Month: September 2020

 13:28, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is participating in the PostEurop’s 2020 EUROPA Stamp Contest’s “Ancient Postal Routes” competition.

Armenia is represented in the contest by the national postal operator HayPost, with the stamp depicting the old city of Gyumri, which used to be the main cultural and political centre of Armenia having many different routes.

The stamp was designed by HayPost designer Davit Dovlatyan.

The is open till September 9.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

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 14:55, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan visited on Monday the border towns in the Province of Tavush.

“The first stop was Chinari, where I thanked the locals for firmly supporting our troops in the victorious July battles,” Pashinyan said on social media, referring to the Azerbaijani military attack on Armenia in mid-July, when apart from military positions several civilian settlements, including Chinari, were targeted and bombarded by the Azeri armed forces. 

The Prime Minister also met with a Chinari resident whose house is currently being re-built after it was completely destroyed by Azerbaijani artillery strikes.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:15, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The 7th Byurakan International Summer School (7BISS) for Young Astronomers in the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) in Armenia began September 7 and will last until September 12th themed “Astronomy and Data Science.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the summer school is taking place online as a safety precaution.

This will be the 7th school of the series of Byurakan International Summer Schools (BISS) founded in 2006 and being held once every 2 years, one of the most important and regular astronomical summer/winter schools in the world. According to the analysis of the IAU Division C (Education, Outreach and Heritage), BISS is among the top-3 astronomical schools in the world (together with IAU ISYAs and Vatican schools, VOSS), as well as the NEON/OPTICON schools are among the best ones.

This time BISS focuses on Data Science and it is entitled “Astronomy and Data Science”, as it will be followed by a Symposium “Astronomical Surveys and Big Data 2” (ASBD-2, 14-18 Sep 2020). During the school the students will have lectures and practical tutorial sessions on Astronomical Surveys, Digitization of astronomical data, Astronomical Catalogues, Databases and Archives, Astrostatistics and Astroinformatics, Big Data in Astronomy and Virtual Observatory tools. The first ASBD in 2015 was very successful with participation of representatives of large surveys, VO projects and computer scientists and we will continue with its update in 2020. Active students that will propose talks for ASBD-2 meeting, will be also invited to participate in it and stay in Byurakan for the second week as well.

In addition, on 18 Sep 2020, the Byurakan Observatory will hold the Official Award Ceremony of Viktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize 2020.

Running such a school was astrophysicist Viktor  Ambartsumian’s brainchild, and he attempted to organize the first international youth school in 1987 in Byurakan, but the project was never continued because of the Soviet Union's collapse.

Byurakan International Summer Schools was revived by the incumbent director of the Byurakan Observatory Areg Michaelyan and Armenian Astronomical Society in 2006.

 16:25, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Former Speaker of Parliament Ara Babloyan is on trial on charges of abuse of power and official falsifications. Arsen Babayan, the ex-Deputy Chief of Staff of the Parliament, is also a defendant in the case charged with similar accusations.

The trial began today, presided by Judge Harutyun Manukyan of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction. Babloyan and Babayan are both in the court room. 

Investigators say Babloyan and Babayan committed the crimes when both were in office in 2018. They are suspected in falsifying official documents to remove obstacles and install Hrayr Tovmasyan as Constitutional Court President in 2018. They deny wrongdoing. 

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:51, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS/Emirates News Agency WAM. Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, held his first meeting with the members of the Industrial Coordination Council, ICC, outlining the leadership’s vision to advance the nation’s industrial sector and the critical role the ICC plays in supporting the Ministry’s mandate.

Dr. Al Jaber, who was joined in the virtual meeting by Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, made clear his commitment to working with the ICC and directly with the private sector, in particular to increase the UAE’s in country value by nurturing the SME sector and creating sustainable jobs.

For the first time, the ICC meeting also included key members from the UAE private sector, who engaged with the group on their views on how to enhance current regulatory and policy challenges in order to empower industrial sector growth and sustainability in the UAE.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said, "We have a formidable opportunity ahead to realise the ambitions of our leadership, play a pivotal role in the future of our national economy and achieve the three national priorities set forth which include empowering national industrial development, ensuring in country value and raising the competitiveness of our industries."

"A key enabler for success will be an active engagement with both the public and private sector to ensure regulatory and legislative frameworks are optimal, relevant and adapt to the realities of today and are flexible enough to provide the right platform for the change and growth our leadership envisages in the decades ahead.

"We must leverage the fundamental building blocks that are already in place, including our world-class logistics infrastructure, unique energy assets and a leading position in technological innovation and AI education, to drive our economy into the fourth industrial age."

