17:58,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday in Ashtarak chaired a steering group meeting of the Civil Contract party.

Civil Contract legislators and local officials participated in the meeting, the party said in a press release.

Prime Minister Pashinyan delivered a speech and held a Q&A with the party members.

 21:47,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Hungarian President Katalin Novak has resigned after coming under mounting pressure for pardoning a man convicted for helping to cover up sexual abuse in a children’s home, Reuters reports.

President Novak pardoned some two dozen people in April 2023 – among them the deputy director of the children’s home, who helped the institution’s former director hide crimes.

For the last time addressing the nation as president, Katalin Novak admitted she “made a mistake”.

“I issued a pardon that caused bewilderment and unrest for many people,” Novák said on February 10. “I made a mistake.” 

This week, Hungarian opposition parties had demanded Novak’s resignation over the case and on February 9 a thousand demonstrators rallied at Novak’s office calling for her to quit.

In a bid to contain the political damage, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban submitted a constitutional amendment to parliament on February 8, depriving the president of the right to pardon crimes committed against children.

46-year-old Katalin Novak – the first female president in Hungary’s history, has held the position of president since 2022.

Besides the president, Orban’s former Justice Minister Judit Varga who also signed off on the pardon – said on Facebook she would step down as the ruling Fidesz party MP, taking responsibility for the decision.

 11:22, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Today the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of Armenia, “Olympionic” sports charitable foundation and Fastex have signed a memorandum of cooperation. The purpose of this cooperation is to promote the growth and development of sports in the Republic of Armenia, to improve the competitiveness and the living conditions of athletes, and to encourage the growth of victories recorded in the field of domestic sports.

According to the agreement, Fastex will be providing up to 5 million to support the athletes and coaches who won from the 1st to the 3rd places in the Olympic, Paralympic, Sword Olympic Games, sports included in the program of the Olympic Games, as well as international tournaments not included in the Olympic Games, such as sambo wrestling, international checkers, wushu and chess. The 5 million $FTNs have been segregated from the total supply and securely frozen on the blockchain until 2030. The 5 million $FTNs will be methodically unblocked in accordance with a predefined pattern, as detailed in the smart contracts. This strategy encourages a controlled and transparent allocation of funds to beneficiaries' digital wallets.

“The Government of Armenia pays a great attention to the sports these days, but like the whole world, the sports need additional funding and curation. It is a world-known practice to involve diverse sponsors who will solve issues that are not included in the scope of issues under the state’s care. We already have a preliminary agreement with Fastex and our negotiations are at a very practical stage. In the very near future, we will sign a memorandum, after which a tripartite agreement will be signed between RA MoESCS, "Fastex" and "Olympionic" foundation. Subsequently, we will have the opportunity to provide very quick and specific solutions to many problems," said Karen Giloyan, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia.

“We realize the importance of encouraging the development of domestic sports and by encouraging the victories of our athletes, we aim to further emphasize their achievements and awards for the development and history of sports of the Republic of Armenia," said Vigen Badalyan, co-founder of Fastex.

“Valuing the role and function of corporate social responsibility, Fastex has come up with an initiative to encourage the development of sports in Armenia, namely by co-financing a number of programs and projects. At the current stage, we are completing the negotiations and the preparations of relevant documents. The partnership will have a long-term and strategic nature, within which Fastex will finance various sports directions, encouraging both existing athletes and the training of the new generation," said Vakhtang Abrahamyan, the chief executive officer of Fastex.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and the "Olympionic" sports charitable foundation have committed to make all efforts to achieve the goals defined in the memorandum.

 11:30, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The content of the Armenian History subject in schools will not be affected by the change of the subject’s name, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan told lawmakers Tuesday.

The ministry has introduced a bill on renaming the Armenian History subject to History of Armenia, which caused discontent and various allegations. The minister explained that the name of the subject should be changed in order for students to develop a perception of statehood.

Asked to clarify, the minister said that the content of the subject will be the same.

She said that the issue of renaming the subject has been addressed by various circles ever since the country gained independence. The most recent discussion on the matter was during the debates on new public education standards.

“As a result of these discussions I concluded that the name of the subject isn’t anyhow a matter for the professional dimension. We live in the Republic of Armenia, and schools in the Republic of Armenia must teach the history of Armenia. I’d like to specifically address the absurd claims that by renaming the subject History of Armenia the content that is part of our history would be left out of the subject. This isn’t about the content, the content is the same, regardless of the name. The name is the methodological perspective with which we approach the teaching of history,” the minister said.

