11:30, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The content of the Armenian History subject in schools will not be affected by the change of the subject’s name, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan told lawmakers Tuesday.

The ministry has introduced a bill on renaming the Armenian History subject to History of Armenia, which caused discontent and various allegations. The minister explained that the name of the subject should be changed in order for students to develop a perception of statehood.

Asked to clarify, the minister said that the content of the subject will be the same.

She said that the issue of renaming the subject has been addressed by various circles ever since the country gained independence. The most recent discussion on the matter was during the debates on new public education standards.

“As a result of these discussions I concluded that the name of the subject isn’t anyhow a matter for the professional dimension. We live in the Republic of Armenia, and schools in the Republic of Armenia must teach the history of Armenia. I’d like to specifically address the absurd claims that by renaming the subject History of Armenia the content that is part of our history would be left out of the subject. This isn’t about the content, the content is the same, regardless of the name. The name is the methodological perspective with which we approach the teaching of history,” the minister said.

 11:39, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The government carried out renovation projects worth 154 million dollars in Kotayk Province in 2018-2023.

330 kilometers of roads, 163 kilometers of lighting, 34 kilometers of gasification, 206 kilometers of water lines, 20 kindergartens and 3 schools were either built, reconstructed or repaired in the province in 2018-2023, the government said in a press release.

 12:29, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Nikki Haley has applied for US Secret Service protection because of threats she is facing as the only remaining GOP presidential candidate competing with former U.S. President Donald Trump for the party’s nomination, Haley’s campaign spokesperson confirmed to CNN.

The campaign did not detail when the request was made.

There were reports of two swatting incidents in recent months at Haley’s home in South Carolina, one of which occurred while her parents were there, CNN reports. 

Haley was recently asked about a heightened security presence at her events, telling reporters in Columbia, South Carolina, last week that “when you do something like this, you get threats. It’s just the reality, and that’s OK.”

“Part of running for public life is that you’re going to deal with the threats that are there. That’s not going to deter me,” Haley said at the time. “Does it mean we have to put a few more bodies around us? Yes, that’s fine.”

Haley has had a heightened security presence with her for roughly a week.

The Secret Service provides protection only after it is authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security, who consults with a congressional advisory committee.

In May 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama was placed under protection after a congressional committee recommended it, given the rising number of threats against him.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also requested Secret Service protection this cycle, but he has not received it.

 12:54, 6 February 2024

BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Hungarian President Katalin Novák has welcomed Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan in Budapest. 

The official welcoming ceremony took place at the Kossuth Lajos Square.

Khachaturyan is due to hold a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart.

As part of the official visit, the Armenian President will also meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Speaker of Parliament László Kövér.

The Armenian President will visit the Heroes' Square to commemorate fallen troops.

A meeting with the local Armenian community is also scheduled.

 19:40, 6 February 2024

BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is ready to develop relations with Hungary and will do everything to ensure dynamic development, the Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan said at a joint press conference with Hungarian President Katalin Novák.

''This visit is historic after a long break. In fact, we are initiating a new process. And personally, I and our delegation greatly appreciate it. I would like to express the readiness of the Republic of Armenia to actively restart a new phase of Armenian-Hungarian relations and to do everything to ensure that our relations undergo dynamic development and follow a logical course.

This signifies the friendly, fraternal relations that we have had for a long time, since time immemorial," President Khachaturyan noted.

Hi Everyone, 

Hamazkayin Western Region Literary Group presents the book “Stateless: The Politics of the Armenian Language in Exile” by Author Dr. Talar Chahinian. 

Introduction: Dr. Shushan Karapetyan Book presentation by Dr Talar Chahinian on Sunday, February 25, 2023, at 5pm at ACF Burbank Beshir Mardirossian Youth Center 75 E Santa Anita Ave, Burbank, CA 91502.

Follow us on:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/Hamazkayin-Western-Region-Literary-Group-103109858137951

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Thank you!

Hamazkayin Western Region Literary Group from Glendale, CA, USA

 09:44, 9 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. 8,761 persons, including 3,658 citizens of CIS states and 266 citizens of EU states, were granted residency status in Armenia in 2023, according to official data published by the Statistical Committee.

5,073 of the 8,761 people received temporary residency status. The remaining 3,274 and 414 received permanent and special residency status respectively.

Most of the residency status recipients are citizens of Russia and India (3,350 and 2,035 respectively). 2,137 citizens of Russia and 41 citizens of India received permanent residency status.

Another 370 foreigners applied for asylum in Armenia in the second half of 2023.

