Author: Hovhannisian John

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 04-08-23

Hovhannisian John

 17:54, 4 August 2023

YEREVAN, 4 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 4 August, USD exchange rate up by 0.11 drams to 386.29 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.47 drams to 422.72 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.05 drams to 4.06 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 2.23 drams to 490.55 drams.

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

Gold price down by 99.31 drams to 24039.83 drams. Silver price down by 10.53 drams to 292.54 drams.

Pashinyan accuses Azerbaijan of trying to use POWs as bargaining chip

Hovhannisian John

 16:38,

YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has accused Azerbaijan of trying to use Armenian prisoners of war as a bargaining chip.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan refuses to release Armenian prisoners of war because it tries to use them as a tool to pressure Armenia.

“Azerbaijan is trying to use the captives as a political bargaining chip, moreover not in specificity but as a tool to pressure Armenia generally ,” Pashinyan said.

He also explained why Armenia agreed to provide Azerbaijan with the minefield maps of the territories that went under Azeri control after the 2020 war.

“The international community was urging us to take steps to increase trust. And we made this step as a humanitarian step, to show our sincerity in the peace efforts,” Pashinyan said.

Armenian Soldier Wounded By Azerbaijani Fire In Border Area – Defense Ministry

Hovhannisian John
UrduPoint
July 12 2023

 Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir)  Published July 12, 2023 | 07:21 PM

An Armenian serviceman has been wounded after Azerbaijani troops fired toward the Armenian combat outposts near the border between the two countries, the Armenian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik – 12th July, 2023) An Armenian serviceman has been wounded after Azerbaijani troops fired toward the Armenian combat outposts near the border between the two countries, the Armenian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

“On July 12, at 5:30 a.m. (09:30 GMT), units of the Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards the Armenian combat outposts nearby Tegh, in the wake of which the RA Armed Forces serviceman Y. Kh. wounded,” the ministry said in a statement.

The soldier’s condition is assessed as “satisfactory,” with his life not being in danger, it added.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over disputed Nagorny-Karabakh, an Armenian-majority mountainous region wedged in between the two nations where both have a military presence. The decades-long conflict reignited in fall 2020, marking the worst escalation since the 1990s. Hostilities ended in a Russia-brokered ceasefire and deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the region.

In September 2022, a new outbreak of hostilities between Yerevan and Baku was reported in an area unrelated to Nagorno-Karabakh, marking the most serious escalation since 2020.

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/armenian-soldier-wounded-by-azerbaijani-fire-1722156.html

Artsakh’s Minister of State presents results of the meeting with the command of Russian peacekeepers

Hovhannisian John

 17:44,

YEREVAN, 14 JULY, ARMENPRESS․ Artsakh Republic State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan presented details of the meeting with the command of the Russian peacekeeping troops stationed in Artsakh.

ARMENPRESS reports, Gurgen Nersisyan said that they agreed with Alexander Lentsov, the commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops, that the peacekeepers will report the situation in Artsakh to the relevant Russian structures on a daily basis.

According to the Minister of State, the command of the peacekeeping mission admits that the provisions of the tripartite declaration of November 9, 2020 have been violated. “They admitted that they have work to do to eliminate the humanitarian crisis,” added Gurgen Nersisyan.

The Minister of State added that the residents of Askeran region will stay in the tents placed near the permanent location of the peacekeeping troops until clear solutions are given to the problem.

The other participants of the popular movement returned to Stepanakert, where tents will also be set up, according to the Minister of State, to keep the red light of the situation in Artsakh burning.

Van Novikov




“Blessing of the Mountain” shines a light on Anjar

Hovhannisian John
 Guest Contributor Community News, Film 0

Screening of “Blessing of the Mountain,” ACEC Watertown, MA, June 25, 2023

WATERTOWN, Mass.—On the rainy summer Sunday evening of June 25, an audience filed into the Armenian Cultural & Educational Center to view the film Blessing of the Mountain produced by Tamar Chahinian. The gathering included members of the Armenian community as well as non-Armenians who were interested in learning more about Armenian history and culture. 

The documentary film focuses on the Armenians of Musa Ler who migrated to re-establish life in Anjar, Lebanon. Blessing of the Mountain is a beautiful film that offers a holistic picture of what it took for Armenians to reach Anjar and life in the village today. It was humbling to witness their endeavors to avoid Turkish oppression. After escaping from Musa Ler once it was taken over by the Turkish state, Armenians survived harsh conditions and brutal weather to establish their new homes. Franz Werfel wrote of the Armenians’ heroic fight against the Turks in which 18 Armenians died, but not many know of the more than 1,000 lives that perished in the struggle against nature while building their homes in Anjar. The film spotlighted this reality and gave viewers a deeper appreciation of the efforts to establish life in Anjar as it is now. 

