News.am, Armenia
Reasons why Armenian supermarkets' operation was banned Reasons why Armenian supermarkets' operation was banned
18:37, 29.03.2020
Author: Mary Lazarian
The 14 best Armenian cartoons and animated films available on a single platform
Panorama, Armenia
A new project named “Everything about Armenian cartoons” was launched on the webtv.am YouTube channel. The initiative came from the National Cinema Center of Armenia and the Union of Cinematographers of Armenia. As the National Cinema Center reported, the 14 best Armenian cartoons and animated films are available on a single platform and the list will be expanded every day.
It is envisaged that other animators, operators and directors will join the initiative to share about their experience of creating cartoons, the secrets of animation, and interesting stories.
The first meeting was recorded with Armenian director, animator Naira Muradyan who is the author of numerous cartoons and animated films. Her recent works “New Year” and “Kiko” are also available to watch on the YouTube channel.
Dollar exchange rate exceeds 75 rubles on Forex
13:22, 9 March, 2020
YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. The dollar exchange rate gained 9.5% on the international Forex market breaching the 75 rubles mark, while the euro exchange rate added 10% since the previous closure to over 85 rubles, according to the trading data, reports TASS news agency.
The dollar exchange rate last exceeded 75 rubles in March 2016, while the euro exchange rate last rose above 85 rubles in February 2016.
As of 11:57 am Yerevan time, the dollar exchange rate equaled 75.22 rubles (up 9.8%), while the euro exchange rate was 86 rubles (up 11.2%) after breaching the 86 mark at 10:53 am.
A sharp jump in the dollar and the euro against the ruble follows the oil price drop.
Lydian Armenia employees file lawsuit with court
News.am, Armenia
17:43, 10.03.2020
CIVILNET.Global Coronavirus Outbreak Affects Armenian Economy, Though Impact Expected to Be Short-Term
CIVILNET.AM
9 March, 2020 17:25
By Mark Dovich
In early March, Armenia’s Central Bank released a statement confirming that it “is closely monitoring global economic developments” related to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak worldwide. According to the Central Bank, the impact of the outbreak “on both the world economy and the Armenian economy is expected to be short-term”, with the Central Bank preparing measures to “ensure price and financial stability in Armenia” if necessary. The economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the Armenian economy is expected on three main dimensions.
First, the Armenian economy is quite sensitive to the global price of copper, which has fallen significantly in recent months, as worldwide demand continues to decline. In turn, the fall in global demand for copper has been attributed primarily to the prospect of a global economic slowdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. The current price of copper per metric ton is around 5,700 U.S. dollars, a five-month low, down roughly 600 U.S. dollars since January.
Armenia has considerable deposits of copper, gold, and molybdenum, and the mineral industry represents a major sector of the Armenian economy. Indeed, about 30 percent of Armenia’s total exports are in copper ore, and another roughly 30 percent of the country’s exports are in other ore concentrates, metals, and gems. The primary destinations for Armenian minerals are China, the European Union, and Russia.
Second, Armenia is strongly linked with Russia economically, and so any developments in the Russian economy have meaningful ripple effects in the Armenian economy. Since 2015, Armenia has been a member state of the Eurasian Economic Union, an integrated single market of five post-Soviet states led by Russia. Trade with Russia accounts for about 25 percent of Armenia’s total trade, and Russia is Armenia’s largest market for the export of agricultural and other goods.
Moreover, nearly half of the roughly two billion U.S. dollars in annual remittances sent to Armenia from Armenian migrant workers and Armenian diaspora communities come from Russia. The Armenian economy remains heavily dependent on remittances, which represent roughly 15 percent of the country’s total GDP.
Therefore, the recent collapse of global oil prices, due in part to an excess of oil on the world market as the coronavirus drives a decline in demand for oil, is set to impact the Armenian economy through its adverse effect on the Russian economy, which is, in turn, strongly linked to the petroleum industry.
Third, the decline in international travel due to the coronavirus outbreak is expected to negatively impact Armenia’s tourism industry, which has experienced considerable growth in recent years. Armenia’s suspension of its visa-free regime with China, the closure of its border with Iran, and the deteriorating economic situation in Russia are set to impact the country’s tourism sector, as all three countries are major countries of origin for foreign tourists visiting Armenia. That the closure of the Armenian-Iranian border covers the period of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, is particularly significant, as thousands of Iranians typically visit Armenia for the holiday.
