Month: June 2022

 12:58,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. American-Armenian film producer, philanthropist, physician, and entrepreneur Eric Esrailian has been elected member of the Board of Trustees of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Academy Museum said.

Julia S. Gouw, the Chairwoman of Piermont Bank, philanthropist, arts patron, and Shira Ruderman, Executive Director of the Ruderman Family Foundation, have also been elected members of the Board of Trustees.

Ted Sarandos, Board Chair and Co-CEO of Netflix, said: “We are thrilled to welcome these three extraordinary leaders, who have already done so much to advance our community, and the industry at large, through their commitment to diversity, innovation, and excellence. As members of our board, they will support and guide the Academy Museum in realizing its ambitious mission of increasing public appreciation for the arts and sciences of moviemaking and exploring the ongoing, multifaceted history of film.”

Academy Museum Director and President and incoming Academy CEO Bill Kramer added, “I join Ted and the entire Academy Museum Board of Trustees in welcoming Eric, Julia, and Shira. We have strong working relationships with all of them, and they have helped us open the Academy Museum in a powerful way. Their strong executive experience, profound philanthropic spirit, and dedication to the goals of diversity and inclusion will be invaluable to us. They will help us tell the rich and varied stories of cinema to Los Angeles and the world.”

The new trustees join current Board members Ted Sarandos, Chair; Miky Lee (Mie Kyung Lee), Vice-Chair; Kimberly Steward, Secretary; Jim Gianopulos, Treasurer; Patricia S. Bellinger, Jason Blum, Arnaud Boetsch, Olivier de Givenchy, Laura Dern, David Dolby, Sidonie Seydoux Dumas, Sid Ganis (Honorary Trustee), Ray Halbritter, Tom Hanks, Dawn Hudson, Bill Kramer, David Linde, Eva Longoria, Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, Ryan Murphy, Dominic Ng, Katherine Oliver, David Rubin, Regina K. Scully, Emma Thomas, Diane von Furstenberg, and Kevin Yeaman.

Dr. Eric Esrailian is a film producer, philanthropist, physician, and entrepreneur. He is also actively involved in philanthropic efforts connecting the arts with health, human rights, and education. Dr. Esrailian is a Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Medicine and the Chief of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. In 2012, the School of Medicine awarded Dr. Esrailian the Lincy Foundation Chair in Clinical Gastroenterology.

He has produced films with a focus on human rights issues and social impact, including The Promise (2016) by Terry George, starring Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale. He also produced the educational companion documentary Intent to Destroy (2017) with Joe Berlinger, which was nominated for an Outstanding Historical Documentary Emmy.

 13:09,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government approved today the draft on approving the proposal to sign a cooperation grant agreement directed to development between Armenia and the United States.

Chief of Staff at the PM’s Office Arayik Harutyunyan said the purpose of the agreement is to support Armenia in the process of reforms aimed at strengthening democracy and economic stability.

“The total investment of the USAID for achieving these goals comprises 120,000,000 US dollars, which will be provided in parts. The USAID is planning to distribute its investment as follows: 68,565,000 USD for promotion of democracy, 51,435 USD for improvement of economic security”, Arayik Harutyunyan said.

For the promotion of democracy the USAID will provide support to the government of Armenia in the fight against corruption and the reforms in justice and public administration systems. For the improvement of economic security, the USAID will support the public sector to create efficient systems, implement inclusive and economic strategies and discover capital measures for effective investments.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan highlighted this agreement, stating that 120 million USD investment is expected in democracy, economic security, institutional development sectors and fight against corruption.

 13:16,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian national football team is 92nd in FIFA/Coca-Cola World rankings, the Football Federation of Armenia reported.

The Brazilian national team is on top of the world rankings. Belgium, Argentina, France and England are also in the Top 5.

 13:17,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. In order to avoid any tension in electoral processes, Armenian Prime Minister highlights holding elections with identification cards.

“From political terms we should not forget about a problem that we have. Eventually, the election process should take place with a single identity document, that must be the identification card. I want us to focus on this issue”, he said at the Cabinet meeting today.

He reminded that currently there are several electoral documents – ID, passport and biometric passport. According to him, it is necessary to have an identification card. Moreover, the polling stations must have card-reading devices which will solve all issues connected with manipulation. However, he noted that no such problem has been observed during the last two elections.

“However, in order to rule out any tension in this matter we should hold elections with an identification card, maximally electronically. In other words, a person comes, identifies, the electronic system also registers that he/she has voted, which both theoretically and practically rules out that person’s voting in another polling station. This will also solve the issue of electoral lists. Only those people, who have applied and received, will have an ID card, and this will solve all issues”, the PM said.

 13:45,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Israel Yair Lapid will visit Turkey today, on June 23, the Turkish foreign ministry reported.

The Turkey-Israel bilateral relations, economic, energy-related and regional issues are on the agenda of the visit.

 14:28,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan hosted on June 22 the Orion Summit 2022 that gathered leading companies from Armenia, the United States, Philippines and Lithuania.

Famous foreign founders, investors and consultants in technology, finance, business, culture and other sectors participated in 5 panel discussions.

