On March 11, from 10:00 to 10:30, an electric horn will be tested in Nigawan settlement of Aragatsotn region. This was reported by the rescue service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
On March 11, from 12:00 to 13:00, an electric horn will be tested in the Shirakavan settlement of the Ani community of the Shirak region.
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Azeri president Ilham Aliyev signed a “historic” law regarding Nakhichevan, Azerbaijani media reports.
According to reports, it is about the law “On Approving Amendments to the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan”.
Before the implementation of these changes, it was stated in the preamble of the “constitution” of Nakhichevan that “the foundations of the region’s autonomy were laid by international treaties: the Treaty of Moscow of March 16, 1921 and the Treaty of Kars of October 13, 1921.”
Those agreements confirmed that Nakhichevan is a part of Azerbaijan, and its territorial borders were specified.
In the new edition, it is emphasized that Nakhichevan is an “inseparable part” of Azerbaijan.
Thus, “references to international agreements” are removed from the “constitution” of Nakhichevan.
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On March 11, a charter flight will be made from Bangkok to Tbilisi, which will transport the citizens of Georgia and Armenia in Thailand. This is reported by Sputnik Georgia.
According to the media, the special flight was organized for those people who are currently in Thailand and want to return to the South Caucasus. It is planned that the plane will bring Georgian and Armenian citizens who are in Bangkok and other regions of the country to Tbilisi.
It is said that the chartered flight is considered as a special return flight for passengers, as regular connections between Bangkok and Tbilisi are limited and many have to take complicated transfer routes to get home.
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The RA embassy in Iran continues to work in emergency mode. With the support of the embassy, the second person with RA citizenship returned to Armenia on March 9.
On average, the RA Embassy in Iran receives about 20-25 calls every day, which mainly refer to the possibility of crossing the Armenia-Iran border. The border crossings from Iran to Armenia and from Armenia to Iran were carried out in a normal manner.
Due to communication restrictions, the Embassy of Armenia in Iran continuously assists in the transfer of information about Armenians there to their relatives.
As a result of the developments in Iran, there is no information about the Armenian citizens among those demobilized.
Foreign citizens also continue to apply to the embassy in order to receive information on the possibilities of entering the Republic of Armenia. They are provided with appropriate clarifications and necessary directions.
At the same time, the embassy continues to provide the necessary assistance to the diplomats of a number of diplomatic missions accredited in Iran and their family members in order to facilitate their return through the territory of Armenia.
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Armenia was involved in a stupid story. A little while ago, we learned that Azerbaijan is sending humanitarian aid to Iran. Let’s go over the cases in order.
First, there was the assassination of Iran’s spiritual leader, i.e. the de facto head of state, after which Aliyev went to the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, being the only head of state, wrote words of condolence in the embassy’s mourning register, after which the attack of Iranian drones that appeared from somewhere, allegedly on the Iranian airport of Nakhichevan, took place.
After that, Aliyev closed the air and land border with the Islamic Republic of Iran, issued condemning statements, and after that the Iranian General Staff denied that they had attacked Azerbaijan, including the Iranian Foreign Minister.
An anti-Iranian campaign began, calls to Azerbaijan, support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, Armenia was involved in these calls, Armenia also called and expressed support, I don’t know what.
Azerbaijan’s response was that it thanks a number of international organizations and countries that supported its territorial integrity, sovereignty, called, expressed concern, etc. In other words, the Armenian flag was included in the anti-Iranian campaign, which I have talked about.
After that, President Pezeshkian and Aliyev had a phone call on Sunday, where Pezeshkian again insisted that they did not attack the airport of Azerbaijan. After that, Aliyev opened the border with Iran, and today Azerbaijan announced that they are sending humanitarian goods to Iran.
In other words, what happened to the escalation of relations between our two neighbors, statements, Azerbaijan gathered an international campaign against Iran regarding this alleged drone attack and they involved Armenia in the anti-Iranian campaign and they reconciled, and now they are sending humanitarian aid.
This is Armenian diplomacy, this is the behavior, actions and behavior of our diplomats, people involved in the security of the Republic of Armenia. These people are a disgrace, have zero diplomatic skills, zero foresight, and thus have continuously dragged the country into stupid stories.
Edmon Marukyan, head of the “Lusavore Armenia” party
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the military offensive against Iran is “not over yet,” saying the operation “demeans” Iran’s spiritual leadership. This is reported by AFP.
“We strive to force the Iranian people to throw off the yoke of dictatorship. After all, it depends on him. But there is no doubt that with the actions taken so far, we are breaking their bones, and we are not done yet,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the National Health Management Center on Monday evening, according to a statement released on Tuesday.
