Mkhitaryan participates in first training session with Inter
12:05, 7 July 2022
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan held his first training in Inter.
Inter has already started the pre-season training preparations for the forthcoming 2022/23 season.
Mkhitaryan also participated in the first training session.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan officially joined Inter on July 2 after leaving AS Roma.
PanARMENIAN.Net - Freedom House has welcomed the decriminalization of "grave insults" in Armenia and the government’s commitment to broad consultation on media legislation reflected in a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the Armenian Government and CSOs.
However, the organization urged the country's Prime Minister to take the concerns of the media seriously and leverage direct communication channels including through open and transparent press-conferences to ensure a healthy functioning democracy.
"The Armenian authorities should support the independent media and civil society by maintaining an active dialogue with them and the people to counteract disinformation that poses threat to Armenian democracy around crucial topics for the country," Freedom House said Thursday, July 8.
Justice Minister Karen Andreasyan said on June 11 Armenia had decided against criminalizing “serious insults” as suggested by a government-backed bill. Andreasyan said those who practice the "unacceptable behavior" will be fined in the amount of up to AMD 3 million (a little over $7000) instead.
16:04, 8 July 2022
YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received today Ambassador of Argentina to Armenia Mariano Vergara, the PM’s Office said.
During the meeting PM Pashinyan said that the government of Armenia is interested in developing and expanding the cooperation with Argentina in different areas, expressing hope that the activities of the Ambassador will contribute to strengthening the bilateral ties. Despite the geographical distance, the PM said, Armenia and Argentina have intense relations and a good potential to enrich them with new initiatives.
Pashinyan specifically highlighted expanding the economic partnership and trade turnover volumes, adding that Armenia is ready to create favorable conditions for Argentine companies aimed at implementing investment projects.
PM Pashinyan also praised the bilateral partnership in international organizations and said that the Armenian side is ready to make the collaboration on this aspect more effective. He also highly appreciated the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by Argentina.
In his turn the Ambassador thanked for the warm reception and said that different cultural events are taking place in Armenia on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Argentina. The foreign diplomat informed that the creation of the Armenian-Argentina Chamber of Commerce is under consideration in order to boost the economic cooperation.
In the context of the development of relations between the two countries, the Ambassador highlighted the role of the Armenian community in Argentina, which, he said, is quite united and enjoys high respect in his country.
Issues relating to the cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, education, culture and other fields were discussed.
The regional developments were also touched upon at the meeting.
Armenia’s Artik, France’s Vaulx-en-Velin to implement joint projects
10:17, 1 July 2022
GYUMRI, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS. On the sidelines of the 4th Armenian-French Decentralized Cooperation conference, the members of the delegation of Armenia’s Shirak province led by Governor Nazeli Baghdasaryan met with the leadership of the French city of Vaulx-en-Velin.
The meeting was also attended by Armenia’s Consul in Lyon Levon Davtyan.
Mayor of Artik Anan Voskanyan and the delegation members highlighted the readiness of the Armenian side to continue the partnership. Vaulx-en-Velin Mayor Hélène Geoffroy assured that the cooperation, that was launched years ago, will continue actively.
The two communities will soon try to implement joint projects in training community servants, solid waste management, impact on climate.
Artik and Vaulx-en-Velin are sister cities.
Reporting by Armenuhi Mkhoyan
US House Appropriations legislation includes assistance to Armenia and Artsakh
21:34,
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. The Fiscal Year 2023 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs House Appropriations legislation includes humanitarian assistance to Armenia in the amount of $60 million, and $2 million for Artsakh, ARMENPRESS reports the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) informed.
The report language states that the "Committee recommendation includes not less than $60,000,000 for Armenia for economic development, private sector productivity, energy independence, democracy and the rule of law, and other purposes."
In addition, the "Committee recommendation also includes not less than $2,000,000 for demining activities in Nagorno-Karabakh…[and] remains concerned about the humanitarian impact of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and resulting challenges in the areas of housing, food security, water and sanitation, health care and other human needs."
In addition to prohibiting the sale of defense articles to the Turkish Presidential Protection Directorate, the bill includes language on Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ), as well as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA), have both expressed their strong concerns regarding the waiver of Section 907, which the Administration waived last week.
Chairman Menendez stated "it makes no sense to say that U.S. assistance and training has not impacted its military balance with Armenia," and further stressed that he "will continue to conduct rigorous oversight of any and all assistance to Azerbaijan and expect the Department of State to operate with complete transparency and provide all necessary details for Congress to assess any assistance provided to Baku."
Chairman Schiff said in part that providing military support to Azerbaijan "runs counter to our nation's core democratic values" and "could empower the Aliyev regime to continue or escalate its provocative actions against Armenians."
"The Assembly expresses its appreciation to Chairwoman Barbara Lee and Ranking Member Rep. Hal Rogers for including this critically important funding to help the Armenian people. We also thank the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues for their leadership and bipartisan letter to the House Appropriations Committee outlining key policy issues. We look forward to continuing our work to advance assistance where it is needed most,” stated Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
The Prime Minister received the representatives of the Central Board of Armenian Democratic Liberal Party-Ramgavar
16:23,
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the representatives of the Central Board of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party-Ramgavar headed by the Chairman of the of the Central Board Michael Kharapian, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister congratulated on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the party, highlighting its role in the history of the Armenian people. Nikol Pashinyan expressed hope that the Ramgavar Party will continue its activities in the Diaspora and in the Motherland more vigorously in the near future.
