Expedia, Viator and European Travel Platforms Sell Tours Through Artsakh After 2023 Armenian Exodus
Major international booking platforms are selling trips to Stepanakert, Shushi and other parts of Artsakh, often giving travelers little information about the Armenian population that lived there before Azerbaijan occupied the entire region in 2023. Less than three years after more than 120,000 Armenians were forced from Artsakh, international travel companies are selling day trips through cities where Armenians lived until Azerbaijan’s September 2023 military offensive. Expe
13 hours ago
Armenia to Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags, Cups, Utensils Starting in 2027
Armenia will prohibit businesses from selling or providing many common single-use plastic products starting Jan. 1, 2027, expanding restrictions to items ranging from shopping bags and food containers to cups, straws and plastic utensils. The new rules will apply to retail stores, restaurants and other food service businesses, mobile vendors, street sellers, fairs and trade exhibitions, according to Armenia’s Market Surveillance Inspection Body. Businesses will no longer be a
15 hours ago
64-Year-Old Armenian Man Stabbed to Death After Rent Dispute in Istanbul; Suspect Confesses
A 64-year-old man identified by Turkish media as an Armenian citizen was found stabbed to death in a residential building in Istanbul, and a suspect has been jailed after confessing to the killing, according to reports cited by Ermenihaber. The victim, Agop (Hakob) Degirmencioglu, was found in a building in Beyoglu, a central Istanbul district. Police opened a murder investigation after discovering stab wounds on the back and side of his neck. The case came to light when Mehm
15 hours ago
He Built a Tbilisi Landmark, Lost It to the Soviets and Died in Its Basement — Now Its Hidden Levels Have Been Found
Renovation work on Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue has uncovered underground levels beneath the historic Melik-Azaryants building, revealing a long-hidden section of one of the Georgian capital’s best-known architectural landmarks. Excavations are continuing at the building, located at 37 Rustaveli Ave. Previous reports have suggested that up to 2,000 square meters, or about 21,500 square feet, of hidden space may exist beneath the property. The discovery brings new attention to t
16 hours ago
Hours-Old Baby Girl Found Abandoned in Yerevan With Umbilical Cord Still Attached
A newborn girl, believed to be only hours old, is recovering in a Yerevan hospital after she was found abandoned near an apartment building with her umbilical cord still attached and her body temperature at a dangerously low 30 degrees Celsius. The baby was discovered Monday evening near a playground in Yerevan after residents heard crying coming from beneath metal structures and initially thought the sound might be a puppy. Narek Petrosyan, who found the girl, said a residen
16 hours ago
Armenian Students Take Two Bronze Medals at International AI Olympiad in Kazakhstan
Armenian high school students returned from the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence with two bronze medals and a top-five finish in a robotics competition, the country’s strongest performance since joining the contest last year. Aram Amirkhanyan and Razmik Yepremyan won bronze medals in the individual competition at the Olympiad, held Aug. 2-8 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The event brought together students from 131 countries. Armenia also made gains in the team compe
2 days ago
Azerbaijani Researcher Who Criticized Aliyev and Advocated Peace With Armenia Risks Going Blind While Serving 15-Year Prison Sentence
Thirty-one-year-old Azerbaijani researcher and peace advocate Bahruz Samadov is suffering from serious vision problems that are worsening in the maximum-security prison where he is serving a 15-year sentence on treason charges after criticizing President Ilham Aliyev’s government and advocating for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, according to his lawyer. Samadov, a researcher and contributor to OC Media who had publicly advocated for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia
2 days ago
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry Contacts Ruben Vardanyan’s Wife After She Says Government Had Not Reached Out
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry contacted Veronika Zonabend, the wife of Armenian prisoner Ruben Vardanyan, on Monday after she publicly said no government official had reached out to her about her proposed humanitarian mission to Azerbaijan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Armenian Service that Zonabend had been verbally offered a meeting. The date is now being coordinated, according to RFE/RL. The outreach followed remarks from Z
2 days ago
Turkey’s Armenian Patriarchate Backs Catholicos Karekin II, Warns Criminal Case Harms Church
The Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey has joined growing criticism of criminal proceedings against Catholicos Karekin II and senior Armenian clergy, warning that bringing Church leaders before the courts threatens the dignity and independence of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In a statement, the Istanbul-based Patriarchate said the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin remains central to the spiritual unity of Armenians worldwide and argued that disputes involving Church governance sh
2 days ago
Sold-Out Armenian Spectacle Returns: ‘Echoes of Our Ancestors 2’ Brings Armenia’s Heroes and Saints to the Greek Theatre Sept. 3
Following the overwhelming success of its sold-out world premiere at the Greek Theatre, People of AR Cultural Foundation proudly presents Echoes of Our Ancestors 2: Heroes & Saints, an epic new musical and visual experience celebrating the enduring spirit, faith, courage, and cultural legacy of the Armenian people. Taking place on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the historic Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Echoes of Our Ancestors 2: Heroes & Saints is an epic musical and visual
2 days ago
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