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Armenian 15-year-old school students recorded low scores across mathematics, science, reading, and problem-solving skill...
09/09/2026

Armenian 15-year-old school students recorded low scores across mathematics, science, reading, and problem-solving skills in the latest Programme for International Student Assessment conducted by the OECD.

The global evaluation assessed roughly 800,000 students across more than 90 countries and territories. In multiple subject areas, Armenia’s performance fell below the regional benchmarks established by peers in neighboring Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.

The reading results highlighted significant educational challenges, with Armenia ranking 79th out of 90 participating education systems, outperforming only 11 countries and territories worldwide. Asian education systems led the international rankings, with Singapore and China securing the top positions across nearly every tested competency.

Veronika Zonabend, the wife of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan who remains detained in Baku, has sent an o...
09/09/2026

Veronika Zonabend, the wife of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan who remains detained in Baku, has sent an open appeal to Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Alen Simonyan amid reports of his potential upcoming visit to the Azerbaijani capital.

In her letter, Zonabend welcomed the prospect of such a visit, expressing hope that direct engagement could unlock meaningful progress on pressing humanitarian matters surrounding Armenian detainees and their families. Referencing Simonyan’s past remarks on the vital necessity of returning Armenian prisoners to achieve lasting peace, she emphasized that direct contact is critical for maintaining family bonds and monitoring detainees’ well-being.

Zonabend formally offered to accompany the official delegation to Baku, noting that other families of Armenian prisoners share the same desire to travel and see their loved ones. She called on Simonyan to meet with the families prior to any planned trip, gather their requests and personal letters for delivery, and clarify whether his itinerary will include visits to the detention facilities holding Armenian captives.

09/09/2026

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has departed for France on a two-day working visit, traveling to Paris aboard a standard commercial passenger flight rather than a private governmental charter.

Footage shared from the flight showed the Armenian leader seated alongside everyday travelers en route to the French capital.

During his official agenda in Paris, Pashinyan is scheduled to attend the International Space Summit and hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, focusing on bilateral relations, regional cooperation, and emerging global technological initiatives.

Armenia’s top women’s tennis player Elina Avanesyan has declared her intention to compete for Armenia at the 2028 Summer...
09/08/2026

Armenia’s top women’s tennis player Elina Avanesyan has declared her intention to compete for Armenia at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, describing the goal as an attainable ambition as the nation continues to strengthen its international athletic roster.

Speaking to reporters in Armenia, Avanesyan underscored the profound meaning behind the potential qualification, stating that representing the country on the world’s biggest sporting stage carries immense responsibility alongside personal pride.

The 2028 Games in Southern California, home to one of the largest Armenian diaspora communities in the world, would provide a major platform for Armenia’s growing presence on the professional tennis tour.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon has reopened its doors following an extensive eighteen-month, €7.8 million reno...
09/08/2026

The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon has reopened its doors following an extensive eighteen-month, €7.8 million renovation, timed to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

Named after the prominent Armenian oil magnate, art collector, and philanthropist, the institution underwent comprehensive structural and technical upgrades. Specialists updated the building’s security and lighting infrastructure while meticulously restoring the interiors to align with the architects’ original 1969 design. Modern interventions, including anti-reflective glass installations and advanced LED lighting systems, were integrated into the galleries without disrupting the modernist architectural integrity.

The museum houses the private collection of Calouste Gulbenkian, which features more than 6,000 works of art spanning centuries, including rare ancient coins, historical furniture, ceramics, and masterworks by Rembrandt and Rubens.

Young Armenian tennis player Maria Azizyan secured a historic milestone by capturing the singles title at the ITF J60 ju...
09/08/2026

Young Armenian tennis player Maria Azizyan secured a historic milestone by capturing the singles title at the ITF J60 junior tournament in Burgas, Bulgaria.

Azizyan claimed the championship after a hard-fought three-set battle against Italy’s Anna Nerelli in the final, prevailing with a score of 6-2, 3-6, 7-6.

