Author: Meline Chalian

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan held a meeting with the Ambassadors accredited to Armenia, the heads and representatives of international organizations.

During the meeting reference was made to the activity of the Armenian government, the reforms agenda, the economic development programs, the measures and steps targeted at fighting corruption.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of periodic meetings with the diplomatic corps for raising the effectiveness of cooperation. He said the government is open to advice, criticism and offers.

Speaking about the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Karen Karaetyan said: “We expect new qualitative level from these elections. We are preparing to do the utmost to ensure the transparency of the voting.”

The Prime Minister said that over the past 10o days in office the government has been trying hard to reveal the existing problems and added that a report on the work done in the due period will be presented in the near future.

Karen Karapetyan revealed plans to ease the tax administration process and shift to an electronic system with a view of improving the investment climate and reducing the corruption risks. He said the government keeps the fight against corruption in the spotlight and pledged consistent steps to cut the corruption level.

Ex-World Champion Arthur Abraham was received by Pope Francis in an audience at the Vatican.

“It had always been my dream to speak to the Pope one day,” Abraham said during the meeting.

The German-Armenian boxer handed his boxing gloves from the World Cup as a gift to the Pope. He also asked the Pontiff to bless his World Cup belt.

“I told the Pope about my career as a boxer and said I am very faithful. As a farewell, the Pope wished me all the best for my future life,” Abraham said after the meeting.

Another flight recorder of the ill-fortunate Tupolev-154 that crashed near Sochi last Sunday morning has been recovered from the seabed, TASS reports.

“The second flight recorder of the Tupolev-154 plane was spotted and recovered less than 30 minutes ago,” the Defense Ministry’s report runs.

Earlier, the plane’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was delivered to the Russian Aerospace Force’s research center in Lubertsy, near Moscow. Primary analysis of the data already retrieved from the first recorder has allowed for narrowing the range of likely causes of the plane’s crash.

Divers have retrieved a total of 15 bodies and 239 body parts from the bottom of the Black Sea, the ministry said.

The Armenian National Assembly voted 98 to 2 with 1 abstention to pass the bill on raising financial compensations to the families of soldiers killed or seriously wounded in action at second reading

The draft proposes to make a one-time payment amounting to 10 mln AMD to the families of the servicemen killed in action or during combat duty, and 5 mln AMD to handicapped servicemen.

The amendments also envisage annual social security benefits in the course of 20 years.

Ireland-based bookmaking giants Paddy Power have been forced to pay out at what is believed to be the highest price for a winning betting slip after Armenia’s win victory over Montenegro in a 2018 World Cup qualifier.

One lucky Coventry punter defied all odds to land an incredible 820,728/1 11-fold accumulator after placing a 25p bet at a city betting shop, the reports.

It was Gevorg Ghazaryan’s goal just seconds before the final whistle was due to be blown in Armenia’s Group E World Cup Qualifying game against Montenegro which landed the shock accumulator.

As a result, Ireland-based bookmaking giants Paddy Power have been forced to pay out at what is believed to be the highest price for a winning betting slip – and losing them £250,000.

Placed on Friday, the bet looked to be off as four of the eleven teams he selected were behind at one stage during their game – these being France, Plymouth, Cambridge United and Port Vale.

Incredibly, Port Vale netted a winner against Fleetwood Town in the 86th minute and the Czech Republic then scored a third goal for Czech Republic with just three minutes of time left.

However those results came nothing close to the shock that Armenia caused against Montenegro.

With a population of less than three million, the underdogs found themselves 2-0 down at half time – meaning Armenia had to score at least three times in 45 minutes for the bet to be landed.

Five minutes after half-time Varazdat Haroyan pulled one back, but Armenia only struck the equaliser after 74 minutes.

The clock ticked past 90 minutes, however with just seconds left in the game hero of the hour Ghazaryan scored – netting the city punter a massive £250,000.

A Paddy Power spokesman said the £250k win is one of the biggest on record from such a small stake.

They added: “We already took a beating after Donald Trump was elected as US president, and this Coventry lad has rubbed salt into our wounds by landing this miracle punt.

“I’ve no idea where Armenia is but hopefully this lucky fella will spend some of his winnings on a flight to thank them in person.”

The heavy shelling of the Karabakh military positions in the northeastern (Yarimja) and northern (Talysh) directions of the line of contact continue until 15:30, the NKR Defense Ministry reports.

The Azerbaijani forces fired 37 shells in the direction of the Armenian positions from 60 and 82 mm caliber mine throwers.

The rival also used firearms of different calibers and large-caliber Instiglal sniper rifles.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army closely follow the actions of the rival and take corresponding measures, when necessary, to ensure the inviolability of the state border.

The situation is relatively calm at this point, the Ministry said.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have been criss-crossing America in a final push for votes before election day, the BBC reports.

Both have been holding rallies in the battleground states of North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Mrs Clinton urged voters to back a “hopeful, inclusive, big-hearted America” while Mr Trump told supporters they had a “magnificent chance to beat the corrupt system”.

Polls give Democrat Mrs Clinton a four-point lead over Republican Mr Trump.

A record number of Americans – more than 46m – have voted early by post or at polling stations.

There are signs of a high turnout among Hispanic voters, which is believed to favour Mrs Clinton.

Azerbaijan not only continues to aggravate the situation at the line of contact by periodically violating the ceasefire regime and undertaking subversive attempts, but also resorts to provocations on the information field, the NKR Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry dismissed the claimes of the Azerbaijani side on the use of 60-mm mine throwers, grenades and large-caliber machine guns by Karabakh forces, describing it as “yet another provocative trick” of the rival.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army strictly observe the ceasefire regime and never start the attack.

“By spreading such misinformation, the Azeri side prepares ground for future provocations,” the NKR Defense Ministry said.

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov, James Warlick and Pierre Andrieu, and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kaspryk.

The Armenian President and the Co-Chairs discussed the process of peaceful settlement of the Karabakh  conflict and the existing problems.

The Co-Chairs briefed the Armenian President on the results of the meetings in Stepanakert and Baku.

The interlocutors stressed the importance of the parties’ committment to the peaceful settlement of the conflict and the implementation of the agreements reached on the highest level in Vienna and St. Petersburg.