At the Grand Hotel Yerevan, a group of people from Japan are preparing Japanese dishes. They are here to promote the newest addition to Yerevan’s restaurant scene – Ohmeshi. The restaurant will open its doors in the fall, and will be Yerevan’s first Japanese-run restaurant.
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Ethical Journalism: Values Worth Fighting For
Susan McKay, Ireland’s Press Ombudsperson, joins host Eric Hacopian to discuss how to promote ethical journalism at a time when the field is beset by distrust and disinformation. McKay shares her experience promoting the principles of traditional journalism through press councils that adjudicate complaints about reporting and how they can help build trust in the media and protect democracy.
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Aurora panelists share insights on global displacement
During a panel discussion at the Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum in Los Angeles in May 2024, experts, lawyers, and activists gathered to discuss the global refugee crisis, the rise in forced displacement, and potential solutions . Organized by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative in collaboration with UCLA’s The Promise Institute for Human Rights, the discussion was moderated by Nasra Ismail, U.S. Enterprise Executive Director at Alight. Speakers included UCLA Law Professor Ahilan Arulanantham, Founder of Empower Rez Gardi, Chief of Mission at IOM Mexico Dana Graber Ladek, and The Sentry Co-Founder John Prendergast.
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Sarik Minasyan elected caretaker mayor of Gyumri in controversial primaries
By Alexander Pracht Non-partisan candidate Sarik Minasyan won an open primary election held by the ruling Civil Contract party and will become the interim mayor of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, to serve until the upcoming spring elections, amid controversy over the procedure as the country’s opposition and civil society groups view the decision to hold the primaries undemocratic. Minasyan formerly served as a member of the national parliament, representing the liberal Bright Armenia party, once allied with the Civil Contract but later part of the opposition and now a non-parliamentary force. He defeated six other competitors, including Karen Sarukhanyan, […]
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Armenia must reform state secrets law, new TI report says
Armenia’s new state secrets law, which came into effect this year, prohibits the disclosure of nearly all defense expenditure data, significantly restricting the country’s 2003 Freedom of Information Act provisions. According to a new report by Transparency International, the law needs urgent reform to ensure transparency and accountability in the country’s defense sector. The report examines the challenges of transparency in the defense sector globally and makes significant findings regarding transparency issues in Armenia’s defense sector. Global military expenditure has reached a record $2.4 trillion. The scale of spending requires improved information access to tackle corruption, promote accountability, and strengthen […]
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Armenia’s international legal representative refrains from commenting on the withdrawal
Yeghishe Kirakosyan, who represents Armenia’s government in international tribunals, declined to comment on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement about potentially withdrawing mutual claims from international courts as part of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. Kirakosyan assured reporters that no such withdrawal is currently under discussion, stating, “The cases continue to proceed, along with necessary procedural steps to ensure their examination.” Azerbaijan has been pushing for the withdrawal of legal claims as part of peace negotiations. Pashinyan recently suggested that Yerevan and Baku could withdraw their mutual claims from international courts once “real peace is achieved.” Kirakosyan declined to comment when […]
