The restriction in effect from November 15 to March 31 has ended, and winter tires are no longer mandatory. This period was set taking into account the weather conditions and the risk of icy roads during the winter months.
To remind, according to the planned regulations, the use of tires suitable for different seasons of the year is aimed at increasing the safety of road traffic and reducing the number of traffic accidents.
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RA Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan received the delegation headed by Lea Gutierrez, Director General of the Central and Western Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank.
The Ministry of Finance informs that the parties discussed both the current ADB programs in Armenia and the portfolio of projects to be implemented in the near future. During the meeting, Minister Hovhannisyan particularly emphasized the importance of effective cooperation with ADB spanning two decades and the need to expand the dialogue on the strategic priorities of Armenia’s development.
At the end of the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to continue close cooperation in the direction of strengthening Armenia’s economic stability and advancing the strategic development agenda.
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While our society is focused on pre-election internal political issues, a global geopolitical storm is taking place in our own region, which will significantly change the world order and will have a fatal impact on Armenia’s security and future.
The American-Israeli war against Iran can already be considered a failure, at least in terms of the implementation of the initial plans.
♦ Iran has taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, which is tantamount to establishing control over the world economy without exaggeration.
♦ Destroyed 70 percent of US military bases in the Middle East, all important radars worth billions, a strategic AWACS system aircraft worth 700 million dollars.
♦ The United States and Israel are facing acute shortages of strategic weapons and ammunition.
It has become clear that American ground operations or the opening of the Strait of Hormuz will demand a very heavy price for which the Trump administration is simply not ready.
It can be predicted that in the most likely scenarios of the development of the military situation, the prospects for the implementation of TRIPP approach zero.
This puts a lot of pressure on Nikol Pashinyan, whose claims about “bringing peace” to Armenia were largely based on promises to implement the TRIPP program itself.
It is no coincidence that Pashinyan has again started blackmailing his own people with the prospect of a “disastrous war” coming in September, falling into a trap and trying to rebuild bridges with Moscow.
The problem, however, is that the policy of “falling into the trap” is a consequence of not understanding geopolitical processes and only brings harm to Armenia, whose leadership is very late in understanding foreign political processes, putting our people in front of a new disaster every time.
ANC Vice President Levon Zurabyan
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Today, RA Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan had a meeting with representatives of accredited diplomatic missions and international organizations in the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs to present the progress of preparations for the COP17 conference.
“This was already the second meeting in this format, which gives us the opportunity to continue the open, inclusive and effective dialogue with our partners.
I presented the work done so far and the upcoming steps, emphasizing that Armenia is fully committed to conduct the conference organization process with the principles of transparency, comprehensive participation and high ambition. We aim to make COP17 a turning point in the global agenda for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
In this context, I also referred to the latest international and legislative developments, including the results of the meetings held in Montreal and the ratification of the Nagoya Protocol, which create an important basis for the successful holding of the conference.
During the meeting, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Abisoghomoyan emphasized the role of the leaders’ summit preceding the upcoming COP17 as a platform for strengthening political commitment at a high level.
During the meeting, the preparations for COP17 were also presented in detail, as well as the clip dedicated to the logo of the conference was shown, after which a question and answer session took place.
The meeting was concluded with a question-and-answer session.
COP17 in Yerevan should become the platform where the transition from commitments to real actions for the sake of nature conservation will be strengthened. Armenia is ready to cooperate closely with all partners to ensure that the results of the conference are tangible and effective,” the minister wrote on his Facebook page.
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A regular session of the Constitutional Reforms Council was held under the leadership of Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan, during which the following were discussed:
• regulations related to the executive power,
• Regulations regarding adoption, amendment and referendum of the Constitution.
The Ministry informs that Daniel Ioannisyan, a member of the Constitutional Reforms Council, presented the regulations he authored regarding the right to access the Internet, emphasizing its importance in a modern democratic society and from the point of view of ensuring fundamental human rights.
During the discussion, the participants presented their observations, recommendations and professional evaluations aimed at improving the presented projects. The Council continues its work in the direction of drafting the new Constitution.
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On April 1, 2026, the Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee Artur Poghosyan met the newly appointed investigators.
The Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee, the Head of the Main Department of Supervision of the Activities of Territorial Investigative Departments and the Head of the Investigative Department of the City of Yerevan were present at the meeting.
The Chairman of the Investigative Committee highlighted the traditional meetings with the newly appointed investigators, stressing that this format is a good opportunity for the investigators to get to know the management staff.
During the meeting, Artur Poghosyan referred to the standards set for the staff of the Investigative Committee, stressing that the work of investigators is always visible, from discipline to the quality of investigation of criminal proceedings.
Artur Poghosyan urged the newly appointed investigators to be respectful and patient in their interactions with citizens, regardless of the content of the issues raised by them.
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Armenia’s Foreign Ministry
Armenia’s foreign ministry on Wednesday called fake claims of an “Azerbaijani Genocide” by Armenians in 1918 “hostile and unfounded narratives,” rejecting Baku’s assertions that such events took place.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry on Tuesday issued a statement calling for the recognition of the so-called “Azerbaijani Genocide.” Baku claimed that in March 1918 6,000 “armed units of Baku Soviet,” with the assistance of another 4,000 members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation carried out massacres against Azerbaijani ahead of the both Armenia and Azerbaijan declaring independence in May of that year.
Armenia’s foreign ministry spokesperson told Armenpress on Wednesday that such claims are part of “hostile and unfounded narratives” that have developed over decades of conflict and continue to be used in Azerbaijan, including at the state level.
“We hope that the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan will not only contribute to stable, peaceful coexistence and the development of good-neighborly relations between the two states and societies, but will also put an end to fabricated claims and eliminate hate speech,” she said.
The spokesperson also pointed to commitments made by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, recalling an agreement reached in Washington. According to Badalyan, the declaration signed on August 8, 2025, includes a provision emphasizing the intention to close the chapter of hostility between the two peoples and to move toward building good-neighborly relations following years of conflict.
Badalyan underscored that advancing peace should go hand in hand with abandoning divisive rhetoric and fostering mutual understanding between the two societies.
Baku’s latest revision of history comes as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan last week said he had had “enough” of historical justice, adding that any pursuit of the principle was “anti-Armenian.”
Meanwhile Turkey Defense Ministry announced that it will not allow the “genocide committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis” to be forgotten.
“In those tragic days, which remain a black mark in history, Armenian armed groups mercilessly killed thousands of innocent Azerbaijanis. We have not forgotten the genocide committed against our brothers, we will not forget it, and we will not allow it to be forgotten. We honor the memory of our martyrs with gratitude and humility,” the Turkish defense ministry said in statement posted on its website.
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A screen capture from Dr. Oz’s racist video targeting Armenians
An Armenian market owner in Los Angeles has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Mehmet Oz saying a racist video, in which President Trump’s Medicare and Medicaid Administrator, is accusing Armenian businesses of fraud has damaged her reputation and business.
Anna Ivanyan, who owns the Tigranakert Meat Market in Van Nuys said in the lawsuit that Dr. Oz trashed her reputation by featuring her business in the racist clip about alleged fraud in the Armenian community.
In late January, Dr. Oz posted a video on the official Health and Human Services social media accounts that ethnically profiled Armenian-owned businesses in Los Angeles. The video showed him riding in a car and posing outside businesses, claiming billions of dollars in healthcare fraud — including alleged hospice schemes — are tied to what he describes as the “Russian Armenian Mafia.”
Ivanyan’s lawsuit claims the video reached millions of viewers and that Oz’s defamatory statements were also amplified by L.A. local news outlets, which added fuel to the fire.
As a result, Ivanyan claims the alleged defamatory statements spread rapidly — reaching her customers and the broader community. She says the video hurt her business and reputation and she’s now seeking damages.
