12:41, 7 July 2022
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson is going to resign, British media report.
Sky News reports Johnson will make a statement to the country today.
Johnson will continue fulfilling the duties of PM until new PM is elected.
13:45, 8 July 2022
YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. This year the Armenian cinema is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
On this occasion, a commission on the 100th anniversary of the foundation of Armenian cinema has been set up by the decision of the Prime Minister of Armenia.
The commission staff has also been approved.
The Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport is the Chairman of the Commission.
According to the decision, the commission will develop a program of jubilee events to be held in Armenia and abroad within three months.
19:30, 7 July 2022
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Noubar Afeyan, Founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering, Chairman of the Board and Co-founder of Moderna, Co-Founder of the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST), Co-founder of Aurora Humanitarian Initiative visited Microbial Biotechnologies and Biofuel Innovation Center at Yerevan State University (YSU).
ARMENPRESS reports, accompanied by the Rector of Yerevan State University Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Noubar Afeyan toured the lab and got acquainted with the work of the biotechnology research team under the ADVANCE STEM Research Grant Program being carried out in collaboration with FAST and YSU. Research team implements its studies in the supervision of the world-famous and highly regarded microbiologist, director of the Institute of Technical Microbiology, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) professor Garabed Antranikian.
“I was very pleased to see a very modern lab with all equipment and projects being done. This could have been in any other university, in any other country. I congratulate both the Yerevan State University and FAST Foundation, and also Garo Antranikian who has spared effort into it. I think we can do so much more because you need examples like this to be able to replicate and expand it. On the one hand, this program allows you to develop the ability to teach and learn these techniques and on the other hand, it allows you to explore questions that have not yet been asked. Science is a global network activity; it is not an individual activity. Like just an Internet, where you connect Armenia to the rest of the world, here you join the internet of labs by working on problems other people have done and advancing and sharing the knowledge,” said Noubar Afeyan.
Later American-Armenian scholar, entrepreneur and philanthropist Noubar Afeyan was conferred the honorary doctorate degree of the Yerevan State University at Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center (ISTC), YSU.
“I am sure that the state's attention and care for science, the Armenian government's decision to significantly increase the funding of the field, the creation of a favorable environment, and of course the bright characters of Armenian scientists like Mr. Afeyan will inspire our young people to be engaged in research activities and have their own path in this field,” said Rector Hovhannisyan.
In his turn, Noubar Afeyan expressed his gratitude for the honor and delivered the speech to the public. He encouraged students to always seek out the frontier and make themselves uncomfortable settling on new frontiers. He especially emphasized the importance of investing unlimited imagination in science and believing in their own success.
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FAST designed the ADVANCE STEM Research Grant Program in 2020, to set the ground for the development of scientific directions in STEM-related fields in Armenia. The ADVANCE grant connects distinguished international scientists with local researchers for them to form a research group and work jointly on globally competitive research projects. One of the important components of the program is the cooperation with universities and the active involvement of prominent scientists in the teaching process to convey the leading experience to the young generation.
FAST’s inaugural fundraiser Advance Armenia Gala 2022 was held this spring in Los Angeles, USA, to attract additional resources for scaling the ADVANCE STEM Research grant program. The keynote speaker of the evening was Dr. Noubar Afeyan. Up to now 3 ongoing projects in biotechnology, machine learning and neuroscience have engaged 3 PIs and funded more than 10 researchers.
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The Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) is a non-profit organization established in 2017 to help foster and accelerate the advancement of science and technological innovation in Armenia and beyond. FAST has designed and structured numerous programs and initiatives that propel Armenia to advance in Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, and other strategic fields. Focusing on core science ecosystem drivers – Education, Research, and Commercialization – FAST offers a wide range of initiatives to achieve its goal. FAST aims to play a critical role in Armenia's leapfrog and transformation into a top global innovator by 2041.
The special representatives of Armenia and Turkey have reached an agreement to open the border between the two countries for the citizens of third countries; also, to carry out cargo transportation—by air transport—between the two countries. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this at the beginning of Thursday’s Cabinet meeting of the government of Armenia.
"Now it is very important that our departments work with the corresponding departments of Turkey because the implementation of agreements depends on that work. My instruction is that we work in a coordinated manner so that we can implement the agreements reached as soon as possible," Pashinyan added.
Rep. Brad Sherman
Representative Brad Sherman, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Congressional Armenian Caucus, voiced his disagreement with the Biden’s Administration’s decision to waive Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which among other measures, restricts U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan.
