Author: Jhanna Virabian

 17:16, 1 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS. The number of people infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world has surpassed 3 million 329 thousand 453, according to the data released by coronavirus research centers.

The death toll is over 234,000.

More than 1 million 053 thousand 040 patients have recovered.

US is leading in the world in terms of the largest number of infected people (1 million 095 thousand 977 confirmed cases). 63,876 deaths were reported.

Then comes Spain which confirmed 239,639 cases so far. The total number of deaths in Spain is 24,543.

Spain is followed by Italy which reported a total of 205,463 cases. 27,967 patients have died.

UK overtook France, confirming 171,253 cases and 26,771 deaths.

The next is France with a total of 167,178 cases and 24,376 deaths.

Germany has confirmed 163,162 cases and 6,632 deaths.

Turkey has recorded 120,204 cases. The deaths comprise 3,174.

Russia overtook China and Iran, confirming 114,431 cases. The deaths reached 1,169.

Iran recorded 95,646 cases. 6,091 people have died in Iran from coronavirus.

Brazil surpassed China with most confirmed cases (87,187). More than 6,000 people have died in Brazil.

China confirmed a total of 82,874 cases. 12 new cases have been confirmed in the country in the past one day. The death toll here is 4,633. No death case has been registered in the past one day.

Canada confirmed 53,236 cases, Belgium – 49,032, the Netherlands – 39,791.

Georgia confirmed 566 cases of coronavirus and 6 deaths.

Among the Arab states Qatar overtook the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the most confirmed cases – 14,096. The death toll has reached 12 in Qatar. The number of infected people in the UAE is 13,038. 111 death cases have been registered here. Egypt reported 5,537 confirmed cases and 392 deaths. In Kuwait the number of confirmed cases is 4,377 and that of the deaths is 30. Iraq confirmed 2,085 cases and 93 deaths. 729 cases have been reported in Lebanon, the deaths comprise 24. Syria’s confirmed cases reached 43. 3 death cases have been registered.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. 

According to the data of the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in more than 210 countries and territories.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:03,

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. The online charity virtual recital of pianist, Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia Hayk Melikyan, will take place on April 25, LIVE at 23:00 Yerevan time. It is dedicated to the 105th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and all proceeds from the concert tickets will be donated to the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (www.SOAR-us.org), reports Armenpress.

Hayk Melikyan will perform the works by Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Komitas, Khachatryan, Babadjanyan, Dellalian and Gurdjieff during the recital.

"Today we live in difficult times, but we must never forget, regardless of our problems, the children who need us, because I am sure that we have potential Khachatryans, Komitases, Mozarts and Newtons among them. Of course, performing without the audience is strange for me, I missed the Yerevan audience very much, but I realize that staying at home today is vital for everyone and I hope I will be able to bring some warmth to people's apartments and do something good together,”- said the pianist.

Additionally, this year, Armenia’s top leadership will pay tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial with a live performance by Hayk Melikyan.

 18:49,

YEREVAN, APRIL 17, ARMENPRESS.  The European Union will provide 456,500 EUR assistance to Armenia to mitigate the negative impact of the coronavirus crisis in the agricultural sector.

It will be allocated from the budget of the EU Green Agriculture Initiative (EU-GAIA) in Armenia project, funded by the European Union and co-funded by Austrian Development Cooperation, ARMENPRESS was informed from the EU Green Agriculyure Initiative.

This was announced at the meeting of the first Advisory Board of the EU-GAIA project, during which the plan of immediate measures to support farmers and producers at the outbreak of COVID19 was approved.

The list of specific activities offered by the project includes provision of two-wheeled tractors and seedlings, capacity building of government staff, provision of inputs, small agricultural equipment and tools, support to the post-harvest facilities, publishing booklets about existing programs of the Ministry of Economy, awareness of the safety rules of the virus during production, technical assistance (consulting with the help of remote professionals and the development of business models) to agriproducers – potential recipients of Government’s financial support with special focus on vulnerable groups.

According to the RA Deputy Minister of Economy Arman Khojoyan, the proposed actions are in line with the goals of the Sustainable Agriculture Development Strategy of the Government in a crisis situation; that is, to make Armenia's agriculture more efficient and resilient in the context of green economy development.

The presented short-term and medium-term measures will be financed within the framework of the EU-GAIA project current intervention logic and budget. The measures are aimed especially at the most socio-economically vulnerable groups in the current situation in the target regions of the project. The events were proposed and will be implemented by the Austrian Development Agency and the United Nations Development Programme in Armenia.

