Author: Albert Nalbandian

Sports: UFC 257: Armenia’s Arman Tsarukyan defeats Matt Frevola of US

Albert Nalbandian
Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 24 2021
UFC 257: Armenia’s Arman Tsarukyan defeats Matt Frevola of US
UFC 257: Armenia’s Arman Tsarukyan defeats Matt Frevola of US – Public Radio of Armenia

Arman Tsarukyan of Armenia defeated Matt Frevola of United States in UFC257 lightweight martial arts match, Newsday reports.

He won the match with unanimous decision with a score of 30-27, 30-27, 30-26 in Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.

Tsarukyan raised the Armenian flag to celebrate the victory.

“I watched Matt’s fights and decided, like, I have a new opponent, I have to do a new game plan and I’m really happy I won,” Tsarukyan said after the fight.

The loss ended a two-fight win streak for Frevola (8-2-1, 2-2-1 UFC), who hadn’t fought since 2019 as three scheduled bouts in 2020 were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, a positive COVID-19 test from a cornerman and an injury.

Tsarukyan (16-2, 3-1) pressured Frevola from the start of the bout with his grappling and body control. Frevola defended well in the first round and landed two good shots in the closing seconds.

But Tsarukyan continued to show his grappling advantage as the fight went on, landing 10 of 12 takedowns and mixing in some effective striking. Frevola, who trains at Gracie Tampa South at Longo and Weidman MMA, fought back in the second round, connecting on a big right hand while standing on one as Tsarukyan held his other leg in the air. That shot opened a cut on the 24-year-old Russian, but he again used his grappling to minimize any further damage.

The third round opened up with Tsarukyan slipping under a right hand from Frevola and taking him down. Frevola got back to his feet rather quickly. On another successful takedown by Tsarukyan midway through the round, Frevola attempted a guillotine choke. He needed a finish to get the win, but his opponent was able to slip out and end up in top position.

“I wanted to choke him, but this guy, he has a very good Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he’s a brown belt, he’s not easy,” Tsarukyan said of Frevola. “I tried sometimes, but he has good defense. It was very hard, but my freestyle wrestling is better and so was my control, my striking, and I can do everything.”

Tsarukyan said he wants to fight a top-15 lightweight next and then called out Frevola’s teammate, Wantagh’s Al Iaquinta.

“I want to fight with Iaquinta because he doesn’t have a fight,” he said. “All guys in the top 15 have fights, except him. If he doesn’t want to fight or… then get out of the top 15, I want to take his place.”

Agreement over security of Yerevan-Kapan road reached with Russia and Azerbaijan – deputy PM Avinyan

Albert Nalbandian

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 17:25,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian side has reached an agreement with the Russian and Azerbaijani sides over the security of the Yerevan-Kapan road, Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan said during a Q&A session in the Parliament.

“As of this moment, we have concrete agreements with both the Azerbaijani and Russian sides over the section of the road you mentioned, the Russian border troops are also stationed there. No incident with the transport passing through that road has been registered as of now. We do not have problems in Syunik and over the Armenian-Azerbaijani border line in general, we haven’t recorded any incident and I hope we will not have any in the future as well”, the deputy PM said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Iran’s Foreign Ministry willing to contribute to joint projects with Armenia

Albert Nalbandian
Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 19 2021
– Public Radio of Armenia

Artashes Tumanian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Islamic Republic of Iran was received by Seyed Rasool Mohajer, Deputy Foreign Minister on Economic Diplomacy, the Armenian Embassy in Iran informs.

During the meeting, the Ambassador briefed the Deputy Minister on the current state of Armenia – Iran economic relations. Projects in infrastructure, trade and investment were pointed out.

The sides discussed the objectives, challenges and capabilities for developing bilateral and multilateral economic relations in the aftermath of Artsakh war.

Mr. Mohajer affirmed the willingness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran as well as his readiness to contribute in implementing of Armenia – Iran economic plans and projects.

Ancient Artsakh Manuscripts to be Exhibited in Yerevan’s Matenadaran

Albert Nalbandian

January 18,  2020



An exhibition display at the Matenadaran

The Matenadaran—the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts—will unveil an exhibit of manuscripts from Artsakh next week.

Director of the Matenadaran in Artsakh’s Gandzasar Aram Torosyan told Armenpress that manuscripts which were written and kept in Artsakh, books published in Shushi, archival documents that include writings by that catholicoses will be among the items displayed during the exhibition, which will feature 80 distinct items.

Torosyan explained that more 100 manuscripts were on display at the Artsakh branch of the Matenadaran since 2015.

“During the recent war when the whole world witnessed how Azerbaijan was targeting the cultural centers of Artsakh, such as the Ghazanchetsots Church in Shushi, the Matenadaran-Gandzasar cultural center organized the evacuation of the exhibits from Artsakh,” said Torosyan.

“We transferred them to the Matenadaran in Yerevan. But I want to note that their transfer is temporary as we will definitely return them to Artsakh, and the manuscripts will again be stored in Gandzasar,” added Torosyan.

“Meanwhile, the directorate decided to display the treasures of Artsakh in the Matenadaran. The exhibition will open soon and will last until we decide to be taken back to Artsakh, most likely in the middle of the year,” explained Torosyan.

