Category: 2021

 11:26,

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. The UN member states celebrate March 20 as the International Day of Happiness.

The UN General Assembly declared March 20 as a Happiness Day in 2012.

The UN calls on member states to celebrate this day through respective educational-information programs since search for happiness is the person’s main goal.

193 representatives of the UN member states unanimously voted in favor of the decision to declare March 20 as International Day of Happiness.

The Happy Planet Index combines three elements to show how efficiently residents of different countries are using environmental resources to lead long, happy lives. Those are Wellbeing, Life expectancy, Ecological Footprint.

The top ten list of the happiest countries include Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Norway, New Zealand and Austria.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:34,

Ucom, which provides communication services through the fastest fiber-optic network in Armenia, is testing the capabilities of up to 1 Gbps internet as well as of the latest Wi-Fi 6 modems at some addresses, offering the customers about 10 times higher speeds than the maximum speed currently available. At the moment, the testing is carried out in the apartments of the first subscribers. In the future, Ucom will expand the geography of its new speeds.

Hasmik Hajatyan was the first to join the network delivering internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps and will use the uMix L package for free for 6 months. In particular, in addition to the high-speed internet, the subscriber will enjoy the content of more than 200 TV channels as well as have access to fixed-line phone service.

“I am glad to be the first to enjoy the fastest internet connection in Armenia at my place. I will periodically provide feedback to Ucom employees on my user experience,” said Hasmik Hajatyan.

By the way, starting today, both new and existing customers of Ucom will enjoy the maximum Wi-Fi bandwidth within their existing packages by purchasing the latest Wi-Fi 6 modems. The international Wi-Fi 6 standard is designed to provide a more stable network signal, higher speed as well as enable connection to the Internet of multiple devices running on the same Wi-Fi network at home, in the apartment or office. The Wi-Fi 6 modems can be purchased both at Ucom sales and service centers and at Ucom’s online shop.

“Ucom is the first telecom operator in Armenia to provide a Wi-Fi solution for faster and more stable internet. From today, our existing and new customers can purchase the latest Wi-Fi 6 modem, which will provide high-quality connection for all home devices at your place,” Ucom’s Director General Ara Khachatryan posted on his microblog on Twitter. 

Let us remind that Ucom is the only operator in Armenia currently providing fixed internet speed of up to 120 Mbps in case of subscription to uMix L package with a 12-month commitment. Ucom is continuously upgrading its network to assure the best quality of fixed-line services for its customers.

 11:51,

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. 7 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Republic of Artsakh in the past one day, the ministry of healthcare said.

59 COVID-19 tests were conducted on March 19.

Currently, 17 infected patients receive treatment at hospitals, while the others – at home.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Artsakh has reached 2432.

The ministry once again urged citizens to follow all the safety rules to prevent the further spread of the disease.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:15,

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. The number of people infected with coronavirus in Germany has increased by 16,033 over the past days, reports TASS.

The death cases have increased by 207.

Germany’s confirmed COVID-19 cases have reached 2 million 645 thousand 783.

The death toll rose to 74,565.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:07,

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. A bipartisan group of 37 US Senators joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) in calling on President Joe Biden to follow the lead of Congress in fully and formally recognizing the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“President Biden – by virtue of his own strong Senate record and the bipartisan House and Senate resolutions he backed as a candidate – is powerfully positioned to reject Turkey’s gag-rule, locking in permanent US government-wide condemnation and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

Hellenic American Leadership Council Executive Director Endy Zemenides concurred. “The Biden Administration has fortunately started on the right foot and spoken to Turkey truthfully and bluntly. Yet the White House still needs to be truthful when it comes to the Armenian Genocide. President Biden’s record as a Senator and his statements as a candidate for the Presidency prove that he is aware of and committed to this truth. Now that he is the boss, the end of Turkey’s gag rule should be a no-brainer,” stated Zemenides.

Joining Chairman Menendez in cosigning the letter to President Biden are: Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Robert Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Senator Menendez has led a decades-long fight to ensure proper recognition of the Armenian Genocide as part of a US foreign policy that reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. On December 12, 2019, the Senate unanimously passed a bi-partisan resolution (S.Res.150), led by Sen. Menendez and Sen. Cruz, affirming the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide, making clear that U.S. policy must reject efforts to deny the truth of this tragedy.  A similar resolution was adopted by the US House on October 29, 2019, by a near-unanimous vote of 405-11.

Text of Letter Led by Senator Menendez Urging President Biden to Officially Recognize the Armenian Genocide

“Dear President Biden:

We write today to strongly urge you to officially recognize the truth of the Armenian Genocide. In the past you have recognized the Armenian Genocide as genocide, including in your Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day statement during the 2020 campaign. We call on you to do so again as President to make clear that the U.S. government recognizes this terrible truth.

