Finding a market in today’s world is an extremely difficult task. Tsarukyan

Liana Toganian

In the previous message, I presented my thoughts on charity. Now I want to share my thoughts about business. PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan wrote about this on his Facebook page.


In particular, he noted: “I was established from scratch, without any influential friends, inherited capital. I started with a small business, I went through all the difficulties. I say this for one simple reason. I know the entire content of Armenian business first hand.


I say confidently. the business class played an exceptional role in the establishment, success and development of the Republic of Armenia.


From the very beginning of independence, from the stage of enormous difficulties in the 90s: blockade, dangerous roads, collapse of the economic system, financial crisis, war, it is largely thanks to the talent, hard work and patriotism of our businessmen that Armenia withstood the trials and took the path of development.


Our businessmen achieve incredible success in different parts of the world, enjoy respect and prestige.


I have publicly said many times that the backbone of Armenia is the small and medium business. The stronger this class is, the more it has the opportunity to develop, the stronger our country will be. And it is the task of the state to help this layer with the right economic policy.


I’ve also said that it can take years to build a business, it can take years of hard work, but it can take months, if not weeks, to break even.


I especially want to talk about foreign, export markets. In today’s world, no one waits for anyone. Finding a market, adapting is an extremely difficult task. Product quality and price are certainly important, but personal connections, trust, and established relationships are also important.


Now many of our exporters are facing serious problems. It is a big mistake to think that the issues will be resolved one day and the Armenian exporters will return to their traditional markets. Time does not stand still in business.


I warn you, everything is not so easy. Our places in the market are already occupied by others. They don’t even hide it, they do it openly and showily. Many Armenian products are now replaced by Azerbaijani products. I told about this process a month or two ago.


There are no permanent markets. If this continues, if the problems are not resolved, tomorrow Georgian, Azerbaijani, Moldovan, Uzbek and other countries producers will take the place of Armenian cognacs, wines, vodkas, cheese, fish, agricultural products, flowers, any other products. This is life, this is the cruel law of business.


And it should be well understood that this is not only the problem of businessmen. The loss of the consumer market will disrupt the entire cycle. Everyone will feel the consequences of this.


We really have a talented business class. I am always happy to communicate with representatives of small and medium-sized businesses. I know their worries and problems 100 percent. It is an indescribable pain for me to see the difficulties of this layer. I see the problems and many issues seriously concern me. I also see the solutions that will allow us to avoid the worst.


I put the political connotations aside.


The person who is being treated with obvious injustice speaks in me. Throughout my life, in my homeland, they try to present what I have created and built as unfair property. What I built was built from scratch, what I acquired was half-destroyed, half-demolished, and I built them into modern, highest-standard enterprises. Thank God, all the facts have been preserved. But in me now also speaks the person who made it from scratch, who at the beginning had nothing but his hard work and faith, and who, having gone through a very difficult path, achieved great success.


I understand very well what those exporters and businessmen feel, whose businesses, which they created from scratch, with the investment of their life and greatest effort, are facing the danger of destruction. Our state rests on these people, these people are the economic backbone of our country. Their benefit is the benefit of the whole country, their loss is the loss of all of us. The state should move with this awareness.

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The conditions for issuing new biometric passports and ID cards in RA will change

Emil Lazarian

In the near future, the terms and values ​​of issuing biometric passports and identification cards will change in Armenia. Nelly Davtyan, acting head of the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, informed about this.


According to him, the cost of biometric passports issued until the beginning of 2024 was 25 thousand drams, while the cost of a new biometric document will be 28 thousand 650 drams. The new identification card will cost AMD 5,950.


According to Davtyan, the new biometric passport with its security components is fully competitive at the international level and meets the highest standards of the European Union. A passport will be issued for a period of 10 years, and an identification card for a period of 5 years.


With the new regulations, even minors under 16 years of age will be able to get an identification card with the consent of their parents. At the same time, after the new law “On Identity Documents” comes into force, it will be mandatory to have an identification card from the age of 16. According to Davtyan, the law is planned to be implemented by November 1.


The new passport will be issued to citizens who have an identification card. In other words, the presence of an identification card will become a prerequisite for obtaining a passport.


At the same time, there will be no requirement for citizens to immediately change the old sample documents. A person will have the opportunity to apply for a new biometric passport at will, regardless of the validity period of the current document. Even if a citizen recently received a passport of an old model valid for 10 years, he can immediately replace it with a new one if he wishes.


If the citizen decides to continue using the old sample document in the coming years, there will be no problems. However, from autumn, the state will no longer print documents of the previous model.


Therefore, if the old passport is lost, damaged or the citizen needs to get a new document for any other reason, he will already be issued a new sample biometric document.

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The Russian Foreign Ministry responded to Ankara’s proposal

Emil Lazarian

Russia sees no grounds for half-hearted measures that would give Kiev a chance to breathe, said Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on Turkey’s proposal to stop hostilities in the Black Sea.


“Recently, Turkish Foreign Minister H. In an interview with the media, Fidan informed the Russian and Ukrainian parties about the transfer of the Turkish proposals on establishing a moratorium on military operations in the Black Sea. The Russian side did not receive an official Turkish application that would specify the conditions of this initiative through official channels.


If we are talking about 2022-2023. to the unilateral scheme, better known as the “Black Sea Initiative”, according to which Moscow had stopped military operations in the Black Sea, or rather, retaliatory steps to protect Russian port infrastructure and energy facilities, it is not advisable to return to this option. The condition for the implementation of the agreement was similar mutual measures from the other side, but they never followed.



At that time, if you remember, we agreed to a moratorium in exchange for access to world markets for Russian agricultural products. However, the West showed a dishonest approach. the humanitarian corridor we provided was widely used to carry out terrorist attacks against Russian civilian and military facilities, and Russian agricultural products remained under sanctions. This eventually led to the termination of the “Black Sea Initiative”.


At present, we are regularly faced with uncontrollable terrorist actions carried out by drones of the armed forces of Ukraine against civilian ships of coastal countries in the Black Sea, several times a month. We consider these attacks as a purposeful policy to destabilize civil shipping in the Black Sea region, with the aim of further aggravating the situation and prolonging the conflict, in the conditions of open negligence of the region’s neighbors. At the same time, we do not see any prerequisites for the improvement of the situation, and therefore, no basis for half-hearted measures, which only give the Kyiv regime a temporary breather.


We see that recently there have been frequent international calls for a ceasefire and the settlement of the situation around Ukraine, within the framework of well-known palliative schemes. Our attitude towards them and the problem in general has not changed. A stable, long-term settlement of the Ukrainian crisis is possible only if its primary causes are eliminated. First of all, it concerns the elimination of security threats caused by NATO’s eastward expansion and attempts to involve Kyiv in the North Atlantic Alliance. It is also important to achieve guarantees for the restoration and protection of the legal rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population in the territories that remain under the control of the Kyiv regime,” Zakharova noted.

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More than 7,800 drivers who were deprived of their driving license were reinstated with money

Karagyozian Lena

More than 7,800 drivers who were deprived of their driving license in Armenia have recovered it with money.


As RA Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Ghazaryan stated during a press conference on August 14, 7,800 citizens have used it since the decision on the simplified procedure for restoring driving rights came into force. Let us remind you that we are talking about the restoration of rights by paying a certain amount, instead of passing exams.


Ghazaryan also informed about a number of changes in the procedure of passing the exams. A decision has already entered into force, according to which theoretical and practical exams can be taken in different places. In the near future, the question papers will be changed, and the questions will be different for the aspirants of ABC categories and others.


The questionnaires will be published, Ghazaryan added.


Let’s remind that about 18 thousand citizens can potentially be included in the scope of this norm. Most of them had their driving license revoked due to drunken driving or the exhaustion of penalty points. Restoring rights in a simplified manner costs AMD 50,000.

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Davit Ghazinyan, candidate for the chairman of the NA committee

Karagyozian Lena

The “Strong Armenia” faction nominated Davit Ghazinyan as a candidate for the chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Environmental Protection and Agriculture.


His biography was presented in the National Assembly.


Let’s remind that according to the NA Regulations Law, 8 out of 12 standing committees of the NA will be chaired by CP, 3 by “Strong Armenia” and 1 by “Armenia faction”.

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The court returned Drmeyan’s lawsuit against Pashinyan

Ani Basmajian

The court returned the lawsuit of the former head of the Office of the Representative for International Legal Affairs, member of the Wings of Unity Party, Liparit Drmeyan, against RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. We learn about this from the “Datalex” system.


Judge Alfred Vardanyan noted several flaws in the basis of returning the claim: Liparit Drmeyan’s patronymic was not mentioned in the claim, as well as the address of his registration place, and copies of the claim and accompanying documents were sent to Nikol Pashinyan’s registration address.


“However, it is more than an obvious fact that the address of the respondent’s registration is not the address of the latter’s actual residence and notification at the same time. Therefore, it turns out that the notice address was not mentioned in the claim, and the submitted receipt cannot be a proper proof that the copy of the claim and the copies of the attached documents were sent to the defendant”, the court recorded.


The court also assessed Drmeyan’s claim not clearly and definitively. The latter demanded that Pashinyan be obliged to “publicly deny in the same way and with the same publicity” the information mentioned in subparagraphs “a” to “t” of point 3.1 of the claim. According to the court’s assessment, such wording does not clearly explain what specific information is required to be denied. The court emphasized that it is not authorized to choose or formulate the claim instead of the plaintiff.


Let’s remind that Liparit Drmeyan applied to the court with the demand to deny the information considered defamatory.


During the briefing on July 30, Pashinyan announced that he was reporting on the crime. Hinting at Drmeyan, he said that the HEC managed by Samvel Karapetyan had a source in the government.

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Drugs, cell phones, Wi-Fi devices. Prohibition found in prisons

Lilit Nahapetian

The Penitentiary Service consistently continues to implement complex measures aimed at preventing and detecting the infiltration of narcotics and prohibited items into penal institutions, as well as their possession and illegal circulation by incarcerated persons.


In July 2026, as a result of the measures carried out by the officers of the operative department of the Central Body of the Penitentiary Service, as well as the security units of the penitentiary institutions, it was found:


0.7 grams of drug-like masses,


123 mobile phones,


148 mobile phone accessories,


4 wi-fi devices,


17 cutting-piercing objects,


153.5 liters of self-made alcoholic beverages and other prohibited items.


In all cases, criminal, administrative and disciplinary proceedings were initiated, forensic chemical examinations were appointed.


The Penitentiary Service again urges citizens to strictly observe the requirements set by law for visiting penitentiary institutions and refrain from illegal activities.

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Verelq: His Holiness received the class from the priest of Aragatsotn Diocese and them

Alex Nanijanian

 


His Holiness received the priest class of Aragatsotn Diocese and their family members
Today, His Holiness Karekin the Second Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians received the priest class of Aragatsotn Diocese and their family members.


The Information Service of the Mother See informs that the chairman of the administrative council of Aragatsotn diocese, Fr. Shrokh Abegha Paloyan expressed his gratitude to His Holiness the Patriarch for the meeting and the paternal care he always showed.


Among the priests of the diocese, Venerable Fr. Baptist priest Yeranyan, requesting the blessing of His Holiness, emphasized that such a reception is an important opportunity to renew the covenant and express their loyalty to the Armenian Patriarch and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.


In his speech, His Holiness emphasized the importance of such meetings, which are a good opportunity to further strengthen the spiritual connection with church members and to communicate with their family members.


His Eminence also spoke with satisfaction about the caring, important and devoted service of the priest of Aragatsotn diocese and highly appreciated the unfailing dedication they showed in the difficult situation.


Then the Catholicos of All Armenians answered the questions of the attendees, which were related to the challenges facing the Church and the activities of the Mother See. At the end of the meeting, His Holiness gave his patriarchal blessing to the priests and their family members, wishing them good health and a good life.

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Asbarez: Armenian-American Pioneers in American Football

Ani Tigranian
by Contributor

 

 August 14, 2026

 

in Commentary, Latest, Op-Ed, Sports, Top Stories

BY MANUEL MARSELIAN

With the 2026 to 27 NFL and college football seasons approaching, it is an ideal time to reflect on the remarkable contributions Armenian-Americans have made to one of America’s most popular sports.

Although the Armenian athletic tradition is often associated with wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, and, more recently, mixed martial arts, Armenian-Americans have also established a significant legacy in American football. From the earliest decades of the game through today’s NFL, generations of players, coaches, executives, and innovators have contributed to the sport at both the collegiate and professional levels.

Their history stretches across more than a century of American football, encompassing pioneering athletes, All-Americans, championship-winning coaches, professional standouts, and influential figures behind the scenes. Many competed during periods when ethnic heritage was rarely documented, leaving parts of this history largely unknown outside the Armenian community.

This article brings that history together, tracing the Armenian-American presence on the gridiron from its early pioneers through the generations that followed and recognizing the individuals whose accomplishments helped secure a distinctive place for Armenian-Americans in the story of American football.

Mian (Mihran) “Mike” Gulian

Mian (Mihran) Mike Gulian

The First Verified Armenian-American Football Player

Born on July 29, 1900, in Marash, Mian (Mihran) “Mike” Gulian, known as the “Armenian Prince,” immigrated to Newton, Massachusetts, where he developed into one of America’s premier football players.

At Brown University, Gulian became one of the nation’s top tackles during football’s “Iron Man” era. A four-year letterman and 1922 team captain, he earned First Team All-American honors after leading Brown to a memorable victory over Harvard.

He played professionally from 1923 to 1927 with the Buffalo All-Americans, Frankford Yellow Jackets, and Providence Steam Roller. Based on available historical records, Gulian is recognized as the first verified Armenian-American football player to achieve national prominence in major college football, the first verified Armenian-American to compete in the National Football League, and the first verified Armenian-born player in NFL history.

Widely regarded as the father of Armenian participation in American football, Gulian paved the way for future generations of Armenian-American players and holds a distinctive place among the sport’s early ethnic pioneers.

Research Note: Richard Demirjian’s Armenian-American/Canadian Who’s Who of Outstanding Athletes, Coaches and Sports Personalities (1989) states that Michael Gaspar Kaprielian played four years of football at the University of Southern California from 1910 to 1913. However, this claim remains unresolved because historical records show that USC did not field a varsity football team during most of those seasons, having temporarily replaced football with rugby.

The Most Decorated Armenian-Americans in College Football

Alex Agase

Alexander “Alex” Agase

Walter Camp Foundation All-Century Team

Alexander “Alex” Agase was born on September 17, 1922, in Evanston, Illinois, to an Assyrian father and an Armenian mother, Eslie Darwitt, whose family originated from Iran.

Agase became one of the most accomplished linemen in college football history and was among a select group of players to earn First Team All-American honors three times.

He starred at Illinois in 1942 and 1946 and at Purdue in 1943 while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps V-12 Program during World War II. A two-time Consensus First Team All-American, he won the 1946 Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player and captained Illinois to victory in the 1947 Rose Bowl.

Following his playing career, Agase spent several seasons in the All-America Football Conference and National Football League before embarking on a successful coaching career at Northwestern and Purdue.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and named to the Walter Camp Foundation All-Century Team in 1989, cementing his legacy as one of the great linemen in college football history.

Ara Parseghian

Ara Parseghian

Two-Time NCAA National Championship Head Coach

Ara Raoul Parseghian was born on May 21, 1923, in Akron, Ohio, into a family of Armenian and French heritage. His father, Michael Parseghian, was Armenian, while his mother was of French descent.

Parseghian became one of the most celebrated head coaches in college football history. After successful tenures at Miami University (Ohio) and Northwestern, he took over at Notre Dame in 1964 and immediately restored the Fighting Irish to national prominence.

