Newsfeed – CIVILNET AND IN OTHER NEWS: Aliyev Rides High on the Wave of Ethnic Cleansing Dec 07, 2023 6:06 am https://twitter.com/SheilaPaylan/status/1723052963579511117 November has seen President Aliyev of Azerbaijan riding high on a wave of victory after his complete ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh. Whereas… Read more... Armenian court converts Azerbaijani soldier’s prison term to life sentence Dec 06, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev insisted he is willing to sign a normalization agreement with Armenia in the near future, even while blaming Yerevan for delays in the peace process. An Armenian court converted… Read more... Armenia’s parliament rejects Karabakh ballot initiative Dec 05, 2023 10:05 pm One Armenian soldier was killed by Azerbaijani fire along the two countries’ border, marking the first known army death in action since the fall of Karabakh in September. Pro-government lawmakers in… Read more... Armenian opposition mayor ousted: ‘Is this what Pashinyan’s democracy looks like?’ Dec 05, 2023 5:27 pm By Mark Dovich Local lawmakers from the Civil Contract party have ousted a prominent opposition mayor in Armenia, the latest in a string of instances where the ruling party has appeared to obstruct or… Read more... Cultural Heritage at Risk in Nagorno-Karabakh Dec 05, 2023 9:16 am Last month’s election of Azerbaijan to a senior position of the United Nations’ cultural body has raised concern regarding the fate of cultural monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh, given the organization’s… Read more... Armenia says its side of border with Turkey ready for operation Dec 04, 2023 10:05 pm The trial of Gagik Voskanyan, an Armenian reservist who crossed into Azerbaijan in August in still-unclear circumstances, began in Baku. Armenia again raised the issue of Russia’s alleged failure to… Read more... How the Social Fabric Works: A Conversation With Nassim Nicholas Taleb Dec 04, 2023 8:05 pm Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a globally renowned thinker and philosopher best known for his "black swan theory," visited Armenia last week. He sat down with CivilNet’s Eric Hacopian to talk about science, … Read more... Armenia Launches Its First Satellite Dec 02, 2023 8:52 pm On December 1, Armenia’s first domestically made satellite “Hayasat-1” was launched by a SpaceX rocket at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The project is a collaboration between Yerevan’s… Read more... Insider Perspective on Armenia’s Military Transformation Dec 02, 2023 8:05 pm In this episode, host Patrick Elliott interviews Regional Studies Center director Richard Giragossian. They discuss Giragossian's analysis of ongoing military reforms in Armenia and structural weaknesses… Read more... Trade war fears grow as Armenian trucks pile up at Russian border: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Dec 01, 2023 10:05 pm Hundreds of Armenian trucks remain stalled at a key border crossing between Georgia and Russia, prompting Yerevan to take the rare step of calling an emergency meeting of a Moscow-led trade bloc. A prolonged… Read more... What will it take to have a landmine-free South Caucasus? Dec 01, 2023 9:05 pm Benyamin Poghosyan is the Chairman of the Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies, an organization that has been working with the EU-supported Links Europe organization since 2019 to implement… Read more... Thanksgiving and Mourning Dec 01, 2023 8:34 pm By Skylar Yoder While thanksgiving is traditionally a North American holiday, I had the pleasure of celebrating it in Armenia this year. At CivilNet, several of my colleagues went out of their way to… Read more... EU and UK express readiness to strengthen defense ties with Armenia Nov 30, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia’s top diplomat held separate meetings with his American, European, and Russian counterparts. An Armenia-Azerbaijan joint border commission convened for another round of talks, but again came… Read more... IWAY: Impactful Work in Armenia’s Rural Communities Nov 30, 2023 9:05 pm In this Interview, host Patrick Elliott sits down with Victoria Kasabyan, the President of Yerevan-based IWAY NGO. Kasabyan shares how their projects provide funding, renovatinos and community building… Read more... Ilham, Thou Protest Too Much Nov 30, 2023 8:05 pm This week on Insights, host Eric Hacopian analyzes Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's unprecedented eight-hour marathon question and answer session with the public. He discusses what it shows about… Read more... Pashinyan ‘welcome’ at post-Soviet summit next month, says Kremlin Nov 29, 2023 10:05 pm An Armenia-Azerbaijan border commission is set to meet tomorrow at a section of the border near a derelict railroad track that connected Yerevan and Baku in Soviet times. Russia expects Armenian… Read more... Armenia calls emergency meeting as trucks pile up at key border crossing with Russia Nov 29, 2023 7:57 pm By Mark Dovich Health code violations or political retaliation? That is the question many are asking as hundreds of Armenian trucks loaded with agricultural goods remain stalled at a key border crossing… Read more... Hanna Notte: Russian Adaptations in Foreign Statecraft Since the Invasion of Ukraine Nov 29, 2023 5:05 pm Hanna Notte, an expert on Russian foreign and security policy, gave a lecture on Russia-Turkey relations and their repercussions for the South Caucasus and Middle East. Hanna Notte is a Senior Research… Read more... Blinken calls Pashinyan and Aliyev to urge return to negotiations Nov 28, 2023 10:05 pm Vagif Khachatryan, the Armenian man from Nagorno-Karabakh who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Azerbaijan earlier this month, has appealed his conviction. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held… Read more... Lessons from Ukraine for Armenia’s Military Overhaul Nov 28, 2023 8:05 pm Lt Colonel Glen Grant has witnessed militaries transformed by war. The veteran British Army officer is a featured speaker at the 2023 Yerevan Security Summit now, and advises Ukraine in countering Russian… Read more... Armenia establishes relations with Saudi Arabia in historic move Nov 27, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia and Saudi Arabia agreed to establish diplomatic relations. At a question-and-answer session with the public, Nikol Pashinyan declined to give any definitive answers on Armenia’s continued membership… Read more... Who are the Russian owners of Armenian mines Nov 27, 2023 7:51 am By Ani Avetisyan The mining industry plays a significant role in Armenia’s economy, accounting for over 30% of the country’s total exports. Armenia’s metal mines are the most lucrative, and… Read more... Armenia’s biggest mine says it cut ties with Russian oligarch: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Nov 24, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia’s largest mine said it cut ties with Russian oligarch Roman Trotsenko just days before the United States imposed sanctions on his holding company. However, the Zangezur Combine’s biggest shareholder… Read more... Armenia-Azerbaijan border talks to resume later this month Nov 23, 2023 10:05 pm Border talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan will resume on November 30 with a meeting planned on the two countries’ border, according to Yerevan. A spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry decried… Read more... Aliyev’s War Against The West Nov 23, 2023 8:05 pm In this week’s episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian covers Aliyev’s escalating rhetoric against the West. Meanwhile, relations between the US and Azerbaijan show signs of strain while new weapons… Read more... Azerbaijani official threatens to kick out USAID from country Nov 22, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia said it is ready to “resume” talks with Azerbaijan after Baku indicated it wishes to replace Western-mediated efforts with “direct negotiations.” A senior Azerbaijani official threatened… Read more... The Case for Canadian Arms Exports to Armenia Nov 22, 2023 8:05 pm Senator Leo Housakos has long advocated for stronger Canadian support for Armenia within the Conservative party. In this interview, Civilnet host Patrick Elliott sits down with the veteran senator as… Read more... Exclusive: Armenia declines to say if it considers 2020 ceasefire still in force Nov 21, 2023 10:05 pm A senior Azerbaijani official cast doubt on his country’s willingness to engage in Western-mediated peace talks with Armenia, amid a widening gulf between Yerevan and Baku over competing European- and… Read more... Rerooted: Collecting and preserving the stories of Karabakh Armenians Nov 21, 2023 8:05 pm Ani Schug, cofounder of Rerooted, sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to talk about how she and her team are working to collect oral histories from Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians — and why now is… Read more... “We owe it to our ancestors and future generations to regroup and rebuild”, Dr. Garo Armen Nov 21, 2023 7:05 pm In this episode, we delve into Dr. Garo Armen's life, from his childhood experiences in Istanbul to his life as a successful scientist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist in the US and Armenia. We explore… Read more... Journalism Experts Tackle Complexities of Conflict Coverage Nov 21, 2023 6:05 am By Skylar Yoder The Armenia Project, a new NGO promoting accuracy in the coverage of Armenia, hosted a webinar last Thursday on the challenges of covering contemporary conflicts. The event, which was… Read more... World Court orders Azerbaijan to allow Karabakh Armenians back home Nov 20, 2023 10:05 pm The United Nations’ top court ordered Azerbaijan to guarantee the safety of Armenians who wish to return to their homes in Karabakh after their forced displacement from the region in September. One… Read more... ‘No place for antisemitism’: Armenian government denounces latest synagogue attack Nov 20, 2023 7:29 pm By Mark Dovich The Armenian government has denounced last week’s attempted arson attack on the country’s sole synagogue, but still has made no arrests in connection with the incident. “Antisemitism… Read more... Beyond Survival: Crafting a Narrative of Armenian Innovation Nov 20, 2023 6:05 pm In this podcast, comedian Kev Orkian discusses his new documentary exploring Armenian identity. He shares his perspective on forging a contemporary Armenian narrative focused on achievement over victimhood.… Read more... Provocation and violence by Israelis threaten Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem Nov 18, 2023 11:02 pm By Angela Hassassian In the highly sensitive area of East Jerusalem, which the international community considers to be Palestinian territory held under Israeli occupation, Israeli settlers, backed by… Read more... Artsakh families find refuge in Lori Nov 18, 2023 8:05 pm More than 1,500 families (6000 individuals) from Artsakh have settled in the northern Armenian region of Lori. Most of the displaced families are starting new homes in the region’s capital Vanadzor.… Read more... Azerbaijan’s Past and Future Goals in Armenia Nov 17, 2023 11:42 pm By Christina Markarian In an October 24 panel discussion at the Quincy Institute, a think tank “that emphasizes military restraint and diplomatic engagement,” Shujaat Ahmadzada, an independent Azerbaijani… Read more... Hrant Dink’s killer freed, on parole, in Turkey after nearly 17 years Nov 17, 2023 10:50 pm By Mark Dovich Ogün Samast, the man convicted of killing the prominent Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, was released on parole Wednesday after spending 16 years and 10 months in prison in Turkey. Samast’s… Read more... Armenia greenlights sale of country’s largest cellular company: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Nov 17, 2023 10:08 pm Armenia approved the sale of the country’s largest mobile network operator to a Cyprus-based company with unnamed owners, just months after blocking such a move over national security concerns. More… Read more... Azerbaijan: a profitable prison Nov 17, 2023 3:12 pm By Ismi Aghaev, an OC-Media staff writer Since the spring of 2020, crossing Azerbaijan's land borders has been barred to civilians, allegedly on the basis of the threat of coronavirus. The semi-regular… Read more... Nagorno-Karabakh: What Next? Nov 17, 2023 9:43 am [...] What can be done now to prevent a further escalation of the conflict while the international community’s attention is diverted to the latest war between Israel and Hamas? Protection of Refugees… Read more... Azerbaijan hits back at US for ‘unacceptable’ remarks on peace process Nov 16, 2023 10:05 pm The spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry blasted Armenia for its increasing turn to the West, warning that “an attempt to sit on two chairs will not end well for anyone.” A senior U.S. diplomat… Read more... Shining a Light on Armenia’s POWs in Baku Nov 16, 2023 8:05 pm This week on Insights, host Eric Hacopian discusses the urgent issue of Armenian prisoners of war still detained in Azerbaijan years after the November 9 ceasefire agreement. He also shared key statements… Read more... ‘No business as usual’ with Azerbaijan until progress on peace with Armenia, says US Nov 15, 2023 10:52 pm By Mark Dovich “The question is Aliyev.” That’s what a senior U.S. diplomat has said in response to a question about the prospects for reaching a long-elusive peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.