With this triumph, Azizyan becomes the first Armenian tennis player in history to win an ITF J60 event, marking a major breakthrough for Armenia’s junior tennis program on the international circuit.

Low-cost carrier Wizz Air is significantly expanding its footprint at Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport, with pl...
09/08/2026

Low-cost carrier Wizz Air is significantly expanding its footprint at Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport, with plans to station its third aircraft at the base in October, followed by a fourth aircraft in December.

The airline will launch three new European routes connecting Yerevan to Switzerland, Spain, and Bulgaria. Service between Yerevan and Basel will commence on December 18, operating three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Flights between Yerevan and Valencia will take off on December 19, running twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Service to the Bulgarian coastal city of Varna will begin on June 6, 2027, with flights scheduled every Wednesday and Sunday.

The strategic fleet deployment and route expansion are set to bolster Armenia’s international air transit network, offering travelers more direct, low-cost links across Western and Southeastern Europe while cementing Zvartnots as a growing operational hub for the airline.

The annual Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Sunday at the tenth-century Armenian Holy Cross Church (Surb Khach) on Akhta...
09/08/2026

The annual Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Sunday at the tenth-century Armenian Holy Cross Church (Surb Khach) on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van.

His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, served as the primary celebrant, joined by Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Sahak Mashalyan, who presided over the service. Senior Armenian clergy, members of the Armenian community, and numerous international visitors attended the ceremony, which takes place traditionally on the Sunday preceding the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Under official regulations by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, services are permitted inside the historic monument only once a year. The religious tradition was reinstated in 2010 after a 95-year hiatus following the Armenian Genocide of 1915, during which the island’s monastic complex fell into disuse.

Constructed between 915 and 921 AD by architect and sculptor Manuel under the patronage of King Gagik I Artsruni of Vaspurakan, the cathedral served as the seat of the Catholicosate of Akhtamar from 1113 to 1895. Following extensive structural restorations by Turkish authorities in 2005, the site was officially reopened to the public as an open-air museum in 2007.

Azerbaijan has initiated drilling and blasting activities at the Zod gold deposit, known as Sotk in Armenia and Soyudlu ...
09/08/2026

Azerbaijan has initiated drilling and blasting activities at the Zod gold deposit, known as Sotk in Armenia and Soyudlu in Azerbaijan, advancing plans to bring the border mine into full operational status.

State-owned mining company AzerGold announced that it executed the first controlled rock blast on September 7 in the Kalbajar district adjacent to Armenia. The blast follows extensive preliminary groundwork launched in August 2025, which included topographic surveys and 18,000 meters of core drilling. According to company assessments under the international JORC standard, the site’s recoverable remaining reserves are estimated at 1.03 million ounces of gold.

To address geotechnical hazards and slope stability risks, the operator has deployed a GroundProbe radar monitoring system. Technical and economic feasibility studies are currently evaluating the construction of a modern on-site flotation processing facility to treat the extracted ore.

AzerGold projects that the construction and early extraction phase from 2026 to 2029 will generate roughly 700 direct and indirect jobs, with total employment anticipated to surpass 1,300 positions once commercial operations reach full capacity.

Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Alen Simonyan, 46, married 26-year-old model Anelia Gubryan in a wedding ce...
09/07/2026

Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Alen Simonyan, 46, married 26-year-old model Anelia Gubryan in a wedding ceremony held at the Komitas Surb Khach Church in Yerevan’s Arabkir district.

Videos and photos shared on social media showed Simonyan’s children attending the celebration alongside close family, friends, and prominent figures. The evening reception was hosted by actress Luiza Nersisyan and TV host Aram Chakhoyan, featuring live musical performances by pop singers Eric Karapetyan, Iveta Mukuchyan, and rapper Super Sako.

The traditional wedding favors (tarosik) gifted to attendees carried the inscription: “Alen Anelia. True love always wins.” The marriage marks the third for the high-ranking official.

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