16:16,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Iran has always supported Armenia’s territorial integrity, Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani has said.
“We’ve always supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia,” he told reporters. “Whatever would constitute a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia would be unacceptable for us,” Sobhani said.
In a recent display of interfaith support and celebration, Mansour Azzam, Secretary General of the Republic’s Presidency, visited Damascus’s Mar Sarkis Armenian Orthodox Church on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad. The occasion was the annual observance of Christmas by the Armenian Orthodox Church, which aligns with the Gregorian calendar and falls on January 6th.
The visit was marked by a celebratory mass led by the Primate of the diocese of the Armenian Church, Bishop Armash Nalbandian. In the midst of the richly adorned Mar Sarkis Church, the Bishop conducted the mass, commemorating the birth of Christ as per the traditions of the Armenian Orthodox faith.
(Read Also: Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany: Armenian Church’s Unique Celebration)
During the visit, Azzam extended President al-Assad’s congratulations and good wishes to Bishop Nalbandian. This gesture was warmly received by the Bishop, who expressed gratitude towards President al-Assad. Furthermore, Nalbandian invoked divine protection for Syria and its people, underlying the intrinsic ties between faith and the well-being of the nation.
(Read Also: 23 Armenians Still Held Captive in Baku Amid Reports of Forced Disappearances)
Beyond the exchange of pleasantries, the visit also served as a moment of solidarity. Bishop Nalbandian used the occasion to highlight the suffering of the Palestinian people, drawing attention to the crimes of genocide and displacement they have endured. This crucial mention underscores the interconnected struggles of peoples in the region and the role of faith leaders in drawing attention to these issues.
The event stands as a testament to the diverse cultural and religious tapestry of Syria, showcasing the strong ties between the Syrian government and the Armenian Orthodox community. It is a reminder of the potential of interfaith dialogue and cooperation in fostering unity and peace in turbulent times.
https://bnnbreaking.com/world/syria/syrian-secretary-general-visits-armenian-church-leader-on-christmas-a-testament-to-interfaith-solidarity/
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met Friday with head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, in Antelias.
Mikati and Aram I discussed issues and challenges facing Lebanon, particularly the situation in the South of Lebanon, the presidential election, and the socio-economic crisis facing the country, the Armenian Church Catholicosate of Cilicia said.
The Armenian community is preparing to celebrate Christmas on January 6th.
21:46,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia on Friday organized the visit of accredited mass media representatives to the northeastern border zone of the Republic, the ministry said.
The media representatives visited military unit N and combat positions, talked with military personnel, familiarized themselves with their daily routine, conditions of military service, and the progress of fortification and engineering work.
JPEG image
19:20,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan received World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus Rolande Pryce.
At the beginning of the meeting, the participants discussed the basic needs of the forcibly displaced refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh and the programs developed by the government to address them, Grigoryan’s office said.
"Rolande Pryce reaffirmed the World Bank's readiness to support Armenia and presented possible directions and tools of cooperation," the statement reads.
According to the source, the interlocutors exchanged ideas, particularly focusing on infrastructure development and public administration reforms in Armenia.
It is noted that, as part of the meeting, Mher Grigoryan presented the "Crossroads of Peace" project to the World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus, outlining its main goals and the development trends of the region in case of its implementation.
Arman Tsarukyan readies to compete next on December 2 and will take on a notable ranked UFC lightweight.
Tsarukyan clashes with number four-ranked UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush in the coming weeks.
This headlining contest at 155 pounds transpires at Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
Arman Tsarukyan is the number eight ranked lightweight as of this writing, and this fight represents the shark tank nature of the notoriously deep weight category.
Tsarukyan has an overall mixed martial arts record of 20-3, while Dariush boasts an MMA resume with twenty-two wins, five losses, and one draw.
Beneil Dariush is looking to rebound from a setback in June and best Tsarukyan in the process. The Kings MMA product last fought Charles Oliveira and lost to the former UFC lightweight champion via strikes in the opening round of their UFC 289 co-main event.
Prior to that Oliveira loss, Dariush was riding an eight-fight winning streak with a title shot seemingly imminent. Dariush collected wins during that stretch over Drew Dober, Diego Ferreira, former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson, and former KSW 155-pound champion Mateusz Gamrot, to name a few.
Beneil Dariush has been plying his trade in the octagon for just shy of one decade. He made his UFC debut in January 2014 with a sub-two minute first round rear naked choke win over Charlie Brenneman.
Check out some of Beneil Dariush's best wins below:
Arman Tsarukyan is riding into the clash against Beneil Dariush on the heels of consecutive wins following a defeat to the aforementioned Mateusz Gamrot via unanimous decision in June of last year.
Tsarukyan bested Damir Ismagulov via unanimous decision last December and then collected a third-round ground and pound finish of Joaquim Silva in June.
He has been with the UFC since April 20, 2019, when he clashed with the current kingpin of the UFC's lightweight division. Present-day lightweight UFC champion Islam Makhachev defeated Tsarukyan by way of UD in what was a compelling, competitive fight that belied the unanimous scorecards a bit.
After that setback in his promotional debut, Arman Tsarukyan amassed a five-fight winning streak. Through that stretch, he put together wins over current PFL standout Olivier Aubin Mercier, Davi Ramos, Matt Frevola, Christos Giagos, and Joel Alvarez. He recorded three unanimous decisions and then a pair of first-round striking-based stoppages, respectively.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-arman-tsarukyan-next-fight-which-top-ranked-lightweight-armenian-ufc-contender-fighting-december-all-need-know
On November 24, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan answered video questions of Armenian citizens. The Armenian Prime Minister stressed that Armenia fully and unequivocally supports the territorial integrity of Georgia.
The public asked Pashinyan whether Armenia can recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia as occupied territories.
“We fully and unequivocally defend the unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and democracy of Georgia,” the Prime Minister said.
Since August 2008, the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been under Russian occupation. The Russian forces created two “independent republics” not recognised by the UN.
Pashinyan underlined noticeable differences in Armenia’s UN voting preferences before and after 2019.
After its independence, Armenia aligned with Russia and joined the Russia-led military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The Kremlin also politically controlled the country.
However, after the 2018 Armenian Revolution, which consisted of pro-democracy, anti-government protests led by the actual PM Nikol Pasinyan, the relations between Armenia and Russia deteriorated. Since 2020, due to the developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh War and the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia has moved a significant distance from the Kremlin.
Prime Minister Pasinyan is trying to bring his country closer to the EU and Western democracies.
Armenia and Georgia are increasing their cooperation and exchange of diplomatic support internationally and bilaterally.
On 17 November 2023, Prime Minister Pashinyan received a delegation from Georgia led by the Minister of Defence, Juansher Burchuladze.
During the meeting, the Armenian PM noted that relations between Armenia and Georgia continue to develop dynamically, and the two countries cooperate in various fields.
The Prime Minister emphasised that this is important for the Armenian government.
During the meeting, the two parts discussed issues related to cooperation and exchange of experience in security and defence, as well as regional peace and stability.
14:04,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hopes that Armenia and Saudi Arabia will soon establish diplomatic relations.
“We’ve had contacts with Saudi Arabia in the past [few] years,” Pashinyan said at an online press conference when asked on relations with the country. “Our foreign ministers have met twice, phone calls have taken place, contacts have taken place during various multilateral working discussions. I think the process is advancing, and I hope that Armenia and Saudi Arabia will soon establish diplomatic relations, which would be a very important and significant event,” Pashinyan said.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:
On Tuesday, Dec. 12, the Armenian Museum of America and the Watertown Free Public Library will welcome author Victoria Waterman in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Kurkjian. The writers will discuss Waterman’s novel Who She Left Behind during a free talk at the Watertown Free Public Library.
Waterman’s novel is historical fiction based on her own family’s history, spanning multiple generations from the final days of the Ottoman Empire to the Armenian neighborhoods in RI & MA in the 1990s.
All community members are invited to join Waterman and Kurkjian for the free talk at the Library, which begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Light refreshments will be provided, books will be available for purchase. Registration is required. Visit bit.ly/watermantalk to register.
About the Armenian Museum of America
The Armenian Museum of America is the largest Armenian Museum in the Diaspora. It has grown into a major repository for all forms of Armenian material culture that illustrate the creative endeavors of the Armenian people over the centuries.
About the Watertown Free Public Library
The Watertown Free Public Library provides access to a wide variety of popular materials, resources, services, and programs that fulfill the informational, cultural, and recreational needs of Watertown and surrounding communities. Our Library works to create an environment that attracts and welcomes users of all ages and abilities.
https://www.watertownmanews.com/2023/11/20/author-victoria-atamian-waterman-pulitzer-prize-winning-journalist-stephen-kurkjian-speaking-at-armenian-museum/