Month: April 2026

Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was elected president on Friday after breezing through a parliamentary vote, formalising his grip on political power ‌in the war-torn nation five years after he ousted an elected government in a coup, Reuters reports.

On Friday, lawmakers from the dominant Union Solidarity and Development Party and the military’s quota ⁠of appointed armed forces legislators coalesced to back Min Aung Hlaing, with the former commander-in-chief winning the vote by a huge margin.

Despite initially trailing to Nyo Saw, a retired general and the junta’s prime minister, Min Aung Hlaing pulled ahead to win 429 votes to Nyo Saw’s 126.

Min Aung Hlaing’s ascent to the presidency – a position that analysts say he has long sought – followed a major reshuffle in the leadership of Myanmar’s armed forces, which he had led since 2011.

A coup d’état in Myanmar began on the morning of 1 February 2021, when democratically elected members of the country’s ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), were deposed by the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s military, which then vested power in a military junta. Acting President of Myanmar Myint Swe proclaimed a year-long state of emergency and declared power had been transferred to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. It declared the results of the November 2020 general election invalid and stated its intent to hold a new election at the end of the state of emergency.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has published the draft pre-election program of the Civil Contract party for the 2026 regular elections to the National Assembly.

The draft, published on Pashinyan’s Facebook page, states that the ideological basis of the Civil Contract party’s pre-election program is the ideology of “Real Armenia” and the doctrine of Armenia’s economic and institutional transformation.

The preface notes that opening an era of peaceful development for Armenia and the region is the greatest mission undertaken by the Government before the people after the results of the 2021 snap elections.

In his preface, as Prime Minister, Chairman of the Civil Contract party Board and prime ministerial candidate, Pashinyan, addressing citizens, stated that with their support the party has fulfilled its greatest mission, and peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan, opening an era of peaceful development for Armenia.

“In the elections to be held on June 7, together with you, we have a problem to solve: we must stand up for peace, which is new, still vulnerable and in need of our daily care,” Pashinyan said, calling on citizens to go to polling stations and support the Civil Contract party.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan held a meeting on Friday with the Iranian Ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami.

According to a readout issued by the Parliament’s press service, the meeting discussed issues related to Armenia-Iran relations.

Both sides emphasized the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation. Deputy Speaker Rubinyan and Ambassador Shirgholami also exchanged views on regional developments.

Olympic champion, two-time silver and bronze medalist, and multiple world and European champion Arthur Aleksanyan will not participate in the upcoming European Wrestling Championships.

According to a report by the Armenian Wrestling Federation’s press service, recent media claims suggesting that Aleksanyan would miss the entire 2026 season are inaccurate.

In an official statement, the federation clarified that the renowned Armenian wrestler will only skip the European Championship for now as he is currently recovering from an injury.

“Over the past few hours, information has been circulating in the media that Olympic, world, and European champion Arthur Aleksanyan will miss the whole of 2026 season. We officially announce that, at this stage, Arthur Aleksanyan will only miss the European Championship, as he is recovering from an injury,” the statement said.

The European Wrestling Championships are scheduled to take place from April 20 to April 26.

Consultations between the foreign ministries of Armenia and Russia were held in Moscow on the current agenda of the two countries’ foreign policy in the African direction.

According to a press release issued by Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting was co-chaired by Levon Petrosyan, Acting Head of the Middle East and Africa Department of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, and Tatyana Dovgalenko, Head of the Department for Partnership with Africa at Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

The officials discussed prospects for developing cooperation with African states, the African Union, and other regional organizations, as well as expanding trade and economic relations with African countries and deepening humanitarian cooperation. They also addressed the current situation in Africa and related security issues.

 The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 3 April, USD exchange rate up by 0.02 drams to 376.98 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.26 drams to 435.22 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.0178 drams to 4.6982 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 1.76 drams to 498.86 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 1205 drams to 56230 drams. 

Armenia plans to launch a new support program that will enable large families to purchase or build housing with full state assistance.

The draft measure has been published by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs on the government’s unified platform for legal acts.

The initiative aims to improve access to housing for large families and enhance their living conditions. According to the draft, only one housing assistance scheme is currently available, under which beneficiaries receive a one-time payment while remaining responsible for loan repayment.

The new program proposes full subsidization, allowing eligible families either to buy a home or build one. Under the proposal, 4 million drams would be allocated per minor child. Families choosing to settle in rural areas would receive an additional 4 million drams, which could be used either to acquire land or build a house.

Preliminary data show that Armenia has 643 families with six or more minor children. Of these, 390 families have six children and 143 have seven, while the remaining families have more.

The program also sets a minimum housing standard of 10 square meters per person. This means a family with six children would require at least 80 square meters of living space and could qualify for around 24 million drams in support.

If all eligible families participate, the program could require up to 31.9 billion drams from the state budget over the next decade.

IDBank has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Yerevan State University. Within the framework of its “Side by Side” social responsibility initiative, the Bank will finance the tuition fees of 103 Artsakh students, amounting to more than AMD 35 million.

Within the framework of the memorandum, scholarships will be provided to 103 Artsakh students at YSU, contributing to their educational progress and social stability.

According to Mher Abrahamyan, Chairman of the Management Board of IDBank, it is extremely important for the Bank to stand by its compatriots.

“A needs assessment conducted by Yerevan State University showed that 103 Artsakh students were at risk of interrupting their studies due to social challenges. Recognizing the importance of education and its continuity, IDBank decided to cover the tuition fees of all 103 students at YSU. Through such initiatives, we aim not only to provide financial support but also to offer young people a sense of stability and confidence, helping them build their future in Armenia,” said Mher Abrahamyan.

According to Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Rector of Yerevan State University, YSU has supported Artsakh students from the very first days, striving to assist them in continuing their education and overcoming social challenges.

“We have reached out to our partners and all institutions willing to share this responsibility and contribute to shaping the future of our students. Today, we are especially pleased to note that IDBank has joined this important initiative, making a truly significant contribution. We highly appreciate this partnership and express our deep gratitude to IDBank for its trust, care, and commitment to ensuring the continuity of education for our students,” noted the Rector.

In addition to financial support, IDBank will also contribute to the financial literacy of young people. Bank specialists will visit various faculties and conduct financial education courses. It should be noted that such sessions have already been held with first-year students of the Faculty of Economics and Management at YSU.

IDBank’s “Side by Side” program has been implemented since 2024. Below are some of the programs:

“By Your Side”: IDBank’s new support program for displaced Artsakh citizens

IWith the Financing of IDBank, the Village of Svarants Will Have a Kindergarten: The “Side by Side” Program Continues

Side by Side: IDBank Launches New Program for women forcibly displaced from Artsakh

Scholarship for 100 Artsakh Students as Part of IDBank’s “Side by Side” Program

IDBank summarizes results of financial education program for Artsakh schoolchildren

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