The meeting of the EU-GAIA Advisory Board was chaired by Gonzalo Serrano De La Rosa, Head of the EU Delegation Cooperation Section, and Andrea Baggioli, International Aid / Cooperation Officer of the EU Delegation in Armenia. The meeting was attended by the RA Deputy Minister of Economy Arman Khojoyan, the RA Deputy Minister of Environment Vardan Melikyan, Governor of Tavush Hayk Chobanyan, Governor of Shirak Tigran Petrosyan, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Nature Protection of Lori Marzpetaran Artyom Shahverdyan, Head of the Austrian Development Cooperation’s office in Yerevan Gerhard Schaumberger, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Armenia Dmitry Mariyasin, Project Manager Pascal Bokkers, UNDP Project Coordinator Karen Harutyunyan and other representatives.

To summarise the results of the Advisory Board meeting, Andrea Baggioli recalled how the EU-GAIA intervention also considers climate change mitigation and adaptation measures: introduction of climate resilient seeds, sustainable management of natural resources and protection of biodiversity, promotion of resource-efficient (energy-efficient) technologies and renewable energy. To this respect, the Deputy Minister Melikyan’s proposal could well fit into a comprehensive assistance to mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-19 crisis in the agricultural and environment sector in Armenia: to launch the discussion on using large-scale tree planting in riparian zones and windbreaks, as a means of immediate socio-economic assistance to vulnerable groups; and to create synergies between the agricultural interventions and the water treatment plan in Sevan Lake region.

EU Green Agriculture Initiative in Armenia is funded by the European Union (€ 9,7 million) and co-funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation (€ 2 million). The project is implemented by the Austrian Development Agency and UNDP Armenia. The Government counterpart of the project is the RA Ministry of Economy. EU-GAIA project will support the development of sustainable, inclusive, innovative and market-based agribusiness particularly in the northern Marzes of Armenia – Shirak, Lori and Tavush. The project will be implemented over the course of three years.

The Member States of the European Union have decided to link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders.

PM Pashinyan congratulates women on Motherhood and Beauty Day

 18:46, 7 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS.  Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan congratulated women on Motherhood and Beauty Day, expressing confidence that in the light of the current challenges, this holiday symbolizes our future victories.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, the congratulatory message runs as follows,

''Dear women, mothers, sisters and daughters,
Proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on Motherhood and Beauty Day. We are celebrating this beautiful holiday in a challenging time of hardships and uncertainties.

Nowadays many of our mothers, daughters, wives and sisters bear the burden of economic, psychological and domestic difficulties arising from the crisis and face unexpected challenges. The crisis has exacerbated the long-standing problems, putting our mothers, daughters, wives and sisters in a particularly vulnerable position, but the Government is working hard to address the bottlenecks arising from the crisis.

However, especially in these conditions, I feel it worth mentioning that motherhood and beauty are by far beyond simple praise and admiration. We believe that the power of motherhood and the energy of beauty will help us overcome the crisis. Motherhood and beauty also stand for leadership, and today we praise the creative power of motherhood and beauty, the energy to mobilize the nation and the ability to move forward.

Today, many health workers – mothers, daughters, wives and sisters – are fighting against the novel coronavirus. Many mothers, daughters, wives and sisters continue their teaching mission in the context of distance learning. Many mothers, daughters, wives and sisters carry on with lifeline public, economic and social activities.

Motherhood and beauty are symbols of victory, and I am sure that in the light of the current challenges, this holiday symbolizes our future victories.

Dear mothers, daughters, wives and sisters,
Proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia,
We love you all, we are proud of you and bow to you!'

 13:46, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Ministry of High Tech Industry will soon offer grant program opportunities to tech companies and engineers who are furloughed amid the state of emergency lockdown over the coronavirus crisis, Minister Hakob Arshakyan said at a news conference.

“Our grant programs will be continuous. There are now some opportunities for tech companies, for those who are rendering services. Thanks to the grants they will also have the opportunity to make investments in the direction of developing and selling some products. Due to the coronavirus, companies or employees depending on the market conditions may be temporarily furloughed. I think this is a good opportunity for them to apply for the grants that we will soon announce. And laid off engineers will have the chance to start developing products,” he said.

He said the government has allocated around 930,000,000 drams for the grants in 2020.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan