The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 10 March, USD exchange rate up by 0.12 drams to 377.41 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 3.12 drams to 439.27 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.0314 drams to 4.7901 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 4.13 drams to 507.62 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 480 drams to 61718 drams.

Since 2023, the European Union has allocated more than €78 million to address the urgent humanitarian needs of displaced Karabakh Armenians and to support their long-term socio-economic integration, the EU Embassy in Armenia said in a statement.

“Of the total amount, €21.5 million was provided through the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), €40 million as EU budget support to the Republic of Armenia, €9 million for programmes implemented by civil society organisations (CSOs), and €8 million for the Refugee Response Window for Armenia (RRWA), implemented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,” the statement said.

Seven Armenian citizens were transported to Oman on March 10.

The Embassy of Armenia in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai organized their free transfer. The Armenian citizens were met at the UAE–Oman border by a diplomat from the Armenian Embassy in Oman, who facilitated their border crossing and transfer to Muscat Airport.

The Muscat–Yerevan flight is scheduled for late tonight, Ani Badalyan, the spokesperson for Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, said on Facebook.

“In total, 253 citizens of the Republic of Armenia used five free passenger transfers to Muscat organized by the Armenian Embassy in the UAE and the Armenian Consulate General in Dubai during March 4–10.

During this period, Armenian citizens with health problems also sought assistance from the Armenian Embassy in the UAE. Constant contact was maintained with them to address urgent issues. Three citizens with health problems and their family members returned to Armenia free of charge on a Muscat–Yerevan flight with the support of the embassy,” she said.

US and Israeli forces struck 9,000 targets during the first 10 days of the war on Iran, Iranian state television reported citing Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani.

Zakani said that major debris removal operations are underway in Tehran.

He added that during the 12-day war in June 2025, a total of 1,450 targets were hit.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posing a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East. 

At least seven people were killed and 21 others injured in Beirut on the morning of March 12 following an Israeli strike targeting the central part of the city, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported citing health authorities.

Reports also indicate that at dawn, strikes targeted the towns of Cana, Naqoura, and Taybeh in southern Lebanon.

Israel says it is striking Hezbollah strongholds amid the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.

Hezbollah, in turn, said that it hit Israeli positions both inside Israel and in southern Lebanon.

Israeli strikes have killed more than 600 people in Lebanon, and uprooted 800,000 more, Lebanese authorities said, according to Reuters.

Iranian sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said that Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup after co-host U.S. launched airstrikes alongside Israel, Reuters reported.

“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” the minister told state television, according to Reuters.

The 48-team World Cup will be held in the U.S., Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

“Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist,” Donyamali said.

“Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people. Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence.”

More than 1,300 Iranian civilians have ⁠been killed since the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began on February 28, according to Iran’s U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier told FIFA representatives that Iran is welcome to play in the World Cup tournament in the United States, CBS News reported citing officials.

The Iran war came up in the conversation with the soccer association’s president, Gianni Infantino, and White House FIFA task force executive director Andrew Giuliani in the Oval Office on Tuesday evening, CBS News reported citing sources familiar with the conversation.

Infantino later posted on social media: “We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever.”

Donyamali’s comments were in response to Infantino’s post.

An Italian military base in Iraqi Kurdistan was struck by a missile ‌though no injuries were reported, the Italian defense ministry said on Thursday.

“A missile hit our base in Erbil. There are ⁠no casualties or injuries among the Italian personnel. They are all fine,” the ministry said on X shortly after midnight on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on X that Italian ⁠military personnel had taken shelter in a bunker and all were “well and ⁠safe”.

“I strongly condemn the attack on the Italian base in Erbil. I just spoke with the Italian Ambassador to Iraq. Fortunately, all our soldiers are well and safe in the bunker. I express my solidarity and gratitude to them for their daily service to the homeland,” Tajani said.

Italy has around 300 troops in Erbil, working on training ⁠Kurdish security forces, Reuters reported citing an Italian defense ministry statement.

Six electricity transmission lines in Kuwait went out of service after debris from intercepted drones fell on the infrastructure, Al Jazeera reported citing the country’s Electricity Ministry.

Despite the incident, authorities said the overall supply of electricity and water across the country remains stable.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posing a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East. 

UN refugee agency says up to 3.2 million people in Iran have been displaced by the war.

“This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs,” Ayaki Ito, the agency’s emergency coordinator for the Middle East said.

”Between 600,000 and one million Iranian households are now temporarily displaced inside Iran as a result of the ongoing conflict,” said Ayaki Ito.

After the successful completion of the pilot phases of the ‘Generation AI’ and ‘STEP.ai’ school programs, Armenian education authorities plan to make them—and other programs with similar content—available to all public education institutions across the country.

Aimed at building a comprehensive career pipeline for the next generation of AI researchers and innovators, Generation AI begins at the high school level to doctoral level.

“The integration of artificial intelligence into the education system is inevitable; therefore, the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports is currently working on developing the appropriate tools and frameworks,” the Ministry told Armenpress.

“A roadmap has been developed that includes three main and interrelated directions aimed not only at transforming the education system, but also at shaping a creative generation capable of addressing the challenges of the future,” the ministry added.

Accordingly, short-term (general training and advanced professional training), medium-term (creation of a mentorship network), and long-term (institutionalization) targets have been established.

The integration of AI in education is considered in three main directions. The first is AI education, whose main goal is to ensure that both students and teachers acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to use AI effectively. The second direction aims to increase the overall efficiency of the education system through the use of AI tools. The third is education in the AI era, which requires a deep reconsideration of educational content and methodology, taking into account that as the world enters the AI era, the skills and competencies expected from individuals are also changing.

The ministry said that the ‘Generation AI’ school program has been implemented since 2023 by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports in cooperation with the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST). The program initially launched in 15 high schools across seven regions of the country, and the list of participating schools was later expanded to 26, covering all regions. In the 2025–2026 academic year, approximately 800 students are participating in the program.

It is expected that by the end of the program, as measurable final outcomes, students across the Republic of Armenia will be equipped with applied knowledge and skills in advanced mathematics (advanced algebra) in accordance with the requirements of the State Standard for General Education. In addition, they will possess 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, teamwork, and skills in problem identification, problem-solving, and communication.

In addition, it is expected that AI literacy will expand among a larger number of beneficiaries, contributing to greater awareness and understanding of AI’s potential and the importance of the sector’s development in the country. It is anticipated that approximately 10–15% of high school students will acquire foundational knowledge in AI and develop motivation to specialize in and continue their education in this field. Ultimately, the program also aims to improve the education system through the implementation of innovative solutions.

Continuing the process of reforms in the field of artificial intelligence, on October 5, 2024, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Synopsys Armenia, the AGBU Armenian Virtual College, and the Union of Employers of Information and Communication Technology to implement the STEP.ai Science and Technology Education Program.

The Ministry clarified that this course provides comprehensive coverage of AI topics, adapted to the requirements set by the State Standard for General Education. Through the efforts of the Union of Employers of Information and Communication Technology, the course has been digitized and, in collaboration with the Armenian Virtual College, integrated into a digital platform, allowing students to access online lessons, interactive quizzes, laboratory exercises, and supplementary materials.

According to the Ministry, the program was piloted in a number of high schools, with the AI course delivered in a hybrid format that combines the advantages of both online and traditional teaching. By the 2025–2026 academic year, the program is being implemented in 15 schools across the Republic of Armenia.