- A free trade deal between the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran will go into effect mid-May, a development observers say could significantly boost Armenia’s economy.
- Armenia’s Central Bank left interest rates unchanged at 6.75%, citing increased global uncertainty and risks amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war.
- Armenia issued a $750 million eurobond on the London Stock Exchange as it seeks to manage its growing national debt. The bond matures in 10 years with a 7.1% yield.
- Officials defended Armenia’s new cryptocurrency regulations, even as firms decried the rules as too onerous and warned they could lead to the sector’s virtual elimination.
- Interview with Central Bank Deputy Chair Armen Nurbekyan (in Armenian).
- Interview with Bitcoin Armenia’s Eduard Avetisyan (in Armenian).
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Yerevan hosts Ice Hockey World Championship, Division IV
The 2025 International Ice hockey Federation World Championship returns to Armenia for the first time in 15 years. After being suspended from the Federation in 2010, Armenia has reclaimed its place in the ice hockey scene with Yerevan hosting Division 4 of the Championship. Armenia’s national team also racked up an impressive record during the week-long tournament.
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EU monitors confirm Azerbaijani damage to civilian infrastructure in Armenian
By Alexander Pracht Observers from the European Union Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA) recorded damage to civilian infrastructure in the Armenian border-straddling village of Khoznavar in the southern Syunik region as a result of gunfire, the mission announced Monday. “Over the Easter weekend, EUMA conducted 27 day and night patrols in its Area of Operation including villages Khoznavar, Khnatsakh and Aravus. In Khoznavar, EUMA observed the impact of two shots damaging civilian infrastructure, possibly originating from an Azerbaijani position in the area.,” the statement said. The Armenian Defense Ministry reported on Monday that Azerbaijani forces had opened fire in the […]
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State-Sponsored Hate: How Armenia’s Ruling Party and Pro-Government Media Target
By Tigran Grigoryan and Aram Tadevosyan Following the March 29 rally organized by displaced Artsakh Armenians in Yerevan’s Freedom Square, the Armenian authorities and their affiliated media have continued a sustained campaign of hate speech and defamation against the participants. The primary cause of the demonstration was the government’s decision to scale back a social assistance program that covered housing expenses. During the rally, speakers also addressed the right of return and other related issues. The scale of the hate campaign targeting Artsakh refugees by Armenian officials and pro-government media outlets has grown to such an extent that it underscores […]
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Gas and Geopolitics: Cooperation Amid Conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean
By Didier Holleaux The article was published in the April 21 issue of the World Energy Weekly, a publication of Petrostrategies, a French think tank specializing in energy issues. The Eastern Mediterranean has been a zone of territorial and political conflicts since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, but gas discoveries have fostered surprising instances of cooperation in the region. Historically, Egypt was the only significant gas producer in the region. The discovery of large gas reserves in Egypt’s offshore fields led to the construction of liquefaction plants in Idku and Damietta in 2005, enabling the export of liquefied natural […]
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Armenian hockey team runner-up at World Championship in Yerevan
By Alexander Pracht The Division IV Ice Hockey World Championship concluded on Saturday in Yerevan, where six national teams competed for promotion to the higher-tier Division III. Although Armenia fell short of winning the tournament, the national team made a strong comeback to the ice after a 15-year hiatus, earning several impressive victories and sparking renewed local interest in the sport. The World Championship is an annual tournament organized by divisions. The top division features the world’s strongest teams, such as the United States, Canada, and Sweden, while Division IV includes the lowest-ranked national teams from countries where ice hockey […]
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Mr. Sylvain: Teghut’s Coach from Côte d’Ivoire
Due to the war in Côte d’Ivoire, football player Yao Sylvain Kouassi moved to Armenia. After he was unable to continue his career because of an injury, Silven decided to stay in Armenia and develop a youth football program. He is now a football coach in the Tavush region’s Teghut village, where he is known as Mr. Sylvain.