Over his head coaching career, Parseghian compiled a remarkable 170–58–6 record, guiding Notre Dame to consensus national championships in 1966 and 1973. A multiple-time National Coach of the Year, he became renowned for his strategic discipline, motivational leadership, and ability to rebuild struggling programs.

Parseghian was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980 and remains one of the defining figures in Notre Dame football history, alongside legendary coaches Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy. His success also made him one of the most prominent Americans of Armenian heritage ever associated with college football.

The Five Stanford Armenians

The Standford Five Armenians

A Remarkable Story in College Football History

In the fall of 1951, five Armenian-American athletes, Gary Kerkorian, Harry Hugasian, Norm Manoogian, Chuck Essegian, and Ed Krapilian, came together on Stanford’s football field. Recruited with the support of Pasadena booster Sam Salesian, they became part of a remarkable team that fought its way to the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1952.

Each made a distinctive contribution. Kerkorian became an All-American quarterback, Hugasian scored Stanford’s only touchdown in the Rose Bowl, Manoogian became a team captain, Essegian later reached baseball’s World Series, and Krapilian strengthened Stanford’s line.

Kerkorian and Hugasian became such a memorable combination that sportswriters nicknamed them the “Shish-Kebab Twins.” Together, the five created an enduring chapter in Stanford and Armenian-American sports history.

The Most Decorated Armenian-Americans in NFL

Ben Agajanian

Ben Agajanian

Two-Time NFL Champion and Two-Time Super Bowl-Winning Coach

Ben Agajanian was born on October 28, 1919, in Santa Ana, California, to Armenian immigrant parents. Despite losing several toes on his kicking foot in a childhood accident, he overcame the injury to become one of professional football’s great kicking pioneers.

During a professional career spanning 1945 to 1964, Agajanian played for nine NFL teams, including the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, and Philadelphia Eagles, as well as the Los Angeles Chargers of the AFL. He won two NFL championships as a player, with the New York Giants in 1956 and Green Bay Packers in 1961, and later earned two Super Bowl rings as kicking coach for the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII.

A pioneer of the specialist kicking position, Agajanian helped transform placekicking into a distinct role in professional football and established a legacy that endured well beyond his playing career.

Garo Yepremian

Garo Yepremian

Two-Time Super Bowl Champion

Garo Yepremian was born on June 2, 1944, in Larnaca, Cyprus, to Armenian parents. After immigrating to the United States, he became one of the NFL’s most successful kickers despite having no prior experience playing organized American football.

Yepremian spent the majority of his career with the Miami Dolphins from 1970 to 1978, helping the franchise win Super Bowls VII and VIII. He was a member of the legendary 1972 Dolphins, who completed the only perfect season in NFL history. A two-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time First Team All-Pro, he led the NFL in scoring in 1973 with 127 points.

Yepremian became one of the defining kickers of his era and a pioneering Armenian presence in professional football.

Steve Furness

Four-Time Super Bowl Champion

Steve Furness was born on June 21, 1950, in Providence, Rhode Island, to an English father and an Armenian-American mother. He went on to become an accomplished defensive lineman, enjoying a distinguished nine-year NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972 to 1980.

After starring at the University of Rhode Island, Furness was selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL Draft. He developed into a key member of the legendary “Steel Curtain” defense, helping the Steelers capture four Super Bowl championships: IX, X, XIII, and XIV. Known for his strength, quickness, and relentless pass rush, he recorded 26.5 career sacks, although sacks were not yet an official NFL statistic during the early years of his career.

His role in Pittsburgh’s championship dynasty placed Furness among the most successful Armenian-American players of the Super Bowl era.

Berj Najarian

Berj Najarian

Six-Time Super Bowl Champion Executive

Berj Najarian is an Armenian-American football executive who served for more than two decades with the New England Patriots, rising from equipment assistant to Director of Football/Chief of Staff under head coach Bill Belichick. A trusted member of the Patriots’ leadership, he played an important behind-the-scenes role during one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history.

Najarian was part of the organization that won six Super Bowl championships, XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, and LIII, during the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era. Widely respected for his leadership and football operations experience, he later joined the Houston Texans as Senior Advisor to the General Manager.

With six Super Bowl rings, Najarian stands among the most decorated Armenian-Americans in professional football and represents another dimension of the Armenian-American contribution to the sport: achievement and influence beyond the playing field.

Armenian-Americans have written a distinctive, often overlooked chapter in American football history. It began with Mike Gulian, the Marash-born All-American who became the first verified Armenian-American to play in the NFL. It continued with Alex Agase’s All-American career, Ara Parseghian’s national championships at Notre Dame, and the remarkable Five Stanford Armenians, who helped carry Stanford to the 1952 Rose Bowl. Later generations added to that legacy through Ben Agajanian’s pioneering placekicking career, Garo Yepremian’s role on Miami’s perfect 1972 team, Steve Furness and Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain,” and Berj Najarian’s six Super Bowl championships with New England.

Across generations, Armenian-American players, coaches, pioneers, and executives have been part of some of the defining teams and moments in football history. Their achievements form a remarkable legacy that extends from the earliest days of the sport to the modern NFL. And with a new generation taking the field today, the Armenian story on the gridiron continues to be written.

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Haigazian University Press and Hairenik Press Launch Armenian Memory Book Seri

Chmshkian Vicken
by Contributor

 

 August 14, 2026

 

in Arts & Culture, Books, Latest, News, Top Stories

BEIRUT — Haigazian University Press and Hairenik Press announced the publication of “My Native Village: Okhou” by Parounag Topalian, the inaugural volume in the new Armenian Memory Book Series, dedicated to bringing the rich tradition of Armenian memory books to new generations of readers.

Originally published in Armenian by Hairenik Press in Boston in 1943, “My Native Village: Okhou” (“Im Hayreni Kiughs: Okhou”) reconstructs the world of Okhou, an Armenian village in the Ottoman Empire, through the recollections of a survivor writing nearly three decades after the Armenian Genocide. The new English edition, translated by Simon Beugekian, is jointly published by Haigazian University Press and Hairenik Press.

Armenian memory books, or houshamadyans, constitute a distinctive literary and historical genre created primarily by survivors and descendants of the Armenian Genocide. Combining history, ethnography, geography, genealogy, folklore, photographs, maps, dialects, memoirs, traditions, accounts of daily life, and narratives of genocide and exile, these works sought to reconstruct communities that had been destroyed and populations dispersed. They function at once as historical archives, cultural artifacts, acts of resistance against erasure, and emotional roadmaps through which displaced Armenians preserved and reimagined home in exile.

The Armenian Memory Book Series will republish significant Armenian memory books, bring previously unpublished works into print, and make important texts available in English translation. Volumes will also incorporate critical commentary and new research situating individual memory books and the communities they document within the broader history and cultural heritage of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire and its surrounding regions.

The series grew out of a proposal by George Aghjayan to translate the memory books of his ancestral hometown of Palu. Discussions among Aghjayan, Haigazian University President Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, and series co-editors Antranig Dakessian and Khatchig Mouradian developed that initial project into a broader initiative encompassing Armenian towns and villages across the former Ottoman Empire.

“The authors of these memory books undertook the formidable task of reconstructing the social, cultural, and physical worlds of communities destroyed by genocide and exile,” Dakessian and Mouradian write in their introduction to the series. “Their work preserved invaluable historical knowledge while creating enduring monuments of memory for descendants and future generations.”

The publication of “My Native Village: Okhou” marks the beginning of what the editors envision as a wide-ranging series that will make these extraordinary repositories of Armenian history and memory accessible to scholars, descendants of the communities they document, and general readers alike. More than eight decades after Topalian first published his account, “My Native Village: Okhou” now introduces an English-language readership to both one lost Armenian village and the remarkable tradition through which survivors sought to ensure that such places would not disappear from memory.

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