Michael Kharapian noted that the Democratic Liberal Party-Ramgavar reaffirms its support for the Armenian Government for the benefit of the solution of the problems facing the Motherland and progress.
Issues related to the activities of Ramgavar Party and the strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora ties were touched upon during the meeting.
“Gems from Armenia.” Ani Aznavoorian, cellist; Marta Aznavoorian, pianist (Cedille).
The talented Aznavoorian sisters—cellist Ani and Chicago-based pianist Marta—explore their Armenian heritage in the siblings’ first joint recording, recently released by Cedille.
Except for Aram Khachaturian—and possibly Arno Babajanian—most composer names on this duo-recital will be unfamiliar even to aficionados. The majority of items in this 75-minute CD consist of arrangements for cello and piano, largely miniatures running less than five minutes.
The program opens with a suite consisting of five short pieces by the revered Komitas Vartabed (1869-1935) a priest who collected and annotated Armenian folksongs, in the manner of Bartok in Hungary. A ruminative melancholy tends to predominate in this music with the burnished timbre of Ani’s cello conveying inward contemplation. The more up-tempo “Al Ailux” offers welcome contrast, and pianist Marta brings a sensitive touch to the keyboard solo “Garoun A.” The final song, “Krunk” (The Crane) receives fine advocacy by both with Ani assaying a touching vein of pathetique _expression_.
Khachaturian is represented with two items, including Yerevan, his affectionate ode to Armenia’s capital. Arno Babajanian’s Elegy is a tribute to Khachaturian, his teacher, and Marta gives this piano solo strength as well as valedictory _expression_. Babajanian’s Aria is songful in feeling with the ensuing Dance providing a rare lighter item.
The largest work on the disc is Avet Terterian’s 20-minute Cello Sonata, written in 1956. The opening Andante offers a broadly romantic melody, with strong playing by the Aznavoorians bringing sweeping urgency to the music. More bleak rumination in the central Adagio, which is played with great feeling by Ani. The finale is a motoric Presto and the duo toss the rhythms back and forth deftly, leaning into a contrasting lyrical section before the fiery coda.
The Impromptu of Alexander Arutiunian—whose Trumpet Concerto enjoyed some popularity in decades past—is a lively folk melody with a lamenting middle section.
A trio of works by a younger generation of composers closes the disc with more bracing contemporary styles. Lebanese composer Serouj Kradjian offers an edgy arrangement of the song “Sari Siroun Yar.” Vache Sharafyan’s Petrified Dance is a searching work—more haunting than Terpsichorean—cast in a compelling impressionistic idiom.
The program concludes with Mount Ararat by Peter Boyer, composed for the Aznavoorian sisters. At nine-and-a-half minutes, this is the longest single movement on the disc, heard here in its premiere recording. The work begins with a rhetorical flourish low in the cello and segues into an agitated section. The music is crafted with Boyer’s typical skill and thematic indelibility; the main lyrical melody is in the American composer’s most engaging vein, and the work echoes the folksong “Krunk” at the coda. One can easily see Mount Ararat —as well as the Terterian sonata—enjoying wide popularity in chamber recitals.
While a febrile, brooding melancholy tends to dominate in this program, interest is maintained by the superb playing of the Aznavoorians, who are expressive, technically poised and well blended throughout. The recording, taped at the Logan Center, is up to Cedille’s usual standard.
“Gems from Armenia” is highly recommended for those looking for offbeat ethno-musical byways as well as cello-piano duos in the hunt for new repertoire.
For the first time in the history of athletic gymnastics of the Republic of Armenia, Arthur Davtyan (vault) and Vahagn Davtyan (rings) have become all-round champions of the World Cup series, the Armenian Gymnastics Federation informs.
The Armenian gymnasts participated in three of the four rounds of the World Cup. They missed the fourth round in Baku, where the all-round winners were announced.
What will Starlink satellite internet connection give to Armenia?, clarifies High-tech ministry
09:00,
YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. According to the map of Starlink satellite internet provider, Starlink internet connection will be available in Armenia in 2023.
In response to the query of ARMENPRESS what will it give to Armenia, the Ministry of High Technological Industry said that Starlink satellite internet connection could be an additional, and in some cases an alternative internet connection for Armenia. It will allow people to use internet in remote areas regardless of cable access.
“Taking into account the fact that the provision of the satellite internet is carried out through radio frequencies, some changes need to made in the table of frequency distributions and several legal acts of Armenia, by providing satellite internet users with conditions for unauthorized use of those frequencies”, the ministry said.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, providing high-speed, low-latency broadband internet across the globe. Within each coverage area, orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. SpaceX has launched about 2,500 Starlink satellites to support its global network. Starlink provides satellite internet access coverage to 34 countries.