Filmmaker Tamar Chahinian interviews Vazrik Chiloyan

Blessing of the Mountain not only focused on the past, but also showcased various aspects of culture in Anjar today. Filmmaker Chahinian captured the music, dance, food and everyday life during her trip to the village. She weaved these elements into a coherent story of what it means to be an Armenian in Anjar. The film also presented the community’s future plans. They have already built an infrastructure for recycling, with their refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle program. Their approach is far ahead of even peer cities in Lebanon, demonstrating the care that Anjar Armenians have for their environment and for their village’s future. Revenue made from the film screening supports a solar panel project, in which solar panels are used to reduce the village’s electricity costs. 

The screening of Blessing of the Mountain was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the history, the present and future life of the Armenians of Anjar.




‘Aurora’s Sunrise’ Animated Doc on Armenian Genocide to Hit North American Theaters

Hovhannisian John

Inna Sahakyan’s harrowing film tells the story of Aurora Mardiganian, who escaped the Armenian Genocide before embarking on an odyssey that took her to the heights of Hollywood stardom.

By AWN Staff Editor | Wednesday, at 12:23pm
In 2D, CG, Films, People | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All

Bars Media Films announced its first-ever animated feature, Aurora’s Sunrise, will soon have its North American theatrical release, opening Aug. 11 in New York City at Village East by Angelika and New Plaza Cinema, Aug. 18 in Los Angeles at Laemmle Glendale, and Sept. 1 in Toronto at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, with director Inna Sahakyan in-person for Q&As at all three. The film will also roll out in other cities across the U.S. and Canada throughout August and the Fall.

The feature was the first-ever animated documentary film made in Armenia and was Armenia’s Official Selection for 95th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film. Directed by Inna Sahakyan, Aurora’s Sunrise premiered in competition at Annecy IAFF2022 and then became a festival favorite, winning more than 10 awards, including the Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2022 for Best Animated Film, Movies that Matter 2023 Audience Award and Special Mention Winner, Audience Favorites at IDFA 2022, Audience Awards at Animation is Film 2022 and FIFDH Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights 2023 for Grand Prix, among others.

Read AWN’s interview with the director: ‘Aurora’s Sunrise’ Marks a New Era in Armenian Storytelling

In 1915, as WWI raged on, the Ottoman Empire singled out its entire Armenian population for destruction. Only 14 years old at the time, Aurora Mardiganian’s story was tragically relatable. Forced onto a death march towards the Syrian desert, she lost her entire family before being kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. Four years later, through luck and extraordinary courage, she escaped to New York, where her story became a media sensation. Starring as herself in the silent epic Auction of Souls, an early Hollywood blockbuster, Aurora became the face of one of the largest and most successful charity campaigns in American history, as one of the first women activists fighting against the injustices of war. With a blend of vivid animation, interviews with Aurora herself, and 18 minutes of surviving re-discovered footage from her lost silent epic, Aurora’s Sunrise revives a forgotten story of survival, hope, and the endurance of the human spirit.

“The Armenian genocide is the enduring pain of my nation,” said director Inna Sahakyan. “I was afraid of telling stories that only confirmed Armenians as a nation of victims with no historical agency and nothing but tragedy running through our veins. That is, until I stumbled upon an interview with Aurora Mardiganian while going through archival interviews with Armenian Genocide survivors at the Zoryan Institute. Through her words and expressions, an incredible but ordinary heroism shone: this woman survived a genocide but refused to be a victim. This is the character I wanted to build in Aurora’s Sunrise, resilient, powerful and heartwarming all at once.”

Source: Bars Media Films

Ambassador of Azerbaijan to EU receives a warning for threats against MEPs who visited Armenia

Hovhannisian John

 14:34,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. The offices of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, condemned and described as unacceptable the behavior of the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the EU, Vagif Sadikov, who threatened the members of the European Parliament, who had visited Armenia to familiarize with the situation on the border with Azerbaijan. Vagif Sadikov was summoned to the European Service of External Relations for the threatening post made on Twitter against the MEPs.

