President Sarkissian signs decrees on appointing acting NSS Director and acting Police Chief
17:49,
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed a decree on appointing deputy director of the National Security Service Eduard Martirosyan as acting Director of the NSS, the President’s Office told Armenpress.
According to the President’s another decree, first deputy police chief Arman Sargsyan has been appointed acting police chief of Armenia.
The President signed the respective decrees based on the Prime Minister’s proposal.
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
In the second round of the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier the Armenian youth football team lost 1-6 to Iceland in an away match.
At the match held in Reykjavik Karen Melkonyan scored the Armenian team’s only goal in the 60th minute 11 minutes after which guests’ forward German Kurbashyan was sent off of the pitch, the Armenian National Olympic Committee’s press service reported.
In the first round Antonio Flores’s team had lost to the Ireland U21 team with a minimal score in Dublin. The U21 national teams of Italy, Sweden and Luxenburg are also included in this group.
Processing industry should become one of key pillars of Armenia’s economy, says PM
12:49,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. Processing industry should develop in Armenia and become one of the key pillars of the country’s economy, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during the meeting with the exporters and businessmen in Yerevan.
The PM said the government is attaching importance to ensuring the export tendency of Armenia’s economy.
“We want Armenia’s exporting branches to develop and be one of the key characterizers of our economy. One of our program provisions is also to assist the processing industry. Of course, we have worked quite seriously on this topic and will continue to work, but this issue is not so clear because while implementing any assistance program it’s necessary to be convinced that that assistance really contributes to the fields to develop and become more competitive. We should be convinced that we are providing assistance which will lead to a chain reaction and will become an assistance for other spheres. Otherwise, if we take non-calculated actions, it will mean that we are taking steps which do not lead to overall welfare, diversification of state budget revenues, and as a result we will have to refuse from these programs which will bring more harms, than benefits”, Pashinyan said.
According to the PM, this is the reason that the government is organizing such kind of meetings in order to clearly understand the signals coming from the concerning sides and to be able to manage and react them in a right way.
Talking about the construction sector Nikol Pashinyan said here as well the government has a very serious interest so that right formulas will be introduced in this area.
“When we look at what is happening in our real estate market, in fact, we face a situation when the demand is growing, whereas the supply isn’t. In such circumstances great increase in prices is noticed. Here it’s important for us to be able to balance the market with our cooperation so that there will be a right balance between the demand and supply in order to avoid shocks in the market”, the Armenian PM added.
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
3 of the suspected patients sampled on August 20 in Geghhovit community of Gegharkunik region were also confirmed to have anthrax. In total, 8 laboratory-confirmed (PCR) cases were recorded in the community.
Patients receive appropriate treatment and have a positive trend toward improvement. Disease prevention works are ongoing. Currently, there are no new patients in Geghhovit community, the press service of the Ministry of Health informs.
The sick animal was found, sampled and sent to the laboratory for examination by the experts of the food safety inspection body of the RA CE. It was found that they skinned an animal with fellow villagers and divided the meat among themselves.
According to the results of the laboratory examination, it was confirmed that the animal was a patient with anthrax. Specialists of the inspection body collected the meat of the animal, other products in the refrigerators from 34 families, the animal’s head and skin were also found. The collected meat and products were burned in the livestock cemetery according to the established procedure. It should be noted that the disease occurred in the animal because the owner refused vaccination.
All other animals in the Geghahovit community have been temperature measured and are under the supervision of specialists, no other cases have been reported.
An interdepartmental working group was created to coordinate the preparations for the organization and holding of the international conference entitled “Transit Potential of the Eurasian Continent”.
The decision to that effect was signed by the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan: The head of the working group is the Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan:
From September 30 to October 1, within the framework of the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, an international conference on the topic “Transit potential of the Eurasian continent” will be held in Yerevan.
According to the operations reports of Police of the Republic of Armenia, 65 cases of crime were detected by officers of various police subdivisions in the territory of Armenia from August 19 to 20, 4 of which 6 were earlier committed crimes.