… Read more... Armenia welcomes possible EU visa liberalization Nov 15, 2023 10:05 pm “We don’t get answers by participating anyway.” Armenia’s security chief commented on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s decision not to attend an upcoming Russian military alliance summit. Armenia… Read more... Oskanian on the right of return and self-determination for the people of Karabakh Nov 15, 2023 2:43 pm Vartan Oskanian, who served as Armenia’s foreign minister from 1998-2008, presented his thoughts on the right of return and self-determination for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh: —The violence and… Read more... Karabakh, gas for electricity, corridors: Exclusive with Iran’s ambassador Nov 15, 2023 6:42 am By Mark Dovich Iran’s ambassador to Armenia has expressed his support for the rights of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians, his hopes to expand economic ties between Yerevan and Tehran, and his opposition… Read more... Armenia and UK launch new ‘strategic dialogue’ Nov 14, 2023 10:05 pm The European Union recommends expanding its monitoring mission on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and considering supplying defense equipment to Armenia. The company that operates one of Georgia’s main… Read more... Azerbaijan cannot ignore Karabakh Armenians’ rights: Iran’s envoy to Yerevan Nov 13, 2023 10:05 pm Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan again said Yerevan hopes to sign a peace treaty with Baku in the near future, even as he questioned Azerbaijan’s commitment to the peace process. Pashinyan met… Read more... World Central Kitchen provides meals to forcibly displaced Karabakh Armenians Nov 11, 2023 8:05 pm The World Central Kitchen, founded by chef José Andrés, and the Armenian General Benevolent Union are working together to provide meals for forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh.The effort… Read more... ‘Strong growth’ in Armenia despite global economic troubles, IMF says: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Nov 10, 2023 10:05 pm 2 million tourists visited Armenia in the first 10 months of the year, smashing the country’s all-time record for yearly visitors — with two months in the year still left to go. The IMF plans to expand… Read more... Armenia’s First Real Shot at the Oscars: Amerikatsi Nov 10, 2023 6:31 pm By Mane Berikyan Armenia’s selection for the 96th Academy Awards, Michael Goorjian’s Amerikatsi, seems to be Oscars-bound. For the first time in movie history, an Armenian film stands a real shot… Read more... G7 urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to return to negotiating table Nov 09, 2023 10:05 pm The Group of Seven advanced countries, plus the European Union, called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to return to the negotiating table and reach a peace deal. The United States’ banking watchdog ordered… Read more... Solving educational challenges through gamification Nov 09, 2023 9:05 pm Professor Mark Nowacki played chess professionally when he was a student. Now, he is helping students of all ages learn at schools, universities, and elsewhere while playing and enjoying the game. His… Read more... Azerbaijan’s dictator shows no signs of stopping Nov 09, 2023 8:05 pm This week on Insights, host Eric Hacopian breaks down Armenia's latest economic data that shows signs of strong growth. He also gives details about the new Armenian-French defense agreement and its strategic… Read more... Minimal accountability for war crimes in Nagorno-Karabakh sets dangerous precedent Nov 09, 2023 6:22 am Skylar Yoder The limited prospect that Azerbaijani officials will be held responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Armenians from the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region raises questions about the ability… Read more... US, Russia reaffirm commitment to Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks Nov 08, 2023 10:05 pm A military court in Azerbaijan sentenced Vagif Khachatryan, an Armenian man from Nagorno-Karabakh, to 15 years in prison on charges of genocide and forcible population transfer. Khachatryan has repeatedly… Read more... How Armenia Is Becoming a Tech Investment Hotspot Nov 08, 2023 8:05 pm In this exclusive interview with Civilnet, Armenia’s Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan lays out his vision to transform and diversify key industries, attract major investment and modernize infrastructure. … Read more... Armenia’s top general holds talks with US military Nov 07, 2023 10:05 pm Armen Grigoryan, Armenia’s security chief, declined to attend an upcoming meeting with his counterparts from other former Soviet countries in Russia. Armenia’s top army officials held talks on defense… Read more... Advocating for Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan Nov 07, 2023 8:05 pm Lori Yeni-Komshian is an attorney who relocated from San Francisco to Armenia about a year ago to participate in human rights initiatives, including with the Center for Truth and Justice and the International… Read more... Standoff in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter over land deal ends without incident Nov 06, 2023 10:05 pm Germany’s foreign minister urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume peace talks mediated by the European Union during a first-of-its-kind visit to the region. A standoff between members of Jerusalem’s… Read more... AND IN OTHER NEWS: The Aftermath of Ethnic Cleansing Nov 06, 2023 8:23 pm Last month saw the tragic fallout of Azerbaijan's September ethnic cleansing campaign against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. Here's a social media roundup of how the difficult month played out as… Read more... Grappling with loss, rebuilding a life after the fall of Karabakh Nov 06, 2023 8:05 pm Aida Avagyan and her four children were evacuated from the village of Aghavno in Nagorno-Karabakh last August, just days before it was handed over to Azerbaijan as part of a Russia-brokered ceasefire… Read more... Confusion over the legal status of Karabakh refugees Nov 06, 2023 2:04 am By Ani Avetisyan The Armenian government announced that it will give Karabakh Armenians refugee status and Armenian citizenship if requested. Karabakh Armenians, however, thought that they were already… Read more... Strengthening ties between US and Armenia through the Armenian Assembly Nov 04, 2023 7:05 pm The Armenian Assembly of America has advocated for Armenian issues in the US for 50 years. Host Patrick Elliott sat down with Bryan Ardouny, Executive Director of the Armenian Assembly of America,… Read more... Metal plant in Armenian border village to relocate after Azerbaijani shelling: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Nov 03, 2023 10:05 pm The company behind a scrap metal plant under construction in the Armenian border village of Yeraskh reportedly plans to relocate the $70-million project. Preliminary results from an independent feasibility… Read more... Hostages in Baku Nov 03, 2023 8:05 pm Host Patrick Elliott sits down with Vahan Zanoyan, a national security adviser and writer, to discuss the fate of the former Karabakh leadership currently held in Baku jails. Read more... US warns of ‘serious consequences’ if Azerbaijan invades Armenia Nov 02, 2023 10:05 pm The United States warned that any violation of Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would lead to “serious consequences,” without elaborating. Russia criticized Armenia for participating… Read more... France stepping up amid deteriorating ties with Russia Nov 02, 2023 8:05 pm In this podcast episode, host Patrick and commentator Eric Hacopian discuss the recent signing of a bilateral military cooperation agreement between France and Armenia, as well as the Armenian hostages… Read more... French defense partnership with Armenia is a signal to NATO allies and the region Nov 02, 2023 7:35 pm In an exclusive interview, host Patrick Elliott sits down with His Excellency Olivier Decottignies, France's Ambassador to Armenia, to discuss the most important issues in the bilateral relationship. … Read more... EU monitoring mission in Armenia opens new headquarters in country’s southeast Nov 01, 2023 10:05 pm The European Union’s border monitoring mission in Armenia reached full operational capacity with the opening of a headquarters in the town of Yeghegnadzor in the Vayots Dzor region. The Armenian Patriarchate… Read more... Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia: Insights from Germany Nov 01, 2023 12:42 pm Gevorg Tosunyan The format of the traditional Friday meetings in the Armenian community building in Berlin has recently changed. As a rule, representatives of the Armenian community gather here to communicate… Read more... At least 64 reported dead during mass Karabakh exodus Oct 31, 2023 10:05 pm At least 64 people died on the road during last month’s mass exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh, according to Armenia’s Investigative Committee. Armenia plans to demolish and completely rebuild its checkpoint… Read more... How Conspiracy Took Over Azerbaijan Oct 31, 2023 9:05 pm Host Patrick Elliott sits down with researcher Alexander Thatcher to discuss his groundbreaking analysis of 'High Armenophobia' - the conspiratorial nationalism that has taken over Azerbaijan. Thatcher… Read more... Understanding reached on ‘main principles’ for peace treaty: Pashinyan Oct 30, 2023 10:05 pm Armen Grigoryan, the head of Armenia’s Security Council, met for the first time with Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, to discuss ‘strengthening cooperation.’ Armenia and… Read more... OPEC expects global oil demand to increase by 16% by 2045 Oct 30, 2023 10:37 am The article was published by World Energy Weekly (October 30 issue), a publication of Petrostrategies, a French think-tank. The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) comments about the “beginning of… Read more... Armenia tax revenues up 17%: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Oct 27, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia and Iran agreed to end road tolls for trucks crossing their border. Armenia’s economic activity index grew by 9.7% in the first nine months of the year. Armenia’s 1,000 biggest companies paid… Read more... Hungary to open consulate in Armenia, foreign minister says on first visit Oct 27, 2023 3:18 pm By Mark Dovich Hungary plans to open a consulate in Armenia in a sign of mending ties between the two long-estranged countries. “I have requested permission to open a consulate in Yerevan,” Hungarian… Read more... Armenia looking to ‘diversify’ security partners, Pashinyan says Oct 26, 2023 10:05 pm Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed Armenia is seeking to “diversify” its security partners, while indicating he is not currently considering withdrawing the country from its defense arrangements… Read more... Armenia’s EU Rapprochement Oct 26, 2023 8:05 pm In this week's episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian analyzes the latest developments in Azerbaijan and calls out the lack of consequences for those responsible for the Artsakh crisis. First, Eric discusses… Read more... Why is France arming Armenia? Oct 26, 2023 9:42 am By Tigran Yegavian On October 23, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu officially announced the sale of a number of weapons to Armenia. These are purely defensive weapons designed to protect the… Read more... Armenia summons Russian ambassador over anti-Pashinyan TV segment Oct 25, 2023 10:05 pm Yerevan handed a protest note to the Russian ambassador to Armenia after Russian state television aired a program critical of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. In an unexpected move, Russia’s… Read more... No longer a ‘subsidiary of Russia’: Armenia’s growing trade with Belgium Oct 25, 2023 8:05 pm Valéry Safarian, president of the Belgian Armenian Chamber of Commerce, sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to talk about his efforts to promote trade between Yerevan and Brussels and where he sees… Read more... Viacheslav Morozov: Imperial Legacies, Postcoloniality, and Experiences of Displacement Oct 25, 2023 5:05 pm Viacheslav Morozov, Professor of EU-Russia Studies at the University of Tartu and the Academic Director of the Center for Eurasian and Russian Studies, delivered a lecture titled “Imperial Legacies,… Read more... Top diplomats from Armenia and Turkey hold rare meeting in Iran Oct 24, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, and Turkey stressed the need for peace in the South Caucasus in a joint communiqué following a first-of-its-kind ‘3+3’ summit. Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie… Read more... Armenia signs first-of-its-kind arms deal with France Oct 23, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia and France are expected to sign a first-of-its-kind arms deal that will allow Yerevan to purchase defensive weapons from Paris. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan traveled to Tehran to… Read more... On the frontlines, volunteers in Syunik share stories of hope and heartbreak Oct 23, 2023 8:05 pm On September 24, tens of thousands of Armenians began to flee their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh and make the arduous journey to Armenia’s bordering region of Syunik. After nearly a year of blockade and… Read more... Karabakh conflict has not affected Armenia’s credit rating, Fitch says: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Oct 20, 2023 10:05 pm The credit rating agency Fitch declined to lower Armenia’s sovereign credit rating following Azerbaijan’s lightning offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh last month. ‘The Armenian economy’s growth… Read more... Responsibility for the Nagorno-Karabakh Debacle Oct 20, 2023 10:31 am By Hrair Balian In September, while world leaders were in New York for the United Nations General Assembly deliberating about international cooperation, rule of law, human rights, and the peaceful resolution… Read more... Brussels to Baku: Recognize Armenia’s Territorial Integrity Oct 19, 2023 10:05 pm The European Union called on Azerbaijan to ensure the return of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians to their homes and recognize Armenia’s territorial integrity. About 3,000 people forcibly displaced from… Read more... Stabbed In The Front: Russia’s Betrayal of Armenia Oct 19, 2023 9:05 pm CivilNet host and commentator Patrick Elliott sits down with political analyst and former parliamentarian Mikayel Zolyan to discuss Armenian- Russian relations. They cover prime minister Pashinyan’s… Read more... Is another assault coming for Armenia? Oct 19, 2023 8:05 pm In a rare diplomatic meeting between Russia, the US, and the EU in Turkey, the blockade of Artsakh was discussed at a high level. A few questions from this under the radar meeting remain, namely: Was… Read more... Special Forces Detain Students, Target Demonstrators in Yerevan Oct 19, 2023 12:59 am By Skylar Yoder The alleged arbitrary detention of students and other university members in Yerevan by elite law enforcement in late September has raised attention in Armenia on the treatment of demonstrators… Read more... Historical Revisionism and the Republic of Artsakh Oct 19, 2023 12:10 am By Christina Markarian On September 28, President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Samvel Shahramanyan, signed a decree to dissolve all state institutions by January 1, 2024. In this decree, Azerbaijan… Read more... Armenia turning into another Ukraine, Russian state media warns Oct 18, 2023 10:05 pm TASS, a Russian state-run news agency, compared Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, warning against attempts to ‘turn Armenia into another Ukraine.’… Read more... Fortress Armenia: Armenia’s Ongoing Military Reforms Oct 18, 2023 8:05 pm Defense analyst Leonid Nersisyan shares his expertise on Armenia's extensive military reforms in the aftermath of the 2020 Karabakh War. He analyzes key acquisitions from new partners like India… Read more... Armenia will deepen ties with EU, Pashinyan says Oct 17, 2023 10:05 pm Pashinyan said Armenia is prepared to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan by the end of the year in a speech at the European Parliament. In addition, Pashinyan said Armenia will deepen relations with… Read more... The Last Days in Artsakh Oct 17, 2023 8:05 pm Following Azerbaijan’s attack on Karabakh on September 19-20, authorities announced the dissolution of the Karabakh Defense Army and state institutions. Tens of thousands of Armenians took whatever… Read more... Assessing the UN’s Role in the Armenian Genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh Oct 17, 2023 7:05 pm In this episode, Patrick Elliott sits down with Hasmik Egian, a 30-year veteran of the UN who previously oversaw UN Security Council affairs. They discuss the organization's effectiveness in preventing… Read more... Confusion over Blinken’s alleged claims that Azerbaijan plans to invade Armenia Oct 17, 2023 10:05 am By Ani Avetisyan A recent Politico report quoted US lawmakers as saying that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had told them earlier in October that Azerbaijan could invade Armenia in the coming weeks.