Governor Gavin Newsom was quick to condemn Dr. Oz’s actions across multiple public statements. He then announced his office was filing a civil rights complaint with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, stating Dr. Oz “spewed baseless and racially charged allegations targeting the Armenian community in Los Angeles.”
Several federal, state and local elected officials also condemned Dr. Oz’s racist statements, with Senator demanding an independent review into Dr. Oz’s racist and baseless targeting of Armenian Americans in Los Angeles.
“I strongly urge you to open an independent investigation into this incident, which should include an inquiry into misuse of taxpayer dollars and flagrant targeting of communities based on ethnicity. These allegations peddle a racist conspiracy about California’s Armenian American community and undermine Armenian Americans’ civil rights.” Senator Schiff wrote on February 2.
Within minutes of Dr. Oz posting his video, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian publicly called out this discriminatory conduct: “Dr. Oz is painting Armenians with a broad brush, tarring our entire Armenian American community for the alleged crimes of a few individuals. This sort of ethnic scapegoating against Americans of Armenian heritage is as toxic as it is dangerous, all the more so when done by a dual Turkish citizen – an unapologetic genocide denier who served proudly in Turkey’s armed forces.”
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ARS Central Executive Board meets in Watertown, Mass. on Mar. 22
The Central Executive Board of the Armenian Relief Society convened its plenary session at its headquarters in Watertown, Mass, from March 19 to 22, during which it decided to allocate $440,500 to vital projects in the homeland and the Diaspora.
The ARS Central Executive Board announced that financial allocations were approved in support of various institutions and programs. This unanimous decision reflects the Board’s firm conviction that ARS structures throughout the Diaspora, along with the diverse organizational and individual initiatives implemented in Armenia, play an essential role in strengthening the collective life of the Armenian people.
Thus, financial assistance was allocated to the AYF Camp Haiastan in Massatchussets (U.S.); the AYF Camp in California (U.S); the Armenian Blue Cross camp of “BelleFontaine” in France; the Hamazkayin M. & H. Arslanian Jemaran and ARS “Norsigian” Kindergarten (Lebanon); the “Sosseh” Kindergarten in Bulgaria; the ARS elderly homes in Argentina and Brazil; the United Armenian College in Bourj Hammoud (Lebanon); the United Armenian School and Karen Jeppe College in Aleppo (Syria), the “Hot Meals” programs in Syria and Lebanon; ARCL A. Boulghourdjian Socio-medical center in Lebanon for obtaining new Carestream-CR Classic for X-ray equipment; the care program for children with disabilities from Artsakh; and the production of a documentary film dedicated to the distinguished diplomat and public figure Diana Abcar.
The plenary session also featured a comprehensive agenda encompassing a wide range of topics related to the organization’s multifaceted activities. All matters were examined in depth, and corresponding decisions were duly adopted.
“The ARS Central Executive Board reaffirms its strong belief that national, youth, educational, and philanthropic institutions play an essential role in advancing the well-being of our people and in shaping future generations. These allocations stand as a tangible _expression_ of that commitment,” a statement from the organization said.
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BY VAHE KIENTS
YEREVAN — New York–based actress Nora Armani appeared on Yerevan’s stage with a striking one-woman performance: “The Key Collector”, written by Samvel Tor Martirosyan and directed by Hakob Ghazanchyan. The production’s brief run, which opened on November 29, left an impression far greater than its duration. Like a comet crossing the theatrical sky, it arrived unexpectedly, burned brightly, and vanished—yet not without leaving a lingering trace in the memory of its audience.
That resonance carried forward to March 23, when Armani returned to Yerevan to present the work to the jury of the 25th Annual Artavazd Awards and the Yerevan audience. The response was as powerful as the opening performances, though the jury withheld its verdict until the official ceremony.