As of March 9, the coronavirus outbreak has caused more than 110,000 confirmed infections globally, with major hotspots having formed in China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea. Armenia has confirmed just one case so far, and recently-analyzed data from the World Health Organization suggest that Armenia enjoys very high levels of epidemic preparedness relative to other countries in the region.
Casualties following incident on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border
JAM News
March 6 2020
Each country’s Ministry of Defense points the finger at the other
For the last several days, tensions have been high on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On the morning of March 6, reported by the Armenian Ministry of Defense, the Azerbaijani side attempted to sabotage an Armenian Armed Forces military base to the north-east.
The Azerbaijani side refutes this information and claims that Armenian forces fired at the Azerbaijani base.
The military departments of both countries also report contradictory information regarding the number of losses.
From 1991-1994, Armenia and Azerbaijan were engaged in the Karabakh War-an armed conflict which occurred the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of Azerbaijan and the surrounding area. At the moment, the conflict has reached a standstill and Nagorno-Karabakh has the status of a de facto independent republic, but gunfire periodically breaks out on the border. The last serious aggravation happened in 2016 – the so-called “April War”, or “Four-Day War,” which resulted in the deaths of dozens of people.
According to the State Border Service of Azerbaijan, on March 5 at 19:10 “the Armenian units committed a flagrant violation of the ceasefire on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border.”
Orkhan Pashazade, a 23-year-old Azerbaijani border guard, was wounded by a sniper shot. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
“The responsibility for the murder of a soldier guarding the internationally-recognized borders of Azerbaijan rests with the military-political leadership of Armenia,” stated the border service on news site Trend.
As for the attempted sabotage from the Azerbaijani side, the border service denies this. They say that it was the Armenian Armed Forces who began shelling Azerbaijani bases on the morning of March 6 with large-caliber weapons and sniper rifles.
“The enemy’s provocation was suppressed by retaliatory fire,” said the border guard said in their statement.
On the evening of March 5, Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan posted on his Facebook page that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces fired at the Armenian base located in the Armenian region of Tavush. He considered these actions to be provocative, since the Azerbaijani units fired large-caliber weapons in this direction over the course of several days.
“The Armenian Armed Forces, as a rule, show restraint, however, targeted gunfire will not remain unanswered. All responsibility for this provocation and the consequences will fall on the Azerbaijani side.”
And on the morning of March 6, a statement was published about a sabotage attempt from the Azerbaijani side. The Armenian Defense Ministry press service states that the operation began at about 5:30 and was aimed at one of the combat bases in the north-eastern section of the Armenian border.
It is also reported that the Azerbaijani military were thrown back to their original positions with losses, and that during the retreat, they left behind ammunition and a mine detector. On the Armenian side, one soldier was slightly injured.
“An analysis of the adversary’s actions shows that they conducted serious preparations for this sabotage attempt, which was perpetrated by soldiers who had trained for that purpose. It is worth noting that they used a German mine detector to find a way through the minefield,” reported the Defence Ministry in their statement.
Armenian minister, French Ambassador discuss new business projects
15:35, 6 March, 2020
YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economy Tigran Khachatryan received today Ambassador of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte, the ministry told Armenpress.
The Ambassador thanked for the reception and stated that since 2018 France has a special attention to the post-revolutionary Armenia, by appreciating its consistent fight against corruption. He said as a result of these changes several French enterprises are interested in the prospect of operating in Armenia. “They are not coming to Armenia for other subjective reasons, they are coming here because of existing real opportunities”, the French Ambassador stated, introducing the actions for implementation of major investment programs in Armenia and outlining the upcoming works with the minister.
Minister Khachatryan stated in turn that the success of these projects will further connect the economies of the two countries. The Ambassador assured that the entry of major brands to Armenia will change also the attitude of the French investment community towards the country.
The meeting touched upon the details of the program relating to irrigating agriculture development in Ararat and Armavir provinces of Armenia. The French Ambassador said this is the largest ongoing project.
The officials exchanged views on issues relating to geographical indications. The minister said Armenia is committed to implementing its assumed commitments. “We continue our discussions with our French partners which must bring benefit”, the minister said.
They also touched upon the operations of French companies in Armenia and their future programs.
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
Asbarez: CASPS to Celebrate 25 Years of Service
March 6, 2020
CASPS 25th anniversary celebrations are set for Mar. 15
GLENDALE—The Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools looks forward to its milestone gathering of community members, classmates, awardees, families, and District and School Board members, for a fun and relaxing celebration. CASPS’ 25th anniversary celebrations will be held on Sunday, March 15 at 4 p.m. at Glen Arden Club, located at 357 Arden Ave, Glendale, CA 91203.