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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris. The high-ranking guests of the event were welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Raphael Grossi. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Prime Ministers of Slovakia, Croatia, and heads of governments and representatives of a number of other countries also took part in the summit.
The joint photo-taking ceremony of the participants of the summit was followed by the opening ceremony of the event.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a speech, in which he specifically stated:
“Excellences,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I express my sincere gratitude to the President of France for inviting and warmly hosting this important event, as well as to the International Atomic Energy Agency for close cooperation.
After the successful first summit in Brussels in 2024, we are confident that this second summit in Paris will promote cooperation among countries that have decided to develop civil nuclear capacity and promote real solutions to advance the common goals of decarbonization and energy sovereignty.
These goals, combined with increasing global energy demand, have led to a reassessment of the competitiveness of nuclear power, and many countries now recognize that nuclear power, as a regulated, low-carbon energy source, can work well with, rather than compete with, renewable energy sources.
Driven by this conviction, Armenia was one of the first countries to fully support the declaration at COP28 to triple nuclear energy by 2050, and we welcome the First Global Assessment of progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Government of Armenia has also adopted a policy to maintain nuclear power as an essential factor in Armenia’s energy security and as a key component of electricity supply.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today: Along with the development of safety technologies, extending the life of existing nuclear reactors provides a timely and cost-effective path to zero emissions. In this context, Armenia, like many of the countries presented here, has launched a program to extend the operational life of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NAPP) until 2036. This extension will lay a solid foundation for the successful and safe transition of the new nuclear power unit.
To this end, our focus is on civil nuclear power innovations, particularly small modular reactor (SRM) technologies, which offer promising prospects. Growing demand is encouraging leading companies to develop safer and more flexible solutions with shorter construction times and expandable capacity that can better match the needs of national power grids.
Considering these circumstances, Armenia has made a decision on the use of small modular reactor technology. Currently, we are carefully studying the technologies and evaluating the proposals of international partners. The selection process is guided by considerations of reliability, long-term stability, and our commitment to the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation.
excellences,
By 2050, a skilled workforce will be the backbone of the nuclear industry, from design and construction to safe operation, maintenance and ultimately decommissioning. The implementation of training and education programs is important to ensure the availability of the necessary workforce. In this regard, Armenia highly values international cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral formats.
I am glad to note that thanks to these efforts and the dedication of Armenian specialists, no incident related to nuclear or radiation safety occurred during the entire operation of the Armenian Atomic Power Plant.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the importance of safe management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, which is extremely important for both present and future generations. Protection of human health and environment should be our main principle.
We are confident that this summit will contribute to the development of initiatives and partnerships between countries, international organizations, financial institutions and the sector. I wish all participants productive and successful work.
Thank you.”
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The Armenian Community of Toronto has reached what it called “a historic turning point” announcing the acquisition of a new move-in-ready institutional facility for $15.05 million (Canadian).
In a statement published on social media the Armenian Community Centre of Toronto Board of Directors said that the “acquisition stands as the largest financial investment in the history of the Toronto-Armenian community. It represents a decisive commitment to long-term stability, providing the infrastructure necessary to ensure the future of our growing community.”
“This facility will also house the Grades 7–12 students of A.R.S. Armenian Private School, thereby unlocking essential capacity within our existing buildings to expand our Kindergarten and Elementary programs. This strategic realignment addresses years of enrollment limitations and ensures that every child seeking a trilingual education has a place to grow and thrive,” the announcement explained.
“This milestone marks a new era of academic excellence and cultural preservation. By securing this state-of-the-art facility, the community is ensuring a stable, thriving, and sustainable future for Armenian-Canadians for generations to come,” the ACC Board said.
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Apollo Strategic Communications Circulated Covert Media Hit Piece Against ANCA; Firm Deactivates X Account, Scrubs Staff Page after Leak
WASHINGTON – The Armenian National Committee of America is demanding full transparency from Apollo Strategic Communications, a London-based public relations firm with documented ties to Azerbaijan and its Caspian energy partners, after the firm was exposed for secretly circulating a media advisory to U.S. journalists targeting the ANCA for its advocacy on behalf of Americans of Armenian heritage.
The March 2, 2026, email, sent by Apollo’s Daniel Blake-Martin and leaked by a number of news agencies that received it, invited American editors to write hit pieces against the ANCA, recycling false arguments regularly advanced by Azerbaijani and Turkish government interests against pro-Armenia advocates in Washington.