The production’s impact was confirmed at the Artavazt Awards held at the Konstantin Stanislavski Dramatic Theatre, on International Theatre Day, March 27, when “The Key Collector” was nominated for Best Chamber Production. By decision of the Artavazd Awards jury, actress Nora Armani was awarded the prestigious Artavazd Prize for her performance of the lead role in “The Key Collector.”
As noted in his speech by Hakob Ghazanchyan, chairman of the Union, the production is the result of homeland–diaspora collaboration, with Nora Armani’s contribution being especially significant. Each time Armani visits Armenia, she engages in various theatrical activities—from acting to teaching and conducting masterclasses at higher educational institutions.
Staged at the Union of Theatre Practitioners of Armenia, the 45-minute chamber piece unfolded with emotional precision and quiet intensity. The audience responded with palpable empathy—for homeland, for faith, for cultural inheritance. Their warm, sustained applause, along with the bouquets presented to Armani and the ten young performers from the Galya Novents Theatre School, testified to the performance’s powerful resonance.
At the center of the play is a blind woman—known as the key collector—whom Armani portrays with layered sensitivity. Confined to a wheelchair for much of the performance, the character inhabits a sharply bounded world. Her journey is not expansive but cyclical: from a dimly lit home in a border village to the ruins of a nearby church, and back again.
Those ruins—reduced to two columns and a fractured lintel beam—form both the physical and symbolic core of the play. The heroine tends to them as if they were whole, preserving the illusion of continuity amid collapse. It is here that she rises, leaves her wheelchair behind, and begins her ritual: gathering keys scattered among dust and gravestones.
These keys are not inert objects. Though stripped of practical use, they carry memory, presence—perhaps even a kind of spiritual residue. The key collector understands this. So too do the unseen treasure hunters who haunt the ruins in search of relics. Their presence, though never fully revealed, introduces a quiet but persistent tension—a moral and existential opposition that unfolds beneath the surface of the performance.
A history teacher by profession, the heroine stands as both witness and guardian. Against the pressures of war, displacement, and personal limitation, she asserts her right to remain—to endure. Her blindness, far from diminishing her perception, becomes a source of heightened awareness. Through touch and imagination, she reconstructs a world that others, even with sight, fail to fully grasp.
Director Hakob Ghazanchyan amplifies this inner world through radical minimalism. The stage is bare—devoid of physical set, props, or visual markers. Even the keys exist only metaphorically or through suggestions using different objects, their imagined sound echoing across an empty space. Yet the absence of material scenery gives rise to something richer: a mental architecture formed through movement, gesture, and light.
This is where the ensemble of ten students from the Galya Novents Theatre School becomes essential. Through choreographed motion and physical _expression_, they conjure the ruins—the fallen stones, the arches, the ghost of a once-rising dome. At times lyrical, at times stark, their presence shapes a visual language that is both abstract and deeply evocative.
The result is a layered theatrical experience in which imagination and reality exist in constant tension. The ruins are not only architectural but psychological; the conflict, though unseen, is unmistakably human.
As playwright Samvel Tor Martirosyan suggests, “The Key Collector” resists confinement to a specific time or event. It speaks instead to enduring national anxieties—an unbroken thread of cultural survival set against forces of erasure. Beneath its quiet surface lies a pressing question: how does one reclaim the meaning of origin, of belonging, of purpose?
The answer, the performance implies, is neither simple nor singular. But it begins with recognition—and with resistance.
The production endures where it matters most: in the shared pulse between stage and audience, memory and meaning. We expect it to return to the Armenia and Diaspora stages in the near future. We wish the creative team well and congratulate Ms. Armani on her award.
Vahe Kients is the author of various journalism and creative media articles, working across genres ranging from simple news reporting to TV, digital, and print reportage, as well as essays, commentary, and political and cultural analysis. He is based in Yerevan.
https://asbarez.com/play-review-the-key-collector/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ61rxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeTqJnLYQQzAcSKXHmTkgVqb0IxYB6-9JP2QXxoJqwiY6ZIUD65v0XbHQ1BdU_aem_zDgHorJQ8Zb0ahN6VKYT4g
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