peter’s officials say the vandal also damaged the sign of a neighboring church on the property.

Father Demirjian called the police who are no investigating the incident as vandalism, but Demirjian believes it’s a hate crime.

“By coincidence on September 21, it was the celebration of the independence of Armenia. I really believe that it’s against Armenians who happen to be Christians,” Demirjian said.

This isn’t the first time a Van Nuys church has been the target of vandals. In April, someone defaced a Virgin of Guadalupe mural at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church with a sledgehammer.

“It’s against all people of all nations of religion because disrespect to one religion is a disrespect to other religions,” said Demirjian.

As for the suspect that damaged the priceless windows at St. Peter Armenian Church, the priest hopes his hate will be changed into love.

“Forgiveness, you’re going to receive forgiveness, but you have to pay for what you have,” he said.

 17:47, 21 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on the victory of the United Russia Party in the State Duma elections.

ARMENPRESS reports Harutyunyan stressed that the results of the voting clearly showed the high level of support and trust of the Russian society towards the strategic direction of the Russian leadership.

"Russia's strategy is aimed at the further development of the country, strengthening its international reputation, increasing the welfare of its citizens. I am confident that the State Duma of the new convocation will continue to contribute to the expansion and deepening of traditional friendly ties between the Russian and Armenian peoples, as well as the strengthening of the security environment in our region and the establishment of lasting peace," Harutyunyan said.

 10:56, 13 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. 335,721 vaccinations against COVID-19 were administered in Armenia so far, the healthcare ministry said on September 12. Out of this number 215,278 people are fully vaccinated while 120,443 have received the first dose.

Anyone 18 years and older can get the vaccine in Armenia.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 10:18,

DUSHANBE, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon said at the CSTO summit in Dushanbe that his country’s chairmanship of the military bloc coincided with a period of emergency challenges and threats facing the region.

The Tajik leader said that the member states of the organization were generally able to maintain high level of political partnership and ensure coordination of foreign political positions, and that inter-parliamentary partnership was expanded and the practice of adopting joint declarations on pressing issues continued. 

“We were able to complete the work of adopting the re-equipment program of the CSTO collective rapid reaction forces. This is a very important achievement. The respective decision will be adopted today. In terms of fulfilling objectives, the high level of readiness of the Collective Security Forces was maintained, which is extremely important, given the tense situation in neighboring Afghanistan,” President Rahmon said.

He added that during his country’s chairmanship the CSTO expanded contacts with international organizations. The organization has also advanced in developing its peacemaking potential, he said.

President Rahmon thanked CSTO member states for joint work and added that the CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas has a big role in all achievements.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:10, 9 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESSS. In May-December 2020, because of the closed air borders, Aircompany Armenia carried out 536 evacuation flights, thanks to which nearly 38,000 citizens of Armenia were evacuated from different countries and transported to the homeland, the company’s Deputy Director General for the commercial Gevorg Khachatryan said at a press conference in Armenpress.

He stated that at that period the company has used almost 10% of its entire resource.

“Armenia’s airspace was closed on March 15, 2020 because of the coronavirus disease. For about 2-3 months the Aircompany Armenia, as well as many more other airlines in the world have suspended their operation and were not operating flights. But from May the Aircompany Armenia has gradually resumed its flights. We were using almost 10% of our entire resource that time. We have carried out nearly 536 evacuation flights from May to December 2020. It means that we have transported those citizens to Armenia who were left abroad at that period. A total of 38,000 citizens have been transported to Armenia”, he said.

He informed that the main directions of those evacuation flights have been the cities of Russia, such as Moscow, Voronezh, Mineralnye Vody, Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Novosibirsk, Sochi, Yekaterinburg, as well as the French city of Lyon and the city of Dubai of the United Arab Emirates.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 18:28,

YEREVAN, 10 SEPTEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 10 September, USD exchange rate is down by 0.32 drams to 492.85 drams. EUR exchange rate is down by 0.13 drams to 583.39 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is up by 0.02 drams to 6.77 drams. GBP exchange rate is up by 2.22 drams to 683.68 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price is up by 17.27 drams to 28335.7 drams. Silver price is down by 2.94 drams to 382.59 drams. Platinum price is down by 216.24 drams to 15591.97 drams.