 11:39, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The government carried out renovation projects worth 154 million dollars in Kotayk Province in 2018-2023.

330 kilometers of roads, 163 kilometers of lighting, 34 kilometers of gasification, 206 kilometers of water lines, 20 kindergartens and 3 schools were either built, reconstructed or repaired in the province in 2018-2023, the government said in a press release.

 12:29, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Nikki Haley has applied for US Secret Service protection because of threats she is facing as the only remaining GOP presidential candidate competing with former U.S. President Donald Trump for the party’s nomination, Haley’s campaign spokesperson confirmed to CNN.

The campaign did not detail when the request was made.

There were reports of two swatting incidents in recent months at Haley’s home in South Carolina, one of which occurred while her parents were there, CNN reports. 

Haley was recently asked about a heightened security presence at her events, telling reporters in Columbia, South Carolina, last week that “when you do something like this, you get threats. It’s just the reality, and that’s OK.”

“Part of running for public life is that you’re going to deal with the threats that are there. That’s not going to deter me,” Haley said at the time. “Does it mean we have to put a few more bodies around us? Yes, that’s fine.”

Haley has had a heightened security presence with her for roughly a week.

The Secret Service provides protection only after it is authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security, who consults with a congressional advisory committee.

In May 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama was placed under protection after a congressional committee recommended it, given the rising number of threats against him.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also requested Secret Service protection this cycle, but he has not received it.

 12:54, 6 February 2024

BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Hungarian President Katalin Novák has welcomed Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan in Budapest. 

The official welcoming ceremony took place at the Kossuth Lajos Square.

Khachaturyan is due to hold a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart.

As part of the official visit, the Armenian President will also meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Speaker of Parliament László Kövér.

The Armenian President will visit the Heroes' Square to commemorate fallen troops.

A meeting with the local Armenian community is also scheduled.

 19:40, 6 February 2024

BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is ready to develop relations with Hungary and will do everything to ensure dynamic development, the Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan said at a joint press conference with Hungarian President Katalin Novák.

''This visit is historic after a long break. In fact, we are initiating a new process. And personally, I and our delegation greatly appreciate it. I would like to express the readiness of the Republic of Armenia to actively restart a new phase of Armenian-Hungarian relations and to do everything to ensure that our relations undergo dynamic development and follow a logical course.

This signifies the friendly, fraternal relations that we have had for a long time, since time immemorial," President Khachaturyan noted.

Hi Everyone, 

Hamazkayin Western Region Literary Group presents the book “Stateless: The Politics of the Armenian Language in Exile” by Author Dr. Talar Chahinian. 

Introduction: Dr. Shushan Karapetyan Book presentation by Dr Talar Chahinian on Sunday, February 25, 2023, at 5pm at ACF Burbank Beshir Mardirossian Youth Center 75 E Santa Anita Ave, Burbank, CA 91502.

Follow us on:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/Hamazkayin-Western-Region-Literary-Group-103109858137951

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Thank you!

Hamazkayin Western Region Literary Group from Glendale, CA, USA

 09:44, 9 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. 8,761 persons, including 3,658 citizens of CIS states and 266 citizens of EU states, were granted residency status in Armenia in 2023, according to official data published by the Statistical Committee.

5,073 of the 8,761 people received temporary residency status. The remaining 3,274 and 414 received permanent and special residency status respectively.

Most of the residency status recipients are citizens of Russia and India (3,350 and 2,035 respectively). 2,137 citizens of Russia and 41 citizens of India received permanent residency status.

Another 370 foreigners applied for asylum in Armenia in the second half of 2023.

193 of them (citizens of 14 different countries and 1 stateless person) received refugee status (94 Ukrainian citizens, 28 Haitian citizens, 17 Iraqi citizens, 16 Syrian citizens, 11 Iranian citizens, 7 Turkish citizens and 6 Yemeni citizens).  Most of them are aged between 35 and 64. Most of the asylum seekers were citizens of Iraq (109), Ukraine (91), Iran (57), Egypt (42), Russia (13) and Turkey (9).

In the same period, authorities revoked refugee status of 35 persons. 98 asylum applications by 187 persons were suspended.