“We should not abandon Section 907 and provide any assistance to oil-rich Azerbaijan, which has unleashed an aggressive war. The aid we provide is not large, but I think it is important diplomatically, so it should be stopped,” Sherman, a California Democrat, told Voice of America.
In his opinion, American aid for humanitarian projects in Artsakh should be increased, and Armenia should be given the opportunity to be included in the “Millennium Challenge” program.
“The World Bank ranked Armenia among those with above average income. I would like it to be so, but we have to take into account the economic consequences of the terrible war, the coronavirus epidemic,” Sherman said.
On a related note, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan said on Monday that the U.S. can play an important role in normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku.
“At a time when favorable conditions have been created for the establishment of stable peace and economic progress in the South Caucasus, we believe that the United States can play an important role in the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the opening of communications, and the establishment of people-to-people ties,” Aliyev’s said in a message to President Joe Biden on Independence Day, the Russian TASS news agency reported.
Aliyev also expressed opinion that the U.S. can make a significant contribution to the process of preparing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Chifchian made the remarks in a meeting with the governor of Chaldoran, adding that the followers of different religions enjoy freedom in Iran.
The foes of the Islamic Republic of Iran always try to term Iran as a violator of human rights while the followers of religions exercise their rituals with complete freedom, he said.
Chifchian appreciated Iranian officials' role in holding the Badarak ceremony, adding that the move shows Iran pays attention to the rights of various religions residing in the country.
Every year, the Qara Kelisa (black church) Complex religious ceremony of Armenians, aka, Badarak is held in Iran.
AMK/IRN84801873
Stepanakert has given its consent to the alternative route connecting Armenia to Artsakh. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan stated this in the Artsakh National Assembly, and noted that there were several options, but this one was chosen.
Referring to the concerns that in case of launching that route, Berdzor (Lachin) town and Aghavno village—where hundreds of Armenians live—will pass under Azerbaijan, Harutyunyan said. "Negotiations are underway now, we will see what opportunities there are. As far as I know, the residents of Berdzor town and Sus [village] have received their compensation under our social programs. Regardless of everything, we need to bypass Berdzor, and I consider the chance for our compatriots to live in Berdzor settlement in the future to be very small. As for Aghavno, we will continue our negotiations, our struggle."
Arayik Harutyunyan noted that they had had several proposals related to that route—and both from Azerbaijan and Russia.
"All the proposals were rejected. The proposed highway has been discussed several times at the [Artsakh] Security Council, which was attended by all the political forces present in the [Artsakh] National Assembly. We have chosen, in our opinion, the best option. There are secrets that I do not want to voice here. Why did we choose that option? Based on our future security concern.
After finishing the road, we will have the opportunity to say our opinion. Does it qualitatively correspond to the conditions we want? Will it be safe? And, in my opinion, it will be much safer," the Artsakh President said.
As for Armenians leaving those settlements, he stated that this matter was not discussed today.
"It is mainly about Aghavno settlement. That issue has not been discussed yet, we are negotiating. It is not about Berdzor, as according to the corresponding point of the [trilateral] statement [of November 9, 2020], we are obligated to leave [Berdzor]. [But] we have things to do ion connection with Aghavno, the negotiations in that regard are continuing, we have not told anyone to 'get out of Berdzor,'" the Artsakh President said.
PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias on Monday, June 27 and stressed the key role of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship in promoting the peace process for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"Armenia appreciates the position of Greece in support of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the mandate and within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship," Mirzoyan said in a statement for the press.
"I presented to my colleague in detail the situation created around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the position of Armenia on the processes aimed at establishing regional peace and stability, the negotiations on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"I also touched upon issues related to the processes of the unblocking of the regional economic communications and transport infrastructure, the works within the Commission of delimitation and border security and overall the process on peace agreement."
The Second Karabakh war lasted 44 days and ended when Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev signed a ceasefire statement on November 9, 2020. Under the deal, the Armenian side returned all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.
13:10,
YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will visit Iran on June 24, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, IRNA reports.
Borrell will meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and some other Iranian officials within the framework of ongoing exchange of views between Iran and the EU on bilateral ties and regional and international issues, according to the spokesman.
It is already the second day that the Republican Party of Armenia and the parliamentary faction of "With Honor" opposition bloc do not comment on Artur Vanetsyan's resignation.
They also do not comment on whether the rest of the deputies will retain their mandates.