The vanguard forces of the Artsakh Defense Army detected an infiltration attempt by Azerbaijan’s intelligence-gathering diversion team on Thursday.

As a result of the preventive actions that were taken, these Azerbaijani special detachments were pushed back, the Artsakh Ministry of Defense said. According to preliminary data, the adversary has suffered casualties.

Later in the day spokesperson for the Armenian Foreign Ministry said Baku tries to compensate its failures in diplomacy and on international stage by staging provocations on the line of contact.

Karabakh Ombudsman, in his turn, said Azerbaijan’s attempt of sabotage, was a response to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s call to Azerbaijanis at PACE.

Armenia’s embassy in Damascus has confirmed the fact that one Armenian was injured in Afrin, Syria, spokesperson for Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

According to preliminary information, a bomb had fallen on the house of an Armenian, during the current Turkish military actions against Kurds in Afrin.

California Senator Anthony Portantino sent out a letter to his Senate and Assembly colleagues in the Capitol urging them to resist increased lobby efforts put forth by the Government of Azerbaijan.

Portantino became alarmed by the increasing presence of the Azeri Government in Sacramento and in Los Angeles.

Senator Portantino has been at the forefront of promoting efforts in Sacramento to advance economic relations between California and Nagorno-Karabakh

Another case of illegal hunting has been registered in Armenia. Six employees of Zangezur state reserve found the body of a bezoar goat. The search for hunters gave no results.  Law enforcement agencies were informed about the incident.

Two companies founded by ethnic Armenians in Russia were included in 2018 Forbes Russian Real Estate Kings rating.

Tashir company owned by Russian businessman of Armenian origin Samvel Karapetyan is the third in the list, while RD Group founded by entrepreneurs Ruben Vardanyan and Gagik Adibekyan are on the 28th place.

A tragic road accident has taken place Thursday, in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, it a truck had crashed into stones killed the driver and the passenger.

Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan continues holding meetings in Davos. On the margins of the forum Karapetyn met with President of Switzerland, Prime Ministers of Estonia and Lebanon, Deputy PM of Singapore.

U.S. president Donald Trump arrived in Switzerland on Thursday to participate in the World Economic Forum. Trump will become the first US president to take part in Davos after Bill Clinton in 2000.

Arsenal and France legendary forward Thierry Henry has lauded Armenia international Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has moved to the London club from Manchester United.

“As far as the Sanchez/Mkhitaryan swap is concerned, I was a big fan of Mkhitaryan when he was at [Borussia] Dortmund, but things didn’t go his way at Manchester United. He looks like an Arsenal player with the way he likes to play and the way Arsenal like to play,” Henry said.

The world's most popular crypto currency, bitcoin, is trading near the $11,000 mark, according to the auction. Bitcoin rate went up by 7.15% reaching $11.63 thousand.