… Read more... Aliyev tours ethnically cleansed Karabakh Oct 16, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claimed a ‘historic victory’ on a visit to Stepanakert, making no mention of the more than 100,000 Armenians who were forcibly displaced from their homes there last… Read more... Bread and Life. The Flavors of Place and Time Oct 16, 2023 7:35 pm What is traditional Armenian bread? How is it prepared and with what ingredients? To understand these intricacies, Ani moved from Yerevan to Dilijan to create a little research corner. This short film… Read more... Armenia’s Tourism Boom: The Strategy for Record Breaking Growth Oct 14, 2023 7:05 pm Head of Armenia's Tourism Committee Sisian Boghossian sits down with CivilNet to reveal how Armenia plans to double its annual tourism numbers to over 2 million visitors this year. Boghossian pulls back… Read more... Armenia on track to smash all-time tourism record: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Oct 13, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia is on track to smash its all-time tourism record, with 1.85 million people visiting the country in the first nine months of the year. The majority came from Russia. The IMF hiked Armenia’s projected… Read more... Artsakh: Symbols of Solidarity Oct 13, 2023 5:12 am By Skylar Yoder Images throughout Yerevan, Armenia display symbols of solidarity for Artsakh Armenians. “Selling products to raise funds for people from Artsakh” notes a sign at Altar Coffee house… Read more... France to introduce UN Security Council resolution on Karabakh Oct 12, 2023 10:05 pm France plans to introduce a resolution at the United Nations Security Council to ensure the right of return for Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. Hearings began at the International Court of Justice forcase… Read more... Op ed: Addressing Armenia’s Demographic Challenges Oct 12, 2023 12:17 am By Alec Seferian Since its independence from the Soviet Union on September 21,1991, Armenia’s population has declined from 3.6 million people to 2.8 million, according to data from World Population… Read more... Armenia says its foreign policy not changing despite fraying Russia ties Oct 11, 2023 10:05 pm Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan insisted he is not changing Armenia’s foreign policy “vector,” despite fraying relations with Russia and deepening ties with Europe. Pashinyan and his foreign minister… Read more... ‘We still believe that we will return’ Oct 11, 2023 7:57 pm By Sona Hovsepyan Malishka, Armenia (CivilNet) - “No one wants to leave their own home, but after that horror, we didn’t have any other option. Even though we didn't have a very luxurious house,… Read more... A new community for Artsakh Armenians Oct 10, 2023 9:28 pm In the wake of the mass exodus of the 120,000 Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) residents to Armenia, six families that were forcibly displaced have found refuge in Jaghatzadzor village in Gegharkunik Region.… Read more... In Armenia, aid workers pack up as displaced persons find a new normal Oct 10, 2023 6:34 am By Skylar Yoder On the way out of Yerevan, the seemingly endless lines of grape vines used for wine cultivation stood out. Perhaps even more striking though, was the contrast between the colorful, lush… Read more... The West has no plans to sanction Azerbaijan Oct 10, 2023 12:16 am By Ani Avetisyan Officials in Armenia, the European Parliament and a number of US Congressmen called for sanctions against Azerbaijan following its attack on Nagorno-Karabakh and the ethnic cleansing… Read more... Russia ‘considering’ organizing fresh Armenia-Azerbaijan talks Oct 09, 2023 10:05 pm Moscow is “considering” organizing talks with the foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia on Thursday in Kyrgyzstan. Russia reaffirmed its plans to open a consulate in Syunik, Armenia’s… Read more... ‘We have suffered another genocide’: Garo Paylan on Artsakh Oct 09, 2023 8:05 pm Garo Paylan, one of Turkey’s leading democracy activists and one of the few Armenians ever to serve in Turkey’s parliament, sits down with CivilNet’s Eric Hacopian to talk about Azerbaijan’s genocide… Read more... Turkey and Azerbaijan compete for Europe’s gas market Oct 09, 2023 10:33 am The article was published in World Energy Weekly (October 9, 2023 issue), a publication of Petrostrategies, a French think-tank specializing in energy issues. Turkey is increasing its gas sales in Europe,… Read more... Who are the Karabakh leaders in Azerbaijani custody Oct 09, 2023 8:01 am By Ani Avetisyan Following Nagorno-Karabakh’s surrender to Azerbaijan on September 22, which resulted in the complete ethnic cleansing of the 120,000 Armenians in the region, Azerbaijan began arresting… Read more... Business leaders call for human rights to be upheld in Nagorno-Karabakh Oct 07, 2023 7:31 pm Global business leaders sent a public letter to the President of Azerbaijan last month urging the government to uphold human rights for all those in Nagorno-Karabakh. The letter was signed by Paul Polman… Read more... BP’s urgent responsibilities in the conflict and exodus in Nagorno-Karabakh Oct 07, 2023 4:39 am Two experts on the human rights responsibilities of business, Phil Bloomer and Nora Mardirossian, wrote a blog this week analyzing BP’s responsibilities in the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh.… Read more... Holdup of brandy trucks raises fears of trade war with Russia: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Oct 06, 2023 10:05 pm Yerevan insisted there was no “political subtext” to the holdup of dozens of Armenian brandy trucks on Russia’s border, as ties with Moscow continue to fray. Armenia’s currency, the dram, tumbled… Read more... Winning the Other War Oct 06, 2023 8:35 pm Arda Nazerian Haratunian, a strategic communications advisor who serves as a board member at the Armenian General Benevolent Union and a founding board member at The Armenia Project, sits down with CivilNet’s… Read more... Nikol Pashinyan meets Zelenskyy amid tensions with Russia Oct 06, 2023 12:18 am By Ani Avetisyan Amid brewing tension between Armenia and Russia over the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met for the first… Read more... European Parliament calls for sanctions on Azerbaijan Oct 05, 2023 10:05 pm Yerevan was ready to sign a “landmark document” with Baku before Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev pulled out of a planned meeting today, Armenia’s Nikol Pashinyan said. Germany’s Olaf Scholz spoke… Read more... The Right Moment for Aliyev Oct 05, 2023 8:05 pm In this week’s episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian talks about why Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev chose this moment to ethnically cleanse Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians, how the United Nations’… Read more... World Vision’s humanitarian strategies for Armenia and Karabakh Oct 05, 2023 7:05 pm World Vision’s Regional Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Director Julian Srodecki sits down with CivilNet to discuss how the organization’s local office is scaling up humanitarian efforts in Armenia.… Read more... The Dissidents of Soviet Armenia Oct 05, 2023 2:06 pm Who were the Soviet dissidents and where did they come from? How and why did they develop aspirations for an independent Armenia? This film was produced ahead of Armenia's Independence Day on September… Read more... A non-technical take on possible economic measures in the wake of Armenia’s humanitarian crisis Oct 05, 2023 10:33 am Aleksandr V. Gevorkyan, Ph.D. In thinking about an opening statement for this brief sketch of ideas, I wondered about possible examples of economic responses to refugee crises like what Armenia… Read more... Azerbaijan detains senior Karabakh officials Oct 04, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pulled out of talks planned for tomorrow with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the leaders of France, Germany, and the EU. Top officials from the EU, U.S.,… Read more... Childhood under siege Oct 03, 2023 6:25 am The short film by Ani Balayan and Nina Shahverdyan looks at life in Nagorno-Karabakh before the 2023 ethnic cleansing. It's a story through the eyes of Nvard and her family. Read more... CivilNet’s Karabakh team arrives safely in Yerevan Oct 02, 2023 10:05 pm The total number of people who have fled from Karabakh to Armenia now stands at more than 100,000. That represents nearly all of the region’s population. At least four high-ranking Karabakh officials… Read more... War Crimes in Karabakh: Will Aliyev See His Day in Court? Oct 02, 2023 8:05 pm Hon. Gassia Apkarian of the Center for Truth and Justice joins CivilNet to discuss the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and efforts to achieve justice through legal means. Hon. Apkarian… Read more... UN arrives in Karabakh — but what’s the point? Oct 02, 2023 6:47 pm By Mark Dovich Amid reports that nearly all of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians have fled, a United Nations needs assessment mission reached the region on Sunday, marking the first time in about three decades… Read more... AND IN OTHER NEWS: World Reacts to Ethnic Cleansing in Karabakh Oct 02, 2023 6:34 pm In just a week’s time, Nagorno-Karabakh has gone from a wounded but still proud and vibrant land of over 100,000 residents, to one bloodied, broken, and almost completely devoid of its people. On social… Read more... Armenian businesses rally to support Karabakh refugees: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Sep 29, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia’s business community is rallying to support the tens of thousands of people displaced by Azerbaijan’s assault on Nagorno-Karabakh last week. In less than a week, more than 90,000 people –… Read more... “We waited to get out of the blockade, not from our homeland” Sep 29, 2023 8:05 pm Tens of thousands of people fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh continue to arrive in Goris, Armenia after a treacherous journey through the Lachin Corridor. Following a nearly ten-month blockade that left the region… Read more... Western aid for Karabakh Armenians Sep 29, 2023 7:56 pm As authorities declared the dissolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the majority of the population fled the region, the US, EU member states, and global aid organizations started sending aid… Read more... Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to be dissolved as Armenians flee en masse Sep 28, 2023 10:05 pm The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic will be formally dissolved by the end of the year. Over 70,000 people from Nagorno-Karabakh have fled to Armenia, according to the latest figures. Azerbaijan brought criminal… Read more... Fleeing for their lives, Armenians from Karabakh share stories of war and displacement Sep 28, 2023 6:35 pm During the last few days, the forcibly displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) have been arriving in Syunik where they are registered and directed to the allocated shelters. People who have… Read more... Fleeing the Horrors of War: Stories From Nagorno-Karabakh Sep 28, 2023 6:05 pm Journalist Raffi Elliott has been in Kornidzor, Armenia during the last few days, greeting and interviewing those fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh. In this video, we sit down with Raffi to get a first-hand… Read more... Nikol Pashinyan Must Resign to Salvage What’s Left of Armenia’s Sovereignty Sep 28, 2023 11:15 am Op-ed by Karen Harutyunyan, Editor-in-Chief "The future of Armenia depends on one person, and that person is me. The future of Armenia depends on one person, and that person is you," Prime Minister Nikol… Read more... BREAKING: Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to be formally dissolved Sep 28, 2023 10:37 am The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic will be formally dissolved by the end of the year. All government agencies are ordered to be disbanded by January 1, 2024, according to a decree issued Thursday by President… Read more... Over 50,000 Karabakh Armenians Have Fled to Armenia Sep 27, 2023 8:35 pm Roughly half of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population has now fled to Armenia. In addition, nearly 250 seriously wounded people have been evacuated from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. Azerbaijani forces detained… Read more... BREAKING: Ruben Vardanyan detained by Azerbaijan while trying to leave Karabakh Sep 27, 2023 2:51 pm Ruben Vardanyan, the billionaire businessman and philanthropist who briefly served as Nagorno-Karabakh’s state minister, was detained by Azerbaijan Wednesday as he tried to leave Nagorno-Karabakh for… Read more... Thousands flee from Karabakh to Armenia as region reels after Azerbaijan’s deadly attack Sep 26, 2023 8:35 pm Arrivals to Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh approached 20,000 Tuesday, as thousands of displaced people continued to flood into the country following Azerbaijan’s deadly attack last week. A powerful explosion… Read more... USAID chief dodges questions on Washington’s response to Baku’s assault on Karabakh Sep 26, 2023 8:33 pm By Mark Dovich During a 30-minute, highly-managed press conference in Yerevan Monday, where only pre-selected media were allowed to ask questions, USAID chief Samantha Power pledged to support Armenia’s… Read more... ‘The worst-case scenario is now underway’: Who is to blame for the Karabakh catastrophe? Sep 26, 2023 8:05 pm Tigran Grigoryan, the head of the Regional Center for Democracy and Security, talks to CivilNet about Azerbaijan’s assault last week on Nagorno-Karabakh, the global (non-)response to the situation,… Read more... Arrivals to Armenia top 13,000 as mass exodus from Karabakh continues Sep 26, 2023 2:56 pm 13,550 people forcibly displaced from their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh had reached Armenia as of 8 o’clock Tuesday morning, according to the latest official figures. Most of them have traveled in their… Read more... Chaos, exodus and explosion in Karabakh amid ethnic cleansing Sep 26, 2023 2:50 am The opening of the Lachin corridor on Sunday was followed by the mass exodus of Karabakh Armenians to Armenia and a fuel warehouse explosion, leaving hundreds wounded and an unclear number of dead. … Read more... Farewell to Home for Karabakh Armenians Sep 25, 2023 9:10 pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uQqidLaapQ CivilNet Artsakh reporter Hayk Ghazaryan is walking through the streets of Stepanakert, Karabakh to retrieve gasoline for his family. Unwilling to live under… Read more... Ethnic Cleansing in Artsakh Sep 25, 2023 7:05 pm Hosts Eric Hacopian and Patrick Elliott cover the ongoing humanitarian situation in Artsakh as well as the first