YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — On March 17, President Robert Kocharian defended through a spokesman his administration’s continuing refusal to allow Armenia’s leading independent and pro-opposition newspapers and online publications to resume news reporting.
All of those media outlets suspended or were forced to suspend their work as a result of a 20-day state of emergency imposed by [...]

YEREVAN (Combined sources) — Briton John [...]

YEREVAN (Reuters) — Armenian police have arrested 30 opposition activists for starting a riot, which killed eight people, the Prosecutor-General said on Tuesday, March 4, in a clampdown on opponents during a state of emergency.
Armenia’s military commander also said he needed the emergency laws to ensure stability but opposition leaders accused the authorities of abusing [...]

LUXEMBOURG (RFE/RL) — Officials in Armenia and Azerbaijan have confirmed an outbreak of military clashes in two regions of Nagorno-Karabagh.
In an interview, Azg daily editor-in-chief Hagop Avedikian confirmed that clashes had indeed taken place on March 4, with the more intense fighting in the vicinity of the village of Leonarkh, in the Martakert region of [...]

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) — A top Vatican envoy has postponed a visit to Armenia because of the unrest in the capital Yerevan, the Vatican said on March 2.
Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who ranks only second to the pope in the Vatican hierarchy, had been due to leave later on Sunday and stay until [...]

BURGAS, Bulgaria (The Independent) — On February 28, the Town Council of Burgas, 390 kilometers east of Sofia, adopted with an overwhelming majority of the votes, 43 against 2, recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Moreover, the city will commemorate each April 24 to the memory of the Genocide’s victims and request that the [...]

YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Armenia was invited to participate in the 57th Miss World Beauty Pageant that will take place in July in Vietnam.
Karen Aristakesian, head of the Miss Armenia agency, said that the winner of the Miss Armenia contest, scheduled for early summer, would represent the country in Vietnam.
He said the winner would also participate [...]

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan) — The regular tour of the World Cup Tournament of Sports Gymnastics began on March 2 in Qatar. Vahagn Stepanian, Haroutiun Merdinian and David Avetisian competed from Armenia. The tournament was to finish on March 7.

ROME — On February 22, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) joined representatives from various Armenian churches and the local Roman-Armenian community to witness Pope Benedict XVI dedicate the north courtyard of the Vatican Basilica to St. Gregory the Illuminator of Armenia.
Representing AGBU President Berge Setrakian was AGBU Europe board member, Krikor Istanboulli, who [...]