Dr. Al Jaber added, "Through our work with the Council and its working groups, we will align on goals and initiatives; identify, consult on and resolve issues at Emirate and federal levels; test and prototype policies before they are rolled out; and engage with the industries, technology leaders and companies as a listening, constructive partner."

Sarah Al Amiri said, "What is critically important is that we align our efforts in adopting 4IR technologies – including the Internet of Things, real time data analytics and robotics – to enable and support current industries. Our objective must be to drive efficiencies, economies and evolutions in their production and fabrication processes, and to position the UAE as a driver of change and development for industry.

"As part of those efforts, we will establish new industrial clusters that both utilise and develop advanced technologies – supporting home-grown enterprises and attracting investors and investment. As a Ministry, we will work with our partners in public and private sectors to concentrate research and development efforts and output on the technological needs of the industrial sector for the benefit of today’s and tomorrow’s economies."

The Ministry aims to implement the vision of the leadership by enhancing the contribution of advanced technology to the sustainability of economic growth, raising the efficiency and competitiveness of the industrial sector in the country and supporting strategic industries that contribute to advancing the national economy and increasing the gross domestic product.

 15:47, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. A bill on setting stricter liability for insult and defamation has passed a parliamentary committee on Monday.

Vice Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan (My Step bloc) is proposing with the bill to amend the civil code and define higher penalties for insults and defamation.

“In times when the internet enables to register within minutes pages and websites which present themselves as news websites but are actually spreading defamation and fake news, I believe that we will be able to maximally prevent, reduce the fake news and defamation with these amendments,” he said.

Simonyan said he proposes to increase the envisaged penalty for insult up to 5 million drams, and the penalty for defamation up to 10 million drams.

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 16:57, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with the residents of Movses community in Tavush province during which he talked about the ongoing road construction works in the village.

“This is the first time this village with a history of 300 years has an asphalt road. And this is thanks only to tax-paying, responsible citizens.

During the talk with the village residents I told them that our goal is to have same quality roads starting from Yerevan’s Abovyan street and Republic Square up to Movses”, the PM said on Facebook.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 17:22, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was introduced on the renovation works of homes in Aygepar bordering community of Tavush province, which were damaged recently from the Azerbaijani shelling.

“The bordering Aygepar has turned into a major construction site. The houses which were damaged and destroyed from the shelling are being renovated, all streets in the community are being asphalted. The locals, some of whom were previously departing for a seasonal work, are currently engaged in the works. During the tour I got acquainted with the construction process and thanked the local residents for bearing the mission of border guard with an honor”, the PM said on Facebook.

On July 12-21, 2020, Azerbaijan unleashed military operations on the border with Armenia, in the direction of Tavush province, targeting also the Armenian bordering civilian settlements.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 17:28, 7 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenian fashion model Armine Harutyunyan caused a major debate in Italy last weekend about beauty standards, fashion modeling and body-shaming.

The negativity was so massive at one point that Harutyunyan, a 23-year-old who’s made already several appearances on Gucci catwalks led by Alessandro Michele, spoke out to the Italian La Repubblica about it.  

Now her story is making headlines at Forbes, where author Rebecca Ann Hughes published her article titled “Who Is Armine Harutyunyan And How Did She Become A Victim of Body-Shaming In Italy?”

Hughes argues that even those who pride themselves on their “open-mindedness” and praised Harutyunyan as an “unconventional” beauty are part of the problem because by labeling the model “as an exception is to reinforce the established, restrictive beauty standards.”

“People are scared by everything that is different,” Harutyunyan told La Repubblica in the interview, but for her, “there are many different ways of being beautiful.” Harutyunyan says she is determined to ignore all the negative comments. “It is better to be different than conform to others, even if this is not understood by everyone,” she said. “My advice is to concentrate on yourself, on who you are and what you really love.”

“However, the tenor of the jokes, insults and hate spewed on social media aimed at Harutyunyan makes it clear the comments did not exclusively derive from a misunderstanding of the fashion industry’s changing beauty tastes. Harutyunyan became a victim of body-shaming because her features are not those which social media has forced society to place above all others. Social networks like Instagram have cultivated a particularly narrow remit of beauty standards that leave little room for diversity,” Hughes wrote in Forbes.

“It may be that the fashion industry is forging the way for a new, inclusive, diverse understanding of beauty (whether for commercial reasons or not) but Italy is not ready for it yet.”

Editing by Stepan Kocharyan

 Armenia completes ratification of Lanzarote Convention