Let’s remind that Sadikov made a post on “Twitter” regarding the visit of the delegation of the European Parliament to Armenia, threatening the MEPs. He posted an image and description of an Azerbaijani-made sniper rifle with the following caption: “They know what to do protect themselves. The “Istiglal IST-14.5″ sniper rifle produced in Azerbaijan has an effective fire range of about 3000 meters. Stay away from the state border of Azerbaijan…”

The topic was covered by the OC Media news platform, quoting the reactions of the EU spokesperson and the head of the delegation visiting Armenia, MEP Nathalie Loiseau, to Sadikov’s post. The spokesperson of the European Union emphasized that they condemn such behavior, which is not appropriate for an ambassador accredited to the EU.

The threatening post of the Azerbaijani ambassador was also addressed by Euobserver, which spoke with Nathalie Loiseau.

Loiseau said that she has sent letters to the President of the European Parliament and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. The spokesperson of the President of the European Parliament replied that any threat to the members of the European Parliament is unacceptable. “We are examining this issue,” Metsola’s spokesperson said.

Josep Borel’s office noted that the European External Action Service has summoned the Azerbaijani ambassador in connection with the post and told him clearly that they expect this to be the last time when Azerbaijani diplomacy will show such disrespect towards EU institutions and their representatives.

Nathalie Loiseau added that the threatening and insulting note of the Azerbaijani ambassador to the EU is not the only one addressed to the MEPS who visited Armenia, clarifying that other Azerbaijani officials also called them corrupt. Loiseau emphasized that the President of Azerbaijan also uses such rhetoric.

Turkish Press: Historical Armenian Church in Türkiye’s Kayseri awaits maintenance

Hovhannisian John
DAILY SABAH
Turkey – July 6 2023
 ISTANBUL JUL 06, 2023 – 11:25 AM GMT+3

Cracks, fractures, and plaster spills are seen in Armenian Surp Boğos Bedros Church, Kayseri, Türkiye, . (IHA Photo)

The renowned Armenian Surp Boğos Bedros Church in the Tomarza district of central Anatolian Kayseri needs maintenance to fix severe cracks, fractures, and plaster spills affecting the roof and the bottom of its columns and walls.

Constructed in 1837 using the traditional masonry technique, the church stands in the heart of Tomarza’s bustling bazaar. However, following a tumultuous period during which it served as a warehouse and later a movie theater, the historical site has fallen into a state of disrepair.

The lower sections of the church’s columns and walls have suffered substantial cracks, fractures, and plaster spills. Besides, grass and wild trees have overtaken the roof, causing damage to the church’s eaves moldings, resulting in breakage and cracks because of neglect and lack of care. Regrettably, there have been no restoration efforts for this endangered landmark so far.

Local residents of Tomarza highlighted the church’s 18th-century origins and emphasized its significance as an invaluable cultural heritage site with remarkable historical and architectural features. “Previously used as a warehouse and later converted into a cinema, the church now stands abandoned,” one of the residents said.

“Our utmost desire is to restore this church, even though its epitaph has been lost, and transform it into a thriving tourist attraction. Despite its current state of disrepair, traces of period frescoes can still be admired on the walls. Regrettably, the church has become a nesting ground for pigeons,” said another local.

“This church in Tomarza is a must-visit for both local and foreign history enthusiasts. We earnestly hope that restoration efforts will be undertaken before it succumbs to irreversible damage,” he added.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 04-07-23

Hovhannisian John

 17:17, 4 July 2023

YEREVAN, 4 JULY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 4 July, USD exchange rate down by 0.73 drams to 386.25 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.52 drams to 420.90 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 4.30 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.62 drams to 490.92 drams.

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

Gold price up by 160.02 drams to 23951.65 drams. Silver price up by 3.27 drams to 282.83 drams.

Israeli military strikes Jenin, casualties reported

Hovhannisian John

 10:26, 3 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS. The Israeli military (IDF) on Sunday night launched a major operation in Jenin with a series of airstrikes and moving brigade-level forces into the northern West Bank Palestinian city, Jerusalem Post reports.

Jerusalem Post quoted IDF Chief Spokesman Brig, Gen. Daniel Hagari as saying early Monday that as of now the operation is focused on Jenin, but it could expand to other parts of the northern West Bank.

The IDF said at least “seven suspected Palestinian terrorists” were killed in the attack which it said was targeting “terrorist infrastructures”.

Meanwhile, Palestinian authorities slammed the attack as “another war crime” which they said targeted the Jenin refugee camp. Palestinian health authorities said early Monday morning that at least 4 people died and 27 others were injured in the attack.