convoys of displaced persons that arrived in Armenia. They also reveal the first… Read more... First displaced people from Karabakh arrive in Armenia en masse Sep 25, 2023 5:27 pm As of early Monday afternoon, more than 4,800 displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh have arrived in Armenia, even as the Nagorno-Karabakh government urged people to temporarily refrain from traveling… Read more... USAID chief Samantha Power visits Armenia amid mass exodus of Karabakh Armenians Sep 25, 2023 2:34 pm By Mane Berikyan Senior Biden Administration officials, including U.S. Agency for International Development chief Samantha Power, arrived in Armenia for a historic visit on Monday. This marks the first-ever… Read more... With ethnic cleansing underway, Armenians begin leaving Karabakh Sep 24, 2023 6:43 pm The first group of displaced Nagorno-Karabakh citizens has arrived in Syunik, Armenia on Sunday, CivilNet's Armine Simonyan reports from the southern Armenian region. The group of about 40 people is being… Read more... Protecting Human Rights in the Line of Fire: Nagorno-Karabakh and the UN Sep 22, 2023 8:05 pm In this conversation with CivilNet’s Patrick Elliott, UN human rights lawyer Sheila Paylan discusses how international human rights law and UN resolutions can help address the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. … Read more... ‘A bankruptcy of EU and US diplomacy’: What the Karabakh crisis means for the West Sep 22, 2023 7:19 pm Stefan Meister of the German Council on Foreign Relations, joins CivilNet to talk about the implications of Azerbaijan’s attack on Nagorno-Karabakh this week, and what it all means for the future of… Read more... UN holds emergency talks on Karabakh as protests rock Yerevan Sep 22, 2023 4:05 pm The United Nations Security Council met for emergency talks on the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh Thursday, as protests rocked Armenia for a third consecutive day. The country’s political opposition says… Read more... Pashinyan says Armenia ready to host Karabakh Armenians Sep 21, 2023 10:17 pm By Ani Avetisyan Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated Thursday in a Facebook Live session that according to their “assessment”, there is no “direct threat” for Karabakh’s Armenian… Read more... Opposition lawmaker beaten at anti-government protests in Armenia Sep 21, 2023 7:05 pm Gegham Manukyan, a well-known lawmaker from the opposition Armenia Alliance bloc, says he was beaten by a police officer at an anti-government protest earlier this week in Yerevan, Armenia’s capital.… Read more... Baku & Artsakh Meeting: Negotiations at the Barrel of a Gun Sep 21, 2023 5:44 pm Hosts Eric Hacopian and Patrick Elliott discuss the negotiations in Yevlakh between the representatives of Artsakh and Baku, as well as the upcoming UN Security Council meeting and what that could mean… Read more... Officials meet for ‘reintegration’ talks as Karabakh death toll tops 200 Sep 21, 2023 11:51 am By Mark Dovich Officials from Stepanakert and Baku convened Thursday morning for talks on “reintegrating” Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan, as the death toll in the region topped 200. The delegations… Read more... Kremlin set up guidelines for media coverage of Karabakh crisis Sep 20, 2023 10:54 pm By Angela Hassassian The independent Russian news agency Meduza says it has exposed Kremlin's guidelines sent to media, which emphasized framing the Nagorno-Karabakh narrative to depict Armenia and its… Read more... Nagorno-Karabakh surrenders to Azerbaijan, population awaits for next steps Sep 20, 2023 10:18 pm By Ani Avetisyan Following the intense fighting and shelling of civilian infrastructure overnight, the authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to surrender on Wednesdsay and meet with Baku’s representatives… Read more... Update on CivilNet Staff and Newsroom in Stepanakert Sep 20, 2023 8:52 pm By Syuzanna Petrosyan Hasmik Khachatryan, CivilNet’s videographer in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), has been in a bomb shelter for the last 24 hours in the region’s capital Stepanakert. Reporter… Read more... “A heroic resistance,” CivilNet reporter in Karabakh Sep 20, 2023 8:03 pm Click CC on bottom right for English subtitles. https://youtu.be/d1yVP79YyVQ In Karabakh's capital Stepanakert, the sounds of shelling and gunfire continue to be heard regularly CivilNet's Artsakh correspondent… Read more... Karabakh agrees to ceasefire 24 hours after Azerbaijan launches strikes Sep 20, 2023 6:28 pm The Nagorno-Karabakh government has agreed to fully disarm and disband its armed forces in a ceasefire deal brokered by the Russian peacekeepers. The decision comes just 24 hours after Azerbaijan launched… Read more... Artsakh Surrenders: What Comes Next? Sep 20, 2023 2:23 pm Today, hosts Eric Hacopian and Patrick Elliott break down the assault on Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) by Azerbaijani forces, as well as the ceasefire agreement that has been declared in return for the disbanding… Read more... At least 27 killed in Karabakh as fighting enters second day Sep 20, 2023 12:36 pm At least 27 people have been killed and more than 200 injured as Azerbaijan’s military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh continued overnight and into its second day Wednesday morning. Read more... Artsakh Under Assault: Making Sense of the Escalation Sep 19, 2023 7:30 pm Today, hosts Eric Hacopian and Patrick Elliott break down the ongoing assault on Nagorno Karabakh (a Artsakh) by Azerbaijani forces, with the direct assistance of Turkey. On September 19, almost 3 years… Read more... Macron pledges to convene UN Security Council Sep 19, 2023 6:47 pm Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held separate phone calls Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss Azerbaijan’s move earlier in the… Read more... Karabakh says intensity of Azerbaijani fire has ‘decreased significantly’ Sep 19, 2023 6:12 pm As of about 5:15 PM local time, “the intensity of fire along the line of contact has decreased significantly,” according to the Artsakh Defense Army. No other details were made immediately available.… Read more... BREAKING: At least 2 dead as Azerbaijan launches major attack on Karabakh Sep 19, 2023 5:44 pm Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh around 1 p.m. Tuesday, authorities in Stepanakert announced. There are at least two dead and 11 injured, including children. Read more... The results of Azerbaijani shelling Sep 19, 2023 5:37 pm The results of Azerbaijani shelling. Read more... Stepanakert is under attack Sep 19, 2023 5:34 pm Stepanakert is under attack. Read more... ‘Russian peacekeepers must take action,’ Pashinyan says Sep 19, 2023 5:19 pm “Azerbaijan has launched a ground operation to subject Artsakh’s population to ethnic cleansing. The Russian peacekeepers must take action, and secondly, the United Nations Security Council must take… Read more... Pashinyan calls emergency meeting as Azerbaijan launches ‘large-scale’ attack on Karabakh Sep 19, 2023 3:46 pm Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan convened an emergency meeting of Armenia’s Security Council Tuesday afternoon in response to Azerbaijan’s move earlier in the day to launch a “large-scale military… Read more... Azerbaijan ‘implementing genocide,’ Karabakh foreign minister says amid shelling Sep 19, 2023 2:54 pm “Now we are witnessing how Azerbaijan, in order to implement its policy of genocide, is moving towards the physical destruction of the civilian population and the destruction of civilian objects,”… Read more... Air raid sirens blare in Stepanakert as Azerbaijan launches ‘anti-terrorist activities’ Sep 19, 2023 2:23 pm Air raid sirens blared in Stepanakert Tuesday afternoon after Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry announced it was launching “local anti-terrorist activities” in Nagorno-Karabakh. “Azerbaijan has launched… Read more... Red Cross aid trucks reach Karabakh via Lachin and Aghdam Sep 18, 2023 8:05 pm The International Committee of the Red Cross sent two aid trucks to Nagorno-Karabakh, one via the Lachin corridor, the other via the Aghdam road. Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party lost its majority… Read more... Pashinyan’s party loses majority in Yerevan elections Sep 18, 2023 8:52 am By Mark Dovich and Syuzanna Petrosyan Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party failed to gather enough votes during Sunday’s election to keep its majority in Yerevan’s city… Read more... Yerevan Election Day Sep 17, 2023 7:26 pm Yerevan residents went to the polls today for the first time in five years to elect a new city council. CivilNet visited one of the city’s 475 polling places to speak with voters about what changes… Read more... Armenia raises growth projections above 7%: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Sep 15, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia’s Central Bank lowered its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 9.75%, as inflation continues to ease. It marks the bank’s third interest rate cut so far this year. Armenia’s monetary… Read more... 14 Points for Armenia-Azerbaijan Talks, by Vartan Oskanian Sep 15, 2023 8:45 pm By Vartan Oskanian, Armenia's Former Foreign Minister Here are my talking points for diplomats, professionals and laymen when it comes to debates and discussions concerning Armenia-Azerbaijan talks and… Read more... US will not tolerate ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Nagorno-Karabakh, State Department official says Sep 15, 2023 6:57 pm By Mane Berikyan In a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing Thursday on the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, a high-ranking U.S. State Department official said the United States will not tolerate any… Read more... Pollution, poor waste management among top issues for Yerevan residents in Sunday’s election Sep 15, 2023 6:47 pm By Mark Dovich Hundreds of thousands of Yerevan residents will head to the polls Sunday for the first time in five years to elect a new mayor and city council. Last month, CivilNet’s team visited a… Read more... Lachin corridor remains closed even after Russia delivers aid Sep 14, 2023 10:05 pm Karabakh plans to distribute limited humanitarian aid only to vulnerable families. The Russian-facilitated aid arrived to Karabakh through Azerbaijan. Armenia plans to join the International Criminal… Read more... Young volunteers in Karabakh deliver food to those in need Sep 14, 2023 9:05 pm For the last two months, 16-year-old Karabakh resident Nare has been volunteering to help deliver food to those in need. The critical shortages in food, medicine, and other supplies in Nagorno Karabakh… Read more... Armenia’s balancing act between Russia and the west Sep 14, 2023 8:05 pm In this episode of INSIGHTS, Eric breaks down the events surrounding the ongoing blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan and Armenia's delicate balancing act as it gradually attempts to reduce Kremlin… Read more... Ending the Nagorno-Karabakh Siege, lessons from Syria Sep 14, 2023 2:54 pm By David Akopyan and Hrair Balian The conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh and Syria have distinct root causes and regional contexts. However, they share the common thread of authoritarian… Read more... EU, Russia, US call on Baku to open Karabakh corridor for aid Sep 13, 2023 10:05 pm The European Union, Russia, and United States called on Azerbaijan to partially reopen the Lachin corridor to allow humanitarian organizations to supply aid to Karabakh. Armenia’s Defense Ministry reported… Read more... Richard Giragosian: United States in the Caucasus Sep 13, 2023 9:05 pm Richard Giragosian, the head of Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center, spoke about the United States’ policy in the South Caucasus at an international symposium on Russia organized by the Middlebury… Read more... Russia has ‘no problems’ with Armenia, Putin insists Sep 12, 2023 10:05 pm A Russian truck with desperately needed humanitarian aid reached Karabakh after an unexplained delay while transiting through Azerbaijan. Armenia’s Nikol Pashinyan and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan… Read more... 9 months of blockade in Karabakh Sep 12, 2023 7:02 pm By Mark Dovich Azerbaijan’s near-total blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh entered its ninth month Tuesday. Isolation from the outside world has pushed Nagorno-Karabakh’s roughly 120,000 Armenians to the… Read more... Russian aid for Karabakh reportedly stalled in Azerbaijan Sep 11, 2023 10:05 pm Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told world leaders he is “ready and willing to hold urgent talks” with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to de-escalate tensions. A Russian aid truck reportedly… Read more... AND IN OTHER NEWS: A Rift With Russia? Sep 11, 2023 8:21 pm Social media has reflected the fast and furious changes happening in Armenian geopolitics, including an unprecedented rift with Russia, upcoming joint army exercises with the United States, and world… Read more... Armenia’s AI Advancements, Gaps & Opportunities Sep 09, 2023 8:05 pm Nearly a year ago, Armenia became the first country in the world to use AI technology in the field of social support by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The agency uses machine learning to help… Read more... Armenia greenlights World Trade Center project: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Sep 08, 2023 10:05 pm The Armenian government approved a plan to establish a roughly $200-million World Trade Center in downtown Yerevan. Armenian entrepreneurs held a protest demanding the government shut down the Russian… Read more... 12-year-old Karabakh child spends nights in lines to secure bread for family Sep 08, 2023 8:05 pm 12-year-old Tigran is living in Artsakh under a 9-month Azerbaijani blockade and faces daily struggles for bread. Standing in long lines for hours, he sometimes returns home empty-handed. With flour shortages… Read more... Karabakh set to choose new president Sep 07, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijan continues to move troops toward Karabakh and Armenia, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken phoned Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev last week… Read more... Inside the risk of escalation as Azerbaijan ramps up threats against Armenia Sep 07, 2023 8:05 pm In this episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian assesses the fragile situation unfolding along Armenia's border with Azerbaijan. He discusses the latest updates on the negotiations regarding the… Read more... US May Be Complicit in Karabakh Genocide, Ex-ICC Prosecutor Warns Congressmen Sep 07, 2023 7:16 pm By Mane Berikyan The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of U.S. Congress convened on Wednesday for a second hearing on Nagorno-Karabakh, featuring former Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimincal… Read more... A new low in Armenia-Russia relations Sep 07, 2023 11:26 am By Mark Dovich Armenia’s relations with Russia, its traditional security ally and main economic partner, have worsened dramatically in recent days, as tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan approach… Read more... Azerbaijan moves troops, escalating fear of new war in region Sep 06, 2023 10:05 pm Karabakh’s Defense Ministry released a video appearing to show Azerbaijan moving troops and military equipment around the region, as tensions continue to escalate. Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan… Read more... The IMF in Armenia: Relief, Reforms and Russia Sanctions Sep 06, 2023 8:05 pm Jihad Azour, director of the Middle East and Central Asia department at the International Monetary Fund, sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to talk about the IMF’s work in Armenia, including a… Read more... Kremlin fires back at Pashinyan: ‘Russia cannot leave Armenia’ Sep 05, 2023 10:05 pm The International Committee of the Red Cross evacuated nine people in need of medical care from Karabakh to Armenia, according to the region’s Health Ministry. Russia confirmed the appointment of Major… Read more... Meet the Candidates: YEREVAN ELECTIONS Sep 05, 2023 8:06 pm By Mark Dovich Hundreds of thousands of Yerevan residents will head to the polls later this month for the first time in five years to elect a new mayor and city council. Here’s what you need to know… Read more... Karabakh to start rationing bread for first time Sep 04, 2023 10:05 pm Starting tomorrow, Nagorno-Karabakh residents will be able to buy bread only using state-issued ration coupons. Armenia’s Defense Ministry reported two non-combat army deaths over the weekend. An airport… Read more... Despite Russian warnings, Armenia moves to ratify Rome Statute Sep 01, 2023 10:44 pm By Mane Berikyan The Armenian government on Friday formally asked parliament to ratify the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Moscow has repeatedly warned that… Read more... Armenia’s trade with Russia continues to soar: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Sep 01, 2023 10:05 pm The rating agency S&P upgraded Armenia’s long-term sovereign credit rating. Armenia recorded a trade surplus with Russia for the first time in two decades. The owners of a scrap metal plant under… Read more... Major political and military shake-up in Karabakh Aug 31, 2023 10:05 pm Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan said he will resign tomorrow. Harutyunyan dismissed State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan, replacing him with Samvel Shahramanyan, formerly the head of Karabakh’s Security… Read more... US, Russia & the Second Armenian Genocide Aug 31, 2023 8:05 pm They say history doesn't repeat, but it rhymes. Veteran political commentator Eric Hacopian sits down with Patrick Elliott to discuss the ongoing blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), the very real… Read more... The Nagorno-Karabakh deadlock: Explaining the problems with the Aghdam road Aug 31, 2023 2:33 pm As the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh worsens day by day, Azerbaijan is sparing no effort to camouflage its brutal blockade of the encircled republic. Azerbaijan's official narratives regarding… Read more... BREAKING: Karabakh president to resign, state minister replaced Aug 31, 2023 1:36 pm By Mark Dovich Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan has said he will resign, putting an end to weeks of swirling speculation over the embattled leader’s political future. Continued international… Read more... France sends aid convoy for Karabakh Aug 30, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told French President Emmanuel Macron he would be willing to lift his blockade of the Lachin corridor if a road connecting Karabakh and Azerbaijan is reopened first.… Read more... Competing aid convoys approach Karabakh as bread supplies dwindle Aug 30, 2023 9:03 pm By Mark Dovich Azerbaijani and French aid convoys arrived near Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) this week as the authorities in Stepanakert introduced new rules limiting bread purchases in the region. Two trucks… Read more... Baku says it will release detained Karabakh students Aug 29, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijan said it will hold the three Nagorno-Karabakh students who were detained yesterday for 10 days before deporting them. Stepanakert said it had not agreed to a proposal by Baku to supply humanitarian… Read more... Facebook briefly suspends Karabakh president’s account Aug 28, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia’s Defense Ministry reported three army deaths over the weekend, taking the total number of Armenian soldiers killed so far this month to six. The International Committee of the Red Cross evacuated… Read more... Azerbaijan detains 3 Karabakh students as they try to enter Armenia Aug 28, 2023 7:45 pm By Mark Dovich Three Nagorno-Karabakh residents were detained Monday by Azerbaijani border guards as they tried to cross into Armenia as part of a group of evacuees escorted by Russian peacekeepers. What… Read more... Armenia pushes ahead with major mining projects: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Aug 25, 2023 10:05 pm Mining companies are moving forward with plans to open new enterprises and expand existing projects across Armenia, including the long-stalled Amulsar Gold Mine. That comes even as Armenia’s mining… Read more... Azerbaijan to reopen Lachin corridor for outbound traffic only, Pashinyan says Aug 25, 2023 11:27 am Azerbaijan plans to reopen the Lachin corridor, but only for outbound traffic, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said. Stepanakert called for direct talks with Baku to take place in a neutral country,… Read more... Yerevan Elections: EXPLAINER Aug 24, 2023 6:47 pm By Mark Dovich Yerevan residents will head to the polls next month for city council elections that are being seen as a crucial vote of confidence in Nikol Pashinyan — even though the prime minister… Read more... No decision made on Aghdam road, says Karabakh Aug 23, 2023 10:05 pm Stepanakert dismissed media reports saying President Arayik Harutyunyan decided to accept Baku’s proposal to supply humanitarian aid to Karabakh via the town of Aghdam. The United States denied rumors… Read more... ‘Engineering City’ and a new research center in Armenia Aug 23, 2023 8:05 pm Oshin Peroomian, the Chief Technology Officer at Metacomp Technologies and Iren Mkhoyan sat down with CivilNet on the sidelines of the Armenian Society of Fellows conference in Dilijan, Armenia. Oshin… Read more... Viacheslav Morozov: “Postcolonial Unevenness: Thinking and Writing about Imperial Legacies” Aug 23, 2023 6:05 pm Viacheslav Morozov, Professor of EU-Russia Studies at the University of Tartu and the Academic Director of the Center for Eurasian and Russian Studies, delivered a lecture titled “Postcolonial Unevenness:… Read more... Armenia reports 1 soldier killed by Azerbaijani fire Aug 22, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia’s Defense Ministry said one soldier was killed by Azerbaijani fire in the eastern Gegharkunik region. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno-Karabakh all reported ceasefire violations in the past… Read more... Stories and Places: A Festival in Armenia’s Lori Region Aug 22, 2023 8:50 pm By Angela Hassassian Armenia’s Lori region, known for its lush nature, breathtaking views of the Debed River Valley, deep gorges, and green forests, is also the birthplace of Armenian poet, author,… Read more... AND IN OTHER NEWS: World Forced to React to Karabakh Genocide Aug 22, 2023 8:32 pm https://twitter.com/MorenoOcampo1/status/1688979764755959809 The finding by a noted figure like Luis Moreno Ocampo, who served as the first Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, that the current… Read more... Maple Syrup to Apricots: Nation Building Through Business Aug 22, 2023 8:05 pm Levon Nazarian left a successful real estate business in Canada and the USA to move to Armenia and begin a property investing business, and contribute to the country's future. In this episode, Levon shares… Read more... Armenia launches flights between Yerevan and Syunik Aug 21, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia launched passenger flights between Yerevan and Syunik, just days after Azerbaijan opened fire at the long-closed airport in the town of Kapan. Russian peacekeepers evacuated 41 people from Karabakh… Read more... Russia floats ‘simultaneous’ opening of Lachin corridor and Aghdam road at UN Aug 21, 2023 9:22 pm By Mark Dovich Russia’s proposal at the United Nations last week to reopen the Lachin corridor in tandem with the opening of a road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and Azerbaijan is drawing renewed… Read more... Anatol Lieven։ Nationalism and the Expansion of the West Since the End of the Cold War Aug 19, 2023 8:06 pm Anatol Lieven, Director of the Eurasia Program at the Quincy Institute of Responsible Stateraft delivered a lecture titled “Nationalism and the Expansion of the West Since the End of the Cold War”… Read more... Op-ed: Yerevan municipal election is a double test for Armenia’s ruling party Aug 18, 2023 10:13 pm By Karen Harutyunyan, Editor-in-chief Yerevan residents will elect a mayor on September 17. This will be the most important vote in Armenia until the 2026 parliamentary election. About 40 percent of Armenia’s… Read more... Georgia՚s ban on car re-exports to Russia raises concern in Armenia: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Aug 18, 2023 10:05 pm The governments of Armenia and Iran agreed to expand their long-standing gas-for-electricity swap deal and expand it until 2030. A feasibility study on creating a “dry port” – a large industrial… Read more... UN Security Council holds emergency talks on Karabakh blockade Aug 17, 2023 10:05 pm The United Nations Security Council has so far not issued a statement or resolution after emergency talks yesterday on Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade of Karabakh. Protesters gathered in front of the… Read more... New study sheds light on humanitarian crisis in Karabakh Aug 17, 2023 8:37 pm By Angela Hassassian The region of Artsakh, also known as Nagorno Karabakh, is facing an alarming humanitarian crisis as a result of an eight-month-long blockade imposed by Azerbaijan. The closure of… Read more... Discussing Armenia’s development opportunities with Mary Papazian Aug 17, 2023 8:05 pm Aram Pakchanyan, the host of CivilNet’s Ark of Education program, sat down with Mary Papazian, former president of San Jose State University, to discuss Armenia’s development opportunities.This conversation… Read more... Karabakh reports first starvation death amid blockade Aug 16, 2023 10:07 pm The authorities in Karabakh reported the first case of a person dying from hunger amid Azerbaijan’s more than eight-month blockade of the region. Ahead of emergency UN talks on Karabakh, Armenia’s… Read more... Children Away From Home: Citizens protest in front of UN Armenia Office Aug 16, 2023 5:52 pm Protestors gathered on the streets in front of the UN Armenia Office on Wednesday to raise their voices against the 8-month-long blockade of the Lachin Corridor, a vital lifeline for the people of Artsakh.… Read more... Rally for Life: Sassoon Kosian on New York Protests to Open the Lachin Corridor Aug 16, 2023 1:05 pm Armenian activists in North America will be gathering on August 20, in front of the United Nations Headquarters in a Rally for Life protest, demanding that the UN Security Council pass a resolution condemning… Read more... Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Negotiations: Mediators Have Responsibility to Protect Aug 16, 2023 12:48 pm The article was originally published on Moderndiplomacy.eu By Hrair Balian The United States and European Union are mediating an end to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan festering since the… Read more... Azerbaijan Fires at EU Monitors in Armenia: An Explainer Aug 15, 2023 11:32 pm Just last month, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Brussels tweeted what many perceived as a death threat against EU monitors and officials in Armenia, stating that if they were to come too close to the border,… Read more... UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Karabakh Aug 15, 2023 10:05 pm The United Nations Security Council will hold emergency talks tomorrow on Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh following a formal appeal by Armenia. The European Union said it has not observed… Read more... The link between democracy and higher education Aug 15, 2023 9:35 pm Anoush Fraser Terjanian, Fellow at the Human Rights Research and Education Centre of University of Ottawa, sat down with CivilNet on the sidelines of the Armenian Society of Fellows conference in Dilijan,… Read more... Man dies of hunger in Karabakh Aug 15, 2023 8:45 pm By Syuzanna Petrosyan A case of death from starvation was recorded in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) on Tuesday evening local time, according to the Office of the Human Rights Defender in the region. K.… Read more... Armenia appeals to UN over ‘full-fledged’ crisis in Karabakh Aug 14, 2023 10:17 pm By Mark Dovich Armenia has called on the United Nations’ most powerful body to hold talks on Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, which stretched past the eight-month mark on Saturday. The day… Read more... Armenia car crash leaves 11 dead Aug 14, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia formally appealed to the United Nations Security Council over Azerbaijan’s more than eight-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh. Luis Moreno Ocampo, the former chief prosecutor at the International… Read more... Alice Petrossian on Empowering Armenian Women Aug 12, 2023 9:05 pm Alice Petrossian is an educator, and member of the Board of Directors of the Armenian International Women's Association (AIWA), which is set to host its 9th International Conference in Yerevan this October.