IT & Telecom:

Armenian, Artsakh ICT leaders hold a meeting in Stepanakert

Review of October 4 - 11 information technology and telecommunication events.

October 11, 2010
Stepanakert hosted ICT leaders’ conference on development of technologic enterprises in Armenia and Artsakh and implementation of electronic management systems. Over 30 ICT companies, 80 representatives of international organizations and business sector were invited to participate.
Economy:

Armenia set to discuss 2011 national budget

The standing committees of the Armenian National Assembly will debate the draft budget from October 18 to 23.

October 11, 2010
The Armenian government has approved the 2011 draft national budget, with expenditures and revenues totaling AMD 1 trillion and AMD 850 billion respectively. The budgetary deficit is expected to amount to AMD 148,6 billion.
Politics:

Is not Baku afraid of being unable to deceive OSCE Minsk Group this time, what will lead to recognizing Azerbaijan occupant?

The fact that the world community has not reacted to Manvel Saribekyan’s murder, possibly, has convinced Baku of its own impunity.

October 8, 2010
Chairman of the Social and Political Department at the Azerbaijani presidential administration, Ali Hasanov states that Baku has repeatedly applied to the OSCE and other international organizations, asking them to send an assessment mission to the territories around Nagorno Karabakh.
Armenia and world:

As expected, Armenian-Turkish Protocols remained on paper

Recognizing the Armenian Genocide, and together with it also the genocide of all Christian nations, Turkey will have to pay compensation to all: the Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and even Kurds killed in Dersim.

October 8, 2010
A year has passed since the signing of the Protocols on normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, and during this time it became clear that the Protocols have died still unborn, taking with them the ephemeral hope of ever normalizing relations. However, neither the powers standing behind these documents, nor the parties had the courage to admit the futility of the whole idea.
Sport:

Tigran G. Martirosyan World Weightlifting Champion

Review of September 23-30 sports events.

October 4, 2010
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.
Culture:

Armenia hosts the most delicious festival

The initiators of the barbecue fest promise a better organization next year.

September 22, 2010
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.
Society:

Armenians do not celebrate Navasard as national holiday because Hayk Nahapet was not Christian

Navasard had been one of the most popular holidays before Gregorian calendar took effect.

August 13, 2010
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.
 
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