The firm’s memo offered American journalists access to four off-the-record sources – including an unnamed congressional staffer, an Armenian ruling-party lawmaker, as well as figures from academic and think-tank circles, to place stories damaging to the ANCA.
The firm’s memo offered American journalists access to four off-the-record sources – including an unnamed congressional staffer, an Armenian ruling-party lawmaker, and figures from academic and think-tank circles – to place stories damaging to the ANCA.
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian described it as “a scripted hit-piece against the ANCA sent in stealth to American journalists — a blueprint for slander, enlisting the anonymous backing of Armenians from Garo Paylan to Maria Karapetyan, MP — to punish the ANCA, not for our vices but for our virtues,” in a published op-ed responding to the campaign. “Assaulted for standing foursquare for the security of Armenia, the return of Armenians to Artsakh, the end of Azerbaijani occupation, the protection of Christian holy sites, and — perhaps most ‘unforgivable’ of all for Baku and its BP patrons — accountability for Azerbaijan’s crimes against the Armenian people.”
One of those sources, Garo Paylan, has since publicly disavowed the campaign on X, writing that “messages were sent to journalists on my behalf regarding Armenia that I did not authorize.” Since the leak, Apollo deactivated its X account and removed Blake-Martin from its website.
The ANCA is pressing Apollo for answers to four key questions: Who hired Apollo to pitch hit pieces against the ANCA, and how much were they paid? If Apollo acted on behalf of a foreign principal in America, against an American organization, why has it not registered with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)? How and why did Apollo enlist Maria Karapetyan, Nzhdeh Hovsepyan, and Garo Paylan in this covert campaign? And what connections does Apollo’s parent company, RSK Group, have to Azerbaijan, the Aliyev family, and Caspian energy companies?
California Courier publisher and columnist Harut Sassounian, whose weekly column scrutinized the Apollo memo in detail, raised the prospect that the operation may constitute a FARA violation. “The ASC memo was sent to the American media by a UK, not U.S., PR firm, possibly intending to circumvent” federal foreign lobbying disclosure requirements, Sassounian wrote — adding that Apollo failed to respond to multiple requests for comment, “resulting in a PR firm doing negative PR against itself.”
As Sassounian reported in the California Courier, RSK Group, Apollo’s parent company, maintains a wholly owned subsidiary — Azerbaijan Environment and Technology Centre Ltd. — with an in-country office and active project work in the Caspian region. Apollo itself has operated under multiple names since its registration in 2009, previously known as “Red Public Relations Limited” and “Apollo Public Relations Limited.”
“The ANCA publicly shares our work — enlisting our community via open calls to activism, press releases, and national townhall meetings,” Hamparian wrote. “Apollo’s involvement, by contrast, would have remained entirely unknown had their emails not been leaked. All that remains is for Apollo now to reveal who exactly is paying for this anti-ANCA defamation — the terms of any contracts, and the dollar amounts involved.”
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Voters wait to cast their ballots during the 2021 snap parliamentary elections
Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service on Tuesday issued a cryptic statement that warned of threats of foreign interference in the upcoming June 7 election.
The intelligence agency issued the announcement to the state-run Armepress news agency, saying that “various actors” are attempting to interfere in the elections, without specifying the said “actors.” The statement alleged that the so-called “actors” are using pressure on Armenians abroad to support certain political parties in Armenia.
“The Foreign Intelligence Service receives intelligence that, in a foreign country, various actors—presenting themselves as representatives of that country’s special services—are attempting to exert pressure on individuals of Armenian origin and the citizens of the Republic of Armenia who are engaged in economic activities in that country, in order to induce them to undertake actions supporting certain political forces that have declared their intention to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia. These actions include, but are not limited to, the provision by the said businesspersons of financial and organizational support to those political forces,” the Foreign Intelligence Service said.
A few hours after the statement was issued, the Interior Ministry said that the Armenian police have already looked into the FIS statement and submitted a relevant “report of an apparent crime” to Armenia’s Investigative Committee.
Vahakn Aleksanyan, the Vice-President of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party, took to social media later Tuesday to hint that the country in question in the FIS report was Russia, which allegedly had elaborate plans to interfere in the elections, including ordering Armenians living abroad to travel to Armenia to vote in the polls.
During a campaign rally in Gyumri over the weekend, Pashinyan also mentioned rumors that “they will be bringing people from Russia” to vote for the opposition.
“Let them bring [such people] because 84.5 percent of those who will come, according to the polls we have conducted there, will vote for us,” Pashinyan said.
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