… Read more... Thomas Graham: The Changing Foundations of the U.S. Russia Policy Aug 12, 2023 8:05 pm Thomas E. Graham, a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, delivered a lecture entitled “The Changing Foundations of the United States Russia Policy” at a symposium on Russia organized… Read more... “It’s not a crisis, it’s a genocide,” former prosecutor at international court asserts Aug 12, 2023 7:49 pm https://youtu.be/7XqbZCfrCiQ In a breakthrough report on Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), the founding prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Luis Moreno Ocampo classified the situation in the region… Read more... Top diplomats from Armenia and Azerbaijan phone Washington Aug 10, 2023 10:05 pm The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan each spoke by phone with the U.S. State Department’s interim head for Europe and Eurasia to review ongoing peace talks. Vahe Sahakyan, senior information… Read more... Genocide in Karabakh, says ex-ICC prosecutor Aug 09, 2023 10:05 pm “There is a reasonable basis to believe” that Azerbaijan’s nearly eight-month blockade of Karabakh constitutes an act of genocide, said Luis Moreno Ocampo, the first chief prosecutor at the International… Read more... Building Trust in Politics: Swedish Lessons for Armenia Aug 09, 2023 8:04 pm Swedish Member of Parliament Arin Karapet shares Sweden's own experiences with democratization and political transformation that may offer guidance for Armenia. He provides concrete policy recommendations… Read more... Ex-mayor Marutyan joins race to lead Yerevan Aug 08, 2023 10:04 pm A group of United Nations experts called on Azerbaijan to lift its more than seven-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh. Former Yerevan mayor Hayk Marutyan confirmed he will run in the capital’s upcoming… Read more... CivilNet, with New Faces Aug 08, 2023 9:05 pm Emilio Cricchio and Patrick Elliott sit down together in the CivilNet studio to discuss a small change to the CivilNet team. Emilio will be leaving the CivilNet team as he heads to London to participate… Read more... Connecting Armenian Studies in Armenia and Diaspora Aug 08, 2023 8:05 pm Vahe Sahakyan, Senior Information Resources Specialist at the University of Michigan-Dearborn Armenian Research Center, sat down with CivilNet on the sidelines of the Armenian Society of Fellows conference… Read more... Karabakh president confirms Baku rejected direct talks Aug 07, 2023 10:05 pm Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan confirmed Baku pulled out of a planned meeting with Stepanakert in Europe earlier this month. Vartan Oskanian, Armenia’s former foreign minister, called… Read more... ‘Azerbaijan’s blockade of Karabakh is attempted genocide’ Aug 07, 2023 9:38 pm CivilNet analyst Eric Hacopian discusses Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade of Artsakh (Karabakh) and what the international community’s redlines. Eric reacts to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s… Read more... Ronald Suny: The Empire Moves South: Tsarist Russia, the USSR, and the Caucasus Aug 07, 2023 7:05 pm Ronald Grigor Suny’s keynote address at an international symposium on Russia organized by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in Yerevan and Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, on July 2-12,… Read more... Vartan Oskanian: Karabakh’s Soviet-era autonomous status must be a negotiation benchmark Aug 07, 2023 1:48 pm Armenia’s former foreign minister Vartan Oskanian (1998-2008), in a video posted on his Facebook page, suggests that the agenda of the talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan must necessarily include the… Read more... The Nubarian Library: Paris’s Hidden Treasure Aug 05, 2023 8:05 pm Boris Adjemian, the director of the AGBU Nubarian library in Paris, sat down with CivilNet on the sidelines of the Armenian Society of Fellows conference in Dilijan, Armenia, to discuss the AGBU Nubarian… Read more... Armenia’s Central Bank cuts interest rates again: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Aug 04, 2023 10:05 pm Fitch, the credit rating agency, upgraded Armenia’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating to BB-, citing last year’s influx of Russian citizens to the country.Armenia’s Central Bank lowered… Read more... UN chief calls on Azerbaijan to allow aid into Karabakh Aug 03, 2023 10:05 pm Nikol Pashinyan called on Azerbaijan to allow an Armenian government aid convoy to enter Karabakh as a “step toward commitment to the peace agenda.”António Guterres urged Azerbaijan to lift its blockade… Read more... Viber: What’s next for Armenia’s most popular messaging app? Aug 03, 2023 9:05 pm Petya Kamburova, global business development and partnerships lead at Rakuten Viber, sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to discuss Viber’s money transfer service, the company’s mission to develop… Read more... Another Karabakh resident detained by Azerbaijan Aug 02, 2023 10:05 pm In competing interviews with Euronews, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused one another of violating the ceasefire that ended the 2020 Karabakh war.Azerbaijan… Read more... Armenian Tech Talent Powers Benivo, a Global HR Company Aug 02, 2023 9:35 pm Almost a decade ago, Nitzan Yudan, founder and CEO of Benivo, made a pivotal decision — he opened an office in Yerevan. Nitzan sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to talk about why he chose Armenia,… Read more... Accelerating Research Excellence in Armenia Aug 02, 2023 9:05 pm Haig Eskandarian, a TB RAMP Scholar at the Center for TB Research, Division of Experimental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, sat down with CivilNet on the sidelines of the Armenian Society… Read more... Tension and Curiosity Collide at an Azerbaijani Cemetery in Armenia Aug 02, 2023 10:21 am By Brandon Balayan “Are all of us Armenian here?” questioned the senior policeman as we were standing on the grounds of a Muslim cemetery, with a few hundred tombstones of Karapapaks, who in the 1980s… Read more... USAID chief joins US officials calling on Azerbaijan to lift Karabakh blockade Aug 01, 2023 10:05 pm Samantha Power, the head of USAID, called on Azerbaijan to lift its blockade of Karabakh.Louis Bono, Washington’s special representative to the South Caucasus, will visit the region later this week.The… Read more... “My children will soon know what starvation is”: Humanitarian crisis deepens in Karabakh Aug 01, 2023 9:09 pm Out of 120,000 people living under Azerbaijani blockade in Nagorno-Karabakh for more than seven months, 30,000 are children. Today, amid growing shortages of food, fuel and essential goods, children are… Read more... Despair is not for Armenians Aug 01, 2023 8:05 pm Garo Ghazarian sits down with Lara Tcholakian to share his purpose and life mission, his perseverance for the rights of Armenians, and his drive as imprinted by his parents and ancestors since the Armenian… Read more... How Armenian women are shaping tech Aug 01, 2023 7:05 pm Armenia's booming IT sector is rapidly expanding, attracting global tech giants and exporting to a global market. The second annual FemInno Conference took place July 29-30 to promote talent in business,… Read more... Azerbaijan pulls out of planned Karabakh talks in Slovakia Jul 31, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijan pulled out of planned talks with Karabakh officials in Slovakia, according to a senior Karabakh official.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone with Azerbaijani President Ilham… Read more... Establishing three bio research centers in Armenia Jul 31, 2023 8:05 pm Diane Barber, Professor in the Department of Cell and Tissue Biology at the University of California, San Francisco, sat down with CivilNet on the sidelines of the Armenian Society of Fellows conference… Read more... Armenia’s Tech Trajectory: NVIDIA’s Rev Lebaredian Jul 30, 2023 8:05 pm Rev Lebaredian, Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology at NVIDIA shares his insights into the tech landscape in Armenia. NVIDIA is a technology company known for designing and manufacturing… Read more... Azerbaijan kidnaps Nagorno-Karabakh civilian being evacuated by Red Cross Jul 30, 2023 10:00 am By Mane Berikyan Azerbaijan on Saturday kidnapped Vagif Khachatryan, a 68-year-old Nagorno-Karabakh resident being evacuated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for urgent medical treatment,… Read more... Armenian banks halt transfers via Russia’s Unistream: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Jul 28, 2023 10:05 pm A number of banks in Armenia, as well as in Georgia and several Central Asian countries, stopped processing international money transfers via Russia’s Unistream.Armenia’s economic activity index,… Read more... Artsakh Blockade: Impact on Women and Girls Jul 28, 2023 7:05 pm Ani Jilozian, Director of Development at the Women's Support Center and a women’s rights advocate in Armenia sits down with CivilNet to shed light on the impact of Azerbaijan's 7-month blockade of Artsakh… Read more... Armenian aid convoy for Karabakh remains stuck at Lachin Corridor Jul 27, 2023 10:05 pm An Armenian government aid convoy for Karabakh remains stuck at the entrance of the Lachin corridor, blocked by Azerbaijan from moving forward.The EU’s foreign policy chief said routing humanitarian… Read more... Azerbaijan blocks humanitarian aid convoy to Nagorno-Karabakh Jul 27, 2023 9:05 pm Azerbaijan is blocking 360 tons of emergency humanitarian aid that is going from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh. The region has been under blockade for more than seven months, with no food, medicine or humanitarian… Read more... Stepanakert and Yerevan Mobilize to End Artsakh Blockade Jul 27, 2023 8:35 pm Thousands of people in Stepanakert and Yerevan have taken to the streets every night for over a week to demand Azerbaijan lift its blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in… Read more... Vegan Restaurants Cultivate Armenia’s Sustainable Future Jul 27, 2023 8:05 pm Raffi Neressian founded Future Diner, a vegan restaurant in Yerevan, Armenia, with a vision to offer delicious plant-based options and support local farmers. His commitment to sustainability and social… Read more... Aghdam is not an alternative to the reopening of the Lachin corridor, EU says Jul 27, 2023 7:22 pm By Mane Berikyan Azerbaijan’s offer to route goods to Nagorno-Karabakh through the Azerbaijani town of Aghdam “should not be seen as an alternative to the reopening of the Lachin corridor,” said… Read more... Armenia sends 400 tons of humanitarian aid to Karabakh road Jul 26, 2023 8:08 pm The Armenian government sent a convoy of 400 tons of humanitarian aid to the entrance of the Lachin corridor for Karabakh.The latest meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia… Read more... Pashinyan: Armenia cannot protect Karabakh’s population Jul 26, 2023 1:59 am By Mane Berikyan Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a press conference on Tuesday. This is CivilNet’s breakdown of the most important points. HUMANITARIAN AID VIA AGHDAM Pashinyan said he… Read more... Karabakh Armenians brace for humanitarian catastrophe Jul 25, 2023 7:48 pm Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan issued a formal disaster declaration as Azerbaijan’s seven-month blockade continues.All public transport has been suspended in Karabakh amid widespread fuel shortages… Read more... ‘Immediately send humanitarian cargo’: Armenians pile food in front of UN amid Karabakh blockade Jul 25, 2023 7:34 pm By Mark Dovich Armenians are piling up non-perishable food, medicine, and hygiene kits for Nagorno-Karabakh residents in front of the United Nations office in Yerevan, calling for the organization to… Read more... Ererouyk: Preserving an Armenian architectural masterpiece Jul 25, 2023 7:11 pm Gaianè Casnati, a member of Europa Nostra pan-European federation for cultural heritage, and Emma Harutyunyan, Associate Professor at the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia,… Read more... Turkey’s “Iron Curtain”: Attempts to Unlock the Armenia Border Jul 25, 2023 4:03 am By Martin Makaryan The Turkey-Armenia border—its opening and closure—has been on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda since the country regained its independence from the Soviet Union. Yet, given the… Read more... Mass rallies against Azerbaijan’s blockade in Yerevan and Stepanakert Jul 24, 2023 10:05 pm The foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia will meet in Moscow tomorrow for another round of negotiations.Organizers are planning simultaneous mass rallies in Yerevan and Stepanakert tomorrow… Read more... A walk through the streets of blockaded Karabakh Jul 24, 2023 12:05 pm Today, it is rare to see cars passing through the streets in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh). The region has been under a total blockade for more than seven months. Last month, Azerbaijan also banned the entry… Read more... Silent tourism benefits Armenia’s Martuni Village Jul 22, 2023 4:12 am By Olivia Lutz In Martuni Village in Armenia's northwest, Nature Rooms—an enterprise of Nature Center Armenia—offers an eco-friendly guest house. Spearheaded by Satenik Khachatryan, Nature Rooms has… Read more... Armenia working to comply with Russia sanctions: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Jul 21, 2023 10:05 pm A number of senior Armenian government officials have stressed that Armenia is working to comply with international sanctions against Russia.Armenia is building a checkpoint on its side of a key bridge… Read more... FemInno shines spotlight on women in tech in Armenia Jul 21, 2023 8:15 pm By Angela Hassassian Armenia’s IT sector has become one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, with a steady annual growth rate of 20%. Over the years, Armenia has attracted some of… Read more... Miscarriages surge in Karabakh amid widespread food shortages Jul 20, 2023 10:05 pm The number of early-stage miscarriages in Nagorno-Karabakh have nearly tripled in the past month, according to a leading doctor in Stepanakert, who cited stress and the lack of a balanced diet amid Azerbaijan’s… Read more... EU continues to enable Aliyev’s crimes Jul 20, 2023 8:05 pm In the latest episode of Insights with Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses the latest developments regarding Azerbaijan’s ongoing illegal blockade of Artsakh. Eric also talks about the problematic approaches… Read more... Karabakh mother mourns the death of her two children Jul 20, 2023 6:05 pm Vera Narimanyan lost her two children last week. The single mother of three-year-old Leo and six-year-old Gita, who lives in Aghabekalanj Village in Karabakh’s Martakert region, left her sleeping children… Read more... Armenia calls for resumption of normalization talks with Turkey Jul 19, 2023 10:05 pm Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said he believes “stable peace in the region is possible,” but only if the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians are guaranteed through an… Read more... Hanna Notte: The Russia-Turkey-Middle East Nexus Jul 19, 2023 8:05 pm Hanna Notte, an expert on Russian foreign and security policy, gave a lecture on Russia-Turkey relations and their repercussions for the South Caucasus and Middle East. Hanna Notte is a Senior Research… Read more... Artsakh Villages Under Fire: What Do Residents Say? Jul 19, 2023 6:05 pm The people of Artsakh, who have been under siege for more than 200 days, continue to be oppressed by Azerbaijan, this time through the use of weapons. The Azerbaijani side is attacking not only military… Read more... “Aghdam is the road of death.” Artsakh residents block road to Azerbaijan Jul 19, 2023 2:18 pm Nagorno-Karabakh residents have set up a roadblock on the road connecting Karabakh to Azerbaijan to prevent the entry of vehicles from Azerbaijan. Local police confirmed on Wednesday that the road connecting… Read more... Karabakh president joins mass rallies against blockade Jul 18, 2023 10:05 pm Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan joined a sit-in in Stepanakert to demand Azerbaijan lift its seven-month blockade of the region.The road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan via Agdam… Read more... Dominic Lieven: Collapse of an empire often has dire consequences Jul 18, 2023 9:05 pm CivilNet’s Karen Harutyunyan sat down with Dominic Lieven, a renowned professor of Russian and international history and a participant in an international symposium on Russia organized by the Middlebury… Read more... Equipping the next generation of Armenian healthcare professionals Jul 18, 2023 8:05 pm On the sidelines of the Armenian Society of Fellows conference in Dilijan, Armenia, Mariam Manoukian of Stanford Healthcare and Jerry Manoukian, Emeritus Staff at El Camino Hospital in California, sat… Read more... 20-year-old Artsakh war veteran needs support to live in new home Jul 18, 2023 6:17 pm By Mane Berikyan Twenty-year-old Karen Khlopuzyan, a veteran of the 2020 Artsakh War who lost both of his arms, was gifted a house in Alaverdi, Lori region, nearly a year ago by a member of Hamburg’s… Read more... Pashinyan and Aliyev wrap up latest round of talks Jul 17, 2023 10:05 pm The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met for another round of talks with European Council President Charles Michel, who made no indication of any concrete progress toward a peace deal.Russia’s Foreign… Read more... ‘Momentum’ in latest Armenia-Azerbaijan talks, says EU Jul 17, 2023 9:14 pm By Mark Dovich The European Union has said there is “important momentum” on a peace treaty after the latest round of talks between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. European Council President… Read more... Armenian Skateboarders on Community and Culture Jul 17, 2023 8:05 pm Narek Sarkisyan, founder of Yerevan-based Komitas Skateshop, shows us his day to day life as a skateboarder and film developer in Armenia. He and his friends Landon Burke and Ruben Kosyan usually skate… Read more... Teaching the Armenian Genocide Jul 17, 2023 7:05 pm Armen Marsoobian, professor of philosophy at Southern Connecticut State University, sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to talk about this year’s Armenian Society of Fellows Conference in Dilijan,… Read more... Looking Back is Yet to Come: 20th Golden Apricot International Film Festival Jul 17, 2023 12:43 am By Angela Hassassian The 20th Golden Apricot International Film Festival, one of the most anticipated events in the heart of Yerevan, culminated this Sunday, with 11 Armenian films competing in the Apricot… Read more... Strengthening linguistics studies to better protect the Armenian language Jul 15, 2023 8:05 pm Pollet Samvelian is a Professor of Linguistics at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris, France. Samvelian‘s research includes the syntax, morphology and lexicon of Iranian languages. On the sidelines… Read more... Russia urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to swiftly pursue ‘peace treaty’ Jul 15, 2023 6:48 pm By Syuzanna Petrosyan Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Saturday urging "not to burden third countries with the responsibility for the fate of Karabakh’s Armenian population."… Read more... Soak Or Be Soaked: Armenia Prepares For Ancient Water Holiday Jul 15, 2023 6:05 pm This Sunday, Armenians across the country will gather to celebrate Vardavar, an ancient water festival with roots in pagan mythology. Whether you live in Armenia or are just visiting for the summer, one… Read more... Armenia’s currency to remain ‘overvalued’ this year: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Jul 14, 2023 10:05 pm The company that operates Armenia’s biggest copper and gold mines indicated it will expand its operations in the country.The company with the rights to Armenia’s long-stalled Amulsar gold mine expects… Read more... Thomas Graham: Imagining Future US-Russian Relations Jul 14, 2023 9:05 pm Thomas E. Graham, a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, gave a keynote speech at a symposium on Russia organized by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey… Read more... Thousands rally in Karabakh against blockade Jul 14, 2023 7:05 pm By Mark Dovich At least 10,000 people, including senior officials, rallied in Stepanakert Friday to demand Azerbaijan lift its seven-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh in response to State Minister Gurgen… Read more... Artsakh children react to the blockade Jul 14, 2023 3:05 pm Of the 120,000 people in Karabakh living under the Azerbaijani-imposed blockade, 30,000 are children. With permission from their parents, CivilNet’s Artsakh team spoke to some of them on the streets… Read more... Turkey receives important concessions at NATO summit Jul 14, 2023 8:33 am By Martin Makaryan NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced last week a breakthrough in the negotiations between Turkey and Sweden which will pave the way for Sweden to join the alliance. Turkish… Read more... Azerbaijan sets up another blockade, this time on its own people Jul 13, 2023 10:16 pm By Mane Berikyan For over three weeks, police have been blockading the village of Soyudlu in western Azerbaijan after clashes with residents who are protesting pollution caused by a nearby gold mine. … Read more... Elections for Yerevan mayor slated for September Jul 13, 2023 10:05 pm Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and European Council President Charles Michel will meet in Brussels on Saturday.Armenian and Azerbaijani officials met for… Read more... Armenia’s Economic Boom Continues Jul 13, 2023 8:05 pm In the latest episode of Insights with Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses the latest developments around Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh. Eric also talks about the illegal detention of two Armenian servicemen… Read more... Nora Armani on Film, Activism, and Armenian Storytelling Jul 13, 2023 6:05 pm Join CivilNet as we explore the realm of storytelling through film with polyglot actor and filmmaker Nora Armani. Based in New York, Nora travels frequently between Paris, London and Yerevan for her work.… Read more... Pashinyan phones Blinken ahead of possible talks with Aliyev Jul 12, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh reaches seven months.Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to review the state of Armenia-Azerbaijan… Read more... 100 Years of Armenian Cinema Jul 12, 2023 9:05 pm The Golden Apricot International Film Festival, one of the most anticipated events in the heart of Yerevan, is taking place between July 9-16. The festival opened with Jessica Woodworth's Luka, which… Read more... 7 Months of Blockade In Karabakh Jul 12, 2023 8:38 pm By Mark Dovich Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh reached seven months today, as the region’s more than 100,000 Armenians grapple with severe shortages of food, energy, medicine, and other… Read more... The miracle of Armenia’s tech industry Jul 12, 2023 8:05 pm Al Eisaian, CEO at Cognaize, sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to talk about what he takes away from his decades of work supporting Armenia’s burgeoning tech sector and how Armenia’s business… Read more... AND IN OTHER NEWS: 200+ Days of Blockade In Karabakh Jul 12, 2023 9:18 am Chaotic changes on Twitter and the rise of Threads create uncertainty about the future of both platforms, while Armenians continue to tweet into the void in protest as the blockade of Karabakh / Artsakh… Read more... Civilnet journalist attacked in Nagorno-Karabakh Jul 11, 2023 10:33 pm By Mane Berikyan CivilNet journalist Hayk Ghazaryan was attacked Tuesday in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, by a group of men in civilian clothing after facing earlier pressure by Karabakh law enforcement… Read more... Karabakh mother’s search for food results in death of two children Jul 11, 2023 10:32 pm Two children in Karabakh, whose mother left them to find food in a nearby town, were found dead last Saturday in a car. The single mother of three-year-old Leo and six-year-old Gita, who lives in Aghabekalanj… Read more... Azerbaijan again blocks Red Cross from Karabakh Jul 11, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijan again blocked International Red Cross vehicles from transporting critically ill patients from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.The ruling Civil Contract party removed Taguhi Tovmasyan, the last… Read more... Armenia’s Education System: From Crisis To Solutions Jul 11, 2023 9:05 pm Tamara Babaian, professor of computer information systems at Bentley University in Massachusetts, sat down with CivilNet on the sidelines of the Armenian Society of Fellows conference which was held last… Read more... Tourism in bordering Goris thrives despite obstacles Jul 11, 2023 8:05 pm Join us on a journey to Goris, a picturesque town nestled in the heart of Syunik Armenia. In this video, we visit Marietta, the owner of Aregak B&B, one of the many charming accommodations in the… Read more... Is Russia an irreplaceable ally for Armenia? Jul 11, 2023 7:05 pm CivilNet’s Karen Harutyunyan talked to Ronald Grigor Suny, a renowned professor of Soviet and Russian history and a participant in an international symposium on Russia organized by the Middlebury Institute… Read more... Karabakh again left without natural gas after Azerbaijan briefly restores supply Jul 10, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijani forces again opened fire at a multimillion-dollar metallurgical plant under construction in the Armenian border village of Yeraskh.Azerbaijan briefly allowed natural gas to flow to Nagorno-Karabakh… Read more... Transformative impact in Armenia’s education and research sectors Jul 10, 2023 8:05 pm Vatche Sahakian, professor of theoretical physics at the Harvey Mudd college in California, sits down with CivilNet to discuss the projects which have been kickstarted at the Armenian Society of Fellows.… Read more... The evolution of Russia’s relations with the West: A conversation with Hanna Notte Jul 10, 2023 7:05 pm CivilNet’s Karen Harutyunyan talked to Hanna Notte, an expert on Russian foreign and security policy and a participant in an international symposium on Russia organized by the Middlebury Institute of… Read more... Armenia’s great challenges and the power of storytelling Jul 08, 2023 9:05 pm On the sidelines of the Armenian Society of Fellows annual conference, Emmy-winning filmmaker Ted Bogosian sat down with CivilNet to discuss the importance of Armenia getting its story and message out… Read more... Armenia smashes all-time tourism record: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Jul 08, 2023 8:05 pm The oil and gas company Shell opens its first petrol station in Armenia.The Armenian government will create a new fund to support textile producers and increase exports.About 1 million tourists have visited… Read more... Supporting Karabakh Farmers Under Blockade: The Armenia Tree Project Jul 07, 2023 8:42 pm By Mane Berikyan Last year, CivilNet went up to Armenia’s northern Lori region to witness the planting of the Armenia Tree Project’s seven millionth tree. One year later, we re-visited the organization… Read more... War was ‘transformational moment for me’ Jul 07, 2023 8:05 pm Hamlet Azarian, founder and CEO of Azarian Growth Agency, sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to review his work supporting early-stage startups in Armenia and the United States. Hamlet talks about… Read more... Flagship Armath lab in California seeks to raise a new generation of Armenian engineers Jul 06, 2023 10:19 pm By Martin Makaryan The first Armath lab came to California just a few months ago, opening its doors to youth who want to pursue a comprehensive engineering education outside the classroom. Since then,… Read more... Pashinyan calls Putin to discuss humanitarian crisis in Karabakh Jul 06, 2023 10:05 pm Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.A spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry again called… Read more... Is the US ready to assume a greater role in the South Caucasus? Jul 06, 2023 9:05 pm Richard Giragosian, the director of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center, discusses last week’s US-mediated talks in Washington between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Giragosian also talks about the evolving… Read more... Aliyev and his disingenuous peace Jul 06, 2023 8:05 pm In the latest episode of Insights with Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses the tightening of Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh, and what the Armenian nation and world can do to raise awareness of this existential… Read more... Op-ed: US should reconsider its approach to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict Jul 05, 2023 10:19 pm By Tigran Grigoryan The Azerbaijani-imposed blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh has been in place for more than six months now. Baku’s siege of the landlocked de facto republic is near completion. With the… Read more... Azerbaijani state media raises threat of new military operation in Artsakh Jul 04, 2023 10:05 pm U.S. ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien said Washington “hopes and believes” Karabakh Armenians can live safely in Azerbaijan.Azerbaijani state media is increasingly raising the threat of another… Read more... A Celebration of Flavors at Gastrofest Dilijan Jul 04, 2023 9:15 pm By Olivia Lutz More than 20 Armenian restaurants participated in Gastrofest this weekend, a vibrant and scenic culinary festival showcasing the rich flavors of local cuisine. Set at the heart of forested… Read more... Sunrise Stepanakert festival kicks off in Armenia and Artsakh Jul 04, 2023 9:05 pm It’s the opening event of this year’s Sunrise Stepanakert, the first multimedia art festival in Artsakh. Traditionally, Sunrise Stepanakert did take place in Stepanakert, but Azerbiajan’s blockade… Read more... How Is Nagorno-Karabakh Handling Its Deepening Energy Crisis? Jul 04, 2023 8:05 pm For over six months, Nagorno-Karabakh has been relying on its internal energy supply due to Azerbaijan’s blockade of the region. Now, this supply is growing increasingly scarce, deepening the existing… Read more... “We are the leaders of change”, Mariam Torosyan Jul 04, 2023 7:05 pm Mariam Torosyan sits down with Lara Tcholakian to share her thoughts about the key issues related to gender and women in Armenian society today, including violence, harassment, and bullying. She shares… Read more... A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds in Nagorno-Karabakh Jul 04, 2023 6:05 pm Authorities in Azerbaijan claim that the Nagorno Karabakh population does not face humanitarian and security problems. But the facts prove otherwise. Read more... Trial of abducted Armenian servicemen begins in Azerbaijan Jul 03, 2023 10:05 pm The International Committee of the Red Cross evacuated 15 critically ill patients from Artsakh to Armenia.Armenian Airlines launches direct flights between Yerevan and Istanbul.The trial of two Armenian… Read more... “Young Armenians need to see a future, in order to pursue a career in the sciences” Jul 03, 2023 8:05 pm Vahe Petrosian is a professor of physics and applied physics at Stanford University. He is in Armenia to attend the Armenian Society of Fellows conference which works to advance higher education and research… Read more... Water outages and gas deficits are the new normal in Gishi, Artsakh Jul 03, 2023 6:05 pm The population of Artsakh has been subjected to a blockade for over half a year now. Azerbaijan's closure of the Lachin corridor has left the region without access to Armenia or to the rest of the world.… Read more... Moody’s upgrades Armenia’s credit outlook to stable Jul 02, 2023 10:38 pm By Mark Dovich Moody’s, one of the ‘big three’ global rating agencies, has upgraded the Armenian government’s credit outlook from negative to stable, citing last year’s “surge in income, capital,… Read more... 24 Years of Armenia: Life Through The Lens of an American Photographer Jul 01, 2023 8:05 pm Join CivilNet as we explore the stories behind photos from the "To My Armenia" exhibition by Winslow Martin. An American photojournalist, Martin first visited Armenia in 1999 to complete a newspaper story… Read more... 3 issues remain as Armenia and Azerbaijan conclude US-brokered negotiations Jun 30, 2023 10:05 pm US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praises the progress made in negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan this week in Washington.The security of Karabakh and the Defense Army emerged as one of the… Read more... Armenia’s designers gear up for country’s first fashion week Jun 30, 2023 8:05 pm The first-ever Yerevan Fashion Week will be held July 1-6. Vahan Khachatryan, president of the Fashion and Design Chamber of Armenia, sits down with CivilNet’s Mark Dovich to talk about the state of… Read more... World reacts to Azerbaijan’s killing of 4 soldiers in Artsakh Jun 29, 2023 10:05 pm EU condemns an Azerbaijani Ambassador's threat against Members of the European Parliament following their visit to Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The international community responds Azerbaijan’s violent… Read more... Why Aliyev fears his own Prigozhin Rebellion Jun 29, 2023 8:05 pm In the latest episode of Insights with Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses Azerbaijan's aggression in Artsakh this week, which left four Armenian servicemen dead. Eric also explains what Wagner Group warlord… Read more... Armenia welcomes first-ever Molokan Heritage Museum in the region Jun 29, 2023 2:03 am By Mane Berikyan Earlier this month, Armenia saw the opening of “Chaybuska,” a first-of-its kind Molokan Heritage Museum in the northern Lori Region. The museum opened in the village of Fioletovo,… Read more... Sunrise Stepanakert: A Celebration of Art and Revival Jun 29, 2023 1:26 am By Angela Hassassian In the face of challenges and adversity, Sunrise Stepanakert, the first multimedia art festival in Artsakh, continues to shine a light on the power of art, connection, and resilience. … Read more... Azerbaijan kills 4 Armenian soldiers in Karabakh as “peace talks” continue in Washington Jun 28, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijan fired at Armenian positions in Karabakh, killing 4 Armenian soldiers with drones.US Congressmen held a special hearing on “safeguarding the people of Nagorno-Karabakh” last week to discuss… Read more... Pashinyan says he may have prevented war if he recognized Baku’s claims to Karabakh Jun 27, 2023 10:05 pm The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are set to begin three days of “very sensitive diplomatic discussions” in Washington today.Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he could have prevented… Read more... US Congressmen hold special hearing on Nagorno-Karabakh Jun 27, 2023 7:40 pm By Martin Makaryan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the U.S. Congress held a special hearing on “safeguarding the people of Nagorno-Karabakh” to discuss the current situation unfolding in and… Read more... Red Cross resumes medical evacuations from Karabakh Jun 26, 2023 10:05 pm The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will meet tomorrow in Washington for another round of negotiations.Azerbaijan’s foreign minister said Baku rejects Yerevan’s insistence on including… Read more... The Wagner Uprising in Russia: WHAT TO KNOW Jun 26, 2023 8:38 pm By Mane Berikyan Over the weekend, a failed military insurgency led by the aggrieved leader of a powerful Russian paramilitary group emerged as the biggest threat to the Kremlin’s state power that Russia… Read more... Made in Artsakh: Karabakh turns to local production amid blockade Jun 26, 2023 8:05 pm Since the beginning of Azerbaijan’s blockade, which began over six months ago, many stores and local businesses in Nagorno-Karabakh have closed due to lack of supplies and the blockade’s economic… Read more... Russia Expands Key Border Crossing for Trade with Armenia: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS Jun 24, 2023 8:05 pm Moody’s, one of the “big three” rating agencies, upgraded Armenia’s credit outlook from “negative” to “stable,” while keeping the country’s credit rating at a non-investment-grade level.A… Read more... Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe calls on Azerbaijan to reopen Lachin corridor Jun 23, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijani soldiers shelled Armenian positions in Artsakh, wounding an Armenian soldier and damaging a residential home.Azerbaijani crews removed a cross from an Armenian church in the town of Berdzor,… Read more... B’Arev Armenia: An Eco-Festival In Lake Sevan Jun 23, 2023 3:51 am By Olivia Lutz Last weekend, the attendees of the B’Arev Festival in Armenia’s Lake Sevan celebrated the country’s rich cultural traditions of music, dance, arts, and crafts in a sustainable and… Read more... Azerbaijani soldier sentenced to 20 years in prison for murdering Armenian civilian Jun 22, 2023 10:05 pm The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will meet next week in Washington, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson called on Azerbaijan to allow humanitarian… Read more... Will the Jerusalem land deal damage Armenia’s ties with the Arab world? Jun 22, 2023 9:05 pm Philanthropist Jack Youredjian sits down with CivilNet to discuss the controversial land deal that will see a substantial portion of Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter leased away for nearly a century. Youredjian… Read more... Azerbaijani attacks, Armenian resistance and French weapons Jun 22, 2023 8:05 pm In the latest episode of Insights with Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses Azerbaijan’s recent attacks on a metallurgical plant in Armenia. The plant, which is still under construction, is a joint U.S.-Armenian… Read more... CivilNet wins freedom of information case against Armenia’s mining oversight body Jun 21, 2023 11:28 pm By Mark Dovich CivilNet, alongside Transparency International Armenia, scored a major legal victory this month, with a Yerevan court holding that Armenia’s mining oversight body must release documents… Read more... Dire food shortages hit Artsakh as Azerbaijan blocks all aid Jun 21, 2023 10:05 pm Artsakh is reporting shortages of sugar and cooking oil, less than a week after Azerbaijan cut off humanitarian aid.Baku accepted Yerevan’s offer to convene another meeting of their joint border delimitation… Read more... “In 20 years, you may not find Armenians, Catholics or Greeks in Jerusalem” Jun 21, 2023 9:05 pm Jerusalem’s Armenian Patriarch appears to have approved a 99-year lease off of 25% of the Armenian Quarter. This has raised red flags for Armenians, but also for all those concerned about Jerusalem’s… Read more... In a blockade, youth in Karabakh face extraordinary obstacles to higher education Jun 21, 2023 8:05 pm Last December, a group of self-proclaimed Azerbaijani environmental activists, many with known ties to the Azerbaijani government, began blocking the Lachin corridor, the only overland route connecting… Read more... Pashinyan says fall of Shushi resulted in ceasefire agreement with Azerbaijan Jun 20, 2023 10:05 pm Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the fall of the city of Shushi to Azerbaijan played a key role in his decision to sign the November 9 ceasefire statement that ended the 2020 Artsakh war.A new agreement… Read more... Uncertainty plagues Nagorno-Karabakh students pursuing higher education Jun 20, 2023 5:50 am By Mane Berikyan The right to education is often an early victim of conflict and unrest. For the 30,000 children living under blockade in Nagorno-Karabakh, this has been no exception. As Azerbaijan's… Read more... Amid border attacks in Armenia, Baku-Yerevan-Moscow draft agreement on transport connections Jun 19, 2023 10:05 pm Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian officials have drafted an agreement to restore regional transport connections.More than 100 critically ill patients are waiting to be evacuated from Artsakh to Armenia… Read more... Armenia’s Central Bank Raises Economic Growth Projection: Business Week Armenia Jun 17, 2023 8:05 pm Armenia’s Central Bank lowered its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than two years, as inflation in the country continues to ease.Armenia’s monetary authorities hiked the country’s… Read more... AND IN OTHER NEWS: Alarms Rise As Azerbaijan Increases Attacks On Armenia Jun 16, 2023 10:14 pm A durable and dignified peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is within reach, and we hope talks in Moldova this week will help achieve that end. Aggressive rhetoric belongs in the past. Only dialogue… Read more... No Humanitarian Aid to Karabakh: Azerbaijan Tightens Blockade of the Region Jun 16, 2023 10:05 pm Stepanakert said dialogue with Baku is “unrealistic” after Azerbaijan closed the Lachin corridor checkpoint to all traffic, including humanitarian aid.Azerbaijan continued shelling the Armenian border… Read more... Yildirim: A Turkish Name For An Armenian Soul Jun 15, 2023 11:41 pm FIRST PERSON By Tenny Armine Yildirim YILDIRIM. That’s my name. It means ‘lightning’ or ‘thunderbolt’ in Turkish. A very Turkish name for a very Armenian girl. In fact, a very common Turkish… Read more... Special Report: Tensions Soar as Baku Blocks Humanitarian Aid to Karabakh Jun 15, 2023 10:05 pm Tensions between Yerevan and Baku continued to escalate today when Azerbaijani border guards began blocking Red Cross and peacekeeper vehicles from delivering humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh.Armenian… Read more... EU Mission On Armenia’s Border: What To Know Jun 15, 2023 8:35 pm Markus Ritter, the head of the European Union Mission in Armenia, sits down with CivilNet to discuss the mission’s activities, functions and future plans. Ritter also clarifies information about the… Read more... Aliyev’s 6-Month Blockade of Artsakh Jun 15, 2023 8:05 pm In the latest episode of Insights with Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses Azerbaijan’s recent military aggression on the Armenian village of Yeraskh, which targeted a metallurgical plant that is being built… Read more... Erdoğan’s Post-Election Cabinet: What to Know Jun 15, 2023 12:11 am By Martin Makaryan Shortly after being sworn in for his third term as president of Turkey earlier this month, Recep Tayip Erdoğan, who has been ruling the country for two decades, announced his new cabinet… Read more... Azerbaijan shells Armenian border village for second day Jun 14, 2023 10:05 pm Two Indian nationals were injured today by Azerbaijani shelling in the Armenian border village of Yeraskh.A State Department spokesperson said postponing a planned Armenia-Azerbaijan summit in Washington… Read more... 2 Indian nationals injured by Azerbaijani shelling in Armenia Jun 14, 2023 7:19 pm By Mark Dovich Two Indian nationals were injured Wednesday morning by Azerbaijani shelling in the Armenian border village of Yeraskh, where tensions have been high since the end of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh… Read more... Armenian Banks tighten export controls on Russia Jun 14, 2023 4:00 am The head of Armenia’s Central Bank has declined to deny the accuracy of reports in the Russian press that a number of Armenian banks have started to block Russian companies from making payments for… Read more... Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of “preparing the ground” for further aggression in Karabakh Jun 13, 2023 10:05 pm Armenia's Foreign Ministry accused Azerbaijan of “preparing the ground” for further aggression in Nagorno-Karabakh.The Eurasian Development Bank will invest $200 million to expand Upper Lars, the… Read more... Nagorno-Karabakh’s mothers grapple with scarce supplies for infants amid blockade Jun 13, 2023 8:24 pm By Mane Berikyan Months into living under blockade, Mariam Safaryan took her three children for a traditional Armenian photoshoot in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh. Eight-month-old David, however, was… Read more... Armenia’s Central Bank cuts interest rates as inflation eases Jun 13, 2023 6:54 pm By Mark Dovich Armenia’s Central Bank has lowered its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than two years, as inflation in the country continues to ease. In a short statement Tuesday,… Read more... Azerbaijan again opens fire near Sotk Jun 12, 2023 10:05 pm June 12th marks six months of Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh, which has led to severe shortages of food, energy, medicine, and other essentials.Azerbaijani units opened fire toward Armenian positions… Read more... Armenian banks begin blocking Russian transactions for electronics: Business Week Armenia Jun 10, 2023 8:05 pm In this week’s edition of CivilNet’s business digest: Armenia’s inflation rate fell sharply from 3.2% to 1.3% last month, but the Central Bank has so far given no indications it plans to cut interest… Read more... “We are living in hell, 25% of our Armenian Quarter is gone” – PART 1 Jun 09, 2023 10:14 pm As CivilNet continues its coverage of the Cows’ Garden or Goveru Bardez issue in Jerusalem, we unpack this complex issue and the protest movement that started, after it came to light that 25% of the… Read more... Court finds woman guilty of attempting to kidnap prime minister’s son Jun 09, 2023 10:05 pm Two U.S. senators have introduced a resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, now approaching its sixth month.A State Department spokesperson declined to say when a high-level… Read more... Explainer: Jerusalem’s Armenians rally against ‘fraudulent’ land deal Jun 09, 2023 8:21 pm By Mark Dovich In recent weeks, members of Jerusalem’s Armenian community have repeatedly rallied against a controversial land deal that will see roughly a quarter of the holy city’s Armenian Quarter… Read more... Russia is becoming hostage to Turkey and Azerbaijan Jun 09, 2023 7:35 pm Georgi Derluguian, Professor of Historical Sociology at New York University Abu Dhabi, sits down with CivilNet Editor-in-Chief Karen Harutyunyan to talk about recent developments in Armenia’s wider… Read more... Armenia-Azerbaijan summit in Washington postponed by Baku Jun 08, 2023 10:05 pm Azerbaijan has provided information to the European Court of Human Rights on the two Armenian servicemen allegedly abducted last month.Armenian foreign minister and newly elected Turkish foreign minister… Read more... Celebrating 100 episodes of Insights with Eric Hacopian Jun 08, 2023 8:05 pm As we mark the 100 episode of Insights with Eric Hacopian, Eric and the team would like to thank all our viewers for joining us on this journey. In this special episode, we are doing something a little… Read more...