In particular, 15 cases of infliction of bodily harm, 17 cases of personal theft, 6 cases of battery, 8 cases of fraud, 2 cases of illegal felling of trees and abuse of power were recorded.
2 wanted persons turned themselves in to the Police, 1 case of voluntary surrender of arms and ammunition have been registered.
Over the past day, 14 accidents have been registered in the republic: 1 person died, 17 people received bodily injuries of different levels of severity.
Opposing research institutes have agreed to set aside their disputes over the nature of the so-called ‘Armenian Stonehenge’ to solve its mysteries for once and for all.
Made up of 223 stones, Carahunge has been argued to predate Wiltshire’s Stonehenge by 2,500 years — but its purpose has long been a bone of contention.
Although some archaeologists have argued that the prehistoric site was used as an astronomical observatory, others contend it was just a conventional settlement.
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Opposing research institutes have agreed to set aside their disputes over the nature of the so-called ‘Armenian Stonehenge’, pictured, to solve its mysteries for once and for all
Made up of 223 stones, Carahunge has been argued to predate Wiltshire’s Stonehenge by 2,500 years — but its purpose has long been a bone of contention
Members of the Bnorran Historic-Cultural NGO and the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography co-signed an agreement on July 30 to collaborate in plumbing the mysteries of Carahunge, which lies near Sisian, in Armenia’s Syunik Province.
For the former group of researchers, the archaeological site — which some experts claim is 7,500 years old — represents the earliest-known observatory.
‘We think Carahunge — where more than 200 stones are located, with 80 having holes in them — is an ancient astronomical observatory,’ Bnorran board member Arevik Sargsyan told Armenpress.
This idea is partly based on the work of the physicist Paris Herouni, who had argued that the ancient complex dated back to around 5,500 BC.
Some of the stones, he suggested, had been deliberately positioned in order to align with Deneb, the brightest star in the constellation of Cygnus, along with the positions of the sun and the moon at certain times in the year.
‘According to another opinion, Carahunge isn’t an astronomical observatory,’ Ms Sargsyan said.
For them, she added, ‘it is simply an ancient site, a settlement, which has a status of a mausoleum.’
In this theory, the stones form the structural remains of a city wall, in which the rocks supported piles of rubble and loam that have since been removed from the site.
This is the opinion held by researchers at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, who have long disagreed with the astronomical interpretation of Ms Sargsyan and her associates.
Not a single astronomical tool has been unearthed from the Carahunge site, institute director Pavel Avetisyan and archaeological expedition team leader Ashot Piliposyan reportedly told Armenpress.
Furthermore, they noted, some of the holes in the stones — which are often cited as evidence in support of the site having been an astronomical observatory — are located on the lower parts of the basalt rocks and thus do not even point at the stars.
Although some archaeologists have argued that the prehistoric site was used as an astronomical observatory, others contend it was just a conventional settlement
For members of the Bnorran Historic-Cultural NGO, the archaeological site — which some experts claim is 7,500 years old — represents the earliest-known observatory
Armenian physicist Paris Herouni argued that some of the stones had been deliberately positioned in order to align with Deneb, the brightest star in the constellation of Cygnus
Holes in the stones are often cited as evidence in support of the site having been an astronomical observatory, but some are located on the lower parts of the basalt rocks and thus do not even point at the stars
For the moment, both academic groups have agreed on a temporary suspension of their excavations and research at the Carahunge site.
Investigations will resume once a jointly-held seminar of experts from various disciplines — including archaeologists, astronomers and ethnographers — has been held to determine a shared research plan for the ancient stone feature.
‘It requires studies in all aspects,’ said Dr Piliposyan, who argues that the site is unique across the whole Transcaucasia region
‘We discussed many issues during the signing of the agreement, we even considered that maybe in the future it will be possible to build a museum near the monument to display all materials regarding the ancient site.’