From 1915 to 1923, the Ottoman Empire systematically sought to eliminate the Armenian population, killing 1.5 million Armenians and driving hundreds of thousands more from their homeland. We join the Armenian community in the United States and around the world in honoring the memory of these victims, and we stand firmly against attempts to pretend that this intentional, organized effort to destroy the Armenian people was anything other than a genocide. You have correctly stated that American diplomacy and foreign policy must be rooted in our values, including respect for universal rights. Those values require us to acknowledge the truth and do what we can to prevent future genocides and other crimes against humanity.

In December 2019, after decades of obstruction, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced affirming the facts of the Armenian Genocide. The House also overwhelmingly passed its own resolution recognizing the facts of the Armenian Genocide in 2019. We appreciate that in your April 2020 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day statement you pledged “to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide,” but Congress has already made its position clear. It is time for executive branch to do so as well.

As you said in your Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day statement last April, “It is particularly important to speak these words and commemorate this history at a moment when we are reminded daily of the power of truth, and of our shared responsibility to stand against hate — because silence is complicity.” Administrations of both parties have been silent on the truth of the Armenian Genocide. We urge you to break this pattern of complicity by officially recognizing that the Armenian Genocide was a genocide”.

 13:18,

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. Russia’s coronavirus cases rose by 9,632 to 4,447,570 in the past 24 hours, TASS reports citing the anti-coronavirus crisis center.

According to data from the crisis center, the coronavirus growth rate is 0.22%.

The total number of active coronavirus cases has dropped to 292,259, the lowest number since October 16, 2020.

Russia’s coronavirus death toll rose by 392 in the past 24 hours, down from 443 the day before. The total number of coronavirus fatalities has reached 94,659.

The coronavirus recoveries in the country rose by 11,279 to 4,060,652 in the past day.

 13:19,

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has addressed congratulatory letters to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani on the occasion of the Iranian New Year – Nowruz, the President’s Office told Armenpress.

“The friendly relations between our peoples have always served as a base for the constant development of the mutual partnership between Armenia and Iran.

The complex situation in the region forces to work on expanding the agenda of the bilateral political and economic relations.

I am sure that by understanding the current challenges we will make greater efforts for quickly implementing the ongoing programs and reaching new agreements”, reads the Armenian President’s letter addressed to Rouhani.

President Sarkissian wished his Iranian counterpart good health and all the best, and to the good people of Iran – peace and welfare.

***

The Armenian President’s letter addressed to the Supreme Leader of Iran reads:

“I warmly congratulate you and the good people of Iran on the Iranian New Year – Nowruz.

Let the coming year be a year of political and economic achievements for the people of Iran. The new problems and challenges facing the region make an imperative the further development and deepening of the Armenian-Iranian relations.

The continuation of constructive dialogue is important for the cooperation between Armenia and Iran in different areas, which is based on the respect of each other’s religion and culture”.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:23,

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released a country update on religious freedom conditions in Azerbaijan, recommending that the U.S. Department of State place Azerbaijan on its Special Watch List (SWL) for its ongoing and systematic religious freedom violations, Armenpress reports citing Massis Post.

The report evaluates trends relevant to freedom of religion or belief in Azerbaijan since USCIRF commissioners and staff traveled to the country in early 2020. According the report, religious freedom in Azerbaijan remains severely impeded by problematic legislation, particularly the country’s 2009 law “On Freedom of Religious Beliefs,” which the government has shown little interest in revising.

The country update also details the many obstacles posed by mandatory registration and other restrictions on religious communities, the continued imprisonment of religious activists, and recent violations committed in the context of the renewed conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.

The report notes that during the renewed conflict in Nagorno Karabakh in 2020, the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi was hit twice by Azerbaijani forces. In December, Human Rights Watch concluded that the attack was intentional, constituting a war crime that should be investigated and prosecuted.

“The announcement of a ceasefire in early November formalized the territorial gains Azerbaijan had made militarily, and it set a staggered timeline for the cession of additional territories to Azerbaijan—raising concerns about the protection of various churches, monasteries, cemeteries, and other religious and cultural sites scattered throughout the region,” the report reads.

President Aliyev reportedly gave assurances to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the country would protect Christian churches in these areas; however, some sites, such as a cemetery situated alongside an Armenian church in Hadrut, have already been vandalized. In late November, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization reiterated a call for the protection of heritage sites in the area, and it proposed dispatching a preliminary field mission to produce an inventory of such sites “as a prerequisite for effective protection of the region’s heritage.”