Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia’s top news as of 26.08.2019.
- A huge fire broke out at Malatia Mall in Yerevan on Saturday afternoon. The seven people injured in the fire were taken to hospitals, where they received medical treatment and were discharged.
The fire continued for several hours and was extinguished Sunday at 1:53pm. More than 10 fire crews were involved in the firefighting.
Emergency Situations Minister Feliks Tsolakyan and other officials were at the site. Malatia Mall belongs to businessman, former MP Samvel Aleksanyan.
- Environmental activists staged a march and a rally in downtown Yerevan on August 24 to protest against operation of the Amulsar gold mine.
Some of the activists believe the only way to resolve the matter is to hold a nationwide referendum.
The day before Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Jermuk – a resort town located near Amulsar – as well as adjacent communities where he met with the local residents majority of whom oppose exploitation of the mine.
PM said he had instructed to send the conclusions by Elard organization to Armenia's Nature Protection Ministry to clarify whether new examination is needed.
- The US administration decided to restore the program of financing foreign aid, including assistance to Armenia in 2019, Voice of America reported.
The Trump administration has abandoned the idea of reducing external financing, which implies the restoration of frozen foreign aid in the amount of $ 4 billion.
As for US aid in 2020, including the allocation of funds for Armenia-related programs. Discussions will continue in the US Senate in September, when the lawmakers return from vacation. This also applies to the amendment of the bill on the provision of $ 40 million for Armenia and the mine clearance program for Nagorno-Karabakh.
- Three Armenian nationals were killed in a car accident involving Nissan and Opel near the town of Armavir, Russia’s Krasnodar region.
The car accident occurred in the evening of August 23 on Kavkaz highway. A 9-year-old Armenia girl was injured and was in an intensive care unit of Armavir hospital.
- The World Chess Federation (FIDE) has reacted to Armenian women’s national chess team member Maria Gevorgyan not being included among the competitors in a chess tournament in Turkey—and by the demand of Azerbaijanis.
The Chess Federation of Armenia had petitioned to FIDE, with a letter so that the incident would be investigated.
“We already started the investigation. It will be quick. And the punishment for those found guilty will be serious,” FIDE representative Emil Sutovsky said.