193 of them (citizens of 14 different countries and 1 stateless person) received refugee status (94 Ukrainian citizens, 28 Haitian citizens, 17 Iraqi citizens, 16 Syrian citizens, 11 Iranian citizens, 7 Turkish citizens and 6 Yemeni citizens).  Most of them are aged between 35 and 64. Most of the asylum seekers were citizens of Iraq (109), Ukraine (91), Iran (57), Egypt (42), Russia (13) and Turkey (9).

In the same period, authorities revoked refugee status of 35 persons. 98 asylum applications by 187 persons were suspended.

 09:56, 9 February 2024

BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan’s official visit to Hungary was highly important for the bilateral relations between the two countries, according to Armenian Ambassador to Hungary Ashot Smbatyan.

Khachaturyan was in Hungary February 5-7. He was received by President Katalin Novak. 

Armenia and Hungary agreed to restore diplomatic relations in 2022, ten years after the ties were severed by the Serzh Sargsyan Administration after Budapest extradited Ramil Safarov, the convicted murderer of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, to Baku.

“President Vahagn Khachaturyan’s official visit will play an important role and will be significant for the relations of the two countries. I believe that with the Armenian President’s official visit, the Hungarian side signaled that the relations between the two countries should become stronger,” the Ambassador said.

Khachaturyan met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on February 7. He also met with Speaker of Parliament László Kövér. 

Smbatyan said that two agreements in the sector of education and culture were signed during the visit.

President Khachaturyan visited the Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest.

The Armenian State Pedagogical University and the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, which has a Department of Armenian Studies, signed an agreement on cooperation. Ambassador Smbatyan said that the Pázmány Péter Catholic University has plans on opening a Center of Hungarian Studies in the Armenian university, which was welcomed by the latter.

The Ambassador highlighted President Khachaturyan’s meeting with members of the Armenian community in Hungary. Hungary is one of the two countries in Europe where the Armenian community has a special role and status on a legislative level, the other being Romania.

“I think that historical commonalities are very deep, and the Armenians of Transylvania have a unique role in the history of Hungary, which Hungary values,” the Ambassador said.

Smbatyan noted that the Hungarian Wizz Air airline has a very active flight schedule in Armenia. The Armenian government is now working to achieve direct flights between Hungary and Armenia, furthermore not only from Budapest to Yerevan but also to Gyumri. “The Armenian side is now working in this direction. But of course, this depends on what decision the airline will make.” Direct flights between the two countries would boost tourism, he added.

Hungarian President Katalin Novák said at a joint press conference with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan that Hungary plans to open a consulate in Yerevan. The Armenian Ambassador commended the announcement and said, “I think and I hope that there will be a corresponding step from the Armenian side as well.”

The Armenian Ambassador attached importance to Khachaturyan’s visit to Hungary also in terms of developing ties with the EU, given that Budapest will assume the EU presidency on July 1, 2024.

“President Khachaturyan, during the joint press conference, invited the President of Hungary to visit Armenia, and the Hungarian side accepted the invitation. I think that this year we will also see Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s official visit to Hungary,” the Ambassador said, adding that the Hungarian Speaker of Parliament has invited his Armenian counterpart to pay a visit.

“These bilateral, high-level visits will definitely have a significant role in deepening the relations between the two countries,” Ambassador Smbatyan said.

 10:32, 9 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on February 8 in The Hague met with Päivi Kaukoranta, the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Kaukoranta congratulated Armenia on joining the ICC, the foreign ministry said in a readout.

Mirzoyan and Kaukoranta exchanged ideas around the ongoing and required further steps in the direction of applying the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC, highlighting close partnership with the assembly.

The FM underscored Armenia’s priorities and expectations regarding joining the ICC, which were earlier voiced during the official ceremony dedicated to the membership of Armenia in the ICC and are in line with universal principles of democracy, the rule of law and fight against impunity.

The Armenian government’s representative for international legal affairs, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, also participated in the meeting and presented details about the steps for harmonizing the Armenian legislation with the Rome Statute.

 12:15, 9 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has reiterated its readiness to resume negotiations with Azerbaijan under EU mediation, Member of Parliament representing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party Artur Hovhannisyan has said.

The MP, however, emphasized that there is no clarity at this moment on the resumption of talks.

“Naturally, the Republic of Armenia also favors the resumption of the talks in that format because the Armenian agenda’s priority is the establishment of peace in the region,” Hovhannisyan said. 

Azerbaijan has recently refused to participate in EU and US mediated talks with Armenia, despite having reached several agreements under EU mediation in the past. However, on February 8, President of the European Council Charles Michel said on X that he called Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to congratulate him on his re-election and that he welcomes Azerbaijan’s commitment to take part in trilateral talks in Brussels.