David Heslam: the state will need time to pay off the state debt and tackle political problems.

Grain cultivation and harvesting comes to around AMD 182,000 per ha in Armenia. A farmer from Yeghvard town (Kotayk region of Armenia) told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that plowing of 1ha costs AMD 25, 000, grain sowing – AMD 8,000, land leveling – AMD 10,000, cultivation – AMD 12,000. Meanwhile, farmers have to pay AMD 20,000 for irrigation, while it is necessary to water grain three times a year.

Weightlifting: Armenia’s Tigran G. Martirosyan claimed double gold in both clean and jerk and total in men's 77kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships in Antalya, Turkey. Martirosyan combined 173kg in the snatch and 200kg in the clean and jerk to win gold with a total weight of 373kg.

Political events in Armenia started with discussions on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as usual.

Internet World Stats usage and population statistics has published the results of Armenia-based survey as of June 2010. 1,396,550 Internet users (47.1% of the population) were reported in Armenia according to the Public Services Regulatory Committee.

The second barbecue festival was held in Akhtala, Lori region of Armenia, on Sunday, September 12. It was dated to two other events: re-consecration of Surb Mariam Astvatsatsin Church and inauguration of a monument to wedding rings.

For dozens of centuries Armenians had been celebrating the New Year, Navasard, on August 11. Once a favorite popular holiday, it now became a topic of historians’ remarks or Armenian folklore only. “August 11 is the first day of the new year according to the ancient Armenian calendar. It was celebrated by all – the rich and the poor,” said ethnographer Gohar Vardumyan, senior fellow at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences.