Today, “Ambion” weekly newspaper failed to be issued. This is not the first time the printing house “Gind” has refused to print “Ambion”. The newspaper’s editor-in-chief and National Press Club Chair Narine Mkrtchyan convened a news conference today where accused the printing house director Karen Avetisyan of “committing terror against the newspaper and its staff”. In an interview with our correspondent, Karen Avetisyan justified...

Health Ministry has today introduced Government the project on “National Fight against Tuberculosis”, which aims to find the ill, to treat them and to protect the population against the disease expansion. The experts of World Health Organization and other international organizations have jointly elaborated the program. According to Health Deputy Minister Hayk Darbinyan, the program execution...

On November 30 the leadership of “Zvartnots” Airport discharged more 24 employees. All those dismissed used to work in conveyance service. According to service employee Erjo Azroyan, they were informed by the personnel department on November 30 the Airport would no longer conclude a contract with them. He said the personnel department didn’t comment on the decision. Accounting clerk Ann Hunanyan sent this discharge notification: ”We work...

”Now the Armenian Ecological Department fails to keep tree cutting under control. The reason for this and other unsolved problems are the imperfect Laws regarding ecology sphere”, Boris Ghazaryan, Chair of “State Ecological Expertise” organization of Armenian Ecology Ministry announced at the discussion in “Armenia” Hotel. The state structures and the social organizations of Armenia discussed the new bill on the conception of the Law...

Issues related to violence against women and children were discussed in NGO Center on Wednesday. Ethnic and Sociological Researches Center director Mihran Galstyan said a large-scale research conducted by the center last year showed that family violence made 7% of all outrages being committed in the country. In his opinion, as a rule, young mothers and fathers inherit such conduct from their parents,...

The international community urgently needs to act to stop the erosion of human dignity across the world in armed conflicts, natural disasters and communicable diseases. This is the theme of the 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent that opened in Geneva today. The conference brings together delegates from 181 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies and representative...

Judge Samvel Uzunyan has today pronounced the verdict on “October 27”. Defendants Nairi and Karen Hunanyans, Edik Grigoryan, Vram Galstyan, Derenik Bejanov, Ashot Knyazyan were sentenced to life imprisonment and Hamlet Stepanyan to 14 years in custody. Verdict can be appealed against within 15 days.

October 27 trial having lasted for 3 years had a sudden finish. It took judge Samvel Uzunyan 18 days to compare the case materials. Defendants were sentenced for seizing state power, terror, murdering state, political, public figures, ceasing their activity, murder attempt, illegal obtaining, bearing, selling and transporting of weapons. Many of those present were not surprised at the verdict,...

Armenian Association of Seismology and Physics held a press conference in connection with the 15th anniversary of Spitak earthquake. AASP Chair Sergey Balasanyan informed that 94% of Armenia is located in the most seismic zone. ”If the earthquake, which stroke in Garni in 1967 is repeated 300000 people will die in Yerevan whereas less than 25000 will die in Spitak since the buildings constructed...

”Who are our leaders now?- a band of scoundrels. What do we face? - beating mothers and wives of soldiers. Arthur Baghdasaryan gave promises to us. But his bodyguards now lay hands on us. Law-enforcement bodies call us bitches and provoke us to things worse”, mothers of the perished fighters and soldiers killed at peace were crying at the protest action today. They were trying to enter the Parliament building. But Baghdasaryan’s bodyguards...

Former MP Ruben Gevorgyan /Tsaghik Rubo nicknamed/ was arrested. Under the preliminary information, he was accused of bearing weapons and masterminding an attempt on life of Samvel Alexanyan /Lfik Samo nicknamed/.

For 15 years December 1 has been celebrated as the International Day of Fight against AIDS to focus the public attention to this epidemic and to take new steps to prevent it. In 2003 the highest tempos of HIV/AIDS epidemic progress were registered in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including Armenia. This year about 5 million people became infected with HIV. 230.000 of them are in...

”Council of Europe is still concerned about “A1+” fate”, CE representative Paul Toralson, having arrived in Armenia informed Ayb-Fe. By his word, he is well- aware of “A1+” problem and is sure it will be solved sooner or later. Mr Toralson, you think “A1+” problem to be settled soon. Do you mean that the European Court will grant “A1+” claim?. -I am really well-informed about “A1+” issue. But I beg your pardon I can’t...

Communication and Transport Minister Andranik Manukyan said Friday that ArmenTel won’t raise consumer prices for telecommunication. Speaking on ArmenTel Company’s intention to raise per-minute prices from approaching year’s January, the minister said “such a step would become a clear breach of the law”. Andranik Manukyan says there is an agreement signed by the government and the company in 2002, under which the republic residents...

Women have won six National Assembly seats in the 2003 parliamentary elections. One of them has been elected in individual race while the rest five women have obtained seats in parliament through party lists. The number of high-ranking women in executive power is limited as well. Only one woman is a minister and 5 are deputy ministers. Women predominate in education, public health and culture areas....

“Bioecomed” organization held “Way to International Scientific Cooperation” seminar at Yerevan State University’s faculty of physics on November 24 to 26, where ways to obtain grants were explained to the young Armenian scientists. The seminar participants have understood that it is impossible to be engaged in science without international cooperation and financial support.

Presentation of a new book written by journalist Avet Demuryan took place in Armenian Journalists Union House on Wednesday. The book is intended for those who want to be trained in journalism. Trying to avoid magisterial manner and didactic way of explaining, the author shows in his book how overseas journalists work. What about domestic journalism, Demuryan thinks after declaration of independence...

Yerevan Municipality’s Education Department in association with the Moscow Economic, Statistics and Information Technologies State University’s Yerevan branch is going to conduct computer courses for school teachers to help them apply new technologies in teaching processes. At the first stage, 60 teachers will get free-of-charge training. Armenian government has provided a special building for training.

A1+ TV Company’s lawsuit filed over Radio and Television National Commission recent tender decision that gave 63 UNF to Cinemax TV Company “in a clear breach of the law”, as it is said in the motion, was to be heard in Economic Court on Wednesday. Hearing was postponed because of judge, Karen Chilingaryan’s departure from Yerevan for business trip. Court’s previous session scheduled for November 7 has been delayed for about three...

”We demand Armenian Government and Serj Sargssyan to resign since the problems of the liberty fighters are not solved because of them”, Grisha Sargssyan, Chair of “Glorious Fighters” social organization announced at the press conference in Journalists’ House. By his words, their organization has applied to Armenian president, Government, Defense Ministry since 2000 in order that they should protect the broken rights of the liberty fighters...

”The statistics in Armenia is up to the international standards”, Armenian Finance and Economy Minister Vardan Khachatryan told the journalists this. Armenia has become the 54th country achieved membership to the Special Standard of Information Spreading of International Monetary Fund. ”What does Armenia gain?- data reliability. We gain, too, as we implement programs here”, IMF representative to Armenia James McHugh says. IMD approved...

Campaign on “16-day Activity against Gender Violence” started November 25. In 1989 14 Canadian student girls were killed just because they wanted to become engineers. That violence resulted in 2 world campaigns, “16-day Activity against Gender Violence” and “Campaign of the White Band”, which was the unprecedented initiative of Canadian men. Both campaigns were represented in Georgia, and spread over the whole Southern Caucasus in 2001....

A1+ TV Company is to file a lawsuit in court this week claiming that Cinemax TV Company is given 63 UHF in a clear breach of the law and thanks to submission of false papers and demanding to announce the decision made by Radio and Television National Commission invalid, A1+ TV Company president Mesrop Movsessyan and the company attorney Tigran Ter-Yesayan said at a news conference held Monday. Ter-Yesayan...

“Under Yerevan mayor decision, public transport will be ceasing to operate after midnight”, the municipality transport department head Areg Barseghyan said at news conference held Monday. Journalists put to him a question “why such a decision has been made”. Number of hours due to be worked on a normal day are restricted under a contract. After minibuses’ drivers were prohibited from overloading their vehicle, some of them increased...