Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan and Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan visited the south-western border of Armenia on Friday.

The ministers discussed the peculiarities of the border service with the command of the military unit, spokesperson for the Defense Ministry said.

Eighty-eight people were hospitalized with food poisoning in Armenia’s Armavir province on Thursday.

All patients were working in a company which is engaged in viticulture nearby Arevshat village . As of Friday afternoon, 63 out of the 88 hospitalized patients have already been discharged. One of the victims said at lunchtime, all company employees—about 200 people—had eaten sandwiches with chicken and cheese.

Later on laboratory research has found salmonellosis agents in all biological samples that were taken from the patients who were examined. 

The United States looks forward to working with the new Armenian government on the many areas of mutual interest for our countries, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell said in a phone conversation with Armenian FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Wess Mitchell discussed the bilateral agenda issues, and a number of urgent regional and international issues, including the situation in the Karabakh conflict zone.

Ankara’s chief prosecutor’s office has launched criminal proceedings against Garo Paylan, Turkish MP of Armenian origin, for allegedly violating the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish penal code that deems “insulting Turkishness” as illegal offense.

The investigation was launched after he used the word genocide to describe the event of 1915 in an interview, in which he asserted that genocide is continuing today.

Word-renowned Armenian economist Daron Acemoğlu said he will gladly try to help Armenia’s economy.

We all have to be hopeful about the future of Armenia, but we need to accept that it is not easy to uproot and destroy a corrupt system, he said, adding that he will visit Yerevan when he has a chance.

The peaceful resolution of Armenia's political crisis via constitutional processes, and the continued smooth functioning of economic institutions such as the central bank have minimised the impact of the crisis on the economy, Fitch Ratings says.

The financial sector did not see destabilising pressure on bank liquidity or deposits, while international reserves remain at prudent levels.