Mark Chenian, the member of the Board of Directors of the Armenian Society of Fellows was the keynote speaker of the Summit.

“It is necessary always to move forward, not being limited only with talks about creating good conditions for startups and IT industry. The mission of this Summit is to develop Armenia, reach an accelerated growth because the participants of this event also form the ecosystem”, Founder and CEO of Orion World Innovations Emma Arakelyan said.

“Orion Summit will have a continuation. The Summit is turning into a platform of signing deals. We aim at creating much more opportunities for Armenian startups to meet and cooperate with global companies. We started from Yerevan, next year we will meet in New York, and then in Frankfurt”, Co-founder of Orion Worldwide Innovations Armenia Diana Arzumanyan said.

Armenia’s Ministry of High Technological Industry and Central Bank also had a great investment in the high-level discussions at the Summit. The event was also attended by representatives of Ameriabank, Adobe, Grant Thornton, SADA, EY, etc.

Digital Julfa Network, an initiative uniting the pan-Armenian intellectual, technological, commercial and cultural force, officially launched during the Summit.

The Summit ended with a reception during which pianist and jazz composer Joel A. Martin performed the works of Komitas accompanied with jazz.

An exhibition of works of modern art also took place on the sidelines of the Summit.

About Orion

Orion Worldwide Innovations (“Orion”), is a startup growth and ecosystem acceleration hub and offers a full-service package to make companies investable to enter the US market, enhance their customer acquisition strategies, stay competitive and protect their innovation. Orion is a U.S.-based company formed in 2017, with offices in New York City, U.S., and Yerevan, Armenia, though Orion partners with companies and investor networks worldwide.

 14:56,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. The Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia approved a motion for disciplinary action against its suspended chairman Ruben Vardazaryan.

Acting President of the Supreme Judicial Council Gagik Jhangiryan released the decision at today’s meeting.

“President of the Supreme Judicial Council, judge of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, Ruben Vardazaryan’s powers are terminated on grounds of a serious disciplinary action”, Gagik Jhangiryan said, adding that the decision takes effect immediately after its publication and is not subject to appeal.

 15:53,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of the Competition Protection Commission of Armenia Gegham Gevorgyan says that the prices of some food products have declined in the market.

After the Cabinet meeting today he told reporters that the price of the New Zealand butter has declined from 4692 drams to 4400 drams, and the price of Anchor butter has decreased from 5038 drams to 4691 drams.

“The Competition Protection Commission does not deal with regulation of prices. I don’t rule out that there may be areas and businesses that will make abuses”, he said.

Commenting on the prices of fuel and diesel fuel, he said that Iran is not selling diesel fuel and fuel in foreign markets recently, and most of the diesel fuel and petrol is imported to Armenia from the Russian Federation.

“Not only the dollar exchange rate affects the prices of the diesel fuel. The stock market price of the diesel fuel has significantly increased all over the world”, Gevorgyan said.

 16:27,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received new Head of the Mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Armenia Iva Petrova, the PM’s Office said.

PM Pashinyan congratulated Mrs. Petrova on assuming office and expressed hope that she will contribute with her knowledge and experience to raising the efficiency of the cooperation between the Armenian government and the IMF. Nikol Pashinyan said the previous joint three-year project has been implemented successfully, expressing confidence that new projects will be developed in the future.

Then, the PM touched upon the macroeconomic situation in Armenia, adding that quite high economic indicators are being recorded this year, and the state budget revenues have a progressive growth. He also talked about the fight against corruption, the reduction in cash payments, the introduction of income declaration system and other reforms, stating that the government is receiving truth on this path as the previous reforms have given positive results.

The IMF Mission Head highlighted the intensive cooperation with the government of Armenia, stating that the IMF will continue contributing to economic stability and development in Armenia with new programs. She called the ongoing economic indicators in Armenia impressive and highlighted the necessity to ensure the continuation of the reforms.

The sides also discussed issues on implementing investments projects in road construction, education, infrastructure, water resource management, water reservoir construction, customs regulations and other public sectors.

 17:01,

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, ARMENPRESS. The World Health Network (WHN) has declared monkeypox a pandemic.

The WHN made a statement which says:

“In view of the growth of monkeypox in 58 countries through local community transmission around the world, with 3,417 confirmed Monkeypox cases reported across 58 countries, and the rate of growth of cases increasing week by week across multiple continents,

the severe pain, scaring, blindness, and death, which has been observed in cases of Monkeypox historically,

the greater severity of Monkeypox in children, who have thus far been spared during the current outbreak but are likely to be infected increasingly as community transmission expands,

the danger of transmission to wildlife, including rodents such as mice, rats, squirrels, and domesticated pets, which would become a reservoir that will expand across the world leading to ongoing risk of human infection and the need to modify daily life due to this ongoing risk to avoid exposure in many contexts,

The World Health Network (WHN) declares the monkeypox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Global Concern, by which it indicates that this outbreak is not limited to a single country or region and should be addressed by immediate actions taken wherever community transmission is taking place in order to ensure that the least effort is needed and the smallest impact is suffered due to this outbreak”.

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) is going to convene an emergency meeting to assess the global risk of the outbreak of the disease.