For the moment, both academic groups have agreed on a temporary suspension of their excavations and research at the Carahunge site
Investigations will resume once a jointly-held seminar of experts from various disciplines — including archaeologists, astronomers and ethnographers — has been held to determine a shared research plan for the ancient stone feature
80 of the stones have had holes bored into them, reportedly causing the stones to whistle in the wind. It is from this that the name Carahunge — ‘speaking stones’ — is derived
Members of the Bnorran Historic-Cultural NGO and the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography co-signed an agreement on July 30 to collaborate in plumbing the mysteries of Carahunge, which lies near Sisian, in Armenia’s Syunik Province
A delegation of Western US state officials at Dzidzernagapert
YEREVAN–The Armenian National Committee of America–Western Region 2019 political officials’ delegation trip to Armenia wrapped up its first two days filled with a number of high-level meetings with government officials as well as visits to key institutions and sites.
The delegation is comprised of California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis; Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger; Chief of Staff to Supervisor Barger Anna Mouradian; Arizona State Senators Paul Boyer and Otoniel “Tony” Navarrete; Colorado State Senator Dominick Moreno; and Colorado State Representative Daneya Esgar. The ANCA-WR Board chairwoman Nora Hovsepian is accompanied by fellow Board members Sako Berberian and Lina Davidian, as well as ANCA-WR’s Community Development Coordinator Simon Maghakyan.
California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis in front of Mt. Ararat
“Our delegation – representing leaders from three western U.S. states and the second ANCA-WR delegation to visit Armenia in the first year since the Velvet Revolution – is here in Yerevan to explore ways to institutionalize and expand existing relationships between Armenia and California, Arizona and Colorado,” remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “By organizing this visit, we wanted to create the opportunity to showcase first-hand Armenia’s commitment to democracy, free market economy, and Western values at-large, and to deepen ties related to trade, education, and support for democracy-building measures,” continued Hovsepian.
The first day of the visit featured meetings and in-depth discussions with Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan, Foreign Affairs Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, and Majority Leader of the ruling ‘My Step’ faction in the National Assembly Lilit Makunts and a group of legislative leaders. The delegation also visited the American University of Armenia, which was especially meaningful due to its direct affiliation with the University of California, on whose Board Lt.Gov. Kounalakis serves, thereby giving her the opportunity to learn more about how educational bridges can be expanded. The packed schedule on day one concluded with a tour of the renowned ‘Ararat’ brandy distillery.
LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger plants a tree at Dzidzernagapert
The second day kicked off with an emotional visit to the Dzidzernagaperd Armenian Genocide Museum and Institute to pay respect to over 3 million Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek innocent victims of the Genocide. Accompanied by the museum’s director, Dr. Harutyun Marutyan, the delegation members toured the facility learning about the history and the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide, and planted commemorative blue spruce trees in the name of each of the three U.S. states. The itinerary also included a visit to the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, as well as inspirational visits to Holy Etchmiadzin and the Khor Virap monastic complex at the foot of majestic Mt. Ararat.
The evening culminated with a tour of the historic Megerian Carpet Factory and a cultural program and authentic Armenian dinner, music and traditional folk dance.
In the meetings, Armenian officials stressed the importance placed to further deepening the strategic relations between the United States and Armenia, including state-level partnerships, especially in the wake of the 2018 Velvet Revolution and democratic transformations taking place in the country.
The ANCA-WR-;led delegation in front of Mt. Ararat
Special emphasis was placed on the role of the Armenian American community in cultivating and advancing the bond between the U.S. and Armenia.
The Lisbon Five
LA CRESCENTA—This year marks the 36th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Lisbon Five, who gave their lives in furtherance of our just cause. The five individuals include: Simon Yahniyan, Vatche Daghlian, Sarkis Abrahamian, Ara Kuhrjulian, and Setrak Ajemian.
By the ordinance of Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, on Sunday, July 29, prayers for the souls of the Lisbon 5 will be offered during “Der Voghormya,” given that the day coincides with the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, a dominical feast on which requiem service is not conducted.
We invite our faithful to join us in honoring the undying legacy and sacrifice of our modern-day heroes.
WESTERN PRELACY TIVAN