Armenia
CAUCASUS BLOG: Politicians take on Emerging Europe’s powerful churches at their peril
Armenian PM offered to show the head of the church his penis to prove a point in their ongoing row. But past experience shows it’s difficult for politicians to win a church vs state standoff.
Senior Armenian cleric arrested over alleged coup plot
National Security Service claimed Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and his supporters were preparing to seize power through violent means.
Arrest of Armenian tycoon sparks outcry from opposition and church
Samvel Karapetyan was taken into custody shortly after PM Nikol Pashinyan branded the billionaire businessman a “scoundrel” and vowed to “interfere” in his affairs.
EU sanctions Turkey’s jihadists in Syria for slaughtering Alawites
Militias designated by Council of Ministers represent a failure by Ankara to organise militant groups during the Syria War.
Arrest of billionaire Karapetyan escalates Armenia’s church-state showdown
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is embroiled in a very public confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church after accusing its head of fathering an illegitimate child.
Armenian authorities detain Russian-Armenian tycoon Samvel Karapetyan
Arrest follows intensifying dispute between the businessman and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration.
Armenians fear regional conflict as Iran-Israel war continues
Growing unease in Armenia that a destabilised Iran could give Azerbaijan the confidence to pursue its territorial ambitions.
CAUCASUS BLOG: Armenia feels the strain as Iran-Israel conflict upends regional order
Armenia finds itself increasingly isolated in a volatile neighbourhood, surrounded by historic foes and uncertain allies.
Armenia announces $500mn AI supercomputing hub with NVIDIA and Firebird
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says investment has the potential to transform Armenia's technological landscape.
Israeli embassies worldwide suspend operations
Israeli diplomatic missions globally have suspended operations amid the ongoing Israeli military operation against Iran which has killed nearly 80 people.
Armenian economy stabilises after 2022 boom, says RenCap
Growth surge that saw Armenia’s GDP nearly double to $25bn by 2024 is mostly over, says investment bank.
Russia bringing in de facto visa regime for Central Asia nationals, say critics
Rights campaigners, meanwhile, hit out at digital controls on migrants in country that they say will be used to corner people into joining armed forces.
M360 GSMA Eurasia event spotlights rich promise of mobile tech, 5G and AI
Mobile technologies and services said to have generated 7.7%, or $220bn, of GDP across region last year.
Armenian PM’s wife slams critics as “hedgehogs” and “donkeys” in social media posts
Anna Hakobyan took to Facebook to counter accusations of corruption and misuse of funds at her My Step Foundation.
EBRD cuts 2025 growth forecasts citing tariffs and global uncertainty
Development bank lowers forecasts for Emerging Europe, Central Asia and North Africa as slowdowns in Germany and China take their toll.
Post-war order teetering – rights watchdog
Eurasia “at forefront” of assault on individual freedoms.
COMMENT: Europe could benefit from partnering with Armenian tech innovation
Armenia is a democracy with a young, tech-savvy population and a hunger to scale, writes Samson Avetian of Armenia-based investment platform eqwefy.
COMMENT: Embracing “Greater Central Asia” has become a strategic imperative for US
Wider region increasingly seen as arena in which major powers’ interests, such as in sourcing critical minerals, collide and converge.
Armenia courts African countries to supply diamond industry
Armenia is seeking partnerships with African producers of rough diamonds to ensure a stable supply for its diamond processing industry and diversify away from sanctions-hit Russian suppliers.
New study reveals extent of Russian disinformation targeting Emerging Europe
'Pravda network' targeting regions of geopolitical interest for the Kremlin with negative impact on democracy and regional stability.