During the celebratory evening, Principal of Clark Magnet High School Lena Kortoshian will receive a CASPS Service Award, honoring her for more than 20 years of collaboration with CASPS and her selfless dedication to all students. Please join us in enjoying good food, wine, live music, and friendship in support of Armenian youth.
For 25 years, CASPS has addressed the socio-educational needs of immigrant children in public schools. It has consistently honored its mission with professionalism and attention to the success of each and every student it has served since 1994. CASPS’ approach to assistance is marked with its ability to involve and work with administrators, school districts, parents, and students alike. Over the years, this small grass roots organization has served thousands of students and their families with services such as group counseling, tutoring, leadership training, encouraging art, leading effective parenting discussions, and much more, all in the best interest of our youth.
Armenia in the “green zone” for epidemic prevention
JAM News
March 5 2020
Armenia received a score of 90 points on a site which determines how prepared countries are to combat an epidemic. The current situation involves the coronavirus
Armenia received a high score of 90 points in epidemic prevention, putting the country in the “green” (safe) zone. This information comes from a report published by international experts on preventepidemics.org. The site determines the world readiness index for countering epidemics using the Joint External Assessment (JEE) scale, which has approved by the World Health Organization.
So far, only one case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Armenia. The infected man arrived in the country from Iran on March 1st. The border between Armenia and Iran has been closed since Febuary 23rd. The 29-year-old Armenian citizen arrived on one of the special flights allowing Armenian and Iranian citizens to return to their home countries. All people who came in contact with him are in quarantine and feel fine, as does the infected man himself. He is not receiving treatment, as he is showing no signs of illness.
• Georgia: no tourists, hotels on the verge of ruin
• How Armenia’s dealing with coronavirus
The report on preventepidemics.org states:
“[Armenia has] functioning systems to find, stop and prevent health threats, but they must work to maintain this level of protection for their people.».
Armenia is included in the list of those countries that have a high level of protection and therefore are marked in green on the interactive site map.
It also says that Armenia’s strengths in preventing epidemics are coordination, communication, advocacy and food safety.
Meanwhile, the country continues to take measures to prevent the spread of the virus, in particular, in the country’s armed forces. Now, before permitting family members to visit soldiers receiving treatment in military hospitals, their temperature is measured and they are supplied with medical masks.
Routine medical care in military hospitals is also being limited.
Classes are likely to resume in Armenian schools and universities on March 9. This was announced on March 5 by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Araik Harutyunyan:
“We have no special instructions to stop conducting classes. If this continues to be the case, then they will resume on Monday.”
A week-long quarantine which prevented educational institutions from holding classes began on the second of March. Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan will decide whether it should be extended.
He says that sanitary and medical measures to combat the virus were fairly well-organized, and that new cases are being reported much less frequently.
The situation remains tense in South Korea, Iran and Italy, but Torosyan says that in Georgia and Russia, things are relatively calm.
“I am in constant contact with my colleagues in these countries, and I think that after the peak in the incidence rate, we will see the frequency of reported cases fall. After that, we will be able to review the forced restrictions on movement.”
Pashinyan family visits tourism hotspot Tsaghkadzor, dine at local restaurant
20:23, 1 March, 2020
YEREVAN, MARCH 1, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, his wife Anna Hakobyan and their three daughters are visiting the resort town of Tsaghkadzor in Armenia.
Pashinyan shared a photo from what appears to be the Yasaman Restaurant near the central plaza of the spa town. “We came to one of the restaurants of Tsaghkadzor. The venue is virtually full of patrons. Including with foreign tourists,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a Facebook post. Before that, they also shared a photo from near the town’s church.
Earlier today, 31 direct contacts of the first novel coronavirus case in Armenia were quarantined at a defunct hotel in the resort town of Tsaghkadzor.
Shortly after the news, PM Pashinyan said he receives information that some visitors and tourists to the town are cancelling their hotel bookings. He dismissed the concerns and said that the quarantine at the closed Golden Palace hotel doesn’t anyhow affect the town’s life. He called on the general public to refrain from panicking or spreading disinformation. The Golden Palace hotel is a defunct, previously 5-star rated luxury hotel currently owned by the government which authorities were trying to auction off. Now, it is used as the quarantine zone for the 31 people who are being provided with high-level accommodation services and care.
In an apparent effort to dismiss the unsubstantiated panic and purported hotel booking cancellations in the town, the Armenian Prime Minister announced that he and his family are heading to the resort town to spend the night there at a local hotel.
Meanwhile, Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan, Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture Arayik Harutyunyan and other officials also visited the town.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan