Author: Ani Basmajian

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine shows nearly 95% protection

Ani Basmajian

   

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 17:33,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. A new vaccine that protects against Covid-19 is nearly 95% effective, early data from US company Moderna shows, reports BBC.

The results come hot on the heels of similar results from Pfizer, and add to growing confidence that vaccines can help end the pandemic.

Both companies used a highly innovative and experimental approach to designing their vaccines.

Moderna says it is a "great day" and they plan to apply for approval to use the vaccine in the next few weeks.

However, this is still early data

The trial involved 30,000 people in the US with half being given two doses of the vaccine, four weeks apart. The rest had dummy injections.

Russia sends 20 planes on peacekeeping mission to Nagorno-Karabakh in 24 hours

Ani Basmajian
TASS, Russia
Nov 14 2020

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed on Friday that over 1,100 Russian peacekeepers and 168 equipment units had been sent to Nagorno-Karabakh over the past three days

ULYANOVSK, November 14. /TASS/. Russia has sent 20 planes with peacekeeping forces from Ulyanovsk to Armenia in the past 24 hours within its mission to Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian Defense Ministry informed on Saturday.

"In the past 24 hours, 20 Il-76 planes belonging to military-transport aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces have left the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airfield," the message informed.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed on Friday that over 1,100 Russian peacekeepers and 168 equipment units had been sent to Nagorno-Karabakh over the past three days.

On November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. The Russian leader said the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides would maintain the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region. Besides, Baku and Yerevan must exchange prisoners and the bodies of those killed.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The area experienced flare-ups of violence in the summer of 2014, in April 2016 and this past July. Azerbaijan and Armenia have imposed martial law and launched mobilization efforts. Both parties to the conflict have reported numerous casualties, among them civilians.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs – Russia, France and the United States.

CivilNet: Armenia’s Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan Taken to Hospital

Ani Basmajian
CIVILNET.AM

06:14

“Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan was taken to a hospital. He has injuries. Fortunately, there is no danger to his life,” says chief of staff to Armenia’s Prime Minister Eduard Aghajanyan.

Mirzoyan was beaten early Tuesday morning by a group that has gathered near Armenia’s parliament to protest Nikol Pashinyan’s signing of an agreement over the Karabakh War.

Few hours before, Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page that he has made the difficult decision to sign a statement with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin. A group has stormed the National Assembly demanding answers from officials regarding the deal with Azerbaijan and Russia.

Another Azeri drone shot down

Ani Basmajian

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 12:11, 9 November, 2020

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Another Azeri unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down by the Artsakh military early Monday morning, Armenian Ministry of Defense representative Lt. Colonel Artsrun Hovhannisyan said.

The Azeri military has lost a total of 265 UAVs since September 27.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Entry of extremists a threat to entire region – Iranian FM

Ani Basmajian

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 14:59, 7 November, 2020

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Iran is concerned over the human losses in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, as well as the damages caused to civilians, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters, ISNA reports.

“We are concerned over the entry of extremist groups to the conflict zone, and this is a threat not only to the peace and stability of Iran, but also the entire region. Therefore, we believe that this wary should end”, the Iranian FM said.

As for Iran’s program on settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the FM said the conflicting sides, as well as Turkey and Russia are examining the program, and Iran is waiting for their response.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

As hundreds of Syrian militants flee Azerbaijan, Turkey sends more mercenaries to attack Artsakh

Ani Basmajian

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 16:34, 5 November, 2020

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. 342 militant mercenaries from Syria fighting against Artsakh for the Azeri side have fled Azerbaijan and returned to their home country, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Meanwhile, Turkey has sent a new batch of Syrian mercenaries comprising 230 fighters to Azerbaijan.

According to the SOHR, nine additional Syrian mercenaries were killed by November 4. During this period, 240 mercenaries were killed, with 183 bodies being transported back to Syria, while the others remain in Azerbaijan. In addition, the Artsakh forces have taken two Syrian mercenaries captive.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Ombudsman: Azerbaijanis starting to manage Armenian POWs’ social media accounts (PHOTOS)

Ani Basmajian
News.am, Armenia

Nov 3 2020
 
14:04, 03.11.2020

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia continues to obtain objective new evidence that Azerbaijanis are illegally seizing the passwords of the Armenian POWs’ social networks and starting to manage those pages. The ombudsman of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, on Tuesday noted this on Facebook.

“Evidence shows that these social network pages or accounts are activated from the Azerbaijani IP (Internet Protocol) domain, each time accessing with different devices: computer, mobile phone, iPad. They do it on different days and at different hours.

The investigation shows that hatred and materials, provoking public and political enmity in Armenia and Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], causing tension, panic and anxiety in the society, continue to spread from these Armenian pages.

Therefore, it is necessary to be extremely careful when using or sharing materials on social networks, verifying the authenticity of the shared materials, even if we personally know the user of the page.

We publish some more evidence. These and all other materials are duly documented by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia in order to send them to relevant international bodies,” Tatoyan added. 

See photos at

Americares Sends Emergency Medical Aid to Armenia

Ani Basmajian
Relief Web
Oct 31 2020
Format
News and Press Release

 

Source

 

  • Americares

    •  

 

Posted

 

31 Oct 2020

 

Originally published

 

29 Oct 2020

 

Stamford, Conn. – Oct. 29, 2020 – Americares has nearly $1 million in critical medicine and medical supplies on the way to hospitals and health facilities in Armenia treating those caught in the midst of the escalating Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Americares is delivering nearly 6 tons of medicine and relief items, including antibiotics, wound-care supplies, disinfectants, intravenous fluids and other life-saving items. The medicine, which departs from Americares global distribution center in Connecticut today, is destined for Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, where an Americares partner organization, The Armenia Artsakh Fund, will distribute it to 20 public hospitals and clinics in six regions, including Stepanakert Republican Hospital in Nagorno-Karabakh.

A decades-long dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh reignited on Sept. 27, and the humanitarian situation is escalating with civilians killed and injured and 75,000 people displaced. Nagorno-Karabakh has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces since war ended in 1994. Despite an internationally-brokered ceasefire in 1994, occasional flare-ups in fighting have not been uncommon in the 30 years since fighting officially concluded.

“As the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continues, medicines and medical supplies will be urgently needed,” said Americares Director of Asia and Eurasia Programs Joan Littlefield. “This shipment will help ensure medical professionals have the supplies they need to save lives and continue essential services.”

Americares has been providing assistance to Armenia since the Spitak earthquake in 1988, delivering medicine and medical supplies to support health services for disaster survivors and families in need. Over the past 32 years, the health-focused relief and development organization has provided over $195 million in medicine and medical supplies to support health services in Armenia, largely through partnerships with the California-based The Armenia Artsakh Fund and its predecessor, the United Armenian Fund.

Americares has professional relief workers ready to respond to disasters at a moment’s notice and stocks emergency medicine and supplies in warehouses in the U.S., Europe and India that can be delivered quickly in times of crisis. The organization responds to approximately 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings disaster preparedness programs to vulnerable communities. Since its founding more than 40 years ago, Americares has provided more than $18 billion in aid to 164 countries, including the United States.