He said the return of the ancient manuscripts to Artsakh are tied to technical and security concerns, but vowed that “the Matenadaran-Gandzasar must continue its activity. The building has not been damaged, the staffers are working, and it is under the supervision of the state oversight service.”

Armenian American Jeff Marootian joins Joe Biden’s climate team

Albert Nalbandian
Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 17 2021
– Public Radio of Armenia

Armenian American Jeff Marootian will join Joe Biden’s Administration as Special Assistant to the President for Climate and Science Agency Personnel.

Jeff Marootian is the Director of the District of Columbia’s Department of Transportation and serves on the U.S. Department of Transportation Agency Review Team for the Biden- Harris Transition.

Prior to joining Mayor Muriel Bowser’s cabinet in 2017, Marootian served in the Obama-Biden Administration and held roles at the United States Department of Transportation as the White House Liaison, Assistant Secretary for Administration and Chief Sustainability Officer.

Originally from New Jersey, he is an alumnus of George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Anna Naghdalyan: The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is still far from being resolved,

Albert Nalbandian
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 16 2021

Armenian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anna Naghdalyan on Friday reacted to the statement made by the representative of the Foreign Ministry of Russia who stated that the Russian side has always supported the implementation of the humanitarian contacts between the Armenian and Azerbaijani societies. Asked whether there are prerequisites for such programs, Naghdalyan said: "We highly commend Russia's efforts aimed at establishing peace and stability in the region. The Armenian side has always supported the humanitarian contacts between the societies of the region, which should be based on mutual respect and tolerance and be aimed at creating mutual trust. Certainly, relevant prerequisites should be established for such programs." 

The Armenian diplomat, however, noted that the statements of the leadership of Azerbaijan in recent days demonstrate that Azerbaijan is not yet ready for that. Furthermore, creating obstacles for the repatriation of the Armenian prisoners of war, issuing a stamp glorifying the ethnic cleansing of Armenians, as well as the consistent threats being voiced by President Aliyev attest to the fact that Azerbaijan is challenging the trust-building efforts of international mediators. 

"The provocative statements made by the President of Azerbaijan in Shushi, as well as the attempts to present the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots Church, which had been targeted during the war, as a “war prize and symbol of victory” are particularly deplorable," Naghdalyan noted, adding: "These realities prove that the conflict is still far from being resolved, and the peace process is necessary to establish lasting peace in the region." 

 

Armenian military reports “stable operational situation” at LoC with Azerbaijan

Albert Nalbandian

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 11:03,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. A stable operational situation maintained at the entire length of the Armenian state border’s Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact on January 13 and in the morning of January 14, the Armenian Defense Ministry said.

“According to information received from the Armenian National Security Service, no border incidents occurred at the Vorotan-Davit Bek section of the Goris-Kapan interstate road which is under the responsibility of the National Security Service border troops as well. The units of the Armed Forces of Armenia and the NSS border troops are controlling the border situation at the entire length of the border and are fulfilling their mission,” the Defense Ministry said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Major investment projects happening in Armenia, says economy minister

Albert Nalbandian

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 13:59,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan assures that major investment programs are carrying on in Armenia. Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Kerobyan said there are many investors now in Armenia and he doesn’t differentiate them as being foreigners or locals. “I am meeting every day with several such investors and every day I am giving solutions to the issues they face,” Kerobyan said.

Asked when it would be possible to see major investments in Armenia, Kerobyan said there are such major investments happening right now. “We can go and I will show you a 100 million worth investment, the Renshin company,” he said, referring to the construction company active in the Armenian real estate market development. 

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan government task force to deal with reopening of borders

Albert Nalbandian

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 15:31,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. The governments of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan will set up a dedicated task force headed by their deputy prime ministers for dealing with the opening of the presently-closed borders in the region and the unblocking of economic, commercial and transport communications – one of the terms of the 2020 November 9 Nagorno Karabakh armistice.

“The unblocking of economic, trade and transport communications and opening of borders deserves special attention,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his opening remarks at trilateral talks with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Moscow. “It is planned that these issues will be dealt by a trilateral working group chaired by the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani deputy prime ministers.”

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenian soldiers’ parents protest outside military university in Yerevan

Albert Nalbandian
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 8 2021

Parents of servicemen carrying out mandatory military service on Friday, January 8, staged a protest in front of the Vazgen Sargsyan Military University of the Armenian Defense Ministry in Yerevan, demanding that the authorities guarantee their children’s safe return to Artsakh.

They claim that the road leading to Artsakh is unsafe and there are no guarantees whether their sons will get to Artsakh or not.

“None of the commanders said that security guarantees are provided," said one of the parents.

He said that the soldiers were to rejoin the Artsakh military after a short vacation on December 28, however they were barred from entering Artsakh by Azerbaijani troops. Therefore, the servicemen were temporarily transferred to the military university.

“10-20 days ago there were dangers, is it safe now? Nobody says why it is safe now,” the parents said.

They state that they do not mind their children serving in Artsakh, they just demand security guarantees. Parents say they are ready to take their children home until such guarantees are ensured.

Protesting patents demanded a meeting with the Defense Ministry representatives.